There are various people who suffer from hearing loss at different stages. Hearing impairment can be caused by aging, illness, injury, and excessive noise exposure. The technology most commonly used for people with hearing impairments are hearing aids which use a telecoil. The goal of hearing aids is to improve audibility of soft sounds while assuring other sounds do not become too loud. Assistive listening devices help amplify the sounds you want to hear, especially where there’s a lot of background noise. There is hearing loops which use electromagnetic energy to transmit sound. FM systems which uses radio signals to transmit amplified sounds. FM systems are where the person speaking wears a small microphone connected to a transmitter and the student wears the receiver. Infrared systems use infrared light to carry sound to the receiver. A transmitter converts sound into a light signal and it beams to become sound. There are also Personal amplifiers they increase sound levels and reduce background noise for a listener. Lastly there are devices to convey information visually such as visual alerting devices and captioning. 

If a student in your class has a visual impairment you may…(dependent on the students visual impairment)

  • Use captions when showing videos.
  • You could teach students gestures and sign language to use when speaking.
  • Give interpreters copies of lessons in advice to help prep the student for the vocabulary being used.
  • Provide visual cues rather then auditory cues.
  • Keep instructions brief.
  • Create lesson plans that allow the student to participate.
  • Attempt to keep unnecessary noise to a minimum in the classroom.
  • Consider the students location if they have an ear that is better then the other make sure you are facing it and allow them to sit near the front so they can see visual cues clearly. The best sitting arrangement for students with hearing impairments is circular seating.
  • Use assisted listening devices to help the student such as an amplifier. Also make sure the student is wearing they’re hearing assistive device. 
  • Encourage the class to speak clearly. Repeat students if they are too quite.
  • Always face the student as you speak. 
  • Provide written materials as much as possible.
  • Do not limit their activities or underestimate mental abilities.