In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the identification of and provision of appropriate services to children and adolescents who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) and who have concomitant learning disabilities (LD). Although it is unclear just how many youths who are D/HH also might have educationally significant learning problems, results from limited survey research and clinical practice provide evidence that such a group exists and that a significant portion of the school-age population of children and adolescents who are D/HH comprise a subgroup of youths who have concomitant LD. The overriding interest of those who advocate the cause of children and adolescents who are D/HH with concomitant LD is in finding effective ways to help these youths acquire future academic competence and attain competent levels of psychosocial functioning and emotional well-being. With creative research efforts and efficacious approaches to psychoeducational practice, we can seize the opportunity to establish high-quality diagnostic and educational services for children and adolescents who are D/HH and who have accompanying LD and set the stage to optimize positive developmental, academic, vocational, social, and economic outcomes for these youths.

In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the identification of, and provision of appropriate services to, children with hearing impairment and learning disabilities (HILD). Although at present it is unclear just what percentage of children with HI also might have educationally significant learning problems, results from limited survey research within the sparse literature on students with multiple disabilities and HI (MDHI) provide evidence that such a group exists and that a significant portion of the school-age population with HI falls within the HILD subgroup. For children with hearing loss, the preschool period offers a prime opportunity for educationally significant problems in addition to impaired hearing, such as learning disabilities, to be identified and for an educational plan to be implemented. This article presents information on the characteristic etiologies, estimated prevalence, aspects of identification and educational programming, and an agenda for practice and research with this population.