I am really ticked right now. The Bloomberg administration is clueless when it comes to disability matters in the school system. I do believe Mr. Bloomberg has his heart in the right place but he’s being informed by his goffers.
Hearing impaired students, deaf students, blind students and visually impaired students are about to get shafted. In all honesty, this population has been slowly fooled over the past five years. Self contained classrooms have been slowly decreasing and closed down without parents being given fair warning or any sort of voice in appealing the process.
The city has empowered schools, which of course, could be a good thing. But is it a good thing for the self contained classrooms? the disabled student? Seems to me, a Principal would not want these students as it might affect the numbers at the end of the year. The numbers meaning, testing results. We’ve become hyper-focused on testing, testing and more testing. Are the children learning anything? I am already hearing about Teachers of self contained classrooms being harrassed by Principals.
From what I’ve observed, the Dept. of Ed has given all the assessment responsibilities to each individual school. For a while, they would refer the Deaf and visually impaired student to HHVI (hard of hearing visually impaired unit). But I am hearing rumors (note the word rumors) that the assessment of these children will be given to the individual schools. Now, if I thought the school assessment teams could handle it, I’d be happy to hand my client population over on a silver platter. But they are totally unprepared for evaluating a deaf student. Of course the proper step to take, is to first teach Teachers and assessment teams how to recognize hearing problems and the needs of a hearing impaired/deaf child.
Its a sad day when a Teacher says to me that my deaf client cannot sit in her class because she finds the interpreter a distraction. I walk into the classroom to find the teacher has placed the student and the child in the corner of a room. Hmm, I guess Teachers need to be trained in use of interpreters as well. There is just so much at loss here that it frightens me. Or when a Psychologist says to me, the child can’t focus, maybe an FM unit would help. My response is: Well, okay but how about we get a hearing test first?
Several years ago, I watched someone giving students a hearing screening. Now, hearing screenings are not the most accurate thing but if done in a quiet setting with no background noise, it could be great. It was being done in the school auditorium. The accoustics in an auditorium is horrendous for the hearing impaired child.
My biggest concern is a child being referred and no one is picking up on the hearing disabilities. Mainstreaming is a beautiful concept, its just not for every student. Having parents believe their child will be in mainstreamed by placing them in collaborative team teaching classes is such a farce. When did we start thinking that every student learns the same way? What happened to the Jose P. laws that stated we had to have HHVI (these are special teams trained to evaluate Deaf/hearing impaired, blind/visually impaired students) and at least one person who signs on each team? The Jose P. seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.
Another big piece, is the hearing test. We have audio booths all over the city for use. Years ago, we had the whole team situated where the audio booths are located. The Audiologist would test, the social worker would do their social history immediately and if necessary, both audiologist and social worker counsel the parent about the childs difficulties in the classroom (parent would find out, hey, my kid is not ignoring me?). Psychologist would evaluate on the spot and if necessary a Speech evaluator tested as well. In most cases, this happened all in the same day.
Now, we have an Audiologist who has to travel to the audio booth. We wait for the results (which takes a few days). Than the psychologist will see the child, social worker parent. If a speech is needed, we have to contract out due to speech evaluators now being in the schools but do not evaluate. Its just long and drawn out because administrators did not think this through when all the changes occured five years ago. With the recent changes, I don’t believe this population of children were even considered. It’s starting to feel like, wherever the coins fall after being thrown up in the air.
What the Department of Education does not realize is that they have quite a few professionals who are devoted to this population and helping them. Its not about our jobs, its about the kids. The no child left behind is certainly leaving the deaf and hearing impaired, blind and visually impaired below sea level.
Time for the parents to speak up and make sure their children are not left behind.
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