When a child has a communication disorder, a language barrier exists that can cause deficits in all areas of life ranging from interpersonal relationships to academic success. As educators we have the responsibility to implement learning based accommodations so that each student can access information despite their possible language and learning barriers. It is difficult to understand which accommodations are appropriate and how to facilitate them effectively in the classroom. This article will address strategies and technological tools that promote learning in the classroom for people with hearing loss.
Hearing loss or hearing impairment is the most prevalent disability
with 360 million people affected by it world-wide. Furthermore, the main impact is found in
communication, which is closely linked to learning, writing, reading, speaking,
and understanding the world around us. Imagine you are at rock concert or a major
sporting event and a friend (who is sitting down the row from you) is trying to tell you something. Can you comprehend every word your
friend is trying to say? No, probably
not. Can you write down what your friend
is trying to say? Nope. If you were to read a passage later in the
day, could you identify that text as something that was said to you before? No. Chances are excellent that you cannot
identify, process, retain, or apply your friend’s message simply because the
sound signal was not clear. For people
with hearing loss, every conversation,
lecture, or dialogue is unclear. Every time
someone speaks to them, the quality of the message is similar to the quality of your friend’s
message at the rock concert or sporting event.
People with a hearing loss are not of lesser value,
intelligence, or competence; however, they do need to be able to hear in order
to interact socially and participate academically. The student and the professor are both
responsible for employing communication strategies to facilitate learning in
the classroom.
The first, and perhaps most important, communication
strategy is to reduce background noise.
Even in a quiet environment, students miss some speech sounds and other
sounds are ‘muffled.’ When noise is added to the environment (i.e. humming
computers, fans, buzzing lights, open windows, hard floors), more sounds and
therefore language is eradicated and the learning barrier strengthens.
The second strategy is to speak just a little slower and a
little louder. If you speak too slow or
too loud, the message will become distorted thus making it difficult to
comprehend. Speaking slightly slower and
louder is beneficial to a person with hearing loss. Slowing down your rate of speech gives the
person more time to fill in the ‘unheard’ sounds with contextual clues. Speaking louder overcomes the ambiguity of sound
signals associated with background noise.
The third strategy is to stay at a close distance from the
person with a hearing impairment. In
fact, a good rule of thumb is to stay an arm’s length away at all times. People with hearing loss become experts at
filling in ‘sound gaps’ with lip reading and facial expressions. To achieve competent communication with
people who have a hearing loss, we must give maximal visual support. This includes everything from gestures to
written communication.
The fourth strategy is to use technology. Clearly, the person with a hearing impairment
needs to visit with their audiologist for a full assessment, and it is their responsibility
to wear and properly maintain their hearing aids. With that being said, professors and teachers
alike should be familiar with the many features and unique qualities of a FM
system. One FM
system that audiologists on our campus support is the Phonak Roger Pen FM
system. This pen can be pointed at the
speaker/professor or can be worn by the speaker/professor. The pen will only pick up the professor’s voice
and then direct it straight into the receiver on the hearing aid. The pen eliminates the hearing
difficulties associated with background noise and distance. Sometimes wearing a hearing aid alone is not
enough, because the hearing aid amplifies all sounds and this taxes the
listener. In short, the pen (or other FM devices) filters out unnecessary noises and picks up the communication
partner’s voice.
If you have a student with a hearing loss, please encourage
them to:
1.)
Set up an appointment with an audiologist.
2.)
After the results come in, the student must
visit with disability services.
3.)
The student should present their diagnosis (from doctor) and
classroom accommodation plan (from disability services) to the professor.
4.)
The professor and the student should work together
to incorporate appropriate strategies and tools in the classroom.
Contact
information for the University of South Dakota’s Audiology Program:
Communication Sciences and Disorders – Noteboom Hall
Noteboom Hall
Phone: 605-677-5474
Email: csd@usd.edu
Contact
information for the University of South Dakota’s Disability Services:
Phone: 605-677-6389
Email: disabilityservices@usd.edu
For more
information on the Phonak Roger Pen FM system, please visit the following site:
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