Hearing Impairment
Hearing Impairment
Hearing impairment (HI) refers to a disorder in any part of the auditory system affecting the hearing ability. The normal hearing threshold is -10 to 25 decibels (db). HI is defined when an ear can only receive sounds of 26 decibels or more and can be divided into the following five levels of severity:
| Degree of Hearing Impairment | Hearing Threshold (dB HL) |
| Mild | 26-40 |
| Moderate | 41-55 |
| Moderately severe | 56-70 |
| Severe | 71-90 |
| Profound | Over 90 |
Students with HI usually make use of the following learning aids for speech perception
- Hearing aids including cochlear implants
- Assistive listening devices such as induction loops and Frequency Modulated (FM) systems
- Lip reading
- Sign language interpretation
- Real-time captioning device
General Difficulties Encountered by Students with HI
- Difficulties in comprehending conversations when listening to someone speaking softly or conversing in a noisy environment
- Challenges in following rapid verbal exchange, thus leading to difficulties in the participation of group discussions and interactions
- Difficulties in listening to audio clips or videos without subtitles
Useful Tips for Supporting Students with HI
1. Communication:
- Check with the student to confirm the preferred mode of communication (e.g. face-to-face, email, etc.)
- Gain the student’s attention (e.g. by calling his/her name) before beginning a conversation
- Speak clearly and slowly without exaggerating mouth movements
- Pause between sentences/phrases to ensure you have been understood before going on
- Minimize extraneous noise when talking (e.g. pick a quiet environment for discussion)
- Provide pertinent information in writing (e.g. directions, schedules)
- Summarize key points discussed if necessary
2. Inclusive Teaching:
- Encourage the student to find a seat where he/she will have an unobstructed line of vision
- Make use of assistive listening/real-time captioning devices as provided by the student
- Minimize background noise
- Enable real-time captioning for online classes
- Provide lecture materials prior to class to facilitate students’ preparation for class
- Permit audio/video recordings of lectures to facilitate students’ revision/learning after class
- Adjust lighting in the teaching environment, especially for students who depend on lip-reading and/or sign interpretation service
- Discuss special learning and/or exam arrangements privately with students concerned
- Acknowledge and show respect for diversity in learning needs
3. Assignment & Assessment:
- Consider alternatives to those assignments and/or exams that are based on oral presentations
- Consider extra time in quizzes/tests/exams if necessary
- Arrange a separate venue for quizzes/tests/exams to minimize distractions and noise
- Provide written instructions during exams