Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of

HearingBy: Sara Papasodero

Laurette MorganaKimberly 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. Complaints by the child about the ears2. Frequent infections of the ear, nose, throat3. Speech articulation problems4. 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 three-

digit 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.