Melissa, who is hard of hearing, wears a hearing aid. She is studying interior design that requires small group discussion and projects as essential parts of the course. Melissa has no difficulties in one-on-one conversations, but in small groups she has trouble hearing the instructor and all members of the group at all times. When other conversations are going on in the room, she is not able to clearly and consistently hear the members in her group. Melissa is well used to acting as an advocate for herself in her working life and initiated the process of changing practice to accommodate her needs.

She discussed her difficulties with the instructor who put her in touch with the people responsible for supporting disabled learners in the college. They provided her with an amplification system to use during the discussions in group work. With this system, the speaker is provided with a microphone and the sound is transmitted through a receiver directly to her hearing aid. This eliminates a lot of the background noise. When her group met for the first time, she explained how the amplification system worked. The group consisted of five people. As each member spoke, the microphone was passed to each person. Although it was awkward for group members in the beginning, they soon adjusted their communication styles and used the system without difficulty. 

Two people with the same disability can experience different effects. Furthermore, the effects of one disability can be similar to the effects of another (for example, deaf learners and learners who have autistic spectrum disorders may both experience difficulties in using abstract language).