Hehir

    Hehir talks about how ableism appears in educational settings goes on to identify steps schools can do to prevent schools from limiting opportunities for students with disabilities. An idea from Hehir is to not separate these students and instead integrate disability into schools’ diversity. Physical or mental disabilities should not be a taboo subject and instead should part of the conversation; by doing this it prevents the stigma against these students. Students with disabilities should feel comfortable to express themselves however they would like; nothing is a one size fits all situation.

    One thing that stood out to be was when Hehir mentioned students who are deaf or hard of hearing and the teaching of ASL. Last year at URI I took two ASL classes from a professor who was deaf. In class we only signed and never spoke; we learned so much by being immersed in the ASL world. We also read a few interesting books I will never forget; one of them was "Never the Twain Shall Meet" by Richard Winefield. The book was a debate that went on for centuries regarding if ASL (combined method) or speech should be taught to students who were hearing impaired. My professor moved to the USA to help with her needs or hearing loss and ended up going to the RI School for the Deaf. As this book explains, the deaf communities curriculum kept changing and when she went to the school sign language was prohibited. It was shameful to be deaf and they were only taught to lip read, speech read, and speak. 

    Reading this book and learning her experience was truly eye opening. A disability is no ones fault and for that reason along they should not be shamed or blamed for it. The debate, for me personally, was stupid. Today at the RI School for the Deaf the combined method is used, which is the learning of speech and ASL simultaneously. I believe the child has a right to their autonomy, especially if they are deaf. Whether or not they have a hearing air or cochlear implants is their choice and so is the choice of speech, sign, or both.

    The ableism in this community of people is horrendous. To even debate about taking away a language to help them is embarrassing. The fact is everyone is different and schools should be a place to acknowledge, recognize, and support this differences; not shame and blame. 

This is a short video that summarizes the debate.

The ASL Debate

Comments

  1. maryanndoeFNED246November 3, 2024 at 2:25 PM

    You make a really good point about how no one is to blame for disabled people's condition; I'm sure they didn't choose to be born that way.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dr. Joyce StevosDecember 3, 2024 at 1:40 PM

    From Jess: Leah - I liked how you highlight Hehir’s point that disabilities whether physical, mental,
    or sensory should not be treated as taboo subjects. Normalizing these conversations
    would help reduce stigma and create a more inclusive environment for all students. I
    enjoyed the connection you made about your experience learning ASL from a deaf
    professor. It is a powerful example of how engagement and respect for different
    communication methods can broaden our understanding of disabilities. The historical
    debate you mention, specifically the idea of banning sign language in favor of speech
    therapy, is eye opening and disturbing. It really emphasizes how deep rooted ableism
    can be in educational practices. Like you mentioned, children, including those who are
    deaf or hard of hearing, should have the control to choose the learning tools and
    communication methods that work best for them.

    ReplyDelete

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