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| Language development begins the day a child is born and is basically in place before he or she enters school. Language development happens primarily in the home environment as the child interacts with his or her family. Therefore, an effective intervention program for children who are deaf or hard of hearing must begin as close to birth as possible, must be in the home and must be family-centred. The child and parents must develop a communication system before a language system can develop. |  |
Any child who meets the
Criteria:
1. Lives anywhere in Ontario
2. Is between infancy and school age
3. Has been diagnosed as deaf or hard of hearing (any degree of hearing loss)
The service is provided at no cost to the families.
Provincial Schools for the Deaf, through their infant and preschool home visiting programs, offer a wide range of options to the families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
Certified Specialist Teachers of the Deaf work with each family, assisting parents and caregivers to develop and implement an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) which will include some or all of the following.
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Regular Home Visits. Familiarizing families with different philosophies related to the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing children so that they can make informed decisions. Providing opportunities for parents and caregivers to become familiar with Deaf Culture by meeting with the Deaf Community and facilitating instruction in ASL. Providing assessment and instruction in auditory skills development and speech production. Modelling techniques and strategies which enhance communication and language development. Assessing American Sign Language and/or English language development from ages 0 to 6 years.
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No. Among the criteria for admission to a Provincial School are the following:
The pupil must:
have a sensorineural bilateral hearing loss of 70dB or greater (as determined by the pure tone average at 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz).
OR
have a sensorineural bilateral hearing loss in the 50 to 70dB range and additional documented education, linguistic or socio-cultural needs which can best be met in a Provincial School for the Deaf.
The preschool home visiting teachers co-ordinate with and/or support other community agencies who also serve you and your families. Support services are offered to nursery, daycare and school facilities attended by deaf or hard of hearing preschoolers who are enrolled in the home visiting program.
Referrals are accepted from parents as well as physicians, audiologists, health units, hospitals and other communication agencies.
If you have any questions, please contact Resource Services, Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf, 350 Dundas Street West, Belleville, Ontario. K8P 1B2 Voice or TTY: 613-967-2823 Fax: 613-967-4644 e-mail: sharon.ainsworth@edu.gov.on.ca
The Sir James Whitney School
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