AT to Enhance Communication

Hearing and communication is a key part of our daily lives. "Being able to communicate your thoughts, feelings, and ideas is absolutely critical to being successful in school and the workplace. Being able to understand other people's communication attempts is equally essential" (Dell, Newton, Petroff, 2012, p.139). 

Students who are hard of hearing face many obstacles in a typical classroom. They have difficulty following lectures, acoustics in classrooms can be poor, and teachers sometimes speak quickly, quietly, or unclearly. With the assistive technology that we have available today we can help to eliminate these obstacles.

There are many assistive tech devices that can be great tools to help individuals with hearing impairments. When a student uses an assistive listening device a teacher needs to follow certain practices. They should learn about the device, be knowledgeable, and ask for training if possible. Teachers need to be mindful of microphone position and placement of receiver and speakers. They need to explain how the assistive listening device will be used to other students in the class. Teachers also need to remember to face the student when speaking and do listening check with the equipment.

Reference:
Dell, A. G., Newton, D. A., & Petroff, J. G. (2012). Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experiences of Students with Disabilities (2nd ed., pp. 139-159). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.