Language is an important component to communicating; in much the same way as being able to communicate is important to learning. Therefore, how are people expected to learn if they are unable to communicate? Deaf students face this very dilemma each day in schools throughout numerous public school systems. Historically, the Deaf culture has had many ups and downs, challenges and battles; however, one of the biggest battles parents of Deaf children are still waging is battle over education of their children (Gannon). Currently, there are various educational environments for Deaf children which range from homeschooling to residential/specialty schools. Of the different opportunities available, residential/specialty schools appear to be the most …show more content…
These are PL 94-142/IDEA and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, IDEA and Deaf Children). In the 1970s, the Education of All Handicapped Children Act or Public Law 94-142 (PL 94-142), which is also referred to as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), was passed. This was partly in response to an outbreak of rubella in the early to mid-1960s which “engendered a large group of deaf children” and this influx of Deaf students caused additional strain on the educational system (Ramsey). What this law states is that all students with disabilities are to have access to a “free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment and with accommodations” (NCLB, IDEA and Deaf …show more content…
As Professor Condrey noted, “this is not acceptable” because without passing the state exam, a student does not graduate. However, in the early 2000s Public Law 107-110, or the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was passed. This law places the responsibility of “over-all student achievement” in the laps of the school system and the state. The NCLB law states that all students in the United States, which include deaf students, are subject to the same academic standards as their peers. (NCLB, IDEA and Deaf
In the following chapters, there is an extensive amount of knowledge to learn about how Deaf culture is involved in our modern world. The pages assigned give us an outlook of how Deaf people are treated in our daily life, and how we should learn from it. Its gives a clear line between what are myths and what are facts, to those who are curious about the Deaf community or have specific questions. This book has definitely taught me new things that I could put to good use in the near future. In specific chapters, my mind really opened up to new ideas and made me think hard about questions, like “why don’t some Deaf people trust hearing people,” or “do we need another ‘Deaf president now’ revolution?” I realized many new things in the course of reading this book, and have recommended this to my family.
The book named “Deaf Again” has been written by “Mark Drolsbaugh”. In the underlying book, the author provides the detailed information about the life of the young boy named Mark who was deaf since birth but spends his life without any trouble. The boy was very intelligent and struggle too much for his deafness. The boy was very happy with his life and never feels to anyone that he is deaf. He spends a peaceful life with his mother and father. His mother and father were also deaf. The main purpose of the author for writing this book is to inform the readers about the struggles of the deaf boy (Ginsburg et.al, 2013).
Padden, Carol and Humphries, Tom (1988). Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Deaf Culture is often misunderstood because the hearing world thinks of deafness as a handicap. The Deaf are not given enough credit for their disabilities even though they are unable to hear. Being misunderstood is the biggest reason why they are not accepted in the world of hearing. The learning process for them may be slower and more difficult to learn, but they are still very bright individuals. The problem at hand is the controversy of trying to “fix” the Deaf when they may or may not want to be “fixed”. The hearing world should give Deaf people a chance to show their true talents and abilities of intelligence before rushing to assumptions, such as hearing aids will fix all Deaf people, because Deaf are dumb, have social problems, and
Throughout the course of the semester, I have gained a new understanding and respect of Deaf culture and the many aspects it encompasses. The information supplied in class through discussion, movies, and guest lecturers since the previous reflection have aided in the enhancement of my knowledge of Deaf culture and nicely wrapped up all of the information provided throughout the semester.
Mobility is a very challenging task for visually impaired people. It is defined as “the ability to travel safely, comfortably, gracefully, and independently” [1]. Visually impaired people must rely on other senses other than their sense of sight such as hearing and touch to guide them. Visual impairment and blindness afflict a significant portion of the world population. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the estimated number of visually impaired in the world are 285 million, 39 million are blind and about 90% of them are people who live in developing countries [2]. This tells us that majority of the blind people come from developing nations which means they cannot afford expensive devices to assist them. It is important to understand the needs and requirements of that community before attempting to create devices for them. Considering the continuing progress of medicine and science, it is surprising to note that blindness is expected to increase in the coming years. It is predicted that the number of blind people will double by 2030 [3]. This is partially because “the proportion of babies born to mothers at the extremes of the child-bearing years is increasing” and because “medical advances have made it possible for many premature infants, who in the past would have died, to
President George Bush signed the ‘No Child left behind’ law in 2002. The intent of this law is to guarantee every student, in the American school system, is offered the same opportunities. There are many benefits NCLB offers to students in America’s schools. One benefit is an effort that supports learning in the early years, thereby preventing many learning difficulties that may arise in students, later in the learning process (Department of Education, 2004). For example, the National Institute of Health estimates that 15 percent of the U.S population has some type of learning disability (Department of Education, 2002, p.74). Suppose these learning disabilities are detected earlier in school, some students may receive therapy and correct this disability. Some facts that show how important early learning is for a students development are: Children who enter school with language skills and pre-reading skills (e.g., understanding that print reads from left to right and top to bottom) are more likely to learn to read well in the early grades and succeed in later years (Department of Education, 2004). ‘NCLB’ targets resources for early childhood education so that all children begin their education with the right start. The category of Specific Learning Disability, its definition, assessment, and eligibility criteria, are currently the subject of much discussion (Department of Education, 2004.ii) Nearly 3 million school-age students are currently receiving special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) due to identified specific learning disabilities (SLD) (The Advocacy Institute, 2004). With so many children suffering from disabilities, many would believe ea...
Mark Drolsbaugh, the author of Deaf Again, was born to deaf parents at a time when the deaf population didn’t have and weren’t given the same availability to communication assistance as they have today. He was born hearing and seemed to have perfect hearing up until the first grade when he started having trouble understanding what was being said but was too young to understand what was happening. (Drolsbaugh 8).
Have you ever felt like there was nothing that you can do for your child? In this book, Deaf Like Me, by Thomas S. Spradley and James P. Spradley, I can see the journey that Lynn’s parents took to get her help. (Spradley & Spradley, 1978). This book was an excellent read. I really liked the way that they described the ways they tried to help Lynn to understand the world around her. The book, is a great asset for any family that might be unexpectedly put into a situation that they know nothing about such as a deaf child.
From a deafness-as-defect mindset, many well-meaning hearing doctors, audiologists, and teachers work passionately to make deaf children speak; to make these children "un-deaf." They try hearing aids, lip-reading, speech coaches, and surgical implants. In the meantime, many deaf children grow out of the crucial language acquisition phase. They become disabled by people who are anxious to make them "normal." Their lack of language, not of hearing, becomes their most severe handicap. While I support any method that works to give a child a richer life, I think a system which focuses on abilities rather than deficiencies is far more valuable. Deaf people have taught me that a lack of hearing need not be disabling. In fact, it shouldn?t be considered a lack at all. As a h...
In the book Seeing Voices, the author describes the world of the deaf, which he explores with extreme passion. The book begins with the history of deaf people in the United States of America, the horrible ways in which they had been seen and treated, and their continuing struggle to gain hospitality in the hearing world. Seeing Voices also examines the visual language of the deaf, sign language, which is as expressive and as rich as any spoken language. This book covers a variety of topics in deaf studies, which includes sign language, the neurology of deafness, the treatment of Deaf American citizens in history, and the linguistic and social challenges that the deaf community face. In this book, Oliver Sacks does not view the deaf as people having a condition that can be treated, instead he sees the deaf more like a racial group. This book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Oliver Sacks states a strong case for sign language, saying it is in fact a complete language and that it is as comprehensive as English, French, Chinese, and any other spoken language. He also describes the unhappy story of oralism (this is the education of deaf students through oral language by using lip reading, speech, and mimicking the mouth shapes and breathing patterns of speech)) in deaf children’s education. In addition, the first part is about the history of deaf people as well as information about deafness. It also includes the author’s own introduction to the world of the deaf.
The Deaf event I attended was the DEAFestival. This festival took place at the Los Angeles City Hall on October 3rd at 12:00pm. I specifically attended this event because I felt I would be much more comfortable at a larger gathering with more space and people rather than a small one such as Starbucks. Since the festival was greatly occupied I had more time to observe, take everything in slowly, and prepare myself. To say the least, I was extremely nervous. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I was genuinely that apprehensive. The cause of my anxiety was I because didn’t want to embarrass myself and I especially didn’t want to offend anyone. There were so many things going through my head. I stood to the side and repeated everything I knew about Deaf culture and American Sign Language in my head. Nonetheless, after several conversations with deaf individuals I felt marvelous. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I anticipated. The people I had the privilege of communicating with were very
The deaf community does not see their hearing impairment as a disability but as a culture which includes a history of discrimination, racial prejudice, and segregation. According to an online transcript,“Through Deaf Eyes” (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007) there are thirty-five million Americans that are hard of hearing. Out of the thirty-five million an estimated 300,000 people are completely deaf. There are ninety percent of deaf people who have hearing parents (Halpern, C., 1996). Also, most deaf parents have hearing children. With this being the exemplification, deaf people communicate on a more intimate and significant level with hearing people all their lives. “Deaf people can be found in every ethnic group, every region, and every economic class” (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007). The deaf culture and hard of hearing have plenty of arguments and divisions with living in a hearing world without sound however, that absence will be a starting point of an identity within their culture as well as the hearing culture (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007).
Congenital hearing loss is described as hearing loss that exists at birth. Factors responsible for this condition include those present during pregnancy (such as hereditary factors), as well as factors present after pregnancy. An inherited congenital hearing loss could be conductive, sensorineural, or even a combination of both. The amount or progression of this type of hearing loss varies according to each individual’s case. According to Richard Smith, congenital hearing loss is “syndromic (associated with malformations of the external ear or other organs or with medical problems involving other organ systems) or nonsyndromic (no associated visible abnormalities of the external ear or any related medical problems)…” Over 400 genetic syndromes are associated with congenital hearing loss. These include Treacher Collins, an autosomal dominant disorder and Down syndrome, an x-linked hearing loss. Although congenital hearing loss can be difficult to live with, hearing aids, surgery, and therapy are all available as forms of treatment. Hearing loss must be treated as soon as possible to prevent as many delays in the child’s language development as possible.
Today’s society consists of numerous individuals who are diagnosed with disabilities that prevent them from partaking in their everyday tasks. Not everyone gets the chance to live a normal life because they might have a problem or sickness that they have to overcome. Deafness is a disability that enables people to hear. All deafness is not alike; it can range in many different forms. Some people like Gauvin, can be helped with a hearing aid, but some can’t because of their situation and health reasons. In society, hearing individuals consider deafness a disability, while the deaf themselves see it as a cultural significance. In the article “Victims from Birth”, appearing in ifemnists.com, Founding Editor Wendy McElroy, provides the story of