Using the senses

Abstract

You will sometimes hear people say, "You never appreciate something so much until it's gone," and that is exactly the way it is with the senses. Simulating a hearing or vision impairment by using earplugs or a blindfold will give you some appreciation of what it is like to be limited in the amount and form of information that you can receive. But unless you have to live with the disadvantage for a lengthy period, you may never understand just how many complications there could be in your life. As you work your way through this chapter, you will learn about: the senses end the vital role they play in learning; how we see and hear; how hearing and vision are assessed; about the four major categories of sense impairment: hard-of-hearing, deaf, low-vision and blind; how learning is supported through the use of an individual education program (lEP), and how collaboration forms the basis of all services for students with sense impairment; and how sense impairment impacts on student learning, how to modify materials and methods to ensure that a student with sense impairment can participate more fully in regular class activities.