Children Who are Deaf

○ Sensorineural deafness
○ Permanent nerve deafness
○ Hearing loss in the inner ear
● Conductive deafness
○ Sounds cannot pass efficiently through outer and inner
ear into the inner ear
○ Usually not permanent
○ Often caused by wax in outer ear, or fluid in middle
ear (glue ear)
● Unilateral deafness
○ One-sided hearing or single-sided deafness (SSD)
○ Warning signs
■ Failure to pay attention to casual
conversation
■ Giving wrong, inappropriate, or strange
responses to simple questions
■ Apparently functioning below intellectual
potential
■ Frequent and recurring ear infections;
complaints of ear pain or ringing in ears, or
dizziness
■ Withdrawing from interactions from peers
■ Limited speech or vocabulary; Frequent
mispronunciation of words
■ Watching a speaker intently to hear
■ Difficulty hearing when using the phone
■ Turning up volume on television or
computer
■ Placing head close to book or desk when
reading or writing
○ Characteristics
■ Students with hearing loss have the same
range of intellectual ability as other students
■ Most of these students struggle because their
hearing loss affects their ability to
understand language, thus affects their
learning
■ Socially and emotionally students who are
deaf or hard of hearing are sometime
 immature. The lack of maturity occurs for
two different reasons
● Etiquette children acquire comes
from listening to others and imitating
what they say and do
● Students can become confused in
interactions that involve many
people and multiple conversations-
because these types of interactions
are often uncomfortable for them,
students with hearing impairments
sometimes avoid them and thusly fail
to develop the social skills learned
from and need in group interactions
● Accommodations
○ Communication
■ Sign language- like learning a second
language
○ Technology
■ Cochlear implants are becoming a lot more
common-electronic hearing devices - even
used with children under the age of 2.
■ FM system which is a teacher wearing a
microphone and the receiver is worn by the
student- uses radio frequencies
■ Often use hearing aids if they have some
residual hearing
● Education
○ School specific Accommodations
■ Many get some information through “speech
reading” or watching lips, mouth, and
expressions, so teachers should always face
the class when presenting information and
stand where there are no shadows or
obstructions
 ■ Using an overhead or projector or
smartboard is a good idea, so you can still
face the class while using the board
■ Teachers should stand in one location
instead of moving around the room and the
student should sit by the teacher
■ Teachers should avoid exaggerating sounds
or words, it actually makes it more difficult
on the child
■ Use as many visual aids as possible-
directions should be written on the board, or
pictures for younger children
■ Assign a buddy to assist in case of fire,
tornado, earthquake, or drills
■ Enroll in a sign class References
Homepage. (2017). Retrieved November 9, 2017, from
http://www.ndcs.org.uk/

Including Students with Special Needs. A Practical Guide for

Classroom Teachers, 7th Edition, Marilyn Friend and William D.
Bursuck. ISBN 13# 978- 0133569940
Children With Hearing Impairments

● Careers working with children who have hearing impairments

○ Teacher
○ Sign Language Interpreter
○ Speech Language Pathologist
○ Social Worker
○ Child Care Worker
○ Audiologist
● Understanding Deafness
○ Warning signs
■ Failure to pay attention to casual conversation
■ Giving wrong, inappropriate, or strange responses to simple questions
■ Apparently functioning below intellectual potential
■ Frequent and recurring ear infections
■ Complaints of ear pain or ringing in ears, or dizziness
■ Withdrawing from interactions from peers
■ Limited speech or vocabulary
■ Frequent mispronunciation of words
■ Watching a speaker intently to hear
■ Difficulty hearing when using the phone
■ Turning up volume on television or computer
■ Placing head close to book or desk when reading or writing
○ Characteristics
■ Students with hearing loss have the same range of intellectual ability as
other students
■ Most of these students struggle because their hearing loss affects their
ability to understand language, thus affects their learning
■ Socially and emotionally students who are deaf or hard of hearing are
sometime immature. The lack of maturity occurs for two different reasons
● Etiquette children acquire comes from listening to others and
imitating what they say and do
● Students can become confused in interactions that involve many
people and multiple conversations-because these types of
interactions are often uncomfortable for them, students with
hearing impairments sometimes avoid them and thusly fail to
develop the social skills learned from and need in group
interactions
● Accommodations
○ Communication
Interview with CCCC

● What is your mom’s diagnosis? When did she/her parents find out?

○ My mother is deaf. I’m not sure when she found out, but her mother said that

when my mom was little she got sick and wouldn’t respond when someone was

talking to her so they took her to the doctor to see what was wrong.

● Does she have any siblings; If so, what effect did they have on her?

○ She has a younger brother and an older sister. When they were little, they all

learned sign language to be able to communicate with my mom. They told her

what was said on the tv, they interpreted for her, and just treated her like a normal

kid. They got along really well, and are still really close.

● Who were her strongest supports past and present, and why?

○ Her grandmother, brother, sister, and friends were very supportive. Her

grandmother took her in for a while until she went to a school for deaf/ hard of

hearing kids. Currently, she has me and my siblings, her boyfriend, her brother,

her sister, her grandmother, her grandfather. Me and my siblings help her with her

grammar whenever she needs help, her boyfriend helped her get the job she has

now. Her grandparents gave her money whenever they saw her just in case she

needed anything and couldn’t afford it, because a lot of people wouldn’t hire her

because of her deafness.

○ How many siblings do you have- when did she begin going to a school for

deaf children?

■ I have 2 half siblings. BBBB, and AAAA. She was really young…

probably about 10 years old.

 ○ What did she do before she went to the school for children who are deaf

■ She went to a public hearing school; she had an interpreter there to help

her keep up with what was said and her notes. Her friends also helped

interpret for her.

● Is she employed? What are her duties there? Does she like it?

○ She works at a hospital. She works in different departments like the blood bank

and chemistry lately. She likes working there because now she has money to

support us but she complains about the hours- which anyone would- but overall

it’s a good job with good pay.

● Did she have any previous jobs?

○ She worked in XXXX at another hospital, it was a long time ago. And she made

good money then too and liked it, but they let her go.

● How do you feel your life is different because of it?

○ Her deafness doesn’t make my life much different than the next kid, other than

the fact I have to interpret for my mom when needed, not much is different. She

can still do everything a hearing person can, so it doesn’t really change anything.

Sometimes I wish she could hear, (and she does too) but I like her just the way

she is.

● How has knowing ASL impacted you?

○ Well I would like to be an interpreter and since I know ASL, that would be a good

career choice for me. I am able to interpret for my mom, and talk with her and her

friends who are also deaf. I also have taught others how to sign.

● What is something you would like everyone to know about people who are deaf?
 ○ Most people I’ve met think that my mom can’t do certain things because she’s

deaf, but the only thing she can’t do is hear. She can do anything a hearing person

can.

When formulating questions, I had to be really intentional with questions, as well as

really sensitive. CCCC has Spina Bifida, so she is aware of what it feels like for others to doubt

one's’ abilities based on their disability. I had a lot of other questions, but sometimes I felt like

they were a little too personal, and didn’t want to offend her by asking, or talk about something

that was a sensitive subject for her or her family. A lot of questions I felt like would imply

ignorance (not the good kind), or may be offensive with the wording, such as “How does her

deafness negatively impact her life, or your life?” So I would either ditch the question in a panic

when I read it, or try my best to reword it in a nicer way. Another issue I came across was at the

beginning of the interview I told her if the question was too personal, or if she didn’t want to, she

didn’t have to answer all of it, or part of it. So when I wanted clarification, I opted to not ask,

because I had assumed she left it out for a reason. CCCCC also has limited time with her mom

because of her mom’s working schedule, so I attempted to be as time sensitive as possible, and in

doing so, did not get around to all the questions I would have liked.

I really enjoyed this interview, as it is a topic that greatly interests me, but also because I

learned a lot from CCCC about her mom. I also loved the connections that were being made with

this class. We talked about siblings, children, and family systems. I thought that I would be a

little less ignorant, but I did come with slightly preconceived notions that being deaf impacts

one’s life a lot more than it actually does. CCCC’s mom can do everything I can, but without

sound. She can still communicate, she went to school and got a degree in Chemistry, she has a

job, a relationship, and children. She has a community that she can communicate with, and when
she is outside that community, she is almost always with someone that can translate for her, or if

worse comes to worse, she has at times just used writing to communicate with others.
 ■ Sign language- like learning a second language
○ Technology
■ Cochlear implants are becoming a lot more common-electronic hearing
devices - even used with children under the age of 2.
■ FM system which is a teacher wearing a microphone and the receiver is
worn by the student- uses radio frequencies
■ Often use hearing aids if they have some residual hearing
● Education
○ School specific Accommodations
■ Many get some information through “speech reading” or watching lips,
mouth, and expressions, so teachers should always face the class when
presenting information and stand where there are no shadows or
obstructions
■ Using an overhead or projector or smartboard is a good idea, so you can
still face the class while using the board
■ Teachers should stand in one location instead of moving around the room
and the student should sit by the teacher
● Facilitates speech reading but also helps if interpreter is present
■ Teachers should avoid exaggerating sounds or words, it actually makes it
more difficult on the child
■ Use as many visual aids as possible- directions should be written on the
board, or pictures for younger children
■ Assign a buddy to assist in case of fire, tornado, earthquake, or drills
■ If student uses sign language, enrolling in a sign class would be extremely
beneficial
● Especially in elementary or middle school, invite a deaf education
teacher to class so they can teach some signs to the entire group.
○ Joins the class together, everyone can do it together, creates
a sense of community

References

Homepage. (2017). Retrieved November 9, 2017, from http://www.ndcs.org.uk/

Including Students with Special Needs. A Practical Guide for Classroom Teachers, 7th Edition,
Marilyn Friend and William D. Bursuck. ISBN 13# 978- 0133569940
Siegler, R. S., DeLoache, J. S., & Eisenberg, N. (2011). How Children Develop. New York:
Worth.
ADA: Hearing Impairment
When I heard the term "hearing impairment", my mind went to complete hearing loss. I
didn't even consider that there are degrees of severity. I think that a lot of people think the same
way I did. For the assignment, the video I had to watch had "normal hearing", "mild hearing
loss", "moderate hearing loss", "moderately severe hearing loss", "severe hearing loss" and
"profound hearing loss". The profound hearing loss sounded like a possibility of a sound, but
even when I tried to focus, I couldn't make out anything. It almost sounded like someone trying
to talk to you underwater on the other side of the pool.
I conducted a short study on campus. As I walked to the gym, changed, worked out, and
walked back to my car, I kept my earphones in, and the music up, so that I couldn't hear
anything else around me. I was always surprised when someone passed from behind me, as I
couldn't hear their foot steps or voices. I had a hard time communicating with people in the gym,
as all I could do was attempt to read their lips, which I am extremely bad at, and watch their
gestures and facial expressions. I also noticed they seemed a bit confused at why I wouldn't
take out my ear phones so I could communicate easier. Taking a workout class was out of the
question, as most of the time the exercises you do require you to look elsewhere, meaning all
you have to take in instruction is your hearing. People from across the room couldn't yell to get
my attention, if there were announcements made, I wouldn't be able to hear them, when I got a
text or call I couldn't hear the ring to pick up my phone. While I did not have my earphones in for
driving, I thought about all the sounds I would have missed. I wouldn't be able to hear if
someone honked at me, or if there were any sirens on the road, the radio, or the person on the
other end of the phone call. There are so many things that we take for granted that we don't
realize because we are so used to having them.
I recently had a movie night with some friends who invited other friends, and one of the
girls has a hearing impairment. She has a moderately severe hearing loss, and thus knows sign
language. I was not able to communicate without yelling, as my sign language skills are close to
non-existent. A couple of my friends were beginning to learn, so that they could better
communicate with her in the way that made her feel more comfortable. We began the movie
and she looked around like she was waiting for us to notice something, and then she asked us
where the subtitles were. We had not even thought about subtitles, as none of us had the need
for them. This really taught me to be more aware of the people that I am around, and how to
best accommodate for them, so they can be as comfortable as possible and get as much
enjoyment out of activities as I do. This also made me realize how patient people with such
impairments must be to be constantly reminded everyone they are around of what they need to
better function. It also makes me think of those that are too shy to say anything, or too tired of
repeating themselves, and I hope that I will be able to be more mindful of the people around me.