Monday, March 26, 2012
Graph and Citation
This
graph shows several causes of hearing loss such as genetics, trauma, treatment
side effects, disease, and unknown factors. About fifty percent of hearing loss
is caused through genetics. Approximately one fourths of all hearing loss cases
are triggered by disease, trauma, or side effects to medications or treatments.
Hearing loss, such as mine, also can have an unknown cause. Hearing
loss can be caused by a combination of factors before birth and after. This
graph helps me analyze the different causes of hearing loss and helps me figure
out if a certain factor results in a certain level of hearing loss. This graph
helps explain the causes of hearing loss in a brief and simple way.
Research Memo
Hearing Loss Hypothesis
Given the proper technology, deaf or hard of hearing children can attend public
schools with their hearing peers. School has been a challenge for me my whole
life. Since I was diagnosed with hearing loss when I was five, I was given
extra help listening to instructions by teachers and hearing devices such as an
FM System. I know that other children in public schools within South Carolina
are not as fortunate as I am. Other children with hearing loss, struggle to
hear their teachers and their peers. How do children that are audibly impaired
adjust to public schools and what do public schools do the aid these children?
Using my research, I plan to answer this question. The audibly impaired
children within public schools will adjust to living conditions with hearing
people. I believe my research will show that public schools are trying their
best to give what is best for these children with hearing loss.
Context
School is difficult
enough for hearing students. Imagine how hard it is if you cannot hear what
teachers and instructors are telling you to do. My target audience was adults
who were either in school or had contact with those in school. I chose these people
to be my target audience because they have contact working in schools. They
might have had contact with a student with hearing loss. My results are valid
because I noticed similar trends throughout my results and summary of my data.
I did not have to change my questions or my target audience in the middle of
the survey. I did not change them because while people were taking my survey,
they did not ask for clarification on any of the questions. The results from these surveys will provide me
with the answers about how hard public schools are working to provide the extra
care that hearing impaired students need. Some questions that I asked in my
survey that provide me with the information that I need were “What are some
devices that you know of that can help a deaf person live on their own?” and
“Should a hard of hearing student have an interpreter attend class with them?”
The results from these questions provide me with the information needed.
Data Analysis
Almost everyone knows someone who is deaf or hard of hearing but few people
know how to communicate with them. Ninety six percent of people surveyed know
someone who is hard of hearing. Nearly half of the people surveyed knew someone
who has a cochlear implant, but only 8% of the people surveyed said that they
know how to sign fluently. Only 40% only know little sign language and would
not be able to carry a conversation with a person who signs fluently. This is a
problem because so many people know someone who has hearing loss but has no idea
how to communicate with them.
While at school, audibly disabled children are going to need extra help. Eighty
four percent of those who took my survey feel that teachers are heavily
responsible for these children and should help these children in school with
their work if necessary. Ninety six percent of people who took my survey
believe that if a child needs the assistance from an interpreter during
classes, they should have one. Those who took my survey believe that if a child
has an interpreter, this person should also help children who need assistance
at school.
Being hearing impaired, living on your
own is quite a challenge. Hearing impaired people are put at risks every day.
Audibly impaired children have to be taught strategies to live on their own. Ninety
six percent of who took my survey believes that the families of the hearing
impaired child should teach him/her how to live by themselves. Living on your
own while having hearing loss can become easier and easier after practice.
Everyone who took my survey is aware that hearing-impaired people are facing
troubles every day due to safety. Everyone agreed that if there is a fire, deaf
or hard of hearing people need to be aware of it. Also, hearing impaired
parents can often not hear their children crying which puts the children in
danger also. Since hearing impaired people are put at risks everyday when they
are alone, there are special devices made for these situations. According to my
surveys most hearing people do not know all of these devices that can help
audibly impaired people because they do not need them. Even though hearing
people do not need them, they are aware of some of these products that can
help. Most people are aware of notification systems. These systems can make
your lights blink if there is someone at your door, if the phone is ringing, if
there is a fire, and if there is a burglar. On televisions, there are optional
captions to turn on while watching television. Everyone surveyed agreed that
these devices can protect the hearing impaired and allow them to continue with
their everyday activities.
Conclusion
From the results of my surveys, I
have received a great deal of data that tie back to my hypothesis. These
results helped me determine whether I thought public schools within South
Carolina were doing enough to help the audibly impaired students. The results
have shown me that public schools in South Carolina are trying their best to
help the audibly disabled children. Teachers that took my survey states that
public schools allow those who need an interpreter to have one. They are helping these children by providing
them with what they need to be successful in school. My data is accurate
because I gave my surveys to those in public school and those that have worked
with public schools. Public schools in South Carolina are aiming to give their
best to the audibly impaired students to make sure that these children will
become victorious and successful.
Follow Up
After passing out surveys and receiving
helpful data to support my hypothesis, I plan on carrying out my research and
finding more. According to the results from my surveys, over half who took my
survey believe that it is a challenge to communicate with people with hearing
loss. Since over fifty percent of people who took my survey believe that it is
difficult to communicate with hard of hearing and deaf people, I wish to
educate people locally about how communicating with people with hearing loss is
not difficult. I also wish to educate these people ways to efficiently
communicate with people with hearing loss. To figure out the new questions that
these results have led to, I plan on researching online to find out the
answers. I plan on researching for educational articles written by those who are
experts in the field. I also plan on searching for documentaries that explain
the variety of hearing loss and teach those without hearing loss, how to
understand those with hearing loss. After I complete researching my topic, I
hope to understand why some people treat those who have hearing loss in a
negative way.
Hearing Impaired Survey Results
Question | Responses | Percentage |
Are you or do you know anybody who is hard of hearing? | 24/25 said yes | 96% said yes |
Are you or do you know anybody who is deaf? | 17/25 said yes | 68% said yes |
Do you have or do you know anybody who has a cochlear implant? | 12/25 said yes | 48% said yes |
Do you know sign language? | 2/25 said yes | 8% said yes |
Who do you think should help the audibly disabled children in public schools? | 20-Interpreter 16-Family 16-Friends | 80%-Interpreter 64%-Family 64%-Friends |
Who do you think should teach these children and teenagers to live on their own? | 23-Family 15-Teachers 10-Friends | 92%-Family 60%-Teachers 40%-Friends |
It is hard to communicate with hard of hearing or deaf people. | 14-True 11-False | 56%-True 44%-False |
Should a hard of hearing or deaf student have an interpreter attend class with them if they need it? | 24/25 said yes | 96% said yes |
What are some risk factors you can think of that a hard of hearing or deaf person will face living on their own? | Danger, Fire, Driving, Doorbell | _________ |
What are some devices that you know of that can help a hard of hearing or deaf person live on their own? | Captions, FM Systems, Hearing aids | _________ |
Hearing Impaired Survey Questions
What is your gender?
___ Male
___ Female
What is your age group?
___ 10-13
___ 14-15
___ 16-18
___ 19-21
___ 21+
Do you know anybody who
is hard of hearing?
___ Yes
___ No
Do you know anybody who
is deaf?
___ Yes
___ No
Do you know anybody who
has a cochlear implant?
___ Yes
___ No
Do you know sign
language?
___ Yes
___ No
___ Somewhat
Who do you think should
help the audibly disabled children in public schools? Order of Importance
___ Teachers
___ Family
___ Friends
___ Interpreter
Who do you think should
teach these children and teenagers to live on their own? Check all that apply
___ Government
___ Teachers
___ Family
___ Friends
___ Interpreter
It is hard to
communicate with hard of hearing and deaf people.
___ True
___ False
Should a hard of
hearing student have an interpreter attend class with them?
___ Yes
___ No
___ Depends
What are some risk
factors you can think of that a deaf or hard of hearing person will face living
on their own?
What are some devices
that you know of that can help a deaf person live on their own?
Essential Questions
Throughout my blog and my research, I wish to answer the following questions rationally and logically:
v How do children that are audibly impaired adjust to public schools and what do public schools do to aide these children?
v How are public schools helping children with hearing loss hear in their classes?
v What devices are given to students with hearing loss by public schools to help these students have an easier educational career?
v What are the success rates of students with hearing loss?
v How do these students learn compared to their peers?
v Who should help these children live on their own?
v What products are created to help children with hearing loss live on their own?
v How do these products benefit these children?
v How is communicating with people with hearing loss hard?
v Why do people feel communicating with a deaf or a hard of hearing person difficult?
v Should children with hearing loss be allowed in public schools? Why or why not?
What I Want To Find Out About My Topic
I was diagnosed with hearing loss at the
age of five and starting wearing hearing aids just before I started
kindergarten. I have always done well in school without too much difficulty.
This may not be true for every student with hearing loss. The essential
question that I hope to answer is, “How children that are audibly impaired adjust to
public schools and what public schools do to aide these children?” Within
the research and information that I find, I hope to answer specific questions
such as why people treat those with hearing loss differently. With different
ranges of hearing loss, I wish to find out what kind of technical devices are
available for the different ranges of hearing loss. Children being exposed
everyday to hearing peers can stir up emotional problems. I hope to use my
research to find what is being provided for the emotional problems these
children are given along with what types of challenges these children face. I
want to know the ways to make life easier for children with hearing loss.
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