Overcoming Obstacles with Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Visually Impaired Students

“The state-mandated closure of public school buildings in mid-March because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic caused districts across Ohio to scramble to adjust to new platforms for online learning.”

At Ohio State School for the Blind, a technology rollout was enacted much sooner than originally planned to guarantee students access to online learning, and teachers access to their students while working from home.

Teachers, such as Ron Heath, have been striving to ensure all needs are met for their students, including those with other disabilities. According to Principal Michelle Wagner, “Some [students] also qualify for occupational, physical and speech therapy, which are being offered via teletherapy, texting or phone calls, in whatever format works best for families”.

The Ohio School for the Deaf has faced similar challenges. Deaf students rely largely on their sight to take in information. For this reason, online learning can become fatiguing for students shifting their attention between teachers, classmates, and content that is presented.

Morgan Sipka, the middle school social studies teacher: “‘We can all communicate on an equal playing field.’ Sipka said she records videos for her students and delivers instruction via live Zoom meetings. She takes extra time to make sure what she’s signing is visible when recording a video, hanging a sheet as a background and ensuring the room has good lighting.”

Click here for the full article: https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20200530/virus-adds-obstacles-for-learners-at-state-schools-for-blind-deaf-in-columbus

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