This document provides assistance to education agencies and, through them, to educators, service providers, and parents of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The guidelines are a collaborative effort of 10 national organizations. The document is organized into five chapters and a glossary. Chapter 1 describes the issues that are basic to understanding hearing loss, and as such, provides the foundation or background information needed by professionals in the field. Chapter 2 presents characteristics of supportive structures and administration. Chapter 3 describes the process of identifying and assessing individual needs. Chapter 4 reviews program options and methods of choosing appropriate placements. Chapter 5 describes characteristics of personnel who will work with children after placement. The glossary provides definitions for terminology used through the document. Nine appendices include: knowledge and skill statements for beginning teachers of students with hearing impairments; model standards for the certification of educational interpreters; information on cued speech transliteration; a position statement on identification of hearing impairment in infants; guidelines for service provision to infants and toddlers with hearing impairments; policy guidelines of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; audiology guidelines; and a directory of national organizations of and for people with hearing impairments. Individual chapters contain references. (DB)