More help urged for deaf students
October 19, 2009
Louise Brown
EDUCATION REPORTER
Deaf children and those who are hard of hearing do not have equal access to health care or learning support across Ontario, says a new coalition of more than 150 parents, students and professionals who will descend Monday on Queen's Park to push for province-wide standards in services.
The coalition wants Ontario to pay for deaf children to have cochlear implants in both ears, instead of one, said James Borer, leader of the new Alliance for Children Who are Hard of Hearing and Deaf. The implants are tiny electronic devices inserted into the inner ear that allow the deaf to detect sound. With the implants' help, the deaf learn to listen, speak and take their place in mainstream classrooms. About 5,000 Ontario children have some degree of hearing loss.
"Having just one implant is like giving a double amputee just one prosthetic leg, or giving someone eyeglasses for one eye – it's the difference between just getting by and actually thriving," said Borer, whose son Marc, 5, and 3-year-old daughter Jenna have cochlear implants in both ears.
Borer estimates the extra implants would cost Ontario taxpayers an extra $1 million per year.
In a meeting Monday with Education Minister Kathleen Wynne, the alliance will push for provincial standards for exactly which technical devices every school board should supply to children who are hard of hearing.
The group's campaign, dubbed Project Kids H.E.A.R., is also pushing for standards for regular hearing tests for all children, more funding for sound devices and more captioned learning materials in class.
While Marc's teacher near Cornwall wears a headset microphone that is amplified and the classroom's chair legs have buffers on the bottom to muffle background noise, not all Ontario schools have these services, said Borer, noting there is no provincial standard.
"The province should set clear and consistent standards so that children have equal opportunity to learn, whether they use sign language, hearing aids or cochlear implants."
The province guarantees all children equal access to learning regardless of ability, but it is up to local school boards to decide how to spend the dollars they receive for special education, said education ministry spokeswoman Patricia MacNeil. She said Queen's Park has given $2 million toward mentoring teachers in the techniques of teaching those hard of hearing.
"With the right supports, children can thrive," Borer said. "Marc loves music, plays recorder and is learning guitar.
"Sometimes he gets so busy having conversations, you wish he would take a breath for a moment."
Toronto Star