Prepare, prepare, prepare!

Providing materials ahead of class makes it easier for student veterans with hearing loss to prepare for class, and captioning videos ensures that all students have access to the content.

These simple strategies help student veterans with hearing loss feel more connected, reduces anxiety, and provides support without singling them out, and are proven to benefit all students in the classroom.

Points to Consider

• For student veterans with hearing loss as mentioned in “instructional delivery style can make a difference”, using handouts or tangible materials may be part of the classroom learning style. 
  • Providing students with handouts can allow students with hearing loss relying on visual cues for learning information to have the important notes that would normally be written down, allowing them to keep their sight-line with their interpreter or for lip-reading. 
• Providing these handouts prior to the start of class, allows students with hearing loss to review them before class. 
  • They allow the student to have a hard copy of the notes in which they can notate spots that are not only important but also sections that they may have missed because of their hearing loss.
• Closed Captioning is an important component of ADA compliance.
  • CC is different than subtitles and are not always reliable when hitting the “cc” button on YouTube videos.
  • Disability services on all campuses, or the ADA 504 Compliance officer at all campuses should have resources for getting course material captioned.
  • All audio material should have CC prior to being shown in class and turned on regardless to if a student states they require them.
  • Not all students with hearing loss, especially veterans will disclose their disability, nor are they legally required to disclose the specifics of their disabilities. Therefore, there may be students in class that rely on CC who have not disclosed openly.
• CC is also beneficial to all students, as the audio material then becomes a visual material as well.

Online Considerations

• Make sure that all videos have appropriate captioning
  • Include directions to turning on captions if they do not automatically play with the video
• When possible, provide the PowerPoint or lecture slides ahead of time
• Prepare the student – help them build their digital literacy and autonomy 
  • One way to help students to prepare for navigating the online setting is to create an online scavenger hunt for your course shell
    • Students practice finding and using all components of the online portal as a way to help them prepare for their course requirements (consider it an extra credit assignment or introductory assignment to complete prior to class beginning)