SNED 112 LEARNERS WITH SENSORY AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
M | Lesson 1
What is Hearing Impairment?
Learning Outcomes:
▪ Explain the nature, causes, and characteristics of hearing impairment
Time Frame: Week 1
Introduction The lesson focuses on developing your understanding of hearing
impairment as a disability—what causes it and how it differs from individual to
individual. In the course of the lesson, expect to learn the basic anatomy of the ear
that is responsible for hearing. You will also learn new terms that are commonly
used when describing the disability. You have 1 week to complete this lesson and
demonstrate the intended learning outcome stated above. I know you are set to
dive in; so, let’s do just that!
Instructions: Do the steps to complete the activity.
Step 1: Read the poem (Figure 1), The Sound Collector by Roger McGough
Step 2: List all the object/people and the sound each makes as they are
mentioned in the poem. For instance,
Step 3: In one word, name what is common among the items in your list?
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Figure 1 The Sound Collector (McGough )
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Instructions: Angela has questions which she needs answers to. You will answer
them for her. Write and explain your answers in the text boxes provided.
Figure 2 Angela's Questions
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To obtain an understanding of hearing impairment as a disability requires that we
study the concepts of hearing and hearing loss. This implies a study on the
nature, causes, and characteristics of hearing impairment. Refer to the visual
representation below to make sense of the scope of the lesson.
Hearing
Impairment
Nature Causes Characteristics
The Nature of Hearing Impairment
We need a review of the anatomy of the ear and the process of how we hear to
understand the nature of hearing impairment. It is also essential that we become
familiar with certain terms that are associated to the condition. Let’s move
forward and start the discussion.
• The Anatomy of the ear. Mainly the ear’s three basic parts are identified as
outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. Notice that each part is made up of
collective components. Examine Figure 3 in detail to determine what parts of the
ear are classified into outer, middle, and inner ear. It is important to note that
each part of the ear performs specific functions. The outer ear is responsible in
channelling the sound into the inner parts. The middle ear primarily transmits the
incoming sound as sound vibrations into the inner ear. As a result, the tiny hair
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cells in the cochlea are stimulated to create nerve impulses. These are later
channelled to the brain for message decoding through the auditory nervous
system.
Figure 3 Anatomy of the Ear (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
• The Process of Hearing. You might be wondering whether your answer to
the question, “What makes us hear sound?” is close. Let us explore the
concept of hearing further. In a nutshell, as cited in (Gargiulo, 2009),
Herer, Knightly, & Steinberg (2007) explained that we hear sounds
because a series of energy conversions had occurred (Figure 4). When an
objects vibrate, acoustic energy is produced. The latter is transformed into
mechanical energy once it gets into the middle ear. Moreover, mechanical
energy is later transformed into neural energy in the inner ear. Neural
energy is then decoded into the kind of sound we hear. For instance, the
brain would decode that the sound heard is that of a piano playing. It is
important to learn that the characteristics of the sound we hear is to some
degree dependent on how well energy is converted from acoustic through
neural energy.
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Figure 4 How Hearing Takes Place
• Terms and Vocabulary. As previously mentioned, studying the nature of
hearing impairment also compels familiarizing specific terms and
vocabularies. The terms that are included are only few of the vast
collection of terms and vocabularies in this topic.
a. Impairment “is any loss, diminution or aberration of psychological,
physiological, or anatomical structure or function” (National Council for the
Welfare of Disabled Persons, 2005)
b. Persons with hearing impairment are “those with auditory disabilities
ranging from mild to profound hearing loss” (National Council for the
Welfare of Disabled Persons, 2005)
c. Hearing loss indicates a condition of having lost some form of hearing.
d. Hard of hearing refers to an individual who “has a significant loss of
hearing sensitivity but… can hear sounds, respond to speech and other
auditory stimuli with or without the use of a hearing aid” (Capulong, 2007)
p. 205
e. deaf refers to an individual who “cannot use hearing to listen,
understand speech and communicate orally without special adaptations
mainly in the visual mode” (Capulong, 2007) p. 205
e. Deaf, when used “with a capital D, refers to those individuals who want
to be identified with Deaf culture” (Gargiulo, 2009) p. 397
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The Causes of Hearing Impairment
Figure 5 presents an overview of the causes of hearing impairment. This should
clarify whether your answer to the question, “Is it possible that I lose my ability to
hear?” is correct. But more importantly, you should be able to use your basic
knowledge on this topic toward an understanding of the learner and the
educational programs and supports he/she needs.
Figure 5 Causes of Hearing Impairment
The information above emphasizes that hearing impairment may be inherited and
or acquired before, during, and after birth, and even later. Figure 3 classifies the
causes of hearing impairment as genetic, developmental, environmental, and
viral or bacterial. Atresia, an example of developmental abnormality, is a disorder
during early pregnancy. During this time, the ear of the fetus fails to develop
physiologically. It is often characterized by the closure of the outer ear and
malformation of the middle ear.
Obtaining an understanding of the causes of hearing impairment is essential
information. However, to fully understand the nature of hearing impairment, the
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condition must be perceived from a range of variability, including the context of
age of onset, and the classification and degree of hearing loss. This brings our
discussion to the next sub-topic.
The Characteristics of Hearing Impairment
In this section, we will discuss the characteristics of hearing impairment in terms
of (a) age of onset, (b) classification of hearing impairment, and (c) degree of
hearing loss. As previously stated, understanding hearing impairment means
obtaining variable information
• Age of Onset. When we characterize hearing impairment in terms of age
of onset, we describe whether hearing loss has occurred before or after
the individual has developed speech. In this case, we use the terms
prelingual and postlingual. The characteristics of prelingual hearing
impairment stresses on the fact that hearing impairment occurred before
speech and language have developed (Gargiulo, 2009). Postlingual
hearing impairment, on the other hand, refers to a hearing impairment
which occurred after an individual develops speech and language
(Gargiulo, 2009). This is likely the case for those who acquired hearing
loss due to infections and or traumatic environmental factors. For instance,
prolonged use to high volume headphones is traumatic to the ear and can
cause hearing impairment.
• Classification of Hearing Impairment. You can also describe hearing
impairment based on the part of the ear with the disorder. You may know
of someone with conducive hearing loss. This is a characteristic of hearing
loss which is caused by a blockage between the outer and the middle ear
(e.g., atresia). However, if the disorder is in the inner ear, hearing
impairment is classified as sensorineural. The person may not hear or may
hear distorted sound in this condition. The classification, mixed hearing
loss, on the other hand, is the combined condition of conducive and
sensorineural hearing loss. In the case of a disorder occurring in the
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central nervous system, the classification is considered central auditory
disorder (Gargiulo, 2009).
• Degree of Hearing Loss. You might have heard of the term profound
hearing loss. This is an example of classifying hearing loss according to
the degree or loudness of hearing. The classification is determined by
decibels (dB), a measure of the “psychological sensation of loudness”.
Figure 6 Audiogram (Wikimedia Commons, 2018)
Figure 6 represents an audiogram. Note that an individual with a hearing
loss of 0 to 25 would classify as normal. How much hearing loss in dB
would classify as profound, severe, moderate, and mild? You should be
able to obtained the answers from the audiogram.
Moreover, the “speech banana” as depicted in Figure 6 implies that at 60
dB hearing loss, speech would be likely inaudible. Hence, an individual
with moderate hearing loss may need for speech to be louder to hear.
What other assumptions about the degree of hearing loss can you glean
from the data in the audiogram?
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End-of-Lesson Objective Check: Angela has developed a new understanding
about hearing impairment. She feels she can now explain the basic concepts.
Complete each statement in the callouts to match Angela’s possible explanation
with your own. Write your explanation on the space provided.
Figure 7 Let's Compare Notes with Angela
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Awesome finish! You now have a basic understanding about hearing impairment.
Particularly, you are able to:
a. explain the nature of hearing impairment
b. explain the causes of hearing impairment
c. explain the characteristics of hearing impairment
Figure 8 M1 Lesson 1 Outline
Your newly acquired knowledge about hearing impairment prepares you to gain
understanding on the schooling experience of the learners with hearing
impairment. Turn the page to begin Lesson 2.
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