Assistive Technology to help the Hearing ImpairedBy: Kelly Atwaroo, Rikha Hepburn, Jameela Lewis, Claudia Samuel, Sherry Ann Johnson

Definition Hearing impairment is best defined as a lack or reduction in the ability to hear clearly due to a problem somewhere in the hearing mechanism.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments (1997), 197 (PL 105-17) insures that students with disabilities have access to general education.

Different level of hearing loss

•Normal hearing loss 0-20 dB•Mild hearing loss 20-40 dB•Moderate hearing loss 40-65 dB•Severe hearing loss 65-90 dB•Profound hearing loss 95 and dB

If you can’t obtain earplugs, your index fingers will do fine. Place earplugs into either one of your ears and try to hear something, anything. What do you hear? This is what it is like for a hearing impaired person everyday.

Activity

Hearing TestHearing test can be done

in an audiometry laboratory by a hearing specialist (audiologist) or in a health professional’s office, a school, or the workplace by a nurse, health professional, psychologist, speech therapist, or audiometric technician.

Different Hearing Test• Whispered Speech Test•Pure Tone Audiometry•Tuning Fork Test•Speech Reception and Word Recognition Test•Otoacoustic Emissions Test•Auditory Brain Stem Response Testing

Devices Used in a Classroom• FM system•CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation •Loop system•Sound field •Ads (Alerting Devices)

Examples of the various Hearing aids devices

Software which converts teachers voice to text

Transcript Software

Using the FM system

Using the Loop system

Using the CART

Types of CaptionOpen Caption - This is when the

captions are visible without any special equipment. This is very similar to subtitles for foreign films.

Closed Caption - The process of displaying text on a television, video screen or other visual display to provide additional or interpretive information to individuals who wish to access it

Real-time Captions - are created as an event takes place.

Alerting DevicesStandard alerting devices

normally rely on sound to alert a person. But sound is of little value to a hearing impaired person. Alerting devices for people with hearing impairments generally rely on either visual signals or vibration. Audio alerts suitable for people with hearing impairments includes baby monitors, fire alarms, alarm clocks, telephone (TTY) signalers, and doorbells. Such devices are very important in schools since impaired students cannot hear the emergency bell.

Examples of Alerting Devices

Construct an Alert device plan for the hearing impaired student in your classroom (state the device, the signals that will be given and their meanings).

Activity

Using Computers /Internet to assist the Hearing Impaired Student• Research supports the use of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) for special needs students as a supplement to traditional instruction (Christmann et al. 1997). One of the evident benefits is that a computer allows special needs students to work at an individual pace. Computer assisted Instruction will also help the student to become IT competent which will allow for the use of the internet.

• Students’ assignments can be sent to them and they will be free to question the teacher for clarification without the use of an interpreter in the classroom.

Con’t• Students’ assignments can be sent

to them and they will be free to question the teacher • for clarification without the use of

an interpreter in the classroom.• This also encourages students to

integrate successfully into the hearing world since they can now communicate with classmates outside the class environment.

• The internet educational sites provide a resource bank for both the teachers and students, as they provide ample opportunities for stimulating reinforcement tasks.

After going through all those pictures and information, can you think of ways in which a teacher can make the learning experience easier for a hearing impaired student?

Activity

In the Classroom

Hearing Impairment in the ClassroomThe classrooms teacher can

make many adjustments especially with the use of technology to accommodate a hearing impaired student. They can go a long way in creating a welcoming and safe classroom environment. Using the technologies that are now available foster enrichment and promote the success of all students in the classroom. (Beth Lynne, March 18th, 2007)

Assistive technology is an important aspect of educating an elementary student with disabilities together with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

An IEP is a document that specifies guidelines for modifications to a student’s classroom instruction.

It is based on the special needs of a student.

It should be designed to increase the probability of classroom success.

What is a IEP?

Facilitation, participation and communication of deaf and hard-of-hearing in regular classroom requires the effort of teachers, hearing students and deaf or hard-of-hearing student.

Teachers tips for facilitating the deaf or hard-of-hearing in the classroom

•Allow the deaf or hard-of-hearing person to sit in a seat that is to his/her best advantage. •Provide new vocabulary in advance. •Avoid unnecessary pacing and speaking when writing on a chalkboard. •Use visual aids if possible. •Make sure the deaf or hard-of-hearing person doesn't miss vital information.

Tips

•Slow down the pace of communication. •When there are audio-visual presentations, allow the deaf student time. •Repeat questions or statements made from the back of the room and point to the students speaking. •Allow full participation by the Deaf or hard-of-hearing person in the discussion. •Use hands-on experience whenever possible in training situations.

Con’t

Tips for communication and participation of the deaf or hard-of-hearing in the classroom

•Provide a communicative environment for the entire class that encourages participation by the deaf or hard-of-hearing student.•Create effective small group learning situations that include the deaf or hard-of-hearing student.•Collaborate with special educators to discuss ways of facilitating participation and learning of the deaf or hard-of-hearing student.

Teachers can

•Demonstrate and promote positive attitude towards the deaf or hard-of-hearing student•Provide information about deafness. Establish effective communication.•Problem-solve communication/relationship difficulties.•Organize special activities for deaf or hard-of-hearing student e.g. a special out of class club in which deaf or hard-of-hearing and hearing students work on a project for an extended period.

Con’t

Being a Hearing student, what are the things one can do to make the learning experience of a hearing impaired student more comfortable?

Activity

•Having general interaction skills taught encouraging students to participate willingly in activities with others.•Teaching skills for effective communication with deaf or hard-of-hearing students like getting the deaf or hard-of-hearing students’ attention, establishing face to face communication, having patience when communication breakdown occurs and speaking clearly and with adequate loudness.

Hearing students

•Encouraging active participation in class activities and perceive hearing classmates as having positive or neutral attitudes.•Teaching communication skills for participating in the regular classroom.•Give advice on how to participate in small group learning activities.

Hard of hearing / deaf

•(1995-2011) Healthwise. Retrieved on 8 th March, 2012, From http;//www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guide/hearing-tests.html

•An Educator’s Guide to Hearing Disability Issues. Retrieved on 8th March, 2012, From http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/wp/access/hearing.html

•Heuser Hearing Institute. Retrieved on 8 th March, 2012, From http://www.thehearinginstitute.org/Default.aspx?tabid=483

•Lynne, B. (March 18th, 2007) Technology for Hearing Impaired. Retrieved on 29th February 2012, From http://beth-lynne.suite101.com/technology-for-hearing-impaired-a16539

References

•Stinson, S. M. & Liu Y. Participation of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Classes with Hearing Students. National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Rochester Institute of Technology.

Technologies for Special Needs Students.Retrieved on 18thMarch,2012 fromhttp://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2003-08/ss0303_50.pdf 

•Youtube

Con’t

Questions1.Explain the meaning of hearing

impaired.2.What are the different levels at which

a person is considered hard of hearing or deaf?

3.What are the different devices a person can use who are deaf?

4.What are some strategies a person can use in the classroom to accommodate a deaf person?

5.What are the different hearing tests a person can perform?

 

Thank You!