Zimbabwean economic migrants and political refugees have been given refuge and provided with shelter at the Central Methodist Church (CMC) Refugee House, in central Johannesburg. The refugees have successfully initiated learning and training programmes which resulted in the establishment of a combined school, namely "St. Albert Street Refugee…

Describes a special class to train deaf students of all ages in ways to work with their interpreters in mainstream school settings. The class uses explanation, role play, and questions to clarify the roles of the teacher and the interpreter and to stress the importance of flexibility in the mainstream. (DB)

Special problems faced by children who are hard of hearing and their families are discussed, with emphasis on problems of delayed identification and resulting delayed language development. Results of the 1996 Gallaudet National Parent Survey are reported. These indicate that deaf children are being identified earlier but hard of hearing children…

Describes the use of portfolios to assess very young children and communicate with parents at the Maryland School for the Deaf. Describes portfolio components (observational records, checklists, samples of student work, and a video documenting the child's behavior and skills). Includes tips for incorporating portfolios into the classroom and…

This brief article answers frequently asked questions concerning computer based speech training (CBST) for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. It describes CBST in general, explains how CBST differs from previous systems, describes some specific CBST devices, reports on existing effectiveness data, provides cost data, and offers suggestions for…

Discusses how storytelling can be used as an effective way of developing literacy for preschool children who are deaf or hard of hearing. A sample lesson illustrates how themes from children's books can lead to a myriad of topics touching a variety of content areas. (CR)

Describes a multicultural inclusive preschool program in which children with and without disabilities communicate by using English, Spanish, and sign language. How students were taught a cross-cultural language lesson by making tostadas during International Foods Week is reviewed. Lists additional lessons with language-based and cultural themes.…

Describes the classroom environment and activities of a class of eight students (ages 3-12) with hearing loss and at least one other disability. The importance of positioning and the skills the students learn through toys (stimulation and learning), dressing (self-help skills), and lunch (making decisions) are discussed. (CR)

Describes a preschool class for deaf children co-taught by two teachers (one hearing, one deaf) that uses a whole language approach to build students' American Sign Language (ASL) and written English skills. The class uses a thematic approach to organize learning activities through the creative use of ASL. (DB)

This brief directory of information sources at Gallaudet University (District of Columbia), which is dedicated to the education of preschool through graduate level students who are deaf, includes descriptions and contact information for school enrollment information, general information, books and materials, and deafness-related services. (DB)

The Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment--Deaf Model is an assessment process for deaf or hearing impaired children (6 months to 6 years). A team of professionals and parents observes the child during a play session and documents skills and behaviors. The team then uses the accumulated assessment information as a basis for developing…

This brief article describes a children's story, "Rosie's Walk," which has been made fully accessible for deaf children in CD-ROM through inclusion of more than 120 sign language sequences (American Sign Language and Signed English), as well as voice and written text. The disk also includes six educational games. (DB)

The article offers 10 questions to aid in integrating hearing-impaired preschoolers into a child care program. Questions address such concerns as staff and children learning to communicate with the deaf child, interpreting, social integration, group size, and helping the deaf child achieve status. (DB)

Many deaf students become perennial "outsiders," never really becoming an integral part of their mainstream classrooms. Factors contributing to this may include family dynamics, teacher attitudes, and lack of interactions between deaf and hearing children. Parents can promote their child's integration, through accessing home, school, and community…

This article describes activities to acquaint young students with hearing impairments with the hospitalization experience. Activities included a visit to a hospital and creation of a slide program showing children preparing for and experiencing either an outpatient procedure or an overnight hospital stay. (DB)