Hearing Impairments (Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing)

More individuals in the United States have a hearing impairment than any other type of physical disability. A hearing impairment is any type of auditory impairment while deafness is an inability to use hearing as a means of communication. Hearing loss is measured in decibels and may be mild, moderate, or profound. A person who is born with a hearing loss may have language difficulties and exhibit poor vocabulary and syntax.

Classroom Strategies

Interpreter, real-time captioning, FM system, notetaker
Closed-captioned films, use of visual aids
Written assignments and lab instructions
Demonstration summaries
Visual warning system for lab emergencies
Use of electronic mail for class and private discussions