Communication
Other Methods of Communication
In addition to manual language, people with hearing problems can use several other communication strategies. The amount of hearing loss and the age at which it occurs, often influences which strategies are most appropriate.
For infants and young children with severe-to-profound hearing loss, the choice of communication strategy taught during key “windows of opportunity” early in life may influence the skill sets that can be mastered later in life.
Auditory / oral – The auditory-oral method teaches children to: Use the child's hearing through amplification and to employ audiory and lip reading training. To talk, use their hearing as much as they can, read lips. Use other clues to understand what people are saying. It excludes teaching manual language (sign language). The goal is to “mainstream” children with hearing problems to live independently in the hearing world.
Auditory / verbal – The auditory-verbal (AV) method teaches children to:
Use whatever hearing they have (residual hearing) to listen. Lip reading is discouraged. The belief is that by listening to other people, children can learn to speak better by listening to other people. Children practice with therapist and use hearing aids, cochlear implants or other devices.
Cued Speech – A visual system to make speech (lip) reading easier. Eight handshapes (cues) in four positions represent different sounds of speech that look the same on lips (such as "p" and "b"). Often used to help children learn speech reading or for those who may not fully understand speech with the use of hearing aids.
Fingerspelling – A method in which hand positions represent each letter of the alphabet. Words are spelled out one letter at a time. In some countries, like the United States, the fingerspelling alphabet is represented with one hand; in other countries, such as Australia, fingerspelling uses two hands.
Signed Exact English (SEE) – A technique developed in 1972 in which manual gestures (signs) create an exact word-for-word representation of spoken English. One of the most common uses of SEE has been the translation of classic children’s books. A combination of SEE and ASL (American Sign Language) is called Pidgin Signed English (or PSE).
Speech Reading (Lip Reading) - A “listener” watches a speaker's lip movements, facial expressions, and body language to determine what they are saying. This technique can be useful for Deaf people and for those who may not fully understand speech with the use of hearing aids.
Total Communication – A technique that uses all means of communication for teaching children with severe-to-profound hearing loss. In a classroom, this usually means a teacher using signed and spoken languages at the same time. This is also called signed supported English or signed supported speech. Some feel this method broadens communication and learning skills; others feel it teaches two systems--Sign Language and spoken/written language—without perfecting either.