I have always advocated access to information, but the document I read (which was sent to me by an anonymous source) regarding AB 2072 uses radical wording that does not say objectivity to me. I read that bloggers have been posting regarding this bill since April...and I honestly have no idea what to make of it- could someone please inform me?
Another blogger, Candy wrote for the passing of the bill and posted
What it is all about: The Truth Behind Opposing AB 2072 However, these are some sections from the document entitled:
Statement byThe California Deaf Newborn Identification and Advocacy (DNIA) Group
A Citizens Advisory Group
Comprised of Deaf Consumers, Parents of Deaf Infants and Children, California
Educators, Deaf Service Provider, and Researchers
“Creating Opportunities which Enable the Optimal Achievement of Linguistic
Competency”
Many of these training programs have...
little or no quality information and many also do not include ASL videos. The
Alexander Graham Bell Association (AG Bell) and cochlear implant corporations are
effective in promoting and marketing their missions and products early intervention
literature. Such is the nature of the oral-aural, cochlear-implant-oriented
philosophy which dominates the referral system, with the backers standing to gain
financially from the system as it is currently designed. Invariably, the
information provided to parents under the current system is based on the so-called
“option” system, “option” in this case being a misnomer. The current system needs
to be improved so that the focus is on language acquisition. Language as mentioned
earlier, in the general sense is not speech, and it’s not listening. This is often
where many parents can get easily confused. Counselors who make home visits are
generally not qualified or trained to explain the difference. They typically don’t
have training is language acquisition to understand the difference. They also
typically don’t have a background in Deaf culture and Deaf Studies which would
enable them to have a better understanding of the history and richness of the
visual language that members of the Deaf community share. This is why there should
be mentors who are themselves Deaf to be able to appropriately answer parents’
questions about ASL language acquisition and provide unbiased information.
Once the parents become involved with their deaf or hard of hearing infant in the
Early Start program (which is currently under Department of Developmental Services
(DDS)), most early interventionists there are hearing people who also have limited
training on early language acquisition and Deaf issues. They are not qualified or
knowledgeable enough about early language acquisition or Deaf culture or Deaf
studies. The interventionists must be culturally Deaf people who can effectively
provide guidance to parents and training in the topic of language acquisition, as
well as language training for the Deaf child.. Bilingualism should be the goalVisual language ASL / read-write English. ASL also provides an efficient way to
communicate understanding of how spoken English is produced and understood. Speech
training is enhanced, but secondary to visual language acquisition because it is
not 100% accessible by a Deaf child.
• Ethical Guidelines – For the identification process under the Department of
Health Care Services (DHCS), Ethical Guidelines need to be established. These
guidelines would be for audiologists, pediatricians and physicians who interact
with new parents and their Deaf babies to shift their acculturated focus from being
on “fix the problem” to redirect it to a broader consideration of the nurturing of
the child as an individual, instead of being narrowly focused on the child’s “ear,”
i.e., body part. Through the use of Ethical Guidelines and resulting training on
them, it is possible to re-focus the medical system’s “fix it” mentality, which is
inappropriate when it only focuses on a part of the child and does not take into
account the whole child as an individual and the importance of the child’s mind.
Help!?
Another blogger, Candy wrote for the passing of the bill and posted What it is all about: The Truth Behind Opposing AB 2072
However, these are some sections from the document entitled:
Statement byThe California Deaf Newborn Identification and Advocacy (DNIA) Group
A Citizens Advisory Group
Comprised of Deaf Consumers, Parents of Deaf Infants and Children, California
Educators, Deaf Service Provider, and Researchers
“Creating Opportunities which Enable the Optimal Achievement of Linguistic
Competency”
Many of these training programs have...
little or no quality information and many also do not include ASL videos. The
Alexander Graham Bell Association (AG Bell) and cochlear implant corporations are
effective in promoting and marketing their missions and products early intervention
literature. Such is the nature of the oral-aural, cochlear-implant-oriented
philosophy which dominates the referral system, with the backers standing to gain
financially from the system as it is currently designed. Invariably, the
information provided to parents under the current system is based on the so-called
“option” system, “option” in this case being a misnomer. The current system needs
to be improved so that the focus is on language acquisition. Language as mentioned
earlier, in the general sense is not speech, and it’s not listening. This is often
where many parents can get easily confused. Counselors who make home visits are
generally not qualified or trained to explain the difference. They typically don’t
have training is language acquisition to understand the difference. They also
typically don’t have a background in Deaf culture and Deaf Studies which would
enable them to have a better understanding of the history and richness of the
visual language that members of the Deaf community share. This is why there should
be mentors who are themselves Deaf to be able to appropriately answer parents’
questions about ASL language acquisition and provide unbiased information.
Once the parents become involved with their deaf or hard of hearing infant in the
Early Start program (which is currently under Department of Developmental Services
(DDS)), most early interventionists there are hearing people who also have limited
training on early language acquisition and Deaf issues. They are not qualified or
knowledgeable enough about early language acquisition or Deaf culture or Deaf
studies. The interventionists must be culturally Deaf people who can effectively
provide guidance to parents and training in the topic of language acquisition, as
well as language training for the Deaf child.. Bilingualism should be the goalVisual language ASL / read-write English. ASL also provides an efficient way to
communicate understanding of how spoken English is produced and understood. Speech
training is enhanced, but secondary to visual language acquisition because it is
not 100% accessible by a Deaf child.
• Ethical Guidelines – For the identification process under the Department of
Health Care Services (DHCS), Ethical Guidelines need to be established. These
guidelines would be for audiologists, pediatricians and physicians who interact
with new parents and their Deaf babies to shift their acculturated focus from being
on “fix the problem” to redirect it to a broader consideration of the nurturing of
the child as an individual, instead of being narrowly focused on the child’s “ear,”
i.e., body part. Through the use of Ethical Guidelines and resulting training on
them, it is possible to re-focus the medical system’s “fix it” mentality, which is
inappropriate when it only focuses on a part of the child and does not take into
account the whole child as an individual and the importance of the child’s mind.
Help!?