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college students with hearing impairments

What is a Hearing Impairment?

The term "deaf" normally any person with a hearing loss whether they were born deaf, became deaf in childhood, or became deaf later on in life. The word deaf applies to people with a range of hearing loss- anything from a slight loss of hearing to profound deafness.

What are Common Types or Degrees of Hearing Impairments?

Types

• Conductive: occurs when a barrier to sound is present in the outer or middle ear.
• Sensorineural: some sounds may be heard while others are not.
• Central: damage to the brain precludes processing of auditory stimuli.

Degrees

• Minimal loss: difficulty hearing soft sounds between, so loss is 16 to 25 decibels.
• Mild loss: difficulty understanding normal speech, so loss is between 26 to 40 decibels. Requires use of a hearing aid or FM system in some situations.
• Moderate loss: difficulty understanding loud speech, so loss is between 41 to 55 decibels. Hearing aids and/or FM systems are frequently needed.
• Severe loss: can understand amplified speech only, so loss is between 56 to 80 decibels. Hearing aids and FM systems are needed for all communication.
• Profound loss: difficulty understanding amplified speech, so loss is between 81 decibels or more. Students must rely on vision.

Links

General Information

• Disability Support Services
  http://www/uncp.edu/dss/
• Deaf Magazine
  http://www.deaf-magazine.org/
• Association of Higher Education and Disability
  http://ahead.org
• Communication Access Network
  http://www.caninterpreters.com/
• HEATH Resource Center
  http://www.acenet.edu/programs/HEATH
• Deaf Community Resources
  http://www.concentric.net/~tlshell/deaf.html
• College & Career Programs for Deaf Students
  http://gri.gallaudet.edu/ccg/choosing.html

Financial Aid and Scholarship Info

• US Department of Education Financial Aid
  http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Easy Access for Students and Institutions
  http://www.easi.ed.gov/
• Financial Aid for Students through the US Department of Education's Office
  http://www.ed.gov/index.jsp
• The Financial Aid Information Page
  http://www.finaid.org
• College Board Home Page
  http://www.collegeboard.org/
  

What are the Documentation Guidelines?

Assessment, and any resulting diagnosis, should consist of and be based on a comprehensive assessment battery that does not rely on any onetest or subtest. Both aptitude and academic achievement must be evaluated and included in the test report. See DSS office for documentation guidelines.

How are Accommodations and Support Services Determined?

Within 30 days of receiving the diagnostic evaluation or report, DSS will review the need for accommodations and support services based on the individual's disability documentation and disability-based need. DSS will notify the student after determining appropriate accommodations in accordance with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and university policy.

What are the Typical Accommodations?

• Assistive listening devices
• Note takers
• Sign language
• Oral interpreters
• Priority seating
• Adequate lighting in classrooms

These accommodations are not automatic. Each student must
qualify for each accommodation.

Assistive Technology at UNCP

• Zoomtext
• Dragon Naturally Speaking
• Premier Assistive Technology
• JAWS
• Kurzweil
• Inspiration

Hearing Impaired Resources

National Organizations

• Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
  http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/InfoToGo/index.html
• NICHCY, National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
  http://nichcy.org
• DB-Link, The National Clearinghouse on Children who are Deaf-Blind
  http://www.tr.wou.edu/dblink/
• American Speech Language Hearing Association
  http://www.asha.org
• ALDA, Association of Late-Deafened Adults
  http://www.alda.org
• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, Inc.
  http://www.agbell.org
• League for the Hard of Hearing
  http://www.lhh.org
• National Association of the Deaf
  http://www.nad.org
• National Technical Institute for the Deaf
  http://ntidweb.rit.edu/
• National Deaf Education Network and Clearinghouse
  http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/Clearinghouse/
• American Tinnitus Association
  http://www.ata.org

Tips for Successful College Experience

• Learn about your personal accommodation needs.
• Orientation is important when you make the transition to postsecondary education. Give yourself a few days to get comfortable with the campus environment.
• Anticipate where you might need special signal devices, such as on the emergency evacuation devices in your dormitory. Locate a TTY or consider an amplified telephone.
• Locate the office for Disability Support Services (DSS) and/or the individual responsible for providing support services for students with disabilities. Provide documentation of your disability and discuss which services you are likely to need. Ask for suggestions about how you can
  best communicate with faculty.
• Explain your assistive listening devices (ALD) and demonstrate the lapel microphone you may ask the instructor to wear.
• Try various techniques/methods. If you are hard of hearing and are having difficulty hearing the professor, ask to use an ALD in the classroom.
• Establish a support network.
• Become a strong advocate for your needs.

 

Updated: Wednesday, February 16, 2005

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