People with Hearing Impairment

Mission
Special needs education for people with hearing impairment considers the training of professionals who respect the human rights of persons with disabilities, the principles of "Nothing about us, without us" and the principles of participation and emancipation as their primary responsibility. They are prepared to cooperate with the wider and narrower environment, following a holistic approach, and to build relationships based on mutual respect and trust, without prejudice and taking into account competence boundaries. The aim of their work is to promote the social inclusion of people with hearing impairment, taking into account their individual needs and requirements. They work in an evidence-based way, with a strong focus on scientific knowledge and multidisciplinarity.
Educational activity
The specialisation trains special needs teachers trained in the professional pedagogical and habilitative-rehabilitative care of infants, children, young people and adults with hearing impairment. In addition to theoretical training, it prepares students for group and individual educational tasks in special and mainstream institutions for hearing impaired kindergarten, school and youth, for sub-tasks in the pedoaudiological care of hearing impaired infants and young children, for early development, for partnership with the families concerned, and for the main rehabilitation activities related to hearing impaired adults. The specialisation is committed to the principles of natural-auditive verbal therapy, while students also receive training in sign language and learn the basics of bilingual education. The training puts an emphasis on working together in multidisciplinary teams, on building the mindset of inclusive communities and on advocacy.
Research activities
The research questions of the specialisation are in line with international trends and areas of practice. The specialisation conducts a wide range of research activities, e.g.
- Language and speech development and developmental outcomes in hearing children, and those with hearing impairment
- school and social integration
- the impact of advances in hearing technology and medical diagnostics on paediatric hearing care
- identity development for deaf and hard of hearing people
- the role of hearing-impaired assistance dogs in social inclusion
- hearing protection, with particular attention to noise pollution prevention
- life-course specific professional and interprofessional cooperation in the care of people with hearing impairment.
Connections
We maintain close cooperation with national specialised and integrated practitioners, higher education institutions, research centres, clinics and development centres, drawing on each other's results and experience, and maintaining an ongoing dialogue on current educational and other professional issues.
We are in contact with several national and international nonprofit and advocacy organisations, including the National Association of Deaf and Hard of Hearing People, the Hungarian Association of Cochlear Implant Patients, the Nonprofit Foundation for Margit Slachta National Institute of Social Policy, the Hearingless Foundation, HangZoona, the National Association of Deafblind People, the NEO Assistance Dog Association.
We have professional collaborations with Prof. Mel Ainscow (Manchester University, UK), Prof. Paula Brown (Nazareth College, Rochester, NY), Dr. Pavel Rutkowski (University of Warsaw), the Fachambulanz für Auditiv-Verbale Therapie in Berlin, and we are involved in the education of Erasmus students.
Every six months, we organise professional meetings and workshops on topics related to the lives of people with hearing loss, called Ear Text.