Need advice for training hearing impaired diver

[Ber Rabbit]

I'm assisting with a class at the university and one of the students is hearing impaired. The classroom is not a problem as two interpreters with a computer system are present and they type as the instructor lectures giving our student a "real time" lecture experience. (Their set-up is ultra cool!) He can hear some with hearing aids, reads lips well and speaks perfectly but the hearing aids have to come out in the pool. There is one (non-scuba certified) interpreter in the pool.

This is a first for us and I was looking for any pool tips from HSA instructors and probably more importantly, hearing impaired divers that will make the class go smoothly for the student.

Thanks for your help!
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[WVDiver]

We are all hearing imparied once underwater. Can't you use the same signals as you use for everyone else? You're non certified interperter should be able to fill in the blanks above water. Am I missing something here?

 

[JodiBB]

I just gone done completing an OW course as a sign-language interpreter for a Deaf student. That's so cool that you're using real-time captioning for the course as I think that'll actually be easier for you when it comes to the Knowledge Reviews and the Tests.

For the pool and OW dives, it's going to be important that the interpreter is able to establish signs for the technical terms (buoyancy, etc.) with the student before the class so the student will be able to conceptually understand what the teacher is trying to say/do. Once the student is underwater, the instructor will use the international scuba signs, so it's important that the interpreter also knows the international scuba signs and start using those instead of the ASL that they are using (for example ASL "out-of-air" is signed much differently than SCUBA "OOA") so that the student will become accustomed to SCUBA sign underwater and not ASL.

If you have additional questions/concerns, don't hesitate to ask. It helped me that I'm certified in diving, and then also an interpreter to boot so I could continue to sign in the OW with the instructor and student before descending...but if that's not an option for you with this student, then these tips will work just as well....

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I'm really looking for things like where should the interpreter be to let the student get the most out of the class. Is there an easy way to orient everyone so the student can watch the demo the instructor is doing AND see what the interpreter is saying AND communicate with any staff members that are doing quick corrections of anything he's doing wrong. There are 18 students in the class and a total of 4 staff members including the instructor. I have a feeling we're going to have to make the interpreter get wet

Is that clear as mud?
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Thanks Jodi, those are some great tips! This is all new to us, the instructor offered to train the interpreters as well if they wanted to show up at the part of the class they weren't working but they weren't able to accept the offer.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[JodiBB]

I'm really looking for things like where should the interpreter be to let the student get the most out of the class. Is there an easy way to orient everyone so the student can watch the demo the instructor is doing AND see what the interpreter is saying AND communicate with any staff members that are doing quick corrections of anything he's doing wrong. There are 18 students in the class and a total of 4 staff members including the instructor. I have a feeling we're going to have to make the interpreter get wet

Is that clear as mud?
Ber :lilbunny:

Completely clear as mud! Now let's see if I can make it even muddier for you!!!

The interpreter needs to be as close to the instructor (or whoever is talking) as possible so that the student can watch the instructor and the interpreter simultaneously. A good interpreter will already know this, but it'll be helpful for you to be oriented to the process. So in the classroom, the interpreter will sit at the front of the class facing the class while the student sits at a table towards the instructor.

The interpreter may have to get wet in the pool, but the other option is to have the instructor point to the interpreter on deck when the instructor wants the student to watch the interpreter and then the interpreter point back to the instructor when you're demonstrating something at the surface. Make sense?

You may have to slow down your process a bit to make sure the interpreter is grabbing everything....but again, a good interpreter will let you know when they're falling behind.

Hope this muddies things more for ya!

Jodi

 

[philipo]

I am a hearing impaired diver... I have a total full experience of diving, and I wanted to let you know that even a hearing loss isn't stopping me from diving!

I can see that you wanted to maximize the experience nad learning for your hearing impaired student. My recommendation is to ensure that you can establish a connection with your hearing impaired student. Establish some kind of communication, so he or she can identify with you rather than only the interpreter. For example, before going underwater, ask what signs would be necessary with him. Most of the time before I dive, I would communicate with the Dive Master and establish signs like OK, Not Ok, etc.

It's a great thing to hear that there's more hearing impaired divers out there. Out of everyone that I know, only three are certified divers so far.


Any more questions you have about working with hearing impaired students, please do not hesitate to ask! =)