There are moments in every class when students' attention wanes, moments when their collective gaze begins to linger on the ornamental drapes, the retro linoleum, that cute blonde in the front row.

Such was the case in Literature and Arts B-55: "Opera: Perspectives on Music and Drama," on the first Wednesday of shopping period.

Granted, opera is one of, if not the, greatest musical forms in the world, and Professor Lewis Longwood is both humorous and entertaining; but at 11 a.m., even the eyes of the most dedicated opera buffs became glazed, straying to the list of musical virtuosos atop Paine Hall's decorative walls.

So it surprised me that, in a room so laced with distraction, a room reverberating with lusty Italian music, one student remained completely calm and collected.

Jessica H. Fong '99 was too busy focusing on the computer in front of her to let her attention stray. Fong, who is hearing impaired, had to "listen" to the music through the ears of the typist who transcribed the words of the opera into words on a screen.

As Fong's eyes shifted between the BOSE speaker and the computer terminal, I wondered whether and why she would be taking the course. What I could not understand were her motives in choosing to shop a music course. How much of the opera was she hearing, I wondered; if she couldn't hear, why shop opera?

"I just find opera fascinating," Fong explains over e-mail. "Mainly for the dramatic aspect, although I'm not knowledgeable about opera in any sense."

Fong, who has been what she terms "profoundly hearing impaired" since she was 18 months old, has a long-standing interest in music, including 12 years of piano lessons, that make her choice to shop Lit. and Arts B-55 seem only natural.

But Fong decided not to take the course "because it has a more significant 'listening portion'" than she had hoped.

"It is not so much that I cannot take [music classes] as that they would require much more effort on my part simply to keep up with the other students," says Fong.

Sign language interpreter Kellie L. Stewart, who has worked at the Student Disability Resource Center since 1992, said all hearing impaired students face potential difficulties shopping for classes.

"Jessica and I discussed options for dealing with [Lit. and Arts B-55]," says Stewart. "This was the first time since I've been here that a deaf student expressed interest in taking a music course."

If the College were to offer Lit. and Arts B courses focussing on music theory, history or dramatic music presentation, Fong would have a valid alternative to the listening-oriented opera core.

But Core Program director Susan W. Lewis said that this is not possible. Lewis insists there are more than enough visually oriented core courses for Fong and other hearing impaired students to take in place of the music classes.

Lewis says the College always tries to accommodate disabled students, but music courses are an exception to the rule.