Deaf or hard of hearing college students are challenged by the demands of college writing on at least two fronts. First, if the student is profoundly or pre-lingually deaf and uses American Sign Language (ASL), the student may be essentially writing papers in a second language (Standard English). Often these students face the same writing difficulties that most ESL writers face. Second, standard instruction in college courses consists of lectures or group discussions. To comprehend the majority of information dispersed orally in the classroom, these students employ strategies such as sitting in the front of the room, using interpreters, note takers, or computer-assisted real-time transcription (CART), to more technology based assistance from devices such as hearing aids, Assistive Listening Device (ALD), or a combination of all of the above.
For more information: Accommodations Unit, R&R
How Being Deaf or Hard of Hearing May Affect Writing
- Difficulty with verbal communication in all settings.
- Difficulty listening without hearing aid, ALD or a combination.
- Difficulty producing written language.
- Difficulty with reading comprehension.
- Difficulty with vocabulary expansion.
- Difficulty with syntax/structure complexity.
- Difficulty interacting with others in class discussions or group work, such as peer editing.
Assignment Design and Delivery
- Employ UDL principles in assignment design and delivery;
- In developing an assignment, recognize that the assignment's goal can be accomplished through a variety of means. Offer flexibility in assignment tasks to make the overall learning goal accessible to all students;
- Clearly present goal(s) of assignment to students on instruction sheet and during in-class assignment review;
- Provide assignments in alternate formats (print and online) for greater accessibility;
- Review assignment instructions in class;
- Emphasize drafting and revision.
Classroom Accommodations
- Establish a supportive writing environment;
- Have student sit in the front of the room;
- Provide extended time on exams, in-class writing, and/or lengthy writing assignments;
- Suggest using a note taker;
- Provide study questions, study guides and other study aides in multiple formats;
- Provide multi-modal options for test taking, such as administering test orally rather than in written format;
- Repeat or rephrase questions/comments from the class before responding;
- When speaking, face the class and speak at a moderate pace;
- Avoid speaking while writing on the chalkboard or whiteboard;
- Point out who is speaking in group discussion;
- Avoid drinking or chewing gum while lecturing;
- Avoid standing or sitting in front of a window where shadows limit visibility;
- Write all announcements and assignments on the chalkboard or whiteboard that do not have an a corresponding handout;
- Write keywords on the chalkboard or whiteboard when emphasized in a class lecture or discussion;
- Always use captioned films/videos or provide a written manuscript;
- Provide copies of class notes if a note-taker is unavailable.
Assistive Technology Assistive technology for students who are deaf or hard of hearing can aid in all aspects of the college writing experience. Some of the common and highly effective aides and devices these students may use include:
- An assistant to take class notes;
- An oral, sign, or cued speech interpreter;
- Computer-Assisted Real-Time Transcription (CART)
- Hearing aids
- ALD (Assistive listening devices)
The Ohio State University Partnership Grant Fast Facts for Faculty Series
The Fact Sheet "Teaching Students with Sensory Impairments" is available at http://ada.osu.edu/resources/fastfacts/
Northeast Technical Assistance Center - http://netac.rit.edu/index.html
The Northeast Technical Assistance Center is part of the Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf. The website offers resource material for instructors working with students hearing disabilities. Of particular interest to the writing instructor are the Tip sheets http://netac.rit.edu/publication/tipsheet/ such as
- The Role of Assistive Listening Devices in the Classroom http://netac.rit.edu/publication/tipsheet/alds.html
- Teaching Students Who Are Hard of Hearing http://netac.rit.edu/publication/tipsheet/teaching.html
Of particular interest for faculty working with students with deafness or hearing impairments include:
- What challenges do individuals with hearing and/or speech impairments have in operating computers?" http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/articles?72
- What are typical accommodations for students with hearing impairments?" http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/articles?151
