|
Deaf or
Hearing Impaired
(Click on heading)
GENERAL
DISCUSSION
BRIEF
SUMMARY OF THE VARIETIES OF DEAF COMMUNICATIONS
ASSISTIVE
DEVICES -- A SHORT LIST
SERVICES
THAT ASSIST THE HEARING IMPAIRED OR DEAF STUDENT
HINTS
FOR PROFESSORS AND FELLOW STUDENTS
HINTS
FOR THE STUDENT
STUDENT
COMMENT
The
Internet
COLLEGE
CALL CHECKLIST
GENERAL
DISCUSSION
Deafness
is an invisible disability. But as with all disabilities, it is your positive
attitude, drive and determination that will make the difference in your success
in the world.
Deafness
also brings along with it the possibility of not being able to totally orally
communicate with the rest of the world. Depending upon the timing and level of
the onset of your disability and your early childhood training, you may have
very good speech skills or none at all. You may communicate verbally or through
sign language, or some combination.
Smaller
sized classes will probably work the best in college especially in
discussion-based courses. This will also make it easier to ask someone to repeat
a question or a comment.
The
various methods of communication for the deaf community are:
The goal of the oral tradition is for deaf or hard of hearing people to
be able to orally communicate with the hearing world. That also means they rely
on speech reading (lip reading) as their way of “listening” to the hearing
world.
American
Sign Language (ASL) is a different language than English. A certified ASL
Interpreter is needed. ASL is often used by people born profoundly deaf.
The
various forms of Signed English follow the syntax of English needs
qualified Signed English Transliterators for communication.
Cued
Speech uses specific hand signals representing sounds of the English
language along with lip movements helps a deaf person to more clearly understand
the numerous words that look alike on the lips. A cued speech transliterator is
a professional who gives the visual cues to the student. There may be a slight
lag between oral delivery and cued delivery. The classroom needs to accommodate
for this time lag.
Speech
Reading or lip reading is the least precise way of deaf or hearing impaired
communication. The classroom needs to be ready to write down difficult or
misinterpreted words. If a student is relying totally on speech reading in a
classroom setting, it is often beneficial to have a professional oral
interpreter available. An oral interpreter clearly mouths the words being said
in the classroom. The interpreter may also use some gestures. Speech Reading
(lip reading) it is a very intensive skill and not everyone is able to learn it
or has the best learning environment to acquire the skills necessary to
communicate on a daily basis with the hearing world.
ASSISTIVE
DEVICES -- A SHORT LIST
FM
and Infra red Loop Systems cut out background noises and allows better hearing
aid reception. The Professor wears a special microphone that allows the person
wearing the special hearing aid.
Even
with hearing aids, a hearing impaired person will not hear normally.
When
any interpreter or transliterator is used in a classroom or lecture hall, the
professional works directly with the student with just a slight delay from the
oral delivery to the signed delivery of information to the student. The class
dynamics need to accommodate for this time lag.
SERVICES
THAT ASSIST THE HEARING IMPAIRED OR DEAF STUDENT ARE:
Transcription
would be that a tape is made of a lecture or class and it is transcribed for
later review by the student so that he/she did not miss or misunderstand
anything during class lecture or discussion.
CART
(Computer Aided Real-Time) Reporters. CART Reporters are court stenographers who
use a computer to translate real time steno into written word-for-word English.
For
video and film used in or for a class, those materials may be available in
closed caption versions. If materials are vital to class and not available in
closed caption versions, then have the material interpreted or translated to
hard copy.
For
all deaf or hearing impaired students, note taking services are invaluable
because they spend so much time focusing on speech reading or their interpreter
that notes are difficult, if not impossible to take. It is often beneficial if
the teacher can provide printed copies of his/her lecture notes.
HINTS
FOR PROFESSORS AND FELLOW STUDENTS
Make
sure that your professors know before the semester begins that there are things
they need to do so that the class goes as smoothly as possible for everyone. It
is also helpful if the professor shares the information with the rest of the
class or lecture:
Face the student and speak normally with clear
enunciation directly
to your
face.
Make sure there is good lighting to facilitate
seeing faces.
Gently tapping your shoulder or arm is the way
to gain your attention.
Teacher and/or students may have to repeat a
word or sentence or
write
information down for you.
Gestures often help you understand what is
going on.
HINTS
FOR THE STUDENT
Let your teacher know how you
want to communicate in class. If you are confident in your oral speech and want
to use that, then let the professor know. If you are not confident over long
periods of time and conversation, make the professor aware of that also.
Check
on the availability of closed-caption capability televisions in the public areas
of dorms, student union, lecture halls and classrooms. Closed captioning, like
subtitles, display at the bottom of the TV screen. They are designed for the
deaf and hearing-impaired so the content not only addresses dialog, but
identifies speakers, sound effects, music and laughter. Closed captioning is
available for pre-recorded broadcast and cable TV programs, live events and some
video releases. Check your TV program guide for the closed caption symbol.
During
your on-campus visit, ask yourself “Are the students open-minded and willing
to help? Are they my type of people?” Disability or not, you want to be
comfortable with the people with which you are going to spend four years of your
life.
It
is also important to educate your roommate about your disability. In case of
emergency, your roommate will need to understand that if there is a fire alarm,
for example, you won’t be able to hear it. Someone will need to alert you or
will have to wake you up.
The
physical things that have so far made your life more manageable and safer in a
hearing world need to be brought with you to college. Those may include your
alarm clock, smoke alarm, a TDD and spares to any hearing aids, etc.
STUDENT
COMMENT
Even
though a college may provide you with some equipment, if you can afford to,
acquire back-up devices. For example, if you stay in a different dormitory alone
for whatever reason (such as during Thanksgiving holidays, etc.) you might want
to have a spare/portable smoke alarm and a TDD. Or request that the college put
one in your dormitory room. Always have an extra set of hearing aids/cochlear
implant device and the accompanying equipment (tubes, batteries, etc.) and then
make sure you take them with you on trips. You never know when something might
happen!
Pauline, student
The Internet
Alexander
Graham Bell Association for the Deaf
www.agbell.org
American
Association of the Deaf-Blind
American
Speech-Language Hearing Association
www.asha.org
American
Speech-Language Hearing Foundation
http://microsoftsaltmine.com/ashfoundation
Association
on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)
www.ahead.org
Auditory-Verbal
International, Inc.
Basic
Dictionary of ASL Terms
Caption
Center
www.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/captioncenter
Captioned
Films/Videos Program
(National
Association of the Deaf)
www.nad.org
Central
Institute for the Deaf
Closed
Captioning Web
Deaf
Education Home Page
DeafNation.com
www.DeafNation.com
Deaf
World Web
Gallaudet
University
Gallaudet
Research Institute (GRI)
www.gallaudet.edu
Hands
On
Hear You Are, Inc.
HEATH
Resource Center: Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities
http://finaid.org/finaid/documents/heath.html
Helen
Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults
www.helenkeller.org
Indiana
University Speech and Hearing Sciences
Johns
Hopkins Center for Hearing and Balance
Mark
Rjhon’s Frequently Asked Questions about Hearing Impairment
National
Association of the Deaf
www.nad.org
National
Captioning Institute
www.ncicap.org
National
Information Center on Deafness (Gallaudet University)
www.gallaudet.edu/~nicd
National
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Information (NIDCD)
Clearing House
www.nih.gov/nidcd
National
Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) High Technology Center
(Rochester Institute of Technology)
www.rit.edu
Registry
of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
www.rid.org
Rehabilitation
Engineering Research Center on Hearing Enhancement and Assistive devices.
SHHH:
Self Help for Hard of Hearing People
http://shhh.org
Sign
Linguistics Resource Index
Telecommunications
for the Deaf, Inc.
www.tdi-online.org
TRIPOD
Sites
on the major gateways.
COLLEGE
CALL CHECKLIST
DEAF
OR HEARING IMPAIRED
Are
signers/interpreters available?
What
types of interpreters are available to the student?
ASL
English signed
Oral
Cued
Will
student have the same interpreter from class-to-class and semester-to-semester?
Do
you have a formal interpretation program?
How long has your interpretation program been in place?
How many students have used these services?
Are
interpreters available for non-class activities?
Who
makes the arrangements for the interpreters and who will:
Make arrangements?
Do the scheduling?
Pays for their services?
Are
note takers available:
How do you make arrangements?
Who does the scheduling?
Who pays for their services?
How
do you arrange for any accommodation you might need for tests and exams?
Examples would be:
Individually proctored
Untimed or extended time
Signer available for spoken portions of tests
Are
closed caption capabilities available not only in classrooms, but in the dorms?
How
many other deaf or hearing-impaired students are there on your campus?
Is
there a support group on campus or in the community?
Are
tutors experienced working with the deaf or hearing impaired available?
How
are they arranged and scheduled?
Who pays?
Are
advisors experienced working with the deaf or hearing impaired available?
How are they arranged and scheduled?
What
is the faculty attitude toward helping hearing impaired students, especially
freshmen?
Will
there be a specialized smoke detector in the dorm room?
Will
there be a TDD in your dorm room and in the main offices of campus?
When
on your campus visit:
Ask if it is possible to meet with a present student with hearing impairment
similar to you.
Go to some classes.
Meet
with support personnel.
|
