Designing a school for Deaf and Blind, need advice

deafdyke said:
Actually, did you know that only a very small percentage of blind people use service dogs?In 1994-95, 1.3 million people in the US reported being legally blind. In 1993, just over 7,000 Americans used guide dogs. Others use canes or rely on their residual vision to get around....At a Blind School kids would be trained to use canes. They would not have guide dogs. I actually think that guide dogs are an old person thing the way hearing ear dogs are.
Click to expand...
Don't forget, it's not just blind people who use service dogs.

Plus, there could be "old people" staff members who use them, too. :)
 
deafdyke said:
Actually, did you know that only a very small percentage of blind people use service dogs?In 1994-95, 1.3 million people in the US reported being legally blind. In 1993, just over 7,000 Americans used guide dogs. Others use canes or rely on their residual vision to get around....At a Blind School kids would be trained to use canes. They would not have guide dogs. I actually think that guide dogs are an old person thing the way hearing ear dogs are.
Click to expand...

Don't think that is quite true as you have to prove a certain level of fitness to be accepted for a guide dog.
 
Architect - how did you get on with this project? Would love to hear more. I'm an architectural technology student (in my last year!) and will include interior design in my studies also... I am deaf and have slight visual problems which will only worsen over time. I am looking into working with deafblind clients in particular... still need to research but reading this discussion has really brought some good points.
Let us know about your work :) and show us your designs?
 
you can see some of my work on this project here: http://www.matthewduncan.org/Images/pdf_school.pdf

theres a few images there. (no details or descriptions really, but you can read this thread and figure out most of the details). The project was research heavy so not all of the renderings are finalized, but you get the point. If you have any questions about specific details or some of my research just let me know.
 
Aleser said:
First, "the blind" and "the deaf" is not really the language you want to be going for, here. "d/Deaf people" or "blind people" is a much less potentially offensive or problematic way to say it.

Second, many blind people (myself included) believe that schools for "the blind" are extremely damaging and limit student's independence and ability to learn within the community. Whereas a Deaf child has a specific reason to benefit from attending a Deaf school (everyone speaks their language), a child who is blind but not deafblind receives no particular benefit being taught in a non-inclusive school, and will typically face needless challenges such as lower educational standards, limitation on freedom of movement, lack of opportunity to socialize with sighted peers, etc.

All that aside, even where schools for blind students DO exist, structural modifications should never be made. In the real world a blind student will not encounter structural modifications suited to them, and as such these should not be included in this sheltered "preworld" of disabled-only schools.

Real-world colleges don't have "specially textured walls": you take your cane out and you travel like everyone else. At best, the only important feature to blind users in a building is braille numbering/lettering on signage, but that is not so much structural changes as what you fill that structure up with.

Everything else is frivolous material you are using to gain points with your teachers and is almost certain to be based on ableist assumptions and serving the function of further perpetuating myths about blindness and other disabilities.

/DeafBlindie on a rant
Click to expand...

I am curious about Deaf Education Basis. I went deaf institute in St. Augustine. (Florida School for the Deaf and Blind) I personally believe that Deaf should have higher education like mainstream education. No offense but if deaf is willing to raise above the education level that they were taught at. Funny thing is, while i was there at Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. i often complain about education level that were lower on my standard. Also i hear a lot of people saying Deaf can do anything but hear right? Why not challenge yourself and think positive about things instead of saying to yourselves that you cant do it. I love challenges. I left deaf institute and went into mainstream school. i was surprise myself that at the first time, if you really want to graduate you have to make yourselves to believe that you can do it. I did it although i failed the reading F-CAT. I manage to take SAT instead and pass and graduate. It is a choice. Excuse me for ranting but just my thoughts and what i knew. But building school model, in my opinion should be like regular school like other people go to. That my opinion :D


Of course Deaf and Blind have needs like flashing light, guide dogs and such. I know that. But no excuse for Education Level.
 
Back
Top