Talkers vary widely in the ease or difficulty with which they can be speechread. Examined are variables contributing to visual intelligibility, comparisons with auditory intelligibility, the range of talker differences, characteristics accounting for these differences (facial cues, extrafacial gestures, rate, and rhythm), and implications for…

The chapter examines audition and early intervention with hearing impaired infants, the normal development of audition, a model of auditory learning and teaching (involving discrimination, identification, comprehension, and detection), progression along the developmental sequence, natural interactions which aid learning, and parent role. (DB)

This paper discusses why and how parents of children with hearing impairments participate in the auditory-verbal approach. The components of therapy sessions are outlined, and techniques are described for developing listening skills, speech production, language, and communication in infants and toddlers. Effective teaching strategies are reviewed…