El Deafo also addresses many of the issues kids face -- navigating a school system that doesn't meet your needs, desiring to fit in socially while cultivating individuality, and fostering healthy friendships. I look forward to reading it with my students some day.
In school, Cece struggles with her hearing assistive technology because it's clunky and visible and she's embarrassed by the way she believes it makes her stand out from her traditionally-hearing classmates.
Learning about Cece's experience with assistive technology inspired me to look into how the technology has changed over 40 years.
Before I get into the technology, I want to clarify the difference between deafness and hearing impairment because the terms are sometimes confused. I will use definitions from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which is the resource that educators use. The IDEA legislation ensures all children receive an appropriately challenging K-12 education and helps determine educational services for which students may be entitled ("About IDEA").
According to IDEA, hearing impairment is "an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance" ("Hearing Impairment").
By contrast, deafness "means a hearing impairment so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance" ("Deafness").
It's important to note the differences between these two definitions in the IDEA legislation.
Cece is hearing impaired but not deaf.
In school, Cece uses hearing assistive technology called the Phonic Ear. This is a sound amplification system that reminds me of a Walkman radio (remember those?) with ear buds. Cece wears the system strapped to her chest, and her teacher wears a microphone that feeds sound into Cece's amplifier.
Here's Cece's illustration of the Phonic Ear device (Bell 39)...
In El Deafo, Cece describes feeling embarrassed by the size of the amplifier she has to wear under her shirt and the skin irritation it causes.
However, it's not all bad! Cece realizes that wearing the device gives her a unique advantage, her "superpower," which she eventually leverages in social capital.
So, how has the technology changed since the early 1980s? To begin, here's a new and improved 21st century belt-pack receiver offered on School Outfitters.
Ummmmmmm....... this looks the same? How is it different??
To answer that question, let's first define the system. This technology is called an FM system. Think of it as an FM radio channel for one person. Cool!
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), an FM device like Cece's Phonic Ear would allow her to focus exclusively on the teacher wearing the mic and tune out irrelevant background information ("HATS for Children"). It would also help Cece hear her own voice so she could speak at the appropriate volume ("HATS for Children").
While the hearing assistive technology may look similar to the technology 40 years ago, there have been advances in the software of these devices.
As for the future of hearing assistive technology, there's an interesting development for schools called sound field systems. While these systems were designed for students with hearing impairment, researchers sound they actually benefit all students (Phonic Ear "Sound Field Systems"). Winning!
Sound field systems project a teacher's voice equally throughout the classroom using a series of speakers ("HATS for Children"). They also supposedly clarify voices that tend to mumble (Phonic Ear "Sound Field System").
And the best part? This system benefits all learners. Perhaps it's something we will implement in future auditoriums or concert halls!
Here we see the seed of a brilliant idea to support students with special needs blossomed into a revolutionary innovation that benefits everyone. This is why the research is so important!
I'm so grateful to Cece Bell for writing El Deafo, her exceptional graphic memoir. I appreciated learning about her experience with hearing assistive technology as it makes me consider ways to support students with new, creative technology. It also opens my eyes to a new perspective.
I encourage you to read El Deafo and reflect on how technology has affected your own educational journey.
References
1. Cece Bell’s blog! https://cecebell.wordpress.com/
2. IDEA’s definitions: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8
3. Belt-pack Receiver from School Outfitters: https://www.schooloutfitters.com/catalog/product_info/pfam_id/PFAM4029/products_id/PRO12158
4. ASHA’s article on Hearing-Assistive Technology for Children: https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/hearing-assistive-technology-for-children/
5. Phonic Ear: http://www.phonicear.com/
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