If our school system is providing an interpreter, we can assume (and I know what they say about assuming) that there are hearing impaired students in our school system. As in, more than one.
In her comment, she says that her daughter is placed in a regular classroom with the interpreter available for only part of the school day. She made a wonderful analogy: Take ur hearing child. Send that child to a deaf school and expect that child to watch all the sign language and wonder what's goin on... Yes, it is wonderful that the school has now created a position called Licensed Educational Interpreter. It is not wonderful that there is even the shortest part of her child's school day where that child has been left to fend for herself in the hearing world.
In what situation would it be acceptable to leave a deaf child in a hearing environment without an interpreter? If the child can read and write, she has at least some means of communicating her needs to the people around her. But, what if she's a young student who hasn't mastered reading and writing yet? She's just left to sit there? And, what, teach herself? Mom, if you're reading this post, please comment or email me. I'm very interested in learning about your daughter's school day.
I turned to my good friend Google for more information on this subject. I asked: Should my hearing impaired child have an interpreter at school? It returned about 4,720,000 hits. A parent from California left a question on the Rochester Institute of Technology, National Technical Institute for the Deaf inquiring about the rights her child has regarding the development of the IEP by her school system. That family is NOT part of our school system. But, IEPs are Federal and apply to all students with special needs in our country. This family was enrolling their son in preschool where there was a lack of supports in addition to questions about the teachers credentials for handling the student's individual needs. Here's part of the response that parent received from RIT: Don’t settle for services and settings that don’t meet your child’s needs. Be an active participant in the development of your child’s IEP and subsequent placement. Those two little sentences are oh so important!
If you are the parent of the hearing impaired student who left a comment here on my blog, please seek the help of Kentucky Protection & Advocacy. Call them at 1-800-372-2988. There may be more help available to ensure that your daughter receives her Free Appropriate Public Education. If you are like me, you probably thought that the ARC was giving you the best, most helpful information for your daughter's education. That turned out not to be 100% accurate for my daughter, and I had to learn it by asking a lot of questions and making a lot of phone calls. P&A is a great place to get that information. I don't know how much help I can be to you, but if I can help, all you have to do is contact me. You can find me here, on the blog, anytime. You can email me: meetthecottons@gmail.com
I wasnt the one who had left the comment but I also have a deaf daughter. My daughter is 6, so she doesnt write her words down to communicate to other people. Her ONLY way of communicating is thru sign language. She ONLY has a terp for 65 mins a day, her teachers or specail education teachers doesnt know but a handful of words if that in sign. She gets so frustrated n tells me she doesnt know what is being said. She has a cochlear implant but hasnt had it very long, she has sound awarness but might as well be speaking in chinese because she doesnt understand what is being said. I was told she couldnt have one because she didnt know enough sign. She knows over 500 if not alot more in sign, we have self taught ourself sign to communicate with her n teach her how to communicate with us, there is no classes here that offer that. I also know there is one interpretor for all the children in the hopikins county school systems. I know of atleast 3, so they divide that one terps time between these children n the rest of the time they r alone. They need one per child. Im over my head in stress trying to get her a terp all day, I have had meeting after meeting n get no where. They want to say she doesnt know and understand every word in the English language to have one, I would love to meet a hearing 6 year old who knew all that. Just like a hearing child the more words you express with them the more they know meaning yea my daughter might not know every single word but unless she is around that all the time how will she ever? For example you cant hold up a picture of a cat to a child for the very first time n expect them to know what it is, no, you have to implant it into them that this is a cat, this is a cat, until you show them this for the first time they wont know what it is. Just like her she might not know a sign but until you tell her hey this is what it is in sign how will she ever get anywhere. We have expanding her signing vocabulary so much in the past few years n continue too everyday. But they want me to send her with no signs whatsoever n expect to know what is going on, ive pushed to my limit n it is NOT happening this year, I do all I can and more for my daughters education so should they!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for taking the time to reply. My heart goes out to you and your daughter. I've been thinking about your situation and finally put it to words, please read the post I made today http://meetthecottons.blogspot.com/2012/05/does-my-hearing-impaired-child-need.html#comments
ReplyDeleteAnd be sure you give Protection & Advocacy a call. And I'll be here is I can help. Very sincerely, Misty Cotton