Inclusion of Students with Hearing Impairment n Assignment 2B Presentation Casey Baills, Kath Conway, Sharon Campbell, Emma Dever & Alison James

Hearing Impairment n Hearing loss varies between individuals. n No two hearing losses are the same. n Hearing loss is described in terms of degree. n There are two main types of hearing loss. n It is expressed in four levels.

Types of Hearing Loss n Conductive n Sensorineural

Conductive Deafness n Associated with any interference in the sound waves being conducted to the cochlea. –Eg - blocked ear canals (wax, foreign objects) –Perforated eardrums –Fluid in middle ear –Structure/functioning problems of the ossicles

Sensorineural Deafness n Is associated with an interference in the structure and/or functioning of the cochlea. n Affects both the quantity and quality of sound. n Has a significant affect on learning. n Distortion is a common feature.

Levels of Hearing Loss n Mild n Moderate n Severe n Profound

Mild n ( dB) n May have some difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy surroundings. n May experience some difficulty with Language Arts [especially reading].

Moderate n (41 – 69 dB) n May understand conversational speech, face to face, within 1 metre but miss up to 50% beyond this distance. n Will have noticeable deficiencies in speech and language development and use. n Will find group communication extremely difficult.

Severe n ( dB) n Conversation must be loud to be heard at all. n May be able to discriminate between some vowels but will have difficulty with most consonants. n Both speech and language will be delayed and deficient. n Will usually have some degree of reliance on vision (usually lip-reading) to compliment information received through residual hearing.

Profound n (91 + dB) n May hear only loudest of environmental sounds. n Will usually rely heavily on vision for communication purposes (reading, lip-reading &/or manual communication). n Speech and language skills are often poorly developed.

Things To Do... n Activity n Discussion n Video snippet

EQ Policy States... n A commitment to the provision of equitable educational opportunities in order that all students have access to, participate in and gain positive outcomes from schooling. Deaf/hearing impaired students are enrolled at all levels of schooling. A Total Communication philosophy ensures that deaf/hearing impaired children across the State have equal access to an appropriate educational program and a consistent communication approach. n Refer CS-11 DOEM

The Implications… n For all students, the quality of their experiences at school will relate to - –the appropriateness of the curriculum; –the nature of the learning environment; –the learner-teacher partnerships that exist.

What do I expect of deaf/hearing impaired students... n They are like any other student. n They will- –want to be part of the class and of activities; –want to have friends; –want to be valued as learners; –may require extra support in some area of learning and social interaction.

Teaching Strategies To Help... n Reduce noise levels; n Use speech reading; n Be aware of positioning; n Be aware of other strategies.

Reduce Noise Levels n Avoid rooms near busy/noisy roads n Single classrooms are better than double classrooms n Reduce & absorb background noise & reverberation in the room by using - –rubber tips on chair legs, –fabric/cork boards on walls, –curtains, –room dividers, –soft floor coverings, etc.

Speech Reading n Includes using lip movements, facial expression & other non-verbal clues that assist in the understanding of speech. n Don’t: –talk facing the blackboard; –move around while speaking; –over-exaggerate speech or shout. n So make sure: –students can see your face; –avoid glare or light behind you; –use normal slightly slower speech.

Positioning n Seat student close to the front of the classroom at a distance of about 1 metre between them and the speaker n So student can see visuals n Unilateral loss (one ear) position for optimum use of their good ear [eg - on the right hand side of the room - as you face the class - if the loss is in the left ear].

More Tips... n Use movement purposely [eg point to information]; n Seek advice from Speech Therapist if speech lacks fluency; n Stand still so student can locate you before speaking; n Two sources of information cannot be read at the same time [eg handout and lips]. Explain the material before handing it out; n Seek the students feedback to how they are coping and comprehending.

Ascertained Support Levels n Level 1 –Tested but not hearing impaired. n Level 2 –Tested & has hearing impairment. –Letter sent by AVT at beginning of the year. –Normally no hearing aides. –Not visited by AVT unless requested.

Cont... n Level 3 –Hearing impairment usually mild to moderate. –usually issued with hearing aides. –AVT visits up to once per month. n Level 4 –Hearing impairment. –Some modifications necessary. –AVT support up to 1 1/2 hours per week.

Cont... n Level 5 –Hearing impairment. –Major modifications necessary. –AVT support up to 3 hours per week. n Level 6 –Unit placement or IEP.

Who Can Offer Support? n Administrators n Support teachers n Special needs teachers n Parents n Students n Dept.Heads n Colleagues & aides n Social justice/special needs committee/P&C n AVT’s/education advisor n Physio/nurses/OT’s/S-L pathologists/GO n Cluster schools n Specialist units n General practitioner n Medical specialists n Specialist organizations & agencies

Resources... n Kits –Qld Consortium for Students with Special Needs. (1996). Profiles: Learning about students - Focusing on outcomes for deaf/hearing impaired students. –Romanik,S. (1990). Auditory Skills Program for Students with Hearing Impairment. NSW, Dept of School Ed. n Videos –Understanding Hearing Loss. (1991). Brisbane: Centre for deafness studies & research, GU. –What is Otismedia? (1993). Peter Allen. (deafness resource centre) –Signs of Language (1992). Brisbane: Centre for deafness studies & research, GU.

Any Questions?? Go od Luck Next Year!