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From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: DEAF AND/OR HEARING IMPAIRED
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Date: 1 Mar 91 04:24:24 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Why not let us deafies, hard of hearies, hearing impaireds etc call
OURSELVES what WE want to be called?

Residential schools letting deafies graduate with 4th grade reading
levels? It is not because th eschools are residential, it is because
it is hearie dominated and they refuse to recognize the child is deaf,
needs to master a 1st language that is natural to the child and us
ethat to build the 2nd language , English on. The problem is what I
insist is unintended ignorance about the deaf and the true requirements
for qwuality education. Mainstreamed programs do no better despite
much ballyhoo to the contrary. Isolation? We deafies don't really consider
ourselves isolated, at least not the attitudal or cultural deaf. I
believe if we had less hearie control over our educational programs,
we'd see an increased readng level of the deaf. Why else do so many
daef kids of deaf parents who are culturally deaf achieve high levels
than deafies from hearing homes? If what happens withthese kids incidentally
could be tapped for all deaf kids formally, we'd see mainstreaming
and residential schools both have a greater positive impact on the
deaf child's progress.

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