James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack) (05/14/91)
Index Number: 15584
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Ideals can be wonderful things. But realities oftentimes contend with
ideals. How we respond to reality dictates how the ideal will be
remembered, accepted or rejected by the people it affects the most.
Mainstreaming is an old idea. One once staunchly advocated by none
other than Alexander Graham Bell himself.
Reality: Too many mainstream programs stuff the Deaf child in
self-contained rooms. In all due respect for teachers in mainstreaming
programs, they aren't trained to deal with the "realities" of
educating the Deaf child. Putting them out of sight therefore out of
mind seems logical to them. Interpreters tend to be ill-trained with a
few exceptions. This is not dumping on the interpreters. They are
products of the interpreter training programs. If they are
inadequate, it is because the training program was inadequate. This is
something we Deaf people must understand and not come down on
interpreters for. Rather we should pull our weight in helping them
become better qualified. That means welcoming them as visitors to our
club meetings and such so they can get direct experience with our
language. However, that is another issue. An interesting one to be
sure which I will cover later when I talk about Deaf responsibility to
service workers.
If mainstream programs worked as well as its supporters claim, we
should see less isolation of the Deaf and higher academic achievement.
This is not what has happened for most Deaf children. They remain
outcasts while in public schools. They are never truly a part of their
peers' lives. Especially after school hours. True friendships extend
beyond the school. It continues as sleepover guests, invitations to
parties and such. Most mainstreamed Deaf say this doesn't happen.
Maybe once or so to satisfy some kid's curiosity. Soon the realities
imposed by the communication sits in. Hearie students who decide to
learn sign may do so rather well because they really want to be good
at it. Or they stop after a while when they realize it is not all that
easy. Too many fit the last category. Peer pressure ( you talk to
dummies?) and the typical teenage harassing of those who are different
is also a factor. I consider these things minor. The biggest obstacle
is kid to kid interaction is conflict based on what's ok for deafies
but not for hearies. Things like Deaf people's very blunt way of
addressing taboo topics openly. This is a no-no in the hearing world.
Ignorance on both sides can lead to stereotyping and turn offs that
linger forever.
What of a counselor trained to work with the deaf? Normally, you
don't find him/her in a mainstream program.
Students who do well in mainstream programs are usually the post-
lingually deaf or hard-of-hearing for obvious reasons. Pretending it
is otherwise is a disservice to the Deaf child.
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