Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 1 Unit 7 – Chapter 15 TEACHING STUDENTS WITH VISUAL AND HEARING IMPAIRMENTS

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 2 Vision Definitions  Acuity: Legally blind – 20/200 or less with correction. Partially sighted – 20/70 to 20/200 with correction.  Educational: Moderate – almost entirely corrected. Severe – can use vision for learning (partially sighted) Profound – uses touch and hearing for learning.

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 3 Hearing Definitions  Deaf: profound loss (+90 decibels)  Hard of Hearing: mild to profound loss ( decibels)  Types of Hearing Loss: Conductive – outer and middle ear Sensorineural – inner ear Mixed – both types Central – brain malfunction

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 4 Adapting Instruction: Three Principles  Concreteness – use of other senses to work with concrete objects  Unifying experiences – explaining relationships by systemic stimulation (alike and different)  Learning by doing – exploring the environment

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 5 What You Should Know About Your Visually Impaired Student and Mainstream Adaptations  Generally have school achievement that is a little behind their peers.  Need training in orientation and mobility and in reading large print.  Most remain in regular education with itinerant teacher (teacher for the visually impaired – referred to as VH or VI teacher).

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 6  Do not overprotect. The goal is independence.  May need adaptive devices.  Most will not need curriculum adaptations.  Work with the VH teacher.  Encourage computer use.  Repeat orally what you write on the chalkboard.

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 7  For low vision students, use heavy lined paper or a marking pen.  Have peers read to the student.  Tape materials when necessary.  Refer to the student by name when addressing them.  Correct unusual mannerisms appropriately.

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 8 What You Should Know About Your Hearing Impaired Student and Mainstreaming Adaptations  May need speech therapy, speech reading, sign language and the care of amplification devices.  Less that 1 in 100 children has a severe hearing loss.  There is a growing incidence of teens with hearing problems due to rock concerts.

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 9  Seat the child away from noise and close to you.  Do not turn your back while speaking.  The interpreter needs to sit next to the student.  Avoid standing in front of a window.  Label items in the classroom for poor readers.  Speak naturally, not in exaggerated fashion.  Use an overhead projector.

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 10  During lectures, the student cannot read speech and take notes at the same time. Ask a peer to share notes.  Use captioned films.  Learn how to check hearing aids and teach the student how to check them. Keep extra batteries at school.

Teaching Special Students in General Education Classrooms 7th Edition Rena B. Lewis and Donald Doorlag Pearson Education, Inc. 11  Ask questions to check for understanding.  Talk in full sentences.  Be aware of possible student fatigue.