The study explored the efifects of a phonics-based early intervention package on the early reading skills of three preschool students who were
d/Deaf or hard of hearing who differed in regard to degree ofhearing loss,
use of amplification, and communication mode. The 40-week intervention (50-week in one case) was delivered through individual and group
phonics-based instruction supplemented by Visual Phonics in a languageenriched preschool classroom. Standardized assessments were conducted
before, during, and after the intervention. Along with some additional assessments, the same assessments were conducted in early elementary
school. The results showed that all participants demonstrated at least
some use of phonemic awareness and phonics skills when they were explicitly trained, and that these skills were sustained in early elementary
school. Furthermore, all participants exhibited overall reading levels at or above age level when measured in early elementary school.