Classroom Challenges for Students Who are Hard of Hearing

After discussing the principles of UDL in the initial portion of my blog, I will now focus on the 

topics of communication and computer access.  The ability to communicate is critically 

important in the classroom.  Students must be able to express their own thoughts, opinions, and 

feelings and understand other people's communication.


Students who are hard of hearing face particular obstacles in the classroom setting.  

They can feel isolated from their teacher and classmates. If they cannot fully  hear the 

teacher's questions, they are unable to respond or demonstrate an understanding  

of the subject. These students also have difficulty understanding classroom lectures, class 

discussions, and video presentations. Students who have difficulty hearing have difficulty 

participating in social interactions outside of the classroom which adds to a sense of 

isolation.  Some students who are hard of hearing also have speech impediments making 

them difficult to understand.