Microteaching as a Tool for Improving Simultaneous Communication in Classrooms for Hearing-Impaired Students

Communication in classrooms for hearing-impaired students using simultaneous communication, the use of speech and sign language together, is limited at present by inherent inefficiencies of the manual coding systems and a general lack of continuous training and skill upgrading in staff preparation. The authors propose several modifications to existing manual representation systems and a training procedure for implementing those modifications. A variation on microteaching, the use of videotaped feedback during training, is suggested as an efficient and effective way for improving teachers' communication ability. Manually encoding English within a system of simultaneous communication has improved the climate for communication in classrooms for hearing-impaired students. The modifications and training proposed by the authors is expected to further enhance effective interaction.