Hearing Impairment
Deafness and hearing impairment are terms used to cover the whole range of hearing loss. This includes people who are deaf, partially deaf/partially hearing, deafened, deaf/blind, hard of hearing, and people with tinnitus.
We feel that it is important for students and staff not affected by hearing impairment to understand the disability. A brief overview of the effects are outlined below.
What is hearing impairment?
Deafness and hearing impairment are terms used to cover the whole
range of hearing loss. This includes people who are deaf, partially
deaf/partially hearing, deafened, deaf/blind, hard of hearing, and
people with tinnitus.
Students with hearing impairment may experience difficulties in
lectures and seminars, and where there is a lot of background noise.
Students can experience great frustration in these situations.
Support for a student with hearing impairment may be technological
(e.g. a hearing loop) or personal (e.g. an interpreter). Deafness can
affect communication, and therefore a student's learning experience in
a way that few other disabilities do.
Many deaf students see themselves as belonging to a minority community
of British Sign Language users, and experience English very much as a
second language. Even where English is seen as a first language, there
can be communication issues for deaf students who are lip-readers.
Assisting the hearing impaired
University College Falmouth is committed to improving and extending support and facilities to students with disabilities. Assistance that we are able to provide to those with a hearing impairment is outlined below.
We have a wealth of experience in supporting those with hearing impairments. To provide assistance and support we can offer the following:
- Amplifiers at all reception areas.
- Staff development sessions.
- Note-takers for lectures and seminars.
- Hearing loop systems.
- Video library or relevant information.
- Hearing Dogs welcomed.
- Telephone points in Halls of Residence for IT Access.
- Lip readers and Signers can be provided through Disabled Students' Allowance.
Accessibility Service contacts
Gaynor Astbury - Accessibility Services Manager
Tel: 01326 370443 (ext 1443)
email: gaynor.astbury@falmouth.ac.uk
Sophie Atherton - Accessibility Adviser - Tremough
Tel: 01326 253629 (ext 3629)
email: sophie.atherton@falmouth.ac.uk
Mel Dove - Accessibility Adviser - Woodlane
Tel: 01326 213737 (ext 3737)
email: mel.dove@falmouth.ac.uk
Tel: 01326 254149
email: susanna.pope@falmouth.ac.uk
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