Argumentative Essay On Deaf Education

Being deaf in a hearing world can make an individual feel like an outcast, like they do not belong in the society in which they are living. In recent years, many deaf schools across the United States have either closed or received threats of closure due to lack of funding. Therefore, more and more deaf and hard of hearing students are being mainstreamed into public education. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), public schools are required to provide accommodations to those who need them. The child’s educational services and placement must align with the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) (National Association of the Deaf, para. 1). An IEP is a legal document that spells out the child’s needs and
Extracurricular activities can also promote inclusion. Research has shown that students who are involved in extracurricular activities tend to feel closer to their peers. It is known that most public schools provide a plethora of extracurricular opportunities such as sports, clubs, and various organizations. Students who are mainstreamed into public schools will have the chance to participate in a number of extracurricular activities. While deaf schools and institutions also provide extracurricular activities, they may not provide as many options for students who want to participate. Students may also not have as many opportunities to compete if they are wanting to be a part of a sport. Luckner and Muir, two professors in the Special Education department at the University of Northern Colorado, conducted a study which showed that one of the factors that influenced students’ success in the general education setting was extracurricular activities. According to the article, the participating students were involved in a variety of different activities including sports, school clubs, jobs, and other organizations. Parents of these students said things such as, “Being involved in sports has really helped her get more confidence and experience.” “I think sports have been a big stepping-stone for him; he’s even said ‘It doesn’t matter if I’m good or not, Mom, I just want to be out there with
One may be that the student may not have parents who care enough to see them succeed. Another could potentially be that the schools they are attending fails to provide the proper resources to the student, and they consequently struggle to follow along in class, catching only pieces of information teachers present to the students. Students who attend a deaf school could have a good or bad academic standing. This all depends on the particular student as an individual. It can be compared to normal, average students in public education. There are students who do just fine with their academics, and there are students who struggle and fall behind because they have a bad home life, do not care, or are not provided enough resources to help them. In a deaf school the majority of the students are deaf or hard of hearing and they all know sign language, therefore, it depends on how much they want to