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From: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Multiple Uses Of Sign
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Date: 1 Mar 91 04:20:35 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Well, you know I was mainstreamed long before there was such a thing
as mainstreaming in the public schools.  My siblings were also and
there were 4 other deaf girls who attended high school with me in
Shreveport, LA.  We didn't have any classes together and we all did
very well in a large school with a student population of 4,000!

I will say this - I'm so thankful my parents did not put the 3 of
us in deaf schools.  They have told me that they were determined
we were going to live normal lives and be exposed to all that is
out in this BIG wide world.  I attended schools all over the world
(my father was a military officer) and I wouldn't trade my travels
for anything.  I don't feel I would be where I am today if it hadn't
been for the way I was raised and the exposure.  Sure, there were
times we had a great deal of frustration but we survived and I think
it made better people of us.  My dad was very strict with us and
spent a great deal of time with us in helping us with our speech.
There were many times I would have to sit in a chair until I could
say a word correctly.  Yes, I did resent it at the time but not
anymore as it really did help me.

That's why I know others can do the same thing.  They do when they
are around me and they LOVE it!

I'm not trying to cut those down who attended residential schools,
I just feel they really are not necessary and I think in some states
where mainstreaming has been very successful is the reason so many
of the residential schools are slowly going downhill.  There are
several in Oklahoma that are no longer in operation due to several
new programs the state education system is now implementing.

Enough said on the subject.  I'm not going to continue this thread.

--
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