Chatakpat, Learning Aid for Children with Special Needs

Submitted by Guided by
Deepali Karanjavkar Prof. Mandar Rane

Learning Aid for Children
with Hearing Impairment

Visual Communication
Project III


Submitted by
Deepali Karanjavkar

Guided by
Prof. Mandar Rane

Industrial Design Centre (IDC),
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai, India.

i

‘चटकपत’- Learning Aid for
Children with Hearing Impairment

Project III

Approval Sheet Submitted by
Deepali C. Karanjavkar, 10625009

Guided by
Prof. Mandar Rane

Approved for the partial fulfilment of the
Requirements for the degree of Masters
of Design in Visual Communication at
Industrial Design Centre,

Guide’s signature: ................................

Internal Examiner ................................

External Examiner ................................

Chairman ................................

ii

I declare that this written submission represents
my ideas in my own words and where others’
ideas or words have been included, I have
adequately cited and referenced the original
sources. I also declare that I have adhered to all
principles of academic honest and integrity and

Declaration have not misrepresented or fabricated or falsified
any idea/data/fact/source in my submission.
I understand that any violation of the above will
be cause for disciplinary action by the Institute
and can also evoke penal action from the sources
which have thus not been properly cited or from
whom proper permission has not been taken
when needed.

Student’s signature: ................................

(Deepali C. Karanjavkar, 10625009)

iii

I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to
my guide, Prof. Mandar Rane for considering
me for this project. His valuable inputs always
helped me to grow further in my project.
His questioning style always helped me to
accelerate thinking on this project. Clarity comes

Acknowledgement with thinking and understanding by asking
questions and giving answers on your own,
this is what I learnt from this project. He was
always there to show me the right path.

Every design project needs a good
understanding, but for the project on children
with hearing impairment needs much more
understanding of the psychological and physical
needs with their surrounding. I interacted with
teachers, speech therapist, parents and their
children in Pragati Vidyalaya, Dadar. I would
like to mention their names and thank them for
their support.

Principal Mr. Ravindra Dhawale of Pragati
Vidyalaya for allowing me to do my study with
their teachers and students. And also helping me
to get contacts of children at the last moment.

Mrs. Shubhada Aghor, for her suggestions and
feedback. Also, for giving her valuable time to
give answers to my each doubts at each stage

Other teachers, Mrs. Sugandha Kachare,
Mrs. Sanghamitra, Mrs. Deepali and speech
therapist Mrs. Neeta Dhuri for their feedback
and suggestion at each study with children.

Lovely children, Karthik, Shubham, Naman,
Ajit, Rishita, Sayma, Abdul, Puneet and
their parents.
iv

Neha Kulkarni (IDC, Jr.AN) and her mother Finally, yet importantly, I would like to express
Mrs. Minakshi Kulkarni, Ronit Chakraborty (IDC, my heartfelt thanks to Manumama, my beloved
PD Batchmate) for sharing their efforts parents and dada for their blessings.
and experiences.

Dr. Kalyani Manke (Audiogist, Pune) for sharing
her experience with the hearing impaired.

I take immense pleasure in thanking Prof. Sudesh
Balan and Prof. G.V. Sreekumar for their support
and feedback at each stage presentation.

Prof. Anirudha Joshi (Faculty in IDC, IxD),
his lectures on HCI (Human Computer Interaction)
methods which helped me to understand and
use those in design projects.

Dr. Girish Dalvi, Anisha Malhotra and Debjani
for giving feedback and suggestions as their
own project.

I would like to thank all IDC staff and mention
few names for their contribution in my growth
in this design institute.

Workshop Staff - George Sir, Patil Sir, Kini
Sir, Ahire Sir, Kundan, Navnath, Samarth and
Mawade Sir; Office Staff - Nancy Madam,
Mr. Vinay Adhikary, Trupti, Anupama, Prashant
and Desai Kaka; Library staff - Mr. Mohankumar
sir and Mr. Upadhyay;

Thanks to my friends Bimal, Aman, Konark,
Shishir, Aditi, Abhinav, Jayamuthu, Ritika and
the batch 2012 their help and wishes for the
successful completion of this project.

I wanted to do a project on learning related field
which would allow me to think differently.
The project helped me to learn how to analyse
problems and how to take wise decisions
to give solutions.

Abstract Children with hearing impairment always have
speech problems and difficulties in constructing
sentences and grammar. Keeping same level of
interest is difficult for teachers while teaching.
Parents don’t know how to train them at home
and people in the surrounding are unable to
understand what they say.

I thought of many interesting ideas and tested
some of them with children and got feedback
from teachers as well. Their feedback helped me
to select best concept to work upon.

The project focuses on repetition and
encouragement to speak which will improve
their speech and language skills. ‘Chatakpat’,
a game was designed to encourage
4 to 8 year old hearing impaired children to
speak. Guessing an answer and identifying
letters is the game which can be played in the
school or one senior moderator at home.

v

Introduction 1

I Background Knowledge 3
1 How Do Children Learn to Speak? 4
2 What is Hearing Impairment? 6
3 Treatments and Education Programs 8
4 Speech, Language and Communication 12
Contents 5 Communication Modes 14
6 Work Done in this Field 15

II Contextual Inquiry 17
7 What is Contextual Inquiry? 27
8 Interviews 28, 48
9 Silent Observation 38
10 Experiments 52

III Clarity Towards Project 55
11 Insights 56
12 Design Opportunities 57
13 Problems Identification 58
14 Aim, Objective and Design Goal 59

IV Alternative Concepts 61
15 Brainstorming on Ideas 62
16 Experiments 64
17 Number of Concepts 68
18 Concept Comparison and Ratings 100
19 Choosing Final Concept 101

V Final Concept 103
20 Detailed Game-play 104
21 Name the Game 106
22 Final Execution 107
23 Prototype Development 114
24 Final Game-play and Protocol 140

VI Evaluation and Feedback 151

VII Summery and Conclusion 153
vi
VIII References 155


1

I wanted to do my final Project in learning After finding out problems due to
improvement areas. Initially, I was thinking hearing impairment, I narrowed down
on many topics related this area; my focus on basic holistic problem that
Prof. Mandar Rane suggested me project ‘they do not speak’. If we could encourage
for hearing impaired children. The topic them to speak, they can acquire confidence
was very new to me and challenging too. to speak; practice of speaking and listening
It is challenging to understand children’s would improve their speech and ability to
world. I enjoy being with children and for me express their thoughts with people.
it is easy to interact with them, which made More you practice to listen and speak,
it easy for me to communicate at different more you assimilate the language. We also
stages. And when it comes to hearing use gestures, facial expressions, and body
impairment, it becomes most challenging postures to send correct messages to people.
Introduction to understand their problems and give
solutions as per their needs. The solutions deal with tongue exercises,
duration practices, daily activities, learning
As a hearing person, I may not understand language, interaction between children,
completely how they perceive the world, speech correction, speaking, identifying
but I decided to take this up as my project letters and reading, hearing and listening
to understand design problems and create practices. Number of solutions were given
solutions. In contextual enquiry, I visited to compare with other solutions and one
special school to observe how they learn, was selected which best solved the holistic
what are the methods used while teaching problem. Other solutions could be done later
them. After talking to teachers and parents, on. Or suppose, some other person works on
I got to know learning problems like this project, they can work further on those
Constructing sentences, using post-positions, Ideas in future.
confusion in gender related sentences,
speech problems; as well as the roots of the
problems. Through various experiments,
I understood how children enjoy learning
through an interaction.

My experience was good that I met these
sweet children and I feel that they are very
lucky that they have the ability to ‘off’ the
sound anytime and ‘on’ whenever they want
to. Other way, I feel myself lucky that I can
hear the beautiful sounds in this world.

2

I
Background Knowledge
Data collection was done in following parts 1. How Do Children Learn to Speak?
to understand the background of the subject. 2. What is Hearing Impairment?
This part provides information about steps of 3. Treatments and Education Programs
learning to speak first language, types and 4. Speech, Language and Communication
severity of hearing impairment, important 5. Communication Modes
factors or child development, criticism on 6. Work Done in this Field
previous work done in this area. This study
helped me to understand overall background
to work further on this project.

3

1
How do we hear and speak? Speech and Language Development:
Child enjoys “cooing” (makes cooing sounds)
a) The sound which reaches into our and “gurgling” (sounds resembling gurgle).
ears first makes the eardrum vibrate.
These vibrations are transmitted through 3 Months to 6 months:
the 3 small bones in the middle ear to the
cochlea. This results in a movement within Auditory Response: The child normally
the cochlear fluids. Sensitive hair cells in the recognizes its mother’s voice i.e. If he is
cochlea register this movement and start crying he usually stops when he hears her
a neural activity, which is transmitted voice. Child smiles when spoken to, stops
through the auditory nerve to the brain. playing and appears to listen to sounds,
Thus we hear. especially when pleasant and new sounds

How Do Children
are made. For example - sound of new toys.
b) The brain creates idea to articulate and
the exhaled air from the lung is used for Speech and Language Development:

Learn to Speak
vibrate vocal chord to produce voice. Child enjoys babbling i.e. Child repeats a
Thus we speak. chain of sounds like da..da..ba.. ba. Child
responds to her mother’s voice by making
pleasurable sounds.
How does child learn to
speak language? 6 Months to 9 months:

Almost all children learn their first language Auditory Response: Your child will turn
from their mother, called as ‘Mother Tongue’. his head towards the sound source and
She makes very sweet conversation with his interest in listening to sources of new
child and child responds to those sounds sounds continues.
and step by step he learns to speak.
So, what are those steps? The following Speech and Language Development: Your
developmental stages of learning our first child will enjoy making different sounds
language are from www.ayjnh.com . and continue to babble. He tries to imitate
if you make sounds resembling those made
Birth to 3 months by him. He is able to vocalize emotional
satisfaction or dissatisfaction. That is when
Auditory Response: When a loud sound is he is happy, his smile is accompanied by
made such as a clap, alarm etc. Your baby vocalization (voice) and when he is unhappy
will awaken when asleep or may move and or uncomfortable he usually cries.
begin to wake up. At times on hearing loud
sounds the baby will startle and start crying.
4

9 Months to 18 months: responses to sounds due to other problems
such as delayed motor milestones.
Auditory Response: Your child will look
up when you call. He understands words
like ‘no’. He will also respond to simple
commands like ‘Open your mouth’, References
‘Close your eyes’ and like-wise.
Available at <http://ayjnihh.nic.in/aw/
Speech and Language Development: He awareness/audiology.html> [Accessed 28
starts using his voice for getting attention. December, 2011]
His first word is usually heard at any time
within this period. He will imitate some of the Owens, R. E. (1988) Language Development,
sounds that you make. By 18 months child’s Merrill Publishing Company, Ohio 43216.
vocabulary (use of meaningful words)
increases gradually.

18 Months to 2-1/2 years :

Auditory Response: Your child will begin
to respond to requests like ‘give me’
He can also respond to commands like
‘bring the ball’ and he throws it when asked
to. He can point to things that are named.

Speech and Language Development:

He is able to combine words into sentences
for example ‘papa come’. He can name a
few common animals, fruits etc. He can
name objects and describe them by using
adjectives and adverbs like big more nice.

Remember, in some children the hearing
loss may also be accompanied by other
deformities, such as cleft lip & palate
(opening in the roof of the mouth), low set
ears, absence of outer ear etc. Some children
may not be able to give age appropriate 5

2
As I am doing project on Hearing impaired family members and surroundings? How do
children, it was necessary to know about they raise their child?
Hearing impairment. I started finding
answers of further questions on web What are the types of hearing loss?
browser. What is hearing impairment?
What are the levels of listening sound? Conductive hearing loss
What are the types? What are the
treatments? What type of education? Conductive hearing loss results from defects
Can child speak? What are the in the outer or middle ear. The sound is not
communication modes they use? conducted efficiently to the inner ear. All
sounds heard thus become weak and/or
What is hearing impairment? muffled. Usually such individuals speak

What is Hearing
softly irrespective of the surrounding
Hearing impairment is the inability of environmental noise.
an individual to hear sufficient sounds.

Impairment?
This may be due to improper development, Sensorineural hearing loss is caused due
damage or disease to any part of the hearing to damage or disease of the inner ear or
mechanism. Hearing is an essential for the auditory nerve. It could also result as an
development of normal speech & language. after effect of infectious diseases like
A child learns to speak by hearing the measles, mumps, meningitis and T.B.
speech of mother, others in the family
and surroundings. Mixed hearing loss

Hearing impairment is an invisible injury. Mixed hearing loss is the combination of
It is necessary to identify hearing impaired conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
child. Hearing impairment at birth or in early One of the main causes of this type of loss
childhood has disastrous effects on the is the long standing ear infection known as
child’s overall development. These effects Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM).
vary depending upon the age of onset, In CSOM, ear discharge in the form of pus,
nature and degree of hearing impairment. blood or clear water is seen. This starts with
If early intervention happens for such conductive loss yielding to sensorineural
a child, he can be developed by people impairment, if not treated immediately
around him, and problems in the language and regularly.
development occur.
Central hearing loss
What happens when child is not able to listen
sound? When do they know that their child Central hearing loss is due to damage,
can not listen sound? How parents react after malformation or infections of the neural
6 knowing this? How does this impact on other pathways and the hearing centers in the

brain. The child may hear but has difficulty
in understanding what he hears. Some of
the children classified as learning disabled
or slow learners may have this type of
hearing loss.

Functional hearing loss

Functional hearing loss is due to some
psychogenic condition or maybe due
to deliberate exaggeration of hearing
thresholds for personal gains.

What is the severity of a
hearing impairment?

The severity is (measured in decibels of
hearing loss, or dB HL). Hearing impairment
may be ranked as mild, moderate,
moderately severe, severe or profound as
defined below:

Mild: for children, between 20 and 40 dB HL
Moderate: between 41 and 55 dB HL
Moderately severe: between 56 and 70 dB HL
Severe: between 71 and 90 dB HL
Profound: 91 dB HL
Totally Deaf: Have no hearing at all.

References:

awareness/audiology2.html> [Accessed 28
December, 2011]

7

3
What are the further treatments? They diagnose the type of hearing problem,
do hearing aid testing and fitting, tell you
Drugs and surgery are useful in treating how to use the hearing aid, help you with a
middle and outer ear problems. For ear program geared at helping the child learn to
discharge, regular and long term treatment make use of his hearing and develop speech
is necessary to stop it completely. In case and language, provide speech therapy.
where the hearing impairment is irreversible,
hearing aid fitting is recommended. c) The special educator:
A teacher who has specialized in
The rehabilitation process includes educational methods for children with
training to make the best use of residual hearing impairment.
hearing, speech reading instruction,

Treatments
Speech- language stimulation and therapy These teachers use special methods to
and the services of special educators. develop language and conduct educational
At the appropriate age preschool/school programs for children with hearing

and Education
placements should be made after consulting impairment. They can assess the child’s
a special educator. language abilities and guide you about the
type of school placement best suited for

Programs
Early identification and intervention and your child.
family support are important factors which
determine the success of a rehabilitation d) Psychologist, Vocational Concealer
program. Therefore whenever a hearing and Neurologist:
problem is suspected immediate action All these professionals work as a team for
is an essential. the child with special needs. Your child
may need the services of more than one
Professionals in this field: professional at any given time.

a) The ENT Specialist: A doctor who has Which are the educational programs
specialized in dealing with diseases or are available?
problems of the ear, nose and throat.
Correspondence course for parents:
b) The Audiologist and Speech-Language
Pathologist: A professional who is trained in Parents are a child’s first and natural
the diagnosis and rehabilitation of hearing teachers and all children almost always
and speech problems. learn language from their parents.
Correspondence courses are therefore
In case of children with hearing impairment designed for parents to assist them in
these professionals can Carry out the handling the difficulties that they may
8 hearing assessment.

encounter in developing communication and to the parents to carry out follow up and Primary Schools:
language skills in their children. supplement the class-room teaching.
a) Integrated education in a regular school:
Parents are provided with a Home Study Preschool Programmes: Children either from integrated preschool
Plan for input in language development, programmes or from segregated special
so that they could provide a language Integrated education in regular school for school programmes are enrolled in regular
stimulating environment at home during children diagnosed and intervened at a very primary schools. Hearing impaired children
their child’s early life i.e. 0-5 years, as it is early stage and most importantly who have follow the same curriculum as prescribed
critical period for language acquisition. developed functional language could be by the State Board of Special Education
included in regular preschool programmes. in a state, but are entitled for language
Parent Infant Programme: However assistance from special teachers exemption and from oral evaluation.
or resource teachers would be required so The assistance from a resource teacher
These programmes aim at catching the that the child develops good reading and or a special teacher will help the hearing
hearing impaired very young. Such writing skills and a continual language impaired child progress at par with his/her
programme intend to monitor overall enhancement programme. hearing counter parts.
development of the concerned child.
The philosophy is to expose the young Segregated in a Special School b) Segregated education in a special school:
children to a language stimulating Children who have still not developed
environment so that the hearing impaired Children diagnosed late or those who good language and communication skills
children acquire natural language. The crux have not developed adequate functional and need more assistance in reading and
of this programme is parent empowerment. language are enrolled in Special preschool writing continue primary education in
As the name suggests, parents along with programmes. In special schools, special special school. Special teachers design
their infants are enrolled in the programme teachers help children build a strong individualized education plan and develop
and parents are trained to undertake foundation of language which would ease curriculum to meet the individual needs of
different techniques to help their infants out the formal education in primary and the special children.
acquire language which if not developed at secondary school, again, either in an
this stage, can lead to difficulty in acquiring integrated setup or in a special school In addition to the curriculum as laid down
formal education at a later stage. depending upon the child’s achievements. by State Education Board, special teachers
Teachers in special schools develop undertake activities to strengthen the
Contact Training Programmes for Parents conversational skills by using various language both receptive and expressive.
techniques. Special preschool curriculum
Upholding the parent teacher partnership in to suit the needs of the children is devised Secondary schools:
education of the hearing impaired contact and activities such as directed activity,
training programmes for parent of hearing storytelling, guided play are contrived to a) Integrated education in regular schools:
impaired are organized periodically in most develop receptive and expressive language Children from integrated primary schools or
of the special schools in India . Depending in the preschool hearing impaired children. from special primary school may be placed
upon the age group of the children the in secondary school. Secondary section in
programmes are chalked out so that a special school may not be available due to
appropriate training could be imparted several reasons. Sometimes, special schools 9

do not get permission to run secondary Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for Higher Secondary Education:
school from the concerned State government. the Hearing Handicapped is one of the
Hence children may have to enrol in accredited centres catering to the continual Hearing impaired who have successfully
integrated secondary schools. There also education of hearing impaired children . completed secondary school from a
is high rate of school dropouts at this point. It offers two programmes – The foundation recognized Board of Secondary Education
Parents are advised to be alert and look course and secondary education in two either from integrated regular secondary
for options available so that the education mediums Hindi and English. school or special school or NOS are eligible
is not discontinued. for admission to Higher Secondary School.
a) Foundation course:
The curriculum followed is as prescribed Segregated Higher Secondary
by the concerned State Board of Education, Minimum education upto std. V is required
however the hearing impaired children for admission. The foundation course is Hearing impaired children who have
get language exemptions and need to take equivalent to std.VIII. There are no public successfully completed secondary school
optional subjects against exemptions. exams, marks or certificate. Five subjects from a recognized Board of Secondary
are offered with either one or two languages Education either from integrated regular
Segregated Special Schools: from group A or the remaining 3 subjects secondary school or special school or
Children who for one or the other reasons from group B. National Open School are eligible for
could not be integrated in a regular primary admission to higher secondary
school continue their secondary education b) Secondary Education: special school.
in a special school. In addition to the State
Boards curriculum of secondary education, Minimum education up to std. VIII or Can child speak ?
they get language exemptions. Most of the foundation course done from National
special schools also have classes to teach Open School is required for admission. This is one of the most common
pre-vocational skills. The secondary education is equivalent questions that the professionals come
to std. X . Subjects offered are any one across. It is quite natural that parents are
Continual Education: language + 5 subjects including options for concerned about speaking ability of the
vocational subjects. child. Generally, speaking is considered to
The National Open School: be the ability which distinguishes human
Public exams are conducted and secondary beings from the other animals. Speech not
The National Open School provides an school certificate is given after successfully only helps us communicate our ideas but it
educational opportunity to persons who completing the course. also links us with the society. Moreover,
wish to pursue further education but cannot the inability of the hearing impaired child to
do so in a regular school system. It provides The special feature is that the student can speak clearly may lead to teasing by other
continued education to the handicapped appear for only one subject per year in the children. Parents are concerned about it and
children, especially dropouts from school. term of five years i.e. Students can study at hence the questions` can hearing impaired
For this purpose NOS has set up Special their own pace. child speak?’ Yes a child can most certainly
Accredited Centres for the Education of speak but there are a few buts and ifs. This
Disadvantaged (SAIED) at various places. is so because the success of a hearing
10 impaired child in general (which includes

ability to speak) depends on several factors. too can speak. How fast and how quick your
If these factors are present only then higher child can speak, heavily depends on various
achievements can be expected. factors given above but most importantly,
it depends on parents and child.
a) Early identification and intervention
Parents goes to professionals like
b) Early and appropriate amplification speech therapist to improve child’s speech.
(hearing aid) which is used continuously Researchers in this field agrees speech is
and with adequate training important for human beings and our hearing
impaired children can attain it. It’s good to
Hearing Impaired children are eligible for be concerned about speech but also focus
language exemption and can opt for other on language. Also have to be concerned
optional subjects. about child’s reading and writing skills.

c) Cochlear implant which gives child There are hearing impaired individuals
hearing capability which also demands who do not have intelligible speech but
hearing and speech practices more. are leading a fully functional, personal
and social life.
d) Early and ongoing professional help

e) Well informed and motivated parents with References:
adequate time and energy for home training
f) Exposure to speech and language at home awareness/educationservicesa.html>
and at school. (Accessed 28 December, 2011)

Most of the people think hearing impaired
are dumb. They have the same intelligence
like other people have. They do not hear that
is why they do not understand what you say.
This is the same situation like you behave
when you go to some other country and
you do not understand their language.
There is nothing wrong in the speech
organs (like tongue teeth etc.) of the hearing
impaired individual. But since he/she is
unable to listen to what others are speaking,
the child is unable to speak. With hearing
aids and training, hearing impaired children 11

4
Speech Speech and language are two of the tools
people use to communicate ideas, emotions,
Speech is a method or a verbal means of and needs.
communicating or conveying meaning.
Speech is not the only mode or means of Communication
human communication. We also use gestures,
facial expressions, and body postures to “Communication is primary function
send messages. When speaking on the of language”, (Muma, 1978, p. 118).
phone, we rely on the speech modality Communication is sharing or exchanging
to carry out our message. In face to face information and ideas between participants.
conversation, more emphasis is placed on The process is active process which involves
nonverbal means. 'It has been estimated that encoding, transmitting, and decoding

Speech,
up to 60% of the in face to face conversation the intended message. Other aspects
may be transmitted through nonspeech of communication can be classified as
means. Other way of communicating includes paralinguistic, nonlinguistic,

Language and
writing, driving and manual gesturing'. and metalinguistic.
Speech is not the only important thing for
language development and communication. a) Paralinguistic codes are superimposed on

Communication
speech to indicate attitude or emotion. They
Language include intonation, stress or emphasis, speed
or rate of delivery, and pause or hesitation.
Without attached meaning, speech sounds Intonation patterns changes in pitch that
are only grunts and groan or meaningless signal the mood of an end. For example,
strings of sounds. The relationship between a rising pitch at the end of a sentence can
all the linguistic forms-individual sounds, change a statement to a question. Example
meaningful units, and the combination given with this is following two sentences:
of these units-is specified by the rules of a) It’s a party. b) It’s a party?. Similarly,
language. Language can be defined as two sentences can also convey different
a socially shared code for representing emotions across the words that signal the
concepts through the use of arbitrary same information.
symbols and combinations of those symbols.
Hindi is a language; English and Marathi are b) Nonlinguistic codes include gestures,
languages. Each has its own unique symbols body posture, facial expression, eye contact,
and rule of combination. Dialects are the head and body movement, and physical
subcategories of the parent language that distance. We know someone who seems
use similar but not identical rules. Dialects to gesture too much or remain too close
can change from person to person or it while communicating. Some nonlinguistic
can depend on surrounding of people he is messages, such as wink, a funny smile,
12 staying with. a pout, or folded arms, can convey the

entire message with no need to rely on
speech or language.

c) Metalinguistic Codes are the abilities to
talk about the language, analyse it, think
about it, see it, and judge it. For example,
learning to read and write depends on
metalinguistic awareness of component
units of language-sounds, words, phrases,
sentences. Constructing sentence is very
good example of Metalinguistic Codes.

Reference:

Owens, R. E. (1988) Language Development,
Merrill Publishing Company, Ohio 43216.

13

5
Communication mode used by hearing impaired to communicate with their
hearing impaired hearing associates.

The auditory-verbal approach Speech reading
This is also known as the unisensory It is preferred instead of lip reading because
mode. The child develops “listening” and it conveys the difference of similar rhyming
speech skills through the use of optimally words. The term speech reading also
functioning hearing aids, and auditory indicates that residual hearing may be
training i.e. Lip reading is not encouraged. essential as well as gestural information.
The use of signs is forbidden. The deaf For speech reading the strategies used are
child develops spoken communication coding and guessing- speech perception
skills just like any other child – that is, by which a person relies on visual, auditory

Communica-
through the ears. or audio-visual cues. The skilled lip reader
does not engage in word by word reading,
The auditory-oral approach but rather that they synthesise visual and

tion Modes
This mode relies on auditory training and linguistic cues to arrive at the meaning of
the use of hearing aids to develop spoken the message.
language. Lip reading is also used but signs
are excluded – that is signing is not allowed. Visual
Text, visuals/pictures are another way
Sign language: to make hearing impaired aware of
It is mainly used for communicating among surroundings. The visual or text is always
hearing impaired. Sign takes a-1/2 to 2 times combined with speech, thus encouraging
as long to produce as a word. them to develop residual hearing too.

Finger spelling
It is coded language using hands. Each References:
alphabet is spelled by using hands/fingers
which includes fingers and hand movements. Available at <http://vaani.in/deafness/
Usually finger spelling is used to spell a new communication/> [Accessed 1 Jan. 2012]
word, but gradually a sign for that new word
is developed.

Lip reading
Most of the hearing impaired persons
develop lip reading by themselves and they
understand the other person by lip reading.
This is very effective method used by
14

6
VV-Talker Teacher or parents can download interesting
Designers: Cui Chen, Wang Qi, Shi Kaiyuan, learning diagrams and insert it into
Geng Kun, Huang Jianbo, Wang Zhi, Qiu VV-talker and educate the hearing impaired
Shuang & Chen Zhen children using it. VV-talker can record and
create vibration on normal hum beings
vibration when they are talking. By touching
it, hearing impaired child can sense the
vibration and learn talking using it. Through
the learning deaf children will gain their
confidence and get a cleared message:
hence, it will speed up the learning process.

Work Done in References:

This Field
Available at <http://www.yankodesign.
com/2011/07/26/learning-tool-for-deaf-
children/> [Accessed 8 January, 2012]

Viewpoint on this project

Designers have focused only upon vocal
vibrations for speech correcting. For
speaking correctly there are many things
than just vibration of vocal card. Tongue
movement, throwing amount of air from
mouth, taking pause, nasal talk. Speech
differs with person to person. Some people
The VV-Talker is a device designed for have high pitch, some people have low
deaf children to help them overcome their pitch and some people can have falling
problem in speaking effectively. If you can’t pitch. This machine can help people to raise
hear the sounds you make, it’s difficult to their pitch but machine can not measure
know if you’re pronouncing it correctly. tongue movement and dialect. Focusing on
The device has a screen attached to a wand. to listening is very important. Content is
Sounds are associated with vibrations. important more than using technology and
As the child speaks, the device provides solve problem. In this project I can see lack
feedback on accuracy and teaches the child of understanding problems and depth study
to speak with the correct “vocal vibrations” for hearing impairment. 15
to achieve the correct modulation.

II
Contextual Inquiry
For contextual enquiry I went to the special 7. What is Contextual Inquiry?
school to see how hearing impaired children 8. Interviews
learn languages. Firstly, I observed the 9. Silent Observation
teacher and children by sitting in their 10. Experiments
classes. I talked to teachers, parents, speech
therapist, audiologist and two profound
adult, to validate data which was previously
collected and know their experiences. Pilot
experiments was held to understand how
they respond to interactive things.

17

7
Contextual inquiry (CI) is a user-centered Reference
design (UCD) ethnographic research method,
part of the Contextual Design methodology. Gaffney, G. (1999), Usability Techniques
A contextual inquiry interview is usually Series-Contextual Enquiry What is a
structured as approximately two hour, one- Contextual Enquiry? [Online PDF] Available
on-one interaction in which the researcher at <http://www.infodesign.com.au/ftp/
watches the user do their normal activities ContextualEnquiry.pdf> [Accessed 17
and discusses what they see with the user. December 2011]

Contextual inquiry defines four principles:

Context: Interviews are conducted in the

What is
user’s actual workplace. The researcher
watches users do their own work tasks
and discusses any artifacts they generate

Contextual
or use with them. In addition, the researcher
gathers detailed re-tellings of specific
past events when they are relevant to

Inquiry?
the project focus.

Partnership: User and researcher
collaborate to understand the user’s work.
The interview alternates between observing
the user as they work and discussing what
the user did and why.

Interpretation: The researcher shares their
interpretations and insights with the user
during the interview. The user may expand
or correct the researcher’s understanding.

Focus: The researcher steers the interaction
towards topics which are relevant to the
team’s scope.

27

8
Interviews done before and after silent school has two floors, 12 classes,
observation. Since, I had done background 16 teachers and each class has 1 teacher
study of this field, I had to validate that data with 8 children. Their sitting arrangement in
with knowledge and experience of teachers, the class is like a round table, so that every
speech therapist; and find answers of my child can see teachers face clearly and vice
initial questions in my mind. After silent versa. Children come to school with their
observation done, I had discussed with parents’ everyday (except holidays) from
teachers and speech therapist to validate various long distance places in Mumbai.
noted observations by myself. Aim of doing
this was to get clarity towards this project. Before going in school I had a list of
few questions;
Talking to Teachers:
What problem children face while
Interviews My guide suggested to meet Sr. Teacher, learning languages?
Mrs. Shubhada Aghor. She has nineteen
years experience in teaching hearing What is the syllabus for them and
impaired children. what else can be taught?

I visited Pragati Vidyalaya, Dadar, and What are the differences in Special
special school for children with hearing Schools and Mainstream schools?
impairment (Hindi and Marathi medium).
While travelling in the train to reach the How hearing impairment affects on
school, I was actually thinking how is the child’s education?
hearing impairment. I tried to not listen to
anything and put my fingers in my ears, Mrs. Shubhada was sitting in the sixth
still I could listen little sounds but still I standard class; when I entered in the class,
couldn’t understand what’s it be hearing children said ‘Namaste’ to me. And that was
Impaired. I was very curious and nervous the first time I was interacting with hearing
before going in the school. Curious, because impaired children. I told about myself to her
when you don’t listen to the sound how and she also introduced me to them.
you exactly perceive the world; Nervous, I asked their names one by one. But I didn’t
because I had to understand their problems understand some of their names; still they
and I had no clue that how I will be going to tried to speak clearly to tell their and each
take this project in right pathway. other’s name in many ways, when I couldn’t
understand any. Children asked me, “Kaun
The school is situated at Dadar, it is about hai, tum Ali yavar Jung se aaye ho?”
5 minutes walking distance from Dadar I didn’t get few words in this question but
railway station. I met Mrs. Shubhada; First I understood that they asked me that where
28 time she gave me an overview of school, that I came from. I answered, “IIT Powai” and

Mrs. Shubhada with Sixth
Standard class students.
29
29

they repeated it correctly, but not clearly; costly, people cannot really afford to do this there bag from home. Suppose, it’s a small
some sounds where silent. I was amazed surgery for children. toy car, then children have to draw a vehicle,
that they can speak this much. Shubhada make collage out of it. Maths is taught by
explained me, ‘Ali Yavar Jung’ is the National 3) Child should have same language adding and subtracting things, using beads.
Institute for the Hearing Impaired located at environment at both home and school. Child In various ways children have been taught.
Bandra (West). The main objectives of this is in schools only for 6 hours, remaining So, that they can assimilate whatever they
institute are Research, Education programs hours he is at home. So, parents should talk have learnt and they should use it.
like M.Ed, B.Ed , also for hearing impaired with him continuously. They also should
children, Rehabilitation of Hearing impaired, ask him questions; if he doesn’t answers, 8) Sometimes we cannot explain some
services for them, etc. So, M.Ed, B.Ed then parents should answer. This way they words, those words only can be experienced,
students come for two months internship. should keep talking to their children. example: Saundarya (beauty) and Mangalya
(well being). These abstract concepts, they
She talked overall about children, about 4) Except from syllabus, we try to get done show by celebrating festivals, visits, etc.
hearing aids, cochlear Implant, education, various activities from the children such
learning problems, facilities from the school, as, craft work, directed activity, visits to 9) Teaching and visual aids like, flash
parents’ role, etc. the places, news, etc. Every day they take card (which shows images at one side and
auditory training to stimulate their hearing. another side a word), repetitive words,
1) Using hearing aid increases the hearing babbling, and tongue movement pictures
capacity, children don’t like to keep it into 5) When child joins at the age of three or which are shown to improve their speech.
their ears. Reasons can be sweat, heavy four, they directly don’t put him in first
feeling on ear, itching in ear, sometimes falls standard. In this school there are 4 levels 10) Excessive training, best use of hearing
down on floor. And also they have to charge of learning languages (which focuses on aid, parent counselling, hard work (from
it every day. All these children are from learning verbal language) ,where one year child, parents, and teachers) will help to
lower middle class background, Hearing duration for each level. In this period if the improve their Speech and language skills.
aids stops working sometimes. Parents can’t Child’s language level is good, and if he is Child should have practice to listen sounds,
afford to buy the aid and cells. Hearing aids intellectually good then he can skip one step so the chances to skip letters and words can
cost depending on the quality also. and go to the next level. be reduced.

2) Cochlear implant is surely an effective 6) In school there are facilities like 11) Hobby and habit of reading and writing
surgery; this improves hearing capacity and ‘N’ Computing unit. If teacher doesn’t is the necessary key to improve language.
also improves speech. But, it doesn’t become know how to show some stories. So, they Verbal communication between parents and
successful all the time and after the surgery can show on youtube or somewhere on child is necessary.
is done; lot of auditory practice has to done Internet, (eg, Jaliyanwala Baug Hatyakand).
from child. She add an examples, While Visual aids are necessary; if a new word 12) Children are poor at constructing
playing they can get hit where operation has been taught, then child should use it in sentences, grammar, post-positions,
is done and it might be serious and even functional language. mathematics and creating gender related
one child has thrown water in the speaker, sentences are the major problems they face.
one child’s surgery failed twice, since it is 7) In the beginners’ class (preschool
30 children), some children bring something in

Conclusion: US (America), so while learning sounds it is movements, written chart for sound of
as their accent. animals. Three children from third standard
Pre-school children are beginners and if the were present, and they were acting
base of language is strong, it becomes easy 3) The graphic used to show lip and tongue and saying it.
for child to learn advance level of language. movement is not useful, because it is
So, I decided to focus on preschool children. confusing for children. If child doesn’t know 8) She also added that, blowing and sucking
how to speak letter, speaking in the mike exercise and tongue movement are essential
Talking to a Speech therapist: will not help. A right tongue position and lip for beginner or preschool children,
movement need to be shown to children. and then only they can learn and go for
Mrs. Shubhada suggested meeting Speech speech improvement.
therapist who works in their school. She 4) She added some technical problems as
helps to clear children’s speech by repetition well. If we talk in front of mike anything or Conclusion:
and reinforcement method. Syllables like any letter then, it will give visual feedback.
‘बा…बा…बा…’, ‘ता…ता…ता…’ to which we say Every human being has different level of Not able to speak is the problem and
babbling. It has the role to improve their sensitivity which sometimes doesn’t match not able to speak correctly that is the
speech. She told me her experience with with this software. next problem. And that can be improved
children while speaking, methods of speech by practice with interesting interactive
correction, viewpoints which are given in 5) It needs lot of improvement in the methods. I decided to focus on preschool
detail below: technology and research area for variations children because by research it says that
of speech and dialects for hearing impaired. children’s age of learning languages is 4 to 8
1) She talked about hearing loss first; when When child pronounces something, he year old. After that it is very difficult to teach
child newly comes to the school, they check thinks that it is right but software still gives them language effectively’.
hearing loss in ‘dB’ (is unit of measurement him wrong reply that will be frustrating for
of sound). Finding hearing levels they get him, because child cannot monitor
idea of which type of sound child cannot it by auditory.
listen. And then they give hearing aid to
the child of that hearing loss. For this she 6) She called the child, to show how she
showed me hearing level chart. teaches with the help of this software. The
child is profound; but because his training
2) They have ‘Dr. Speech’ Software, which and practice is great, he can speak clearer
basically used for clinical purposes, but than the cochlear implanted children too.
this software can also be used to improve Through lot of practice, hearing impaired
sound quality. She is using this software children’s speech can really be improved.
for last four years, and this software cost Teaching sound of letters and words is
for aound Rs. 1,20,000/-. This software also difficult, because you may not know how
needs extra hardware other than speakers, they perceive.
amplifier, dongle, mike etc. This software
identifies sound and gives visual feedback 7) I met her again to see visual aids they
of interesting graphics. The software is from use. There were photographs of tongue 31

Mrs. Neeta Dhuri giving
speech therapy to child
using Dr. Speech software.

32

Dr. Speech software
33

These are the visual aids speech
therapist uses to teach children to
speak letters. These visual aids
gives descriptions of where tongue
touches, how the lip movement is,
how it feels inside the throat, and
when air comes out.
35

Visual aids to practice duration of
vowels from children. Right hand
side image shows, how each letter
is taught by repetition method.
This is the chart to teach letter ‘ {É ’.
Word starts with this letter, word
which has the middle letter ‘ {É ’,
word ends with this letter.
37

9
When I entered in a class, the teacher Teacher started with the training called,
smiled at me and said,”Hi”. The children Dr. Daniel’s sixth sense training in which
turned back, saw me and stood up and child has to say or identify ‘aa, ee, u, um,
did Namaste to me. While doing that some sha, sss..’ These six sounds with seeing and
children said like, ”tamatte”, some of them next level will be without seeing. Teacher
said, ”abaye” and two of them just mumbled asked children to fold their hand and asked
up (did lip movement). If they practice more one child to stand. He stood in the corner
they can say it. and identified all the sounds; one by one
she took this training. One or two children
In this class there are only eight children couldn’t recognize those sound properly,
and one teacher. Teacher Mrs. Sugandha so she adjusts the settings on their hearing
Kachare and Children Abdul, Poonit, Ajit, aid. She explained that the children/ child

Silent
Shubham, Karthik, Rishita, Sayma, Naman. whose cochlear implant has been done
These all children live in Sub-urban area should stand far and those who haven’t
of Mumbai, all come to school with their done should stand nearby. Because of the

Observation
parents everyday (except holidays). Two out residual hearing, she takes this training
of eight are severe and others are profound to test hearing of the child. She told about
category. Their sitting arrangement was amplification system which is connected
such that teacher and children can see to this. This amplifier system reduces
each other. Every child was looking at environmental sound and sends only speech
me; I took out camera from my bag and sound to their hearing aid when they are on
they surprisingly started looking at me ‘A’ mode (here A- amplifier). These six sounds
and my camera. They were very curious also stimulated their hearing.
and looking at me. Suddenly teacher beats
two children nearby her. Children near to Then Teacher was preparing to take lesson
me were still doing hand movement, hand on board, story was in written format and
talking something about me, Teacher started images for visual reference.
banging wooden scale on table and sound
of banging was high. I felt the job to teach Teacher started drawing sun on board and
these children is not easy, but how ethical is explained this is ‘Suraj’, pointed in sky and
banging, hitting and beating up them. told this Suraj (Sun in Hindi) is in sky, then
who is this ‘Suraj’, she showed image of
I controlled myself telling this to her, and boy (ladka). She read lessons name, ‘Suraj
continued our conversation. I explained her ka Gubbara’. While reading each time for
about my project. Also I requested her to each word she gave signs. When she asked
explain to the children that I came to make questions to children whose balloon it is?
learning aid for them. Two of them pointed in the sky and showed
Suraj as a Sun. Children were connected
38 with wrong sign. Teacher repetitively told

Mrs. Sugandha Kachare
with children in ‘Payari 2‘
39

them, Suraj is a Boy. She added in between show me, how differently they can do
the lesson, if they have animations of these than others.
things it will make our efforts easy. But my
project is not just for making animation for Whenever the teacher asks questions,
their poems or lessons. It is beyond that. after each right answer they get a star.
But still I noted down her point in my note- When it is correct, teacher writes on the top
book. Visual aids are always important. of the table, near to each child. Once they
get a star they got very excited. Sometimes
Directed activity is the activity for preschool teacher ask them to identify sound by birds
children in which child has to participate and animals. And if teacher has to teach
and does the activity in real. Eg. Eating fruit each letter to them to speak, Teacher tell him
(involves activities like bringing, washing, word starting with that letter, word in the
cutting, sharing, eating.), limbu sarbat, tea. middle of that letter, word ending with that
Directed activity is useful for using verbs letter. Such way, sound can be taught and
in various context in real life. It helps to assimilated into them by connecting speech
teach tenses. Also minus, plus, basic math, movement and sound (hearing + visual).
counting can be taught by this activity.
Insights from teachers
Sometimes teacher had to go in the school’s
office, children become unmanageable In learning language; speech, hand
for me. When she goes out, these children gestures and facial expressions have
become very mischievous and sometimes equal importance.
start fighting each other. And I realized
many time it’s very difficult to manage. Auditory training can be more interesting
There should be something attention and teaching also can be made playful
grabbing, engaging them, but still there and interactive.
should be someone elder to them to whom
they listen to. Do not confuse children, you might be
sending wrong information.
Since, School has no ground these children
made the staircase their ground. In recess,
after eating Tiffin they used to play on
staircase. I was also sitting on a bench near
the staircase to observe them. While playing,
five out of eight children used to speak. And
all were like trying to show me different
things like dancing, acting, jumping from
higher stair to the ground. And they used to
40

The Teacher testing hearing of
a student by using Sixth Sense
Technology. Child without cochlear
implant surgery stands near
the teacher.
41

Child has been done chochlear
implant has to stand in the corner
of the class
42

The teacher teaching a poem
to children.
45

The teacher doing directed activity
with children.
46

8
Talking to parents: aids and surgery and also every time has to
change batteries from hearing aid, so that
Basic questions I had listed for them were: also becomes costly.

When did they got to know about this Children don’t like if their parents are
problem? Why in special schools, why not teaching, but parents doesn’t know how to
in mainstream? What were the reactions talk with them.
of other family members when they got to
know about the child’s problem? Do they talk “You are not teacher, you are my mother;
to their child at home? Do they study? With you don’t teach me. “
whom does he plays? Does he communicate
with strangers?

Interviews Below are the interpretations by parents,
Once I went to meet Neha Kulkarni’s
(hearing impaired girl in our junior batch)
mother. So, I could directly talk to her, she
“Bachche ke liye thoda mehnat explained me what methods were used to
karana padta hai” raise her. Neha is also profound. She learnt
at mainstream school. And the school is
In local area there are schools for hearing very well known in the city. Teachers are
impaired child, but its not good because they very supportive and took efforts to teach
teach sign language and here they focus on her language and other subjects. She
child to speak verbally started speaking by looking other children
speaking. She gave many contacts, book
When child talks with his friends and references to refer. I went on address which
parents by signing, they don’t understand was given by hear. The address was of
what the child speaks. ‘Gungaan’ toy-shop and game shop in Pune
where you get intellectual games, puzzle
Parents doesn’t know how to teach their games, etc. Games was basically to explain
hearing impaired child or how to help them mathematics, Geography, science chapters
to improve his studies and language. to children.

Parents always want to integrate their child
to the mainstream school, so that he will try
to speak with them. In special school child
use his natural sign language with other
children with hearing impairment.

Parents who are from lower middle class
48 family, can not afford to buy costly hearing

Children and their parents
49

Talking to profound adult: of people. We lip read but some words we
can not understand since, we can not see
Ronit is in product design discipline from inside the mouth. In Some letters there are
IDC and he loves to do photography. tongue movement used prominently.
Neha is in animation. She enjoys doing He speaks about language, Language is not
three dimensional paper craft and has a big issue. One can improve, if they practice
mastered the art of Chinese origami. reading, listening (plus seeing), watching
movies etc. But we have to try that what
Ronit had done architecture, but he didn’t we are speaking, should be understood by
want to make his career in architecture, people. Some words, could not be explained
since nobody was ready for taking him for just by hand; verbal language is necessary,
a job. He aspired to learn more into product then only right message can be perceived
design and establish his own firm after by other person.
M.des. Neha has a good skill in expressions
and making 3D paper craft. Ronit has done I met Neha’s Mother, a girl in IDC who is
his education in Bengali Medium and he hearing impaired Since her birth. Her mother
speaks English also. Whatever he speaks has taken so much of efforts to teach her
in English is not clear and other hearing and keep talking to her, She says, hearing
students can’t understand it sometimes, impaired people has good imagination and
and lot of students prefer not to talk to are good in expressing themselves visually.
him, since they think that he might not We try to speak because we are able to
be able to understand them. But he is communicate with more people because
very hardworking. He tries to speak with we don’t want to stay in one particular group.
everyone in the department. When I talked Sometimes when I explain something to
to him about his hearing impairment first people, few people just listen it and say ‘OK‘,
he mentioned that his pre-schooling was shows that they have understood But I don't
done in special school and he was also like when people do this. They are always
under speech therapy at the same time, he welcome to ask me if they don’t understood,
was the integrated student to mainstream I will take all my effort to make them
schools. He prefers that child should learn understood. I love to talk a lot, and
in mainstream, there he tries to speak by always be happy.
seeing other children talking. He said,
their is no problem with the language, Conclusion:
If children does practice and read a lot,
it helps. Correcting speech is the main thing For them communication is necessary factor
for hearing impaired children. and verbal language is important if they
want expand their world.
Ronit says, when we learn, we hear
50 through our residual hearing and lip reading

Neha and Ronit with
their characteristics 51

10
These experiments was just like started speaking 1, 2, 3, 4…. And then he
pilot experiments with the help of these started saying ‘machhli jal ki raani hai poem’.
children. I wanted to see their response Other children as well came and started
while drawing, solving puzzles, and speaking over phone. So the recording was
playing a game. kind of encouraging them to speak.

1) Chakva’ game, which I was designed in 5) One experiment was after showing
game design module under Prof. Aathvankar. expressions like happiness, anger, sadness
I gave this game to play to these children to children and how they react. The Teacher
and I thought I would know their interest showed the expressions to children and
level and I was waiting to get something out children started doing the same with the
of it, which was not the right way of doing faces, then teacher asked children when

Experiments
experiments. Besides this, They enjoyed did you get happy, sad and angry. Children
playing this game. started telling stories such as one child says
when papa take me for park I become very
2) Making letters out of puzzle, realized happy, when Pappa hits me then I become
that the puzzle was going towards sad and I get angry when somebody teases
identification of letters. me. Each children started their own story
and each child was trying to speak.
3) Drawing exercise: drawing sun, river,
house, bird etc. Use these images and
make a story out of it. Teacher said
they can create a story out of it, that will be
advance for this children, because they can
just read numbers, and speak language of
very basic level.

4) This experiment happened unexpectedly.
I was doing something on my mobile. Abdul,
a child came to me asked me to take his
picture. I clicked a picture, then he borrowed
my phone to click picture of mine. Then he
started looking at the other application and
selected ‘voice recorder’ option and said to
me “Aavaj”. He might know about this option
but how can he identify that option is for
voice recording or he not; So, I explained
what voice recorder does. And click on the
52 record button, I asked him to speak. He

III
Clarity Towards Project
By having overview of all data collected, 11. Problems Identification
I started questioning myself starting from 12. Insights
Why I am doing this project? What are the 13. Design Opportunities
design problems? What are the children 14. Aim, Objective and Design Goal
needs? What I am trying to solve? What are
the insights I got from contextual inquiry?
What is the aim of my project? What are
the aim of my project? What is focus of my
project? I actually articulated answers of
these questions and written down on paper.
Clarity towards project was necessary
before delivering best solutions.

55

11
Selection of design problems has been done
on the basis of children’s needs of learning
languages. There are some holistic problems
which would give opportunity to give
solution for one problems which can
solve many other problems. Problems are
listed below.

• Construct sentences, grammar (post-
positions, gender related sentences).

• Parents don’t know how to teach.

Problem • Some words or stories in Hindi are very
difficult to explain.

Identification • These children can’t pronounce
words properly.

• Children get easily tired and bored
while practicing auditory training and
duration practices, as they are monotonous.

• Children are taught to learn to speak at
school. But, they don’t speak, they just do
signing while communicating with other
hearing impaired children, their friends
and with family members at home. They
don’t speak, because they are not being
encouraged by others.

56

12
• Parents don’t have idea of what is the right
way to communicate with them so that they
will have confidence of communicating in
verbal language. So creating interaction
between the child and parents is necessary.

• Visual aids, visual responses always
attracts children. Visuals communicates
well with them before any textual or
verbal things. Children always enjoys
Visual feedback.

Insights • Learning language is essential to write,
listen and speak which is a means of
communication with the world, Also,
by speaking only they would learn to
map the flow of speaking. If hearing
impaired child practice to speak he can
assimilate the language and will also
help to improve speech, It is Important to
encourage child to speak.

• If you give freedom to child to learn by
doing fun, he learns quickly.

• It will be useful for hearing impaired
children, if they know movement of
tongue while saying syllables.

• Practice of listening through residual
hearing. Speaking and reading are
important to improve their language skills.

57

13
• Children should have idea of how tongue
moves while speaking. Showing them
tongue movement for alphabets and
syllables can help them to know tongue
movements. Visual aids are necessary to
be made to show tongue movements in
a good communicating way.

• Encouragement to speak is necessary.
There can be many ways to encourage
child to speak. Creating interaction
between hearing impaired children

Design
and parents is necessary. A verbal
communication is necessary rather that
just communicating by signing.

Opportunities • Tongue exercises, babbling, and auditory
training are the basic things to improve
speech. Finding various techniques to do
these practices are necessary to children
Current methods makes children bored
and tired. Practicing should become
playful and interactive.

• Learning through Repetition through
various methods is the keys to raise
these children. Games can be invented
by using these methods which will make
learning interesting.

58

14
Aim of the project

When we encourage infant with hearing
ability, they can gain the confidence and
desire to speak sooner. Hearing impaired
children has to fill up this gap. Child should
speak and improve his language skills is the
aim of the project.

Objective

My project objective will be experiential

Aim, Objective
learning methods for children. And there
will be immediate solutions rather than
designing concept for future. With the help

and Design Goal
of technology it could become very easy;
there will be no challenge in the project.
It is better to give solution for current
situations rather than designing with
technology which doesn’t exist.

Design goal

Hearing impaired children do not speak,
so that they are not able to improve their
language skills, they are not able to
communicate well with people around,
4 to 8 years old children are the beginners
who starts learning verbal languages.

‘An interactive method can be designed to
help teacher to encourage 4 to 8 year old
hearing impaired children to speak.’

59

IV
Alternative Concepts
This part explains about how I developed 15. Brainstorming on Ideas
initial ideas and sculpt them into concept, 16. Experiments
then what feedback I got after testing 17. Number of Concepts
these concepts, How I chose the final 18. Concept Comparison and Ratings
concept after comparison and rating 19. Choosing Final Concept
on the basis of feedback which I got
and focus of the project.

61

15
Brainstorming started with asking of hand explaining tongue movement,
questions to myself that how will children such metaphors.
get encouragement to speak? By doing what
children will speak? How visual feedback • Design interesting mascots or masks,
would work? children can wear mascots or masks and
make story telling,
Without restricting for cost or anything,
I allowed ideas to come freely. Initially in • Make children teachers, they can ask
some ideas focus was less and identification questions to other children.
factor was more, such ideas I removed from
the list. Some ideas seemed to be working, • Interactive screen displayed in class
so I kept such a ideas aside to work later. which supports sound recognition

Brainstorming
technology, when they say something ,then
• A device will give visual feedback only something appear on screen or an
when child speaks, this will encourage animation plays.

on Ideas
child to speak more.
• Various visual techniques to teach
• Tongue movement practice for beginner, to individual alphabet. There can be a book
bring flexibility to the tongue. or animation which explain how the letter
can be spoken, which sound makes that
• Special mobile for them, so that they will alphabet, etc.
play talking game.
• Guide book or software for parents how
• Expressive words explaining stories in the to what should they do to encourage their
form of animation. child to speak.

• Kiski poonch hai? Lion? Monkey? or Zebra? • Show how each letter sound by showing
Asking such a question can encourage tongue movement through visually,
child to speak. Other question recognize vibration, air, etc.
who says what? what Cat says ? What Dog
says? What Crow says? etc. • Expressive letters with expressive
illustrations, children can read those text
• Earn scores by just speaking letters, and expressive illustrations will reinforce
device recognizes speech and when them to speak.
letters appears on screen, child says
and will get points. • Echo of self sound, let children hear their
own voice. Implementing this ideas by
• Metaphorical use of tongue to show using voice recorder.
62 its movement, monkeys tail, shadow

• Dumb charades game, children will have
to identify what is the word.

• Complete words and sentences, create fill
in the blanks for children.

• Make letters alive, letters will speak and
then children will copy them.

• Create own picture book and talk about it

• Make children parrot, on the basis of this
ideas next idea was to wear a puppet in
their hand so they will speak.

• Encourage them to make sounds like
shuuu, achchu, eeee, tat tat, etc

• Speech therapists uses techniques like
blowing, sucking, swallowing, etc to clear
the speech of hearing impaired children.
They tell him to say ‘a’ and to blow the air
from the mouth at the same time, in such a
way children learn to speak alphabet ‘Ha’.
Such techniques can be done from them
to speak letters and improve the clarity
in speaking. So I started to think other
techniques so that it can encourage child
to pronounce those sounds and practice by
repetition method. So there can be many
techniques to produce each sound
(Vowels and Consonants).

63

Chatakpat, Learning Aid for Children with Special Needs

Chatakpat, Learning Aid for Children with Special Needs

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