A joint project between Kent State University and The University of Akron

In June of 2007, a combined training program of faculty and staff from The University of Akron and Kent State University began its activities to educate and train masters students as specialists to serve hard of hearing/deaf children and their families.  A four-year Personnel Preparation grant award from the US Office of Education, with contributing funds from the two universities, made the Hearing Impaired Professional Preparation (H.I.P.P.) project possible.

The goal of H.I.P.P. is to provide Master's level speech-language pathology students with the skills and knowledge needed to provide services to children who have hearing loss. Students who receive this opportunity to receive specialized training, in addition to their coursework at Kent State University and The University of Akron, receive many opportunities to work with a wide range of professionals who serve families of children with hearing loss. Additionally, students take additional courses that provide them with additional information about hearing loss, cochlear implant technology, hearing aids, and FMs, in addition to the wide range of therapy techniques.