Current Screening Procedures for the Usher Syndrome at Residential Schools for the Deaf

The purpose of this study was to determine how many residential schools for the deaf are currently screening their students for the Usher Syndrome and how many of these schools offer support services to identified Usher Syndrome students and their families. Forty schools responded. Residential schools were chosen because they have large concentrations of high-risk individuals, the congenitally deaf. The results indicated that 53% of the schools that responded are screening students for Usher Syndrome. Eighty-four percent of the identified students were older than 12 years, and 81% had a profound hearing loss. One-half of the schools with screening programs offered some support services: personal counseling, genetic counseling, curricular modifications, and vocational counseling.