RMTC-D/HHResource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Low Incidence, Big Impact -

Accessibility for Students Who Are D/HH can be UDL

for ALLISRD Winter Institute 2020

RMTC-D/HHResource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Working Collaboratively to Support the Education of Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing in Florida.

RMTC-D/HHResource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Providing: ● Professional Development● On-Site Observation & Consultation● On-Site Training & Technical Assistance● Free-Loan Media & Materials Library

○ Captioned and Signed Videos for Students and Staff○ Professional Development Resources and Materials

● Evaluations/Assessments● Information & Referral● Resources! Resources! Resources!

Statewide Resource Center

Services and Materials from RMTC-D/HH are provided by request and at no charge

Sherry Conrad, Deaf Education & Training Specialist

Mark Keith, Parent Training Specialist

Scott Walsh, Deaf Education & Training Specialist

Laura McDonaldAdministrative

Assistant

Carmelina Hollingsworth

Program Director

RMTC-D/HH Team

Cara Wilmot, Deaf Education &

Training Specialist

Candace McIntire, Deaf Education & Training Specialist

Nancy McFalls, Deaf Education & Training Specialist

Get Social With Us

@rmtcdhh

@rmtcdhh

RMTC-DHH

RMTC-D/HH

RMTC-DHH

#RMTCDHH

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:• identify supports and services benefitting not

only students who are D/HH, but many populations of students with and without disabilities;

• identify barriers to auditory access and provisions for improving the signal-to-noise ratio; and

• explain the benefits of utilizing captions with all students.

Equitable Access

What do you hear?

Was it a horse or a zebra?

Stats on Individuals who are D/HH (NIDCD)

• 2-3 of every 1,000 babies are D/HH in one or both ears

• 90% are born to hearing parents• 37.5 million people 18+ report trouble

hearing• About 28.8 million adults could benefit from

amplification

Deaf Lens

Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TODHH)

Teachers for students who are D/HH are

ZEBRA EXPERTS.

Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss

Don’t just plan, DESIGN for ALL!

Optimizing Outcomes

Colorado System for Student Success: Services to Students who Have Hearing Loss

UDL vs. Accommodations

• Accommodations ensure accessibility for a specific person• Supported by IDEA and Section 504 of the

Rehabilitation Act (ADA)• Assistive Technology is the term for the

tools students use to have access• “UDL is a way to make learning more

attainable for all students…” (Missouri State)

Universal Design for Listening

(ASHA)

Listening Environment Impacts Learning

• 1 in 6 words is not understood by the average first grade student

• Students who are most challenged by excessive noise and reverberation are under the age of 13

• Noisy classrooms lead to giving up faster when faced with learning challenges.

• Noise impacts: speech perception, attention, behavior, overall classroom performance.

• 1-year drop in grade equivalent achievement scores for every 10 dB increase in traffic noise

• Teachers - 20x the risk of average workers for permanently damaging their voices.

Listening Environment Impacts Learning

Universal Design

Universal Design for LEARNING

Universal Design for LISTENING

Ensures information is perceptible

Ensures the auditory signal is accessible to all students

who use auditory information

Provides information through different modalities or

representations

Provides multiple supports for auditory access

Ensuring Auditory Access

• Classroom Acoustics• Common Noise Disturbances• Classroom Amplification• Monitoring

Classroom Acoustics

• 1-5% of the construction budget• ANSI Classroom Acoustics Standard

• Reduce reflected sound - ceiling tiles, carpeting, absorbent wall materials

• Reduce noise through walls - adding insulation and closing gaps

• Reduce HVAC Noise - centralized system and handlers

Common Noise Disturbances

Problem: Echoes/reverberationsSolution(s): • Add sound absorbing materials to the room

such as curtains, carpeting, acoustic ceiling tiles, or

• incorporate flexible seating options like bean bags, fabric-covered seats, etc.

Common Noise Disturbances

Problem: Road traffic outside the classroomSolution(s): • Install sound-absorbing or canceling

windows or • install acoustic wall materials or use

sound-absorbing fabric on walls for decoration.

Common Noise Disturbances

Problem: Group activity noiseSolution(s): • Strategically move groups around the room, • use assistive listening technology, • create groups with varying noise

permissions, or • use classroom behavior management for

setting noise expectations while in groups.

Problem: Hallway noiseSolution(s): • Keep classroom door closed, • use sound dampening around door, • schedule your direct whole-group instruction

around hallway movement times (if possible), or

• use RmHAT (Remote Hearing Assistance Technology).

Common Noise Disturbances

Problem: Noise from adjacent classroomsSolution: • Consider co-planned scheduling with

teacher of adjacent room, or• use sound dampening on adjoining

doors.

Common Noise Disturbances

Problem: Noise from HVAC unitSolution:• When building new schools, use centralized

HVAC unit, or• turn off classroom system during instruction

and directions.

Common Noise Disturbances

Problem: Classroom noise from items such as fish tanks, music, pencil sharpeners, etc.Solution: • Remove noise sources,• don’t use/turn off during instruction,• strategically place students away from

noise sources, or• allow students to move around

Common Noise Disturbances

Problem: Adult conversationsSolution: • Be aware of your surroundings,• turn off the microphone to the rmHAT,

or• move to an area away from students.

Common Noise Disturbances

Classroom Amplification

• Personal amplification• sound goes directly to student• can be worn on one or both ears• paired with transmitter (microphone)

or worn to amplify all sounds• FM/DM systems can be connected to

tertiary electronic devices

Classroom Amplification

Personal Classroom Amplification

(Courtois, et. al., 2015)

Like Real Estate, it’s about LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

(Mayer-Wait, n.d.)

FM Simulation

Video at 4:21

• Whole-class amplification• improves teacher voice loudness• improves teacher voice health• allows students to hear more efficiently• amplifies both consonants and vowels

equally and appropriately - talking loud doesn’t

Classroom Amplification

RmHAT Implementation

RmHAT Best Practices

• Repair Plan - it WILL get broken• Replacement Plan - it WILL get lost• Batteries - who provides?• Routine Maintenance• Daily use routines

• Microphone Placement• Substitute use

• Student seating arrangements• Who is responsible for ensuring that a student’s hearing

assistive technology (HAT) is working properly?

And...You Want to Look Cool…#BeLikeCara #BeLikeElvis

It’s not always about

being able to hear.

The Importance of Visual Access

ActionDeafness Posters

● Available for purchase on their website

● Great reminder for peers and staff

● Reminders for students to use skills learned from Expanded Skills Standards

Visual Access to the Teacher

Students need direct, unencumbered access to the teacher during instruction. • Avoid backlit conditions

• interactive boards• windows• bright light sources

• Be familiar with and avoid visual barriers• Gain students’ attention before giving

directions or instruction• DeafTEC resources on visual access

Increase Quality Accessible Visuals

Described and Captioned Media Program

https://dcmp.org/

Media & Materials Loan Library

https://www.rmtcdhh.org/resources/

ASL Stories - GA CATS

ASL Apps - VL2 Lab

Student Friendly Definitions

Vocabulary Simple English Dictionaries● Heinle’s Newbury House of American English ● Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English ● Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary

Visual Dictionaries● Visuwords● Merriam-Webster's Visual Dictionary

ASL Dictionaries● Georgia Center for Accessible Technology in Sign (CATS) -

SmartSign Dictionary● Lifeprint● DeafTEC ASL STEM● Signing Savvy

Math Visual Dictionaries● A Math Dictionary for Kids● Math is Fun

Split Screen ASL Dictionary and Text

Which is the best ASL dictionary? - FAQ for that!

AbleNet Action Dictionary

But wait! There’s more!

• Whenever possible, add visual supports • Realia - actual items for students to

touch, feel, interact with, related to the lesson

• Photos, diagrams, icons• Videos• Role models/examples

Have you ever?

Rev Closed Captioning ServicesFacebook Post

Have you ever?

Rev Closed Captioning ServicesFacebook Post

Captions Can:

• improve reading and listening comprehension,

• help students acquire new vocabulary,• enhance word recognition and decoding

of words,• reinforce spelling and grammar and,• provide overall enjoyment of reading

Captioning Research

(Griffin, 2015)

Captioning

• Supports comprehension of dialogue• Provides clarity for the viewer• Makes it possible to watch videos in

sound-sensitive environments• Users report a better experience• Improves reading skills at all ages and

abilities

YouTube Automatic Caption Accuracy

“YouTube automatic captions typically provides about 60-70% accuracy, which means that 1 in 3 words can be wrong. This accuracy rate will be improved with good audio quality and simple content, but worsens when there is background noise, accents, or multi-syllable words.”

RMTC-D/HH Captioning Resources

https://www.rmtcdhh.org/captioning-media/

Hot topics in the education of Florida’s students who are D/HH

HOT TOPIC: Language

HOT TOPIC: Accessible Assessments

Accessible Assessments FAQ

There’s a FAQ for

that!

D/HH Research-Based Practices

How Many Evidence-Based Interventions/Curricula?

• Fairview Learning• Foundations for Literacy• Fingerspelling Our Way to Reading• Visual Phonics• Explicit Contextualized Vocabulary

Instruction for Students who are D/HH

• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons with Visual Phonics

RMTC-D/HH Research-Based Interventions Doc

Academic Progress Monitoring for Students Who are D/HH

• Avenue PM - Early Language, Reading and Writing tasks in ASL and English

• Easy CBM - math and comprehension• Signed Reading Fluency by Easterbrooks

and Huston• Word knowledge checklists

• Dolch Words• Fairview Adapted Dolch Word mastery

• Intervention Central• ChartDog Graph Maker• Dolch Wordlist Fluency Generator• Letter Name Fluency Generator• Math Worksheet Generator• Reading Fluency Passage Generator

HOT TOPIC: Quality Programs

Page 79

HOT TOPIC: Eligibility

It all starts with MTSS

… or does it?

MTSS and D/HH

Rule 6A-6.0331 Florida Administrative Code• (1) Schools must provide a multi-tiered system of

supports• EXCEPT - “The general education interventions...may

not be required for students suspected of having a disability if a team that comprises qualified professionals and the parent determines that these general education interventions are not appropriate for a student who demonstrates a speech disorder or severe cognitive, physical or sensory disorders, or severe social/behavioral deficits that require immediate intervention to prevent harm to the student or others.”

F.A.C § 6A-6.0331

HOT TOPIC: Specially Designed Instruction

Expanded Skills for D/HH

Expanded Skills: PK-5 (#7763090) Expanded Skills: 6-8 (#7863070) Expanded Skills: 9-12 (#7963040)

Who teaches Expanded Skills?

Speech and Auditory Training for D/HH

Speech and Auditory Training: PK-5 (#7763020) Speech and Auditory Training: 6-8 (#7863020) Speech and Auditory Training: 9-12 (#7963180)

Who teaches Speech/Auditory Training?

HOT TOPIC: Least Restrictive Environment

Support Facilitation

LRE or MRE?

“Sometimes in an effort to meet the letter of the law and place a deaf or hard of hearing child with

students who are not disabled, there can be an unintended consequence of a MRE - Most

Restrictive Environment - when their LRE really would be better served if it stood for language-rich

environment.” (Edwards, 2012)

HOT TOPIC: Critical Shortages

● NOT just ToDHH● SLP● TVI● Audiologist● OT● PT● Psychologist*

(especially those with the unique knowledge of sensory disabilities)

● Basically all areas of ESE

*Your district can reach out to FSDB for support

Job Posting with RMTC-D/HH

Wakulla Model

Recruitment & Retainment:• Hired a ToDHH out of

field.• RMTC-D/HH coached

and provided training in order to become “Hearing Impaired K-12” certified.

• Learned ASL through FSDB online classes.

NEFEC Model

Recruitment• NEFEC hired a ToDHH

to serve three rural districts in the panhandle.

• Each district pays the FTE to NEFEC.

• RMTC-D/HH is coaching the ToDHH.

New ToDHH PLC

Retainment:RMTC-D/HH offers a year-long professional learning community for new teachers of students who are D/HH to the state of Florida in the field of deaf education.

Itinerant ToDHH Book Study

Retainment:Weekly collaboration

with others in the field of deaf education to

learn more about working as or with an itinerant teacher for

students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Online PD Opportunities

• Asynchronous• No cost for participants• Can be submitted for

professional development points (check with your district first)

FAQ: Where can a parent or staff member learn ASL?

Need More Information?

candace.mcintire@rmtcdhh.org

https://www.rmtcdhh.org/tech-notes-archive/

Old Deaf Town Road

Now...

RMTC-D/HHResource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Please fill out our Survey

http://bit.ly/RMTCEval

rmtcdhh.org800-356-6731

info@rmtcdhh.org

ISRD 2020

ReferencesAdvanced Bionics. (2018). Ling 6 Sound Test Retrieved from

https://advancedbionics.com/content/dam/advancedbionics/Documents/libraries/Tools-for-Toddlers/tools-for-parents/The-Ling-Six-Sound-Check.pdf

ANSI/ASA S12.60 PART 1. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://global.ihs.com/doc_detail.cfm?&rid=ASA&input_doc_number= &input_doc_title= &item_s_key=00585043

ANSI/ASA S12.60 PART 2. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://global.ihs.com/doc_detail.cfm?&rid=ASA&input_doc_number= &input_doc_title= &item_s_key=00566066

American National Standard on Classroom Acoustics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/american-national-standard-on-classroom-acoustics/

Colorado system for student success: Services to students who have hearing loss. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.nasdse.org/Portals/0/Documents/DHHlevelsofsupportCOMODEL-integrated.pdf

DeafTEC. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.deaftec.org/classact/challenges/environment/lighting

DeafTEC. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.deaftec.org/classact/challenges/communicationDisability Discrimination. (2012, October 10). Retrieved from

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/rights/guid/ocr/disability.html

ReferencesIs there a timeline for replacement of amplification equipment? (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://rmtcdhh.org/Kosiken, R., R. Wilson, and C.J. Jensema, “Closed-Captioned Television: A New Tool for

Reading Instruction.” Reading World May 1985: 7.Menu. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/Quick Statistics About Hearing. (2018, October 05). Retrieved from

https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearingRehabilitation Act of 1973 (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title20/pdf/USCODE-2011-title20-chap33-subchapI-sec1401.pdf

Universal Design for Learning vs. Individual Accommodations (2006). Retrieved from https://www.missouristate.edu/assets/disability/UDLIndivAccomm.pdf