Understanding Hearing Loss

This information is part of an online guide, Resources for Mainstream Programs

If you have deaf or hard of hearing students in your school, you may ask yourself these questions:

• "What can the students hear?"
• "Do they hear some sounds but not all of them?"
• "Can any of the students hear enough to understand what I am saying?"
• "Will it help if I speak louder or exaggerate my speech?"

Knowing what a student hears and how much he or she depends on hearing to learn and interact allows you to work more effectively with every deaf and hard of hearing student in your school. This section is about audiology and the impact of hearing loss in the classroom.

Understanding Audiological Information:
Measuring Hearing, How Loud is "Loud,"" Interpreting the Audiogram

Understanding Hearing Ability:
Characteristics and Types of Hearing Loss; Case Studies

Resources

My Baby's Hearing: All about hearing loss. http://www.babyhearing.org/HearingAmplification/HearingLoss/audiogram.asp

Enhancing communication skills: Deaf and hard of hearing children in the mainstream. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson-Delmar Learning. http://www.delmarlearning.com