Awareness of educational needs for deaf and hard of hearing students

Prof. Dr. Manfred Hintermair

Awareness of educational needs for deaf and hard of hearing students

What does this mean for teaching, learning and living at university?

Disability Awareness – A New Challenge for Education

Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland

October 23, 2009

Manfred Hintermair

www.ph-heidelberg.de/wp/hinterma


Who may talk about deaf affairs?

Deaf person? Hearing person?


1. Conceptual orientations

Empowerment orientation

Resource orientation

Participation orientation

Well-Being


1a. Empowerment orientation

http://www.empowerment.state.ia.us/common/images/bike.gif

Encouraging people ....

To take their own affairs in hand ...

To discover their own powers ...

To take their own capabilities seriously ...

To appreciate the value of their own solutions

Empowerment processes have to start very early on in life!


1b. Resource orientation

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This means ....

Having confidence in an individual’s potential …

Devising constructive conditions for such development ...

Having a good look for the capabilities of the students ...

Quality of life is the ultimate goal!


1c. Participation orientation

This means ....

Involving people in all projects regarding their lives from the start …

Following bottom-up-strategies ...

Providing better decisions and outcomes ...

Promoting well-being …

Strengthening the comittment to and the understanding of human rights and democracy.

Inclusion to be realized at all levels!http://www.thecolor.com/images/Class-Participation.gif


Article 12 - Equal recognition before the law

1. States Parties reaffirm that persons with disabilities have the right to recognition everywhere as persons before the law.

2. States Parties shall recognize that persons with disabilities enjoy legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of life.

3. States Parties shall take appropriate measures to provide access by persons with disabilities to the support they may require in exercising their legal capacity. …....

CONVENTION on the RIGHTS of PERSONS with DISABILITIES


„Nothing about us without us!“

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2. Consequences for Deaf awareness at universities

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Support available on campus

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This means ....

Quick and uncomplicated access to all information

Early contact by the Disability Support Team

Open day for the chosen subject area

Chance to keep in touch with the Disability Support Team whenever the student needs

Good networking!!!


Offers for students in classes

Sign language or spoken language interpreting

Computer Aided Real Time Captioning (C.A.R.T.)

Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)

Notetakers


Important things to be regarded by the staff

This means ....

Care for seating preferences

Contacts with the student, not with the interpreter

Good visual conditions, clear and natural speech

Ensuring communication fluency

Assistance for students to get a notetaker

Use of visual aids and chalkboard

Providing students/interpreters with materials

Ensuring important dates in written form


What has to be reached for each deaf and hard of hearing student ....

„to be deaf in my own way“ Ohna, 2003, S. 10

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Thank you very much for your attention!

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