Deafness means having a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance, but that is not included under the definition of "deafness" in this section.
A student with an auditory impairment is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for deafness or for hearing impairment. The evaluation data reviewed by the multidisciplinary team in connection with the determination of a student's eligibility based on an auditory impairment must include an otological examination performed by an Otologist or by a licensed medical doctor, with documentation that an Otologist is not reasonably available. An audiological evaluation by a licensed audiologist shall also be conducted. The evaluation data shall include a description of the implications of the hearing loss for the student's hearing in a variety of circumstances with or without recommended amplification.