Social Justice Perspectives on Deaf Education, History and Access

Historical and current trends, barriers and successes in Deaf people’s access to the following:

Education

• Controversy of signed or spoken language approaches
• First Deaf schools in North America
• 1880 Congress of Milan and its impact
• Newborn screening and diagnosis in BC
• Deaf children in hearing families
• BC Early Hearing Program and age 0-5 intervention programs
• Cochlear implantation and/or hearing aids
• Accessible language or language deprivation
• Approaches: auditory/verbal; total communication; bilingual-bicultural education
• K-12: Mainstreaming v. Segregated schools
• Post-secondary studies; Gallaudet University

Employment

• Job training and readiness
• Hiring practices and attitudes
• Under-employment and unemployment
• Inclusion in the workplace

Health care and other public services

• Health care: doctors, hospitals, therapies
• Mental health services, counselling
• Eldridge court case; medical interpreting services
• Interfacing with the legal system, police, corrections
• Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
• Transportation: planes, trains, buses, ferries

Arts and recreation

• Recreation, sport and leisure activities in the community
• Creative arts and cultural events
• Entertainment, theatrical performances
• Universal design and Deaf space

Advancements in Deaf people’s rights:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Provincial and federal legislation in BC and Canada

UN Conventions

Issues and ongoing advocacy

Deaf representation in literature and media:

Historical examples from literature and film

Recent examples from movies, television, theatre and social media

Movements toward social justice and equality

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

1.         The Deaf community comprises a vibrant linguistic and cultural minority whose members are connected to each other through shared values, norms, art, traditions and especially the primacy of using a signed language.

2.         A pathological view of Deaf people as disabled and in need of repair has been prevalent in our society, perpetuating attitudinal and systemic barriers to access to opportunities for education, employment, autonomy and inclusion.

3.         The history of Deaf education in North America has been one of philosophical controversy, experiments with methodology, and shifting policies about linguistic approach and educational placement options.

4.         A potential consequence of failure to adequately respond to Deaf children’s educational and social/emotional needs is language deprivation; when accessible language is not provided during crucial early development, there are long-term negative repercussions for the individual and their relationships.

5.         The terms ‘access’ and ‘inclusion’ can mean different things to different groups or individuals. For Deaf people who experience the world primarily through visual input/language, the challenges of access and inclusion are linked to living within systems designed by the dominant hearing majority who rely on auditory input/language.

6.         There has been positive movement toward greater awareness among the general public and observable improvements in access for Deaf people within systems. The representation of Deaf people in literature and popular media is one lens for examining societal shifts.