Common Disabilities

Visual & Hearing Impaired

Visual Impairment: An overall term that includes all levels of vision loss, from partially sighted to complete blindness.

Characteristics

• Physical fitness is below those of sighted peers
  
  
• Balance development is impaired
  
  
• Delay in fundamental motor patterns and skills
  
  
• Wide variation in residual vision

Teaching Strategies

• Use other sensory modalities for providing information
  
  
• Use a beeper, constant sound source
  
  
• Place students where they can best hear instructions

Safety: be sure to go over safety rules and issues before each class

Hearing Impairments: An overall term that includes all levels of hearing loss, both deaf and hard of hearing.

Characteristics

• Balance may be affected
  
  
• Information processing time is longer
  
  
• Physical Fitness may be lower
  
  
• Speech can range from intelligible to none

Teaching Strategies

• Make sure the student can see your lips when you talk
  
  
• Use visual demonstrations
  
  
• Coordinate your communication with the IEP team
  
  
• Learn basic signs and use them
  
  
• Stand still when giving directions