A Self-Instruction Lab for Developing Communication Skills of Deaf Post-Secondary Students at NTID

Improving the communication skills of hearing-impaired students is time consuming. Repetition plays a big part in mastering speech, speechreading, auditory and English skill proficiency, and it usually comes after years of determined application. This effort not only takes a great deal of time for the hearing-impaired person; it also lessens the teaching time devoted to new concepts. NTID uses a unique, individualized, Self-Instruction Lab to improve students' communication skills. The Lab provides students with supplemental independent classroom practice that helps lessen time demands for the teacher. In the laboratory, students practice several aspects of communication important to NTID's hearing-impaired population; including auditory training, speechreading, speech, and manual/simultaneous communication.