After seven months of travel through six different countries, today was the first time we observed an environment where balanced numbers of future interpreters and deaf students share the same classroom. At Ratchasuda College in Bangkok, Thailand, the goal is hearing/deaf integration. The philosophy of this program has been rooted in bi-lingual, bi-cultural education since the official acceptance of Thai Sign Language by the government in 1999.
Jitprapa Sri-oon, Dean of Curriculum for Deaf Education, explained to us the importance of deaf and hearing students working together, using Thai Sign Language as the main mode of communication, in an equal learning environment. With an integrated classroom, the goal is for interpreting students to develop sign language skills and exposure to deaf culture from their peers and deaf students to learn more about working in the hearing world after they graduate. The focus is on peer education and support to break down barriers between the hearing and the deaf world.
Does this system exist in your country? Should interpreting students and deaf students share the same classroom at the university level?
2 comments:
How fantastic - are there articles or papers on the success of this program?
Christy and Dave-- I am really enjoying your travels-- I feel like I'm "there." Keep up the great work!
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