Educational audiology is a specialized field that focuses on the hearing and listening needs of children and youth in educational settings. While clinical audiologists primarily diagnose hearing loss and fit hearing aids in medical or clinic settings, educational audiologists focus on how hearing impacts learning and work directly in schools or consult with school districts.

They assess students’ hearing and auditory processing abilities in school contexts, ensure appropriate amplification such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, osseointegrated devices, hearing assistive technology (HAT), and manage classroom acoustics and listening environments.

Educational audiologists advocate for students who are deaf or hard of hearing or have auditory processing difficulties in IEP and 504 meetings, provide consultation to teachers, families, and school teams, monitor and troubleshoot hearing technology in schools, and support language and literacy development related to hearing loss.

They serve students with hearing loss ranging from mild to profound, students with auditory processing disorders, students with cochlear implants, and students needing classroom accommodations for listening, as well as entire school communities through acoustic improvements and teacher training. The ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between audiological needs and educational success—ensuring that hearing loss doesn’t create barriers to learning, communication, and social participation in school.