Definition and Prevalence:There are multiple federal definitions relating to the term "hearing impairment" that are similar in nature but not exactly the same. Two of the most commonly used federal definitions are:
(According to IDEA 2004): "Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness." (According to the National Center for Education Statistics): "Hearing Impairment: An impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance, in the most severe case because the child is impaired in precessing linguistic information through hearing." Prevalence Statistics: (From the National Center for Health Statistics and The U.S. Department of Education)
Additional websites on hearing impairment are listed below: http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/hearing_impairment.html http://www.marchofdimes.com/baby/birthdefects_hearing.html http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/ Causes:Hearing impairments may be caused by many factors, both congenital (occurring before or during birth) or adventitious (developing after birth). Some of the most common causes of hearing impairments are:
Symptoms:
Source for causes and symptoms: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hearing-loss/DS00172/DSECTION=symptoms Organizations involved with Hearing Impairment:The site below lists many organizations involved with hearing impairment:
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/hearing_orgs.htm |
Identification and Eligibility for Special Education:In order for a student to be identified with deafness or hearing loss that significantly impacts their education, a multidisciplinary team meets to consider information that has been gathered about the student. The team decides whether the hearing loss constitutes a disability that requires providing special education services.
The following student characteristics, measured through formal tests, are often considered:
If the team determines that special education services are needed, an IEP is prepared and decisions are made regarding communication methods, the need for language support, and the educational setting in which services will be provided. Teaching Strategies for students with hearing impairments:"Hearing is what keeps us in touch with our world." -Ron Doorn http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/colleges/university/disability/faculty-staff/classroom-issues/hearing/hearing-strategy.htm http://teachmag.com/archives/130 http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-hearing-impairments/67528-tips-and-strategies-for-teaching-hearing-impaired-students/ Evidence-Based Practice
Visual Teaching Strategy: Given the auditory limitations that accompany a hearing loss, many researchers and educators establish a visually rich learning environment for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Professionals in these environments use (a) sign, finger-spelling, and speech reading (watching another person's face and mouth as she forms; (b) equipment such as interactive whiteboards, document cameras, bulletin boards, computers, and televisions; and (c) materials including pictures, illustrations, artifacts, computer graphics, and films with captions. |