With a rich history of over 50 years of service to the community, the Louisville Deaf Oral School is a regional not-for-profit early childhood educational center for deaf and hard of hearing children, ages birth to seven years of age.

The Louisville Deaf Oral School came to fruition in 1948 through joint sponsorship of the Woman’s Club of Louisville and the Kiwanis Club. It was a humble beginning with three children in the basement room of the Woman’s Club. However, today the Louisville Deaf Oral School, on the campus of the Heuser Hearing Institute, is a resource for over 150 students a year. The Louisville Deaf Oral School was the first school of its kind in the state of Kentucky and today remains one of a few schools which strongly supports the auditory approach yet, when appropriate, uses visual communication modalities to assist language and literacy development.

The Louisville Deaf Oral School is recognized as a nationally acclaimed model preschool/kindergarten program and diagnostic center serving deaf and hard of hearing children from 18 Kentucky and seven southern Indiana counties. With an incidence level of 1 to 1000, a school system is challenged to program for young children with hearing losses. For over 20 years, LDOS has partnered with Jefferson County Public Schools and surrounding school systems to provide services for deaf and hard of hearing preschool and kindergarten children at no cost to the families. School staff works with each system to arrange, when possible, placement for young deaf and hard of hearing children so that families can avoid the cost of this very specialized but critical early education. When LDOS is not the local school’s placement option, families are provided a sliding tuition scale option that is very considerate of the families other financial obligations. We are happy to say that no deaf or hard of hearing child has ever been denied services due to inability to pay.

Throughout its extensive history, the mission of the Louisville Deaf Oral School has been to promote the growth of the whole person. Louisville Deaf Oral School’s curriculum is quite unique, offering highly individualized materials that help foster physical, intellectual, social and emotional development. The Parent Infant Program, Preschool and Kindergarten Program are programs currently offered. The Louisville Deaf Oral School serves children with a hearing loss serious enough to require amplification.

It is rare for a deaf or hard of hearing child to have no residual hearing. The proper amplification device, coupled with auditory and speech training and early intervention, can teach most children to make the best use of their residual hearing. Louisville Deaf Oral School audiologists, speech and language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists along with certified deaf education teachers work hand-in-hand with parents to help children develop the language skills necessary to effectively communicate. When necessary, visual signs are used to reinforce the child’s development of expressive and receptive language.

The Louisville Deaf Oral School’s major financial support comes from many sources including: Friends of the Deaf Oral School who operate a resale shop, Fabulous Finds, at Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky; The Woman’s Club of Louisville; the Kiwanis Club of Louisville; Louisville Deaf Oral School Foundation; the School’s Chair Fund Trust; our Sponsor-A-Child program; special events; grants; donations from corporate and individual donors.

Our Mission:

The Louisville Deaf Oral School is a comprehensive educational community that exists to empower children who are deaf or hard of hearing to reach their full potential and to effectively participate in the larger community.

Services Provided:

Parent Infant Program (ages birth to 3)
The Parent Infant Program offers speech therapy, developmental intervention and audiological services for childern who are enrolled in First Steps in Kentucky and southern Indiana. Our early intervention therapists provide expertise and modeling of home and play activities necessary for parents to foster development of their child's auditory, speech, language, cognitive, and motor skills in a personalized fashion. Our therapists also provide information about communication and educational options for children and families.

Preschool / Kindergarten Program (ages 3 to 6)
Children receive a variety of developmentally appropriate experiences typical of quality early childhood and NAEYC accredited programs. The activities are presented in a specially designed environment that promotes the children's language, speech, auditory, cognitive and motor development. The School's curriculum promotes the development of students by blending components of the widely used High Scope curriculum, the internationally known arts based Reggio Emilia approach, and the best practices for deaf and typically developing children.

Pilot Program, Grades 1 to 3 (ages 7 to 9)
An educational program for grades 1-3 is provided for deaf or hard of hearing children residing outside of Jefferson County, Kentucky, who need a specialized instructional setting to enhance the development of their language and communication abilities. Performance Standards and Core Content in all academic areas serves as the foundation for this exemplary educational program.

Learn more about LDOS' programs and services - "Education Today" (pdf download)
Learn more about hearing services available for children and adults - Hearing Services Center brochure (pdf download)

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For more information regarding The Heuser Hearing Institute write to us with the information below or email us at info@thehearinginstitute.org.