Living in Silence: A Learning Guide for a Deaf and Autistic Student

Abstract

In this study, the impact of employing sensory integration techniques on the use of hearing aids, attentional capacity, and conceptual instruction for a second-grade student diagnosed with hearing impairment and autism was examined. The child's progress was evaluated after 12 weeks of intervention, which consisted of three class sessions per week. The implemented educational program was designed to foster the development of the child's anticipated skills by engaging multiple sensory modalities concurrently. A single-subject experimental design was utilized for the investigation. It was observed that the student who initially used the hearing aid for 30 seconds to one minute before the study progressively increased the duration of its use each week. By the conclusion of the study, the student was able to complete lessons without removing the hearing aid. Significant improvements were noted in conceptual teaching, particularly regarding color identification and the distinction between large and small concepts. Additionally, the student demonstrated markedly enhanced performance in attentional activities. These findings suggest that sensory integration-based education can effectively support the developmental needs of children with hearing impairments and autism.