Learning Adaptations for Teaching Chemistry to the Hearing Impaired

Coauthors 

Randy Hares
Quentin Hurlburt
Michael Koohang
Brian Le
James Mckay

Introduction

This assignment discusses how a website using virtual reality and emotional interfaces could help hearing impaired children learn chemistry in a safe and stimulating environment.

Hearing Impaired Learning

Hearing impaired children often face greater difficulty when it comes to learning in a traditional classroom setting. During a study that highlighted some of the challenges faced by children affected by hearing impairment, one teacher noted that “spoken language is the most common barrier that influences the participation and interaction between deaf and hard of hearing students and hearing students” (Alasim, 2018). Students with hearing difficulties have an optimal learning experience when the teacher never turns their back while addressing the class. This ensures that any students with hearing difficulties are given the opportunity to read the teacher’s lips, if needed. Providing interpreters that are fluent in sign language is another way that classrooms are adapted (“Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training”, n.d.). As is apparent, teaching hearing impaired children can be a difficult task. The medium of delivery is crucial and must possess characteristics of focus and undivided attention in order to be effective within the classroom.

Chemistry

Chemistry is a complex field of study that can take years to master. Even the smallest mistakes in chemical ratios can cause the most fatal of accidents. Chemistry’s fragile nature makes it one of the most difficult courses to teach. Trying to teach this field using traditional methods requires a great amount of caution and preparation. Safety goggles, gloves, jewelry restrictions, and lab coats are some precautions traditionally taken for this field. Often, students are not exposed to chemicals any more dangerous than household bleach. While all of these precautions are in place for traditional classrooms, extra precautions are needed for teaching hearing impaired children. Teaching hearing impaired students in a laboratory setting can be more dangerous due to a couple of factors. Not only is the threat of dangerous chemicals present, but also young students who are deaf typically have “delays in language development” and “are prone to distraction in educational environments by activity in the peripheral visual field” (Spencer & Marschark, 2010). Thus, an innovative solution to teach these children the subject of chemistry is necessary in order to deliver a proper learning experience and guarantee their physical safety.

Virtual Reality and Emotion

The first step to take in educating hearing impaired students would be to take the learning out of a traditional classroom setting. The hearing-impaired children can take an online chemistry course through a website in order to reduce the chance of injury or fatality. Any mistakes in chemical ratio would result in mis-clicks with a mouse instead of inhalation of noxious gases. One method would be to create a virtual reality classroom. According to Preece, Sharp, and Rogers (2015), “virtual reality uses computer-generated simulations to create the illusion of participation in a synthetic environment rather than external observation of such an environment” (p. 178). Virtual reality technology has been developing and growing for a few years now, specifically in the video game scene. The technology for virtual reality video games can be repurposed for a virtual classroom. Technology, like the PlayStation VR, has a pair of goggles and controllers that let the user interact with the virtual world as if they were using their own hands. Utilizing this technology would give students the feeling and feedback of mixing chemicals in a real-world classroom.

The importance of visuals for a hearing-impaired child cannot be overstated. With their lack of hearing comes a focus on visual learning. This can be to their own detriment though, being easily distracted by their sight. Using an expressive interface is a must for this website. “Expressive forms like emoticons… have been used at the interface to convey emotional states and/or elicit certain kinds of emotional responses in users” (Preece, Sharp, & Rogers, 2015, p. 138). Keeping the images and icons of the interface expressive and cartoonish will not only tap into raw human emotion, but it will assist with keeping the short attention of children. Visuals can be used to show the children which chemicals to access and which can be mixed with others. They can also be used to introduce chemicals that will react with the air around them or with the oils and waters of their skin. In addition, visuals provide distinctions between chemicals whose improper handling could be fatal and those that will simply stain clothes. Iconology similar to the classic pain chart would be useful is showing the children which chemicals are, by themselves, dangerous. A chart of icons for proper handling can also be used when showing the children chemicals mixtures. Overall, the use of virtual reality and expressive interfaces can have a powerful impact by providing a stimulating and safe experience for hearing impaired children who are learning the subject of chemistry.

References

Alasim, K. N. (2018). Participation and Interaction of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Inclusion Classroom. International Journal of Special Education, 14. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.mga.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=30ce32ae-d0dd-4ba8-864a-9e8db4c144f5%40sessionmgr101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=EJ1185582&db=eric

Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training. (n.d.). Inclusive Teaching: Deaf and Hearing Impaired. Retrieved from Australian Disablity Clearinghouse on Education and Training: https://www.adcet.edu.au/inclusive-teaching/specific-disabilities/deaf-hearing-impaired/

Preece, J., Sharp, H., & Rogers, Y. (2015). Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction (4th ed.). Chichester: Wiley.

Spencer, P. E., & Marschark, M. (2010). Evidence-Based Practice in Educating Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.mga.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=333220&site=eds-live&scope=site

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