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From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Total Communication
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Date: 15 Mar 91 04:41:24 GMT
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Index Number: 13933

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

I have seen theterm Total Communication thrown around as if it was
a method of communication. Itis not. It is aphilosophy. Theidea is
to use the method of communication that best fits the child. If it
is speech, use speech. If itis writing, use writing, and incidently,
if it is ASL, use ASL. But people are usingthatterm as if it was amethod.

Intruth, TC is a failure. If you remain withthe method that a child
brings to school with him or her, it is all you end up using. How far
do you get then? Moreover, in most schools, deaf kids are lumped together
irregardless of communication skills and with a single teacher. Now
you show me a teacher who can sign ASL, Signed English, write, speak
and what not so every kid understand the lesson's content. You have
50 minutes towork with these kids anddepending onthe number, how much
individual time are you really going to have for each unique child?

Total Communication has proven to be a total failure. Many programs
grabbed ahold of it including your maligned residential schools and
the vaunted mainstream programs, yet the deaf kids show no real educational
progress in either tyoe of programs as a whole. Same old formula, deny
the value of ASL, rob the kids of a meaningful education and a sense
of self-worth. Works every time.

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