Los Angeles Pierce College: Instructional Services to Deaf and Hard
of Hearing Students
Norm Crozer, 818-710-4226 or
crozernp@piercecollege.edu
Target population:
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Goals:
The primary goals of this practice are to insure that students who
are deaf or hard of hearing are ready for mainstream English
classes, other academic classes, and to assist these students to
reason and think critically.
Description:
With students who are not deaf or hard of hearing, a great deal of
English is learned through listening to spoken language in the first
five years of life. Non-hearing students do not have this
opportunity. Based upon this, it is the program’s working assumption
that many students will come to the college with an educational
deficit; the program’s job is to identify the need, work to overcome
the deficit, and allow the student to be successful in mainstream
classes.
This DSPS program is based upon the computer software developed by
Norm Crozer. The software allows students to repeat tasks and drill
new concepts to insure complete assimilation. Norm Crozer developed
the software when he became aware of a void in software that was
subject-specific and user-friendly. The software allows for
repetition, flexible time usage, trial and error, and learning
through experience. Norm Crozer has developed seven computer
programs including sentence writing, paragraph writing,
proofreading, vocabulary development, and writing sentences for new
vocabulary. On average students write for at least one hour twice a
week in addition to having homework generated by the software.
Students work primarily independently on lessons. When additional
help is necessary, program staff assists the student.
The students tend to take two to three semesters of the classes
depending on their own academic preparedness, comfort level,
self-confidence etc. Students often enroll in both mainstream as
well as the DSPS class concurrently during the third semester for
additional reinforcement and personal support. The DSPS staff has
found that students who have learning disabilities other than or in
addition to being deaf or hard of hearing also benefit from using
this software.
Staffing:
There are approximately 30 staff in
the DSPS program who serve approximately 800 students as
interpreters, assistants, counselors, learning disabled advocates,
etc.
Facilities, equipment, materials:
There are a number of computers that
the DSPS students have access to for the software usage.
Costs, funding source:
Funding comes from the DSPS funding stream and is based upon each
student and the type of disability he or she has. Due to the
intensive services required through note taking, interpreting, etc.
deaf and hard of hearing students use more than 50% of DSPS funds.
Outreach and marketing:
To insure that students who can benefit from services offered,
counselors do outreach in the high schools, attend community events,
and work with area rehabilitation centers. There is also internal
marketing in the mainstream campus materials.
Evidence of effectiveness:
Evidence of effectiveness is found in the number of deaf and hard of
hearing students transitioning into mainstream courses.
Suggestions for replication:
While the programs themselves are not difficult, there is a degree
of difficulty in teaching students who learn so differently from
hearing students. Without additional training, mainstream teachers
would find some difficulty in teaching this population. The computer
programs are available to all colleges and staff is willing to
conduct Train-the-Trainer workshops at colleges that wish to use the
programs.