mbarile2.files.wordpress.com … · Web viewHearing impairments affect over 250 million people and is the world’s most common sensory impairment (Mathers, Smith & Concha, 2000,

Running head: ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR HEARING IMPAIRED STUDENTS 1

Assistive Technology for Hearing Impaired Students in the Twenty First Century Classroom

Michael J. Barile

Eastern Connecticut State University

ASSISITVE TECHNOLOGY FOR HEARING IMPAIRED STUDENTS 2

Abstract

This paper explores the various types of assistive technology (AT) available to hearing impaired

students. The Assistive Technology Act of 1998 to defines AT as any “item, piece of equipment,

or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized that is used to

increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities”

(Katsioloudis and Jones, 2013, p. 1). There are four major gradations for students with hearing

impairments which are classified by the degree of hearing loss in each individual. Depending on

the degree of hearing impairment, there may be a variety of low-tech, mid-tech and high-tech

solutions available to assist the students reach his or her educational needs. This paper further

addresses assistive technology’s educational impact on hearing impaired students, as well as the

economic impact AT has on hearing impaired students. This research, conducted through many

studies and publications made by educational researchers, assistive technology companies and

school educators suggests that AT can play an effective role in helping hearing impaired students

overcome their disabilities and function at an improved and/or equal level to their non-disabled

classmates.


Assistive Technology for Hearing Impaired Students in the Twenty First Century Classroom

Many students face the task of overcoming specific disabilities in the classroom.

Traditionally, this may have made school more difficult for disabled students. However, today

there is a wide range of technology available to assist disabled students face this challenge. This

technology, known as assistive technology, can play a vital role in educational success. One area

in which assistive technology can make a strong impact is in the educational needs of hearing

impaired students. Hearing impairments affect over 250 million people and is the world’s most

common sensory impairment (Mathers, Smith & Concha, 2000, p.1). Fortunately, there are

various types of assistive technology for hearing impaired students that can help them effectively

overcome their disabilities and become successful students in the classroom.

Literature Review

Hearing loss is determined based on a person’s ability to hear certain frequencies as

determined by a professional audiologist (Gierach, 2009, p.1). Today there are many different

gradations of hearing loss that can affect students’ ability to fully participate in the classroom.

Depending on the level of hearing impairment, various forms of assistive technology may be

appropriate for a classroom student. The World Health Organization classifies four levels of

hearing impairment. A “Level 0” of hearing indicates that individuals have a relatively normal

level of hearing, even being able to identify human whisper. “Levels 1-4” describe the level of

hearing impairment in any individual. It is important to note that the WHO measures tone

impairment levels in any individual’s best hearing ear (Mathers, et al., 2000, p.1). The table

below summarizes the WHO hearing impairment levels (Mathers, et al., 2000, p.2).


WHO Grades of Hearing Impairment

Grade of Impairment Audiometric ISO value Impairment description0 (No impairment) 25 dBHL or less No or very slight hearing problems. Able to hear whispers1 (Slight impairment) 26-40 dBHL Able to hear/repeat words spoken in normal voice at 1 meter2 (Moderate impairment) 41-60 dBHL Able to hear and repeat words using raised voice at 1 meter3 (severe impairment) 61-80 dBHL Able to hear some words when shouted into better ear4 (Profound impairment) 81 dBHL or greater Unable to hear and understand even a shouted voice

Assistive technology is broken down into three major categories. The first category is

“low-tech” assistive technology. This type of technology does not need any type of electric or

battery power to operate. Some examples include pencil grips, copies of class notes and

preferential seating. The second type of assistive technology is “mid-tech” assistive technology.

This type of technology uses battery power involving some basic form of electricity. Some

examples include lights, buzzers and timers. The last type of assistive technology is “high-tech”

assistive technology. This type of technology may use battery power but has an advanced form

of circuitry. Some examples include laptops, cell phones, hearing aids and smart boards (Bugaj

and Norton Darr, 2010, p.16). While the specific type of assistive technology chosen for a certain

disability depends on the specific case of each student, there are many examples of assistive

technology that can assist hearing disabilities at various levels.

Low-Tech Assistive Technology

There are various low-tech options of assistive technology that can be very useful for

students with hearing impairments in the classroom. If a problem can be solved with a low-tech

solution, it is often more desirable then trying a mid-tech or high-tech solution. This is because

low-tech solutions are often least restrictive to a student’s routine and most practical to

implement (Bugaj and Norton-Darr, 2010, p.18).


Preferential seating

Preferential seating can be a great low-tech option for hearing impaired students. A

student with a minor hearing impairment could be placed in a seat that is located closer to the

teacher in order to improve his or her hearing. A closer seat may also help some students who

rely on reading the lips of speakers as a strategy for communication. Preferential seating can also

lead to greater proximity control strategies of the teacher. Teachers can maneuver themselves

near the student as they are speaking if the chair is in a location close to the teacher. Preferential

seating can also be utilized for students who have a hearing impairment in only one ear. A

student with this type of impairment can be seated in a chair positioned with his or her healthy

ear facing the teacher. This could seemingly benefit students classified with slight to moderate

impairment.

Visual outlines

Another low tech option for students with hearing impairments is a copy of class notes

such as PowerPoint slides or other types of visual outlines. A copy of the class notes may help a

student who is having difficulty looking down to write notes while also following along with the

lecture of a teacher (Lartz, Stoner and Stout, 2008, p. 82). A study conducted by Lartz, Stoner

and Stout (2008) studied the effects of AT based on interviews with nine deaf college students.

The study revealed that students enjoyed PowerPoint as a way of helping them stay organized in

class. One of the interviewed students stated, “PowerPoint helps with guiding me with

homework and assignments, and lectures in class. It’s a guide for me to understand what the

teacher is talking about” (p. 80). While PowerPoint slides would be considered “high-tech” AT,

a copy of class notes from a PowerPoint presentation needs no electric or battery power. Students


of all hearing impairment levels could benefit from this low-tech AT as it focuses on reading-

based rather than hearing-based AT.

Mid-Tech Assistive Technology

Mid-tech assistive technology can play an important role in the needs of a hearing

impaired student. Timers can be used to help students understand how much time is left to

complete certain assignments in class. Portable word processors can be utilized by students and

teachers for communication purposes. The company, Asphalt, Inc, makes a word processor

called “Neo” that is able to transfer words from the portable processor to the computer (Eichleay

and Dubuske, 2005, p.4). This helps teachers overcome communication barriers by giving them

the ability to type directions directly into the tablet. Lastly, pagers and buzzers can be used to get

the attention of a hearing impaired student. Events such as fire drills are often relayed to students

by the sound of fire alarms. In the event that a student suffers from profound hearing loss, a

teacher can page a student to indicate a fire or other emergency.

High-Tech Assistive Technology

There are many high-tech options of assistive technology for students with hearing

impairments in the classroom. Many high-tech devices fall under the category of “hearing

technology.” Hearing technology is “any device utilized for improving the sound level available

to the listener” (Gierach, 2008, p.9). There are two types of hearing technology; assistive

learning devices (ALD) and personal amplification.

Assistive learning devices


Assistive listening devices “utilize a transmitter that sends a person’s voice or other

sound source to a receiver that distributes the sound evenly throughout a room” (Gierach, 2008,

p.9). A popular company that specializes in assistive learning device technology is Phonic Ear.

Phonic Ear’s product, FrontRow Digital, is a wireless sound system that enhances the sound of

the classroom environment. It includes several speakers that can be installed in different areas of

the room and a pendant microphone which can be worn around a teacher’s neck (“Phonic Ear”,

2012). The benefit of FrontRow Digital, is that speakers can be placed throughout the classroom

in order for all students to have an opportunity to hear the speaker equally regardless of where

they are sitting in the room. If a sound system can bring the sound 5 to 10 dBs above noise level,

than they can brings teacher’s voice to the same intensity level for most students in the classroom

(Rosenberg, 1999).

Rosenberg (1999) conducted a three-year study on the effects of sound systems in 33

elementary schools, testing 2054 students between 1993-1997. The study also included 30 other

schools with no sound systems. The results of the study showed an increase in improved

listening and learning behavior skills. Of the students who received sound systems in their

classroom, 95% agreed that the sound system helped them hear the teacher better, listen better,

and hear while the teacher was writing on the board. Also, 96% of teachers reported improved

behavior in attentiveness, listening and comprehension due to sound systems (p.4).This study

shows the positive effects sound systems can have in classrooms on both hearing impaired

students and normal hearing students. This technology has the ability to benefit slightly to

moderately hearing impaired students, and possibly severely impaired students depending on the

volume level of the classroom speakers.


Other assistive learning devices provide an even stronger sound signal directly to the

hearing aid or cochlear implant of a hearing impaired student. But in this situation, the student

wears a neckloop around his or her neck. This neckloop sends amplified signals from the speaker

to a telecoil located in the student’s hearing aid or cochlear implant. This provides better sound

to the listener than headphones. Students may also choose to wear silhouettes instead of a

neckloop. Silhouettes look like headphones but are placed behind the ear. This provides even

stronger telecoil sound amplification than the neckloop. This is one of the strongest devices

available for students with severe to profound hearing loss (Eckhardt, Hunter & Niedfeldt, 2005).

Personal amplification

Another type of high-tech assistive technology is personal amplification. “This type of

device is individually fitted to improve the volume level of an individual. This can be measured

through the use of a trained audiologist (Gierach, 2009, p.1). A popular example of personal

amplification is the hearing aid which improves the vibration of sounds in a person’s ear.

Hearing aids are often fitted in the ear or worn behind the ear. They use a microphone to pick up

sound and transfer it to an amplifier. The amplifier then sends the sound to a speaker located in

the ear (“Hearing aids”, 2007).

Voice to text software

Voice to text software is another type of technology that can greatly benefit students with

hearing impairments. This type of technology can take a teacher’s words and covert them into

computer text. There are several companies that offer a variety of voice recognition software for

the classroom. One company, Caption Mic, uses a trained voice captionist who sits with the

student in class. As the teacher speaks, the captionist repeats what is said by the teacher into a


mask-style microphone. This microphone fits over the mouth of the captionist and hides the

sound of their voice in order to not distract the other students in the classroom. This microphone

then transfers the information to text on the student’s her personal laptop or smart device in real

time. The text can also be displayed on a large monitor or television for many students to read at

one time (“Caption mic”, 2013). This is of strong value for a student with severe to profound

impairment who may not hear anything said by teacher in class.

Icommunicator software

Icommunicator is a new type of AT that combines various forms of the assistive

technology for hearing impaired students into one format. Icommunicator software converts the

words of the teacher into a computer, smart device or laptop in real time without the need of a

translator. As the teacher’s words appear as text on the computer screen, a virtual interpreter

provides sign language of the audio in real time. The software even transfers the voice of the

teacher to the hearing aid or cochlear implant of the student. Lastly, Icommunicator provides the

opportunity for a student to type words into the system, and then a computer-generated device

speaks the words aloud to classmates or the teacher. Icommunicator provides four methods of

improved communication for the student, and therefore can be beneficial to students across all

levels of hearing impairment (“Icommunicator”, 2013).

Economic Cost of AT

The economic cost of AT varies depending on the type of device. Some AT can be very

affordable while some of the more high-tech AT can be more costly. A study conducted by

Eckhardt, et al., (2008) estimated the following prices for various types of AT for hearing

impaired individuals.


Estimated Cost of AT for Hearing Impaired Students

Device: Cost:Alerting system: $25-$500. ALD’s: $300-$4300 Personal amplification device (depending on facility size): $300-$4300 Hearing aid: $1700-$6000Icommunicator: $3689 – $3999.

A study by Mohr, Feldman and Dunbar (2000) estimated that individuals who are classified with

severe to profound hearing loss prior to retirement may earn 50% to 70% less than a person may

earn with normal hearing ability. This totals an estimated lifetime earnings loss of $220,000 to

$440,000 (p.10).

Conclusion

Technological development in the area of AT for hearing loss has come a long way since

the year 2000. The new types of AT discussed in this paper provide educational and career

opportunities previously unavailable to hearing impaired students in previous centuries.

Depending on the individual needs of the hearing impaired students, there is wide range of low-

tech, mid-tech, and high-tech AT available for use in the classroom. As technology continues to

expand at such a rapid rate in the twenty-first century, it is plausible to suggest that AT has the

ability to narrow or even close this economic gap as it continues to develop and become more

commonly used in school systems worldwide.


References

Bugaj, C. R., & Norton-Darr, S. (2010). The Practical (and Fun) Guide to Assistive Technology

in Public Schools. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

Caption mic. (2013). Retrieved from http://mhsa.us/index.html

Eichleay, K. & DuBuske, S. (2005). Assistive technology continuum of low to high tech tools.

Retrieved from

http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/files/mt/2/AT_Continuum_Generic10_06.pdf

Eckhardt, J., Hunter, C. & Niedfeldt, T. (2005) Hearing assistive technology online guide.

Retrieved from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/HATOnLine_140494_7.pdf

Gierach, J. (2009). Assessing students’ needs for assistive technology (ASNAT).

Hearing aids. (2007). Retrieved from

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/hearingaid.aspx#hearingaid_01

Icommunicator. (2013, January 2). ICommunicator: assistive technology for people who are deaf

[video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SFaUu5eUcE

Katsioloudis, P.J., & Jones, M. (2013) Assistive Technology: fixing humans. Technology &

Engineering Teacher, &72(7), 1-9.

Lartz, M. N., Stoner, J. B., & Stout, L. J. (2008). Perspectives of assistive technology from deaf

students at a hearing university. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits, 5(1), 72-

91.

Mathers, C., Smith, A., & Concha, M. (2000). Global burden of hearing loss in the year 2000.

Global burden of Disease, 18.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SFaUu5eUcE

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/hearingaid.aspx#hearingaid_01

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/HATOnLine_140494_7.pdf



Mohr, P. E., Feldman, J. J., Dunbar, J. L., McConkey-Robbins, A., Niparko, J. K., Rittenhouse,

R. K., & Skinner, M. W. (2000). The societal costs of severe to profound hearing loss in

the United States. International journal of technology assessment in health care, 16(4),

1120-1135.

Phonic Ear. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.phonicear.com/SF/~/link.aspx?

_id=476ABAF456E547ACA9BBC6190338C 229&_z=z

Rosenberg, G. G., Blake-Rahter, P., Heavner, J., Allen, L., Redmond, B. M., Phillips, J., &

Stigers, K. (1999). Improving Classroom Acoustics (ICA): A Three-Year FM Sound

Field Classroom Amplification Study. Journal of Educational Audiology, 7, 1-28.

Resources for Further Research

http://www.phonicear.com/SF/~/link.aspx?_id=476ABAF456E547ACA9BBC6190338C229&_z=z

http://www.phonicear.com/SF/~/link.aspx?_id=476ABAF456E547ACA9BBC6190338C229&_z=z


Bugaj, C. R., & Norton-Darr, S. (2010). The Practical (and Fun) Guide to Assistive Technology

in Public Schools. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

Discusses the different types of AT and examples of each. This source also addresses

strategies for selecting types of AT to use in the classroom. This is a great read for

teachers who want a step-by-step process of the AT selection process.

Caption mic. (2013). Retrieved from http://mhsa.us/index.html

The commercial website for Mark Hall Services which provides caption mic technology

for hard of hearing students. This site provides many links to how the products and

services work. This is a great website to compare and contrast the different types of

hearing technology available.

Eichleay, K., & DuBuske, S. (2005). Assistive technology continuum of low to high tech tools.

Retrieved from


A very detailed list of AT separated into low-tech, mid-tech and high-tech AT. This

provides various examples and prices for each category of AT. Also has lists and contact

information of many AT companies. This is very beneficial for teachers and special

education professionals looking for ideas of new AT to use in the classroom.

Eckhardt, J., Hunter, C. & Niedfeldt, T. (2005) Hearing assistive technology online guide.

Retrieved from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/HATOnLine_140494_7.pdf

This online guide offers extensive information into types of AT available for hearing

impaired students. Many of the AT discussed has cost estimates and even provides

different brands for each type of AT. Also discusses how and why each type of AT would

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/HATOnLine_140494_7.pdf


http://mhsa.us/index.html


be applicable depending on needs of the student. Many links to different websites can be

accessed from this guide. It is a great starting point for those new to AT.

Gierach, J. (2009). Assessing students’ needs for assistive technology (ASNAT).

This online guide provides extensive knowledge to the various forms of AT available for

student use in the classroom. This guide includes pricing and links to major AT websites.

This is a good place to start research for individuals looking for AT for many types of

disabilities other than hearing, such as visual impairments.

Icommunicator. (2013, January 2). ICommunicator: assistive technology for people who are deaf

[video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SFaUu5eUcE

Commercial website with many resources which describe the use and benefits of

iCommunicator. Site contains various links to videos, pricing and contact information

based on products and services. The video links are particular helpful for seeing how

Icommunicator works in the classroom.

Lartz, M. N., Stoner, J. B., & Stout, L. J. (2008). Perspectives of assistive technology from deaf

students at a hearing university. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits, 5(1), 72-

91.

A very thorough study of nine hearing impaired university students. This provides an in

depth view of AT from the student perspective, including Barriers to AT. It is also

beneficial to see how students react differently to different types of AT.

Mathers, C., Smith, A., & Concha, M. (2000). Global burden of hearing loss in the year 2000.

Global burden of Disease, 18.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SFaUu5eUcE


This is a great resource for those looking to learn more about the different types of

hearing impairments. This site includes several charts that measure the level of hearing

loss and the ISO value connected to each level of impairment.

Mohr, P. E., Feldman, J. J., Dunbar, J. L., McConkey-Robbins, A., Niparko, J. K., Rittenhouse,

R. K., & Skinner, M. W. (2000). The societal costs of severe to profound hearing loss in

the United States. International journal of technology assessment in health care, 16(4),

1120-1135.

This is a very extensive study done of the societal cost of AT in the lives of hearing

impaired individuals. Includes charts, cost estimates of educational resources and review

of other studies conducted in the field of AT.

Phonic Ear. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.phonicear.com/SF/~/link.aspx?

_id=476ABAF456E547ACA9BBC6190338C 229&_z=z

This website has a wide range of hearing technology for personal, educational and

commercial use. It includes various links to video websites, FAQ and contact information

based on products and services. Most helpful is the many link to studies and research

conducted in the field of the effectiveness of AT in the classroom.

http://www.phonicear.com/SF/~/link.aspx?_id=476ABAF456E547ACA9BBC6190338C%09229&_z=z

http://www.phonicear.com/SF/~/link.aspx?_id=476ABAF456E547ACA9BBC6190338C%09229&_z=z

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mbarile2.files.wordpress.com … · Web viewHearing impairments affect over 250 million people and is the world’s most common sensory impairment (Mathers, Smith & Concha, 2000,