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Accomodation for the Deaf
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Here's a question for you other instructors out there.
This weekend, we had a father and son come out that want to learn to fly. Someone had given them a Kyosho Pitts S2C for Christmas that they wanted to learn on. But thats an entirely different discussion. Here's the rub - both are totally deaf. They communicate via sign language, and can read lips. Instruction requires both Instructor and Student to be watching the plane at all times, but also requires constant communcation. The way we accomplished it was to have another club member stand behind the student and place his hands on the students shoulders. Pushing gently to either side meant apply aileron in that direction. Pushing or pulling forward or back meant push or pull the elevator forward or back. Rotating the shoulders left or right meant using right or left rudder. We actually had several successful flights with both father and son on one of the club trainers. Has anyone else ever tried teaching a student that was totally deaf? If so, how did you accomplish it? Thanks, Brad |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
Brad I buddy boxed a 15 year old that was deaf. I had it easier than you though. His dad could hear and of course sign. So the dad stood next to him and would help move his thumbs and once in while converse in sign to help. I was basicly the plane saver more than the teacher. I should mention the dad had flown in the past. I had it much easier than you. It sounds to me like you guys have come up with a great solution. You may still hit an occasional snag. I would suggest a note pad and pencil be at hand.
David |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
OUTSTANDING!!! I know some guys that would have simply turned them away. It is great to see that you and your club is willing to do whatever it takes to get people flying. I hope this is not the last time you see them.
How was the flying by the way? Did one do better than the other? My dad and I started flying at about the same time. He flew a little when I was a kid but then stopped before I was old enough to give it a go. A few years ago I got him to give it a try again and I found that even though he had flown before, I picked it up quicker than him. Since then I have noticed that younger pilots seem to be able to get going easier than the older pilots. It seems that the playstation generation has better hand-eye coordination than the old guys. Anyway you didn't mention a crash, so congratulations on a successful training day. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
My hat is off to you!
You have reall done a great thing, and it sounds like you can up with an elegant solution to a complex problem. Way to go! |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
My hats off to you as well!
One of my biggest fears in flying is my deafness. Although I wear hearing aides, I only have about 30% hearing which means comprehension is trying. Hearing aides are not the solution to ever hearing loss. Don't let me fool you. I wear 'em, but they sometimes are nothing but expensive ear plugs. Seems you guys have a good solution to a real problem. Kudos. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
My hats off to you. I've have had deaf people fly and the only thing I did differant was to tap the person on the shoulder for aileron control. Tap left for left and right for right. You can indicate just how urgent the need to roll is by the speed you tap. I've even used this to help people learn to turn the proper direction when they can hear. It seems tapping the left shoulder gets some people to turn left, or right, eaiser than saying it.
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RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
Good job dude! ive met a few deaf people but ive never taught one to fly before :O as said above, some clubs would simply refuse to teach them due to lack of comunication but my hat off too you for a job well done :D
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RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
Outstanding job, you and your club are to be commended. Like previously stated, many a club would have turned them away.
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RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
I have only met one deaf person at the field and he drove cars, didn't want to fly.
congrats to you my friend, job well done[sm=thumbs_up.gif][sm=thumbs_up.gif][sm=thumbs_up.gif] |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
I don't think it would be any more difficult than a kid who was not deaf. Maybe he has a sim at home. Tuning may be an issue. When you think about it, he probably be paying more attention and seeing idications of problems than most of us do or take for granted. Go for it.
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RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
I am an Audiologist and I sign fluently. It seems that you have a pretty good system worked out for learning to fly. As for tuning I would probably recommend that you get the engine tune and let them feel the fuse to feel how it vibrates and feels when it is in tune and out of tune.
p.s. I agree with Gary, sometimes hearing aids are nothing but expensive earplugs and are definetly not for everyone. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
thats a exelent solution for enabling.
as a parent of a special needs child my wife and I are always looking for different ways to allow our son to partisipate in any activity he wants. it is about making accomadations for each difficulty and finding the solutions that work, nice job. props to any one who is willing to open doors that might be shut because of a percieved handycap. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
Hats off to you bkdavy . Where there is a will there is a way. Thanks for sharing.
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Guys please...
Some of my Fraternity brothers and best friends are deaf. Yes there is a need to accomodate better communication, And YES, there it's a good idea to make an effort to help a guy out once in a while.... BUT...you don't need to fall all over yourself trying to be the first in line to think of a better way to do it. There have been deaf people long before you 'discovered one'. Frankly, it's embarrasing when people go so far out of their way to help you because you are disabled. YES, not being able to hear is, by definition, a disability. So please...don't act so 'eager'. It's almost patronizing. Deaf people aren't idiots, they just can't hear. There is no, 'special need', just WRITE IT DOWN for christ's sake...sheesh. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
ORIGINAL: agexpert There is no, 'special need', just WRITE IT DOWN for christ's sake...sheesh. Did you even read the original post, or just the thread title? This thread isn't about communicating with deaf people in general, its about communicating with deaf people while teaching them to fly using a buddy-box. Especially considering that speaking is the primary form of communication between a student and his instructor while having flight lessons on a buddy box. No one here thinks deaf people are dumb, but they DO have a "special need" when it comes to flight training, and Brad and his club have found a good solution, thats all. Chill. |
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Before I TELL you to shut the eff up. Your sarcasm is noted and appreciated.
Now, shut the eff up. It's tiring. Leave it alone. My friends are more able and more willing to learn to fly than anyone I know. People who congratulate themselves for doing what anyone would do for any other person in this hobby is embarrasing. Sorry if you don't like what I have to say about it...no wait, I'm not sorry at all. You make yourselves feel better by 'helping' a deaf person and then posting stories about it in a public forum such as this? Nobody else is talking about their hearing students and trying to get accolades for helping them out. Why do you think it's so different? Deaf people get by just fine without your so-called 'help'. It truly is patronizing, demeaning and offenbsive. If you can't understand that, then you are as dumb as I now think you are. Now, run along and help someone else who would rather you didn't; and then make yourself feel better by bragging about it. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
Congratulations for showing everyone just how brilliant you are with your excellent, polite reply. You didn't enlighten everyone to how exactly your friends learn to fly, so we'll never know any better. So, writing down and passing messages while having sticks on a transmitter is the way to do it? Good luck to anyone willing to deal with you, I for one definitely wont again. What a waste of my time...
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RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
Thank GOD!
Now run along |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
ORIGINAL: bkdavy Here's a question for you other instructors out there. This weekend, we had a father and son come out that want to learn to fly. Someone had given them a Kyosho Pitts S2C for Christmas that they wanted to learn on. But thats an entirely different discussion. Here's the rub - both are totally deaf. They communicate via sign language, and can read lips. Instruction requires both Instructor and Student to be watching the plane at all times, but also requires constant communcation. The way we accomplished it was to have another club member stand behind the student and place his hands on the students shoulders. Pushing gently to either side meant apply aileron in that direction. Pushing or pulling forward or back meant push or pull the elevator forward or back. Rotating the shoulders left or right meant using right or left rudder. We actually had several successful flights with both father and son on one of the club trainers. Has anyone else ever tried teaching a student that was totally deaf? If so, how did you accomplish it? Thanks, Brad somegeek |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
pardon me but its called having a "special need", being a friend or frat bro. of somone who is deaf or disabled, and being the parent of a handycapped child is quite a huge gap in expierence sir, having no parental connection your relatoinship with your friends are quite a bit different.
it is not pandering to congratulate someone who is trying to make a difference in someones life, who may or may not have dificulty partisipating in RC aircraft. I personally thought it was a insitfull way of teaching a person who is deaf to fly while allowing them some independence. deaf people are not stupid but to think they don't somtimes need a hand partisipating is. A little history for all, they thought Hellen Keller was hopless untill a insiteful woman discovered how to comunicate with her through trial and error. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
Some folks forget to read this?
Please resist the urge to curse, flame, degrade, insult or embarrass someone in your post. We encourage the free flow of your ideas, but believe that they can be communicated (and received) much more effectively if you keep things civil. If you have to vent, take it offline. We carefully monitor posts and will ban individuals who engage in offensive conduct within the forums. Thanks. (RCU Policies) somegeek |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
I think one little point that Agexpert is missing is that the deaf people went to the club for help. Not the other way around. The club found a way to communicate that was not verbal or visual. speaking would have been useless as the two guys are deaf and visually I.E. signing the instructions also near useless as they needed to be focused on the plane. (correct me where I go wrong won't you Agexpert) That leaves room for innovation, which is what it looks like this club had plenty of to allow these guys to fly safely. Ag, your problem is what?? You say that you have lots of friends that are deaf and willing to learn to fly, well how do you teach them then? this is what the thread is about not about you and your token friends. So lighten up and fly.
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RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
ORIGINAL: bigtim pardon me but its called having a "special need", being a friend or frat bro. of somone who is deaf or disabled, and being the parent of a handycapped child is quite a huge gap in expierence sir, having no parental connection your relatoinship with your friends are quite a bit different. it is not pandering to congratulate someone who is trying to make a difference in someones life, who may or may not have dificulty partisipating in RC aircraft. I personally thought it was a insitfull way of teaching a person who is deaf to fly while allowing them some independence. deaf people are not stupid but to think they don't somtimes need a hand partisipating is. A little history for all, they thought Hellen Keller was hopless untill a insiteful woman discovered how to comunicate with her through trial and error. Then why post it here? Is this an instructor's forum? Is this where we talk about how best to help students with special needs? Or is it simply a means of telling the world how great we are for doing what we do every day? I fly with deaf people at 4 different clubs. While I agree that communication is important and the ORIGINAL POST was sincere and without malice, I would like to point one thing out. The responses as I read them, are over the top in every way. WAY TO GO!! YOU HELPED SOMEONE I REJECT AND I NOW FEEL BETTER BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT MYSELF. Look, it's really simple. Those of us with 'special needs' don't need to be highlighted or embelished upon. We are who we are and frankly, it's no different from anyone else who needs practice to master a skill. It's just not very nice to be reminded that you are somehow 'less' than your friends and colleuges. Now, leave it alone. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
I am disabled. Spine damage. Also have Tininus and rely on lip reading at times. More than once, I had to ask a fellow fly er to land because of nerve pain. The guys have also put a flight stand close to the taxi way for me which has really helped me out a bunch. With a life time 5 lb weight restriction and if it was1nt for the Accommodations it would be tough.
I also noted you got to give your crude opinion and no one told you to shut the em up. Don`t be so quick to judge some one , till you walked a mile in their shoes. You will get your opinions across much better by being civil, By being rude and crude, all one see`s , is the rude and crude. Not to mention a good way to lose your RCU privs. |
RE: Accomodation for the Deaf
Great, now you want to compare scars?
Get a life man. I can't play in the NBA either maybe they should accomodate me too. Perhaps all of the people who have helped me out should start theads with pictures of my sorry backside and you all can congratulate each-other on how great it was that they...DID WHAT ANYONE ELSE WOULD DO. We all help each other out, why brag about it? Really, is it necessary? Sorry about your worker's-comp issue. And, thanks for the advice, but civil is in the eye of the beholder. If you don't like what you see on a public forum, move to the next thread. There is plenty of politeness and bad advice available elsewhere. Jeeze, this isn't Romper-Room. If you can't say what you mean, why bother? BTW, for my deaf friends Dave, Dave and David, , . ; ( ). , ? . !!! |
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