Deafness and Hard of Hearing:

Suggested Accommodations/ Teaching Strategies

• Students who are deaf or hard of hearing often read lips, so it is important to face the class when speaking. If you need to write on the board, write, then turn and face the class so they can see you as you explain what was written.



• Using a set of guided notes, Power Point, or other information that will be presented during the lecture, helps the student keep track of what is taking place in the class.



• Some students may request that a professor wears a microphone connected to an FM amplification system. It is tuned to a receiver or to their hearing aids.



• If showing videos or DVD, be certain that they are close-captioned when they are ordered.



• Students who have hearing impairments often have paid notetakers. Please assist the student in finding a notetaker if one is needed.



• If a student needs an interpreter, the interpreter may ask questions for the student who is deaf. Respond to the student, facing the student, not the interpreter. You may be asked by the interpreter to spell a word if it is jargon for the field. The instructor should provide the interpreters with textbooks and other materials needed to properly present the material.



• If a professor or staff member needs to call a student who is deaf or hard of hearing, email has become the preferred way to communicate with students who are deaf.



• Students who are deaf and who use American Sign Language (ASL) may have significant problems with writing. ASL is a “shorthand” language – a way of passing on information but it does not have the syntax of Standard English. However, when students write papers or essay exams, they are expected to write complete sentences and use a standard format. Encourage students to work with a writing specialist to produce their best work.



• If you are planning out-of-classroom experiences (field trips, museum tours, etc.) please alert the Disability Support Services staff so an interpreter can accompany the student. The interpreter is hired to be there with the student in all aspects of the class.