Why this matters:

• School is about much more than completing classwork. Students need to listen to instructions, take part in discussions, build friendships, ask questions and understand what is happening around them throughout the day. For most hearing students, much of this information is picked up automatically through conversations, announcements and background communication. For a deaf or hard-of-hearing student, accessing the same information can require much more concentration and may depend on things such as where people are standing, background noise, visual access, captions or other communication supports. When these things are not considered, it can affect not only learning, but also confidence, friendships and a student's sense of belonging. 

Being Deaf or hard of hearing at school can be extremely challenging, especially when there is limited awareness and understanding of deafness within the school community. Regardless of a student’s year level or school, difficulties can arise for both students and teachers. Some of the challenges students may experience include:

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COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES:

Communication barriers are one of the biggest challenges in schools. Many Deaf and hard-of-hearing students rely on lip-reading, Auslan, interpreters or a combination of communication methods. This can make many classroom activities difficult, especially when teachers have limited knowledge and understanding of deafness.

Some practices that can make communication difficult include:

• Teachers turning away while speaking, such as when writing on the whiteboard or moving around the classroom

• Fast-paced discussions that make it difficult for the student or interpreter to keep up

• Group discussions in which it is difficult to follow who is speaking and when

• Limited awareness that some younger Deaf and hard-of-hearing students may have smaller English vocabularies or require additional language support. This is not because they are less intelligent; it may be because they have had less access to spoken language or accessible communication during their early development.

Communication barriers can significantly affect the experiences of Deaf and hard-of-hearing students. These barriers can make it difficult for them to:

• Create and maintain friendships

• Participate in conversations

• Follow classroom discussions

• Access important information

As a result, students may feel isolated, upset, excluded or separated from their peers. They may miss large amounts of information, not because of their intelligence or ability to learn, but because the information has not been provided in an accessible way.

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CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT BARRIERS:

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students may experience delays in receiving information, particularly when it needs to be:

• Interpreted

• Captioned

• Transcribed at a later time

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students who have not had consistent access to an accessible language may experience language-development delays. This is caused by limited language access, not reduced intelligence or an inability to learn.

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Students may also be expected to complete several visual tasks at once, including:

• Watching an interpreter

• Watching the teacher

• Looking at a slideshow or video

• Taking notes

It is unreasonable to expect a student to do all these things simultaneously while also using additional concentration and listening effort to understand what is being said. Teachers should slow down, provide regular pauses and give students enough time to process the information.

Classrooms can be very noisy because of conversations, excitement and general activity. This background noise can make it difficult for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students to understand speech and participate in conversations. Background noise and poor acoustics can be especially challenging for students who use hearing devices.

Other environmental barriers include:

• Poor lighting

• An obstructed view of the teacher or interpreter

• Unsuitable seating positions

• Several people speaking at the same time

Ideally, only one person should speak at a time. However, classrooms are often noisy and fast-paced, making it difficult for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students to follow discussions. Together, these factors can create significant barriers to classroom learning.

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SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL IMPACTS:

Communication barriers can contribute to anxiety, stress and feelings of isolation among Deaf and hard-of-hearing students. As a result, students may:

• Avoid speaking in class because of communication anxiety

• Struggle to follow fast-paced conversations

• Feel self-conscious if their speech is affected

• Find it difficult to create and maintain friendships

• Feel excluded from conversations and classroom activities

These experiences can reduce a student’s participation in class, even when they understand the topic being discussed. Improving communication practices and making classroom information accessible can help Deaf and hard-of-hearing students feel included, confident and supported in their learning.