Legal Seat – Helsinki, Finland
WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF
An International Non-Governmental Organisation in official liaison with ECOSOC, UNESCO, ILO, WHO and the
Council of Europe
PO Box 65, FIN-00401 Helsinki, FINLAND
FAX: +358 9 5803 572 www.wfdeaf.org
Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
1 to 3 September 2010
Roundtable Two “Inclusion and Right to Education (Convention Article 24)”
2 September 2010
Presentation by Mr Markku Jokinen
President of the World Federation of the Deaf
(check against delivery)
Dear Chair, co-chair, distinguished panellists, representatives of states and NGOs, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, let me thank you for organizing this roundtable panel on inclusion and rights to education, I am delighted and indeed honoured to be invited to speak at this panel. The World
Federation of the Deaf (WFD) feels the subject we are engaging in this panel is of utmost importance to the Deaf global community I am pleased to be representing here today.
The CRPD defines sign languages as languages that are equal languages together with spoken languages. The convention outlines the rights to receive education and access to information in sign language, to have professional sign language interpreting, to accept and facilitate the use of sign languages, and to promote cultural and linguistic identity of the deaf community. In short then the
CRPD states clearly that without linguistic and cultural human rights deaf people can not enjoy their other human rights. Without a right to receive education in a fully accessible, most effective and appropriate language for learning and communication, that is sign language, a deaf child can be easily excluded in all spheres of life.
To a deaf child sign language is a fully accessible language in all life situations already from the birth with people surrounding the deaf child using it. The child can acquire sign language fully through visual perception and channels unlike other children with disabilities whose cognitive, social and personal development is based mainly on sound and use of a spoken language. Deaf children’s parents need to learn the sign language accessible both to the deaf child and his/her parents.
However, a deaf child needs also the company of other deaf children in preschools and other daily activities where they can meet other deaf children and deaf adults using that language. This way the child has a full access to language and everything that the language brings: cognitive, emotional, social and cultural development. S/he can also obtain and develop the linguistic and cultural identity of his/her own community. The deaf child with this kind of background can begin school with an ageappropriate language and other well developed skills but also with the same expectations hearing children do.
But questions arise - how many deaf children in the world do really enjoy this kind of early years? Are there countries whose education systems respect deaf people’s right to their language and culture?
Do they prepare their deaf students to become full and inclusive members of their communities and society? Do deaf people enjoy their linguistic and cultural human rights?

The WFD report “Deaf People and Human Rights” from 2009 shows that only few Deaf people are able to truly enjoy even their basic human rights. A large majority, maybe as much as 90% of the world’s Deaf children and adults in developing countries have never been to school and are thus more or less illiterate. Addition ally, there are still some countries that deny Deaf people’s access to education, government services or equal citizenship on the basis of deafness alone . It is often sad reality that many deaf children can go through primary school without learning to read or write.
Lack of recognition of sign language, lack of bilingual education, limited availability of sign language interpreting services and the widespread lack of knowledge and awareness about the situation of
Deaf people deprive most Deaf people of the access and inclusion to large sections of society.
Fortunately however the bilingual approach – using sign language as the language of instruction in all subjects for Deaf children with a parallel strong emphasis on teaching reading and writing of the language used in the country or society they live in – gives Deaf children a good basis for direct and independent communication in all surroundings. This approach requires qualified teachers in sign language and deaf adult role models who provide deaf children their linguistic and cultural identity of deaf community.
The bilingual approach provides an environment that maximizes academic and social development of deaf children. It is also a tool for the important goal of inclusion - deaf children need first to be included by their most appropriate language and their culture before they could be included in different areas of life at later stages, for instance in secondary and tertiary education and working life.
23 countries out of 93 country respondents in the previously mentioned WFD global survey report stated that the bilingual approach is one of the approaches in their country, however, only one country (Venezuela) says the bilingual approach is the only educational approach used for deaf children. One needs to be aware/ It is worth noting however that many traditional deaf schools are not truly bilingual and bicultural. Moreover, a vast majority of world countries’ deaf or general education systems do not fulfil high standards that CRPD sets for education of deaf children.
The bilingual approach requires sign language to be used as the principal instruction language together with spoken language in written form. Sign language is to be taught as the natural language and as a school subject stated officially in a national curriculum. Studying deaf culture and deaf history are also part of requirements set in the curriculum. This together with deaf adult role models promote the linguistic identity of the deaf community as stated in the CRPD. Education of the deaf requires qualified teachers in sign language including native sign language users and the learning materials used need to be bilingual and culturally appropriate (deaf culture/history). All this requires well established academic research in sign language itself, in first and second language learning and other areas of successful bilingual approach.
Bilingual education methods have been used in deaf schools belonging to the special education system, yet the bilingual approach can equally be carried out within the general education by using different means. Hearing children for whom it is possible to fully learn sign language, can be integrated into the bilingual Deaf education by using the method of language immersion. This so called reversed mainstreaming would then follow the principles of inclusive education.
Assistive hearing technology including use of cochlear implants does not and can not provide the deaf child a full access to spoken language. S/he still needs both fully accessible sign language and spoken language in written form and speech education following individual needs.
Following measures are needed to secure high quality education of deaf children:
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early identification of Deaf infants and youth, followed promptly with sign language environments and educational intervention strategies and programmes, in partnerships between families, Deaf adults and professionals.
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ensuring full and equal access to and educational success for Deaf learners based on regular education goals, standards and curricula
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such curricula should provide the opportunity for students to learn in and study both their local/national sign language and the local (written) language as academic subjects.

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Provide the resources necessary for the development of effective programmes for teaching sign language and Deaf Studies (history, culture, etc.) to involved people, such as families of Deaf children, teachers of Deaf children, administrators and other professionals including doctors and therapists, for preschool Deaf children and interested parties such as but not limited to community service providers, interpreters, and other students
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Provide support for programmes for Deaf people to receive training and become employed as teachers, educational professionals and members of educational teams.
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Ensure that Deaf learners who may be placed in mainstream educational settings have access to the services of educated, trained and qualified sign language interpreters, other needed support services, Deaf peers and role models, and full participation in both the educative and co-curricular processes.
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Support further research into: o The development of strategies and valid instruments for teaching and assessing features in indigenous sign languages and the development of fluency in sign language. o The benefits of acquiring an education using direct communication pedagogies versus indirectly through a third-party interpreter.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your time and attention. I would also like to welcome you to the side event on this very same subject, the bilingual education for deaf children which the WFD is organising in co-operation with the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN today 2
September at lunch time in conference room A. Thank you.