Learners who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Leslie Bailey, Andrew Barrand, Lizzy Curtis, Brandon Hiatt

Definitions A deaf person is one whose hearing disability precludes successful processing of linguistic information through audition, with or without a hearing aid. A person who is hard of hearing generally, with the use of a hearing aid, has residual hearing sufficient to enable successful processing of linguistic information through audition. IDEA ‘04 recognizes these two groups, but it considers them to belong to one special education category, which it calls hearing impairments.

Types of Deafness Congenitally deaf Deafness present at birth. Adventitiously deaf Deafness that occurs through illness or accident in an individual born with normal hearing. Prelingual deafness Deafness that occurs before development of spoken language, usually at birth. Postlingual deafness Deafness occurring after the development of speech and language.

Deaf vs. deaf Deaf: refers to people who are born deaf or deafened during early childhood. deaf: refers to those who lost some or all their hearing in early or late life.

Prevalence 0.13% of students 6-17 years old are hearing impaired. Hard of hearing is more prevalent than those identified as deaf. 23% of students who are deaf come from Hispanic- speaking homes.

Overview of the Ear The Outer Ear Funnels the sound in. The Middle Ear Three bones (malleus, incus, and stapes) that passes the sound through and air-filled space The Inner Ear Size of a pea, contains the vestibular mechanism – which is responsible for your sense of balance, most important organ for hearing is the cochlea. Connexin-26 gene: leading cause of deafness, mutation of which causes deafness.

Identification Screening Test Pure-Tone Audiometry Speech Audiometry Tests for Young and Hard-to-Test Children

Screening Testing 93% of newborns are being screened Screenings measure otoacoustic emissions Less accurate that tests done in audiologist’s office.

Pure-Tone Audiometry Frequency measured in Hertz (Hz) Number of vibrations per unit of time of a sound wave

Speech Audiometry To test a person’s detection and understanding of speech. Speech reception threshold (SRT): the decibel level at which one is able to understand speech

Tests for Young and Hard-to- Test Children Combination of different techniques including: Play audiometry – uses pure tones or speech Tympanometry – rubber-tipped probe inserted into the ear, gages the pressure and sound which determines how the middle ear functions Evoke-response audiometry – changes in brain wave activity used during sleep

Sign Language American Sign Language (ASL) Three parts: handshape, location, and movement As complex as the spoken language Accepted as a true language

Oral Approaches Auditory-Verbal Approach – focuses exclusively on using audition to improve speech and language development. Auditory-Oral Approach – similar to the auditory-verbal approach but also stress the use of visual cues.

Early Intervention and Monitering Progress Programs for early intervention may be beneficial in reducing parents stress levels. Important because early childhood is a development of language.

Technology/Tips Texting Video relay service Computer assisted instruction

Activity Musical chair game