Students+with+Hearing+Loss

= = = =

Back to Specific Special Needs
= =

= Students With Hearing Loss. =

=﻿ Important Links for Hearing Impairment.=


 * American Association of the Deaf/Blind
 * American Society for Deaf Children
 * American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association
 * American Sign Language Fingerspelling Practice Suite
 * The Center for Hearing and Deafness
 * [|Hearing Loss Association of America]
 * ! Kids and Hearing Loss

HLAA Wiki Spaces!!! **"The Center for Communication, Hearing & Deafness is a private non-profit agency whose mission is to provide and promote state-of-the art services and technologies to enhance the quality of life of individuals with hearing loss."**
 * American Sign Language Resource Site
 * [|National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities]
 * Hear-it.org (the all inclusive global website for Hearing Impairment causes, treatments, and tools.)
 * Center for Communication, Hearing, and Deafness.
 * American Music Therapy Association.

Facts and Statistics about Hearing Loss

 * FAQS about Hearing Loss from the CDC: **

" Hearing is the primary sense through which a child develops speech and language [. . .] Because hearing loss is a disability that is not readily apparent, its impact on a child's development is often underestimated (Adamek p233). According to the U.S Dept of Education 2002 There are nearly 71,000 special education students between the age of 6 and 21 who have a hearing loss. The __ U.S. Department of Education __ (2006) reports that 14,787 children received audiology services in early intervention programs in the fall of 2004, while 139,643 children received speech-language pathology services.

The __ Department __ (2007) also reports that, during the 2003 school year, 79,522 students aged 3 to 21 received special education services under the category of “hearing impairment.” However, the number of children with hearing loss and deafness is undoubtedly higher, since many of these students have other disabilities and may be served under other categories.


 * Types of Hearing Loss: (as defined in "Music in Special Educ﻿ation") **


 * //Hearing Impairment: the disability label used in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA] to indicate a hearing loss that requires special education and related services.//
 * //Deafness:// the primary means of communication is through the visual channel. Residual hearing or remaining hearing is no sufficient to process speech.
 * //Hard-of-Hearing//: Generally able to respond to speech and other auditory sounds through the use of residual hearing or hearing aids.
 * //Congenital Hearing Loss//: hearing loss was present at birth. The child did not have normal exposure to sounds especially speech sounds that other children typically experience.
 * //Prelingual Loss//: Loss of hearing before speech development. (Congenital loss or before the age of two-years.)
 * //Postlingual Loss:// Loss of Hearing that followed speech acquisition. Still needs assistance on developing listening skills, conserving speech, and continuing development of language.
 * //Unilateral Hearing Loss//: Hearing loss in only on ear.
 * //Bilateral Hearing Loss//: Hearing loss present in both ears.


 * Terms: **
 * //Audiologist:// A specialist who has studied the science of hearing and studies the nature of hearing, preventing hearing loss, hearing tests to detect hearing loss, and providing information about hearing aids, training programs, or medical treatment.
 * //Decibel//: a unit used to express the intensity of a sound wave, equal to 20 times the common logarithm of the ratio of the pressureproduced by the sound wave to a reference pressure, usually0.0002 microbar. (Dictionary-Reference.com)
 * ASL: American Sign Language: A visual-gesture language, having its own semantic and syntactic structure, used by people who are deaf in the U.S and English-speaking parts of Canada. (Dictionary-Reference.com)
 * //Conductive Hearing Loss:// Hearing loss based on difficulty in conducting or transmitting sound vibrations to the inner ear. (can be caused by build up of fluid, earwax or parts of the ear or mid-ear bones that do not move properly.) It can often be corrected through surgery or other medical intervention.
 * //Sensorineural Hearing Loss:// Hearing loss based on damage to the auditory nerve. (The sound reaches the brain distorted or unclear)
 * //Mixed Hearing Loss//: Having both Conductive and Sensorineural hearing loss.

The Effects are generally dependent upon the degree of hearing loss measured in Decibels.
 * The Effects of Hearing Loss: **

Slight 27-40 dB
- May have difficulty hearing fain or distant speech. - May experience some difficulty with langage arts. - Little or no trouble listening to music, but may experience difficulty understanding lyrics.

Mild 41-55 dB
- Understands conversational speech at a distance of 3 to 5 feet. - May miss as much as 50% of conversation if not face-to-face. - May have limited vocabulary and speech irregularities. - Will need lyric sheet to follow words.

Moderate 56-70 dB
- Can understand loud conversation only. - Will have difficulty in group discussions. - Is likely to have impaired speech, limited vocabulary, and difficulty in language use and comprehension. - Use of percussion and lower pitched instruments.

Severe 71-90 dB
- May hear loud voices about 1 foot from ear. - May be able to identify environmental sounds. - May be able to discriminate vowels, but not consonants. - Speech and language likely to be impaired or to deteriorate. - Use of drums and lower brass instruments.

Profound 91 +
- More aware of vibrations than tonal patterns. - Relies on vision rather than hearing as primary means of communication. - Speech and language likely to be impaired or to deteriorate - Speech and language unlikely to develop spontaneously if loss is prelingual. - Musical emphasis on rhythmic elements.

Statistics and Info from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Age at which Hearing Loss Begins (NIDCD)

** According to the National Center for Health Statistics (2006), 37 million adults in the United States had trouble hearing. **

**Q:** How common is hearing loss in children? Hearing loss occurs in approximately 12,000 children each year (up to 3 of every 1,000 births). According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), about 28 million people in the U.S. have some degree of reduced hearing. ,An estimated 15 percent of children and teenagers in the United States have a temporary or permanent hearing loss in one or both ears.

**Q:** What are common symptoms of deaf or hard of hearing children? >> >> If you have concerns, have your child’s hearing tested by an audiologist.
 * Your child is inconsistently responding to sound
 * Language and speech development is delayed
 * Speech is unclear
 * Sound is turned up on electronic equipment (radio, TV, cd player, etc.)
 * Your child does not follow directions
 * Your child often says "Huh?"
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 3px; padding: 0px;">Your child does not respond when called.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">United States Statistics based on State and Severity of Hearing Loss PDF

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

**1. To the music classroom:**
> **2. Interpersonal Communication:** > **3. Using an Interpreter:** > >
 * Reduce unnecessary noise(Air conditioners, outdoor traffic)
 * Good lighting for speech reading.
 * Fixtures such as draperies and carpeting can absorb unnecessary noise
 * Seating should be in a circle for group activities
 * If student wears hearing aids, they should be positioned with the hearing aids toward the teacher.
 * Keep your face visible. Music teachers who sit at a piano should not obstruct their face.
 * Optimal distance for speech reading should be kept at 6 ft.
 * Additional assistive communication devices such as microphones, visual aides, sign language interpreters, and other technological aides should be added.
 * Get the student's attention before speaking, a tap on the shoulder or friendly wave.
 * Speak slowly and clearly. Exaggeration or over-emphasis distorts lip movements. 1/3 to 1/4 of all speech is visible on the lips.
 * Look directly at the person when you speak. Even a slight turn of the head can obscure the view. (Also mustaches, gum, smoking)
 * Don't be embarrassed to communicate via paper and pencil (or instant message chat system for smart classrooms).
 * Maintain eye contact it helps convey the feeling of direct communication. If you are using an interpreter still have eye contact. The student will address the interpreter if the need arises.
 * If you are having difficulty getting an idea across you may have to rephrase a thought or restate a sentence.
 * Use pantomine, body language, and facial expressions to help communicate.
 * Learning American Sign Language can be very beneficial to communicating with your student with hearing loss.
 * Understand your student's identity within or without the deaf culture.
 * Speak directly to the student, not the interpreter. Ask the student the question.
 * Maintain eye contact with student.
 * Do not say anything to the interpreter or about the student that you do not want interpreted.
 * 4. Group situations and meetings:**
 * Seat the student who is deaf near the speaker where they can see the speaker's face.
 * Avoid standing in front of a light source, such as a window.
 * Aid the student in following a lecture, movie, or video by providing a brief outline or script printout.
 * In a training situation provide new vocabulary in advance.
 * Use visual aids(films, diagrams, charts)
 * Try to avoid unnecessary pacing and speaking while writing on board.
 * Slow down the pace of communication slightly.
 * Make sure the student is not left out when vital information is presented. Write any changes in times or additional instructions on the board.
 * Repeat questions or statements from the back of the room.
 * Use ASL in tandem with your teaching.

5. Music Education for the Student with Hearing Loss:
Students with Hearing loss deserve the right to participate int he musical arts. Use Differentiated Instruction. Remember that there are other parts of music other than listening. Playing, moving, singing, creating, and reading music as well. There are specific strategies for music training that can be employed, such as computerized music training programs used with those who have had cochlear implants, vibrotactile stimuli, and frequency adjustment of the musical stimuli.


 * Some implications for teaching students with hearing loss: **
 * Music stimuli must be presented at appropriate level of amplification.
 * Tactile perception can, in part, compensate for auditory deficits.
 * Visual cues, such as tapping the beat are helpful.
 * Music skills may be delayed rather than deviant.
 * Pitch discrimination can be made more easily in lower frequency ranges.
 * The vocal range of students with hearing losses is often lower and more limited.
 * Students with Hearing Loss are often more responsive to the rhythmic aspects of music than the tonal aspects.
 * Students with hearing losses may perform more accurately by reading standard music notation than by relying on the ear to imitate or learn by rote.
 * Students with hearing losses can improve their vocal intonation, both in singing and in speaking, by participating in vocal activity.

"Most students will be able to take tests and evaluations in the same way as other students. - (Diablo Valley College Student/Faculty Handbook)
 * Testing: **
 * Some may need additional time in order to gain a full understanding of the test questions.
 * It has been found that if the test is written, some students do better if an ASL Interpreter reads and translates the questions to the student in sign language. However, many other students prefer to read tests themselves. If the method of evaluation is oral, the ASL Interpreter can serve as the reverse ASL Interpreter for the student.
 * Avoid oral administrated exams requiring written answers.
 * The primary form of communication with the deaf community is sign language. In view of this, many persons who are deaf or have profound hearing loss since birth or an early age have not mastered the grammatical subtleties of their "second language" English. This does not mean that instructors should overlook errors in written (or spoken) work. However, they should know that this difficulty with English is not related to intelligence but is similar to that experienced by students whose native language is other than English."

(WFPL.ORG)

(See also Articles. [How to listen to music with your whole body])
 * Ideas for music making for Students with Hearing Loss : ** (to be coupled with the aforementioned adaptations and below mentioned technologies "**T**".)

Those students who have some perception of sound have a unique opportunity to use music technology to expand that small world of sound. [The below can be directly applied to students who are hard of hearing.]
 * Students who are Hard of Hearing: **
 * Notation software can help them understand the relationship between the contour of the music and the contour of the sound. **T** (//Finale,Noteflight)//
 * Audio Recording/Editing devices can help them understand what the sound they hear looks like and give them unique ways to manipulate it and emulate that change. **T** (//Audacity)//
 * The use of instruments that can be amplified or carry a strong vibration will help the student hear and understand the music that they are making. **T** (//Wavedrum, ButtKicker//)
 * Interpreting Songs into Sign is a great way to experience music for both students with hearing impairment and without.

How can students with no or little perception of sound learn and perform music? "<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">For some reason we tend to make a distinction between hearing a sound and feeling a vibration, in reality they are the same thing. It is interesting to note that in the Italian language this distinction does not exist. The verb 'sentire' means to hear and the same verb in the reflexive form 'sentirsi' means to feel." - Evelyn Glennie (Evelyn Glennie is profoundly deaf) <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> Even though students who are Deaf cannot hear music in the same way that hearing students can this does not mean that they cannot partake in the rich musical heritage of our world. Percussion instruments provide an excellent array of unique instruments that can be enjoyed by the student who is deaf. The variety of instruments and also tools used to play those instruments can create an unbelievable large tactile world True they may not hear the pitch or tone color the way that many people do but they can experience it in a way that is special and beautiful. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Evelyn Glennie says this about her experience growing as a musician,
 * Students who are Deaf: **

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> " <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">I spent a lot of time in my youth (with the help of my school Percussion teacher Ron Forbes) refining my ability to detect vibrations. I would stand with my hands against the classroom wall while Ron played notes on the timpani (timpani produce a lot of vibrations). Eventually I managed to distinguish the rough pitch of notes by associating where on my body I felt the sound with the sense of perfect pitch I had before losing my hearing. The low sounds I feel mainly in my legs and feet and high sounds might be particular places on my face, neck and chest".(Evelyn.co.uk)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The world of music is not closed to musicians who are deaf or hard of hearing.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> While percussion can be an excellent vehicle for the student's musical ability it is not the only one. Instruments that can produce strong vibrations are ideal for the musician with hearing impairment. Instruments like the Tuba, various string instruments(intonation accuracy may be a challenge) where the student can feel the vibrations and resonance of the instrument against their body. The guitar and certainly instruments that can produce powerful vibration when amplified by speakers. Technologies like the //ButtKicker// can be used to stimulate the vibro-tactile senses to create a pleasurable listening experience.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The use of notation software such as //Finale//, or //Noteflight// can help the student understand<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> the contour of the music and vibrations. Using audio recording devices and software like //Audacity,// and //Lumisonic//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> that show graphic representations of sound will help the student understand visually how they can master the manipulation of sound.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Exploring the music of role models who are deaf such as Evelyn Glennie can also be important to open the door to the "deaf music culture".

(This student is feeling the vibrations resonating throughout the tuba.) (WFPL.org)


 * Some Notable Deaf Musicians: **
 * (Click to see video clips) **
 * Evelyn Glennie
 * Beethoven's Nightmare
 * Mandy Harvey
 * Sean Forbes
 * Shawn Dale Barnett
 * Mariko Takamura


 * Technologies for ﻿Learning Music: **

Probably the best known names in notation software today are //Finale//, and //Sibelius,// and //MagicScore Classic.// While these programs are great there are other notation programs that you can get for free! //Noteflight,// and //MuseScore// two of the reliable and easy-to-use notation software programs that are free. //Noteflight// is a web-based tool that lets you create, play, share, embed and edit your music. It has an auto-update system that will update the version of your embedded or shared pieces. //MuseScore// is a downloadable program that allows you to take it with you anywhere. Both allow you to print professional looking music. The only downside to //Noteflight is that it is somewhat limited in the instrumentation that you can use unless you upgrade to the pay version.//
 * **Notation Software:**

With any Mac comes the DAW //GarageBand//. //GarageBand// is a great tool for creating loops and music; however, it is great for illustrating a visual representation of musical form and construction. This is not notation software but rather is more of a mix between notation sofware, audio recording/editing, and Graphic representations of sound. Entry level DAWs allow you to create, manipulate, and watch how sounds occur on a timeline. //Acoustica Mixcraft// is the PC version of //GarageBand//. It is is not free and is more limited than //GarageBand,// but for all the DAW needs of a PC user it works just great.
 * **Entry Level DAWs (Digital Audio WorkStation)**

//Audacity// is a free audio recording and editing program. It allows you to see the visual representations of the sound that is being used. You can also manipulate the sound by cutting, pasting, reducing the speed, or changing the pitch and a variety of other ways. //Audio Editor// is another free audio editing software that presents visual representation of sound for editing.
 * **Audio Recording and Editing Software:**


 * **Technologies that present Graphic Representations of Sound:**

//[|Lumisonic]// from SonicArts is a tool created specifically for music therapy and use by children with hearing impairments. It creates a series of rings that multiply or decrease based on the aural input. [|MusicViz Media] (Coupled with the Emoti-Chair below) is "a visual technology known as MusicViz, which provides visual stimulus in the form of pulsating colours and designs that shift according to the music’s tempo. Like the Emoti-Chair, MusicViz seeks to take advantage of a deaf individual’s other senses to help them decipher audio cues."-National Post.

//WaveDrum// From SoundTree is top of the line percussion synthesizer. It looks like a regular practice pad but can simulate several different percussive sounds at one time. Coupled with a speaker it is perfect for creating unique and interesting sounds and vibrations without having to use multiple instruments.
 * **Digital Instruments:**

There are many technologies that are being developed or will be dreamed into existence that allow an individual to feel the vibrations of music and other sounds. One such notable device is the //ButtKicker// as mentioned in the below article "Music for the Deaf". This device was not created for the deaf community in mind but rather as part of a home entertainment system, but it fits just right. "The wireless ButtKicker kit is a silent subwoofer that delivers powerful, inaudible bass through your couch or chair." - <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">The Guitammer Company //Music for Deaf People// is a project in-the-works by <span style="color: #272727; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,'Lucida Sans Regular','Lucida Sans Unicode',Arial,sans-serif;">Frederik Podzuweit. It is a collar that is worn around the neck and shoulders. " <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">A concept from designer Frederik Podzuweit could deliver music to the deaf using synesthesia, aka perceiving one of the five senses, like hearing, via a different sense, like touch" (Gizmodo.com) <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"> The //Emoti-chair// is like a mixture of the two technologies above. It is a chair with speakers built into it that are triggered by different events. "T <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">he Emoti-Chair does two things: It breaks the sound frequencies up so that the user feels the piano through one speaker, the guitar through another and so on. It also changes high-frequency sounds into something that is detectable to a deaf person."- (CBC.ca)
 * **Technologies that present physical representations of Sound:**

= Cochlear Implants [|FM and Loop Systems] [|Hearing Aids] = = Other technologies listed from ASHA =
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Assistive Technologies **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">: (For more Technologies visit the websites at the top of the page)

Articles:
media type="youtube" key="IU3V6zNER4g?fs=1" height="314" width="518"
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How to listen to Music with Your Whole Body <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 60%;">(Evelyn Glennie) =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">A new test measures music perception in cochlear-implant users
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A Project that Teaches Deaf Children How to Sing =
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teaching Instrumental Music to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students =
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Drummer teaches the beat to deaf students =
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Helping the Deaf Hear Music =
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Advantages & Disadvantages: Hearing Aids vs. Cochlear Implants for Those with Severe Hearing Loss <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">(University of St. Thomas) =
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Cochlear Implant Controversy <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 60%;">(Drury University) **
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Music for the Deaf <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 60%;">(WeekendAmerica) =
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Teaching of Music to Hearing Impaired Children and Teenagers ([|William G Fawkes BA (HONS) NCTD OCDS]) =
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Canadian device allows deaf to 'hear' music through skin] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 60%;">(CBC News) =
 * =[|Good Vibrations: Acquiring a Taste for the Emoti-Chair] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">(National Post) =
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Helping the Deaf to 'See Sound' =

Back to the Top!