17-HI

A. TASK

  • To gain an understanding of the chosen area of special needs/disability.
    • This activity will act as a scaffold to your group presentation assignment.
  • Use this scaffold to co-construct content in your assigned wiki page (see Class page > Special needs topics).

B. UNDERSTANDING THE AREA OF SPECIAL NEEDS/DISABILITY*

1. The nature of area of special needs/ disability

  • General definition

A hearing impairment or deafness is a full or partial decrease in the ability to detect or understand sounds.

There are 3 major types of hearing loss (neural/sensorineutral, conductive or a combination of both).

2. Causes of disability (if any)

    • Conductive

Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted properly through the outer ear, middle ear, or both. It is generally a mild to moderate impairment, because sound can still be detected by the inner ear.

Conductive hearing loss has a variety of causes:

  • Range of conditions (if any)
  • Characteristics
    • ear canal obstruction
    • middle ear abnormalities - tympanic membrane, ossicles
    • inner ear abnormalities - superior canal dehiscence syndrome
    • other - otosclerosis
    • Sensorineural hearing loss
      • Sensorineural hearing loss is due to insensitivity of the inner ear, the cochlea, or to impairment of function in the auditory nervous system. It can be mild, moderate, severe, or profound, to the point of total deafness.
    • Long-term exposure to environmental noise

Many people are unaware of the presence of environmental sound at damaging levels, or of the level at which sound becomes harmful. Common sources of damaging noise levels include car stereos, children's toys, transportation, crowds, lawn and maintenance equipment, power tools, gun use, and even hair dryers. Noise damage is cumulative; all sources of damage must be considered to assess risk. If one is exposed to loud sound (including music) at high levels or for extended durations (85 dB A or greater), then hearing impairment will occur. Sound levels increase with proximity; as the source is brought closer to the ear, the sound level increases.

  • Genetic

Hearing loss can be inherited. Both dominant genes and recessive genes exist which can cause mild to profound impairment. If a family has a dominant gene for deafness it will persist across generations because it will manifest itself in the offspring even if it is inherited from only one parent. If a family had genetic hearing impairment caused by a recessive gene it will not always be apparent as it will have to be passed onto offspring from both parents.

  • Disease or illness
    • Measles may result in auditory nerve damage
    • AIDS and ARC patients frequently experience auditory system anomalies.
    • HIV (and subsequent opportunistic infections) may directly affect the cochlea and central auditory system.
    • Chlamydia may cause hearing loss in newborns to whom the disease has been passed at birth.
    • Fetal alcohol syndrome is reported to cause hearing loss in up to 64% of infants born to alcoholic mothers, from the ototoxic effect on the developing fetus plus malnutrition during pregnancy from the excess alcohol intake.
    • Premature birth results in sensorineural hearing loss approximately 5% of the time.
    • Syphilis is commonly transmitted from pregnant women to their fetuses, and about a third of the infected children will eventually become deaf.
    • Otosclerosis is a hardening of the stapes (or stirrup) in the middle ear and causes conductive hearing loss.
  • Medications

Some medications cause irreversible damage to the ear, and are limited in their use for this reason. The most important group is the aminoglycosides (main member gentamicin).

Various other medications may reversibly affect hearing. This includes some diuretics, aspirin and NSAIDs, and macrolide antibiotics.

3. The general impact of the special need or disability on a student in terms of development and learning

C. FOR GROUP PRESENTATION ASSIGNMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING*

1. What would I expect of the student with the chosen area of special needs:

  • he/she will want to be part of the class and activities in school
  • he/she will want to have friends
  • he/she may need extra support in terms of…

2. How will this affect the other students in my class? How do I work with them to understand their peers and to create an inclusive classroom?

To create inclusive classrooms, teachers must think about what they teach, how they teach and how they structure interactions among students. Transmitting consistent messages about the positive nature of diversity and the need for inclusiveness means that all aspects of classroom life must reflect that commitment.

THE CURRICULUM

Just as teachers will want to include books, posters and information about people of color and of various backgrounds in their classrooms, materials about people with differences and disabilities also should be included and integrated into all aspects of the curriculum.

Eg. a unit on the five senses, for example, can include information on vision and hearing impairment. A unit on fairy tales can include a discussion of characters who feel different, such as the Ugly Duckling or Rumpelstiltskin, and a discussion of labeling and stereotyping.

OUR OWN RELATIONSHIP WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT

It is hard for a teacher to convey the importance of including people who think or learn differently if this commitment is not represented in his own life.

3. What would I suggest in terms of provisions/accommodations to meet the student’s needs? (suggest only in areas which are appropriate)

Strategies for making teachers' presentations and materials accessible to persons with hearing impairment.

  • ENVIRONMENT
    • Provide the student with a clear and direct view of your face
    • Speak from a well-lighted area of the room
    • Reduce background noise by turning off projectors and other types of apparatus when not in use
    • Speak clearly and naturally at your normal pace, unless you are requested to slow down
  • INTERPRETERS
    • Ensure that language interpreters are certified
    • When replying to a query from the hearing-impaired students using the interpreter, speak to the hearing impaired student, NOT to the interpreter
  • CAPTIONING
    • Captioning is the on screen text display of spoken word or sound that are part of a video or film.
    • If showing a video, have it captioned. If captioning is not feasible, arrange for an interpreter to sign the audio portion of the tape.
  • AUDITORY MATERIALS
    • Audiotapes, videotapes and other auditory materials can be translated into print format to make them accessible to hearing-impaired students.
  • LABORATORY
    • Avoid seating the student in heavy traffic areas.
    • Do not talk while writing on the board
    • Maximise the use of visual media and demonstrations
    • Provide concise, step-by-step directions prior to the la activity and preview it with the student
    • Assign a suitable lab partner for the hearing-impaired student
    • Obtain feedback from the student at every opportunity as an indicator of the student's level of understanding
    • Mask all instructions except the one that you want followed next
    • Use written announcements
  • GROUP INTERACTION AND DISCUSSION
    • Expect and encourage the student to participate in class by answering questions, giving reports and volunteering for other verbal activities
    • Clearly identify who is speaking or asking a question
    • In group settings, develop procedures so that the hearing impaired student can express her communication needs to others.
    • Get the student's attention by tapping gently on the shoulders, arm or using a similar visual signal
    • A circle is the best seating arrangement for a hearing impaired student.

4. Do I have the skills to meet the student’s needs?

  • knowledge of basic principles of effective learning and teaching
  • need to know more about…