Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Senate Bill 1021 low functioning deaf

The Senate passed legislation that will allow demonstration projects to be developed that will proivde training and employment support and services for the deaf population that are defined as low functioning deaf. Frank Bowe was instrumental in writing this legislation hence the use of the term low functioning deaf.
At this time NO ONE NO PROGRAM that currently serves the deaf wants to pick this up and develop a demonstration project. Recently, I wrote Gallaudet and the Laurent Clerc Center requesting help and assistance by coordinating a committe of forward thinking indivuals to develop a purposeful demonstration project and contact Sen Harkin to appropriate the funds for the project.
It was dismissed. President Davila stated that I should contact PEPNet.
Well, I contacted President Obama's office and OSERS requesting the help of a higher office.
The dismissal by both Edward Bosso and Robert Davila further highlights the discrimination and prejudice that exists within deaf education.
Posted by at 10:55 AM

3 comments:

  1. Thank you so much! My son needs help,too!
    I need more information!
    ReplyDelete
  2. Just a thought: Jim MacFadden is a Deaf guy who is now serving on the Board at Gallaudet.

    Try contacting him about where your son might go for vocational training. He and I were discussing a project he had been working on that would address the non-college Deaf young people. Whether this project is now active or if it is the appropriate one for your son, I don't know, but he might have other suggestions as well.

    Good luck. When you find a placement, I hope you will continue to blog on his progress.
    ReplyDelete
  3. This is so karmic! When I was an undergraduate at the University of Arizona in the 70s, the rehabilitation counseling for the deaf (RCD) graduate program was in its heyday. Many of its graduates went on to be local, state, and national leaders in the social services. As an RCD myself in the 80s, my state's VR program was committed to serving the underserved deaf, but not multi-handicapped. That was relegated to the state department of developmental services (e.g., for mentally retarded, autistic, or developmentally disabled adults), since most would not be able to be competitively employed.

    Wonder if this project just is not consistent with any of Gallaudet's missions, and that's why it was turned down? They used to have an RCD program, obviously it must not be strong or they would have accepted this project. Maybe other universities would? You could find out if UofA's RCD program is still active, or maybe San Francisco State University.

    I'm also wondering if a university is the best place to take on the nuts and bolts of setting up an actual facility that provides services. Universities are usually about research and ivory towers -- professors don't like to get their hands dirty with actual work involving real people. :) This kind of project takes hands-on leadership -- people with connections and access to experienced, trained staff and resources.

    I hope you'll consider California for the demonstration project. I know some people you could contact. If interested, I could email you. good luck!
    ReplyDelete

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