You have been given a class which has two learners with vision impairment and one learner

with
hearing impairment. With examples, describe accommodation strategies you will use to
accommodate them in your class and make them learn like other learners
Vision impairments can result from a variety of causes, including congenital conditions, injury,
eye disease, and brain trauma, or as the result of other conditions such as diabetes and multiple
sclerosis. A person is considered legally blind if his or her corrected vision is no better than
20/200, meaning seeing at twenty feet what others see at two hundred feet or having peripheral
fields (side vision) of no more than 20 degrees diameter or 10 degrees radius. A person is
considered visually impaired when corrected vision is no better than 20/70
Suggested Classroom Accommodations
(i) Discuss necessary classroom accommodations and testing adaptations early in the
semester (within the first couple of class days).
(ii) Be open to students’ taping your lectures; agreement forms are available from the SDS
office.
(iii) Provide appropriate written and verbal descriptions to accompany any visual aids,
diagrams, films, or videos that you might use in class.
(iv)As you are writing on the chalkboard or discussing a diagram, verbalize what you are
writing. When using technical terms, remember to spell them out or give descriptions if
appropriate.
(v) Try to speak directly to the class, remembering that turning your head away can muffle
sound; body language and gestures cannot be seen.
(vi)Appropriate seating is important for a visually impaired student; since the student cannot
see visual cues, he or she needs to be seated in a position to receive verbal cues
(vii) Charts, models, maps, and graphs will have greater educational value for students
with visual impairments if they can be “read” using the sense of touch
(viii) General education teachers serving students with visual impairments must work in
collaboration with vision specialists. Vision specialists should be a part of the team of
professionals working to ensure that students are receiving appropriate services and
accommodations. Vision specialists can help determine what goals and related services
should be included on the individualized education program (IEP) of the students, as well
as what types of accommodations are needed in the classroom. General educators who
consult regularly with vision specialists are better able to fashion learning experiences
appropriate for their students.
Accommodations for hearing impairments Students. Examples of accommodations for students
who have hearing impairments include:
(i) Interpreters.
 (ii) Sound amplification systems.
(iii) Notetakers.
(iv)Real-time captioning.
(v) Electronic mail for faculty-student meetings and class discussions.
(vi)Visual warning systems for lab emergencies.
(vii) Changing computer auditory signals to flashes or contrast changes.
There are also several ways you can direct your speaking style and adjust the "pace" of the
classroom to make information more accessible to a student with a hearing impairment.
(i) When speaking, make sure the student can see your face and avoid unnecessary pacing
and moving.
(ii) When speaking, avoid obscuring your lips or face with hands, books, etc.
(iii) Repeat discussion questions and statements made by other students.
(iv)Write discussion questions/answers on the board or overhead projector.
(v) Speak clearly and at a normal rate.
(vi)Use visual aids with few words and large images and fonts.
(vii) Provide written lecture outlines, class assignments, lab instructions, and
demonstration summaries and distribute them before class when possible.
(viii) Encourage students with a hearing loss to seat themselves toward the front of the
lecture theatre where they will have an unobstructed line of vision. This is particularly
important if the student is using an interpreter, lip-reading, relying on visual clues or
using a hearing aid which has a limited range. Be aware that some students may not be
comfortable with this suggestion or have alternate strategies. Respect their choices
(ix)Ensure that any background noise is minimized.
A few easy steps can be taken to ensure the classroom is suitable for hearing impaired students.
When possible, turn off equipment that creates background noises, such as fans and projectors,
when not in use. If your portable or classroom has noisy heating or cooling systems, consider
requesting a room change. Eliminating extra noise helps students with hearing impairments focus
on the class lecture and assignments. Remember that hearing aids amplify every sound, including
tapping pencils and air conditioners. Area rugs, heavy curtains and tennis balls on chair bottoms
can also eliminate a great deal of extraneous noise.
References
https://www.oswego.edu/accessibility-resources/sensory-disabilities
https://sites.allegheny.edu/disabilityservices/students-who-are-blind-or-have-a-visual-
impairment/
https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/college-planning-with-visual-impairments/
https://www.adcet.edu.au/inclusive-teaching/specific-disabilities/deaf-hearing-impaired/
https://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-hearing-impairments/67528-tips-and-strategies-
for-teaching-hearing-impaired-students/