Under this paper or writing the following have been discussed in relation to our real

environment. These includes Definition of the key terms which are media, hearing impairment,
visual impairment, Teaching and learning media for the learner with hearing impairment and
visual impairment, Assistive devices for the learners with visual impairment, strategies for
teaching learners with hearing and visual impairment and Implications of using media in
teaching and learning for learner with special needs.

INTRODUCTION
MEDIA; are the communication outlets or tools used to store and deliver information or data.
The term refer to components of the mass media communications industry such as print media,
publishing , the news media , photography ,cinema , broad casting( radio and television ) and
advertising (Russel, 1989).

MEDIA IN EDUCATION; refers to the process through which individuals become media
literate able to critically understand the nature, techniques, impact of media messages and
products.

HEARING IMPAIRMENT (hearing loss); is a partial or total inability to hear .A deaf person
has little to no hearing? Hearing lodes may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing
problems can affect the ability to learn spoken language and in adult (Heward 2013). It can
create difficulties with social interaction and at work .Hearing can be permanent or temporary .In
adult people hearing loss can result in loneliness.

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT (vision loss); is the loss of vision that cannot be corrected by
refraction (glasses). There number of eyes disorders that can lead to visual impairment. Visual
impairment can also be caused by trauma, brain and nerve disorders .Visual impairment affect
people differently (Heward 2013).

LEARNING DISABILITIES, according to Heward (2013) it can manifest in a variety of

different ways. From mild disabilities to debilitating problems, these disabilities affect the
student’s ability to learn and take part in a classroom. Unfairly stigmatized in popular culture, it
is now possible to use technology to overcome many learning disabilities. From offering students
ways to slow down the lecture to providing the technological devices are able to meet the
student’s unique needs. With help, students can become the competent, exceptional individuals
that they already have the potential to be.

TYPES OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

Simple Low Tech Adaptations; Students with mild visual impairments may function

adequately with enlarged reading materials that have been either created on a photocopier or

published with large print. Enlarging materials not only makes it easier to read the print but to

scan and find details on a page (Karen & Barron 2002). Directed lighting on reading materials,

set-up to avoid glare and use of prescribed glasses, contact lenses or a magnifier may also

enhance abilities to use large print materials. Use of bold lined paper, writing guides and low

vision pens can make it easier to perform writing tasks–providing another simple form of

assistive technology for students who are visually impaired.

Electronic Magnification; Closed circuit televisions can enable users to view a screen with

color contrast and print size options. Reading materials are placed under the screen on a sliding

surface that slides as the student reads. The color contrast options is very helpful because many

students find that white letters on a black background are easier to read than the traditional colors

and they can choose other color combination options such as yellow and blue (Karen & Barron

2002).

Computer Magnification; highly usable assistive technology includes computer screens which

can be magnified by simply enlarging the font size or using magnification software programs

such as zoom text software. Screen magnifiers are available that can be attached to computer

desktop monitors, laptops or to the televisions (Morenda & Russel 1989)

.
Auditory-Based Technologies; Auditory-based assistive technology for students with visual

impairments include simply tape recording a lesson to review later, use of a talking calculator,

software programs such as “Jaws" that convert text to voice or Braille and voice recognition

computer systems that converts text on the computer or from scanned pages to speech. As the

reading demands increase for older students, the use of recorded books and speech recognition

systems may take on greater importance to save time and energy (Russel, 1989).

TEACHING AND LEARNING MEDIA FOR THE LEARNER WITH HEARING

IMPAIRMENT AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

1. Electronic Worksheets; Students with learning disabilities like dyslexia can use electronic

worksheets to complete their assignments. These worksheets help students to line up words,

equations and numbers on their assignments. On some of the worksheets, text-to-speech or

speech synthesizing technology is even available (Karen & Barron 2002).

2. Phonetic Spelling Software; for many children with learning disabilities, reading and writing

can be a challenge. Phonetic spelling software is designed to automatically convert the student’s

typing into the word that they intended to write. For alternative reading options, students can

always check out audiobooks (Morenda & Russel 1989). With the audiobook, students can

follow along in their text and overcome reading difficulties.

3. Talking Calculators; Students who have dyscalculia can benefit greatly from a talking

calculator. The gadget makes it easier to check assignments, read numbers and perform

calculations. While the talking calculator is a fairly simple tool, it offers an exceptional benefit

for students who would otherwise struggle in math classes. Other than talking calculators,

students can also check out text-to-voice devices. They function on the same concept of
converting written words into an audible track. Students can use these devices to check their

spelling or to improve their reading comprehension skills (Donal 1997).

4. Variable Speed Recorders; everyone has a different learning style, and many students

struggle with understanding auditory lectures. For these students, a variable speed recorder is an

ideal solution. In essence, the student just has to hit record while they are in class (Karen &

Barron 2002). Afterward, the recording can be slowed down or sped up for the student to listen

to it again and again. If the pitch of the recording is hard to understand, students can modify the

pitch up or down to make their lectures more accessible.

5. Videotaped Social Skills; Autistic children and other children with learning disabilities may

struggle to figure out normal social interactions. In the past, the most common way to learn

social interactions was to practice them. Unfortunately, many children inadvertently behaved

inappropriately as they tried to learn what defined “normal” social interactions. With videotaped

social interactions, students can learn important life skills and social behavior without

accidentally offending someone. In addition to interpersonal skills, these videos can work for

self-help, linguistic, academic and emotional problems as well (Morenda & Russel 1989).

6. FM system aids, are wireless assistive hearing devices that enhance the use of hearing aids,
this aids used to assist people who hard of hearing but do not aware hearing aids, in particular
over distance and noisy environments (Heward 2013). Also they enable sound to be picked up
closer to a speaker, sound source or connected directly to the sound source and transmitted to the
individual.

7. Induction loop system, it is a device which is used for teaching the learners with hearing
impairment through microphone, amplifiers in the area, special loop wire run throughout the
classroom or under the carpet, a headset or receiver worn by the students who is hard of hearing.
This is greater assistive technology because the sound is picked up direct by the receiver either
within a hearing aid or by a headset, so the quality is extremely good.
8. The use of tactile objects; It is very important for the teacher to use teaching aids which can
be touched by your learners. It is very important to use those kinds of teaching aids because
learners with visual impairment they cannot see but they use the sense of touching to understand
what the teaching aid which have been provided by the teacher (Irwin J & Kerr 1987). For
example the teacher can use real objects as the teaching aid and also can use the braille papers to
write some of the words and use it as the aid for teaching. When using teaching aid in the class
where there is people with visual impairments it is very good because it will make them to
understand easily what the teacher is teaching due to the fact that they cannot see on the board or
they cannot see the teacher so when the use teaching aids it will make them understand better the
lesson and will make them to increase their performance because it will make them remember
even when they are in the class

STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING LEARNERS WITH HEARING AND VISUAL

IMPAIRMENT

Use captions; all students benefit from captions and especially those who are Deaf or hearing-
impaired, plus those with English as a second language. To cater for these students it is important
to use only captioned multimedia such as TV, online video and DVDs (Funlach 1970). Initiative
was created to focus on the importance and use of captions in the classroom, and still provides
relevant advice and downloadable resources.

Make use of available technology; Many classrooms are now equipped with technologies such
as interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and amplification systems (Irwin J & Kerr 1987). If you have
access to these technologies or anything similar, sound field ensure that you’ve been briefed on
how to best use them to complement your teaching. A simple Google search will confirm just
how much choice is out there.

Use visual stimulus; Students who have a hearing impairment require visual cues/ support in
their learning to assist their understanding of content. And of course, so do children who have
English as a second language (Funlach 1970). Teachers can use visual stimuli such as providing
lesson outlines, main points and any directions on IWB or display boards to help these students.

Consider classroom arrangement; there are always variables as to where a student who has a
hearing impairment should sit in the classroom. Ensure that these students are in a position where
your face (and ideally the faces of other students if they are participating in class discussion) are
clearly visible, and where the sound of your voice is least obstructed (Russel, 1989).

Keep unnecessary noise to a minimum; Students who have a hearing impairment find it very
difficult to concentrate when there is background noise. Blocking out some or all of this noise
through closing doors or windows can be a simple and effective measure (Donal 1997).
Remember that even if your student or students use assistive hearing technology, they do not
hear in the same way that their peers do. They will benefit from having unnecessary background
noise to a minimum.

IMPLICATIONS OF USING MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND

LEARNING FOR THE LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

The use of media and technology offers both cognitive and affection to the learners; this
means that through the use of teaching media such as video for the learners with visual
impairment and audio aids to the learners with hearing impairment leads to feeling of care and
love among those learners hence to make learning go smooth and enjoyable (Funlach 1970).

It helps in connecting learners with the events that are culturally relevant which they may
not be able to understand them. This means that through the use of different media such as
videos for instance in teaching learners with hearing problems about the human interactions
helps the learners to be aware of those socio-cultural events that they has never get to know
about (Irwin J & Kerr 1987).

The use of educational media and technologies in teaching helps to enhance learner’s
attention. This is because some of the learners lacks attention due to some deficiency such as
Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD) Those learners though hearing and/visualizing the videos and
audios then they tend to be calm so as to catch what is being taught by the teacher (Funlach
1970).

The use of media and technology increases understanding among the learners and
simplifying learning process. Learners get to understand easier and learn fast through seeing
and/ hearing hence to be able to explain the concepts and retrieving what have been taught in the
previous sessions.
The use of media in teaching learners with special needs help the teacher to overcome
limitations. This means a teacher is being able of managing the class with students who without
media such as pictures, computers and sensational touching materials would disturb the
classroom and learning process (Russel, 1989). Through this a teacher is being able of
controlling the class and achieving his/her objectives and intended goals.

Furthermore, it helps in removing the spirit of discrimination among learners; this is due to
fact that learners sometimes tends to discriminate their fellows due to the disabilities they have.
It is through playing together, sharing learning materials, discussing and interacting on using the
media (Donal 1997). Example when the learners with disabilities and those without disabilities
uses computer in games or in classroom learning situation they tends to share different
experiences they have on a particular subject matter.

Generally; media and technology in education have been led to the huge improvement in
education particularly to the learners with difficulties in learning and places with hard learning
environment. Therefore teachers are advised to use media and technology in teaching because
they save time and facilitate much understanding to students’ hence good perform.
 REFERENCES
Donal P. E, (1997). The field of education technology. In Eric Digest

Funlach V. S, (1970).Teaching and media; A systematic approach. Journal of social psychology.

Heward W. L, (2013). Exceptional children; an introduction to special education; 10th edition.

United States of America. Pearson.

Irwin J & Kerr AG, (1987) Causes of hearing loss in adults. Adult Audiology. 5thedition.
Edinburgh, Butterworth,
Karen S & Barron A.E, (2002). Multimedia projects in education; designing, producing and

assessing. Westport. A division of Greenwood Publishing Group Inc.

Morenda R. & Russel J, (1989) instructional media and the new technology of instruction. New

York. Wiley and Sons.

Romiszowsik. A, (1988). The selection and use of instructional media. London, Kogan Pages