Deaf Child Bill of Rights is Focus at State Capitol
/The focus at the State Capitol on Thursday, September 20 will be Connecticut’s deaf and hearing impaired children, with a particular spotlight on the Deaf Child Bill of Rights, approved by the General Assembly earlier this year and signed into law in June by Gov. Malloy. Represented at the Capitol on Thursday, with information for the public as well as legislators and staff, will be:
- Disabilities Network of Eastern CT Informational
- CREC Soundbridge Educational
- Relay Connecticut Telecommunication Services
Approval of the Deaf Child Bill of Rights made Connecticut, the birthplace of deaf education, the 12th state to have the Deaf Child Bill of Rights. The new law became effective on July 1, 2012. It was widely viewed as a historic day for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities in Connecticut as well across the country, because the DCBR law creates an environment that will allow deaf and hard of hearing children “to become who they really are, develop, learn, expand and shine in all education settings,” officials said.
The new law states that “The individualized education program for any child identified as deaf or hearing impaired shall include a language and communication plan developed by the planning and placement team for such child.
Such language and communication plan shall address:
(1) The primary language or mode of communication chosen for the child,
(2) Opportunities for direct communication with peers and professional personnel in the primary language or mode of communication for the child,
(3) Educational options available to the child,
(4) The qualifications of teachers and other professional personnel administering such plan for the child, including such teacher's or personnel's proficiency in the primary language or mode of communication for the child,
(5) The accessibility of academic instruction, school services and extracurricular activities to the child,
(6) Assistive devices and services for the child, and
(7) Communication and physical environment accommodations for the child.
