Sensory Disability
In what way can a misconception about students who are hard of hearing, deaf, blind, or have limited vision cause injustice? Explain.
It would be easy to assume that just because a hard of hearing student can "hear" you that they can understand your language.
Can you imagine how difficult it must be for deaf students to learn to read written language too? No "phonics" or "sounding out."
I met a student who had recently received cochlear implants and could now hear. It was interesting to learn that she now was trying to learn an entire new language. I guess I never considered the sounds she could now hear made no sense as she had never heard before. Each new sound had to be processed, whether it was someone speaking in the classroom or a fire drill bell or someone's phone ringing. None of it was familiar to her. Knowing sign language or reading lips did not prepare her to hear in English. She would read the interpreters signs when she wanted to rest a bit, and then tune back into the speaker when she was ready to concentrate intently on what was being said. This was a rich learning experience for me.
I never would have thought it would be possible to diagnosis and repair complex drivability problems on cars. My uncle gradually lost his vision by the age 33. He still continued working as a GM Master technician until he retired. He couldn't see past his nose but he can still fix anything. It is sad but most people will assume because of a handicap a person would not be able to complete certain tasks until they are proven otherwise. Would it be possible for a blind technician to get a job today? I don't think so.
It would be an injustice to deny an education to a person who has sensory loss, just based on their disability. People with disabilities are just as capable in many situations as people without disabilities. To assume that a blind person can't read is to treat them with prejudice. There are many reasonable accomodations that could be made to help a blind person read through assistive technology, the computer can scan and read all printed material to a blind person.
Knowing what limitations we have is very important. It will give us good insight on the limitations of others, especially those in our classrooms. It will also help us to be able to be more helpful to the plight of those that have hearing/sight/etc issues.
I unlike some of my peers have the ability to speak to those who may have a hearing impairment through the use of ASL, since I constantly talk with my hands I find my self signing throughout my lecture without thinking. Some of my students have expressed an interest in learning ASL to benefit themselves as well as others that they may encounter. Using different methods of information delivery helps some students retain the material because of association in ways some will consider unconventional.
If, because of their disability, they are treated differently or allowed to be teased in the classroom, then it is a problem for all.
Craig,
Knowing our limitations, and those of our students as well, is an important lesson.
Sarah Smoger
Having some hearing loss myself, I have come down hard on a student before after mishearing what he said. I almost kicked him out of class for the day until several students came to his rescue. It was quite embarrassing.
