Cousin Vinny

As some of you may know, a lot of Deaf children do not go to their 'home' school; they go to a 'center' school that has the necessary support programs, i.e., interpreting, note-taking, self-contained classes. When they are assigned to a school other than the one they are supposed to go in their community, they get the right of transportation written into the IEP.

But, what if gasoline/diesel costs go up so much? They are already at the breaking point, roughly $4 a gallon for diesel. What if they are at $8 a gallon? $10 bucks? Would those schools implement inclusion models at all schools, so that Deaf students can go to their community schools instead of center schools? Not only this would impact Deaf students, but a wide range of students with disabilities; they would start going to their community schools.

Really scary on how energy costs can really affect the lives of people in unseen ways. All of a sudden, there would be no self-contained classes, and those Deaf students who are on a special diploma track may well find themselves in VE classes at their community school.

Well, something to think about; the trend of inclusion is gaining full steam independently of Peak Oil, anyway. Just wondering as to the implications it has for Deaf/HH students.

Deafness

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jillio

School districts are already making every effort to keep children in their home schools, even if it means that the child will be the only deaf child in a sea of hearing students and without proper accommodation. The CI ha been seen and touted as a way to accomplish this, thus reducing the cost of educating the deaf student. Sad.

dreamchaser

Very good observation about gas prices affecting education.

I posted a question about the emotional experience of mainsteaming in a sea of hearing kids... Would you please post a reply? I am trying to get a rounded look at the issue before I write my paper. I could just do what everybody does and quote the EXPERTS, but they don't seem to address the issues of emotional aspect. I only found one on line article about the isolation problem. There solution was to force more interaction between deaf and hearing students... seemed to be sidestepping the real issue. I don't know how to conduct a real survey, and not sure if it would be recieved well, but I think it is an issue to be discussed civily, because even the gas prices are going to affect these issues... Pretty concerning subject.

jillio

Will do. And I agree. Psychosocial issues are quite often completely disregarded.

shel90

Geez, if that will happen then I am out of a job. Just as well cuz I wouldnt be able to afford to commute to work if gas went up to $8 a gallon.

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~Shel~

deafdyke

Actually, I wonder if maybe this might result in an increase of kids at the Deaf School?
Yes, the cost of busing kids to center based programs would prolly not really work out. However, on the other hand the costs of sending various and sundry 'terps and TODs might be just as much. It might be cheaper for the various and sundry students to go to the Deaf School!

jillio

It is certainly a possibility.

shel90

Hmmm..good point there. Then my job would be saved! LOL!

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~Shel~

Cousin Vinny

This has happened, but in an unforeseen direction. This is based on anecdotal evidence; a high school in Florida recently went 100% inclusion. The traditional self-contained classes for Deaf students vanished altogether. There were two tracks of Deaf students;

Those on the regular diploma track continued to take classes in a mainstream setting with interpreters. Those on the special diploma track were 'mainstreamed' into VE classes with interpreters.

Not surprisingly, there was an exodus of sorts from students on the special diploma track. These students walked into a VE classroom, surveyed his/her fellow peers and promptly made the decision to go to FSD. So, this move helped increase student enrollment at the state Deaf school.

Surprisingly, the students on the regular diploma track did not go to FSD, despite losing their 'comfort zone' being in a self-contained class taught by a TOD. They continued to participate in classes, interact with their peers, etc. and have had interpreters pretty much available at all times. So, I guess inclusion did work to an extent.

Time will tell if the inclusion model truly works or is an effective method in educating DHH children.

jillio

You are correct in that "time will tell." I just hope that the damage done while we are waiting on the answers is not too great. Given what I see happening with mainstreaming....and not just with deaf chidlren, but children with all kinds of differences...I am not hopeful. I do hope, however, that I am proven wrong. Nothing would make me happier.

deafdyke

You know........its possible with a sitution like that, the VE kids might find that FSDB is better for them. A lot of the VE style kids are that way b/c they weren't taught correctly or b/c they didn't have proper EI. Even if they don't go to a community colllege, they'd have better access to actual job training, since the gross majority of suburban type high schools don't tend to offer all that much in the way of vocational training.

Miss-Delectable

Interesting thought, Cousin Vinny.

It's certainly food for thoughts.

Hmm, it'll be quite interesting to see how it'll unfold in terms of deaf accommodations in schools.

Maybe that's why the Australian Education department's practically using coercive ways to make parents put their child in a school with a deaf facility nearby their home overriding their wish for their child to attend a school further away.

This way, they'll pay less in Taxi mileage and I imagine in gas, too.

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