Late-deafness means deafness that happened postlingually, any time after the development of speech and language in a person who has identified with hearing society through schooling, social connections, etc. Students who are late-deafened are unable to understand speech without visual aids such as speechreading, sign language, and captioning (although amplification of residual hearing may be used to assist with speechreading). Students who are late-deafened may have lost their hearing suddenly or gradually but share the common experience of having been raised in a hearing world and having become deaf rather than being born deaf. Here are some suggestions that will help teachers work more effectively with this population.

1. Allow time for student to introduce himself and discuss possible needs. Ask the student if he or she would like to make a small presentation to the class to educate others on the needs of late-deafened individuals and to let everyone know how they may be able to assist the student or meet the student before or after class to become familiar with possible barriers the student might face.
   
   
2. Learn basics of CART (Computer-Aided Realtime Translation) and other communication options. Students who are late-deafened tend to rely on written English as their primary mode of communication. CART can provide the student with instant information and the disk can be saved to help the student review the material at a later time. The student may not know about this service or other options that may help in the same manner.
   
   
3. Learn the basics of using interpreters and those interpreting methods that may be used by the late-deafened student (Sign Language Transliteration, Oral Transliteration, American Sign Language [ASL], and Cued Speech Transliteration). Students who are deaf and hard of hearing use varied modes of communication, depending on the age of onset of hearing loss and cultural background. Some late-deafened students know ASL or use signed English as their preferred mode of communication. Talk with the interpreter before or after class to learn more about interpreting and issues related to the type of communication being used.
   
   
4. Learn basics of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, Section 504. These are laws that affect students with hearing loss in schools.
   
   
5. Ask a student to help with notetaking as the text file of CART is not always useful. Because some lectures can be lengthy, it may be helpful to have another student summarize items and take notes, instead of having to read what may be very lengthy pages of text from the CART transcripts later on.
   
   
6. Be aware of environmental issues, such as not standing in front of a window and facing the student. Standing in front of a light source makes it difficult to speechread, pick up visual cues, etc. Be aware of the student and try to face him/her when speaking, without distractions near the face or mouth.
   
   
7. Repeat questions and answers if at all possible.
   
   
8. Remember that English is the primary language of the student who is late-deafened. Use written English whenever possible.
   
   
9. Regulate cross-talk. Ask students to raise their hands so that the student who is late-deafened is always aware of who is speaking.
   
   
10. Identify speakers so that the student knows who is speaking and the CART person can also type in that information.
    
    
11. Provide access for out-of-classroom activities such as internships, group meetings, etc. If a student who is late-deafened needs to meet with a group, make sure he/she will have some way of knowing what the meeting is about...either through captioning, an interpreter, or other creative options.
    
    
12. Look directly at the student who is late-deafened when speaking. Try not to speak while writing on the blackboard or with your head down or your back facing the students.
    
    
13. Enunciate clearly and try to speak at a normal pace. Lipreading is more difficult when words are greatly exaggerated or mumbled.
    
    
14. Provide visual aids whenever possible. Overheads or notes on the board are very helpful to the student who is late-deafened.
    
    
15. If possible, allow time after class for the student to ask questions privately. Let the student know that is an option. Sometimes it is easier to ask questions privately, especially if they are not sure of some things and do not want to take up class time in case it is something they have missed.
    
    
16. Take advantage of the disability services coordinator of the postsecondary program or other resources, such as the Association of Late-Deafened Adults, Inc. (ALDA).