Some people may well say that we are doing
our best with the limited resources we have, but if the MOE is to make good
their pledge to "ensure all learners with special education need are
able to learn and succeed in the education setting of their choice” (emphasis added), changes will be necessary to
improve on the options available.
As for teachers, the UN recognises the
need for appropriate methods of communication for educating the Deaf and
promotes the employment of teachers, some of whom are deaf, who are
qualified in sign language.
Here in little Aotearoa, there
simply aren’t enough NZSL-fluent
teachers. The MOE could consider fast-tracking the creation of a NZSL syllabus so that students who become interested in NZSL at primary and intermediate level can continue their NZSL studies throughout high school and emerge with good skills to complement a possible teaching career. Let’s make mainstreaming a truly viable option by
training and providing more specialist teachers and support people who can be available to deaf students for all their subjects, throughout their school day.
The second available option is attendance at either KDEC or VADEC but places are limited. Couldn't there be more regional centres where more deaf students could enjoy specialist teaching and interpreting services and reap the benefits (“linguistic, social and educational”) of communal deaf classes?We could even get adventurous and offer more online learning as a valuable medium in Deaf education.
Between a compromised mainstreaming option and limited access to specialised Deaf education centres, how much choice do our deaf youth really have regarding their education? I’m afraid I have to say, not much.
