Instructor’s Manual 13-1
13
SENSORY IMPAIRMENTS:
HEARING AND VISION LOSS
INSTRUCTOR OVERVIEW
Chapter 13 discusses the issues surrounding sensory impairment, specifically hearing and vision
loss. It is through our senses that we learn about the world that surrounds us. When individuals
experience loss of one or more senses, they must find ways of gaining information that may be
considered different, even difficult, by those without a loss sensory input. Characteristics, causes,
assessment, and intervention strategies for individuals with hearing loss and vision loss are
CHAPTER-AT-A-GLANCE
DETAILED
OUTLINE
TRADITIONAL
LEARNING
ONLINE
LEARNING
CEC
STANDARDS
13–1 A CHANGING ERA
IN THE LIVES OF
PEOPLE WITH SENSORY
DISABILITIES
p. 314–315
Learning Objectives:
13-1
Snapshot:
Tamika Catchings of the
WNBA
PowerPoint Slides:
Ch. 13
Test Bank:
Ch. 13
MindTap for Human
Exceptionality
• Chapter 13 Video Case:
Profound Hearing Loss in
Early Childhood: A
Speech–Language
Therapist Works with an
Individual Child
• Chapter 13 Quiz: Did You
Get It?
• Chapter 13 Quiz:
Wrapping It Up
13–2 DEFINITIONS AND
CLASSIFICATIONS OF
SENSORY DISABILITIES
p. 315–318
13–2a Hearing Loss / 13–2b
Vision Loss
Learning Objectives:
13-2
Snapshot:
Darran
PowerPoint Slides:
Ch. 13
Test Bank:
Ch. 13
MindTap for Human
Exceptionality
• Chapter 13 Quiz: Did You
Get It?
• Chapter 13 Scenario
(3 options):
o Infant Mahlia A
o Infant Mahlia B
o Infant Mahlia C
• Chapter 13 Quiz:
Wrapping It Up
1 Learner
Development
and Individual
Learning
Differences
6 Professional
Learning and
Ethical Practice
Instructor’s Manual 13-2
DETAILED
OUTLINE
TRADITIONAL
LEARNING
ONLINE
LEARNING
CEC
STANDARDS
13–3 CHARACTERISTICS
AND PREVALENCE OF
SENSORY DISABILITIES
p. 323–328
13–3a Characteristics of
Hearing Loss / 13–3b
Prevalence of Hearing Loss /
13–3c Characteristics of Vision
Loss / 13–3d Prevalence of
Vision Loss
Learning Objectives:
13-3
PowerPoint Slides:
Ch. 13
Test Bank:
Ch. 13
MindTap for Human
Exceptionality
• Chapter 13 Quiz: Did You
Get It?
• Chapter 13 Scenario
(3 options):
o Infant Mahlia A
o Infant Mahlia B
o Infant Mahlia C
• Chapter 13 Quiz:
Wrapping It Up
1 Learner
Development
and Individual
Learning
Differences
6 Professional
Learning and
Ethical Practice
13–4 CAUSES
ASSOCIATED WITH
SENSORY DISABILITIES
p. 328–331
13–4a Hearing Loss: Causes
and Risk Factors /
13–4b Vision Loss: Causes
and Risk Factors
Learning Objectives:
13-4
PowerPoint Slides:
Ch. 13
Test Bank:
Ch. 13
MindTap for Human
Exceptionality
• Chapter 13 Quiz: Did You
Get It?
• Chapter 13 Scenario
(3 options):
o Infant Mahlia A
o Infant Mahlia B
o Infant Mahlia C
• Chapter 13 Quiz:
Wrapping It Up
1 Learner
Development
and Individual
Learning
Difference
2 Learning
Environments
4 Assessment
13–5 IDENTIFICATION
AND ASSESSMENT OF
SENSORY DISABILITIES
IN CHILDREN AND
YOUTH p. 331–334
13–5a Assessment of Hearing
Loss / 13–5b Assessment of
Vision Loss
Learning Objectives:
13-5
PowerPoint Slides:
Ch. 13
Test Bank:
Ch. 13
MindTap for Human
Exceptionality
• Chapter 13 Quiz: Did You
Get It?
• Chapter 13 Scenario
(3 options):
o Infant Mahlia A
o Infant Mahlia B
o Infant Mahlia C
• Chapter 13 Quiz:
Wrapping It Up
6 Professional
Learning and
Ethical Practice
Instructor’s Manual 13-3
DETAILED
OUTLINE
TRADITIONAL
LEARNING
ONLINE
LEARNING
CEC
STANDARDS
13–6 INTERVENTIONS
AND TREATMENTS FOR
SENSORY DISABILITIES
FROM EARLY
CHILDHOOD THROUGH
ADULTHOOD p. 334–347
13–6a Intervention Strategies
for Youth Who Are Deaf or
Hard of Hearing / 13–6b
Intervention Strategies for
Youth Who Are Blind or
Have Low Vision
Learning Objectives:
13-6
Case Study On Embracing
Diversity:
Xeeb
Community Support For
Lifelong Inclusion:
People with Hearing and/or
Visual Loss
Learning Through Social
Media:
Experiences of People with
Sensory Impairments
Reflect On This:
Motor Skill Development for
Young Children with Vision
Loss
PowerPoint Slides:
Ch. 13
Test Bank:
Ch. 13
MindTap for Human
Exceptionality
• Chapter 13 Video Case:
Profound Hearing Loss in
Early Childhood: A
Speech–Language
Therapist Works with an
Individual Child
• Chapter 13 Quiz: Did You
Get It?
• Chapter 13 Quiz:
Wrapping It Up
2 Learning
Environments
4 Assessment
5 Instructional
Planning and
Strategies
LOOKING TOWARD A
BRIGHT FUTURE
p. 347–350
PowerPoint Slides:
Ch. 13
Test Bank:
Ch. 13
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Instructor’s Manual 13-4
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
CHAPTER/LECTURE OUTLINE
• 13-1 A CHANGING ERA IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH SENSORY
DISABILITIES
o In a world controlled by sight and sound, the ability to see and hear is a critical link to
our overall development and perspectives on the world.
• 13-2 DEFINITIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS OF SENSORY DISABILITIES
o 13-2a Hearing Loss
! People with a hearing loss are able to learn about the world around them in
any number of ways.
! The Hearing Process: Audition is the act or sense of hearing
! Definitions of Hearing Loss: May be defined according to the individual’s
sensitivity to sound intensity (measured in decibels) and sound frequency
o 13-2b Vision Loss
! The term vision loss encompasses people with a wide range of conditions,
including those who have never experienced sight, those who had normal
vision prior to becoming partially or totally blind, those who experienced a
gradual or sudden loss of acuity across their field of vision, and those with a
restricted field of vision.
Instructor’s Manual 13-5
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
o Muscle Disorders: nystagmus, strabismus, amblyopia
o Receptive Eye Problems: optic atrophy, retinitis pigmentosa, retinal
detachment, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
• 13-3 CHARACTERISTICS AND PREVALENCE OF SENSORY DISABILITIES
o Hearing loss usually gets worse over time and increases dramatically with age.
o 13-3a Characteristics of Hearing Loss
! Intelligence: The distribution of IQ scores for these individuals is similar to
that of hearing children.
! Speech and English Language Skills: Speech and English language skills are
the areas of development most severely affected for those with a hearing loss,
o 13-3b Prevalence of Hearing Loss
! Estimates of hearing loss in the United States go as high as 30 million people.
o 13-3c Characteristics of Vision Loss
! Intelligence: Reviews of the literature on intellectual development suggest that
children with vision loss differ from children with sight in some areas of
intelligence, ranging from understanding spatial concepts to a general
knowledge of the world.
o 13–3d Prevalence of Vision Loss
! Approximately 1 in 3,000 U.S. children is considered legally blind, while 3
percent of the total population (9 million people) have a significant vision loss
Instructor’s Manual 13-6
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
• 13-4 CAUSES ASSOCIATED WITH SENSORY DISABILITIES
o 13-4a Hearing Loss: Causes and Risk Factors
! A number of congenital (existing at birth) or acquired factors may result in a
hearing.
! Heredity: More than 200 types of deafness have been related to hereditary
factors.
o 13-4b Vision Loss: Causes and Risk Factors
! Vision loss may be associated with both genetic and acquired disorders.
Genetic disorders include albinism, retinoblastoma, micropthalmia, and so
• 13-5 IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF SENSORY DISABILITIES IN
CHILDREN AND YOUTH
o 13-5a Assessment of Hearing Loss
! Early detection of a hearing loss can prevent, or at least, minimize, the impact
o 13-5b Assessment of Vision Loss
! Early detection of vision loss is critical to maximize vision and minimize the
effects often associated with low vision.
! Prevention: Prevention of vision loss is one of the major goals of the field of
medicine.
• 13-6 INTERVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS FOR SENSORY DISABILITIES
FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH ADULTHOOD
o 13-6a Intervention Strategies for Youth Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
! Teaching Communication Skills: No single approach or combination of
approaches meets the needs of all children.
• The Auditory Approach: Emphasizes the use of amplified sound and
residual hearing to develop oral communication skills.
• The Oral Approach: Emphasizes the need for people with a hearing
Instructor’s Manual 13-7
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
o 13-6b Intervention Strategies for Youth Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision
! Education Strategies: When determining the appropriate educational
strategies for a student with a vision loss, an IEP team must also focus on how
the student utilizes any remaining vision (visual efficiency) in conjunction
with other senses.
! Academic Content: Mobility training and daily living skills are components of
an educational program that must also include an academic curriculum.
• LOOKING TOWARD A BRIGHT FUTURE
o In the United States, nearly 11 million people have an irreversible hearing loss and
9 million people have vision loss that will require some type of specialized services
and supports. For these individuals, life in the 21st century is very different than for
the generations that came before them. New research on effective education, health
DISCUSSION QUESTION STARTERS
1. What are the impacts of hearing loss on social activities?
2. How are social interactions similar or dissimilar among individuals with hearing loss?
3. What challenges with vision do you encounter each day?
4. How are intelligence, speech, language, social, orientation and mobility, and perceptual
motor development skills impacted by vision loss?
5. How do orientation and mobility barriers compound learning problems for individuals
with sensory impairments?
6. How can teachers make environmental changes in their classrooms to make the
Instructor’s Manual 13-8
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
IN-CLASS OR ONLINE ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS
ACTIVITY 1
INTRODUCTION: People with a hearing loss must adapt to their environments in order to be
successful in everyday life. Daily occurrences such as a ringing alarm clock, a knock at the door,
or a washing machine buzzing because it is out of balance can present challenges to individuals
with a hearing loss.
ACTIVITY: Instruct each student to interview an individual with a hearing loss to identify what
ACTIVITY 2
INTRODUCTION: Environmental factors such as loud music, excessive traffic, and airplane noise
can cause a hearing loss.
ACTIVITY: Assign students to identify noises in their environments (e.g., loud horns, loud videos,
live music) that can lead to hearing loss. Ask students to identify the long-term effects of these
ACTIVITY 3
INTRODUCTION: Students with a hearing loss have considerable difficulty succeeding in a system
that depends primarily on the spoken word and written language to transmit knowledge.
ACTIVITY: Using a barely audible sound stimulus, dictate a short quiz or important notes to the
class. In the follow-up discussion, elicit students’ reactions to this simulated activity.
ACTIVITY 4
INTRODUCTION: Some individuals with a hearing loss are inclined to seek others with hearing
problems for companionship, preferring to attend segregated facilities for the hearing impaired,
and often marrying individuals with a hearing loss. The inability to hear and understand speech
may be the reason that people with a hearing loss tend to become isolated.
ACTIVITY: Instruct each student to read a journal article and prepare a brief report that focuses on
social integration preferences of individuals with a hearing loss. The report might include
Instructor’s Manual 13-9
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
ACTIVITY 5
INTRODUCTION: Educational placement options for students with a hearing loss range from the
residential school to public school settings.
ACTIVITY: Divide the class into two groups. Assign one group to discuss the benefits of
segregated settings for students with hearing loss and the other group to discuss the benefits of
public school settings. Students should consider the following issues: the reactions of hearing
peers; curriculum adaptations; the academic and social skills of people who have a hearing loss;
ACTIVITY 6
INTRODUCTION: The four approaches used to teach communication skills to individuals with a
hearing loss include the auditory approach, the oral approach, the manual approach, and the total
communication approach.
ACTIVITY: Divide the class into four groups, and assign each group one of the approaches.
Instruct students to read journal articles and other descriptions on their assigned approaches to
investigate the extent to which each approach is used, its effectiveness, and the reasons
professionals advocate its use. Each group should be prepared to advocate the use of their
assigned approach in a class debate.
ACTIVITY 7
INTRODUCTION: Recent innovations—such as Kurzweil readers, Optacon Scanner, Mountbatten
Brailler, Laser Cane, Sonic Guide, and text telephones have expanded the educational and
leisure-time opportunities for individuals with a hearing or vision loss.
ACTIVITY: Provide students with an opportunity to see this equipment operate. Discuss how these
ACTIVITY: Ask students to research the source of disagreements around cochlear implants.
Afterward, have students present the views of each side in this debate. To extend this activity
further, invite a member of the deaf community to talk about the deaf culture.
ACTIVITY 9
INTRODUCTION: An audiologist conducts an audiometric evaluation to determine the degree of an
individual’s hearing loss. In addition, an audiologist is concerned with the sociological and
educational impact the hearing loss has on the individual.
Instructor’s Manual 13–10
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
ACTIVITY: Invite an audiologist to discuss an auditory evaluation with the class and demonstrate
the equipment used, if possible. Beforehand, have students develop a list of questions to ask the
audiologist, such as:
• At what age is an audiometric evaluation usually given?
• What is the difference between an evaluation for a child and for an adult?
ACTIVITY 10
INTRODUCTION: A segment of the population with a hearing loss is actively involved in
organizations specifically intended to meet their needs.
ACTIVITY: Assign students a county in the state or their home county to determine what
organizations provide support and assistance to individuals with a hearing loss. Instruct students
to use resources, including the organization’s website, to get more information on the services
that are provided.
ACTIVITY 11
INTRODUCTION: Vision is important as we strive to meet the demands of our physical
environment. Throughout the day, we depend on vision to complete even the simplest tasks.
ACTIVITY: Ask students to recall the activities of their day prior to coming to class, listing the
steps involved in events such as fixing breakfast, getting dressed, and so on. Identify aspects of
ACTIVITY 12
INTRODUCTION: Myths and stereotypes are associated with individuals who have vision loss.
These myths contribute to a general fear of blindness and, more directly, of those with significant
vision loss. Such misconceptions influence individual attitudes toward people with vision loss.
ACTIVITY: Elicit common myths or stereotypes from the students. Discuss possible attitudes
about individuals who have vision loss, such as: “I feel sorry for people who have vision loss.” “I
would be friends with a person with vision loss.” and “I am uncomfortable around people with
vision loss.” Using statements generated in class, develop a survey to determine common
stereotypes and attitudes that people hold concerning individuals with vision loss. Instruct each
Instructor’s Manual 13–11
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
ACTIVITY 13
INTRODUCTION: The term vision loss describes people with a wide range of educational, social,
and medical needs. Two general subcategories are used in defining levels of vision loss: blind
and partially sighted.
ACTIVITY: Invite an individual who is partially sighted and an individual who is blind to talk to
the class about their experiences. Ask the guests to discuss their thoughts on the differences
between being partially sighted and blind. Beforehand, develop a list of questions with the class
that would be appropriate to ask these individuals, such as:
• How much residual sight do you have?
• What accommodations have been made in your environment to assist you?
• What leisure-time activities do you enjoy?
ACTIVITY 14
INTRODUCTION: The parents of individuals with a hearing or vision loss are affected by their
children’s disabilities. As parents, they must make certain accommodations in their lifestyles and
environments to assist their children.
ACTIVITY: Invite parents of children with hearing or vision loss to speak to the class. In preparation,
develop with class members a set of questions that would be appropriate to ask, such as:
• What adaptations have you made in your home to assist your child?
• Have your family’s leisure-time activities changed?
• How have other children in the family adjusted to the child with a hearing or vision loss?
ACTIVITY 15
INTRODUCTION: A variety of educational options are available to students with hearing or vision
loss, ranging from placement in regular classes to residential schools.
VIDEO ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 1
VIDEO: The Hearing Video
VIDEO URL: http://www2.worksafebc.com/Publications/Multimedia/Videos.asp?reportid=34284
ACTIVITY: How the ears work, the causes of hearing loss, and interventions to reduce hearing loss
are explained in the The Hearing Video. Afterward, discuss with students questions such as:
• How do you think differently about the phrase “Lend me your ears” after watching?
• Why do you agree or disagree that hearing is more important than seeing?
Instructor’s Manual 13–12
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
ACTIVITY 2
VIDEO: Video Series: Hearing Assistive Technology
VIDEO URL: http://www.hearingloss.org/content/video-series-hearing-assistive-technology
ACTIVITY: The Hearing Loss Association of America has produced a series of videos of
technology systems beyond cochlear implants. Afterward, have students discuss which
technologies they feel are more helpful for children in school and which are more appropriate for
adults in workplace settings.
ACTIVITY 3
VIDEO: Vision Simulation Video
VIDEO URL: http://www.visionaware.org/info/your-eye-condition/eye-health/vision-simulation-
ACTIVITY 4
VIDEO: A Parent’s Perspective: Helping Your Child with Multiple Disabilities Engage with the
World Around Them
VIDEO URL: http://www.perkinselearning.org/videos/webcast/parents-perspective-helping-your-
ACTIVITY: The Perkins School for the Blind has created a series of professional developmental
videos as part of its credit process. One of these videos is from the perspective of Amber Bobnar,
a mother of a young boy with visual impairments. Afterward, discuss with students the strategies
Amber mentions for helping provide her son with as many tools as possible.
ACTIVITY 5
VIDEO: Accessible Instructional Materials in the Digital Classroom
VIDEO URL: http://www.perkinselearning.org/videos/webcast/accessible-instructional-materials-
ACTIVITY: The Perkins School for the Blind has created a series of professional developmental
videos as part of its credit process. One of these videos looks at how to make instructional
materials accessible for students who have vision disabilities. Afterward, discuss with students
which materials they were most interested in. What other ideas do they have for making
materials accessible for all students?
DEBATE FORUM
Living in a Deaf Culture
Deaf culture is a cultural group comprised of people who share similar and positive attitudes
toward deafness. The core deaf culture consists of those people who have a hearing loss and who
share a common language, values, experiences, and a common way of interacting with one
Instructor’s Manual 13–13
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
another. The broader deaf community is made up of individuals (both deaf and hearing) who
have positive, accepting attitudes toward deafness that can be seen in their linguistic, social, and
POINT
The deaf culture is a necessary and important component of life for many people who are deaf.
People who are deaf have a great deal of difficulty adjusting to life in a hearing world. Through
the deaf culture, they can find other individuals with similar problems, common interests, a
common language (American Sign Language), and a common heritage and culture. Membership
in the deaf culture is an achieved status that must be earned by the individuals who are deaf. The
COUNTERPOINT
Participation in the deaf culture only serves to isolate people who are deaf from those who hear.
A separate subculture unnecessarily accentuates the differences between people who can and
who cannot hear. The lives of people who are deaf need not be different from that of anyone else.
Children who are deaf can be integrated into general education schools and classrooms. People
who are deaf can live side by side with their hearing peers in local communities, sharing
common bonds and interests. There is no reason why they cannot participate together in the arts,
enjoy sports, and share leisure and recreational interests. Membership in the deaf culture will
TAKE A STAND
1. Do you think that all people who are deaf should become members of the deaf
culture? Explain your answer.
CASE STUDY FEEDBACK
Xeeb
1. What are some strategies Mr. Homem could use to help the Changs better understand the
general and special education system at Jefferson Elementary School?
Mr. Homem will need to collaborate with the Changs to keep them informed and active
participants in the school and on the IEP team. He could provide the Changs information
Instructor’s Manual 13–14
Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
2. How can Mr. Homem capitalize on Xeeb’s interests in the classroom?
Mr. Homem should have a variety of materials related to Xeeb’s interest so he can
explore and learn about interesting ideas as he learns how to communicate with others.
3. It is important to Mr. Homem that the Changs support his high expectations of Xeeb’s
success. What are some strategies he could use to help build a stronger understanding of
their son’s ability?
Mr. Homem could explain the four different approaches (auditory, oral, manual, and total
communication) to teaching communication skills to help the Changs understand how