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I am the director of Tucker-Maxon Oral School, a private school in Portland, that serves children who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Our students who are deaf do not use sign language. Instead, with the help of digital hearing aids, cochlear implants, early diagnosis, and early intervention, our students who are deaf learn to speak and listen very well! We educate children with typical hearing and children with hearing loss together in small, collaborative classes.

While the average annual academic progress for students with hearing loss nationwide is a 0.5 grade level in reading.  Tucker-Maxon students with hearing loss scored 1.0 grade levels in reading. 

While only 8 percent of deaf adults graduate from college, 95% of Tucker-Maxon alumni since 1990 have graduated or are attending college.

The same results could be attained in public education if special educators were receptive to cutting-edge pedagogical  strategies and if they were given adequate resources.

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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