Introduction

This hearing impaired year 6 student was born on the 15 of February 2010, this student is 12 years and 8 Months old
and is in the upper age level for this cohort. This student goes by the name JZ (these are two consonants readily
perceived by JZ) . JZ has moderate hearing loss in the right/dominant ear (O) 41 to 70 dB HL and severe hearing loss
in the Left ear (+) 71 to 90 dB HL (See audiogram appendix 2). This level of hearing loss significantly affects
communication and socialisation, as a result JZ has two powerful hearing aids and relies heavily on lip reading. JZ’s
greatest deficiency is in the upper frequency range, and JZ relies heavily on both text, signing and lip-reading. JZ is a
fluent and comprehensive reader and enjoys music (bass and percussive). JZ lives at home in a high SES area, JZ
attends a well-resourced mainstream public school. This school has a itinerant hearing support teacher who can
provide professional staff development including digital, concrete, and procedural strategies. Specific
recommendations for JZ are using both visual and audio communications concurrently and ensure noise pollutions is
minimised.

The school counsellor has advised that JZ will be entering the local high school and puberty/adolescents in 2023 and
this will initially be a high risk environment. The parents are keen to ensure that JZ stays in mainstream schooling
and are happy for the school counsellor and itinerant hearing support teacher to communicate with the school
regarding JZ’s current level of independence, successful adjustments, teaching learning strategies and JZ’s trajectory
towards independence.

This Report aims to address the disability from the perspective of the school and teacher. This report is based on the
legislated rights of this child to participate in mainstream education and the responsibility of the school to make all
reasonable adjustments to facilitate learning (appendix 1) (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2020)(Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1989)(Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, 1966)(Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2022) . An understanding of
the nature/ impact of this disability, the requirement to adjust in accordance with the student’s individual
audiogram (appendix 2) and the ability to access and implement reasonable adjustments (appendix 1) within both
the classroom and the community is presented. This will be supported through a review and discussion of legislative
and professional documents. Additionally, recommendations made by The Hearing Hub - Macquarie University, Hear
for You and procedures and processes put in place by the NSW Education Department will be discussed. The use of
both ICT/AT and concrete resources; to provide the student with an equal opportunity to participate in learning; will
be presented.

Within Australia all children aged 5 – 17 have the right to a free, inclusive, and safe (Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, 1989) (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1966)
education with appropriate differentiation. All reasonable adjustments and support (Australian Government, 1992)
will be provided to ensure all children can participate meaningfully. This education should be free from all forms of
discrimination including gender identity, social economic background, ethnicity, religion, culture, and disability. If
reasonable adjustments are found lacking, special educational environments such as Distance Education and ARUMA
will be made appropriately available. Educational institutions and staff are be provided with government funded
comprehensive professional development and support programs (on a needs basis).

Impact and challenges of hearing impairment

Hearing impairment is a central nervous system disorder and currently there is no cure for it (Ghari, 2016). Given
aural and oral communication is an essential life skill this disability must be addressed through external
interventions, if not significant explicit, implicit, and comorbid disabilities can result (Ghari, 2016). Hearing impaired
children are six times more likely to develop mental health illnesses, these illnesses often manifest themselves
through low self-esteem and attachment disorders (Ghari, 2016) (Szymanski et al, 2013). Thus, it is imperative that
all (parents, friends, siblings and teachers) work towards communicating with these children as if they are hearing
able, by doing so one can gradually negate the negative effects of this disability (Ghari, 2016). Hearing impaired
children who have not been communicated with this eventual outcome in mind enter the school system with
multiple communication deficits, these significantly effects the child academically, socially, and emotionally (Ghari,
2016) (Szymanski et al, 2013). Isolation and detachment often result from these children choosing to and being
allowed to communicate personal issues with satellite specialists (translators, learning support etc.) and teachers
instead of bonded, safe family and friends (Ghari, 2016) (Szymanski et al, 2013) (Jackson & Turnbull, 2004).
Additionally, children with hearing deficiencies frequently develop a disproportionate level of physical
communication (expression and humour) which can appear ‘weird’ to their hearing able peers and subsequently
result in the child being objectified, bullied, and ostracised (Ghari, 2016).

The need for communication and collaborative interaction between all the stakeholders is essential (Ghari, 2016)
(Szymanski et al, 2013). All stakeholders should be required and empowered to work together in building an optimal
learning environment for all children with disabilities (Ghari, 2016) (Szymanski et al, 2013). All should be working
towards an informed, wholistic common goal. As noted by Hear for You specialists John Liu mainstream classroom
teacher should make suitable adjustments that will, if appropriate, eventually be phased out. All adjustments should
be designed to overcome current barriers to learning and move the child towards participating in a hearing able
world (Cawthon, 2001).

It has been identified that there is currently a lack of training within the mainstream schools, many teachers and
learning environments do not appropriately catering for hearing impaired students (Szymanski et al, 2013) (Jackson
& Turnbull, 2004). There is a limited understanding of the resources and strategies that can be used or a clearly
stated, realistic and scaffolded outcome. To negate this teacher often abrogate responsibility to the satellite
specialists, given the specialist’s fly-in fly-out role this is not appropriate (Szymanski et al, 2013) (Jackson & Turnbull,
2004). When hearing impaired children are put into a classroom with a teacher that does not have the skills to make
appropriate adjustments the disability is reinforced and coping strategies such as busy work, low expectation, or
parallel learning result (Szymanski et al, 2013) (Jackson & Turnbull, 2004). Funding and resources such as: programs,
fact sheets, clear processes, clear procedures, networks and time need to be made available.

Strategies

The Australian Hearing Hub at Macquarie University is vociferous about three key components.

The teacher:

1. Must be able to understand the impact that individual’s hearing impairment has on the child. This requires
both objective scientific information and empathy.
2. Is to make appropriate adjust to facilitate learning in a mainstream classroom.
3. Is to facilitate the movement of the child towards autonomous participation in a hearing world.

To do this, teachers need to be able to understand and interpret audiograms and appreciate the world cochlear and
hearing aid students living in. Once they have developed a full appreciation of the impact of the hearing impairment,
they can make appropriate and timely adjustments. Strategies for building understanding and empathy range from
specialist intervention and masterclasses to, raising awareness, increasing knowledge, empowering, and inspiring the
teacher to make adjustments.

Teachers need to become fluent in the interpretation of audiograms, these provide teachers with scientific
information on the frequencies (pitch) and decibels (volume) students can and can’t hear, their dominant/deficient
ears and the associated sounds/letters. To develop an understanding of and empathy with hearing aided student The
Talking Piano (appendix 3) can be used; through the omission and addition of text the listener is taken on a journey
from polyphonic piano work to homophonic lyrics. To develop an understanding of the degrees of hearing
impairment and empathy for cochlear aided student the Hear for You voice message can be used (appendix 4), it
provides one with a progressive experience from hearing, mild, moderate, severe, profound, and cochlear (appendix
5). These enables appropriate strategies to be developed and relationships to be strengthened.
On average hearing-impaired students enter mandatory education with a 3-year deficit in language comprehension,
oral communication, and social interaction (Ghari, 2016). This is often a result of a cloistered early childhood.
Strategies to overcome and assist the involvement, acceptance, education and socialisation of hearing-impaired child
within the mainstream classrooms are:

Concrete strategies

1. The size and surfaces of the classroom, large hard surface rooms do not mitigate noise pollution such as
ambient noise, echoes and inhibit the projection of the voice. is both the size of the room that you are
 teaching within, as teaching in a big room can cause echoes or mean that your voice does not travel enough
to reach the hearing impaired student (Szymanski et al, 2013) (Jackson & Turnbull, 2004)(Cawthon, 2001).
2. The number, placement and conduct of children within the classroom - given the type and amount of noise
produced (solicited, ambient and unsolicited) classrooms are to be well organises, routine and conduct is to
be well managed, and clear standards/expectations are to be communicated (Szymanski et al, 2013) (Jackson
& Turnbull, 2004)(Cawthon, 2001).

3. A willingness to engage in deaf culture is to be expected – this validates the student, builds a relationship
between the teacher and the student and demonstrates to other students an unconditional acceptance of
hearing impaured children (Szymanski et al, 2013) (Jackson & Turnbull, 2004)(Cawthon, 2001).

4. Signing language - The willingness to learn sign Language both gesture and Auslan validates the student,
develops communication and conversely challenges the hearing (Szymanski et al, 2013) (Jackson & Turnbull,
2004)(Cawthon, 2001).

ICT/AT Strategies/Resources

1. Personalised microphone / receiver devices that enable the teacher’s spoken words to be picked up by a
microphone on the teacher and directly received by the student’s hearing device. This also enables the
teacher to move more freely around the classroom and can be turned on and off if needed (Szymanski et al,
2013) (Jackson & Turnbull, 2004)(Cawthon, 2001).

2. Microsoft’s Speech is a free multi-platform app that enables clearly articulated, spoken word to be
represented in writing. One simply talks into a microphone, and it is written out, either directly onto the
students computer or onto the class smart board, for all to benefit from. This program is currently not
sophisticated enough to deal with the nuances in hearing impaired voices.

3. Live Transcribe can be “trained” to interpret the nuances of individualistic speech. This app helps the hard of
hearing child (and those with dyslexia) to communicate directly into a word document.

4. Closed caption extends beyond the spoken word. It provides both word to text and describes the sound
scape (affects and music). This can be found in the audio navigation menu of most digital media. Close
caption can greatly assist with social activities such as movie night. However, the use of it in cinema is
limited.

5. Noise cancelling headphones cancel out any noise that is not directly entered into the phone, they distil the
intended noise and eliminate noise pollution. These can work via audio lead or Bluetooth and can be
personally programmed. Unfortunately, these devices can result in greater degrees of isolation and require
safety measures to be put in place when outside sounds need to be experienced. The use of physical or
peripheral vision cues are recommended. However, must by negotiated with the individual and key
stakeholders before implementation.

6. Bring Back the Beat is a multi-platform app that enables both hearing aid and cochlear persons to hear the
beat of music. As a result, hearing impaired people can participate in music related activities such as
mandatory music and dance classes and co-curricular activities such as band and dance classes. Like the old
“audio resonance floor” and use of balloons this app physical vibrates the body of the listener.

Empowerment / Independence strategies

A key issue discussed by Cawthon (2001) is the development of independence. For many able students this is
organic. However, given the deficiencies that hearing Impaired children may have, Cawthon recommends the
development of deliberate, consistent, and evolving responsibilities such as:
 1. Students should learn to look after their own hearing equipment, from simply charging it or handing the FM
mic to the teacher to initiating upgrades.

2. Students should be empowered to discuss and choose the most appropriate learning environment for them
given the learning intention. These could be cave or watering hole environemnts (Thornburg) or the use of
assisted technologies.

3. Students should be given tools and vocabulary needed to assess themselves, their environment and express
themselves. This will not only develop their emotional intelligence but also enable them to better
understand safe, uncomfortable, and unsafe environments.

As discussed by John Liu - Hear for You - Macquarie University these strategies help a child reach their full potential
as a confidence, independence, contributing member of society

In doing these the relationship between the teacher, child and cohort is also boosted. Hearing-impaired children are
more willingly to engage in learning and classroom activities, they are also able to form more appropriate and
meaningful relationships with their peers and carers, and subsequently alienisation, loneliness and bullying decrease.

Bullying.

Bullying results from ignorance, power imbalance and lack of empathy. Children with a disabilities are 2 to 3 times
more likely to be victims of it (Abilitypath.org, 2009). Teachers are responsible for creating a safe environment both
physically and emotionally for all and education is the key (National Deaf Children’s Society, 2019). However, there
will be times when bullying occurs and if not addressed it can be fatal. There DEC and Mental Health First Aid have
clearly stated procedures and processes in place to address bullying.

(Note, bullying is not teasing, bullying is an imbalance in power and repetitive)

1. In general, keep communication lines open and check the temperature in the class regularly.
Provide varying pathways by which all students can communicate (lunchtime check-in, class chat, teacher
note box, peer support, etc) (National Deaf Children’s Society, 2019).

According to The National Deaf Children’s Society and Abilitypathway.org If you think bullying is happening

2. Investigate - if acute, at any stage, jump to 10.

3. Solicit information (observation, discussion, surmise, be objective)
4. Individually ask the children involved how they are doing - opened questions, simple language, annunciate
important words, checking in, rephrase their responses.
5. If there is bullying report directly to your line manager and diarise the discussion. If necessary, there will be a
formal incident report. Check in with the line manager regularly ( they are busy too)
6. Take immediate action to remove the abuse and create a safe environment (interim measures, small
adjustments are fine and may stop the bullying) Investigate success of failure of these measures.
7. Investigate why it did/is happening, discuss this inhouse (School councillor, other staff) privacy is essential.
8. Create a safe environment for all stakeholders to discuss and formulate a remedy, implement and asses it. In
Report to line manager and principal/deputy and writing, diarise it in your day book and keep watch.
9. If not resolved, discuss strategies with key stakeholders inside and outside the school.
10. If not resolved seek outside professional support (youth liaisons officer, MHFA, child’s GP, School counsellor,
Head Space, Child Mental health unit, Children’s help line)

The days of quarantining disabled citizens from the real world in special environments has ended. All have the right
to develop their full potential as a functioning, autonomous member of mainstream society and much of this is
developed at school. Educational institutions are required to provide all students with the ability to interact fully and
on the same grounds as others, all reasonable measures must be taken to ensure that no child is left behind or
disadvantaged. To achieve this teacher must be informed, educated, understanding, curious, objective and
respectful. School is one of the first environments in which students are prepared, through timely and appropriate
differentiation, to enter, participate and contribute to mainstream society.
Appendix

(1) Reasonable adjustments (NCCD, 2021)

An adjustment is reasonable if it:
 Supports a student with disability to participate in education on the same basis as
other students
 Takes into account the student’s learning needs
 Balances the interests, including safety, of all parties, such as the student with
disability, staff members and other students.
In deciding whether an adjustment for a student with disability is reasonable, all relevant
circumstances and information should be taken into account, including the:
 Impact of the disability on the student’s learning, participation and independence
 Views of the student with disability, or their associate, about their preferred
adjustment
 Impact of the adjustment on relevant parties, such as other students, staff members,
the student’s family and the education provider
 Costs and benefits of making the adjustment
 Need to maintain the essential requirements of the course or program.
Reasonable adjustments should be made as soon as possible, to maximise the benefits for
the student.
(2)

(3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6e2c0v4sBM&ab_channel=Vinheteiro
(4) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_jpe0_v2nAc&ab_channel=EarScienceInstituteAustralia)
(5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpKKYBkJ9Hw&ab_channel=danielperren
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