Using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills With Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Perspectives of a Panel of Experts

Early literacy skills serve as the foundation for the development of subsequent reading skills and strategies. Increasingly, educators are administering early literacy assessments to identify young students who are at risk for reading failure and providing them with additional evidence based interventions. The most widely used assessments for reading in preschools and elementary schools for typical hearing students are the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). The purpose of this study was to gather the perceptions of a panel of experts in the area of reading and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing regarding the potential appropriateness of using the subtests of the DIBELS with students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Results, as well as practical and research implications, are provided.