Deaf Education in the Global South

Articles (Asia)

Palestine
Hazem M Shehada and Bahaalddin M Serhan describe the 'Disability Services and Inclusion Center’ (DSIC) for Deaf Students at the Islamic University of Gaza and presents deaf education at the Islamic University of Gaza as a case study showing the capabilities, resources, and achievements as well as the barriers and ways to overcome them in order to facilitate better inclusion of deaf people.

Sister Lara Hijazin describes the provision in the Pontifical Institute ‘Effetà Paul VI’, Bethlehem for audio-phonetic rehabilitation and education for deaf and hard of hearing Palestinian children from preschool until the end of high school.  

Khalil Alawneh and Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah summarize deaf education in Palestine in the context of the political and humanitarian history of the country. Deaf people in Palestine face many challenges and problems in their society and in all walks of life. However, there are deaf people who are employed and studying, fighting for their rights and working hard.

Cambodia
Julie Carcaly described the work of Cambodia’s first foundation dedicated to the education of deaf children, Krousar Thmey.

Sri Lanka
Teresa Quail summarises an opening presentation by Dr Harry Knoors, from the 3rd international Kentalis Conference Teaching Deaf Learners (TDL2019) held in November 2019 and which addressed the vital question ‘How can deaf and hard-of-hearing students best be taught given their individual strengths and needs?’ as well as giving a comprehensive overview of this international Conference.

Keegan Hall-Browne tells his story about realising the power of sign and the strength of the Deaf community, utilising skills, passion and enthusiasm for educating and working with deaf children in Sri Lanka.

Nepal
Purna Shrestha and Adewunmi Christabel Omolade describe their VSO (Volunteer Services Overseas) work in Nepal and Nigeria where both governments have endorsed the UNESCO definition of inclusive education, but how, in reality, it is harder to support learners with disabilities and teaching and learning materials are not accessible for learners with disabilities and where there is no national sign language. However, VSO developed a sign language scheme of work to guide VSO volunteers in training teachers and learners on using American sign language correctly.

Anne-Marie Martin looks back on an exciting trip with Year 12 students from Mary Hare School, sharing their experience with young deaf people in these countries, trekking in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains and working in Sri Lanka refurbishing a building, clearing a beach of rubbish and even releasing two-day old hatchling turtles into the sea.

Joy Rosenberg, Jenny Griffin and David Blakeman describe the rewards and challenges of a visit to Nepal.

Vietnam
Lyndsey Allen reports from two weeks volunteering in Hanoi in an audiology centre and at a university.

Bangladesh
Alison Wagner summarises her visits to special needs institutions in Bangladesh.

Pastiskan
Provision of distance learning for deaf children in Pakistan.

India
Drawing on her experiences in a school for deaf and blind girls near Kolkata, Ruth Tolland outlines some of the issues facing deaf education in India.

Sandra David reports from her year working in India as a trainer/consultant with Deaf Child Worldwide, which is the international development arm of the National Deaf Children’s Society, from September 2016 to September 2017. She spent it delivering a training plan with three modules – ‘Being Deaf’, ‘Teaching and Learning Pedagogy’ and ‘Holistic Support for the Deaf child’.