Inclusion in the classroom
Students who are Deaf or hearing impaired have difficulty hearing speech in background noise, over distances, and through AV equipment.
The ability to listen and understand requires the listener to do the following before any meaning can be made clear:
- determine the direction of the sound,
- identify the type of sound,
- separate the sound from background noise
- then interpret the sound
The listener builds upon what has been previously heard by storing, then retrieving or clarifying the auditory information to make it useful – so they can act on it.
If we think about the normal listening needs of students and then add factors of difficulty, such as deafness or hearing impairment and background noise in classrooms – then the situation has huge implications for students’ access to teacher instruction in all its forms.
Why is a quiet learning environment so important?
Background noise interferes with the clarity of teacher instruction e. g. hearing impaired students have some difficulty identifying consonant sounds and blends in words or sentences in the presence of background noise. This actually distorts the meaning of the word and the overall comprehension of the message. The long term educational and social implications are cumulative. This is why inclusive teaching strategies are so important.
Captions are essential for equitable access to the educational environment. When captions are not available, inclusion is compromised.
