Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!olivea!oliveb!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker From: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Re: Genetic Engineering Message-ID: <19126@bunker.isc-br.com> Date: 3 May 91 04:05:39 GMT Sender: news@bunker.isc-br.com Reply-To: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org Organization: FidoNet node 1:385/14.0 - Fingers Talk, Lawton OK Lines: 48 Approved: wtm@bunker.hcap.fidonet.org Index Number: 15331 [This is from the Silent Talk Conference] Hi Mike - Thank you for your comments. I used to be a member of NAD but due to some of their radical actions, I decided to drop out. I just can't go along with some of their statements and feel they make things more difficult for the whole hearing impaired population. I know several who have had the cochlear implant - some were not successful and some were - like all things in life, it's a gamble but definitely worth a shot for many. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them - I can't imagine going through the process at this stage in my life since I've lived with my hearing loss for over 45 years. I do feel children are an excellent candidate for this. I know this is going to be taken wrong but I do feel if it improves their quality of life and the ability to learn speech and speechreading, it's the route to go. I've noticed from several of your messages that you had a terrible time with mainstreaming. I was mainstreamed long before there was such a thing as mainstreaming and it worked wonderfully for me. Based on my experiences, I do feel it can be successful but only in public schools - not residential schools. I attended schools all over the world along with my two siblings who are also profoundly deaf and we had no problems whatsoever. At that time there was very little known about deafness but my parents were determined we were going to live normal lives and spent a great deal of time working with us. The parents do have the right to get the best possible education for their children - especially those with special needs. It is not always necessary to follow the advice of experts because often many experts are not exactly knowledgeable on what works - more so those who don't really have first hand experience. One example of this in my situation is the fact many physicians were puzzled by the fact myself and my two siblings were able to communication as well as we do since our audiograms show very little hearing - in fact, they can't actually pinpoint how much we do hear or don't hear. So - all factors are really based on the individuals. -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org