Download Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Students Who Are
Deaf or Hard of
Hearing
By: Sara Papasodero
Laurette Morgana
Kimberly Gales
Deaf vs. Hard of Hearing
• Deaf – people who
experience difficulty
hearing and are in the
range of hearing loss.
• Hard of Hearing –
individuals with mild
to severe hearing
losses.
deaf vs. Deaf
• Deaf with a capital “D” : Refers to
members of the deaf culture and
community.
• Deaf with a lower case “d” : Refers to any
group of people whose audiological status
places them in that range of hearing loss.
Considerations for General
Education Teachers
• Many deaf and hard of hearing students are
integrated into general education classrooms.
• Early identification and intervention are critical.
• Helping these students develop self-determination
and self advocacy is important for their success.
• Extracurricular activities can promote socialization
with other students.
• Teachers should have high
but realistic expectations for
students.
Levels of Hearing
• Deaf : people who experience severe hearing
loss and normally rely on American Sign
Language (ASL) for communication.
• Hard of Hearing: refers to individuals with mild
to severe hearing loss who likely use speech for
communication.
• Hearing Impairment: an impairment in
hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating,
that adversely affects a child's educational
performance.
• Hearing : Refers to individuals with no
identified hearing loss.
• Sound waves must be conducted from the
outer ear, through the middle ear, and into
the inner ear.
• The cochlea converts the energy transmitted
through the outer and the middle ears into
sound.
• Sounds can be
described in terms of
loudness and
frequency.
Fun fact!
• Two people with the same over
all hearing abilities can hear the
world quite differently because
their decibel losses are at
different frequencies.
• Decibel : the measurement of a
sound level.
• Frequency : the measurement of
sound waves.
Types of Hearing Impairments
• Sensorineural Loss: a hearing loss caused by
a problem directly associated with auditory
nerve transmission.
• Conductive Hearing Loss: a hearing loss
caused by a problem associated with the
transmission of sound waves from the outer
through the middle ear.
• Mixed hearing loss: a hearing loss that
results when an individual experiences a
conductive loss in one ear and a
sensorineural loss in the other ear.
Degree of Hearing Loss
• Congenital hearing loss: hearing loss acquired
prior or at the time of birth.
• Adventitious hearing loss: hearing loss acquired
after birth.
• Prelingual hearing loss: hearing loss occurring
prior to the development of speech and
language.
• Postlingual hearing loss: hearing
loss occurring after the
development of speech and language.
Technology
• Hearing Aid: removable electronic device that
is placed in the ear that amplifies and changes
sound.
• Loop System: a closed circuit system that
allows sound to travel from the microphone
(on the teacher) to the listening device (in the
student’s ear).
• Cochlear Implant: is a surgically implanted
electronic device that provides a sense of
sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or
hard of hearing.
Technology continued.
The IDEA 04 Definition
• Under IDEA 04, deafness means a hearing impairment
that is so severe a child is impaired in processing
linguistic information through hearing, with or without
amplification, and the adversely affects a child
educational performance.
• Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing,
whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely
affects a child educational performance but that is not
included under the definition of deafness.
• The term hard of hearing is used to refer to those
students who would typically labeled as having a
hearing impairment under IDEA 04.
Causes of Hearing Loss
• A specific cause can not always be
identified.
• The most common hearing
problems are associated with some
type of fluid build up in the ear
canal, commonly known as Otitis
Media.
• Otitis Media: Middle ear infections
that can lead to either temporary
or permanent hearing loss
especially in young children.
* By the age of three about 3 out of 4
children will experience Otitis
media although not all will
experience an permanent or
significant hearing loss.
Other causes of hearing loss
• Sensorineural loss may stem from both
genetic and environmental causes and about
30% of all causes of prelingual deafness have
genetic origins.
Characteristics of both Hard of
Hearing and Deaf Students can vary
depending on:
• The families primary language (ASL or spoken
English)
• The age of onset
• Degree of hearing loss
• Type of hearing loss
• The early developmental experiences; for
example, if the students family is part of the deaf
community and culture
Characteristics
• Intellectual : there are no significant differences
between hearing children and those who are deaf.
• Academic : Learning to read and write is a greater
challenge for most students who are deaf then for
hearing students.
• Speech & Language : verbal language can be delayed
since assistive technology (hearing aids, cochlea
implants) was not fitted at the exact time of hearing
loss.
• Social & Emotional : lack of language skills can result in
impulsivity and develop problems regulating their
emotions.
How are deaf or hard of hearing
identified?
• Hearing problems are typically diagnosed by
medical professionals.
• Hearing loss in older children can also be
identified through audiometric testing.
• In severe cases, parents usually will notice a
difference in their child’s reactions to sounds.
Warning Signs for teachers regarding
children with a slight hearing loss
1.
2.
3.
4.
Complaints by the child about the ears
Frequent infections of the ear, nose, throat
Speech articulation problems
Embarrassed by oral participation in class
5. Continuous request for
repeated directions
6. Problems holding a
conversation
Educational Settings
• Co-Enrolled : both deaf and hearing students
(ideally in equal numbers) and the curriculum is
taught in both standard English and ASL.
• General Education with the appropriate
accommodations where a child will receive
services in the resource room.
• Special school for students who are deaf or hard
of hearing.
* While making the decision
regarding placement, the
least restrictive environment
must be part of the process.
Special Considerations for
Teachers
• Choose visuals the student will easily
recognize
• Use a variety of visual materials i.e. line
drawing, detailed pictures, written words,
photographs
• Post classroom rules and job chart
• Maintain routine
• Outline steps needed to complete a task
Continued.
• Post daily schedules
• Use and teach students to use internet
resources
• Provide student with
materials to keep organized
• Teach students to understand their own
specific ways of learning and to implement it
Marcus Kemp
• 7 years old, entering 2nd grade.
• When he was 4, he developed meningitis and
an extremely high fever resulting in severe
sensorineural hearing loss.
• He has a hearing aid but can only hear loud
sounds and cannot understand speech.
• He cannot use phonics to learn to read.
• His 1st grade teacher indicates using “sight
words” is the best approach for Marcus.
Marcus Kemp
• Marcus loves math and can complete threedigit problems that require regrouping, he
even knows a few multiplication facts!
• Marcus loves gym class and sports, but often
has difficulty communicating as a team.
• His audiologist who fit him for his hearing aid
suggested that his mother might want to
consider getting Marcus a cochlear implant.
• She is nervous about Marcus undergoing
surgery.
Marcus Kemp
• Getting Marcus a cochlear implant seems
unrealistic for his mother. Marcus is a happy
and healthy child that was very sick when he
was little, she doesn't know why anyone
would want to put him through more
hospitalizations.
• He is only behind a year in the average
reading spectrum, she wonders the other
options.
Marcus Kemp
• Marcus comes from a family with an average
income.
• Getting a cochlear implant will be expensive
for his parents and painful for Marcus, making
the decisions for his mother very easy.
• She does not want Marcus to get the implant.
Other Options for Marcus
• Since Mrs. Kemp is strongly against the
Cochlear Implant for Marcus, other
suggestions might be…
1. Loop systems
2. Computer Technologies
3. Pull Out
(Resource room, etc.)
4. Sign Language
Lesson Accommodations
• Locate student in the classroom seating for direct eye
and lip visibility.
• Secure student eye contact before speaking.
• Keep your face and lips visible to the deaf
student when speaking.
• Slow your speech and speak clearly.
• Provide a supportive peer assistant to assist
during the activities.
• Allow extra time for student and peers to engage in
activities of his choice outside of school day and at
home.
• Prepare printed directions in advance.
• Maximize availability of visual media and/or models.
Assistive Technologies
• Closed Captioning, Relay Services, Computer
Programs, word processing program.
• Insure computer sounds are clear and at an
appropriate volume.
• Allow use of headphones to minimize external
distractions for the hearing impaired student.
Accommodations under 504
• In determining whether a student is eligible for
Section 504 coverage, schools must not consider the
effects of the technology of any mitigating measures
the student is using. The term "mitigating measures"
includes:
• hearing aids
• cochlear implants
• other implantable hearing devices
• use of assistive technology
• reasonable accommodations
• auxiliary aids or services
• learned behavioral or adaptive neurological
modifications
Intervention & Collaboration
• Since Marcus’ parents are against getting him
the cochlear implant, the best piece of
technology that can assist him in the
classroom without breaking his parents wishes
would be the loop system.
• A CSE meeting will be held with his teacher,
parents, speech and language teacher,
psychologist, the lunch aid, and of course
Marcus to determine what will be in his 504.
• His 504 plan will consist of Marcus…
- sitting in the front of the classroom.
- transition schedule.
- pull-out for speech and language.
- loop system which will be passed to each
of his teachers (gym, art, music, speech).
- other students will be educated on how to
communicate more effectively with
Marcus. (tap him or maintain eye contact
before speaking)
Hope for Marcus
• The loop system will help Marcus hear more
efficiently in the classroom, hopefully hearing
the teacher give directions and teach lessons
will enable him to learn more and thrive in his
academics.
• Success in school often leads to confidence
and higher self esteem which will in turn help
him receive a better education.