In U.S. deaf education, disablement results from a normative interpretation of disability in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. However, Vygotsky's "Fundamentals of Defectology" (1993) allows educators to view current deaf education pedagogical practices through a sociocultural-constructivist lens and reject the current…

This booklet has been developed in hopes that it may aid in keeping communication open and focused between families and schools. Building communication between parents and the school staff through letters offers a way of keeping records of ideas, concerns, and suggestions. This booklet provides general guidelines to writing letters as well as…

The concept of children's rights evolved during the 1980s giving prominence to the role of children as active participants in the construction of their lives. The rhetoric of children's rights has emerged as an important consideration in all policy and practice relating to children. Implementation of children's rights in practice is necessary to…

This review of the literature on mainstreaming students with hearing impairments begins by defining "hearing impairment,""deafness," and "hard of hearing". The paper briefly considers causes of hearing impairments and types of hearing impairments. Suggestions for preparing a class for a student with hearing loss includes having a visible class…

This guide provides information on Batten Disease to assist in planning a quality educational program for the student with the disease. Because Batten Disease, or neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, causes the death of brain cells, students with the disease are described as suffering from mental impairment, worsening seizures, and progressive loss of…

These instructional materials are designed to provide personnel developers and trainers with resources that can be used to improve the performance of paraeducators working in inclusive classrooms servicing school age students with disabilities. The competency-based program helps participants to learn skills they can apply immediately, to accept…

This handbook provides an overview of the development of young children with visual impairments and their educational needs. The first three chapters outline the developmental path followed by sighted children and contrast this with the lives of children who are visually impaired, introduce the professionals who commonly work with children who are…