Mainstreaming, or full inclusion in a regular classroom, is one of the fundamental premises of Auditory-Verbal therapy for children with hearing loss. We speak as we hear, and children will imitate what they hear. Therefore, they need to be exposed to normal language and speech models. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing are never grouped in classes with other children who are deaf or hard of hearing, this way the language models available to them are more natural and normal. Children who are at least two years of age are encouraged to enroll in neighborhood preschool programs with normally hearing preschoolers. Because the child who has a hearing loss is learning how to function as a hearing child, the child learns to communicate effectively with normally hearing children. Normal speech and language models, and higher expectation levels are provided in regular preschool and grade school programs. Integration leads to assimilation and the hearing impaired child begins to function with relative comfort in our normally hearing community.