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ENG5315
The Characteristics of Diversity
Session 6
Hearing and visual impairment:
Characteristics and impacts upon language
learning
Prepared by Ruby Yang, Department of English,
The Hong Kong Institute of Education
Hearing impairment
Conductive
Abnormalities in the middle or outer
ear.
Sensorineural
Hearing loss occurs in the inner ear,
often involving damage to the nerve
fibres.
Mild
The child hears nearly all speech, but may
mishear if not looking directly at the speaker.
Moderate
The child will have great difficulty in hearing
without a hearing aid anyone speaking who
is not very close by. He or she may well rely
on lip reading and visual cues to aid
understanding.
Severe
Not able to cope without a hearing aid.
The child needs to use visual cues such as lip
reading and body language to gain information.
The childs spoken voice may be
comprehensible.
Profound
The child will probably use a hearing aid but will
rely on visual cues and/or sign language to
communicate.
The childs own voice may seem
incomprehensible to those not used to it (East &
Evans, 2006).
Characteristics of hearing
impairment
Other problems:
There may be some auditory confusions
of some words such as between mouth
and mouse.
The child would have missed the
consonants that mark tense, possession
and number (Brown, 2006).
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Treatment
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Auslan - Signbank
http://www.auslan.org.au/
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Activity
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Activity
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Visual impairment
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Categories of visual
impairment
Totally blind
Totally blind means the learner receives no
useful information visually and therefore
must use other senses to acquire
information and learn.
Low vision
Learners with low vision are able to learn
primarily through sight and then enhance
that information through their auditory nad
tactile senses (Cartledge, Gardner, & Ford,
2009).
Prepared by Ruby Yang, Department of English,
The Hong Kong Institute of Education
20
Characteristics of visual
impairment
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Characteristics of visual
impairment
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Felt-tip pen
Magnifiers
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Talking computers
Braille
A system of reading that incorporates six
raised dots to form letters, words, and
sentences.
Braille is used by individuals who do not
possess adequate vision to read large print
efficiently.
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Braille notetakers
Portable devices that can be used to take
notes in braille (Hallahan & Kauffman,
2003).
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References
Blind Childrens Center. (1993). First steps: A handbook for
teaching young children who are visually impaired. Los
Angeles, Calif.: Blind Childrens Center.
Boyles, N. S., & Contadina, D. (1997). The learning
differences sourcebook. Los Angeles: Lowell House;
Chicago: Contemporary Books.
Brown, W. (2006). How to understand and support children
with hearing difficulties. Cambridge [England]: LDA.
Cartledge, G., Gardner, R., & Ford, D. Y. (2009). Diverse
learners with exceptionalities: Culturally responsive
teaching in the inclusive classroom.
East, V., & Evans, L. (2006). At a glance: A practical guide to
childrens special needs. London; New York: Continuum
International Pub. Group.
Farrell, M. (2006). The effective teachers guide to sensory
impairment and physical disability: A practical strategies.
London: Routledge.
Gargiulo, R. M. (2006). Special education in contemporary
society: An introduction to exceptionality. Belmont, Calif.:
Thomson/Wadsworth.
Prepared by Ruby Yang, Department of English,
The Hong Kong Institute of Education
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References
Hallahan, D. P., & Kauffman, J. M. (2003). Exceptional learners:
Introduction to special education . Boston, MA: Allyn and
Bacon.
Harley, R. K., Truan, M. B., & Sanford, L. D. (1997).
Communication skills for visually impaired learners: Braille,
print, and listening skills for students who are visually
impaired. Springfield, ill.: C.C. Thomas.
Harrington, J. D. (1976). The integration of deaf children and
youth through educational strategies. Why? When? How?
Highlights, 53, 8-18.
Haynes, W. O., Moran, M. J., & Pindzola, R. H. (2006).
Communication disorders in the classroom: An introduction
for professionals in school settings . Sudbury, Mass.: Jones
and Bartlett Publishers.
Miller, O. (1996). Supporting children with visual impairment in
mainstream schools. London: Franklin Watts.
National Association of Parents with Children in Special
Education. (2004-2007). Exceptional children and disability
information. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from
http://www.napcse.org/
Prepared by Ruby Yang, Department of English,
The Hong Kong Institute of Education
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