Oklahoma School for the Deaf’s Options Pave the Way to Better Understanding

COLLINSVILLE, Okla. — Options. That’s one of the most valuable things a parent of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing can ask for.

What are the options for communication and education for children who are deaf or hard of hearing? Largely, the child will help point the way. When taught several communication methods, such as American Sign Language or auditory/verbal, a child will pick what is comfortable to him. It is exposure to those communication methods that is the key.

One option parents in the northern part of Oklahoma have is the Oklahoma School for the Deaf (OSD) satellite program at Collinsville. This program serves children who are deaf or hard of hearing in pre-kindergarten to 2^nd grade, free of charge.

“We provide education in a more visual context,” Sara Lee, teacher, said. “We use sign language and we use voice. I have an amplification device, which will increase the volume of the sound in the room.

“We have a lot of emphasis on language. Lots of times, especially at this age, when they come in they have very little language or broken language,” Lee said.  “It’s incomplete.

“So we spend a lot of time just working on vocabulary, working on sentence structure both in English and American Sign Language. They couldn’t get that in a regular classroom. They are learning their first language and their second language, simultaneously.”

OSD’s satellite preschool program, in this part of the state, allows these young students to live at home and receive quality and specialized education that meet their needs. The program moved from Broken Arrow to Collinsville last August.

“It is very hard for parents to put their small children on a bus that takes them far away,” Lee said. “OSD felt like they should provide something closer. That is why they established this program and two others around the state.”

This satellite program has assistants who help Lee provide instruction. “We have two assistants, one hearing and one deaf, and both are critical to the learning process.

“I think a Deaf role model is really important too. Children at this age will have all kinds of imagined ideas about what happens to deaf people when they get older. Do they become hearing? Do they disappear?” Lee said. “There are all kinds of crazy, imagined ideas of trying to figure out where they fit in the bigger picture. So having a deaf assistant in the room really helps them.”

Two popular communication approaches are auditory-verbal and American Sign Language (ASL). The auditory-verbal method develops the listening and speaking skills of the child. ASL is a visual language using hands, facial expressions and body movements to communicate concepts and ideas.

No matter what communication method, parents choose - whether it’s auditory-verbal, sign language or a combination, they can benefit from Enriching Children’s Communication Opportunities (ECCO) services, through OSD and the Oklahoma State Department of Education. The program is parent-driven, so regardless of what the family has chosen, up to age six, they can have in-home services totally free.

“This period is an hour a week on whatever they want to work on. If it is auditory-verbal, they can work on that; or sign language, they can work on that” Lee said.

One major focus in the satellite program is reading. “Reading is paramount for any child, but especially for deaf children. If you can’t read you can’t use the phone, you can’t watch TV, you can’t text, you can’t e-mail and, of course, read a book or newspaper. Those are primary sources of information for any person.”

Parents are welcome to call OSD's satellite program at 918-371-6870 for information about admission requirements, the application process or to arrange a visit. For more information about ECCO services, call 866-514-9620 or e-mail mcoldren@ucok.edu.

The Oklahoma School for the Deaf, including its satellites, is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), a state agency which assists Oklahomans with disabilities through vocational rehabilitation, education, employment, independent living programs and the determination of medical eligibility for disability benefits.

OSD has been located in Sulphur since 1908.  OSD provides residential and day school educational services at no charge for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  The school provides a range of outreach programs, including pre-school programs and onsite consultation for public school students, their families, public school districts and communities statewide.

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