Living with Deafness and Hearing Impairment

According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.5 billion people (nearly 20% of the global population) currently live with hearing loss. For 430 million of these, the hearing impairment is disabling.

On this two-week course from the University of East Anglia, you’ll delve into how hearing works and the impacts of hearing impairment and deafness. As you explore the lived experience of hearing-impaired people, you’ll discover strategies for supporting them and their carers.

The course will start with an overview of hearing, deafness, and hearing impairment. You’ll learn about the anatomy of the ear, and be introduced to correct terminology for discussing hearing impairment.

Learning from videos and interviews with hearing-impaired people, you’ll also begin exploring some of the communication difficulties associated with deafness and hearing impairment.

Week 2 of the course will focus on the many impacts of hearing impairment, both for the hearing-impaired and for their families and carers.

You’ll consider some of the issues hearing-impaired people face in education, relationships, when using technology, and more. Then you’ll examine the broader impacts of these issues for families and support networks.

At the end of the two weeks, you’ll reflect on what we can all do to facilitate communication for hearing-impaired people. You’ll be encouraged to put your learning into practice to better support those living with deafness and hearing impairment.