This document discusses vision and hearing impairments. It defines hearing impairments as problems with the ear and divides them into conductive, related to the outer and middle ear, and sensorineural, related to the inner ear or auditory nerve. Visual impairments refer to any vision loss and are divided into categories of severity. Causes of both types of impairments are discussed, as well as their prevalence. Common signs and symptoms are outlined along with assistive technologies and resources for individuals with impairments.

1. A closer look into vision and hearing
impairments.
By Jaime Rooks

2.  A hearing impairment is
when there is a problem
with or damage to one or
more parts of the ear.
 It is broken down into
conductive hearing loss
which is a problem with the
outer or middle ear,
including the ear canal,
eardrum, or ossicles.
Sensor neural hearing
impairments which results
from damage to the inner
ear (cochlea) or the
auditory nerve. The most
common type is caused by
the outer hair cells not
functioning correctly.

3.  Visual impairment is a term describing any kind
of vision loss. It may range from having partial
vision loss to not being able to see at all.
 It is broken down into low vision, legally blind
or totally blind.

4. Hearing
impairments
Conductive Hearing
*Ear infections
* Tear or hole in
ear drum
Can be caused by:
Sensor neural hearing
impairments
*Genetics
*Injuries
*Infections/Illnesses
Effects about 1 out
of every 10 people

5. Visual Impairments
Before Birth
Inherited
Infection
(like German
Measles)
Can be caused by
After Birth
Accident ( car or
sport usually)
Glaucoma
Macular
degeneration
Effects about 10
million people in
the United States
alone

6. • Uses loud voice when speaking.
• Does not respond when addressed.
•Distracted easily by visual or auditory stimuli.
• Lack of, or delayed in development of speech
and language

7. 1. Effects eye movement abilities
* Head turns as reads across page
* Displays short attention span while reading or
copying.
2. Eye teaming abilities
* Complains of seeing double
* Tilts head extremely while working at a desk.
3. Eye-hand coordination
* Repeatedly confuses left-right directions.
* Writes crookedly or slants on lined paper.

8. Visual impairments
 Reddened eyes or lids
 Frequent sties on lids.
 Eyes tear excessively
 Encrusted eyes
 One eye tilts in or out at any
time.

9. Braille Books
Magnification
system
Large print
text books

10. Hearing aids
Sign
interpreters
Sound field
amplification
system
Assistive
listening
devices
Cochlear
implants

11. Visual impairments
Visually Impaired
www.macular.healthprofessor.com
Vision impairment in children
www.comeunity.com/disabiity/vision/index.html
Visual Impairments: An overview
By: Ien Laurence Bailey & Amanda Ball
A look into our i’s
By: Jakeem Burell-EI
Hearing impairments
Listen up web- Resources for the deaf and hard of hearing.
www.listen-up.org
Children and hearing impairments.
www.articlesbase.com
When the hearing gets hard: Whining the battle against
hearing impairments. By: Elaine Suss
Hearing Impairments: An Invisible disability
By: Norman P. Erber
Resources

12. Light House
www.lighthouse.org
Local chapters of the American
Council of the Blind.
www.abc.org/affilliates/index.html
American Foundation for the blind.
www.afb.org

13. National Organization of the Deaf
www.nad.org
Hearing Loss Association of America
www.hearingloss.org
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
www.nc.agbell.org/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=348

14.  Children with Visual Impairments: A Guide for
parents.
By: M. Cay Holbrook.
 A Parents Guide to Special Education for
Children with Visual Impairments.
By: Susan Laventure.
 Kids Health
www.kidshealth.org/parent

15.  Deaf-Ability, not Disability: A Guide for the
Parents with Hearing Impaired Children.
By: Wendy McCracken & Hilary Sutherland
 Children with Hearing Loss: A Family Guide.
By: David Luterman

16. Visual Hearing
 Have classroom materials
transferred into his/her
appropriate reading medium
such as Braille or large print.
 Use real objects as much as
possible.
 Read aloud anything written on
the board.
 Allow the student(s) to move
flexibly in order to gain the best
view of the board.
 Use visual materials.
 Use of sigh language or a sign
interpreter.
 Modify the acoustical
environment.

17.  Low vision.com
www.lowvision.com/services/natural-resources/
 Teaching students with sensory impairments
Strategies for mainstream teachers.
http://www.trinity.edu/org/sensoryimpairments/VI/DIP/dip_toc.htm
 Kids health (hearing impairments)
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/hearing_impairment.html#
 Kids health (visual impairments)
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/visual_impairment.html
 Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
www.wikipedia.org
 Light house international
www.lighthouseinternational.org