What is the world like for those who cannot hear? Those of us with normal hearing can't really tell. Our experience and knowledge have been heightened through our hearing, but you can get a sense of the problems faced by those with a hearing loss. Select a news program and an entertainment show on a specific day and ask a friend to watch the same programs. Turn off the sound as you watch these programs. Your friend should watch the program with the sound on. After viewing the programs, both you and your friend should complete part I below.

Part I. Viewing

News program:	Date
What were the top three news items or issues presented?
Which item(s) had a direct impact on your life and in what way(s)?
Which items would you like to discuss with your viewing partner?
What else were you doing while viewing this program?
Entertainment program:	Date
What was the story line of this program?
Which parts of the program did you find most entertaining?
Which aspects of the program would you like to discuss with your viewing partner?
What else were you doing while viewing this program?

Part II. Reflections

What information did you miss? Were there other aspects of the programs that eluded you? Were you bored? How did you feel when you could not understand? Apart from the exclusion of sound, did your viewing experience differ from your partner's?