Download Project Title ACCESS – ACCess to SuccESS for Deaf or Hearing

Project Title
ACCESS – ACCess to SuccESS for Deaf or Hearing Impaired Students through
Language and Academic Mobility
Background
According to the WHO over 5% of the world’s population – 360 million people
– has disabling hearing loss (328 million adults and 32 million children). Deaf
and hard of hearing students belong to the most disadvantaged groups among
young people. One of the main impacts of hearing loss is on the individual’s
ability to communicate with others. Spoken language development is often
delayed in children and students with deafness. Hearing loss and ear disease
can have a significantly adverse effect on the academic performance of young
people. However, when opportunities are provided for the deaf or the
hearing impaired to communicate, they can gain equal access to study or
professional opportunities.
Technological and assistive aids (FM systems, inductive loops, sign language
interpreters) and at the same time the greater openness of the European
universities to the needs of this group of students contribute to the growth of
their number in the higher education. Unfortunately young people with
hearing problems have still limited access to participate in mobility
programmes like Erasmus +. One of the reasons for this is the lack of
knowledge of a foreign language at an appropriate level. This in turn due to
the still inadequate preparation of academic teachers/educators about
specific teaching methods and tools addressed to deaf and hard- of-hearing
students. According to the data from the period 2007-2013 in Portugal only
0,0060% disabled Erasmus participants were students with hearing
impairment, at this time in Slovakia only 1 person with hearing problem took
part in Erasmus mobility.
Limited access to foreign language learning and to participating in exchange
programs means that these students are excluded from acquiring such social
skills like existing in tolerant, multicultural environment – the main social pillar
of the European Union.
Project objectives:
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Project Description
(suggested
activities)
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Reducing disparities in learning outcomes affecting disadvantaged
(deaf and hard-of-hearing) learners
Addressing low achievement in basic skills through more effective
teaching methods
Improving the quality and relevance of higher education
Promoting equity, social inclusion and active citizenship in educational
and training field
Promoting the learning and teaching innovative methods focused on
the individuals’ needs; providing effective personalized learning
support
Creating learning environment (on the local, regional and European
level) that foster equity and inclusion, where individuals with hearing
problems receive support they need to succeed and feel valued and
respected
Survey among academic teachers related to their experiences (or its
lack) and knowledge about supporting students with hearing
impairment
Survey among deaf and hard-of-hearing students related to their
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Expected Outputs
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Project
management
needs and possibilities in the English learning process
Workshops for academic staff from partner organizations
Exchange visits for students with hearing impairment and their English
teacher (participating in English classes)
Visiting non-governmental organizations related to innovative
education methods and/or new supporting technologies for people
with hearing problems
Facultative on line courses of BSL, ASL, ISL for students and academic
teachers
Study visits for sharing experiences and collecting good methods/tools
regarding English learning to students with hearing impairment
Summer school of English for students with hearing impairment
Teaching materials/lessons scenarios for English classes with deaf and
hard of hearing students (with Introduction about the “Deaf Culture”
and main obstacles the deaf and hard of hearing people face in the
daily life and in the education)
On line courses for academic foreign language teachers, how to
cooperate with deaf or hard of hearing students
Raising awareness campaign (on students reports on project website,
short films on youtube channels, Facebook etc.) about possibilities
how can people with hearing impairment learn English
Support Office for Students with disabilities and Multimedia Foreign Language
Centre for Students with disabilities at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan
(Poland) may be a leader institution in this project. We are looking for
partners (higher education institutions, non-governmental organizations) both
from English speaking countries and from other countries. Polish teachers
from the Multimedia Foreign Language Centre have an experience in practical
teaching English to students with various disabilities, especially deaf and hard
of hearing students. The Multimedia Centre is one of the most modern
laboratories for this aim in Poland. Polish students with hearing impairment
participated in 2014 exchange program with Buckinghamshire New University
in the UK, where they took part in lectures and regular classes with British
students. Teacher’s individual approach to needs and skills of a student and
full involvement of the students in their process of gaining language
competence are the main advantages of courses at AMU.
CONTACT PERSON:
Anna Rutz
Support Office for Students with disabilities
[email protected]