DEAF EDUCATION History

Education for the Deaf began in the 1400’s & 1500’s / Members of royalty and the very wealthy hired private tutors to teach deaf children to read and write. Literacy was required in order to own property or to inherit property / Average citizens had no educational opportunities for their deaf children. / Members of royalty and the very wealthy hired private tutors to teach deaf children to read and write. Literacy was required in order to own property or to inherit property / Average citizens had no educational opportunities for their deaf children.

Early efforts focused on lipreading and speaking / Germany, Spain, France and Great Britain had all begun efforts to instruct deaf people by the 1600’s. / These efforts were focused on teaching a deaf person to lipread and speak. / Germany, Spain, France and Great Britain had all begun efforts to instruct deaf people by the 1600’s. / These efforts were focused on teaching a deaf person to lipread and speak.

The World’s First Free School for the Deaf / Founded by the Abbe de l’Epee in Paris, France. The school opened in 1775 and used a manual language (FSL). / The Abbe had met deaf people who communicated through manual/gestural methods and he recognized this as the way to teach deaf people. / Founded by the Abbe de l’Epee in Paris, France. The school opened in 1775 and used a manual language (FSL). / The Abbe had met deaf people who communicated through manual/gestural methods and he recognized this as the way to teach deaf people.

Two Philosophies Emerge / Two approaches to the education of the deaf are now in use. / One method focuses on speech and lipreading. / One method focuses on education through the use of sign systems. / Two approaches to the education of the deaf are now in use. / One method focuses on speech and lipreading. / One method focuses on education through the use of sign systems.

Laurent Clerc / Laurent Clerc grew up in Paris, France. He was born hearing, but became deaf at a very young age. / Clerc was educated at the Paris School for the Deaf, which was a boarding school. / The Paris School used FSL as the language of instruction & communication. / Laurent Clerc grew up in Paris, France. He was born hearing, but became deaf at a very young age. / Clerc was educated at the Paris School for the Deaf, which was a boarding school. / The Paris School used FSL as the language of instruction & communication.

Thomas Gallaudet / Thomas Gallaudet, a young hearing man in Hartford, Connecticut becomes interested in teaching the deaf due to his 5 year old deaf neighbor, Alice Cogswell. / Alice’s father is wealthy and sends Gallaudet to Europe to learn of methods for teaching deaf students. / Thomas Gallaudet, a young hearing man in Hartford, Connecticut becomes interested in teaching the deaf due to his 5 year old deaf neighbor, Alice Cogswell. / Alice’s father is wealthy and sends Gallaudet to Europe to learn of methods for teaching deaf students.

Education in Europe / Gallaudet first travels to London to visit the Braidwood School for the deaf. / Here deaf children are taught to lipread and speak. / The deaf children are instructed in only oral methods. / The Braidwoods will not tell Gallaudet “how” to teach deaf children this way. / Gallaudet first travels to London to visit the Braidwood School for the deaf. / Here deaf children are taught to lipread and speak. / The deaf children are instructed in only oral methods. / The Braidwoods will not tell Gallaudet “how” to teach deaf children this way.

A Public Demonstration in London / At a public demonstration in the city of London, Gallaudet watches as deaf students from the Paris School for the Deaf respond to signed questions and show their intellectual knowledge. Impressed by their skills he travels to Paris and to the school for the deaf there.

The Paris School for the Deaf / While visiting the Paris School for the Deaf, Gallaudet is able to see how a sign language system can be used to instruct deaf students. / Gallaudet meets Laurent Clerc who by this time has become a teacher at the school. Clerc is fluent in FSL and in the written French language. / While visiting the Paris School for the Deaf, Gallaudet is able to see how a sign language system can be used to instruct deaf students. / Gallaudet meets Laurent Clerc who by this time has become a teacher at the school. Clerc is fluent in FSL and in the written French language.

Clerc comes to America / Laurent Clerc agrees to come to America with Gallaudet. / Together they open the first school for deaf students in America in Hartford, Connecticut on April 15, / Laurent Clerc agrees to come to America with Gallaudet. / Together they open the first school for deaf students in America in Hartford, Connecticut on April 15, 1817.

The First School for the Deaf in America / Deaf students from the New England area enroll in this school. This is a boarding school. / Laurent Clerc is the first teacher. / He teaches there for 40+ years using his native FSL. / Deaf students from the New England area enroll in this school. This is a boarding school. / Laurent Clerc is the first teacher. / He teaches there for 40+ years using his native FSL.

The Birthplace of ASL / The American Deaf students come to this school with some signs & gestures they have used at home. / They learn many new signs from Clerc. / They use some of FSL signs and create new signs at the school. / The American Deaf students come to this school with some signs & gestures they have used at home. / They learn many new signs from Clerc. / They use some of FSL signs and create new signs at the school.

ASL becomes the standard language / Eventually FSL evolves so that a new and separate language is used at the school in Hartford. It is ASL. / Deaf students complete their education and help to open many more Deaf schools across the U.S. / Eventually FSL evolves so that a new and separate language is used at the school in Hartford. It is ASL. / Deaf students complete their education and help to open many more Deaf schools across the U.S.

MSAD / The Minnesota Academy for the Deaf is opened in 1861 in Fairbault. / These boarding schools for deaf children are called institutions or residential schools. / The Minnesota Academy for the Deaf is opened in 1861 in Fairbault. / These boarding schools for deaf children are called institutions or residential schools.

Across the Nation / Eventually every state in the nation has at least one public residential school for Deaf Students. / These schools are state supported, and do not charge families tuition. / Eventually every state in the nation has at least one public residential school for Deaf Students. / These schools are state supported, and do not charge families tuition.

Times Were Good / In the early years of Deaf Education in America the achievement level was quite similar to the achievement of hearing students. / We were a largely agricultural and then an industrial society. / In the early years of Deaf Education in America the achievement level was quite similar to the achievement of hearing students. / We were a largely agricultural and then an industrial society.

Economy of the Times / During these years many US children (deaf or hearing) could survive with an 8th grade graduation. / The residential schools prepared Deaf high schoolers with job skills, and vocational education. / During these years many US children (deaf or hearing) could survive with an 8th grade graduation. / The residential schools prepared Deaf high schoolers with job skills, and vocational education.

The Dark Ages / In 1880 an international convention of Educators of the Deaf was held in Milan, Italy. This convention was attended by Deaf and Hearing educators of Deaf Children.

Opposition to Signing / Although many American schools were using ASL, there were many people involved in the education of the Deaf around the world that opposed sign languages

A Resolution Passed / A proposal was made and a vote was taken in the absence of all deaf delegates that the instruction of the deaf should be only through oral methods. Signing was to be abolished in classrooms for deaf children.

Oralism Replaced Signing / Throughout the world and throughout the U.S. most schools for the deaf switched to a more oral approach. Deaf teachers were replaced with hearing teachers.

Achievement of Deaf Students Declines / Because young deaf children were now being expected to learn to lipread and speak their level of academic achievement started to decline. / Huge amounts of class time was spent on speech drills, not academics. / Because young deaf children were now being expected to learn to lipread and speak their level of academic achievement started to decline. / Huge amounts of class time was spent on speech drills, not academics.

Deaf Kids Lose Ground / Deaf students could no longer understand their teachers. / Teachers could not understand the deaf students. / Deaf kids fail to achieve academically. / Deaf students could no longer understand their teachers. / Teachers could not understand the deaf students. / Deaf kids fail to achieve academically.

Curriculum is Watered -down / Because the Deaf students were not making academic achievement the curriculum taught was altered to a watered-down, overly simplified level creating greater gaps between deaf and hearing students achievement levels.

Deaf Schools / Most of the deaf students in the US do, at this time, attend residential schools. / Local schools are not required to provide any special education services for students with disabilities. / Most of the deaf students in the US do, at this time, attend residential schools. / Local schools are not required to provide any special education services for students with disabilities.

Education for All HC Children / In 1975 US Congress passes a law that states all handicapped children are entitled to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. / Local schools must now provide services for all students with disabilities. / In 1975 US Congress passes a law that states all handicapped children are entitled to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. / Local schools must now provide services for all students with disabilities.

Placement Options / The preferred placement for students with disabilities is the regular education classroom in the local public school. / Support services are provided as determined by the individual student’s particular needs. / The preferred placement for students with disabilities is the regular education classroom in the local public school. / Support services are provided as determined by the individual student’s particular needs.

Mainstreaming / Placing students with disabilities into regular education classrooms in the local school is called mainstreaming or inclusion or integration.