National Association for Developmental Education

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National Association for Developmental Education

• 33rd Annual Conference
• February 25-29
• Greensboro, N.C.

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Teaching Math to Students who are Deaf and
Hard-of-Hearing
Department of Mathematics and Computer
Science Bergen Community College 400 Paramus
Road Paramus, New Jersey 07652 Telephone
201-447-7975 Linda Kass lkass_at_bergen.edu Melan
ie Walker mwalker_at_bergen.edu Robert
Fusco rfusco_at_bergen.edu Tia
Ivanko tivanko_at_bergen.edu
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AGENDA

• Bergen Community College
• Developmental Math Department
• Accommodations for students with disabilities
• The Center for Collegiate Deaf Education

• Areas of concern when using accommodations in
  developmental math courses
• American sign language interpreted math video
  tapes leveling the playing field
• A Sample Lesson

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BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

• Located in the greater metropolitan New York City
  area
• Comprehensive community college
• AA, AS, and AAS degrees
• Certificates
• Enrollment
• Approximately 16,000 students
• Multicultural, multiethnic population
• More than 18 with a self-disclosed
• and documented disability

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Bergen Community College Developmental Math
Classes

• 6,500 students registered per year in
  Developmental Basic Math and Algebra Sections
• 270 sections of Developmental Basic Math and
  Algebra
• 250 Typical sections in Basic math and
  Algebra
• 20 Special math classes

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Typical Math Sections

• Class meets for 80 minutes, twice a week
• Class size is 30 students
• Heterogeneous groups

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Special Math classes

• MAT 011AL Classes
• Arithmetic accuplacer score, 20-30
• Meet three times a week with for 55 minutes
• Have a linked support. With computer aided
  instruction
• MAT 012CA- Classes Fast track
• Arithmetic accuplacer score, 60-76
• Seven week 011 arithmetic course that is done in
  the computer lab.
• Linked with a regular beginning algebra class
• Students complete their developmental math
  requirement faster.
• MAT 010, 033, 034,
• Linked Support classes
• Students repeating developmental math classes
  for a third time.

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Reasonable AccommodationsRehabilitation Act
of 1973 - Section 504

• Students who have self identified, provided
  documentation of a disability, and request
  accommodations are entitled to receive approved
  modifications, appropriate adjustments, or
  auxiliary aides to enable them to participate in
  and benefit from all educational programs and
  activities.
• Accommodations should not be a fundamental
  alteration of nature of the course, content, or
  activity.

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Accommodations At Bergen

• Extended-Time testing
• Assistive Technology
• Readers
• Scribes
• Recording of lectures
• Calculator
• Medical Assistance
• Computer
• Personal Counseling

• Sign language interpreters
• Speech-to-text C-print
• Note-taking services
• Permanent tutoring
• Individual registration assistance

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The New Jersey Regional Center for Collegiate
Deaf Education

• ABOUT CCDE
• Northern Regional Center for students who are
  Deaf Hard of Hearing
• Established with a grant from the NJ Commission
  on Higher Education
• Works collaboratively with Bergens Office of
  Specialized Services
• The aim of the Center is to sponsor students in
  their commitment to higher education via
  comprehensive support services and personal
  enrichment opportunities.
• Center Highlights
• Staff whom are fluent users of American Sign
  Language with strong backgrounds in Deaf
  Education.
• A large pool of highly qualified service
  providers.
• Access to resources within the college and
  community.
• A long history of service and support of Deaf and
  hard of hearing students.
•  

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Students with a hearing loss at Bergen

• Spring 2009 28 students
• 18 Deaf primary mode of communication is sign
  language
• 10 HOH do not use or know sign language
• Fall 2008 26 students
• 16 Deaf primary mode of communication is sign
  language
• 10 HOH do not use or know sign language
• Fall Spring 2005 59 students
• Students taking Developmental courses
• 12/18 Developmental Math
• 8 of the 12 are also taking Developmental
  English

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Common Classroom Accommodations for students with
a Hearing loss

• Sign Language Interpreters
• Peer note-takers
• Permanent peer professional tutoring

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Challenges in Math Courses

• Interpreting Services
• 2. Peer note-taking
• 3. Tutoring
• 4. Students skills

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Using sign language interpreters

• Concerns
• Interpreters may not be comfortable with the math
  concepts and math terminology
• Interpreters may not always be same interpreter
  for all classes
• Interpretation is literally a translation to a
  different language
• Interpretation requires processing time

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Using Peer Note-Takers

• Concerns
• Securing a note-taker
• Will you get a volunteer?
• Quality of notes
• Will the notes be accurate?
• Will the note-taker be on time?
• Delivery of notes
• Will the notes be copied and handed out to the
  students?
• Will the note taker give the notes to the
  students who are absent?

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Tutoring Services

• Concerns
• Tutor student use an interpreter for
  communication
• Tutor may not use the same terms as the
  instructor
• Coordination of tutoring times between tutor,
  student and interpreter is difficult

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Students Challenges

• Students
• Have difficulty comprehending English in the math
  text
• Receive translated and/or interpreted message
• Have difficulty watching an interpreter and the
  board at the same time
• Have difficulty taking notes and watching the
  interpreter at the same time

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Student Comments

• What do you consider your first language?
• 37.5 said English, then American Sign Language
• 50 said American Sign Language
• 12.5 said Both English American Sign Language
• Which do you prefer on videos for learning
  interpretations or closed captions?
• 25 prefer closed captions only
• 50 prefer interpretations
• 25 prefer both closed captions interpretation

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Student Comments Cont

• Where do you look during Math lessons?
• 38 Watch the board instead of the interpreter
• 13 Watch only the interpreter
• 38 Watch the board AND the interpreter
• 11 did not respond to this question
• Do you watch the interpreter more in Math?
• 66 Watch the interpreter more than in other
  courses
• 13 Said no difference
• 21 did not respond to this question

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What works? According to the students

• When the instructors . I learned better
• Wrote information clearly on the board
• Made time for extra help sat with me explained
  concepts step by step
• Took time to get to know me to develop a
  positive relationship
• Paid attention to me equally
• Were flexible and gave me time to understand
• Allowed me time to ask questions

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STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING MATH

• Keep it CLEAR
• Keep it SIMPLE
• Keep it ORGANIZED
• Make it FUN !!!

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How do we as educators try to level the playing
field for students who are deaf or hard of
hearing?
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AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETED MATH VIDEOS
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The videos provide the following

• All lessons are contained in one field of vision
• The lessons are consistent, using the same
  interpreter
• The video can be put on pause
• The video can also be used by any student

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Videos Also

• The video can be replayed
• Students wont need to request interpreting
  services
• Math terms can be clearly defined before the
  lessons

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Sample Interpreted Video

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Thank you

• Thank You