What is deafness/ hearing impairment?

Approximately 7 percent of Americans experience some loss of hearing which affects their ability to hear both speech and environmental sounds. An individual may be born deaf, become deaf later in life or experience hearing loss as a temporary disability due to a medical condition or injury.

Do all deaf or hard of hearing individuals have the same hearing loss?

There are varying degrees of deafness and hearing loss, with a small number of individuals hearing nothing at all and many others retaining some hearing.

How do deaf people communicate?

Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals communicate with one another and with hearing people through visual means instead of or in addition to speech, such as writing, and sign languages such as Signed English, American Sign Language (ASL) and finger spelling. Some deaf or hard-of-hearing people may understand lip-reading, but it takes a lot of practice to become accustomed to particular accents and lip-reading is dependent on having a clear view of someone's face.

What is the role of SDS in providing accommodations?

SDS works with hard-of-hearing and deaf students on a case-by-case basis to ensure they receive all reasonable accommodations necessary. Each student will have their own abilities, strategies and skills and because of this, they are encouraged to remain in close contact with our office. In cases where the student desires to work with interpreters and note-takers, SDS arranges these services.

What should I take into consideration when teaching a deaf student, or someone who is hard-of-hearing?

Each student is different and there is a wide variety of accommodations that may need to be arranged, including sign language interpreting and note-taking services.

How do sign language interpreters work in class with a deaf student?

Many deaf and hard-of-hearing students will utilize sign language interpreting services in the classroom. Sign language interpreters are professionals who can work as free-lancers or be employed by an agency. Because interpreting is mentally and physically demanding, interpreters often prefer to work in pairs, with one actively interpreting while the other rests.

Depending on the course content, the interpreters may request materials from you in advance so they may prepare for upcoming classes. For example, in a class where there is a large amount of new terminology and vocabulary and readings, like a literature class, it would be beneficial to provide as much of this information to the interpreters in advance.

Should I speak to the interpreter or directly to the student?

When speaking, address the student rather than the interpreter and keep in mind that the student will need to be able to see the interpreter and the interpreter will need to be able to hear what you are saying. Additionally, a student who utilizes an interpreter will not be able to take notes while they are looking at the interpreter. Therefore, they will either utilize the services of a note-taker or photocopy the notes of another student in the class.

Is there technology available to assist deaf and hard of hearing students?

Some students may sit at the front of the class in order to hear the lecture, while others may use an amplification system or radio-microphone that is directly connected to a hearing aid. Transcription services are also available to deaf and hard-of-hearing students but would most likely be utilized by a student who has recently or temporarily lost their hearing and is therefore not fluent in sign language.

Some schools that have more extensive programs for deaf students offer real time speech to text transcription services by utilizing voice recognition software, like Dragon Naturally Speaking. Depending on the needs of a student, a specially trained captionist will use a voice recognition program to create a real time transcription of the class, much the way a court stenographer transcribes courtroom proceedings. However, instead of typing, the captionist dictates into a special "mask microphone" that muffles the voice to minimize any distraction to the class.

What should I do if a deaf student in my class does not have an interpreter?

First off, we must consider if the student actually needs an interpreter or not. It could be incorrect to assume that just because a student has hearing loss that s/he needs an interpreter. This is something that SDS can determine by meeting with the student. If you believe a student in your class would benefit from having an interpreter, refer them to SDS.

If this is a student who usually comes to class with an interpreter, but does not have one, contact SDS to find out if there is a problem with the interpreting assignment for that student. Typically, SDS will contact a student in advance if there is a problem with interpreting services and work to correct the situation. SDS makes all interpreting arrangements for deaf and hard of hearing students.

Should I make arrangements for an interpreter if I have to meet with a deaf student privately during office hours?

The student should know if s/he will require an interpreter for such a meeting and thus be in contact with SDS to request interpreting services. It is not the instructor's responsibility to make this request, but a reminder to the student wouldn't hurt.

Is there anything special I need to do for deaf students if I am showing a movie in class?

If you intend to show movies in your class, it would be a good idea to get copies that have closed captioning. This way, if you do have any deaf students in your class, you can simply turn on cc and the student will be able to read the transcription from the screen.

If the film you are showing does not have cc, an interpreter might be able to interpret if given information about the film in advance. Interpreting a film on the fly is very difficult.

Do I need to do anything special if I am showing a PowerPoint presentation or using overhead slides?

Most instructors will dim the lights in the classroom when they are showing a slides or a PowerPoint presentation so students can better see the screen. However, a dark room can make it difficult for deaf students to see their interpreters. Try to keep some light on around the interpreter or use a small lamp to illuminate where the interpreter is sitting. This will ensure that the deaf student can properly see what the interpreter is signing, while not compromising the ability of other students to see the presentation.

It is also helpful for interpreters if they have copies of the material that you will be showing in advance so they can prepare and be able to more effectively interpret for their students. It is very challenging for interpreters to work on the fly with no preparation material.

Additional resources

The office of Student Disability Services is available to answer any questions you may have about deafness and hearing impairments, how to work with dead and hard of hearing students, or any other issues that may arise.