ACCESS Rochester

Teaching Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Students who are Deaf or hard of hearing may use a wide range of services depending on the language or communication system they use. People who are pre-lingually Deaf generally use sign. People who are post-lingually Deaf may have some ability to use or communicate with verbal English. People who are hard of hearing may be born with some degree of hearing loss, or they may have acquired a hearing loss due to illness, injury or noise exposure. Both Deaf and hard of hearing individuals may use hearing aids or other assistive listening devices to enhance residual hearing ability.

Culturally Deaf people are members of a distinct linguistic and cultural minority. Some members of this cultural group use American Sign Language as their first language. Others use signed English, Cued Speech, or other manual communication techniques. Members of this cultural group are bi-lingual and English is their second language. As with any cultural group, Deaf people have their own values, social norms and traditions. Because of this, be sensitive to cross-cultural information in the mainstreamed classroom setting.

Hard of hearing refers to those individuals who may use speech, lip reading and hearing aids to enhance oral communication. Hearing aids and amplification systems may include public address systems and transmitter/receiver systems with a clip-on microphone for the instructor. For those who use lip reading, only 30-40% of spoken English is comprehensible, even for those who are highly skilled.

For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing who choose to speak, feedback mechanisms are limited. Therefore, vocal control, volume and articulation may be affected. These secondary effects are physical and should not be viewed as mental or intellectual weakness.

Indications that a student has a hearing loss may include a student's straining to hear, use of loud or distorted speech, and consistent failure to respond.

There are a variety of services available to students who are hard of hearing. Students may use Signed English, Cued Speech, or oral translators in the classroom. These are visual systems that enhance the reception and expression of spoken English.

Things to Keep in Mind

Students who are Deaf or hard of hearing will benefit from front row seating. An unobstructed line of vision is necessary for students who use interpreters and for those who rely on lip reading and visual cues. If an interpreter is used, the student's view should include the interpreter and the professor.
Keep your face in view of the student and keep your voice at a natural tone.
When using an interpreter, speak directly to the student and not to the interpreter.
Recognize the processing time that the interpreter takes to translate a message from its original language into another language (whether English to American Sign Language or vice versa) because this will cause a delay in the student's receiving information, asking questions and/or offering comments.
Repeat questions and remarks of the other people in the room.
Use visual aids and the chalkboard to reinforce spoken presentations when possible.
When possible, provide the student with class outlines, lecture notes and a list of new technical terms and printed transcripts of audio and audio-visual materials.
Do not hesitate to communicate with the student in writing when conveying important information such as assignments, scheduling, deadlines, etc.
In group discussions, the instructor can assist the student by encouraging participants to speak "one at a time".
Whenever possible, position yourself without strong light behind you. If you are standing in front of a window, for example, your face will be in shadow, making it difficult for a Deaf or hard of hearing person to see your lips and facial expressions.
Address students naturally. Students with hearing impairments can comprehend once they have received the information in the format that works for them.
Consider course modifications such as one-to-one presentations, and the use of a specially adapted computer.
C-Print captioning services may be appropriate for some students with hearing loss and can be arranged through the Local Coordinator and UDRC.

Home