Hello Everyone My name is Tanner ... I`m learning about individuals with a disability/expectionality children. I would like your thought's about Full Inclusion of the deaf culture or hard of hearing individuals in the mainstream classroom.
There are already huge amounts of answers and debate in this forum on your specific question. That is the reason the thread I am posting for you to read was created.Hello Everyone My name is Tanner ... I'm a student in the E.A (Education Assistant) program learning about individuals with a disability/expectionality children. I would like your thought's about Full Inclusion of the deaf culture or hard of hearing individuals in the mainstream classroom.
My 11 yo SSD son has always been mainstreamed, except for speech therapy a few times a week. Since he's both hearing and deaf, this seemed the best route for him. This is certainly NOT the best route for every child or every family. If he did not have a fully hearing ear, I don't know how happy we'd be with it.
Welcome! I'm new too, looks like a great site
Cheetah,
SSD means Single Side Deafness. Yes, he's deaf in one ear and hearing in the other. We're getting his first HA next month and he's very excited. Thanks for welcoming me!
Just curious (not trying to harp on you) if he has normal hearing in one ear, why the speech therapy? I've always assumed if you had at least one really good ear then at least your speech would be fine (I grew up with a hearing loss in both ears).
And Congrats on the new HA!
From what I have heard over the years, single-sided deafness isn't a fun thing to have.....
Cheetah,
He's had speech therapy since he was 6mo old. I don't know what his speech would sound like without it, lol. He still doesn't hear and say all words correctly - ne"th"er instead of never, that sort of thing. Plus, with speech therapy at school, he gets access to a FM system to use in class so he can hear better and not be distracted.
I am learning now that single-sided deafness is a much bigger challenge than I had imagined. Thank you for sharing your story with me. Perhaps others here can relate better than I can.
Hi Cheetah, I'm curious: do you have bilateral CIs or just one? I've often wondered if those who use just one CI or one HA have a bit in common with those who have unilateral hearing loss or SSD.
My 11 yo SSD son has always been mainstreamed, except for speech therapy a few times a week. Since he's both hearing and deaf, this seemed the best route for him. This is certainly NOT the best route for every child or every family. If he did not have a fully hearing ear, I don't know how happy we'd be with it.
Welcome! I'm new too, looks like a great site
Deafdyke,
He does not have speech delay, but again, he's had speech since he was 6mo. Our city has a top notch Birth to 3 program. He's going to have to work really hard now that he will have a HA for the first time and his brain starts recognizing more speech.
He is in Middle School and has a FM system that he uses for every class and the teachers are great about it. In fact, the school audiologist and speech pathologist just called to say we're going to do a new IEP (Individualized Education Program - for kids with disabilities) before he gets his HA to make sure we're all on the same page to assist him on this. The schools have been wonderful. He's been in public school since he was 3 yo - they have Early Learning for 3 and 4 yo with disabilities.
BTW, our audiologist at the dr's office recommended the BAHA immediately and I insisted on starting with the HA not surgery. He, so far, does not want surgery and doesn't even know if he'll like the HA, but did want to at least try it to see what it's like, so I'm having him try it for 1 month and we'll see from there. It's all up to him. He's old enough to decide.
It's going to be a whole different world for him.
Hello Everyone My name is Tanner ... I`m learning about individuals with a disability/expectionality children. I would like your thought's about Full Inclusion of the deaf culture or hard of hearing individuals in the mainstream classroom.