Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
News Features - Falkirk Today: News, Sport, Jobs, Property, Cars, Entertainments & More
BEING deaf doesn't make leading a nor-mal life impossible – but it can make it extremely difficult.
But improved teaching and new technology are signalling a brighter future for the deaf community.
Being deaf himself Andrew Thomson of the Deaf Enterprise Partnership knows life in a hearing world can be isolating and hard work.
Born to deaf parents, Andrew and his deaf wife Caroline are parents to two hearing sons.
The family is practised in getting by in a country where Gaelic and Welsh languages are given a higher priority than British Sign Language.
Andrew says something as simple as a query can turn into an epic episode of gestures and note making.
He's keen to see deaf people included rather than pushed to the outside and has invested in sign-now.com
The company offers an on-line sign language interpreting service using only the Internet and a webcam – meaning users don't need specific software or a dedicated computer terminal.
The pay-per-use service allows a deaf person to log on to the site where an interpreter can translate real-time to a hearing person.
Andrew believes other communication forms don't allow deaf people to express emotion and pointed to the problems accessing youth telephone counsellors at Childline as a prime example.
"Kids can only access it via a minicom but they can't express their emotion like a hearing person does,'' he said.
''Organisations are using band aids, doing the best with what they can, but these issues need to be seen from a deaf person's perspective.
''A lot of people assume the deaf community has one voice and one idea – but it's just like the hearing community and has lots of different ideas. If a deaf person has a problem and they try to do something about it, they're deemed troublemakers."
Andrew wants the deaf community to lead itself and beleives he is setting an example by buying into sign-now.com
He hopes the new technology will prove invaluable for the deaf after they leave the supported environment of school and make their own way in the world.
Locally, children are taught at Windsor Park which has 19 severe to profoundly deaf pupils.
Head of sensory schooling services Catherine Finestone said pupils learn sign language twice a week while parents, plus pupils at neighbouring Bantaskine Primary School, are also offered lessons.
Classrooms are fitted with soundfield systems which mean that, no matter where the teacher is standing, all pupils can hear via speakers placed around the classroom.
The system is also in place at Falkirk, Graeme and Braes High Schools.
Catherine said: "The deaf education system has changed – 30 years ago pupils were getting a raw deal.
Progress
"From diagnosis, teachers provide support and visit the family at home. We have a mother and toddlers group where both ages make friends and parents can ask as many questions as they like."
Windsor Park pupils also join many Bantaskin Primary classes, including gym, maths and environmental studies, while all assemblies are signed.
"Class teachers from both schools meet up regularly,'' said Catherine. "We also have visiting services, including audiology and speech therapists, and every year each child's progress is reviewed by a multi-agency panel."
When they're old enough Windsor Park's pupils head to neighbouring Falkirk High – and the support goes with them.
The multi-agency meetings include them and pupils are helped with career opportunities.
One couple already finding Windsor Park's help invaluable are Nicola and Peter whose three-year-old son, also called Peter, was diagnosed as deaf just one year ago.
Nicola (33) said: "We've got three other hearing children and when we found out I was gutted, but with the support of Windsor Park we've realised that nothing in our lives has changed.
''Peter can still do anything that other kids do."
BEING deaf doesn't make leading a nor-mal life impossible – but it can make it extremely difficult.
But improved teaching and new technology are signalling a brighter future for the deaf community.
Being deaf himself Andrew Thomson of the Deaf Enterprise Partnership knows life in a hearing world can be isolating and hard work.
Born to deaf parents, Andrew and his deaf wife Caroline are parents to two hearing sons.
The family is practised in getting by in a country where Gaelic and Welsh languages are given a higher priority than British Sign Language.
Andrew says something as simple as a query can turn into an epic episode of gestures and note making.
He's keen to see deaf people included rather than pushed to the outside and has invested in sign-now.com
The company offers an on-line sign language interpreting service using only the Internet and a webcam – meaning users don't need specific software or a dedicated computer terminal.
The pay-per-use service allows a deaf person to log on to the site where an interpreter can translate real-time to a hearing person.
Andrew believes other communication forms don't allow deaf people to express emotion and pointed to the problems accessing youth telephone counsellors at Childline as a prime example.
"Kids can only access it via a minicom but they can't express their emotion like a hearing person does,'' he said.
''Organisations are using band aids, doing the best with what they can, but these issues need to be seen from a deaf person's perspective.
''A lot of people assume the deaf community has one voice and one idea – but it's just like the hearing community and has lots of different ideas. If a deaf person has a problem and they try to do something about it, they're deemed troublemakers."
Andrew wants the deaf community to lead itself and beleives he is setting an example by buying into sign-now.com
He hopes the new technology will prove invaluable for the deaf after they leave the supported environment of school and make their own way in the world.
Locally, children are taught at Windsor Park which has 19 severe to profoundly deaf pupils.
Head of sensory schooling services Catherine Finestone said pupils learn sign language twice a week while parents, plus pupils at neighbouring Bantaskine Primary School, are also offered lessons.
Classrooms are fitted with soundfield systems which mean that, no matter where the teacher is standing, all pupils can hear via speakers placed around the classroom.
The system is also in place at Falkirk, Graeme and Braes High Schools.
Catherine said: "The deaf education system has changed – 30 years ago pupils were getting a raw deal.
Progress
"From diagnosis, teachers provide support and visit the family at home. We have a mother and toddlers group where both ages make friends and parents can ask as many questions as they like."
Windsor Park pupils also join many Bantaskin Primary classes, including gym, maths and environmental studies, while all assemblies are signed.
"Class teachers from both schools meet up regularly,'' said Catherine. "We also have visiting services, including audiology and speech therapists, and every year each child's progress is reviewed by a multi-agency panel."
When they're old enough Windsor Park's pupils head to neighbouring Falkirk High – and the support goes with them.
The multi-agency meetings include them and pupils are helped with career opportunities.
One couple already finding Windsor Park's help invaluable are Nicola and Peter whose three-year-old son, also called Peter, was diagnosed as deaf just one year ago.
Nicola (33) said: "We've got three other hearing children and when we found out I was gutted, but with the support of Windsor Park we've realised that nothing in our lives has changed.
''Peter can still do anything that other kids do."