Hearing Disability

Hearing disability refers to the state of the individuals in which they suffer from a wide range of hearing losses (including deafness) making them disabled wholly or partially in utilizing their hearing organs for getting and exchanging information with others.

Children affected by hearing disability thus include hard of hearing (benefitted with the use of hearing aids) as well as those who experience a significant loss in hearing even if they use hearing aids.

In terms of physiological and medical language the hearing losses are usually classified into the following four types -

1. Conductive Hearing Loss

• It is caused by diseases or obstruction in the outer or middle ear.

• It usually affect all frequencies of hearing evenly and do not result in severe losses.

• Can use hearing aid or can be helped medically or surgically.

2. Sensorineural Hearing Loss

• It results from damage to the delicate sensory hear cells of the inner ear or the nerves which supply it.

• Hearing loss range from mild to profound.

• Some frequencies are affected more than others thus use of hearing aid is not always possible.

3. Mix Hearing Loss

• Combination of conductive and sensorineural loss.

• Problem occur in both the outer or middle and the inner ear. 

4. Central Hearing Loss 

• Results from damage or impairment to the nerves of nuclei of the central nervous system, either in the pathways to the brain or in the brain itself.

• Usually can hear sounds but cannot distinguish them.

But, for the educational development viewpoint, it is more useful and practicable to classify the learning losses as slight, mild, moderate, severe or profound, depending upon how well a person can hear the intensities or frequencies of the sound.

In this way, we can attempt to classify the hearing impaired children into two broad types (i) deaf and (ii) hard of hearing for the clear purpose of helping them according to the degree of their disability.

Characteristics of Hearing Impairments in Children

• Child fails to respond to loud sounds

• Child fails to respond to soft sounds

• Child tilts his head towards the direction of sound

• Child stops babling after 6 to 8 months of ages

• Child does not plays with noise making toys

• Child's speech is accompanied by gestures

• Child focuses on speaker's face for lip reading

• Doesn't pay attention in the teaching- learning process

• Cannot pronounce properly

• Speaks without any reason

• Speaks slowly in terms of speed

• Child doesn't pay attention in the classroom

• Child is confused in similar words

• Frequent use of word 'what' during discussion

• Speaks too loud or too low

Problems of Hearing Impaired Children

• Not able to perform social interaction

• Without social contact, child develops inferiority complex

• Child develops negative self concept

• No language development

• Faces difficulties in learning

• Slow learners

• Low development of cognitive abilities

• Not able to perform higher reasoning or intellectual activities

Educational Needs (Provisions) of Hearing Impaired Children

• Training in lip reading

• Use of sign language

• Cued speech

• Touch method

• Movement method

• Use of amplifiers

• Inclusive education

• Vocational training in various fields

• Encouragement to participate in various co-curricular activities

• Provided with hearing aids

Role of Teacher in Education for Hearing Impaired Children

• Identify such students and inform parents and authorities

• Make such students sit on the front benches in classroom

• Speak in loud voice

• Proper use of blackboard

• Use of different visual aids

• Use of body movement and sign language

• Conducting frequent evaluations

• Use of different audio aids

• Take help from special teacher

• Keeping a positive attitude towards such students

• Encouraging such students to participate in co-curricular activities

• Adapting multisensory approach during teaching