Charting the Cs 2024 Charting the Cs: Cooperation, Communication and Collaboration. Statewide Professional Development to Support the Workforce and Low Incidence Disability Areas. Digging Deeper: Collaboration While Working with Children with Hearing Loss Katie Barth, M.A., Deaf Education, Gallaudet University Deb Walters-Smith, Au.D., Audiology About Us Personal Information Education Background Work Experience Current Position How We Know Each Other Why Collaborate Different Areas of Training and Perspectives Medical vs Child/Family-Centered Lens Synthesize information for Family/Staff The “Why” behind Suggested Student Supports Greater Parent Education + Better Staff Education = Best Outcomes for Students Areas of Collaboration Assessment Initial Re-evals Determine Accommodations/Modifications/ Goals Family/Student Education In-servicing of Other Educational Staff Listening Checks Equipment and Troubleshooting Evaluations -Standard Practice Audiologist Observe classroom and school environments to assess access issues Evaluate access to communication, social interaction, self advocacy and education needs Assess expressive/receptive preferences and abilities to access communication Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Observe classroom and school environments to assess access issues Evaluate access to classroom communication, social interaction, self advocacy and education needs Assess expressive/receptive preferences and abilities to access communication Evaluations -Standard Practice, continued Audiologist Perform functional and informal assessments of access of access to learning spaces Interpretation of medical records: pre- & post-natal risk factors, audiologic, ENT, ENT surgical and genetics Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Assess academic, communication, social/self-concept, and identify areas of need Distinguish listening issues due to hearing status from learning/performance issues due to other conditions beyond hearing loss Evaluations: Digging Deeper Work together to provide parent education BEFORE the discussion of goals/ parent priorities (B-3) and planting seeds related to educational placement Team discussion of goals/priorities related to the child’s hearing loss (B-3) Choosing materials and appropriate assessments for functional listening Part B: working collaboratively to complete a functional listening assessment with students with behaviors and/or low language/artic skills or unfamiliarity with the audiologist Part C: sound observations with family present and participating Participation in FGRBI Interview LittlEars - Norms, First 2 years of life/post amplification fitting Listening Fatigue - Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale (VFS-Peds) - Norms Evaluations Digging Deeper Functional Listening Evaluation Closed vs Open set Words vs Sentences Norm Referenced Visual Speech Reading Cues/Other visual supports Results drive accommodations, modifications, assistive technology Accommodations/Modifications -Standard Practice Audiologist Assess classroom acoustics and make recommendations to improve school environments (classroom choice, etc.) Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Lead discussion of communication plan & effectiveness Use need statements and current functioning to determine accommodations and modifications Determining Accommodations/ modifications: Digging Deeper Together Audiologist and TDHH review evaluation data to determine accommodations, modifications, assistive technology (keep it individualized) Often overlooked accommodations that may be appropriate include: breaking information down into manageable chunks rest breaks for auditory/ listening fatigue moving small group discussions to alternate location (MS/HS) pauses to give time for prior knowledge or to formulate answers Student/Family Education - Standard Audiologist Teach hearing loss prevention and the importance of limiting noise exposure Facilitate interactions between students with hearing loss to support: self-identity, advocacy, emotional support) Hearing Assessment Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teach hearing loss prevention and the importance of limiting noise exposure Facilitate interactions between students with hearing loss to support: self-identity, advocacy, emotional support) Develop high expectations of auditory oral skills and provide intervention Ongoing Student/Family Education - Standard Audiologist Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing provide support for development of: sign language skills. competence with communication in social, linguistic and academic contexts pragmatic language skills social skills and self concept self advocacy/ compensatory skills literacy skills Ongoing Student/Family Education – Standard, continued Audiologist Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing develop comprehension abilities preview/ review/ teach content vocabulary teach to specific delays in math, reading, writing deliver modified instruction in all academic areas of need (may be consultative) Plan provide teachers with appropriate teaching strategies Ongoing Student/Family Education – Standard, continued 2 Audiologist Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Act as liaison between students, parents, staff, and administrators to address ongoing student needs Student/Family education: Digging Deeper Beyond discussing cause, degree and type of hearing loss, and familiar sounds audiogram, discuss Articulation Index (Count the Dot audiogram) and provide simulation Teach classes with students with hearing loss about how the ear works and hearing loss (ear obstacle course) Audiologist help identify students that might be good matches for parent and/or peer support and support DHH teacher in connecting them Audiologist supports DHH teacher in determining if access is an issue in a area where students aren’t making expected progress with appropriate interventions Formant frequencies Ongoing Student/Family education: Digging Deeper Joint home visits for B-3 population Connecting families with outside supports (Hands and Voices, local Facebook groups, family events, Community Education ASL classes) supporting families in advocating at medical appointments, facilitating connection for CMV testing of birth blood spot for unknown etiology Providing families with research based information/ articles when appropriate Auditory training: audiologist is good resource for materials and information what is reasonable In-servicing of Other Educational Staff - Standard Audiologist Educate school staff about impacts of hearing loss and use of assistive technology In-service classroom teachers about required daily monitoring of amplification In-service teachers on appropriate modifications Reach out to teachers when hearing status changes occur that will impact classroom performance Teacher of the Deaf/ Hard of Hearing Educate school staff about impacts of hearing loss and use of assistive technology In-service classroom teachers about required daily monitoring of amplification In-service teachers on appropriate modifications Plan/ provide general education teachers with appropriate teaching strategies In-servicing of Other Educational Staff - Digging Deeper Simulation of child’s hearing loss Visual representation of hearing loss Providing extra information - formant frequencies, Count-the-Dot Audiogram Review of FLA - word level testing importance Inclusion of student with staff in-servicing, when appropriate: Google Slides, letter outlining what they want and do not want said/done Student present in demonstration of equipment (bonus - self-advocacy) DHH Top 10 presentation for all staff DHH trivia Discussion of Listening Fatigue and its impacts of learning Periodically checking out, hidden curriculum (I can’t expect to hear/learn like classmates, behaviors, physical fatigue, quality of life, etc. Equipment and Troubleshooting - Standard Audiologist Teach student about use of amplification and troubleshooting malfunctions Appropriately select, set, validate & manage implementation of assistive hearing technology Gather information to determine if amplification is fit optimally Teacher of the Deaf/ Hard of Hearing Teach student about use of amplification and troubleshooting malfunctions Equipment and Troubleshooting - Digging Deeper One-on-one training in-person (DHH teacher + Audiologist) with equipment present Audiologist provides DHH teacher with equipment resources: Cheat / summary Sheets Stored Videos Google Meets to troubleshoot equipment in live time Audiologist has trust in DHH teacher to provide basic troubleshooting and repairs Back-up parts provided to DHH teacher (audioshoe, extra receiver, Focus tubing) DHH teacher understands strengths and limitations when troubleshooting and repairing equipment Katie’s Soapbox Listening Checks - Standard Audiologist Perform basic technology checks and respond to student reports of malfunction Train support staff in performing listening checks Teacher of the Deaf/ Hard of Hearing Perform basic technology checks and respond to student reports of malfunction Train support staff in performing listening checks Provide documentation sheets for listening checks Periodically check documentation of listening checks Reach out to audiologist when concerns arise Listening Checks - Digging Deeper Two specific parts of listening checks: Equipment Function Students’ hearing function through equipment Importance of Ling 10 sound test No sound response Thorough documentation of checks (custom made listening check sheets) Video of listening checks process - available in “Resources” work with audiologist if concerns arise (consistently missing sounds, they got before, having to move closer for student to repeat successfully) Use toys or pictures for nonverbal students, or young students Deb’s Soap boxes Familiar Sounds Audiogram vs. Count the Dot audiogram Why Familiar Sounds Audiogram is inaccurate: multiple frequency bands needed to distinguish between sounds Multiple bands to distinguish between sounds (continued) SII -Based Method for Estimating the Articulation Index Same Hearing Loss- Count-the-dot Audiogram Hearing loss: Pink = Misses Only /K/,/F/,/S/,/Th/ + /P/ Word Recognition Materials with Normative Values Rationale for Using Single Syllable Word Lists with Normative Values for Functional Listening Assessment Represents worst case scenario when students are unfamiliar with topic/new vocab; they are unable to use contextual cues (i.e. chlorophyll, photosynthesis) Ability to make comparisons with typically hearing peers to determine Hearing and Access Gap: Explains listening fatigue for student Note whether responses are delayed / said with confidence - listening effort Provides documentation of what is needed to make instruction more EQUITABLE for each student? Rationale for Using Single Syllable Word Lists with Normative Values for Functional Listening Assessment (Continued) Provides documentation of what is needed to make instruction more EQUITABLE for each student? Could include the need for: Amplification/Assistive technology Listening Breaks Pre-teaching, Re-teaching, and/or Small Group Instruction Visual supports (Speech reading cues, Sign language, Visual phonics, Picture Supports, Real world experiences, Writing assignment on board, etc.) Shortened Instructions Punctuated/Innumerated by Order Optimal Acoustics Repeating Overhead Announcements/Alarms through FM System Quieter Location for Lunch, Small Group Cooperative Learning Groups Equitable vs Equal Equitable vs Equal - Listening through a damaged auditory system is not “equal.” Resources Hearing Loss Simulations- Bilateral hearing loss: Jane Madell, Hearing Loss in the Classroom: Need for FM and pass-around mic/teacher repeat peer responses into FM Transmitter Hearing Loss Simulations - Unilateral: Med-El; requires use of over-the-ear headphones Katie Barth’s “How to complete a Listening Check” Tutorial: Functional Listening Assessment - Karen Anderson Normative Values - page ______ of Book, __________ Count-the-Dot Audiogram reference LittlEars Auditory Questionnaire - purchase through Med-El Vanderbilt Listening Fatigue Measure (Free): Thank you! Presenter(s) contact information. Katie Barth: kbarth@isd761.org Deb Walters-Smith: dewalters-smith@rochesterschools.org