Learners Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Visually Impaired, Or Who Have Other Physical Challenges

Because deaf and hard of hearing learners do not hear spoken english or only hear it in limited ways, their challenges in developing english literacy may be much greater than those faced by non-native english speakers without hearing impairment. (see discussion of a student, Ismael, in Figure IV-5.) Oral (speaking and listening) activities and phonics-based approaches (that focus on english sounds) are usually not effective, since printed words are not connected clearly with sounds for these learners. Effective approaches to english literacy development with deaf learners include uses of technology that makes language visible in print. For example, teachers and learners can interact with each other in writing on computer networks, discuss topic ideas in writing and then write texts about those topics, and give feedback to each other on their texts in writing. Teachers of deaf adults need to focus on the writing and problem- solving skills needed in the workplace and avoid a preoccupation with correcting errors. Errors with english are often prevalent in deaf learners' writing, and learners need strategies for finding and addressing errors themselves rather than being continually corrected. For discussion of working with learners who are deaf and hard of hearing, see Bruce, Peyton, & Batson, 1993; Holcomb & Peyton, 1992, and resources available online at http://cal-org.wdi.net/resources/faqs/RGOs/asl.html.

Some learners may be visually impaired or have other physical challenges and limitations that have an impact on program participation and learning. Adult ESL programs seek to assist these learners as well as they can, depending on specific situations and resources. For example, if a program is directly related to a public school, there may be resources that can be provided to help learners. In a workforce training program helping unemployed adults find jobs, there may be institutional connections with local rehabilitation agencies that can provide assessment, assistive devices, and expertise to help learners as they learn English. Technology exists to enlarge text on the computer screen (Aladdin Gene) and translate text into Braille and send it to a Braille embosser (Duxbury Braille Translation Software). Other software takes text from paper, scans it into a computer, processes it, and then reads it aloud by computer using a software speech synthesizer. Students in college programs (e.g., in the graduate school of education at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA) have access to these assistive devices. (for more information, see Assistive Technology Lab, Helen A. Keller Institute for Disabilities, http://kihd.gse.gmu.edu/) in many adult education programs teachers must use their own time and ingenuity to help learners who are blind or visually impaired or who have other physical challenges. For example, a volunteer or another student may read a text aloud to a learner while other learners work silently. Programs may provide tutoring at home to students who cannot leave their residences due to physical challenges. There are no easy solutions to making English language learning available for all adult immigrants, but many programs work hard to serve all learners.