48
Amy
I was not mainstreamed in my early school years, but I was when I was a student at Western Maryland College and at the University of Maryland. I attended these colleges while working on my master’s degree. Both are regular colleges, primarily for hearing students, so I understand what it’s like to be mainstreamed, as well as to attend classes just for Deaf students.
Was it easy for me to learn in classes with the help of interpreters? I will say it was an interesting experience for me. I was the only Deaf student in the entire hearing class at the University of Maryland, but I was so focused on my interpreter for the entire class, I often forgot there were other people in the classroom. Learning with an interpreter is difficult, because sometimes the interpreter’s signs do not keep pace with what teacher and classmates are saying. Sometimes, I could not identify who was talking if two people were talking at the same time. I just got the information of what they were saying from the interpreter, but not who was talking. Also, shifting words from English to ASL is not always easy. By the end of first day of class, I felt my eyeballs would pop out from sockets due to staring at the interpreter for hours and hours. Focusing through an interpreter was difficult for me as an adult; I can only imagine how hard this would be for a child.
At Western Maryland College, some of the classes I took were taught by Deaf professors and others by hearing professors that required interpreters. That meant I could sign and not have to be 100 percent focused on interpreters. A nice break for my eyes!
I look back and wonder, if I had not attended NSD, but was mainstreamed into public schools in my home, which had big schools, I’m sure I would have felt so lost and lonely. As an adult, being mainstreamed, these feelings were not so strong, because I had many Deaf friends I could see when not in class. But as a kid being mainstreamed, trying to make friends and be in school activities that would have been very difficult.
Mainstreaming may not be the best choice for every deaf student, some might succeed and some fail, but as for me, I would prefer that every deaf student to be send to Deaf school. Why? Socialization. This is the major part of life that many mainstreamed students miss.
When mainstreaming deaf children in a regular school, it can be either for better or worse. It depends on what and how the school district provides for each deaf child. In big cities, the deaf may all be put in one public school where they can socialize with each other and the education may be good. In small or rural cities, due to lack of interpreters or the teacher’s experience as a deaf educator, the deaf child may not receive good education. Not only that, the worst is the deaf child’s lack of social life. It is possible the deaf child might be the only deaf person in the whole public school.
Most former mainstreamed students who are adults now that I know, have told me they regret or wish they had attended a Deaf school. For some that decision was made by their parents; in other cases the deaf person chose to be mainstreamed.
The mainstreamed students I know lack experiences in social life skills, athletics, and participation in organizations. At NSD, I was able to be part of all the activities. Most mainstreamed Deaf students can’t accomplish this. Many hearing parents are not aware their deaf child has an inner desire to be part of Deaf culture, the Deaf community, and use ASL.
For example, at Gallaudet, during homecoming, we had a spirit week that included many activities. Students who had attended Deaf schools were aware of this, because that was something we did at Deaf school. During spirit week, many mainstreamed students were not aware of the activities and didn’t understand why it’s important to be part of such fun, because they had never experienced it.
In addition, the mainstreamed students often had not belonged to any organizations or clubs, so they did not understand the process of conducting a meeting or how to organize an event. The mainstreamed students usually never had a chance to experience what most Deaf students did like have a social life, act in a drama, play sports, or know ASL. Their “lost years” are regained by being a member of Deaf community in adult life.
There is a very strong chance that deaf students who are mainstreamed will be isolated from their peers at school. They are not as likely to be involved in sports or clubs because of the lack of communication. Mainstreamed deaf students are mostly on their own when classes end. Interpreters usually provide their service only during class, not at lunch, recess, or after school, so the deaf students have little chance to make friends and become involved socially. Mainstreamed deaf students usually just go home when school classes are finished.
Some deaf students who are mainstreamed are lucky because there are a large number of deaf students in their school, but this is not common. Unfortunately, most mainstreamed deaf students are the only deaf student in the entire school, so they feel very isolated and different.
Deaf children need socialization at home, as well as at school. It can be difficult for a deaf child, whether they are mainstreamed or attend residential school, if their family is not able to sign or communicate with them. If the deaf child has hearing parents, there may be a limited amount or a lack of communication skills within the family. If the parents of a deaf child make an effort to learn ASL that would be great, because the deaf child could be a part of the family.
There is a unique unconditional love in a deaf child’s family, but that love may not be enough. As for me, I never had a desire to be mainstreamed. I enjoyed being at a residential school, because it gave me the chance to be part of everything, and especially to socialize with my peers through ASL. With my experience of being a mainstreamed student in college, I cannot imagine myself like that for all of my school days; it would have been too difficult. I wouldn’t be what I am today if I had been mainstreamed as a child, because my education and social skills would have suffered.