Hearing Loss Resource Center

Education Resources Related Topics:
	Early Intervention Programs
	K-12 Options
	Scholarships for College
	Ask a Family Support Specialist

K-12 Options

As the National Association of the Deaf states,"There is no lack of educational opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing children. The secret is in knowing where to look, and once you start finding information, resources, and schools, the challenge is deciding what type of school is appropriate for your child" (NAD website, 2001).

School choices include mainstreaming programs, day classes within regular schools, state residential schools for the deaf, and private residential schools. These are very briefly described below, as taken from Paul Ogden's book, The Silent Garden (1996).

Mainstreaming is the process of sending children with special needs into regular classes - as opposed to special classes or special schools. For deaf and hard of hearing children, this means attending classes with their hearing peers.

Day classes represent partial mainstreaming - the deaf student may attend a local public school but be based in a special room with a trained teacher of the deaf. The student attends selected classes or activities with the hearing students. Conversely, the deaf student may be based in the regular classroom and attend special sessions with a visiting teacher of the deaf at certain times during the week.

Day schools, state residential schools and private residential schools are three kinds of schools dedicated exclusively to deaf education. Day schools are for students who live at home and commute; most day schools are located in large cities and serve a large population of deaf and hard of hearing children. State residential schools are boarding schools, but most offer day programs for commuting students. Private residential schools are usually oral programs.

Within schools, education may take a variety of approaches depending upon student needs and preferences. Common approaches include:

Bi-lingual/Bi-cultural - ASL is used as the primary language of instruction with English being taught as a second language through written format
Cued speech - teachers and students use cued speech (lip reading supplemented by clear visual cues) as the primary mode of communication
Oral programs - teachers and students focus on the development of speech reading, listening and speaking skills
Total communication - a philosophy of communication that employs a combination of components of oral and manual teaching modes using sign, lipreading, fingerspelling, use of residual hearing, speech and sometimes cued speech (from Open Doors, 1998, Oticon, Inc. and the Academy of Dispensing Audiologists).

Students in Minnesota have many choices, including the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (a residential school), Metro Deaf School (a charter school with a day program), and self-contained programs within numerous school districts. Northern Voices, a private school offering a day oral program, is another option for children in Minnesota.

The controversy: When it comes to deciding which is the "right" approach to educating their deaf and hard of hearing children, parents are sometimes bombarded with different types of advice. Many people who advise parents are both well-intentioned and strongly opinionated. Parents may have a tough time deciding what to do in face of controversial and conflicting information. We suggest that it is helpful to learn about all the options - and be flexible - in order to make a decision that best fits the needs of your child and family.

Where can I go for more information?