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Poor line of sight, while an annoyance for all students,
can be a critical impediment in the classroom for deaf and hard-of-hearing
students. Some of these students who depend on speechreading for understanding
will lose that ability; for others there is disorientation in not knowing
who the current speaker is. In both cases line of sight problems are critical,
and will require immediate attention.
Line of sight is an issue in both lecture halls
and in laboratory situations. If you move around the classroom as you speak,
that also makes proper line of sight difficult to maintain.
Careful thought must be given to maintaining clear
and accessible visual access to you, to the interpreter or captionist if
present, to the board, and to other types of visual media.
Before the first day of class visit the assigned
classroom. Observe the placement of chairs, tables, and media equipment
you use. Consider how their individual placement impacts on line of sight
and where possible establish an arrangement that provides for clear line
of sight for all students. For example, be certain that the arm of an overhead
does not intrude on necessary line of sight.
Confer with the deaf and hard-of-hearing students
and the interpreter or captionist if present, regarding line of sight issues;
together establish guidelines to maximize accessibility to you, the board
and other visual media while minimizing interference with one another.
Be flexible, and anticipate that changes may be
necessary, even on a daily basis; group work and the use of media equipment
may call for changes to the organization of the classroom.
Computers are being used across most disciplines
these days, and can enhance learning; but their use poses challenges as
well. Computers block line of sight, and computer demonstrations performed
while you are speaking can be difficult for deaf and hard-of-hearing students
and interpreters to follow. When using a computer:
Be certain that there is a clear line of sight
for all students.
Don’t speak while looking down at the computer;
instead move away from the computer and its projected image before speaking.
Work with the students and the interpreter or
captionist to ensure your presentation technique is clear.
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