Disabled Student Support Team DEAF AWARENESS Deaf Service Team 2009

Deaf Awareness AIM: To enable staff working with deaf students gain a basic knowledge of Deaf Awareness and Sign Language

Deaf Awareness Quiz Statistics Main types and levels of deafness Effects of deafness on language Levelling the playing field Communication guidelines Lip reading Human and technical aids Sign language Links

Prevalence of Deafness in UK Approximately 9 million (one in seven) 50 – 70,000 use Sign Language 1 in 1000 children born deaf – Approx half severe or profound 90% all deaf children born to hearing parents Hearing loss increases sharply with age - 33% at 60, 75% at 70 CACDP

Types of Deafness Two main types of deafness : Conductive blockage of outer or middle ear soft voice Sensori-neural damage to hair cells or auditory nerve loud voice Combination of both

Levels of Deafness Broadly divided into 4 main categories: 1.Mild some difficulty understanding speech in noisy situations may benefit from hearing aid may lipread may not hear birdsong or whispering

Levels of Deafness 2.Moderate difficulty understanding speech without hearing aids in normal conditions benefit from hearing aids can use voice phone with amplifier

Levels of Deafness 3.Severe difficulty understanding speech even with hearing aid rely more on lipreading difficulty using voice phone even with amplification and may use text phone may use sign language may not hear sounds like lorries

Levels of Deafness 4.Profound hearing aids may be of little or no use rely heavily on lipreading may use sign language may use textphone, videophone or Type- talk may not hear sounds like pneumatic drills, aircraft

The main educational barrier experienced by deaf students is that of a language barrier Effects of Deafness on Language

Possible Traits/Effects immature written work/lack of depth difficulty extracting meaning from text restricted vocabulary – fixed meaning incorrect verb endings/spellings syntax errors difficulty absorbing and using tech jargon longer time to read longer time to plan and produce written work

Possible Traits/Effects These effects are completely independent of the intellectual ability or potential of a deaf student

Addressing the Issues/Levelling the Playing Field Assessment of Need Interview Learning Contract Recommendations

Possible Recommendations Note-taker/ Electronic note-taker Interpreter Study Skills Support (previously Learner Support) Copies of OHTs/slides at start of lecture Handouts at start of lecture Language modification of exam papers Work marked for content and context Extra time/separate accommodation Subtitling/transcription of videos Range of equipment

Language Modification If you were provided with three black painted metal rods, one of which is known to be made of brass, one of magnetised steel and one of unmagnetised steel, describe how, without scratching the black paint, you would identify each of the rods.

Language Modification You have three metal rods. Each rod is painted black. One rod is made of brass, one is made of magnetised steel and one is made of unmagnetised steel. Describe how you would find out what each rod is made of. You MUST NOT scratch the black paint.

Communication Guidelines Attract their attention

Communication Guidelines Keep background noise to a minimum X

Communication Guidelines Look directly at the person

Communication Guidelines Make sure the light is on YOUR face

Communication Guidelines Don't obscure your mouth

Communication Guidelines Speak clearly

Communication Guidelines DON'T SHOUT !

Communication Guidelines Use facial expression and gesture

Communication Guidelines Use simple sentences

Communication Guidelines Please persevere – don't give up

Deaf Awareness Lip reading exercise

Human Aids to Communication Sign language interpreters Lipspeakers Speech to text Note-takers

Technical Aids to Communication Hearing aids Cochlear implant

Technical Aids to Communication Radio aids – loops Deaf Alerter Textphones/Video phones/mobile phones Flashing alarms/ vibrating systems TV / Video Hearing dogs for the deaf Type-talk

British Sign Language Useful sites:

British Sign Language Useful resources: Start to Sign –Magill &Hodgson Dictionary of BSL/English Numerous CD ROMs/ videos – Forest bookshop Numerous factsheets – RNID, RAD, BDA, NDCS

Deaf Awareness Useful websites:

Any questions?

Thanks for listening Good luck