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As usual, Mairian raise excellent points. The "tech fix" approach is especially 'off-topic' in *this* forum! I offer as conceptual excuse the improvisational genius that many of the listmembers with disabilities have developed. Here's a suggestion that is perhaps 1/2 tech fix and 1/2 smash-the-inappropriate-stereotypes. Encourage the student to find some project as soon as possible that provides her the opportunity to address the entire class & instructor. Make her communication needs the focus of that presentation. Introduce a 'token' (hand sized, light enough not to tire the hand's owner, brightly colored) that class members must hold before they may speak. Give the instructor another token that trumps the class's in a contrasting color. The token's purpose is to prevent simultaneous conversations, and offer the deafened student a good chance of knowing who is speaking. Too bold? At 5:59p +0100 on 12/1/98, Mairian Corker <[log in to unmask]> said, in part: > The student's need is to access the course - by which she means the > curriculum, the tutors and the other students. The student is well aware of > her communication needs and the fact that informal communication is often > as important as formal communication. She wanted to communicate directly > with other students about how they can help her with these needs at the > start of the course, not through a tutor or other adult who felt they knew > her needs better than she knew them herself. Her communication needs are > being stereotyped according to either Deaf or hearing 'norms'. I find it > fascinating that, while this is a clear case of social and educational > discrimination, almost all the responses (excepting Joseph's and parts of > Tanis') to date propose technological fixes and alternative medicine! > Comments please .... Jesse the K -- 43:04N 89:24W Madison WI USA -- <mailto:[log in to unmask]> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%