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Proper lighting is critical in the classroom. The
needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students are often different from those
of hearing students in this regard. In addition to the need for lighting
to illuminate you and the board, these students will need lighting for an
interpreter or captionist if present; and a notetaker if present will need
appropriate lighting as well.
Before the term begins, when you learn of your classroom
assignment we encourage you to conduct a brief ‘environmental audit’
of your assigned classroom.
Is there variable lighting in the room?
Is the area where you will be lecturing well lit?
Is there a window where glare may make it difficult
for students to see you or the interpreter? If so, are there curtains that
can be drawn to eliminate glare?
Light that is too bright or (more often) too dim,
will adversely affect deaf and hard-of-hearing students’ ability to see
you, the interpreter, the captioning, and media clearly.
Make both a long-term and a short-term assessment
of the lighting situation.
In the long-term, if you are aware of problems
with lighting, call those problems to the attention of your chairperson
or other individual charged with responsibility for the physical plant of
the campus. Assume your advocacy on this issue will have a long-term effect.
In the short-term there are a number of strategies
you can use.
Request a different room that provides the proper
lighting.
If you dim lights, for example when showing overheads
or other media, check with the deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and with
the interpreter, captionist, and notetaker to ensure that there is enough
light. Interpreters can often bring portable lighting if provided with advance
notice.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing students share the responsibility
for assessing and addressing the lighting environments of their classes.
Ask them for their opinions or suggestions. Encourage them to conduct an
audit of the room and report physical access barriers to the appropriate
person or department on campus.
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