E-Learning Accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Practical Examples and Experiences

2010 ◽  
pp. 203-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matjaž Debevc ◽  
Primož Kosec ◽  
Andreas Holzinger
Keyword(s):  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
E Learning

Fostering autonomy in learners with special needs: a specialized e-learning course

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 471-487
Author(s):  
Lenka Tóthová ◽  
Jitka Sedláčková
Keyword(s):  
Special Needs ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Classroom Dynamics ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
International Engagement

Abstract International engagement has become a priority and is regarded as a means to improve the quality of students’ education and their future social and professional success. It may, however, pose a major challenge for some higher education students. One of the vulnerable groups is that of learners with special needs, and particularly Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing students. These learners are limited in their chances to interact in spoken/written foreign languages and in the learning opportunities they can join. This, by extension, has an unfavourable impact on their possibilities of engaging in study abroad. Based on the experience with a newly launched e-learning course “Online English for International Mobilities”, the present paper discusses the need for building effective FL learning strategies in Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing students in connection with the process of academic internationalisation. The main argument is for the need to foster students’ ability to self-regulate, reduce their teacher dependency and reliance on directed learning, and to encourage them to take responsibility for their own learning. Secondly, the paper provides a comparison of two pilot runs of the course from the perspective of (online) classroom dynamics and cooperation. While the course is built to be as autonomous as possible and benefits from the advantages of the e-learning format, great importance is given to group dynamics and cooperation via discussion forums and online chats. It also takes advantage of the considerable benefits of individualized, personalized feedback being provided by teachers on selected assignments.

scholarly journals E-Learning for Deaf Adults from a User-Centered Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 206
Author(s):  
Marios Pappas ◽  
Eleftheria Demertzi ◽  
Yannis Papagerasimou ◽  
Lefteris Koukianakis ◽  
Dimitris Kouremenos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Field Research ◽  
School To Work ◽  
Learning Modules ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Deaf Adults ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Socially Excluded ◽  
User Friendly

Deaf individuals present differences compared to their hearing peers in terms of their learning profile. In addition, deaf adults seem to still be socially excluded nowadays, given that the transition from school to work is more difficult for people with hearing loss. This study aims to analyze the cognitive characteristics of deaf adults, as well as the way they learn better, for the development of an innovative and user-friendly e-learning platform, which will be adapted to the educational needs of the target group. Fifty-three deaf or hard-of-hearing adults participated in the field research for the needs of this study. According to the results, participants prefer e-learning modules with continuity in terms of the content, which offer comprehension questions during the sessions, as well as practice exercises after their completion. Furthermore, participants had positive attitudes towards the use of special graphics and explanatory videos.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting the Participation of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in e-Learning and Their Satisfaction: A Quantitative Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilio Ferreiro Lago ◽  
Sara Osuna Acedo
Keyword(s):  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Electronic Survey ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Survey Sample ◽  
Probabilistic Sample

Today the digital divide is measured not so much by access to the internet but by people's ability to interact in cyberspace, which calls for specific digital communication skills. These skills are also required for participation in e-learning, bearing in mind that the deaf and hard of hearing have certain characteristics related to their condition.  This study aims to identify inequalities in access to e-learning by those who are deaf or hard of hearing, observe how they are related to social and demographic factors, and confirm whether the accessibility of the e-learning environment has a direct influence on their satisfaction. The study has been conducted via an electronic survey in Spain with a non-probabilistic sample, in line with the characteristics of this sector of the population, recording social and demographic data, and information about the participants' experience of e-learning and their satisfaction with the experience. The representative survey sample consisted of 484 deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in Spain, aged between 16 and 64. Using a chi-square test for independence we obtained a significant relationship between participation in online courses and the following variables: level of education, knowledge of sign language, and number of members in the household. A correspondence analysis was then carried out to detect particular relationships between classes of the related variables.

Methods and Means of Teaching Graphics to Hard-Of-Hearing Students at a Technical University

2021 ◽  
pp. 115-124
Author(s):  
Olga Victorovna Zhuykova ◽  
◽  
Yulia Vitalievna Krasavina ◽  
Ekaterina Petrovna Ponomarenko ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Traditional Methods ◽  
Video Lectures ◽  
Self Study ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Technical University ◽  
Sign Language Interpreter

When teaching graphics to deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University, traditional methods are combined with e-learning through using an e-course on descriptive geometry, available on http://ee.istu.ru. The introduction of new customized educational video lectures expands the prospects of using information and communication technologies and allows us to facilitate learning and self-study for hearing-impaired students. Materials and methods. The paper presents the preliminary results of a survey for hard-of-hearing students, whose training was organized through combining traditional methods with the elements of e-learning including methods based on the use of 3D models, and video lectures provided by a sign language translation and subtitles. The presented results are accumulated from tests, questionnaires and pedagogical observation. The results of the study. In order to analyze the effectiveness of the proposed methods, and their convenience and accessibility for students, a survey on students’ opinion about learning tools was conducted. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students demonstrated positive attitude toward provided video lectures with sign language interpreter and subtitles. Students noted that video lectures with the subtitles are easy to understand and can be compared with live explanation at the blackboard with the help of a sign language interpreter during in-class training. Introducing 3D models during the e-course helped students to conceive the shapes of surfaces, and provided visual clarity of the parts drawn. Conclusion. Modern methods of teaching graphic disciplines to hard-of-hearing students involve the use of visual materials, presented in the form of a workbook, presentations and three-dimensional models in the classroom, and materials of a distance course for students’ self-study outside the classroom. When developing video lectures for hard-of-hearing students, a thorough study of the material, both its content and methodological aspects of the organization of training and control is needed. It is also necessary to take into account special features of visual information perception by deaf and hard of hearing students, the speed and volume of information perception (the frequency of subtitles, the location of the screen with a sign language interpreter, etc.). Depending on the specific conditions and circumstances of training, one or another technique or their combination can be used.

scholarly journals Transformative Research Paradigm: A Response to SDG 4 by Intensifying Support Scholarships for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students at an Open Distance and E-Learning University

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tonny Matjila ◽  
Petro van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Training System ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Research Paradigm ◽  
Transformative Research ◽  
E Learning ◽  
And Training

The landscape of higher education in South Africa is beset with numerous challenges including accommodating students who are Deaf and hard of hearing. The reasonable accommodation in place does not seem to redress the daily challenges faced by these students at an open distance e-learning university despite the policies and legislature in place. The Department of Higher Education and Training in South Africa, through its initiatives such as the Strategic Disability Policy Framework on Disability for the Post-School Education and Training System, aims to fast track and respond to Sustainable Developmental Goal4. This paper argues how the transformative research paradigm may be a response to this mandate. Firstly, the paradigm suggests theories such as the critical disability theory and the transactional distance theory and discusses their relevance in promoting scholarships for disability in open distance e-learning. Secondly, it highlights the transformative assumptions on ontology, epistemology, axiology, and a methodology which are often ignored when developing interventions on disability issues. The ontology helps to understand the reality through the lenses of students who are Deaf and hard of hearing, epistemology deals with acquiring knowledge of the subjects and literature, and axiology deals with the ethical considerations for the said cohort. The transformative mixed-method research deals with the inequalities and makes provisions to include, deal with, and guarantee the integration of qualitative and quantitative data sets.

Measuring “Language Access Profiles” in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children With the DHH Language Exposure Assessment Tool

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Matthew L. Hall ◽  
Stephanie De Anda
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Communication Mode ◽  
Developmental Potential ◽  
Language Access ◽  
Retest Reliability ◽  
Language Exposure ◽  
Test Retest Reliability

Purpose The purposes of this study were (a) to introduce “language access profiles” as a viable alternative construct to “communication mode” for describing experience with language input during early childhood for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children; (b) to describe the development of a new tool for measuring DHH children's language access profiles during infancy and toddlerhood; and (c) to evaluate the novelty, reliability, and validity of this tool. Method We adapted an existing retrospective parent report measure of early language experience (the Language Exposure Assessment Tool) to make it suitable for use with DHH populations. We administered the adapted instrument (DHH Language Exposure Assessment Tool [D-LEAT]) to the caregivers of 105 DHH children aged 12 years and younger. To measure convergent validity, we also administered another novel instrument: the Language Access Profile Tool. To measure test–retest reliability, half of the participants were interviewed again after 1 month. We identified groups of children with similar language access profiles by using hierarchical cluster analysis. Results The D-LEAT revealed DHH children's diverse experiences with access to language during infancy and toddlerhood. Cluster analysis groupings were markedly different from those derived from more traditional grouping rules (e.g., communication modes). Test–retest reliability was good, especially for the same-interviewer condition. Content, convergent, and face validity were strong. Conclusions To optimize DHH children's developmental potential, stakeholders who work at the individual and population levels would benefit from replacing communication mode with language access profiles. The D-LEAT is the first tool that aims to measure this novel construct. Despite limitations that future work aims to address, the present results demonstrate that the D-LEAT represents progress over the status quo.

Family Support in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-21
Author(s):  
Patti Martin ◽  
Nannette Nicholson ◽  
Charia Hall
Keyword(s):  
Family Support ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Annual Conference ◽  
Federal Law ◽  
Think Tank ◽  
Learning Collaborative ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Improved Outcomes ◽  
Program Components

Family support has evolved from a buzzword of the 1990s to a concept founded in theory, mandated by federal law, valued across disciplines, and espoused by both parents and professionals. This emphasis on family-centered practices for families of young children with disabilities, coupled with federal policy initiatives and technological advances, served as the impetus for the development of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs (Nicholson & Martin, in press). White, Forsman, Eichwald, and Muñoz (2010) provide an excellent review of the evolution of EHDI systems, which include family support as one of their 9 components. The National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM), the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and the Center for Disease Control Centers cosponsored the first National EHDI Conference. This conference brought stakeholders including parents, practitioners, and researchers from diverse backgrounds together to form a learning collaborative (Forsman, 2002). Attendees represented a variety of state, national, and/or federal agencies and organizations. This forum focused effort on the development of EHDI programs infused with translating research into practices and policy. When NCHAM, recognizing the critical role of family support in the improvement of outcomes for both children and families, created a think tank to investigate the concept of a conference centered on support for families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing in 2005, the “Investing in Family Support” (IFSC) conference was born. This conference was specifically designed to facilitate and enhance EHDI efforts within the family support arena. From this venue, a model of family support was conceptualized and has served as the cornerstone of the IFSC annual conference since 2006. Designed to be a functional framework, the IFSC model delineates where and how families find support. In this article, we will promote and encourage continued efforts towards defining operational measures and program components to ultimately quantify success as it relates to improved outcomes for these children and their families. The authors view this opportunity to revisit the theoretical underpinnings of family support, the emerging research in this area, and the basics of the IFSC Model of Family Support as a call to action. We challenge professionals who work with children identified as deaf or hard of hearing to move family support from conceptualization to practices that are grounded in evidence and ever mindful of the unique and dynamic nature of individual families.

The Colorado Journey Towards Optimal Outcomes for Children With Hearing Loss

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Yoshinaga-Itano
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Diverse Population ◽  
Language Outcomes ◽  
Maternal Bonding ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Optimal Outcomes ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
Children With Hearing Loss

Abstract It is possible for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to attain language development comparable to their hearing peers, but these outcomes are not guaranteed. The population of children with hearing loss is a diverse population and although the variable of the age of identification is less variable, there are numerous variables that could potentially and have historically impacted language outcomes of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Variables such as hearing loss, maternal level of education, and maternal bonding can overcome the benefits of earlier identification and intervention.

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