Author Description

This paper discusses how families and schools can work together to better care for and foster learning in children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Four dimensions of the family-school relationship are addressed with 16 basic premises proposed. First, three premises offer a philosophical basis for family-school relationships and include adoption of an ecological perspective, redefinition of the role and preparation of the teacher, and a commitment to interprofessional cooperation. Second, family involvement is considered in five premises that emphasize empowering teacher attitudes, parent choice of type of involvement with schools, recognition of parents' varying needs and resources, school programs that target parents' strengths and priorities, and family partnerships with professionals. Third is the area of family support, information, education and skill development with seven premises. These address the importance of families' changing priorities and support needs, family support that is empowering, information sharing, effective parent-child interactions, and involvement of professionals with specialized skills and abilities. (Contains approximately 50 references.) (DB).