Counseling Deaf and Blind
Students in an Inclusion
Setting
By Jennifer Buch & Cody Hoyt
Deaf Statistics
 54 million disabled Americans (U.S. Civil Rights
Commission, 1998)
 28 million - 52% - identified as deaf/hard-of-
hearing (1998)
 Deaf/hard-of-hearing comprise the largest chronic
physical disability group in the U.S.
Deaf Statistics cont.
 25% of deaf students leave high school reading
below the second grade level (receive private
services after high school)
 45% read between the second- and fourth-grade
level (receive VR services after high school)
 30% read between grades four and twelve and are
considered candidates for college (Most services
available today are focused on this group)
Inclusion
 Before 1975, 80% of deaf students were
being served in special schools
 Since the passage of PL 94-142 - the
Education of All Handicapped Children
Act- more than 75% of deaf students are
being educated in the public schools (1996)
Point to Consider
 It is not enough to just be able to communicate
with Deaf clients and students; it is essential that
counselors understand and accept the social and
cultural considerations that the Deaf bring into a
counseling setting.
Kinds of Deaf
 Culturally Deaf
 Late-deafened
 Hard of hearing
 These issues manifest
themselves in the
communication
method and
psychological identity
of the individual, the
relationship to family
and the broader
community
Critical Areas for Consideration
 Education – issues with placement
 Family – less than 2% of hearing families will
learn ASL; families often feel overwhelmed
 Rehabilitation – VR services
 Environment – society stereotypes, exclusion from
the deaf community and hearing community
Point to Consider
 Schools provide little to no orientation to
deafness for the hearing children, the
hearing teachers, and the deaf children
Issues for Deaf Students
 Feelings of loneliness and isolation
 Relying on teachers and deaf peers rather than on
hearing peers for socialization
 Struggle to gain acceptance
 Difficulty with decision-making
 Poor self -esteem
Fostering Self-Esteem &
Acceptance in Deaf Students
 Security – a feeling of strong assuredness
 Selfhood – a feeling of individuality
 Affiliation – a feeling of belonging, acceptance, or
relatedness in relationships that are considered important
 Mission – a feeling of purpose and motivation in life
 Competence – a feeling of success and accomplishment in
things regarded as important or valuable
Security
A feeling of strong assuredness. Involves feeling comfortable and safe; knowing
what is expected; being able to depend on individuals and situations; and
comprehending rules and limits.
 build a trusting relationship
 set reasonable limits and rules that are
consistently enforced
 create a positive and caring environment
Selfhood
A feeling of individuality. Acquiring self-knowledge, which includes an accurate
and realistic self-description in terms of roles, attributes, and physical
characteristics.
 reinforce more accurate self-descriptions
 provide opportunities to discover major sources of
influence on the self
 build an awareness of unique qualities
 enhance ability to identify and express emotions
and attitudes
Affiliation
A feeling of belonging, acceptance, or relatedness in relationships that are
considered important. Feeling approved of, appreciated, and respected by others.
 promote inclusion and acceptance within the
group
 provide opportunities to discover the interests,
capabilities, and backgrounds of others
 increase awareness of and skills in friendship
making
 encourage peer approval and support.
Mission
A feeling of purpose and motivation in life. Self-empowerment through setting
realistic and achievable goals and being willing to take responsibility for the
consequences of one’s decisions.
 enhance ability to make decisions, seek
alternatives and identify consequences
 aid in charting present and past academic
and behavioral performance
 teach the steps to successful goal-setting.
Competence
A feeling of success and accomplishment in things regarded as important or
valued. Aware of strengths and able to accept weaknesses.
 provide opportunities to increase awareness of
individual competencies and strengths
 teach how to record and evaluate progress
 provide feedback on how to accept weaknesses
and profit from mistakes
 teach the importance of self-praise for
accomplishments.
Blind Facts
 Legally blind- 20/200 eyesight
 90 percent US pop is in some way visually
impaired
 Another word "Low Vision“
 Fewer than 1/3 visually impaired are in labor
force Increase
 the use of "School to Work Act of 1994"
Program helping transition of blind students
to be able to enter the work force.
 45% of individuals with visual impairments
have HS diploma compared to 80 percent
sighted
Blind Facts cont.
 Visually impaired students are often not
encouraged to attend higher education, we
need to change that. Most campuses will help
with their services, but they need to know
this. Blind students can often feel isolated,
teach other students about being visually
impaired so they are aware and may
understand each other more. Parents may
not know what to do with them, so they may
feel isolated from families.
Accommodations for the Blind
 Preferential Seating
 Exams- Adaptive Tech, reader scribe, extra time,
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large print, closed circuit TV, Braille, tapes
Orientation to classroom, show layout, same with
school
Use descriptive language, avoid "look at this"
Realize that they depend on their hearing, but they
are not deaf!
Assign a buddy to help with transitions in school
building.
Large print books
Tape classroom lectures
References
 Dew, D.W. (1999). Serving individuals who are low-functioning deaf.
Washington DC.: Rehabilitation Services Administration.
(ERIC Document Reproduction Services No. ED447639)
 Easterbrooks, S.R. (1998). Adapting the regular classroom for
students who are deaf/hard of hearing. Minneapolis, MN:
Council for Exceptional Children. (ERIC Document
Reproduction Services No. ED418542)
 Hard of hearing and deaf students: A resource guide to support
classroom teachers. (1994). British Columbia Department of
Education, Skills, and Training, Victoria. (ERIC Document
Reproduction Services No. ED414711)
References cont.
 Johnson, R.C. & Cohen, O.P. (1994) Implications and
complications for deaf students of the full inclusion
movement. Washington DC.: Gallaudet Research
Institution. (ERIC Document Reproduction Services
No. ED380917)
 Nowell, R, & Innes, J. (1997). Educating children who
are deaf or hard of hearing: Inclusion. Eric Digests,
E557. (ERIC Document Reproduction Services No.
ED414675)
 Santa Rita, E. (1998). Counselors as esteem builders.
(ERIC Document Reproduction Services No.
ED418765)
References cont.
 Zieziula, F.R. & Harris, G. (1998) National survey of
school counselors working with deaf and hard of
hearing children: Two decades later. American
Annals of the Deaf. Retrieved June 6, 2005, from
http://www.findarticles.com.