Exposure to Disability and Hearing Loss Narratives in Undergraduate Audiology Curriculum

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine whether exposure to disability and hearing loss narratives increased undergraduate communication sciences and disorders (CSD) students' affective responses to scenarios of individuals with hearing impairment. METHOD: Thirty-five CSD undergraduates responded to 8 scenarios (K. English, L. L. Mendel, T. Rojeski, & J. Hornak, 1999). Sixteen students completed a course in audiologic rehabilitation with no exposure to disability and hearing loss narratives; 19 students completed the same course with exposure. Two audiologists, independent and blind to group status, rated the 35 student responses for affective and technical content. RESULTS: Students exposed to the narratives incorporated more affective elements into their technical responses than students not exposed. CONCLUSIONS: Narratives appear to be effective in increasing affective elements in students' technical/informational responses and may have a place and be of value in undergraduate CSD curriculum.