You'd THINK all we would get along together, especially with Deafhood workshops all over the nation and provided by many Deaf organizations. Sadly, it's still "us vs. them" subconsciously. ASL vs Spoken English. Written English vs. Videophone where folks talk in ASL. Schools for deaf vs. mainstreamed programs. Teachers for deaf that teach by sign vs. Teachers for deaf that teach by oral practices. States sending deaf children to mainstreamed programs instead of schools for Deaf, despite there's evidence that some deaf children may benefit better in schools for Deaf.
Look up IDEA (thanks to someone at work!) which stands for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and then look up what IDEA can provide for deaf students. You'd find that a lot of states would send their deaf children to mainstreamed programs, and less and less to schools for the Deaf because it'd benefit the state, NOT the children. We don't think of the children's NEEDS, specially communicational, social and educational needs. NAD (National Association of the Deaf said it well in "Comments to the U.S. Department of Education on the Notice of Request for Comments and Recommendations on Regulatory Issues Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, February 28, 2005" (mouthful, I KNOW!)
"300.551 Continuum of alternative placements:
Recommendation: The NAD respectfully requests that the Department, through the regulatory process, monitoring activities, and other actions, vigorously enforce provisions of the statute and regulations pertaining to the continuum of alternative placements. Rationale: The continuum of alternative placements has been a long-standing and essential feature of IDEA. However, the NAD wishes to call attention to what is apparently a reduced commitment on the part of state education agencies to provide continuum of alternative placement options, as required by law. The NAD continues to support the development, maintenance, and use of placements mandated by the continuum of alternative placements regulations of the IDEA. While the regular classroom in the neighborhood school may be the appropriate placement for some deaf and hard-of-hearing students, for many it is not. The NAD is commited to preserving and expanding the use of the continuum of alternative placements provision to ensure that each deaf or hard-of-hearing child receives a quality education in an appropriate environment. As stated by the Congress: The Committee supports the longstanding policy of a continuum of alternative placements designed to meet the unique needs of each child with a disability. Placement options available include instruction in regular classes, special classes, special schools, home instruction and instruction in hospitals and institutions."
So, in the bottom line, it's "us vs. them" even that NAD observes in states/schools abuse of IDEA especially when it comes to Deaf children. Yes there are deaf children that will do well in regular classrooms but to put other deaf children in regular classrooms that do not meet their social, educational and communicational needs, that's balantly abuse. We need to start instructing schools; that will help starting the snowball rolling to reduce the issue "us vs. them" from elementary schools to adulthood. Stop the vicious cycle!
Written by Jules
