“Sensory disabilities” can involve any of the five senses, but for educational purposes, it generally refers to a disability related to hearing, vision, or both hearing and vision.
Sensory disabilities affect access – access to visual and/or auditory information. Most content information is presented visually and/or auditorily in the classroom. It is important that children experiencing a vision and/or a hearing loss are appropriately identified to ensure access to education.
VDOE’s Annual Resources Update for Serving Students with Sensory Disabilities Document
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) provides information on its website about
educational services and resources to support students who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind or
visually impaired, or deaf-blind. The following resources are sourced from VDOE’s Sensory Disabilities webpage and websites for partnering agencies, centers, and college/university
programs in Virginia.