Remote Learning for Children with Auditory Access Needs: What We Have Learned during COVID-19

COVID-19 has challenged most everyone in every facet of life. In the beginning of the pandemic shutdown, schools had to make decisions quickly often with limited planning. For students who were deaf or hard of hearing, communication access during instruction was the urgent focus of teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing and educational audiologists. The move from the classroom to home resulted in both predictable and unpredictable challenges as well as some unexpected benefits. Based on numerous conversations with these professionals as well as parents, the challenges encountered with online learning and solutions that were implemented to support students are reported.

Phonological Awareness Assessment and Intervention Practices for Children Who Are D/deaf or Hard of Hearing

There is not general consensus on best practice for assessment and intervention of phonological awareness (PA) for children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing (D/dhh). The current study surveyed the PA practices of teachers of the deaf and speech-language pathologists to explore perceptions of PA importance, familiarity, and helpfulness related to assessment and intervention approaches used when working with children who are D/dhh. Survey responses from speech-language pathologists ( n = 80) and teachers of the deaf ( n = 94) indicated that the majority of respondents perceive PA to be important to literacy instruction with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Notably there was a significantly higher average PA importance rating for literacy instruction with children with typical hearing than the PA importance rating for children who were D/dhh. There was wide variability in reported PA assessment and intervention practices. Participants reported using some assessments that included explicit items or subtests for PA including the following: Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, and the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. There was not general consensus on a particular instructional method or approach to support literacy development.

The Tucker Maxon Story: Mainstreaming in Place

This chapter chronicles the 70-year history of the Tucker Maxon School in Portland, Oregon, as a reflection of the evolution of the field of oral deaf education, including advances in hearing technology, as well as legal and social changes, with a focus on the school’s decision to co-enroll students with hearing loss with their typically hearing peers beginning in the early 1980s and more formally in 2002. As of 2018, more than 65% of the school’s students have typical hearing, creating a mainstream environment for their deaf and hard-of-hearing peers. While a minority of students at the school have hearing loss, Tucker Maxon provides many supports for these students to help them achieve their full potential, including on-site audiology, speech therapy, and teachers of the deaf.

Statewide Alternate Reading Assessment of Students Who Are Deaf/Hard of Hearing With Additional Disabilities

This study presents longitudinal data analysis of 6 years of reading scores on a large-scale statewide performance-based alternate assessment for 214 students who are deaf/hard of hearing and have an additional cognitive disability. Assessment scores were examined by complexity level, within grade-level bands, and individually over time. Results indicated that even though the depth of content knowledge increased over time as defined by test specifications, students generally maintained a stable level of proficiency as determined by the state performance standards. Interpretation of results underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to reading instruction among special educators, teachers of the deaf, and speech-language pathologists to improve outcomes of this population.

Working Together: Communication Between Stakeholders During the Transition from Early Intervention to School for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

The transition to school can be a complicated process for families of children with exceptionalities (Janus, Lefort, Cameron, & Kopechanski, 2007). Little is known about the transition to school specifically for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). The aim of this study was to examine the communication that occurred among early intervention (EI) providers, parents, and teachers before and during the child’s first year of kindergarten. Thematic analysis was used to analyze six sets of parent interviews, pre- and post-transition, three interviews with EI providers, and three interviews with teachers of the deaf. Participants from each group described factors that facilitated or hindered the transition to school for D/HH children. Findings were interpreted through the framework of ecological systems theory, which indicate that high-intensity transition support and fluid communication facilitated the transition and fostered positive relationships among those involved in the child’s transition to school.

Analysis of Speech-Sign Semantic Equivalence in Simultaneous Communication in Kenya

<p><em>Effective communication between teacher and pupil is a requisite factor for educational attainment. For the deaf, ineffective communication is a major problem especially when onset of profound deafness takes places at an early age before language is acquired. At school, the language of classroom communication not only affects the child’s development but also influences ability to learn other curriculum contents. Pointing out reasons for failure by deaf children to compete favorably with their hearing peers, Johnson et al (1989) has indicated that the central problem on deaf education is embedded in the lack of an appropriate language of classroom communication. </em></p><p><em>For a long time education for the deaf was conducted through the oral approach. It was later realized that this oral approach did not avail curriculum content to the deaf learners. In the 1980’s Total Communication arose as one of the solutions. According to Adoyo (2004), Total Communication was misunderstood for Simultaneous Communication, a communication system in which speech and sign are produced at the same time (Lane, Hoffmister &amp; Bahan, 1996). Although SC has been used in Kenya for all these years, it has not produced the predicated large-scale improvement. </em></p><p><em>In this study, an attempt was made to establish the capacity of SC to enhance understanding and to facilitate information processing. The investigation was carried out through an examination of the extent to which the spoken and signed messages were equivalent in meaning. The research question was: To what extent do teachers of the deaf maintain one-one, sign to-voice ratio during Simultaneous Communication transmission and to what degree is the spoken and signed message equivalent semantically?</em></p>

Assessment of Expressive Written English Functioning Level of Class Three Pre-Lingually Deaf Learners in Kenya

<div><p><em>Learners in different countries are currently being taught language at their functioning levels irrespective of their grades. District English Evaluation Tests in Kenya have indicated that Class Three prelingually deaf learners are being taught English above their functioning level. However, the results did not show the learners’ functioning level in expressive English. The purpose of the current study was to assess the learner’s functioning level in expressive written English. Theory of Syntax by Noam Chomsky which holds that learners acquire language by mastering the vocabulary and the structure of the target language was adapted and used. The study employed evaluative and qualitative research designs. The population consisted of 337 Class Three prelingually deaf learners and 65 Class Three English teachers. Multi-Stage sampling technique was used to select 178 Class III prelingually deaf learners while purposive sampling technique was used to select 16 Class III English teachers of the deaf. Data was collected using a questionnaire and expressive written English test consisting of three sub-tests. The instruments were verified for face and content validity by Class I-III English teachers of the deaf. The reliability of the instruments was established through test-retest using 34 (10%) learners and was determined using Pearson Product-moment correlation (r) at 0.70 or above, p&lt;0.05. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis. None (0.0%) of the 178 learners obtained the criterion pass mark of 50%. The learners’ functioning level in expressive written English was found to be at Class I level at the beginning of the school year and were lagging behind the curriculum by three academic years. It was found that the learners’ low functioning level in reading comprehension was due to lack of mastery of vocabulary, sentence structue, cohesive ties and prior knowledge of the world around us. It was recommended that the teaching of English to Class III prelingually deaf learners in Kenya should begin at Class I level at the beginning of the school year. The findings may be used by schools to start teaching Class Three prelingually deaf learners English at their functioning level and by the Ministry of Education to inform policy.</em></p></div>