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EHDI Conference Featuring Clarke Presenters

About the EHDI Conference

In its 24th year, the EHDI (Early Hearing Detection & Intervention) Conference has built a strong reputation for bringing together a wide variety of attendees including those who: work in state Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs; assist in EHDI efforts on the federal level; provide screening, diagnostic and early intervention support at the state/ local level to young children with hearing loss and their families; champion Medical Home activities within each state; are parents of children with hearing loss; or are deaf or hard-of-hearing adults who are helping to expand opportunities for young children with hearing loss. EHDI Conference participants will range from state and local programs to the federal level and from academics to families.

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Clarke Exhibitors
Register for the full conference, March 9-11, 2025, to see this presentation!

The FAQs of M/A (Frequently Asked Questions about Microtia/Atresia) for Parents and Professionals

Presentation Abstract

After a child is born with microtia/atresia (MA), their parents have many questions but rarely encounter anyone in those first days and weeks to answer them. As they move from the newborn medical world to the 1-3-6 world, many parents report that their questions continue to go unaddressed, or, worse, are answered inaccurately. Many of the professionals they encounter upon entering Early Intervention may have limited experience with children with microtia/atresia, given its relative rarity and limitations and variability to some states’ eligibility for children who are deaf/hard of hearing. This presentation addresses common questions parents and professionals who work with them have regarding etiology, audiology testing, amplification options, medical treatment, developmental impact, social impact, and long-term implications. Facilitated discussion among participants will identify strategies for supporting families through these early stages and beyond.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this presentation, participants should be able to:

  • Generate questions parents of children with microtia/atresia have after their child’s birth.
  • Identify answers to common questions asked by parents of children with microtia/atresia.
  • Discuss and develop strategies for supporting parents of children with microtia/atresia.
Clarke Presenter
Meredith L. Berger, MSEd. SBL/SDL​

Meredith L. Berger, MSEd. SBL/SDL​

Director, Clarke New York​
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Meredith Berger, MS became the director of Clarke Schools for Hearing & Speech/New York, an Early Intervention and Preschool listening spoken language program, in 2008. Prior to that, she was the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Educational Specialist at New York Eye and Ear’s Ear Institute/Cochlear Implant Center. She received a B.S. in Education from SUNY at Buffalo State College and master’s degrees in Deaf Education and in Educational Leadership from Canisius College. In addition to presenting on the educational needs of children with hearing loss, she has also co-authored pieces on the Clinic-School relationship. Meredith is on the Executive Board of Option Schools as a Director at Large and is member of the Children’s Hearing Institute Medical and Educational Advisory Board. In 2017, Meredith began her doctoral studies at Teachers College, Columbia University to find answers to her own questions on the needs/outcomes of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, particularly those with microtia/atresia, and their families.

Register for the full conference, March 9-11, 2025, to see this presentation!

The Transition from EI to Preschool: What's the LRE?

Presentation Abstract

Federal Law requires that children with disabilities be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). However, there is often misunderstanding and confusion about how to determine the LRE for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), especially as they transition from Early Intervention (EI) to Preschool. In this presentation we will provide recommended practices for EI to preschool transition teams to follow when determining the LRE and making placement decisions for children who are deaf or heard of hearing. including considering the full continuum of alternative placements designed specifically for young children who are DHH.

Clarke Presenter
Barbara Hecht, PhD​

Barbara Hecht, PhD​

National Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships​
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Barbara F. Hecht, PhD, is National Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. Previously, she served as Director of Clarke Massachusetts in Canton, MA and the tVisit® Teleservices Program. Before joining Clarke, Barbara was President of the John Tracy Center and a special education faculty member at UCLA, the University of Southern California and the University of San Diego. Barbara co-wrote the 2018 edition of Optimizing Outcomes for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Education Service Guidelines. She serves on numerous state and national advisory committees and is the current President of the Council on the Education of the Deaf (CED) and a representative to the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH). 

Register for the full conference, March 9-11, 2025, to see this presentation!
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Cochlear Implant Awareness Day

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