Deaf Education in America: Voices of Children from Inclusion Settings
by Janet Cerney
Gallaudet University Press, 2007 eISBN: 978-1-56368-401-2 | Cloth: 978-1-56368-362-6 Library of Congress Classification HV2551.C47 2007 Dewey Decimal Classification 371.9120973
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | TOC
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Deaf Education in America: Voices of Children from Inclusion Settings provides a detailed examination of the complex issues surrounding the integration of deaf students into the general classroom. Author Janet Cerney begins her comprehensive work by stressing to parents, educators, and policymakers the importance of learning the circumstances in which mainstreaming and inclusion can be successful for deaf students. This process requires stakeholders to identify and evaluate the perceived benefits and risks before making placement and implementation decisions. The influences of the quality of communication and the relationships built by and with the students are of paramount importance in leading to success.
In conjunction with these principles, this thorough study examines the theory and history behind inclusion, including the effects of the No Child Left Behind education act. Cerney incorporates this knowledge with interviews of the deaf students themselves as well as with their interpreters and teachers. To ensure complete candidness, the students were surveyed in their homes, and the interpreters and educators were questioned separately. Through these exchanges, Cerney could determine what worked well for the deaf students, what barriers interfered with their access to communication, and what support structures were needed to eliminate those barriers. As a result, Deaf Education in America offers concrete information on steps that can be taken to ensure success in an inclusion setting, results that reverberate through the voices of the deaf students.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Janet Cerney is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Deaf School, Denver, CO.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1: DEAF EDUCATION IN AMERICA
Preface.............................................................................................8
1
THE SOCIAL SIDE OF LEARNING
Learning as a Social Experience.........................................................11
Social Learning & the Integration of Deaf Students into the Classroom..... 14
Alternatives in Learning Environments.......................................... 17
Terminology................................................................................................. 18
2
CONFRONTING THE REALITIES OF INCLUSION
Realities of Inclusion ............................................................................. 20
Academic Achievement of Deaf Students.............................................. 23
Access to Language Rich Learning Environments............................ 27
Relationship Building for Deaf Students in Inclusive Settings............... 29
School: A Learning Community............................................................. 31
Peer Relationships................................................................. 34
Bullying and Oppression of Deaf Students............................................. 36
Feelings of Isolation............................................................... 38
3
EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETING
Issues in Educational Interpreting................................................. 40
Availability of Highly Skilled Interpreters........................................ 41
Realities of an Interpreted Learning Environment............................... 44
How Does the Message Change?.......................................................... 45
Interpreter Errors .......................................................................... 46
How Does Interpreting affect Relationship-Building for Students? .............. 49
Relationship-Building Between Students and Their Interpreters.................50
4
ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEGAL INFLUENCES
Shared Responsibility for Deaf Students............................................ 52
Legal Issues........................................................................... 54
Special Education Laws & Amendments Influencing Deaf Education....... 58
5
HISTORICAL & CULTURAL INFLUENCES
Historical and Cultural Contexts in the Education of Deaf Students....... 60
A Glimpse Into History ........................................................... 60
Cultural Competency: Salient Values of the Deaf Community............. 68
Cochlear Implants................................................................. 71
Perspective of Deafness........................................................... 74
6
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF DEAF STUDENTS
Distinguishing Characteristics ....................................................... 78
Identification and Early Intervention............................................ 78
Deaf Student Population............................................................... 76
Additional Handicapping Conditions............................................ 79
Common Barriers to Learning........................................................ 82
Diversity Within the Deaf Student Population.................................... 83
PART 2: THE RESEARCH STUDY
7
VOICES OF DEAF CHILDREN
Demographics and Narrative Sketches............................................... 89
Internal Struggles .......................................................................... 97
Living and Learning with Educational Interpreters................................. 112
Building Relationships in Hearing Schools......................................... 134
Suggestions for Improving Integrated Education......................................... 148
Unexpected Findings................................................................................ 152
An Interpretive Summary of the Responses of Deaf Students......................... 158
8
INTERVIEWS WITH EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETERS
Demographics and Narrative Sketches................................................. 165
General Feelings about Educating Deaf Students with Hearing Students...,,... 170
Issues of Access........................................................................................... 173
Interaction and Relationship-Building Between Deaf & Hearing Students........184
Promoting the Social Experiences of Deaf Students.....................................198
Interaction Between Deaf Student and Other Adults in the School....................201
Interaction & Relationship Between Deaf Student and the Interpreter................203
Effectiveness of the Deaf Education Teachers................................................213
Effectiveness of the Regular Education Teachers ................ ...........................217
Equality in the Classroom..............................................................................223
An Interpretive Summary of the Responses of Interpreters ............................... 227
9
INTERVIEWS WITH DEAF EDUCATION TEACHERS
(currently serving deaf students in public schools)
Demographics ....................................................................................... 230
Suzanne's Interview.....................,..................................................... 232
Naomi's Interview ............................................................................. 238
An Interpretive Summary of the Responses of Interpreters ................................ 243
10
INTERVIEWS WITH REGULAR EDUCATION TEACHERS
(currently teaching deaf students in inclusive classrooms)
Demographics and Narrative Sketches................................................... 245
Academic Achievement of Deaf Students................................................ 248
Meeting the Needs of the Deaf Student................................................... 250
Relationship between the Regular Ed Teacher and the Deaf Student:............... 252
Relationship between the Hearing Students and the Deaf Student:.................... 254
Support from the Deaf Education Teacher........................................................ 257
Purpose of Integration.....................................................................................258
An Interpretive Summary of the Responses of Interpreters ..................................259
11
CONCLUSION / IMPLICATIONS
Conclusion........................................................................................ 262
Further Research........................... .......................................................... 271
Implications & Recommendations ......................................................... 272
References........................................................................................
277
Deaf Education in America: Voices of Children from Inclusion Settings
by Janet Cerney
Gallaudet University Press, 2007 eISBN: 978-1-56368-401-2 Cloth: 978-1-56368-362-6
Deaf Education in America: Voices of Children from Inclusion Settings provides a detailed examination of the complex issues surrounding the integration of deaf students into the general classroom. Author Janet Cerney begins her comprehensive work by stressing to parents, educators, and policymakers the importance of learning the circumstances in which mainstreaming and inclusion can be successful for deaf students. This process requires stakeholders to identify and evaluate the perceived benefits and risks before making placement and implementation decisions. The influences of the quality of communication and the relationships built by and with the students are of paramount importance in leading to success.
In conjunction with these principles, this thorough study examines the theory and history behind inclusion, including the effects of the No Child Left Behind education act. Cerney incorporates this knowledge with interviews of the deaf students themselves as well as with their interpreters and teachers. To ensure complete candidness, the students were surveyed in their homes, and the interpreters and educators were questioned separately. Through these exchanges, Cerney could determine what worked well for the deaf students, what barriers interfered with their access to communication, and what support structures were needed to eliminate those barriers. As a result, Deaf Education in America offers concrete information on steps that can be taken to ensure success in an inclusion setting, results that reverberate through the voices of the deaf students.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Janet Cerney is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Deaf School, Denver, CO.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1: DEAF EDUCATION IN AMERICA
Preface.............................................................................................8
1
THE SOCIAL SIDE OF LEARNING
Learning as a Social Experience.........................................................11
Social Learning & the Integration of Deaf Students into the Classroom..... 14
Alternatives in Learning Environments.......................................... 17
Terminology................................................................................................. 18
2
CONFRONTING THE REALITIES OF INCLUSION
Realities of Inclusion ............................................................................. 20
Academic Achievement of Deaf Students.............................................. 23
Access to Language Rich Learning Environments............................ 27
Relationship Building for Deaf Students in Inclusive Settings............... 29
School: A Learning Community............................................................. 31
Peer Relationships................................................................. 34
Bullying and Oppression of Deaf Students............................................. 36
Feelings of Isolation............................................................... 38
3
EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETING
Issues in Educational Interpreting................................................. 40
Availability of Highly Skilled Interpreters........................................ 41
Realities of an Interpreted Learning Environment............................... 44
How Does the Message Change?.......................................................... 45
Interpreter Errors .......................................................................... 46
How Does Interpreting affect Relationship-Building for Students? .............. 49
Relationship-Building Between Students and Their Interpreters.................50
4
ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEGAL INFLUENCES
Shared Responsibility for Deaf Students............................................ 52
Legal Issues........................................................................... 54
Special Education Laws & Amendments Influencing Deaf Education....... 58
5
HISTORICAL & CULTURAL INFLUENCES
Historical and Cultural Contexts in the Education of Deaf Students....... 60
A Glimpse Into History ........................................................... 60
Cultural Competency: Salient Values of the Deaf Community............. 68
Cochlear Implants................................................................. 71
Perspective of Deafness........................................................... 74
6
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF DEAF STUDENTS
Distinguishing Characteristics ....................................................... 78
Identification and Early Intervention............................................ 78
Deaf Student Population............................................................... 76
Additional Handicapping Conditions............................................ 79
Common Barriers to Learning........................................................ 82
Diversity Within the Deaf Student Population.................................... 83
PART 2: THE RESEARCH STUDY
7
VOICES OF DEAF CHILDREN
Demographics and Narrative Sketches............................................... 89
Internal Struggles .......................................................................... 97
Living and Learning with Educational Interpreters................................. 112
Building Relationships in Hearing Schools......................................... 134
Suggestions for Improving Integrated Education......................................... 148
Unexpected Findings................................................................................ 152
An Interpretive Summary of the Responses of Deaf Students......................... 158
8
INTERVIEWS WITH EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETERS
Demographics and Narrative Sketches................................................. 165
General Feelings about Educating Deaf Students with Hearing Students...,,... 170
Issues of Access........................................................................................... 173
Interaction and Relationship-Building Between Deaf & Hearing Students........184
Promoting the Social Experiences of Deaf Students.....................................198
Interaction Between Deaf Student and Other Adults in the School....................201
Interaction & Relationship Between Deaf Student and the Interpreter................203
Effectiveness of the Deaf Education Teachers................................................213
Effectiveness of the Regular Education Teachers ................ ...........................217
Equality in the Classroom..............................................................................223
An Interpretive Summary of the Responses of Interpreters ............................... 227
9
INTERVIEWS WITH DEAF EDUCATION TEACHERS
(currently serving deaf students in public schools)
Demographics ....................................................................................... 230
Suzanne's Interview.....................,..................................................... 232
Naomi's Interview ............................................................................. 238
An Interpretive Summary of the Responses of Interpreters ................................ 243
10
INTERVIEWS WITH REGULAR EDUCATION TEACHERS
(currently teaching deaf students in inclusive classrooms)
Demographics and Narrative Sketches................................................... 245
Academic Achievement of Deaf Students................................................ 248
Meeting the Needs of the Deaf Student................................................... 250
Relationship between the Regular Ed Teacher and the Deaf Student:............... 252
Relationship between the Hearing Students and the Deaf Student:.................... 254
Support from the Deaf Education Teacher........................................................ 257
Purpose of Integration.....................................................................................258
An Interpretive Summary of the Responses of Interpreters ..................................259
11
CONCLUSION / IMPLICATIONS
Conclusion........................................................................................ 262
Further Research........................... .......................................................... 271
Implications & Recommendations ......................................................... 272
References........................................................................................
277
