• The Deaf Child's Bill of Rights - Outlines the rights of every Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing child.
• Hearing Aid Coverage - Mandates specific coverage requirements for private insurance companies.
• American Sign Language in High Schools - If your child is Deaf, DeafBlind or hard of hearing, contact Suzanne Lynch for more information about your high school child taking ASL as their foreign language credits.

For more information on your rights, please visit the SWE Parent Resources Page.

Your Rights Explained

The Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD) is a state school that offers a comprehensive education for students PreK through Grade 12 at no cost to their families. LSD provides instruction in a bilingual environment of American Sign Language and English. To be considered for admission to LSD, students must be deaf or hard-of-hearing between the ages of 3-21 and reside in the state of Louisiana. They must also qualify for admission.

Enrolling at the Louisiana School for the Deaf is possible by:

• Parental Application: At each IEP conference, parents have the right to review the choices of educational placements available to their child. Louisiana law (Act 433) empowers parents to choose between the program offered by their local school system and the program offered by LSD. Parents can apply directly to LSD at any time during the school year.
• State Department of Education (SDE) Referral: The local school system can refer a deaf/hard-of-hearing student to LSD through the SDE.

Visit the Louisiana School for the Deaf

• Louisiana Commission for the Deaf - 628 N. 4th Street; Baton Rouge, LA 70802
  • Toll Free: 1-800-256-1523 | V: 225-342-9500  |  VP: 225-228-1203 | LCD@la.gov
• Deaf Focus Services - 3112 Valley creek Dr. Suite E Baton Rouge LA 70808
  • Voice 225-319-5586  |  www.lad1908.org | request@deaffocus.org  |  Jay@deaffocus.org
• LA Association of the Deaf, Inc. - 3112 Valley Creek Drive, Suite E; Baton Rouge, LA 70808
  • 225-341-6406  | info@LAD1908.org 
• Lafayette Athletic Association of the Deaf - 200 Rue De Belier; Lafayette, LA 70506
  • Voice: 337-205-2598  | Text Only: 337-303-4603
• Louisiana DeafBlind Project for Children & Youth - Human Development Center 
  • 411 South Prieur St.; New Orleans, LA 70112 |504-556-3455  |  ladbp@lsuhsc.edu 
• Louisiana Hands & Voices - 5860 Citrus Blvd, Suite D; Harahan, LA 70123
  • Jill Guidry: (337) 515-5774 | Nicole DeLeon: (504) 388-5712 | contactus@LAHandsandvoices.northshore.org 
• National Technical Institute for the Deaf - 52 Lomb Memorial Drive; Rochester, NY 14623
  • Pre-College Outreach (contests and camps) 585-475-7695
• Gallaudet University - 800 Florida Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002 | (202) 651-5000
• Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center - 800 Florida Avenue NE; Washington, DC 20002
• Lighthouse Louisiana - 19352 North 2nd Street, #2; Covington, LA 70433 
  • (985) 892- 2581 | VP (985) 590- 3148 

For more information about additional transition agencies and services, please visit the SWE Parent Resources page.

SWE Agencies and Transition Services

Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Speech Disorders:

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf (LCD) provides telecommunications equipment and alert systems at no cost to Louisiana residents who are d/Deaf, DeafBlind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disorder. The equipment can improve the quality of daily communication by allowing users to communicate over the phone and receive alerts through vibration or visual alerts. 

Request a Smoke Alarm - Louisiana

DeafBlind:

Some telecommunications equipment is available to those who qualify through iCanConnect, the National DeafBlind Equipment Distribution Program. This program provides equipment such as Braille devices, computers, and mobile devices to thousands of people who are DeafBlind across the country. 

Apply for Free DeafBlind Equipment

The types of equipment that may be provided include the following:

• Amplified & Caption Phones: phones that can amplify a callers voice to over 50dB for people who are hard of hearing. Some can also provide captions for what a caller is saying.
• Alert Systems: uses flashing lights and vibration to indicate that the phone is ringing, someone is at the door, alarms, etc.
• TTY Phones: allows for text communication over a landline telephone for people who are d/Deaf.
• Personal Alert Devices: wearable devices that use vibration to alert the wearer of events and emergencies. 

The following are required to receive equipment:  

• Documentation of hearing diagnosis, combined hearing and vision diagnosis, or a speech disorder (i.e. an audiogram or a note from your doctor, audiologist, etc.).
• Proof of Louisiana residency
• Social security card
• Must be 18 or older to receive equipment (A parent/guardian’s can sign for those under age 18.)

Equipment is loaned based on availability and is limited to one per household. Exceptions may be approved by LCD staff. 

The following list is only a small portion of nonprofit and government agencies that may provide financial assistance in purchasing hearing aids. Reach out to each group to inquire about your specific needs to see if they can help.

• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Children’s Hospitals - 5025 Keystone Blvd., Suite 100; Covington | 985-317-6000 
  • Your local children’s hospital will most likely have a comprehensive Audiology department. The Audiologists should be well networked with local, state and national resources for hearing aids. For example, our local Children's Hospital, and off-site clinic locations, offer a "self-pay discount" for those families without health insurance or families with no hearing aid benefits through their private insurance.  A payment plan is also available through the Financial department.  The Audiologists are also knowledgeable of foundations and grants available through application for low-income families to obtain hearing aids.  
• Easter Seals  - 935 Gravier Street, Suite 720; New Orleans, LA | Phone: 504-523-7325   
• Kiwanis Club of North West St. Tammany Parish
• Knights of Columbus of Covington  
• Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project  - A project of the Lions Club International Foundation that assists hearing-aid users who can't afford aids. Program participation varies by location. Contact your local Lions chapter for more information.
  • Covington | Mandeville | Pearl River | Slidell
• Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network
• Louisiana Rehabilitation Services - Elizabeth Maillian, District Supervisor
  • 520 Old Spanish Trail, Suite 4D; Slidell, LA 70458 | (504) 838-5180
• Medicaid
• Miracle Ear Foundation - Provides hearing aids to children under 16 years who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Contact for guidelines and program requirements.
• Olive Osmund Fund - P.O. Box 910065; St. George, Utah 84791-0065 | (516) 996-4196 | info@hearingfund.org
• United Healthcare Children’s Foundation
• Suzy Foundation
• Starkey Hearing Foundation - PO Box 41514; Minneapolis, MN 55441 | 1-866-354-3254 |  info@starkeyfoundation.org

For information specific to American Sign Language including: requesting interpreters, free ASL App access, Video Relay Services links and Community ASL Classes, please visit the ASL Interpreting page.

American Sign Language Interpreting Page