Parents of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children have raised concerns over a “lack of deaf awareness in schools” that could be impacting their children’s learning outcomes and development, a national survey from Deaf Children Australia (DCA) has revealed.
The survey revealed “inadequate learning support from teachers” and failure to meet learning outcomes in mainstream schools as common concerns among the DHH community.
The lack of support at an educational level has flowed onto concerns around bullying (shared by 90% of parents surveyed), missing out on making friends (84%) and getting a good job (68%).
Residing in Kilcoy in rural Queensland, Ms Karla Tomlinson is one of thousands of parents across the country whose concerns are reflected in DCA’s survey results.
“All students, regardless of their abilities, have the right to fully participate and be understood by their teachers, school staff and peers,” said Tomlinson, mother of 11-year-old Ollie who is deaf.
“When it comes to additional assistance in an educational setting, there can be limited options for families who live in regional and rural areas, so it’s important for schools to show awareness and be prepared and do more to include children who require extra attention.”
To bridge the gap and build inclusivity within regional and rural communities, DCA is calling upon its schools, families and locals to provide insight into the challenges they face when including, communicating and understanding DHH children.
“Limited skills and confidence about deaf awareness and creating deaf friendly environments can leave both parties vulnerable to numerous challenges,” Ms Sarah Brennan, head of major projects at DCA, said.
“Not only does it create a communication barrier in the immediate term, but it can significantly impact a child’s learning and development as they progress through school.”
Schools, communities and families can complete DCA’s quick survey on the topic, as well as participate in a more in-depth, one-on-one interviews to further discuss their challenges and needs.
“With help from regional and rural primary schools, we can develop resources that will address their direct concerns and hopefully lead to a more inclusive, productive environment,” Brennan said.
According to DCA, the survey will help build the resources’ content, which is set to assist provide resource support for primary schools and parents of DHH children.
More reading
Hearing aids stabilise cognitive function in elderly
Registry to track care of 12,000 children with hearing loss
