1.2.

Hearing Impairment
• Hearing Impairment is full or partial decrease in the ability to
detect or understand sounds.
• That adversely affects the educational performance.
• This may be created due to improper development,
damage ,or disease to any parts of the ear.
• This Impairment may be permanent or fluctuate.
• Hearing Impairment is a generic
 Conti….
• Based on the ability to hear sound, hearing Impairment

divided into two:

A .hard of hearing

B. Deaf
 A. Hard of hearing
• Hard of hearing refers to people who still have some useful
Hearing and understand spoken language in normal
conversation with loud speech or with hearing aids.

• It hears auditory acuity of (26-70 dB

• Hard of hearing person requires different services such as
Auditory training, hearing aids, psycho-social supports,
speech, Therapy lip reading.
 B. Deaf

• A person who cannot hear or little hearing spoken language in

normal conversation with or without hearing aids.
• Sign language uses as a first language
• Hearing above 71 dB.
 Chapter 2
Classification of hearing Impairment

• Hearing Impairment created by different cause or problem in

the auditory pathway.
• Certain terms associate with different types of hearing
Impairment may be maintained children individual educational
plans. By understanding this terms the different types of hearing
Impairment will be helpful for planning instructional strategy.
• Three factors are considered in the classification of hearing
Impairment, degree, age of onsets, and nature of Impairment.
2.1. Degree of hearing Impairment
• Before we describe the degree of hearing Impairment .It is
useful to know decibel and Hertz.

• Decibel: - Is the unit of loudness or intensity of sounds.

• Hertz: - is the unit of frequency or pitch.

• Degree of hearing impairment refers to how much hearing

Impairment is present. There are six categories of hearing
Impairment by degree
1.Slight hearing Impairment (15-25dB)

• May have trouble quiet or distance speech.

• It misses up to 10 % of speech signal in noise classroom.
• May miss portion of fast-paced peer interaction
• Child may be more fatigue the classmates due to listening
effect needed
 2. Mild hearing Impairment (26-40dB)

• Understanding speech difficult when more than one person speech

• They can usually hear wall if they are listening to single person speaking in
quite situation
• At 30 dB Can miss 25-40% of speech signal
• The degree of difficulty experienced in school will depend the noise level
in the classroom and distance from the teachers.
• Without amplification the child with 35-40dB hearing Impairment may
miss 50%of discussion
 3. Moderate hearing Impairment (41-55dB)

• Understanding conversation speech at a distance of 3.5

feet’s (face-to-face)

• Without amplification the amount of speech signal

miss can be 50%-75%.

• It needs to have parts of conversation repeatedly.

• Is likely to have delayed or defective syntax.

 Conti….

• Limited vocabulary, imperfect speech

production and tonal voice quality.

• Socialization of peers with normal hearing

become increasingly difficult

 4. Moderate-severe (56-70dB
• Without amplification, conversation must be very loud to be
understand.
• The child may miss 100% of speech in conversation.
• Delay language, syntax, reduction of speech intelligent and
voice quality
 5. Severe hearing Impairment (71_90dB

• A child with severe hearing Impairment hear speaking one

foot away from his or her ear if the person speaking loud voice
• They may be able to identify noise in their environment such
as traffic outside. But often to appear to be ignoring
conversation from the person around them.

• Child may prefer other children with hearing Impairment as

friends and playmates.

 6. Profound hearing Impairment (above
90dB
• Children with profound hearing Impairment will not any
speech.
• They may detect loud sound.
• They aware the vibration or movement around them.
• The degree of lose may rely on visions rather than hearing.
• Person with profound hearing Impairment may benefit from
cochlea implant.
 2.2. Age onset of hearing impairment

1.Congenital hearing impairment:-

• Hearing impairment occurred prior to the birth of the baby. This lose
could be due to genetic factors or could have happened due to
complication arising during pregnancy of mother or a time of birth.

• 2. Acquired hearing Impairment:-

• Hearing impairment occurred any time after the birth of the baby.

• This could be due to infection or injury.

 Conti…
3. Pre-lingual
• It suggests that hearing impairment has occurred prior to the
completion of basic language acquisition process.
• The language acquisition age is 0-5 years.
• The reason, implication, characteristics and management is the
same to congenital hearing impairment.
• Easily communicate with other by sign language
 Conti….
• 4. Post-lingual hearing Impairment

• hearing Impairment has occurred after the completion of basic

language acquisition process.
• Any hearing loss after 5 years.

• The reason, implication, characteristics and management are the same

to acquired hearing impairment.
• The social interaction of post-lingual hearing impairment student is
more affected than pre-lingual hearing. But their language development
is more effective.
2.3 Nature of hearing Impairment

1. Sudden hearing Impairment:-

• The person hearing was suddenly stop.

• Shock, fails of severe nature, accident or ware affected area

having loud expositors.

2. Gradual hearing Impairment:-

• The person who has normal hearing, but slowly losing.

• Children with prolonged infection or constant exposure to noise.

 Chapter 3
Types of hearing impairment

• Hearing impairment is categorized into different types

depending on where or what parts of the auditory system
damage.

• Therefore, in order to understand the types of hearing

impairment we need understand the parts of auditory system

or the structure and function of ear.

 3.1. Structure and of the functions of ear

The ear consists of three parts these are:-

• Outer ear: includes Pinna and Ear canal
• Middle ear: Eardrum and Ossicle
• Inner ear: Cochlea and Vestibular
 1. The outer ear

1.1. Pinna:- made up of cartilage covered by normal skin. The

cartilage must be bent.
• Pinna picks up sound vibration and directs them into the ear
canal.
• Hard of hearing students sometimes put their hand behind the
pinna to pick up sound.
 Conti..
• 1.2. Ear canal

• Ear canal is an open tube with skin lining.

• At the entrance there is hair to try and stop things getting into
the ear canal. The hairs are glands that produced wax that spread
to cover skin in the ear canal and help to keep healthy. The ear
canal normally clean itself and clear the waxes out by itself.
• If the ear canal is blocked, the sound vibration cannot reach
eardrum.
 Conti..
• The common cause of ear canal blockage of ear wax.
• Some people produce more wax than normal and some ears
don't clear wax out properly.
• Many people try to get wax out of their ear by poking things
into the ear canal, this can damage and cause infection because
there is small bend in the ear canal and in the deep parts of the
skin is thin and sensitive to pain.
 2. Middle ear
• 2.1. Eardrum: - Is a thin membrane that separates the outer
ear from middle ear. Middle ear has space that is filled with
air. The air goes middle ear through Eustachian tube.
• There are three tiny bones in the middle ear is called ossicles,
it includes: malleus, incus, stapes
• The malleus is connected to incus and incus connected to
stapes.
 Conti…
• The middle ear has lining that usually secretes a tiny amount
of mucus; this mucus is drained away through the Eustachian
tube. If the lining produces too much mucus this blocked up
Eustachian tube and air cannot get in the middle ear and the
mucus cannot drain property.
• The middle ear space will fill up with mucus and the eardrum
and ossicles will not be able to vibrate property to transmit
sounds.
 3. Inner ear
The inner ear has two parts: -
• A. Cochlea deals with sound vibration and is responsible to
hearing.
• B. Vestibular system is responsible to balance.
• Cochlea is filled with fluids and contains a delicate membrane
lined with tiny hairs cell. The hair cell is all connected to the
hearing nerve.
 Conti….
• The vibration of the ossicles makes the fluids vibrate, the
vibrate pick up by hairs cell.
• The hair cell changes sound vibration into tiny nerve signal
and the tiny nerve signal travel to brain and the brain interpret
as sound we hear
 Three Types of hearing impairment

• There are three types of hearing impairment that occurred

depending on what parts of the ear is not working properly.
1. Conductive hearing impairment
• Occurred when sound is not sent easily through the outer ear
canal to the eardrum and tiny bones (ossicles) of the middle
ear.
• Conductive hearing impairment make sound softer and less
easy to hear.
 Conti…
• Conductive hearing impairment usually affected all frequency
of hearing.
• A person who has conductive hearing impairment usually able
to use hearing aids or can be helped by medical or surgically.
 2. Sensor neural hearing impairment
• Happened when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or the
nerve pathway from the inner ear to the brain.
• This is the most common types of permanent hearing impairment.

• Sensor neural hearing impairment cannot be medically or

surgically correct.
• Sensor neural hearing impairment not only a reduction in the
sound level or ability to hearing faint sounds, but affect speech
understanding or hearing clearly.
 3. Mixed hearing impairment

• Occurred when conductive hearing impairment happened at

the same time to sensor neural hearing impairment.
• In other words, they may be damage outer, middle and inner
ear or auditory nerve.
 Chapter 4
The cause , characteristics and Prevention of hearing impairment

There are several causes of hearing impairments. The following

are the cause of hearing impairment: -
 Generics
 Eardrum perforation (when there is a hole in the eardrum from
a bad ear infection or ear trauma).
 Narrowing in the ear canal due to the ear disease.
 Excessive ear wax that plugs the ear canal.
 Conti…
 Infection like: - rubella, syphilis toxoplasmosis.
 Meningitis
 Measles
 Mumps
 Drugs: - antibiotics such as streptomycin and gentamicin.

- Anti malarial such as quinine and chloroquine

 Conti…
 Noise such as working with noise machinery and loud music.
 Accident like head injury or injury to the ear canal.
 Old age
 Malformation of outer ear and inner ear.
 Prematurity birth..
 Developmental characteristics of person with
hearing impairment

1. Social development
• Communication barrier affect s the students social and
emotional development. The social development and language
acquisition are intertwined.
• Delay language acquisition experienced by most deaf children
leads to limited opportunity for social interaction. In addition
to this the self-concept of students with hearing impairment
affect social interaction.
 Conti….
• Some students believe that they are inadequate and inferior to
the others; the other students see them self-successful and
socially interact. In the other hand the following are affect the
social development:-
 parents_ child interaction

 peers and teachers

 awareness of social cues

 Increase the concept of isolation and loneliness.

 2. LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

The first 5 years are critical for the development of auditory and language
development.
• There are developmental stages that children follow. Hearing
impairment can affect how communication develops in many ways.
This includes:-
 Age at identification of hearing Impairment

 Family involvement and support

 Types and degree of hearing impairment

 Age of amplification
 Conti….
 Types of treatment
 Cognitive and motor skills
 Other medical condition.

• If the children identifies early and give intervention, their

language is developing like hearing students.
 3. Academic achievement

• Because of educational curricula are so language based,

communication and learning are strong linked.
• There is rising number of students with hearing lose with
diverse background.
 Prevention of hearing impairment

• Factors, some which occurred prior to birth and some

which cause later.
• Hearing impairment cause by several may even be
hereditary but in several cause, hearing impairment
can be prevented. Some of the following are listed, to
prevent hearing impairment.
 Conti……
1. Do not use Sharp object to clean your ear
 Using pen, pencil, needles and other pointed object to
clean your ear canal even the eardrum. This would lead
to hearing impairment. Wax generally comes out of the
ear naturally, if there is any impact hard wax or
excessive wax secretions get your doctor.
 Conti…..

2. Do not insert any object in to ear canal

• Children may insert seeds, grains, pebbles and soil etc. into the
ear canal during playing. In cause of adults insects are the
most common found foreign bodes. At that time get help from
doctor immediately. Foreign body may block the eardrum and
it cause mild to moderate hearing impairment. At that time
don't poor water in to the ear as it may cause infection.
 Conti….
3. Don't neglect earaches or ear discharge
• Ear infection, if not treated can cause hearing impairment.
Consult your doctor immediately if you have any of the
following symptoms:-
• ear pain
• Fluids in the ear
• sticking sensation

• Ringing in the ear

 Conti…
4. Wear a helmet

• It helps to avoid injury to your head and ear. Road traffic

accident may damage hearing and injury in the head may also
cause hearing impairment. Wearing a helmet to protect your
road traffic accidents.
5. Avoid noise
• Be aware of source of noise exposure to loud and excessive.
Noise is one of the most common causes of hearing
impairment. Protect your ear from the sound of gunfire,
 Conti….
• Noise is one of the most common causes of hearing
impairment. Protect your ear from the sound of gunfire,
firecracker, very loud music etc.
• If your requires you to work in noise situation (saw-mill, road
construction, printing work factors etc.) make sure you wear
hearing protective device such as ear muffs or ear plugs in
order to protect your hearing
 Conti….
6. Don't take medication indiscriminately
• Certain antibiotics (streptomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin
and aspirin) may cause hearing impairment, if you have
taken indiscriminately or take any of these drugs for
prolonged duration. Your hearing evaluate periodically

and talking to the doctor.

 Conti….
7. Take good care of healthy during pregnancy
• Infection such as measles, syphilis and rubella during
pregnancy may damage the unborn child hearing.
• Drugs intake during pregnancy, fall and injury can also affect
the child hearing pregnancy woman should meet their doctor
regularly for advice on diet, generally healthy, and vaccines.
This needs to protect the unborn child from healthy problem
including hearing impairment.
 Conti…..
8. Get immunization done on time

• Disease like mumps, Meningitis, encephalitis, typhoid etc.

may affect hearing. As far as possible present this disease and

get children vaccinated on time.

 Chapter 5.
Identification and assessment of hearing impairment

5.1. Identification of person with hearing

impairment
• Identification of hearing impairment helps us to improve the
quality of residual hearing. Because of this it’s important that
baby and children have their hearing regularity.
Sign of hearing impairment
• To identify hearing impairment, the following are the sign of
hearing impairment
 Conti….
• Lack of attention for sound.
• Don't response when you call his or her name.
• Don't following simple direction.
• Show delay in speech and language.
• Difficult to achieve academically especially mathematics and
reading.
• Social isolation or unhappy in school.
 Conti….
• Persistence ear discomfort.
• Inattentive.
• Buzzing or ringing the ear.
• Muffled hearing
• Constant frustration hearing speech and other sound.
• Avoiding conversation.
• Depression.
• A child talks loudly or too softly
 Conti….
• The child who keep radio, Tv and radio to loud volume.
• Writing matters, show missing gap place of words like ending
ed, ing and es ,s.
• Child don't response question to asked behind
• Child don't response question from distance.
• Child doesn’t response to question from other room.
 5.2. ASSESSMENT OF PERSON WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT

• Hearing test is the most important way of assessing hearing.

• This test requires equipment and training. The instruments or equipment used to measure hearing
is known as audiometer.
• Hearing impairment measures in different test .This includes _:

• Audiometer test

• Tuning fork test

• 1. Rinne test

• 2. Weber test

• 3. Schwabach test

• Voice test
 5.2.1. Tuning fork test

• Tuning fork is acoustic resonator the form of two pronged

fork. It is u shaped elastic metal . It provides reliable clinical
methods for assessing hearing impairment .
• They are most useful with unilateral hearing impairment
which is purely conductive and sensor neural hearing
impairment .
• Person with bilateral hearing impairment or mixed impairment
rather assessing with formal pure tone audiometer
 Conti…
A. Schwabach test
• schwabach test is bone condition test and compare the hearing
sensitivity of patients with examiner .
• The tuning fork set into the vibration and the stem is place into the
mastoid (the bone conditions behind the ear )of the person and
examiner.

• The patients indicate whether the tone heard . The vibration energy
often tiny of the fork decrease over the time and make the tone softer
 Conti….
• When the patients not longer heard the tone ,the examiner immediately
place the tines of fork behind his or her ear.
• In this test assume that the examiner has normal hearing
• If both the examiner and patients have normal hearing both stop
hearing as the same time or immediately .
• If patients have sensor neural hearing impairment, hearing by bone
conduction are impaired ,and they stop hearing sooner than examiner .
• If patients have conductive hearing impairment ,hearing by bone
conduction are normal and they hear tone at least long as examiner .
• But it is difficult to test mixed hearing impairment .
 Conti…
B. The Rinne test
• This test compares air conduction to bone conduction .

Air conduction
• This test assess sensitivity when signal is transmitted through
outer ,middle and inner ear and then through the brain and cortex.
Bone conduction
• This techniques assess sensitivity when the signal is transmitted
through the bone of the skull to the cochlea and then through the
auditory pathway of the brain .
 Conti…
• This test done by asking to them to state weather the tone is lower when the
tuning fork stem is held behind the ear and when the time of fork that are
generating an air conduction should held next to the opening of the ear.
• Because air conduction is more efficient means of sound transmission
if the ear than bone conduction .
• People with normal hearing heard louder tone when the fork next to
the ear (air conduction ) than when behind the ear (bone conduction).
This is called positive Rinne.
• If a person have conductive hearing impairment ,they hear loud tone
with the stem of fork behind the ear (bone conduction ) than tines at
the ear(air conduction ). This is called negative rinne.
 Conti..
C. Weber test
• Weber test is a quick screen test for hearing .
• To perform the weber test stick the fork against your keen or
elbow. Then place the base of the fork in midline .
• It is important steady the person head with other hand so that
firm pressures can be paid.
• Then ask the person "do you hear the sound louder than the
other ear.
 Conti…..
• If so in which ear is it louder?
• If the person have unilateral conductive hearing impairment
the tuning fork sound will be louder in the deaf ear.
• If a person have unilateral sensor neural hearing impairment
the tuning fork sound will be louder in the hearing ear.
 5.2.2. Audiometer test

• An audiometry exam tests how well your hearing functions. It tests both the
intensity and the tone of sounds, balance issues, and other issues related to the
function of the inner ear.

• A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating hearing loss called an

audiologist administers the test.

• The audiologist charts the results of your hearing tests on a graph called an
audiogram. Graphed results usually include your hearing threshold (the softest
sounds you can hear) for a range of frequencies for both ears.
 Conti….
• By comparing the figures, the audiologist can assess your
degree of hearing loss and find clues to its origin. For
example, if the air and bone conduction results are the same,
then the audiologist knows that the hearing loss is caused by
problems of the inner ear, and not the outer or middle ear.
• A hearing test is a painless, non-invasive test that measures a
person’s ability to hear different sounds, pitches, or
frequencies.
• The audiologist will look inside your ear with an otoscope,
which is a small cone shaped scope with a light on the end.
This helps see inside the ear and check whether there is
anything visibly damaged
 Conti…
• You are then required to sit in a soundproof booth wearing earphones
which are connected to an audiometer.
• The audiometer produces sounds and tones of different levels and
frequencies, which are transmitted to each individual ear.
• The audiologist charts the loudness on the audiogram which is a
graphical representation of how well your ear responds to different
levels of frequencies.
• You will be asked to raise your hand or press a button whenever you
hear sound being sent to your ears. The audiologist records all the
information received and analyses it. The extent of your hearing loss
is based on the frequencies you could or couldn’t hear.
 Conti..
• The audiometer test measures the softest, or least audible,
sound that a person can hear. The loudness of sound is
measured in decibels (dB). A whisper is about 20 dB, loud
music ranges 80-120 dB, and a jet engine is about 180 dB.
• The tone of sound is measured in frequencies (Hz). Low bass
tones range 50-60 Hz, high-pitched tones range 10,000 Hz or
higher. Normal hearing range is 250-8,000 Hz at 25 dB or
lower.
Conti..
 5.2.3. Voices test

• All new born babies should have their hearing tested by the time
they are a month old. Your baby most likely had their hearing
screened before you left the hospital. This simple test takes just a few
minutes, and babies often sleep through it.
• Know the Milestones
• Some babies develop hearing problems as they get older. Even if
your baby passed their new born hearing screening, continue to
watch for signs that they're hearing well as they grow and change.
• Use these guidelines to see if your baby’s hearing development is on
track. Just keep in mind that all babies are different and reach
milestones at slightly different ages.
 Conti….
• Birth to 3 months:
• Reacts to loud sounds
• Makes soft sounds
• Smiles or calms down when spoken to
• Knows your voice and calms down if crying
• 4 to 6 months:
• Follows sounds with their eyes
• Responds to tones of voice
• Makes babbling sounds
• Likes rattles and other toys that make sounds
• Pays attention to music
• Can become upset by loud sounds
 Conti….
• 7 to 12 months:

• Responds to their own name or another sound, even if it isn’t

loud
• Looks or turns in the direction of sounds

• Listens when spoken to

• Responds to simple requests, like “come here”

• Looks at things you talk about

• Begins to repeat sounds

 Conti…..
Above 12 months
• 1. With the patient sitting on an exam table or chair, stand an arm’s
length away (approximately 2 ft.) behind the patient.
• 2. Have the patient cover the ear that’s NOT being tested with one finger
over the tragus. 3. Have the patient slowly move the finger in a circular
motion.
• 4. Take a deep breath and exhale fully before whispering the number-
letter combination.
• 5. Tell the patient: “During the hearing test, I will ask you to cover the
ear that is not being tested as I say the letters and numbers out loud. You
will cover your ear by putting your finger over your tragus.”
 Conti..
• 6. Give a number-letter-number combination (LISTED BELOW). Ensure that

the number-letter-number combination is different for each ear.

• 7. Have the patient repeat what they hear.

• 8. If the patient successfully repeats, move on to testing the other ear.

• 9. If the patient is unsuccessful, reattempt testing with a different number-If the

patient is unsuccessful, reattempt testing with a different number-letter number

combination. If a patient gets 3 total letters and/or numbers correct after a

second attempt, it is considered a pass.

 Chapter 6
Intervention for person with hearing impairment

• Many people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing have some

hearing. The amount of hearing a deaf or hard-of-hearing
person has is called “residual hearing”.
• Technology does not “cure” hearing loss, but may help a
child with hearing loss to make the most of their residual
hearing.
• For those parents who choose to have their child use
technology, there are many options, including:
 6.1.TECHNOLOGICAL APPROCH

• Hearing aids
• Cochlear or brainstem implants
• Hearing aids make sounds louder. They can be worn by people of any age,
including infants. Babies with hearing loss may understand sounds better
using hearing aids. This may give them the chance to learn speech skills at a
young age.
• There are many styles of hearing aids. They can help many types of hearing
losses. A young child is usually fitted with behind-the-ear style hearing aids
because they are better suited to growing ears.
 Cochlear and Auditory Brainstem Implants

• A cochlear implant may help many children with severe to profound

hearing loss — even very young children. It gives that child a way to hear
when a hearing aid is not enough. Unlike a hearing aid, cochlear implants
do not make sounds louder. A cochlear implant sends sound signals
directly to the hearing nerve.
• Persons with severe to profound hearing loss due to an absent or very
small hearing nerve or severe inner ear (cochlea), may not benefit from a
hearing aid or cochlear implant. Instead an auditory brainstem implant may
provide some hearing.
 Cont……..
• An auditory brainstem implant directly stimulates the hearing
pathways in the brainstem, bypassing the inner ear and hearing
nerve.
• Both cochlear and brainstem implants have two main parts —
the parts that are placed inside the inner ear, the cochlea, or
base of the brain, the brainstem ear during surgery, and the
parts that are worn outside the ear after surgery.
• The parts outside the ear send sounds to the parts inside.
 Other Assistive Devices

• Besides hearing aids, there are other devices that help people with hearing
loss. Following are some examples of other assistive devices:
 FM-System An FM system is a kind of device that helps
people with hearing loss hear in background noise.
 FM stands for frequency modulation.
 It is the same type of signal used for radios.
 FM systems send sound from a microphone used by someone
speaking to a person wearing the receiver.
 This system is sometimes used with hearing aids. An extra
piece is attached to the hearing aid that works with the FM
system.
 Conti…
• Captioning
Many television programs, videos, and DVDs are captioned.
Television sets made after 1993 are made to show the captioning. You
don’t have to buy anything special. Captions show the conversation
spoken in sound track of a program on the bottom of the television
screen.
• Text messaging

• Telephone amplifiers

• Flashing and vibrating alarms

 6.2. The Classroom
• The classroom itself can help or hinder the student’s success in your class.
Most students who are *deaf or hard of hearing depend on their vision to
either speech read the teacher or to watch an interpreter, so the physical
aspects of the classroom become very important.
 Standing in front of a light source puts your face in a shadow, making it
very difficult to speech read you.
 Try to avoid speaking any time the student can’t see your face, such as
when you write on the board or walk around the room.
 When using an overhead projector, stand to the side of the projector so that
it doesn’t block your face
 Conti…
 Use visual aids whenever possible.

 When referring to items on the board, try to be specific about the

word or phrase you’re making reference to by pointing directly to it.
 When showing a videotape to the class, make sure it is captioned
and that the television has a decoder. Make sure any videos you
purchase are captioned. Videos may be ‘open captioned’ (always
visible) or ‘closed captioned’ (visible only when a decoder reveals
them).
 Conti…..
 For small classrooms, arrange desks in a semicircle.
 If that is not possible, the deaf or hard of hearing student may
want to sit in front and to the side to better see you, and aware
from level of noise level.
 Hard of hearing students, whether or not they are using an
assistive listening device, may be very sensitive to
environmental (background) sounds, which tend to ‘mask’
speech. Background noise should be kept to a minimum.
 6.3 Communication Issues
• The host of the tape voices and uses sign language. The deaf or hard of hearing

students you have in your class may do this, or they may just sign, or they may just

use their voice. It is best not to make assumptions about how a student will

communicate.

1. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing receive information in various ways:

through an interpreter, through speech or lip reading, through an assistive listening

device (ALD), real-time captioning, C-Print ® or a similar system of speech to print

transcription.

2. Sometimes students use a combination of methods (for example, ALD and C-Print).
 Conti……….
3. Having a student who is deaf or hard of hearing in your class does not mean
you have to learn sign language.

4. Although it is preferable for you to learn some fingerspelling or some sign

language (perhaps being able to say, “My name is…” or “Good morning.
How are you?”) to help put the student at ease, it is not expected that
teachers who only occasionally have deaf or hard of hearing students in
their classroom will learn to sign.

5. Interpreters will be provided upon request to facilitate the communication in

the classroom (or the lab, field trips, etc).
 6.4.Using Interpreters

• An interpreter is someone who facilitates communication and conveys all

auditory and signed information so that both hearing and deaf individuals

may fully interact.

• Interpreters shall function in a manner appropriate to the situation.

 Speak directly to the deaf or hard of hearing person, using first person

speech (the example on the video was don’t say, “Does she have her

assignment?” but rather, “Do you have your assignment?”).

 Conti….
• The interpreter is there to facilitate communication.
 Don’t ask him or her to proctor a test or pass out papers, as this makes it
impossible to interpret at the same time.
 Avoid private conversations with the interpreter or others in the presence
of deaf persons, as everything you say will be interpreted.
 Consider including breaks. The interpreter periodically needs time to
relax, as interpreting is taxing, both mentally and physically. Without
adequate ‘down’ time, receiving information visually can be tiring and
cause eye fatigue for the deaf student.
 Make sure there is adequate lighting. If you dim the lights to use the
overhead projector, make sure the lighting is adequate for the deaf student
to see the interpreter.
 The interpreter will usually stand or sit near the teacher.
 6.5. Teaching strategies
• When new materials are to be covered which involve technical terminology not in
common usage, supply a list of these words or terms in advance to the student and
interpreter? Unfamiliar words are difficult to interpret.

• Students who use interpreters are receiving the information several seconds after
the rest of the class. The following are some of theaching strategy.
 Allow enough time for the student to get the information from the interpreter
before calling on someone.
 When asking the class to respond, have them raise their hands, rather than just
shout out the answer. This will allow the deaf or hard of hearing student to
participate.
 Conti….
 Repeat questions from the class before responding.
Remember, a student using an ALD hears only what comes
from the microphone, thus misses anything else spoken.
 Don’t talk to the class at the same time you’re having them
read something.
 When reading aloud, don’t read so quickly that the deaf or
hard of hearing student and interpreter can’t keep up with you
and the rest of the class.
 Remember deaf and hard of hearing students rely on visual
cues such as body language and expressions to gather
information.