Iran (IMNA) - When Coronavirus pandemic hit Iran, Iranian Ministry of Education quickly shifted to virtual learning with the main goal of providing continued learning to Iranian students.
Although many deaf students use sign language as a preferred mean of communication, they mostly rely on lip reading and facial cues.
As students have returned to schools, many deaf Iranian students are at risk of being further disadvantaged by the move to virtual learning.
Covid-19 has created additional challenges for this walk of life. Many parents reported that their deaf child required special services from a teacher assistant or interpreting services.
They also mentioned that hearing the voice of teachers over speakers was difficult for their hard-of- hearing child. Some training videos and announcements also lacked captioning or in case of having subscriptions, they were too fast for reading the entire text.
Some deaf and hearing-impaired students are the only people with such condition in their families; this make the stay-at-home experience more frustrating for them.
If you have a deaf child in your family, learn how to navigate the upcoming challenges during the pandemic into opportunities.
Ensure that your child is actively involved in daily conversations at home and make it clear for them that their feelings are worthy of discussion.
Responsible bodies should give consideration to deaf and hard-of- hearing students for their having easy access to good communication and virtual learning.
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