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Deaf & Hearing Impairment

Jena Beluzi Kaitlin Rodriguez

+Definitions of Hearing Loss•Deaf: is having a hearing loss in which hearing is insufficient for comprehension of auditory information, with or without the use of the a hearing aid. •Hard of hearing: is a hearing loss that makes understanding speech through the ear alone difficult, but not impossible.•Many Deaf people do not consider themselves “disabled”, but more like members of a cultural and linguistic minority. •Most Deaf individuals preferred to be called a “Deaf Person”, the term “hearing impairment” suggests that deafness is a condition that can be fixed or cured

+Degrees of Hearing Loss

+Degrees of Hearing Loss

•It is important to note that two people might have the same degree of hearing loss but use their residual hearing differently due to age differences when hearing loss occurred, motivation, intelligence, presence of disabilities, environmental stimulation, and response to a training program

•0-25dB is normal for children•40-50dB is ordinary conversation •125-140dB painfully loud•55dB hearing loss level communication difficulties

+3 Types of Hearing Losses and Causes(1)Conductive: Sound is not transmitted well to

the inner ear. No distortion, but words are faint. It is a mechanical problem that might be able to be fixed, and use of hearing aids help-radio on really low volume

(2)Sensorineural: hearing loss is caused through nerve damage and may be permanent. People who have this have a hard time with speech- words may be loud and garbled- use sign language and have balance difficulties-Radio not tuned

(3) Mixed: Combination of both Conductive and Sensorineural

+Characteristics of Deaf Students:LanguageAmerican Sign Language (ASL) This language is the basis of the shared identity in Deaf culture. This means of communication has its own grammar and structure. Communication between the hearing and Deaf is a major problem

+Communication

When communicating with a Deaf person…

•Maintain eye contact throughout conversation•Use paper and pencil to augment conversation•Signal that you understand only when you truly do•Use polite ways to gain a Deaf person’s attention•Learn to use a TTY- teletype writer to transmit written words over the telephone•Discourage interruptions to the conversation•Correct a Deaf person’s English ONLY if asked

+Behavioral and Affective Characteristics

•Deaf students can be labeled as slow learners or having behavioral problems when the reason they are acting “inappropriately” it is a result of an undetected hearing loss.

•Deaf students learn visually and want to look around to check their surroundings.

•Behavioral problems can be a direct result of frustrations because of lack of understanding and communication.

+Motor Characteristics

•If a Deaf person has sensorineural deafness then the semicircular canals of the inner ear are damaged, balance problems are likely because of the vestibular damage. •Imbalance can cause developmental delays and motor ability delays•With given equal opportunity, Deaf children should equal their peers in motor skills•Hearing loss and Deafness is a sensory disability not a physical, there is no reason for Deaf children to demonstrate lower fitness levels than hearing peers.

+Considerations for Teaching P.E to a Deaf or Hard-Of-Hearing StudentHave student demonstrate learned skills in order to increase involvement and understanding

Learn ASL vocabulary that will relate to sport movement and concepts

As it can happen in any setting, Deaf students can experience some isolation, social deprivation and ridicule from students and or teachers because the lack of common language. In this case, try to avoid these situations by having the Dead student demonstrate a skill after they understand what the task is, have students also learn simple ASL signs for that day as a warm up for the class and partner up a Deaf student with a student who is not Deaf.

+Cochlear ImplantsCochlear Implant: Is a device that is surgically inserted into an individual’s ear. It takes the place of part or all the functions of the inner ear structures.

Goal: To improve recognition of speech and acoustic information and also eliminates residual hearing in the implanted ear.

However, students with a cochlear implants have unique needs when it comes to physical education.

Those unique needs require specific teaching considerations and they are:

+Considerations for students with Cochlear Implants

• Avoid sports that might result in serious blows to the head such as, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling and soccer. Modifications can be to eliminate all means of contact.

•Avoid activities that increase the risk of falls or blows to the head such as skateboarding, climbing walls and use of scooter. Modifications can be with proper instruction to remove the device, and the use of helmets.

•Always use caution when considering winter activities such as, skiing, snowboarding sledding and ice skating because these situations can cause uncomfortable sensations around the head and neck area.

+Considerations for students with Cochlear Implants ..Cont’d

•During water activities, remove device part and place them in water-tight containers. Once student has removed device, now it’s the teachers responsibility to make sure the given task is understood by ASL.

•Before vigorous activity, either have the student take out their device or wear a sweat band or hat to keep the device dry. If caution is not taken, the excessive sweating can create extra moisture inside the device. This is called “Motor Boating,” which is unwanted and unnecessary noise.

•Try to avoid any activity that might create static electricity, such as balloons, rubber and dry mats. “Mapping,” the cochlear implant from static electricity can cause it to “demap” the device which can make it break and unusable to the student.

+Inclusion Strategies

As a teacher, Ask yourself these questions:•To what extend can the child hear? How can you as the teacher maximize the use of the remaining hearing?•What is the students preferred mode of communication? How can you maximize the communication?• Is there any specific activities that should be avoided or how can those activities be modified?

•Example of Modification:•Activity: Balancing

•Prior to lesson, evaluate balance. If there seems to be a case where the student is having difficulty with balancing, work on tasks to improve balance. You can start balancing with an object and then slowly try to take away the object as the student progresses.

+Inclusion Strategies ..cont’d

Use of an interpreter might be very beneficial to a student who is deaf. The role of an educational interpreter is to ease the communication among deaf and hard-of-hearing students and others.

To improve success, communication and socialization:•Have interpreter stand next to the teacher•Give lesson plans out ahead of time to interpreter so they can review and understand activities before hand. Also include a specialized list of vocabulary if necessary.•Face the Deaf student, NOT THE INTERPRETER when addressing the student•Hold the same expectations for hearing and Deaf students regarding performance, fitness and behavior.•Encourage students to become involved in Deaf sport. The United States of America Deaf Sport Federation (USADSF)•Schedule Deaf students into the same P.E class and encourage them to work together during the class so they can help each other to understand the lesson

+Sport Opportunities

•After-School sport programs

•American Athletic Association for the Deaf (AAAD)•Established in Ohio 1945

•The United States of America Deaf Sport Federation (USADSF)

• A worldwide counterpart of USADSF :International Comite des Sport des Sourds, which translates to the International Committee of Silent Sports (CISS)

•Involvement in youth Deaf sport is an important objective of USADSF

•An annual Mini Dead Sports Festival is held in Louisville, Kentucky•Specifically designed for participation of 6 to 18 yr old Deaf students

+Sport Opportunities

USADSF has national sport organizations in the following sports for men and women:

•Athletics (track and field)•Badmittion•Basketball•Baseball•Bowling•Cycling•Flag football•Golf•Hockey•Orienteering•Skiing and Snowboarding•Soccer•Team Handball

* * Individuals with moderate or severe hearing loss(55dB or greater in the better ear) are eligible for USADSF competition * *

+Deafblindness

Individuals who are deafblind do not have the effective use of either of the distance senses- vision or hearing. However, that does not necessarily they cannot hear nor see.

This is what makes the term deafblind misleading, it should more accurately be said that these people are hard of hearing and partially sighted.

In a rare occasion, where a person is totally blind and profoundly deaf. An example of whom that would be is Helen Keller.

+Causes of Deafblindness

Usher Syndrome: A congenital disability characterized by hearing loss present at birth or shortly thereafter and the progressive loss of peripheral vision.

* * Usher syndrome is the major cause of deafblindness in the United State * *

Usher Type I: congenital deadness and progressive retinitis pigmentosaUsher Type II: adventitious deadness and progressive retinitis pigmentosa

Another cause of deafblindness is CHARGE syndrom:

C - coloboma of the eye (hole in the eye)H - heart (congentital heart defect)A - atresia of the choanae (nasal blockage that affects eating and swallowing)R - retardation of growthG - genital anomalies such as undescended testes or small genitaliaE - ear malformations such as low-set, rotated or mis-shapen ears

+Causes of Deafblindness

Rubella: Which is contracted by a mother in her first trimester of pregnancy

Deafblindness can also be linked with meningitis, prematurity, parental use of drugs, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and unknown causes

+Characteristics of Children With Deafblindness

•Isolation

•Communication

•Lack of motivation

•Often use of tactile sign language (hands on)

•Common to use an intervenor (one on one teacher who works with deafblind child)

+Adapations for Teaching

•Modifications of activities could include changing the rules, equipment, instruction or environment.

•Offer activities that promote movement

•Use multiple teaching modes (explanation, demonstration, tactile modeling, and physical assistance)

•Set up the environment to accommodate the deafblind child’s strength

•Be patient, flexible and creative

•Create socialization between the students. (Peer tutoring, after-school activities)

•Link movement to language

•Learn the student’s form of communication (body language and gestures)