Bill of Rights for Deaf/HH Students in Maine Public Schools

Communication is always a problem whether one is deaf or hard of hearing in public schools. The level of communication needs varies for each deaf/hh student in class. In Maine there is a proposed "Bill of Rights" in the processright now to vote on that will help ensure equal communication rights for students who have required and sometimes specialized communication needs.

The bill is designed to ensure that hearing-impaired students have optimal access to something without which learning is not possible: communication. The language of the bill is still in the process of being written. However, the bill is expected to strongly advocate for including an expert in deaf education in meetings at which teachers, administrators and parents determine a student's learning needs.

It also will recommend other measures, such as providing students with deaf and partially deaf role models, and helping them be fully involved in school activities, ranging from recess to athletics.

The bill's fiscal impact has not yet been determined, but the head of the state-run Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing said additional costs to schools districts should be minimal.

A draft of the proposed legislation says that if Maine enacts such a bill, it will join Arkansas, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island and South Dakota in passing measures to afford deaf and partially deaf students the same quality of education that hearing students receive.

Services and, more importantly, technology are key to help ensure that deaf/hh students in public schools get their required communication access needs in order to succeed well in education.