Abstract

Due to the rising number of mainstreamed students who are deaf or hard of hearing (Eriks-Brophy et al., 2006, p. 55), it is essential for all educational professionals to be adequately prepared in order to successfully include these students into their schools. The purpose of this study was to understand the knowledge, familiarity, and collaborative efforts of educational professionals (specifically, general education teachers, speech-language pathologists, and educational audiologists) regarding a range of services. The services included teaching strategies; physical classroom modifications; and the use of assistive technology – needed for mainstreamed elementary-aged children who are deaf or hard of hearing. To accomplish this quantitative research, survey methods were used to investigate these educators’ training; experience; familiarity; perceptions; implementation; and collaboration. Qualitative research methods were used to provide detailed explanations regarding the accommodation process. The results indicated that Education Audiologists were knowledgeable and had much experience with students who are deaf or hard of hearing and felt confident in their ability to provide accommodations, while General Education Teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists felt they needed to know more about the necessary accommodations. General Education Teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists were also unfamiliar with basic concepts/issues of many audiology treatment topics. In addition, Educational Audiologists felt they met consistently with General Education Teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists; however, these two professionals reported that they rarely collaborated with Educational Audiologists.

Advisor

Goldberg, Donald

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Keywords

Mainstream, deaf or hard of hearing, educational audiology, deaf education, professional collaboration

Publication Date

2022

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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