is predicted to a large extent by the same factors that predict the academic achievement of normally hearing students, such as social class and the presence of additional handicapping conditions. this means that deafness, by itself, does not determine academic success or failure but rather interacts with many other factors in complex ways. early intervention the deaf children of hearing parents may not have significant exposure to any language in early childhood. because of their sensory loss, these children perceive little of their parents' speech. because in most cases the parents do not sign the children are also not exposed to a conventional sign language. until recently, education of deaf emphasized speech training and the deaf children also were not exposed to sign language in school. not being exposed to accessible language at a certain time in early childhood combined with lack of access to the educational and clinical services that expose deaf children to language at the appropriate age are all factors that contribute to language acquisition of prelingually deaf individuals.