The Volta Review - Alexander Graham Bell Association

Editors’ Preface
Joseph Smaldino, Ph.D.,
Editor
Kathryn L. Schmitz, Ph.D.,
Senior Associate Editor
This edition of The Volta Review features research exploring the role and
perspective of parents regarding care for a child with hearing loss. First,
“From Screening to Care: A Qualitative Analysis of the Parental Experiences
Related to Screening and (Re)habilitation Care for Children with Congenital
Deafness in Flanders, Belgium” is a study on parent perceptions regarding
care after their child did not pass the newborn hearing screening test. The
range of parental attitudes towards the professionals that they worked with
and their opinions regarding care is extremely helpful in informing early
intervention professionals on best practices once an infant or child is in their
care. Second, “Parent and Teacher Perceptions of Transitioning Students from
a Listening and Spoken Language School to the General Education Setting”
is a look at the perceived readiness of a child with hearing loss to enter a
mainstream school setting. The parent responses show that a wide variety of
tools, including early orientation and ongoing support, are critical for students
with hearing loss to succeed in a mainstream educational setting.
The parent-professional dynamic is critical in securing language opportunities
for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. By looking at parent
perceptions, professionals can improve and adapt their practices to better
serve the family as a whole. One of the ways that AG Bell is working to aid
those conversations is by developing an online information resource called
the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center. This web-based
information portal will be a go-to resource for information about listening
and spoken language communication, and will foster ongoing conversations
between parents and professionals. Continue to watch www.agbell.org for
additional information.
The final manuscript in this issue is an expanded version of “Literature
Reviews.” This commentary discusses the proper way of formatting and
conducting a literature review, and is expanded to include information on what
makes a review problematic. The Volta Review has strived to be a publisher