E-Learning Coronavirus COVID-19 Support for Students With Hearing Loss

E-learning Coronavirus COVID-19 has created new barriers for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Clear captions, visible faces, regular check-ins, and consistent accommodations can help make remote instruction more accessible.

WHAT ACCOMMODATIONS HELP STUDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS DURING E-LEARNING CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 INSTRUCTIONS?

Students with hearing loss may benefit from captions, interpreters, FM/DM systems, written instructions, visual supports, recorded lessons, and reduced background noise during coronavirus COVID – 19 e-learning and virtual classrooms.

E-LEARNING CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS

Due to concerns with the rapid spread of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, schools and universities across the country are shutting down their campuses and moving to e-learning or virtual learning. In light of this, the following resource information could be helpful as you consider how to provide instruction to your students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

MEETING LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

An important resource regarding our legal responsibilities to provide services to students with disabilities has been released by the U.S. Department of Education. In summary, if general education services are being provided during school closures, Part B and Part C special education services should continue. 

While not easy, it is important to remember that while schools are in session, even remotely, we are still obligated to provide accommodations, auxiliary aids, and services as stated in the IEP so students can still access their education. The Council for Exceptional Children and the National Association of the Deaf have shared some excellent information regarding access during remote learning, as well as an Education Advocacy letter that reminds us of our legal obligations when providing online courses and examinations.

The Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education has some #DeafEdTips on E-Learning Accessibility. It has lots of good reminders and additional resources for both deaf educators and general education teachers.

While more focused on post-secondary access, the National Deaf Center (NDC) has some helpful tips for educators as they switch to online learning.

E-LEARNING RESOURCES:

As schools switch to online learning, many education companies are offering FREE subscriptions to their services. An open-access Google Drive document with links to all of those possibilities can be found here. For those who need to focus on auditory listening, HearBuilder has some resources. Also, check out this Leprechaun Listening Story using ScreenCastify and EdPuzzle. Speech-Language Pathologists can explore these DHH SLP Training Modules from the Colorado Department of Education for ideas and strategies to support students with hearing loss during virtual and classroom instruction.

Some ASL resources can be found at ASL Teaching Resources. ASL videos are available on various YouTube channels: Educational Resource Center on Deafness, Rocky Mountain Deaf School, ASLized!, and Aunt Alice’s ASL TV. Check out additional virtual activities through this LiveBinder. Lastly, have students create books at Book Creator!

Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) is a great resource, too. Teachers can assign videos for students to watch and then do follow-up assignments. All content is captioned, audio-described, and FREE.

Supporting Success Teacher Tools e-magazines are full of ready-to-use materials for your students. Members can download pages to use immediately that can be shared and discussed in an e-format with students.

The Ability Challenge has created a Slack community forum for educators to discuss the provision of special education services and supporting learners with diverse needs during online instruction.

Snapplify offers a library of 50,000+ free e-books. Teachers can sign up for free and also claim exclusive teacher benefits. Excellent to send free e-books to your kids and get them to read while they are at home! You can also share your resources on the platform. Easily integrates with Microsoft and Google for education.

Did you know that Zoom has the capability to add captions during live video sessions that can be recorded? You can type the closed captions directly via Zoom, or you can integrate a third-party service, like Streamer^TM automated captioning that is available from Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss, which can add captions in real time. Streamer is typically 98+% accurate (with the speaker using a microphone) for only $9.97/month (email questions to streamer-support@success4kidswhl.com). Other videoconferencing resources and their caption abilities are available from See Hear Communication Matters (they also have a lot of e-learning resources, including virtual field trip sites, on their Facebook page!)

EXPLAINING CORONAVIRUS TO CHILDREN

When trying to explain coronavirus to children, it can be difficult to know what to say. Two resources to share with families:

• A kid-friendly video explaining coronavirus, with captions and a transcript, can be found at BrainPop.
• A FREE, downloadable coronavirus social story can be found at The Autism Educator.

In addition to the Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss Facebook page, there are MANY deaf educator Facebook groups that are discussing these topics and sharing resources. MANY resources and ideas are being shared on these pages. If you are a Facebook user, search for them and join the discussion! While not education-specific, The Daily Moth has a Facebook page that provides frequent updates in ASL on current events that you or your students might find helpful.

Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss has a pinned post on their Facebook page where you can share resources with each other. Please head over there, support each other, and share away!

E-Learning Coronavirus COVID-19 Accessibility Checklist

Include:

• captions enabled
• interpreter visibility
• written instructions
• reduced background noise
• recorded lessons
• communication checks
• visual supports
• technology troubleshooting

Additional Resources:
10 Low-Tech Ideas for Virtual Instruction
Access & Advocacy in an e-Learning World
Creating the Least Restrictive Online Learning Environments
E-Learning
E-Learning & Coronavirus

Frequently Asked Questions About E-Learning Coronavirus COVID-19

How did the coronavirus (COVID-19) affect students with hearing loss?
The e-learning coronavirus COVID-19 school closures forced a rapid shift to virtual platforms. This digital transition created immediate communication access barriers for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as typical classroom setups were not inherently designed for remote accessibility.

Why is remote learning harder for deaf and hard-of-hearing students?
Virtual environments depend heavily on compressed digital audio and video feeds. For a student with hearing loss, low-quality speakers, household background noise, and internet connection lag make it incredibly difficult to track spoken words or utilize speechreading (lipreading) cues.

What accommodations help students with hearing loss during online learning?
Implementing a structured set of access accommodations is essential for successful virtual instruction. High-value digital accommodations include:

• Accurate Captions: Real-time captioning tools to reduce cognitive fatigue and support literacy.
• Visible Faces: Front-lit, high-definition video framing so the student can clearly track speech-reading cues.
• Assistive Technology Integration: Properly routing FM/DM systems or personal hearing aids directly into the computer’s audio output.
• Pre-Distributed Materials: Sharing lecture slides, vocabulary keys, or visual guides before the live session starts.
• Asynchronous Recorded Lessons: Allowing the student to rewatch complex concepts without real-time tracking fatigue.

How can teachers improve accessibility during e-learning coronavirus COVID-19 instruction?
Instructors can immediately optimize their virtual classrooms by building simple, accessible habits into their daily routines:

• Enforce a strict “mute when not speaking” rule to stop background noise.
• Using an external headset microphone to feed a clear voice signal to the student and captioning software.
• Pausing frequently to explicitly check for understanding rather than assuming the student caught the direction.
• Allowing students to use alternative response tools, like using the text chat box to type questions.

What is listening fatigue during virtual instruction?
Listening fatigue is physical and mental exhaustion caused by spending immense cognitive energy just to piece together degraded audio. Because e-learning coronavirus COVID-19 classes lack physical proximity and spatial clarity, students must strain continuously to listen, often causing them to tire out much earlier in the afternoon than they would in an in-person classroom.

Should 504 plans or IEPs change for virtual education formats?
Yes. If a student’s placement shifts from a physical school building to a digital framework, the IEP team should review the current plan. Accommodations that work beautifully in a standard room (like seating placement or sound-field systems) do not automatically transfer to a screen, meaning the legal document must reflect the technical requirements of the virtual setup.

How can families support students during the coronavirus (COVID-19) e-learning?
Parents and caregivers can directly protect communication access at home by setting up a dedicated, quiet workspace; troubleshooting device connection drops; and teaching the student specific self-advocacy scripts (such as typing “Can you please repeat that? The audio lagged” into the chat window).

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Originally published: March 2020
Last updated: June 2026