Right to use sign language in educational programmes

Joseph Hill
Guest

/ #113 My support

2010-09-22 17:01

I am deaf and I grew up in a mainstream educational setting. In my primary years, my only communication was oral and it was a daily struggle for me. I could talk clearly and I could lip-read people but it was a chore for me rather than a natural communication channel.  When I went to middle school, I had my first sign language interpreter and that was when the world opened up for me through sign langauge. That was the access I needed in education and it should have started from the beginning. If it wasn't for the sign language access that changed my life, I wouldn't have many professional opportunities I enjoy today because of the ineffective oral communication method.