Originally Posted by dotcomkari

I was mainstreamed all my life. I have mixed feelings on it. I wish I had learned sign language, and I was not raised oral. I do love my friends I made in a "regular " school.. and I love having equal chances as everyone else.. I was very invovled in drama club, in newspaper, in color guard.. on the swim team. And I was on the honor roll and such.
I was raised completly oral though.. and I struggled. .. it was not an easy journey at all.. and I hate my parents for that. I always had to sit in the front of the class.. struggle to keep up. Taking notes was a night mare. I always felt like I was falling behind. A lot of teachers did not understand.. nor took the time to understand.
My hearing loss went from ok to BAD in high school and it was a hard time for me.. and it seemed like no one around me understood.
My parents were not very understanding at all.. and well.. it was not a happy mix. I was very depressed to say the least.

if I could go back and do it over again..
I would choose.. both mainstream and deaf school mix.. so I could be part of both worlds? I love being oral, don't get me wrong. Most people don't even know I am DEAF, till I tell them, I speak quite good.. and I love that for work.. and for being out with my family. But I wish I could sign.. wish I had more deaf friends.. wish that I could have gotten more help in school and had poeple who understood my feelings and needs more.