Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

Coordination of Support Services

COORDINATION OF SUPPORT SERVICES involves the support of CF (Communication Facilitator) services, note-taking services, assistive listening devices, testing accommodations and tape recording assistance. For some students it will involve a combination of these support services. For others, a single accommodation is all that is required. The Director of Disability Resources oversees the scope of support services needed by an individual student. Working in close proximity with the professional staff to ensure that effective accommodations are being provided is the main focus of this support coordination.

SUPPORT TEAMWORK is vital to the optimum classroom experience. By establishing a good working relationship with the classroom support team, the student can be sure that his needs are met for the particular class. It is the student’s responsibility to advocate for himself for what he needs in the classroom. Often it is a good idea for the student and CF to sit side by side in order for the student to monitor when and what notes are being made. If a problem arises, it can more easily be identified. If the situation is not working well for the student, it is the responsibility of the student to let the interpreter, transliterator, or captionist know how or what needs to be changed. When problems with the team cannot be worked out, the Office of Disability Resources can intervene to find a workable solution.

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBILITY

Having a student who is deaf or hard of hearing in the classroom often is a new and challenging experience for an instructor. As an instructor, she is the ‘head of the class’, simply meaning, the one who sets the pace, tone and atmosphere for learning. It is no small feat, yet one that is easily overlooked. Aside from the usual classroom preparations, the instructor must enforce the disciplinary code that is expected in the classroom. Each student in the classroom falls under the jurisdiction of the instructor and has a responsibility to do so. This applies to each and every student, regardless of having a disability or not. An instructor has a job to do in the classroom, and frankly, so does the student.