This paper presents an exploratory case study focusing on the acquisition of information, through technologically efficient systems, by 2 the heanng impaired. The multiple-case study was conducted during one school year with seven students participating at vanous times. Appllcation of emergent technologies 1n the hearing impaired classroom may offer a way to increase the rate of knowledge acquisition. As stated above ~ thi s study is exploratory in nature and, whil e a centra 1 Question and

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... osi t ions den ved from that Question gui de the data collection and analysis, is a hypothesis-building activity. The purpose of the study was to generate Questions to focus further research of a descriptive or explanatory format. One Question, and the proposi t ions generated by it, domi nated thi s research: How do efficlent acquisition systems in the classroom effect academic and social behavior, independent activity choices .. or student, peer, and adult expectations? Three proposi t ions di rected the data co 11 ect 1 on / anal ysi s of thi s research. As knowl edge increases in students: -the rate of academi c production will increase -times of indenpendent activities will be focused on productive projects -self-concept wi 11 improve as measured by students, peers and significant adults 3 Six sources (documents" physical artifacts" archival records" i ntervi ews" d1 rect observations" part 1 cpant observation) were used to gather data for the analysis of the research project The results of this study showed that the students who had only the disability of hearing impairment had significantly dlfferent experiences throughout and at the end of thls study than those who evidenced intellectual lmpairments. Generally" the1r work output was greater" increased more" and refl ected a Quall tat i ve chang~. The data gathered from the unstructured activity periods also clearly show a dl 5s1 mil ar behav1 ora 1 pat tern. The heari ng 1 mpai red students it grew'" into i ncreasi ngl y more productive (i n terms of thi nk1 ng act 1 v1 t 1 es) behavi ors whil e the other group showed" for all pract i cal purposes" no change at all. The analysis of the third proposltlon was more problematical. The findings are not as clear as the first two propositions because the reporting and recordl ng of data was subject to more 1 nterpretat i on. What i ndi cators there are woul d support the proposi t i on that increased 1 earni ng has a positlve effect on self-lmage. Each of the heari ng 1 mpai red students showed 1 ndi cat 1 ons 1 n all areas of cogni t i 'Ie growth. Whether it be output or at t i tude" thei r behav10rs differd significantly from the others in the study. Both averages and anecdotes test i fl ed to schema-bull di ng processes. The results from thls study carry with lt some impUcatlons for current educational practices 1 n classroom of hear1 ng i mpai red: -Computer and vi deo technology need a dl rectedness not now evi dent. Purpose" developed through small research projects" in terms of specific programs and styles of implementation~ should guide classroom appllcations. -Pl acement deci si ons ~ whi ch have a profound effect on the rnake-up of the classroom . . should be influenced by new information on expectations and achievements of the various populations served. -More sophisticated technology should be placed at the disposal of the classroom teacher.