Gap in academic achievement widening between deaf and hearing students, committee told

'We suspect that there is a significant gap between how deaf and hard-of-hearing children are doing in our schools both in terms of their own academic potential and in respect of their hearing peers of similar ability,' said Brendan Lennon of national charity Chime. Picture: iStock

There is a significant and widening gap between deaf students and their hearing peers, national charities for deafness have warned.

Many deaf students feel isolated from their hearing classmates in mainstream schools and even in their own families at times, the Oireachtas education committee was also told on Tuesday.