Deaf Education in Kansas Public Schools.

Overview & Synopsis

A 1991 survey of Directors of Special Education in Kansas indicated a shortage of deaf education teachers and problems with retention of deaf education teachers in rural areas. In addition, 15 of 22 respondents documented an increase in the number of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) children in their districts. Project Rural Education is a program developed by the University of Kansas to provide teacher training in deaf education as well as inservice training for rural deaf education teachers. Training focuses on the inclusion of D/HH students in the regular classroom setting. Courses cover consultation, program and curricular adaptations, language and literacy needs, sign language, and multicultural needs. Training is provided through interactive/compressed video, correspondence courses, and video tapes. Eight teachers who were trained by this project are currently working in rural communities in Kansas. In addition, 22 teachers and more than 100 related service providers have expressed interest in gaining certification. In November 1992, the U.S. Department of Education issued a policy statement recommending that school personnel act with caution when placing children who were deaf or hard of hearing with hearing peers. However, approximately 79 percent of students who are deaf or hard of hearing are currently included or educated in public school settings. Successful inclusion requires that teachers of the deaf work with administrators to ensure that students who are D/HH are appropriately assessed, that their needs are adequately documented, that the required supports and services are provided, and that an appropriate placement is recommended based on those needs. (LP)