Summit Speech School
Helping New Jersey's children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and talk since 1967.
The Summit Speech School Advantage Experience integrated, collaborative care. Partner with Summit Speech School for both Teacher of the Deaf (TOD) and Educational Audiology services through one coordinated team. We provide seamless communication, consistent support, and timely, customized solutions tailored to your district’s needs.
Educational Consultations Our audiologists participate in IEP and 504 meetings, offering expert interpretation of clinical data. We help teams understand audiograms and develop actionable classroom accommodations based on each student’s unique hearing profile.
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) Support We provide specialized services for students who “hear” but struggle to “process.” Support includes technology recommendations, staff in‑servicing, and individualized student training designed specifically for the APD population.
Acoustic & Classroom Evaluations We assess classroom acoustics—including reverberation, background noise, and room layout—to deliver evidence‑based recommendations that improve listening access for all students.
Functional Listening Evaluation (FLE) A booth test doesn’t tell the whole story. Our FLE measures how a student hears in real classroom conditions, comparing performance in quiet vs. noise and near vs. far listening situations.
Rapid Remote Troubleshooting We provide virtual support to school staff to quickly diagnose and resolve equipment issues—minimizing downtime and reducing the need for on‑site visits.
Technology & DM Solutions Our team selects, installs, and optimizes FM/DM systems and remote microphone technology. We ensure all equipment is functioning properly and integrated with other classroom technology to meet each student’s needs.
Contact Information Contact us to add Educational Audiology services to your district contract. audiology@summitspeech.org | 908‑508‑0011
Educational audiology brings together clinical expertise and school‑based support to ensure that students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or experiencing listening challenges have full access to learning. It bridges the gap between what happens in the audiology clinic and what a child actually experiences in a busy, noisy classroom. Educational audiologists work directly with students, families, teachers, and child study teams to make sure hearing technology is functioning, classroom environments support listening, and instructional teams understand each student’s unique hearing needs.
What Educational Audiology Provides
Educational audiology services focus on removing barriers to communication and learning. These services typically include:
- Assessment and interpretation of how a student hears and processes sound in real‑world school environments, not just in a sound booth.
- Participation in IEP and 504 meetings, helping teams understand audiograms, functional listening data, and the impact of hearing loss on academic performance.
- Technology management, including fitting, verifying, and troubleshooting hearing aids, cochlear implant accessories, FM/DM systems, and remote microphone technology.
- Classroom and acoustic evaluations to identify noise, distance, and reverberation challenges that affect listening access.
- Support for students with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) through technology recommendations, staff training, and individualized strategies.
- Training for teachers and school staff so they can confidently use equipment, implement accommodations, and create listening‑friendly classrooms.
Why Educational Audiology Matters
Hearing loss and listening challenges affect far more than volume—they influence language development, attention, social connection, and academic success. Even mild or unilateral hearing loss can cause a child to miss key information in class. Educational audiologists ensure that:
- Students have equitable access to spoken instruction.
- Hearing technology works consistently throughout the school day.
- Teachers understand how to support listening and communication.
- Families receive guidance and collaboration from school‑based professionals.
- Districts meet legal and educational requirements for students with hearing needs.
The Impact on Students and Schools
When educational audiology is integrated into a district’s support system, students experience clearer communication, stronger participation, and improved academic outcomes. Schools benefit from reduced equipment downtime, more confident staff, and coordinated support that keeps students learning without interruption. Educational audiology ultimately ensures that every child—regardless of hearing ability—can fully engage, connect, and succeed in the classroom.
Early Intervention – Parent/Infant Program (0-3 years of age)
The specialized Early Intervention program of Summit Speech School serves approximately 100 families each year. Our highly skilled Teachers of the Deaf provide direct intervention to children with hearing loss from birth-3. During this critical stage for Listening and Spoken Language acquisition and overall cognitive development, parents and caregivers are coached to incorporate important strategies into everyday routines. Teachers travel to the home or child care center of each student to provide listening training, integrate language activities and build communication skills. They also teach parents how to work with their child at home and to advocate for their children.
Our Program Coordinator facilitates family support through our Group Family Training program. On a weekly basis, families meet and learn together about hearing loss, technology, advocacy, child development and educational considerations. While learning about these important topics, families are also forging bonds and building relationships with each other, providing support and encouragement to each other.
When a child reaches 18 months, he or she may attend Sound Beginnings, a toddler group program. Our Teacher of the Deaf, Occupational Therapist, and Auditory Verbal Speech Therapist create language, listening and learning experiences for these toddlers in an exciting classroom. While the toddlers are “learning to listen”, singing, exploring toys and sensory materials, climbing and socializing, parents are meeting or observing the class from our observation room.
For more information, please visit our Early Intervention page.
Preschool Program (3-5 years of age)
The Preschool offers a full day listening and spoken language-intensive program that prepares preschoolers to enter kindergarten in their local school districts. We are a state approved preschool and incorporate the HighScope curriculum into our day, exposing our students to math, literacy, writing, science, dramatic play, art, music and social studies in a center based environment. Our highly skilled Teachers of the Deaf and Speech Therapists work as a team to develop and guide learning with individual speech, listening, and language goals for each child. Occupational therapy, physical therapy and audiological services are also available.
For more information, please visit our Preschool page.
Itinerant Mainstream Support Program (Preschool – High School)
The Itinerant Mainstream Support Program currently serves over 200 students in 66 school districts throughout New Jersey.
Our Itinerant Teachers of the Deaf provide both direct and consultative services to support students in their mainstream school. Our teachers work with students to improve their Listening and Spoken Language skills, pre-teach and post-teach classroom material to foster academic success, and help students develop self-advocacy to promote independence. They also collaborate with teachers and staff and to provide support and training, troubleshoot DM/FM equipment, and provide regular progress reports.
Our Background
Summit Speech School, located in New Providence, New Jersey, was founded in 1967. The school is one of only 51 Listening and Spoken Language OPTION Schools in the country and the first in New Jersey teaching children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and talk without the use of sign language.
