Teaching Strategies for Students with Hearing Impairments

Accommodations are intended to "level the playing field".  They in no way guarantee success nor should they compromise the integrity of the course.   Please remember that the following are only suggestions.  Faculty/Staff are not required or expected to provide all of these accommodations.

  • Students with hearing impairments will benefit from front row seating. An unobstructed line of vision is necessary for students who use interpreters and for those who rely on lip-reading and visual cues. If an interpreter is used, the student's view should include the interpreter and the lecturer. Do not speak facing the blackboard
  • Whenever possible, utilize circular seating arrangements as they offer Deaf or hard-of-hearing student the best opportunity to see all class participants
  • Be aware of the fact that hands, books or microphones in front of your face can add to the difficulties of lip readers
  • Keep your face within view of the student and speak in a natural tone
  • When an interpreter is being used, speak directly to the student, not to the interpreter
  • Recognize the brief amount of extra processing time that it takes for the interpreter to translate a message form its original language into another language, because this will cause a delay in the student's receiving information, asking questions and/or offering comments
  • Repeat the questions or remarks of others in the room-Acknowledge who has made the comment so that the hard of hearing student can focus on the speaker
  • Use visual aids to reinforce spoken presentations whenever possible
  • Whenever possible, provide the student with class outlines, lecture notes, lists of new technical terms and printed transcripts of audio and audio-visual materials
  • Do not hesitate to communicate with the student in writing when conveying important information such as assignments, scheduling and deadlines
  • Whenever possible, try not to speak when the person is writing.
  • Do not shout!!
  • Be amenable to wearing a microphone transmitter for use with an assisted listening device if asked
  • If there is a break in the class, be sure to get the hard-of-hearing student's attention before resuming the lecture
  • Be flexible: allow a Deaf student to work with audio-visual material independently and for a longer period of time
  • Allow the student the same anonymity as other students (i.e. avoid pointing out the student or their accommodations to the rest of the class

This information was adapted from the WebPages of Northwestern University and The Australian National University.