Studying With a Hearing Impairment

A lecture hall can be a very different place for a deaf or hard of hearing student than it is for a hearing one. A professor who turns to write on the board while speaking, a lively discussion in which several people talk at once, a video without captions: each can turn what should be learning into an exercise in guesswork.

Yet with the right support, deaf and hard of hearing students succeed in every subject. The key is access to communication in the way that works best for the individual, planned in advance and respected by staff.

Hearing impairments and communication preferences vary enormously. This guide offers general information, not medical advice, and uses no figures. You are the expert on how you communicate, and the disability office can help you arrange support.

The range of experience

People with hearing impairments are a diverse group.

• Deaf people may use a signed language as their first language and identify as part of a Deaf community and culture.
• Hard of hearing people may use hearing aids or other technology, lipreading and speech, and may use captions.
• People with cochlear implants may have a range of listening experiences.
• Late-deafened people lose hearing later in life and may not use sign language.
• People with auditory processing differences may hear normally but find it hard to process speech in noise.
• Combined sensory needs, such as deafblindness, call for specialized support.

Some use sign language, some use speech, some use both. Always ask what each person prefers. Never assume.

Getting support

• Contact the disability office early, ideally many months before term. Interpreters and captioners can be hard to book, especially for expert subjects. Our guide to how to get accommodations at college explains the process.
• Provide documentation, such as an audiogram or a letter from an audiologist. Our guide to documentation for disability accommodations describes what is usually needed.
• Describe your communication preferences: sign language, captioning, lipreading, hearing technology or a combination.
• Ask about funding for equipment and services.
• Meet your interpreters or captioners in advance, if possible, and share course materials.

Support options

Ask which are available, and which suit you best. You can use more than one.

Technology

• Hearing aids and implants may connect to assistive systems. Ask the college about compatibility, and how to test it.
• Remote microphones worn by the speaker can improve clarity.
• Captioning tools, live and automatic, are widely available. Check accuracy, and ask for corrections, especially for technical terms.
• Video relay and text-based communication help with phone and online calls.
• Visual alerts for alarms and doorbells.
• Transcription apps can make conversations and meetings accessible.

In the classroom

Small habits make a difference.

• Sit where you can see the speaker, the interpreter and any screen.
• Ask instructors to face the class when speaking, and avoid speaking while writing or turning away.
• Ask for slides and handouts in advance.
• Ask for repetition of questions from the class, so that you can follow discussion.
• Use name cards or a speaking order in discussions.
• Ask for captions on videos.
• Ask for a quiet room, with good lighting and low echo.
• Use a note-taker or recordings with transcripts, so that you do not have to watch and write at the same time.
• Tell instructors what helps.

Group work and discussion

Group discussions can be the hardest settings.

• Ask for structured turn-taking.
• Use written summaries or shared documents.
• Arrange seating in a circle, so that everyone is visible.
• Use live transcription in meetings.
• Choose quiet meeting places.
• Ask peers to face you and speak one at a time.
• Follow up in writing to confirm decisions.
• Tell your group what works, where you feel comfortable.

If you use interpreters or captioners, plan for delays. Asking for pauses helps everyone.

Labs, fieldwork and practical work

Practical settings pose particular challenges, such as noise, safety instructions and demonstrations.

• Ask for written or visual instructions.
• Arrange interpreters or captioners for lab sessions, in the right positions.
• Check safety systems, such as visual alarms.
• Ask for demonstrations in a way that allows you to watch and then try, rather than both at once.
• Use technology for communication in noisy places.
• Discuss placements and fieldwork early with the program and the disability office.

Exams and assessment

• Extra time, where reading or processing is slower in a second language, such as English for sign language users.
• A quiet room with good lighting.
• Written instructions, and interpreters for oral instructions.
• Interpreted or captioned listening assessments, and alternatives where listening tests are not appropriate.
• Adjusted marking guidance for written English, where English is a second language.
• Alternative assessments for oral components.

Housing, safety and daily life

• Ask about visual or vibrating alarms, doorbells and fire alerts.
• Ask for a room that suits your needs and lighting.
• Tell housemates and residence staff how to get your attention.
• Check emergency procedures, and make sure that you can be alerted.
• Plan communication for services, such as health and administrative offices, with interpreters or text options.
• Learn campus services that offer accessible communication.

Community and identity

• Connect with other deaf and hard of hearing students. Peer groups and societies can offer friendship and advice.
• Explore Deaf community and culture, if you wish. Sign languages are full languages, and many deaf people have rich cultural traditions.
• Seek mentors, including graduates and professionals.
• Respect your own identity and communication choices, and those of others.
• Resist pressure to communicate in a way that does not work for you.

Wellbeing

Communication barriers can be tiring and isolating.

• Listening fatigue is real. Plan rest.
• Isolation can occur when conversations are inaccessible. Seek groups where communication works.
• Anxiety and low mood may follow.
• Speak up when situations are inaccessible, or ask someone to help.

Funding

Interpreters, captioning and equipment can be costly. Colleges and funding schemes often cover them. Check government support, college funds and charities.

A worked example

Imagine a deaf student who uses sign language and is starting a biology degree. Months before term, she contacts the disability office and requests interpreters and a note-taker. She sends her timetable and reading lists, and meets her interpreters to share vocabulary for her courses. The college arranges captioned recordings of lectures and a visual alarm in her room. For labs, interpreters are positioned near the demonstration, and instructors agree to give written steps. She joins a deaf student society and meets a mentor.

Advance planning and clear communication made her classes accessible.

Making online and hybrid study work

Online classes can be easier or harder, depending on captions, audio quality and platform design. Ask whether live captions are available, whether sessions are recorded with transcripts and how to request an interpreter in online sessions. Test the platform before term starts, and tell the disability office if problems arise.

Common mistakes

• Waiting until term starts to book interpreters or captioners.
• Relying on automatic captions alone for technical content.
• Not sharing course materials with interpreters.
• Not telling instructors what helps.
• Ignoring listening fatigue.
• Avoiding group work because it is hard.
• Not seeking peer support.

A quick checklist

• Have I contacted the disability office early?
• Have I stated my communication preferences?
• Are interpreters, captioners or note-takers booked?
• Do I have technology and housing arrangements?
• Do I have community and wellbeing support?

Final thoughts

Deaf and hard of hearing students succeed when communication is made accessible. Plan early, say what works for you and expect colleges to provide it. Use technology, support and community, and rest when listening is tiring. Your way of communicating is yours to choose.