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With technology playing an important role in the classroom and at home, I thought it would be important to include some phone application technologies that can also help with hearing impaired students.

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Some kids are born with visual impairment, some with hearing or other impairments and some people may have different abilities due to injuries, infections or accidents.

This article will discuss ideas for children with hearing disabilities and their education. Hearing-impaired learners may use hearing aids that insert into or behind their ears, for instance, Cochlear implants, the surgical implant devices that bypass the damaged inner ear and send signals directly to the hearing nerve. It's no secret that new technologies have made the life of hearing impairment individuals easier. Now, deaf or hard of hearing kids can attend school and take part in activities with their peers using such solutions.

But, what apart from these? What else can be done for such kids?

To answer these questions, we have curated a list of the best applications designed specifically for children with hearing impairments and to help you teach them effortlessly.

Designed for toddlers and tiny tots with hearing impairments, Little Ears is a nifty little app that assists early speech and language development. The application is quite engaging and easy to use; it does not have unnecessary elements or distractions, leading to overstimulation. Little Ears has twenty sets of illustrations with three images each; children can tap on any to hear the sounds or name the objects and can do simple quizzes, which facilitate speech and language.

The Auditory-Verbal application addresses the detection and comprehension of the Ling 6 Sounds (plus silence) for persons with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Therapists can use this App as a quick auditory comprehension check-in therapy session. The application comprises flashcards that depict the 6 Ling sounds (and silence) representing the range of speech sounds across low to high frequencies. Auditory Verbal Therapy includes a male voice, a female voice, and the ability to record your voice. Furthermore, to keep track of progress, after each practice session, the application provides a data chart of correct and incorrect responses with space to type your notes and print or email the results.

Cochlear HOPE Words is a child-friendly online App for listening and spoken language. The Cochlear HOPE Words App has been adopted from Speech Sounds and Speech Sounds Vowels - two renowned HOPE resources created to expose children to speech sounds in the English language. The application offers interactive flashcards for the alphabets that have been organized by speech sounds associated with a particular letter. Every letter of the alphabet has 20 different interactive pop-up cards. Thus, when a child touches the word or image, the image expands with vocal narration.

The goal is to enable a child to practice auditory self-examination by listening to a word and matching his or her vocal output to what he or she has heard. The development of vocabulary is also made easier by the fact that the child attaches a sense to the spoken word associated with the image.

This App allows children to practice recognizing the Ling 6 sounds in a fun matching game. iHear That has split the game into two levels; Easy: includes images as a visual component of sound recognition, and Difficult: requires children to identify matches by sound, making it easier for deaf children to learn.

Sound Match is a unique and fun audio-memory game designed to help children learn and distinguish sounds. This application helps develop a child's memory skills with five different themes. Also, improves their ability to recognize and distinguish different sounds. Overall improvement on concentration and attention skills. Just like a traditional memory game, the Sound match has three difficulties that challenge your child's memory skills, as he will need to match an image with its correspondent sound and vice versa.

Signed stories is an excellent app to help children with hearing impairments read stories. It has a collection of the best high-definition books from as little as 99¢/79p - preview before you buy. Stories are selected to support Common Core State Standards and National Curriculum vocabulary builder and fun learning games.

Furthermore, it helps develop language skills with the video vocabulary builder, optional captions/subtitles for children with dyslexia and special needs customized as per the needs.

ASL Care Bears is a fantastic app for children who are deaf and struggle with self-regulating their emotions while communicating with others who don't understand them. The application is packed with 2,500+ signs and phrases, easy navigation and features, with different signers making learning easy, accessible, and fun.

Herein, learners can save their favourite signs or the signs they want to practice more, go into slow mode, and tap/scrub anytime you enjoy the video to pause or go back a bit.

If you're a teacher to kids with hearing impairments, then these applications have the perfect solution for your learners. Do try them.

I am Saniya Khan, Copy-Editor at EdTechReview - India's leading edtech media. As a part of the group, my aim is to spread awareness on the growing edtech market by guiding all educational stakeholders on latest and quality news, information and resources. A voraciously curious writer with a dedication to excellence creates interesting yet informational pieces, playing with words since 2016.

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Best Apps To Teach Students With Hearing Impairment

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Some kids are born with visual impairment, some with hearing or other impairments and some people may have different abilities due to injuries, infections or accidents. This article will discuss ideas for children with hearing disabilities and their education.

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Interesting in hearing better in group settings? You may want look into FM and DM systems. Using microphones and receivers (including hearing aids), these systems help you hear better and reduce background noise. Common in school settings, they help filter out unwanted noise.

Both systems improve the signal-to-noise ratio, explains clinical audiologist Sarah Sparks, Au.D, founder of Audiology Outside the Box PLLC in Washington, DC.

"They take sound that is farther away and bring it closer to the listener," Sparks says.

Find out more about how these systems work, along with who might consider taking advantage of them, when FM/DM systems are ideal for use, and more.

What exactly are FM/DM systems?

Teachers or other speakers can wear a
remote microphone that transmits sound
via FM/DM signals to a person's hearing
aid or similar device.
Photo courtesy of Oticon

The FM stands for "frequency modulation" and DM stands for "digital modulation."

Here's how it works: The speaker uses a microphone, while the listener wears a receiver. The receiver can be a simple pair of headphones, ear-level receivers that deliver the sound into the ears, or a hearing device, such as cochlear implants or hearing aids, Sparks explains.

An FM or DM system "is not a substitute for a hearing aid," says Rhee Nesson, AuD, founder of Hearing Doctors of New Jersey -but these devices are often added to hearing aids, she says.

FM vs. DM

If you see "FM" and think "radio" you're on the right track-this type of system uses FM radio signals designated by the FCC to transmit sound, Nesson says.

DM systems use similar digitized signals, and tend to have better sound quality while avoiding potential for interference (think: the staticky sound of another FM station coming through), Sparks says.

"My own experience of using DM systems is that their sound quality is significantly clearer than that of FM systems, which reduces the challenges of the listening situation," Sparks, who is deaf, notes.

Note: While they use different signals, perhaps since they operate fairly similarly, and FM has been around for a while, both systems are often referred to as FM. Audiologists and hearing instrument specialists prefer the term "remote microphone hearing assistive technology" (RM-HAT), since it's inclusive of both types of systems.

Who benefits from using one? / Who should consider using FM/DM systems?

There's a wide range of people who might benefit from using an FM/DM system:

Students

FM/DM systems are often used with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

"Children that don't have hearing loss sometimes would benefit from an FM system as well," Nesson says-that includes both children with an auditory processing disorder or students with difficulty hearing when there is background noise.

"For children in schools, these systems are often included in IEPs and 504 plans," Sparks says. These plans put in place legally binding required accommodations to help kids with hearing loss.

Hearing aid candidates

At panel conversations, church, concerts, and other situations where hearing may be a challenge, adults who are hearing aid candidates might take advantage of these devices.

"Sometimes, asking for accessibility devices like FM and DM can be the beginning of a person's journey toward having their hearing tested and being fit with appropriate hearing devices," Sparks says.

Adults with hearing aids in crowded settings

If you are fitted with hearing aids, using an FM/DM system can help reduce background noise. So in tricky hearing environments-such as a loud restaurant-having your dining companion wear a microphone can help. Your hearing aid manufacturer likely sells its own clip-on microphone device.

More: Wear hearing aids? Here's why you may want a remote microphone

Anyone, really

Even people with no difficulty hearing can benefit when FM/DM microphones are connected to loudspeakers and used in auditoriums, Sparks points out-that includes people with ADHD or auditory processing disorders, and non-native speakers. "Having a clearer and more accessible sound signal can help with understanding of the message," she says. This also reduces listening fatigue.

It's more common for kids to use FM/DM systems. "But that's not because adults don't benefit!" Sparks says-she notes that adults might have to put in some legwork, asking for them to be provided.

"Because of the stigma that is attached to reduced hearing sensitivity, many adults are hesitant to request these types of accommodations for work and university-level education," she notes.

How do they work?

The simple version is as stated above: A microphone and receiver are paired up. But of course, there's a bit more to it than that.

There are several types of microphones that can be used with these systems:

Table-top microphone: When placed in the center of a table, these mics will pick up all the voices at the table. These are suitable for conference rooms or quiet restaurants. Some feature omnidirectional sound, picking up sounds in all directions. Others "might have a pointing option where the accelerometer in the microphone allows it to change directionality and pick up sound in the direction that it is pointing, but then return to omnidirectional mode when it is flat on a table," Sparks says.

Clip-on or lapel microphones: These hang around a person's neck on a lanyard or are clicked to the speaker's shirt at chest-level. Make sure they're within six inches of the speaker's mouth for the strongest possible speech signal.

Handheld: This type of microphone can be passed around.

Boom microphone: These microphones hang off the ear, positioned about three inches away from the face. Picture the style of microphone that pop singers or customer service representatives wear.

"For some DM systems, multiple types of microphones can be linked to each other within a single system so that listeners can hear from different speakers at different times," Sparks says.

Then, there's the receiver end:

Ear-level receivers: "Ear-level receivers can be attached to hearing aids and cochlear implant processors so that deaf and hard of hearing people can receive the sound signal directly," Sparks says. Sometimes referred to as a "hearing aid boot," ear-level receivers are the most integrated solution for people who wear hearing aids. Children with hearing loss wear these receivers in school. But, they're also available for people without hearing problems, Sparks says.

Neckloop receivers: This type of receiver, also called an induction loop, is worn around the neck and transmits the signal to your hearing aids via electromagnetic energy. This receiver requires the use of telecoil in your hearing aids. Or, for people with typical hearing, they can be attached to headphones, Sparks says.

Loudspeakers: Sounds can also be transmitted to loudspeakers throughout a space.

Body-worn receiver: Body-worn receivers can be slipped into a pocket or clipped to a waistband. Although bulkier, they are portable. Paired with traditional headphones, they are a perfect solution for someone who does not wear hearing aids, or is temporarily without hearing aids during a repair. Physicians often use this type of receiver to talk with patients who have hearing loss but don't wear hearing aids.

Plus, some systems can be paired with other technology-for instance, Sparks pairs her DM system with her laptop and uses it during video chats.

Where you can use FM/DM systems

Movie theaters and other venues often
have accessibility systems for people
with hearing loss.

These can easily be used in many locations, including:

Theaters and auditoriums: Many large auditoriums have the capabilities to provide excellent sound quality without interference. FM technology in a movie or theater setting allows you to use your hearing aid with an FM receiver, and the signal goes straight through to the device so that the sound is clear. For those who don't wear hearing aids, FM systems paired with traditional headsets may be available for you to wear during the show. Don't be shy-ask at the box office.

Classrooms and lecture halls: Some classrooms use a sound-field amplification system so that all children may benefit from an amplification of the teacher's voice. A sound-field amplification system uses a microphone to amplify the speaker's voice through a loudspeaker system that is positioned strategically in the classroom. This way all students can benefit from the amplification, and kids with hearing loss are freed from the burden of wearing a special receiver.

Restaurants: Once you have the equipment, you can use either a tabletop microphone or one that's worn by the speaker during meals.

These systems are useful whenever there's background noise and you want to listen to one other person, Sparks says. In some cases, ADA accessibilty laws may stipulate that FM/DM systems are provided.

How much do they cost?

FM systems can be purchased online, in electronics stores and through your local hearing healthcare professional. If you don't know how to get started or what device might work best for you, talk to your hearing care practitioner, and ask for a demonstration.

"An audiologist would be able to tell a person which receiver is most appropriate for their needs," Sparks says. You'll also need the microphone (which often can pair with several different receivers).

Be prepared for a wide price range with these devices, which can cost as low as $150 or be several thousand dollars.

Madeleine Burry is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and editor. She's written about health for several online publications, including Women's Health, Prevention, Health, Livestrong and Good Housekeeping. You can follow her on Twitter @lovelanewest. Read more about Madeleine.

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Personal FM systems reduce background noise, improve clarity and reduce listening fatigue. Find out if this tried-and-true technology can help you or your child hear better.

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Hearing impairment is a partial or total inability to hear. It is a disability which is sub-divided in two categories of deaf and hard of hearing.

"Deaf" means persons having 70 dB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears.

"Hard of hearing" means person having 60 dB to 70 dB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears.

A pure tone audiometry test measures the softest, or least audible, sound that a person can hear. During the test, you will wear earphones and hear a range of sounds directed to one ear at a time. The loudness of sound is measured in decibels (dB).

Assessment of Hearing Impairment

Measurement of Air Conduction Thresholds (ACT)

1. ACT is to be measured using standard Pure Tone Audiometry by an Audiologist for Right Ear and Left Ear separately

2. In case of non-reliable ACT, additional tests are recommended such as Immittance, and Speech audiometry or Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Testing

3. Measuring ACT may be difficult in children aged 3-5 years. In such cases, Conditioned Pure Tone audiometry/Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) shall be conducted. ABR or Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR) testing can be advised for the estimation of ACT in infant and young children

Computation of Percentage of Hearing Disability

1. Calculate Pure tone average of ACT for 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 4000 Hz for Right Ear and Left ear separately (whenever there is no response at any frequency ACT is to be considered as 95dB)

2. Monaural percentage of hearing disability is to be calculated as per the ready reckoner given below separately for Right Ear and Left Ear

Formula for Calculating Percentage of Hearing Disability

Percentage of Hearing Disability = (Better ear % of hearing disability x 5) + (Poorer ear % of hearing disability) / 6

WHO Hearing Impairment Grading

Grade of impairment*

Corresponding audiometric ISO value**

Performance

Recommendations

* Grades 2, 3 and 4 are classified as disabling hearing impairment (for children, it starts at 31 dB)
** The audiometric ISO values are averages of values at 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz.

Disability Benefits

Hearing Impairment is recognized as a disability under RPWD Act 2016 in India. People with benchmark hearing disability can claim benefits provided under various government schemes. You should visit a government hospital to get disability certificate for hearing impairment.

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Hearing Impairment Disability Definition and Types

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Hearing impairment is a partial or total inability to hear. It is a disability which is sub-divided in two categories of deaf and hard of hearing. "Deaf" means persons having 70 dB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears. "Hard of hearing" means person having 60 dB to 70 dB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears.

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It was interesting in this article to see how many people are actually hard of hearing and how people hide it in their adult and professional life due to embarrassment. It was also interesting to read about how there are different ranges of assistance available.

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Individuals navigating a multitude of disabilities that often aren't evident by the naked eye, frequently do not disclose them. As a result, these individuals often aren't taking advantage of tools that can greatly assist them in their studies, workplace or daily lives.This reality is elucidated by statistics, which include:

Students managing disabilities in the classroom, are often embarrassed to share them or do not have a thorough knowledge of the resources that are available to them. With this knowledge in mind, campuses should not wait for students to self advocate for disability accommodations. Campuses can start by providing key technologies to students who are deaf and hard of hearing and consider ways to implement them when initially designing classroom and student experiences. When these students' needs are served, their academic performance and ability to reach graduation improve significantly.

What Technology Assists Students with Disabilities?

Technology can greatly support students in reaching their full academic potential. By giving them a few tools, universities can level the playing field for all students. There are also options, which often work well in combination. low, mid and high tech assistive technology
Using technology can be as simple as printing texts in larger fonts, if students struggle to read smaller text. Additional methods include offering electronic Braille to help blind students read both texts and graphs, providing transcription of lectures to help with note taking, implementing spin and puff systems to help students with mobility issues control on-screen movement with their mouths and much more.

Technology for Hearing Impaired Students in the Classroom

According to the NIDCD , there are three types of technologies that can aid students living with hearing loss in the classroom: assistive listening devices, augmentative and alternative communication devices and alerting devices.

Assistive Listening Devices

"Assistive learning devices help amplify the sounds you want to hear, especially where there's a lot of background noise," explains the NIDCD. Hearing loop systems, also known as induction loop systems, are another example. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) , universities can connect a professor's microphone directly to a student's hearing aid with a wire that goes across the room. The electric current that moves through the wire when the professor speaks make it easy for the hearing impaired student to hear, even when the class is large or noisy. Similarly, frequency modulated (FM) systems can use radio signals to transmit sound from a professor's microphone "to an individual at a constant volume, regardless of a person's distance from the FM microphone," explains the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center . Depending on the student's level of hearing loss, FM systems are used as augmentative communication devices as well.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices

Augmentative devices help hearing impaired students understand others and communicate better themselves. According to NIDCD, "keyboards, touch screens" and a "display panel... [that] faces outward so that two people can exchange information while facing each other" can be used to improve communication. Campuses can implement these technologies in both classes for effective communication and in offices that provide services to students. Presenting clear texts and visuals in presentations can help professors communicate their messages more clearly to students too.

Alerting Devices

Alerting devices adapt sound to other forms of communication. For example, when a fire alarm goes off on campus, it may also blink intensely with a bright red light to get the attention of students who are hearing impaired or deaf. Speech-to-text devices for hearing impaired students have also been a game changer. Also known as speech synthesis, these devices translate human speech to text. As technology has progressed, these devices have become more efficient, now reaching 99% accuracy.

How Modern Technology Helps Students with Hearing Loss

Technologies designed for hearing in the classroom are abundant and diverse. For example, When these devices, or other The system also gets smarter the more it is used, which makes providing accurate course transcription and As a result, institutions can feel comfortable providing real-time captions of lectures or automatic speech recognition, or ASR, software often helps with the differentiation of different voices in classrooms. The transcribed text can help students determine who said what. This usage comes into play during class participation or when students speak out of turn. transcription software products, are powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, they can also be trained to understand course material. To make the tech smarter, software providers often input related articles, books, current event information and terminology into the system. closed captions for course videos easier, faster and more cost effective. webinars to students. Real-time captioning is helpful for all students, in addition to those who are deaf or hard of hearing, by providing them with another method of retention - a visual aid.

Technology Helps All Students, Not Just Those with Disabilities

When you provide technology that assists students who are deaf or have hearing loss in classrooms, you also serve a wide range of student groups that do not have disabilities too. Students studying in their second or third language might find it easier to follow what's being said if captions are provided. Captions also help when reviewing course videos on a train for example, as students commute, but are unable to play the audio out loud. By planning ahead to serve diverse needs, campus leaders can provide personalized learning paths with technologies that assist in improving all students' performance, whether or not these individuals actively seek out the university's help. Academic transcription software can also be used to support students without disabilities, but who struggle with note taking or those who miss a class and need access to its lecture material.

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Assistive Technology for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students | Verbit

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Learn why campuses should start providing assistive technology for students who are deaf and hard of hearing and ways to implement them.

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Using Hearing Assistive Technologies in the Classroom: Why, When and How?

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Hearing Assistive Technology can benefit students (with or without hearing loss) and teachers. Learn about wireless technology for schools and classrooms.

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This article mentioned something as simple as a seating arrangement can really help a hearing impaired student, giving the best chance at seeing the instructor/translator and ensuring the student can see your face, if they want to lip read and to increase their understanding.

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In most cases, children with hearing loss require some accommodations in the classroom to maximize success at school. While there is no "one size fits all" IEP for children with hearing loss and many factors to consider when discussing classroom accommodations, here are nine common accommodations for children who are deaf/hard of hearing.

Reduce background noise

Environmental sounds that students with typical hearing can generally tune out, such as the hum of a furnace or the noise of traffic passing by an open window, can significantly impede the sound of a teacher or fellow student who is speaking. To the extent possible, effort should be made to reduce these background sounds in order to make the signal more audible. Some examples include closing doors and windows and using sound-absorbing materials on floors and walls. For more on managing classroom acoustics, check out this blog post by my friend Deanna at Listening Fun!

Provide Preferential Seating

Students with hearing loss should be seated in the most ideal location in the classroom for them, in order to improve their ability to hear and/or view an interpreter. Always consider whether or not the student hears better with one ear over the other, and be sure that the better-hearing ear has the best access to the desired signal. Not only does the teacher's position in the classroom need to be considered, but also the location of lesson materials and how other students are situated in the classroom.

Ensure Student Can See Your Face

Many students with hearing loss may use speech reading as well as the teacher's eye gaze, gestures, and facial expressions to increase their understanding of what is being said aloud. Teachers and other professionals should be sure to face the class when speaking in a well-lit room. They should avoid covering their mouth with their hands or standing against a backlight, in order to improve understanding for students with hearing loss.

Children with hearing loss often require multiple, direct exposures to new vocabulary and concepts in order to retain them. Because they do not often learn incidentally as their peers with typical hearing do, multiple opportunities for explicit instruction are usually needed for them to learn new information. Communicating with a student's speech-language pathologist or itinerant teacher of the deaf about what's being taught in the classroom will allow these professionals to integrate general education coursework into their service time with the child and supplement learning of key concepts.

Get Attention Before Speaking

Because children with hearing loss are much less likely to identify when a person at a distance has started speaking, always be sure that students with hearing loss are aware that you're talking before providing instruction. If addressing an entire class, a teacher may flash the lights a few times or verbally ask for attention and wait to ensure that all students are looking before providing information. When trying to get the attention of just a student with hearing loss, a teacher may lightly tap their shoulder, say their name, or give a small wave.

Supplement with Visuals

Information that is presented auditorily should be supplemented with visuals. Depending on the child, this could include any combination of the following: using gestures, displaying key concepts or word maps on a whiteboard, supplying typed notes or vocabulary lists, allowing another student to share notes, captioning videos, or providing access to sign language.

Repeat/Rephrase Information

In addition to providing supplemental visuals, students with hearing loss may often need multiple opportunities to hear information. By providing repetition, the student gets another opportunity to hear words that may have been missed, as well as hear material explained in another way using different vocabulary and/or grammatical structures which may provide needed clarification.

Check for Understanding

Check-in with a student with hearing loss to ensure understanding. Since students will generally answer "yes" when asked if they understood something, use other methods to assess comprehension, such as:

asking the student what they heard

drawing an illustration of the information

formulating their own comprehension questions or summary

utilizing a subtle gesture to signal to their teacher that they did not understand something during a class lecture

Support Hearing Technology

Teachers and other professionals in the school that work with the child should become familiar with the child's hearing aid(s), cochlear implant(s), and/or FM system so that day-to-day troubleshooting is possible. Especially for younger children, school personnel must be knowledgeable in daily assessment of hearing technology, so that there are not long periods of time during the school day when the devices are not providing adequate input. Additionally, school staff should appropriately utilize FM systems and sound field systems in order to maximize their benefit.

Whether you're a parent or school professional, I hope this list gives you some things to consider for your students with hearing loss. Download the mini-poster shown above to help support your students and their families and teachers, and share the link to this post with anyone else that you think could benefit!

If you're looking for more information, check out this post on supporting self-advocacy goals with your DHH caseload!

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Classroom Accommodations for Children with Hearing Loss

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In most cases, children with hearing loss require some accommodations in the classroom to maximize success at school. While there is no "one size fits all" IEP for children with hearing loss and many factors to consider when discussing classroom accommodations, here are nine common accommodations for children who are deaf/hard of hearing.

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Some students with disabilities have difficulty taking notes. For example, a student with an auditory processing problem may take few or unclear notes. Physical and hearing impairments may also limit speed and make note-taking difficult. A note-taking accommodation is intended to provide information that the student would have gotten on his own, if it were not for his disability. Common ways to provide note-taking accommodations include the following:

Guided notes

Instructor lecture notes

Copies of notes by a designated note taker

Audio recordings

Guided notes are outlines, provided by the instructor, with spaces or blanks that the student can fill in during the lecture. Copies of presentation overheads might also serve as guides for note-taking. Guided notes encourage student participation during class and minimize the amount of writing required to keep up with the information being presented. Students should consider using a laptop computer and note-taking software for note-taking. Teachers could then provide outlines electronically.

An instructor can provide their lecture notes to a student prior to the lecture. This allows the student to concentrate on the information given and participate in discussions. For some students, it is helpful to refer to these notes during the lecture.

Copies of notes, from a designated note-taker or volunteer from the class, can be written on NCR (no carbon required) paper, photocopied or shared electronically. While these methods are easy to use, the legibility or clarity of the notes may limit their usefulness. These notes are also the writer's interpretation of the lecture, which may not match what the student needs to help her remember key concepts. For these reasons, it is better if the student can take some notes for herself.

Audio recording is the most accurate and complete way to capture class information, except in situations where the lecture format is highly visual, as it might be in math or science classes (math problems on the board or demonstrations in science). Recordings are also time-consuming to review and not useful for a person with a hearing impairment.

Upon request, most colleges provide note-taking services for students with documented disabilities. K-12 teachers might consider having a designated note-taker in each of their classes for the benefit of anyone who needs notes because of an absence or a disability. Collaborative learning techniques, such as Think/Pair/Share and Jigsaw, can help students grasp key concepts and ensure that notes are complete. Having students summarize their thinking verbally or in a journal may also be useful.

Contact the special education department or disability services office at your school for assistance in providing note-taking accommodations and to get NCR paper for note-takers.

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What are some ways to provide note-taking accommodations for a student with a disability?

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Some students with disabilities have difficulty taking notes. For example, a student with an auditory processing problem may take few or unclear notes. Physical and hearing impairments may also limit speed and make note-taking difficult. A note-taking accommodation is intended to provide information that the student would have gotten on his own, if it were not for his disability.

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This is a lower cost accommodation compared to ones that use heavy technology, making it more accessible.

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Clerc Center " Info to Go " Interpreting " Working with Interpreters

Many deaf and hard of hearing students receive some form of interpreting support at school. Reviewing the use of interpreting support and knowing ways of working with interpreters are crucial to monitoring and supporting the progress of students who use interpreting support for all or part of the school day.
Types of Interpreting
The most common type of educational interpreter for students who are deaf and hard of hearing is a sign language interpreter. However, children who are deaf and hard of hearing may use also use other types of interpreting services. Types of interpreting services include:

Sign language interpretation: The interpreter translates from spoken English in the classroom to American Sign Language (ASL) for the student. When a student responds in ASL, the interpreter then voices for the student. Some students, however, may choose to voice for themselves. Classroom interpreters should be certified, and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) offers an Educational Certificate: K-12. Interpreters who hold that certificate have shown they can effectively convey classroom content and receptively interpret student sign language.

As explained by RID, sign interpretation may not occur using only ASL. "Because ASL is not English, educators have developed a number of signed codes which use ASL vocabulary items, modify them to match English vocabulary, and put them together according to English grammatical rules. These codes have various names including Signed Exact English (SEE) and Manual Coded English (MCE). Additionally, when native speakers of English and native users of ASL try to communicate, the "language" that results is a mixture of both English and ASL vocabulary and grammar. This is referred to as PSE (Pidgin Signed English) or contact signing."

Cued Speech transliteration: Cued Speech is a visual mode of communication in which mouth movements of speech combine with "cues" to make the sounds (phonemes) of traditional spoken languages look different from one another. A Cued Speech transliterator will use these "cues" with corresponding mouth movement to clarify spoken language. Students may or may not use the cues themselves when communicating. Transliterators must possess a skill set that goes beyond the ability to cue fluently.

Oral interpretation: Oral interpreters use silent lip movements to repeat spoken words. This type of interpretation is effective for students who can rely on residual hearing yet benefit from speechreading to receive information. Oral interpreting is a beneficial support in a classroom where not every face is visible and close enough for speechreading and where the teacher is moving around while talking, facing in directions other than the deaf or hard of hearing student. RID offers an oral transliteration certificate.

Considerations for Working with and Hiring Interpreters

When an interpreter is provided, it is important to clarify via the IFSP, IEP or 504 process what role the interpreter will have, in the classroom and out. This may include the following, depending on the type of support the student needs in each classroom or for each school activity:

Direct interpreting of what is said or signed in the room; and

Interpretation from spoken English to sign language, with explanations and clarifications to expand on the concepts discussed.

Interpreting is beneficial only if a child already knows the language or communication system that the interpreter uses to convey the information. For instance, if a child is very young or only beginning to learn language through signing, watching a sign language interpreter is not an effective way to learn sign language. Learning sign language is an interactive process, as is learning spoken language.

Certified interpreters have a code of conduct they must follow. Their role in the classroom cannot conflict with this code. See: Classroom Interpreting for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

Interpreters should be qualified to interpret using the language or communication system used by the student. For example, if a student is using ASL, an interpreter using another manual communication system such as Signing Exact English (SEE) would not be appropriate.

Keep in mind that not all individuals who sign are fluent, not all fluent signers can interpret, and not all interpreters function well in a full-time school setting.

Don't assume that just because the interpreter has signed what has been said that the student understands it. There could be a breakdown between the student's understanding of the interpreter's signing, or it could be that the student understood the signing but did not understand the content/concept.

Don't look to the interpreter to solve problems related to a student's understanding of content or problems with behavior or inattention (unless specific arrangements regarding these issues have been determined).

Include interpreters in the in-service training that is provided to other school professionals throughout the year.

Keep interpreters apprised of the IEP goals, the language skills, and the hearing levels and abilities of their students.

Hints and Strategies for Working Effectively with an Interpreter

The following hints and strategies might be helpful to classroom teachers or others working in educational environments with deaf or hard of hearing students and interpreters:

Determine the best placement for the interpreter and the student in the room so the student has the best visual access to the teacher, interpreter, and other students. Be aware that this placement must be flexible and may change as the communication situations change.

When communicating with the deaf or hard of hearing student, direct your conversation to the student, not to the interpreter. This means speaking in the first person and looking directly at the student. Expect the student to respond to you rather than to the interpreter. During these exchanges, remember that the student will need time to shift his or her attention as needed from the speaker to the interpreter.

When a student is old enough:

It is helpful for him or her to meet independently with the interpreter to agree on specific signs or sign abbreviations for vocabulary specific to the class content; and

Determine the role of the interpreter in social situations. Students may not want an interpreter to be a part of their peer interactions. It is therefore important and necessary for students to communicate with their interpreter regarding the role they would like them to have in their social interactions.

Provide the interpreter, in advance, with materials that will be discussed in class. This is particularly useful when interpreting movies, books, handouts, or readings from a textbook. When interpreters are given opportunities to preview or read materials ahead of time, there is improved accuracy in their ability to convey the message.

If spelling tests are part of the child's program, the interpreter and student should agree upon signs to represent each spelling word during the test. Some of the words for the test may have existing signs, while some words that would typically be fingerspelled may need a sign developed for the purpose of testing spelling. Keep in mind that these created abbreviations are codes, and should be used for this limited testing purpose only. These codes should not be considered a part of ASL.

Be sensitive to the fact that interpreting places additional visual demands on the deaf or hard of hearing student that may cause fatigue.

When either reading text or referring to text that is being used in the classroom, provide a written copy for the interpreter with ample time for thorough review.

During group discussion, remember that the deaf or hard of hearing student will receive information slightly delayed in relation to the rest of the class. It is not necessary to pause after each sentence or phrase, but look to the interpreter to assure he or she has completed interpreting questions presented to the entire class so that the deaf or hard of hearing student has an equal opportunity to respond.

Be aware of information you communicate to the class non-verbally through facial expressions, gestures, or body language that may not be interpreted. A good interpreter should be able to convey some of this information, however, deaf or hard of hearing students who are watching the interpreter may miss visual messages you are demonstrating.

When you are describing concepts that are not said aloud, but shared through other visual representations (i.e., if you draw a picture on the blackboard or outline an angle through the air), make sure the interpreter has seen it and includes it through interpretation or that the student has seen the teacher's representation.

Keep your rate of speech at a moderate pace. In most cases, speakers' normal speed should be fine. Know that speaking too fast or too slow presents challenges for interpretation.

Understand that the work of an interpreter is mentally and physically challenging and that the interpreter requires sufficient breaks throughout the day.

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laurent clerc national deaf education center

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This Info to Go site discusses: Many deaf and hard of hearing students receive some form of interpreting support at school. Reviewing the use of interpreting support and knowing ways of working with interpreters are crucial to monitoring and supporting the progress of students who use interpreting support for all or part of the school day.

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Assistive listening devices (ALDs), also known as hearing assistance technologies (HATs), are extra tools or "accessories" that help a hearing-impaired person hear better. ALDs may be used in addition to a hearing aid (HA) or cochlear implant (CI).

ALDs can:

Increase sound volume (loudness or amplification) when there are only a few people talking or many at the same time.

Make the speaker's voice clearer.

In noisy places or in rooms that echo.

If the speaker is far away.

Help the hearing-impaired person to be less tired from working so hard to hear the conversation.

Parts of an ALD System

Microphone: The person speaking talks into the microphone. The microphone picks up the sound signal and sends it to a receiving ("receiver") device attached to a HA or CI.

A speaker can wear a microphone around the neck, clipped to clothing or attached to a headband. If on a headband, it is called a Boom Mic.

Some microphones can be placed on a table. A group can use it this way and pass it from person to person. Microphones work best when placed:

6 to 8 inches from the speaker's mouth

Around the neck or clipped to a shirt collar

Away from things that can affect the sound, such as jewelry, scarves or clothing

Receiver(s): A receiver "receives" or gets the sound from the microphone.

Each HA or CI will have its own receiver. Usually, the receiver connects right to the HA or CI. However, there are other options available.

Types of ALDs

ALDs can be used between two people or a in a group of people.

A two-person system is called a "personal" system. The speaker wears a microphone and the hearing-impaired person wears the receiver(s) (Picture 1).

A system used by a group or in a classroom is called a "soundfield" system. The speaker wears a microphone that sends the sound signal to a loudspeaker. Everyone in the room is able to hear the person talking.

ALDs can send or "transmit" sounds differently. The three most common types are:

Frequency Modulated (FM) System: This system works like a radio sending sound waves at different frequencies.

Digital Modulation (DM) System: This system changes sound into digital data like a computer would do.

Remote Microphone (RM) is a blue tooth system. Some RMs send the sound directly to the HA or CI. Others may need the hearing-impaired person to wear a device around their neck or clipped to their clothes.

Check with your child's audiologist to decide which device works best with his or her HA or CI.

If you have any other questions about Assistive Listening Devices, contact the Audiology Department at Nationwide Children's Hospital at (614) 722-3951.
Assistive Listening Devices (PDF) HH-IV-205 5/19 | Copyright 2019, Nationwide Children's Hospital

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Assistive listening devices (ALDs), also known as hearing assistance technologies (HATs), are extra tools or "accessories" that help a hearing-impaired person hear better. ALDs may be used in addition to a hearing aid (HA) or cochlear implant (CI). ALDs can: Increase sound volume (loudness or amplification) when there are only a few people talking or many at the same time.

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This article makes a good point about since COVID, ASL students have had to have a sub-standard learning without the access to correct captions to videos, relying on outdated information, and how schools assume that they will be able to use this and effectively learn at the same rate as their peers, which it does not.

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Auto Captions and Deaf Students: Why Automatic Speech Recognition Technology Is Not the Answer (Yet)

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With the rapid shift to online learning due to the pandemic, many colleges and schools are relying upon automatic captions as a quick and cheap way to convert spoken words into text for deaf students in classrooms, events, and extracurricular activities. While this type of automatic speech recogniti…

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Sign Language Interpreters in the Classroom.

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This video gave a very informative and great overview of definitions, causes and how we can identify.

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Another informational video which gives an overview perspective from a students point of view.
"Be exciting, visual, and be inclusive"

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Imagine you're in class trying to take down notes for an important test next week. How you do in this test and what you're learning in school are not without far-reaching consequences in how your life and career will pan out. Now imagine trying to do this without being able to hear.

This is the reality for deaf and hard-of-hearing students everywhere. Not everyone is privileged enough to have an interpreter and not every learning environment will meet their needs. Google's Live Transcribe app may change deaf students' learning potential forever.

"This app really helps all kinds of information, not just [making] education...accessible to a greater set of people. So if you're hard of hearing or deaf, you don't have to go to a special school anymore," said Sagar Savla, a product leader in Google's AI Research group, in a video conference at Google Malaysia last Friday.

"You can continue in the same hearing school or university and follow along and get conversations without having to learn or teach somebody else sign language."

All you need is a smartphone and Internet connection for Live Transcribe to turn speech into large, easy-to-read text on your phone screen in real-time. There's even punctuation and some context thrown in - for example, it is able to correctly capitalise the state in this sentece, "I am buying a new jersey in New Jersey."

Available in 70 languages (including dialects such as Indian and South African English), the app also detects other sounds apart from speech, such as running water, a whistle or a baby crying. The app lets you set a primary and secondary language, a convenient feature considering that in many countries, several languages can be spoken in one sentence alone. The app is able to correctly transcribe two languages at the same time.

The proximity of these sound events are also displayed on the screen. If there's silence, the app will make the phone vibrate once the person starts speaking again so they know to look at the screen to see what's being said. Transcripts will be saved for up to three days. The app is free for download from the Google Play store.

In terms of storage, Sagar said it will "most likely not be a problem". A six-year-old Android phone has been using the app for around one month now without crashing. Data usage is kept low through the app's compression feature.

But there are some limitations; for one, it'll only work in a one-to-one or small group setting and it's not available for Apple phones. Accuracy isn't 100 percent and Google is still a long way from reaching that. Only 70 languages are on the app now, though there are plans to add more in the future.

Despite this, it's still hard to downplay the big benefits this app could have for deaf or hard of hearing students.

An analysis by the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) found that deaf pupils in England are struggling "at every stage of their education" - almost two-thirds of hearing pupils leave school with two A Levels, but that figure goes down to fewer than half among deaf pupils.

In US universities, only 1.3 percent of enrolled undergraduates are deaf and 30.8 percent of deaf college students have learning difficulties. Much fewer complete college degrees when compared to their hearing peers.

They are more likely to enrol in online courses than hearing students, mostly due to the lack of "quality and availability of real-time accommodations in their immediate geographical vicinity", according to a report by the National Deaf Center. Only one university, the private Gallaudet University in Washington DC, is designed to be barrier-free for the dead and hard of hearing.

Globally, 56 out of 70 million deaf people receive no education at all, according to the World Federation of the Deaf.

Increasing access is a key factor in improving this.

Sagar explains how speed, down to milliseconds, can impact how a deaf person accesses conversation. His team found that if the captions appear more than one second late, users would just be vegetative, passive listeners. The text now appears within 200 milliseconds, which feels "instant" allowing users to feel "more comfortable being able to chime in and speak up in a conversation".

"We didn't just want people to be able to follow...we want them to be able to participate in a full conversation."

When tested in a classroom setting, the sole deaf student in a class of hearing students reported that he was able to follow what was being taught much faster. While the app wasn't as accurate as a professional interpreter, it was way "way faster" - and free.

"This means the student could use the app for conversations with the teacher after the class was done as well as to participate in conversations much faster than a professional interpreter would," said Sagar.

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Hearing impairment: How this Google app can help deaf students

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Imagine you're in class trying to take down notes for an important test next week. How you do in this test and what you're learning in school are not without far-reaching consequences in how your life and career will pan out. Now imagine trying to do this without being able to hear.