The National Deaf Center of Postsecondary Outcomes reports that 1.3% of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) are more likely to take college courses online than students without hearing issues.
Why it matters
Online courses allow DHH students to set up their own accommodations, such as online captioning and ASL interpreters.
Reality check
Still, there are challenges for DHH students in online courses, including difficulty following lectures and feeling isolated.
It can be difficult enough to learn new concepts and absorb information even when students can clearly understand every word their teacher is saying…this can be even more difficult—especially without the right accommodations. Without those, these students can struggle to follow along with lectures or understand instructions to assignments. —Healthy Hearing Foundation
Communicating with peers outside of class can also be challenging, making collaborating on assignments harder. Feelings of isolation can lead to anxiety and depression.
Answers
Compared to high school, where teachers and staff typically take the lead, college students over 18 are legally adults and must take responsibility for getting the services they need.
- DHH students should communicate their needs to their college’s disability office before classes start.
- Ask the disability office how to network with other students with similar challenges.
- Remote online students should be particularly proactive about establishing necessary accommodations since they cannot access on-campus resources.
- Use teleconferencing apps like Zoom to meet with faculty and support staff if not in the college’s physical location.
