Reading Fluency and Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Synthesis of the Research

The National Reading Panel identified fluency as one of the five essential components of reading. Fluency serves as a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Individuals who are able to read effortlessly and accurately have more capacity to attend to the meaning and, as a result, better understand what they read. The purpose of this study was to review and summarize the research published in peer-reviewed journals between 1970 and 2009 focusing on reading fluency and students who are deaf and hard of hearing. A total of six studies were identified. A summary of each study is presented, and potential educational implications are described. Suggestions for additional research are provided.