Mainstream education how far?
I think, as a blind student, this is the question to ask all the time.
The ten years i’ve been in mainstream education, I’ve always been pondering on this question/fact. Is mainstream education really worth it? Of course, there are going to be people who disagree or agree with me.
I personally think that for the most part of primary and secondary education, it is worthwhile trying out mainstream eduction. at least you are not doing GCSE’s and a-levels, and you have got not too much to worry about. Mainstream education, allows blind children to socialise, (mix-in with sighted children) and be a part of everyone. Also, to receive education in a mainstream school, similar to how the sighted would receive it but with some adaptions. This may be considered a good thing, for some reasons,
I think that mainstream education is generally good for the blind. Most authorities provide resources and equipment for blind student’s to manage in their local area, and for them to cope in their education.
However, This really depends on the authority that the person belongs to. I am lucky to receive and get funding for my equipment such as my Braillenote, Jaws etc. But some people have to live with a perkins brailler and that’s it. I personally, think that’s absolutely disgraceful, seen as we live in a developed country. But, “personally” I’m not complaining, as I get a lot of my equipment from my authority.
On the other hand, others who get their equipment are quite lucky I guess.
Now, i’d like to compare the advantages of mainstream education VS. Blindness education.
- In mainstream education you can mix with more sighted people.
- I think that this is an advantage in some ways, if sighted people are also willing to put the effort in to beeing more considerate about blind people and not beeing ignorent
- In blindness education how ever, blind people can only socialise with people of their kind
- I think this can also be classed as an advantage, because the blind can mix with people of their kind. A blind person is a lot more considerate of another of his fellows IMO and is willing to help
- In mainstream schools,their may be a lack of resources
- I think this should be classed as a disadvantage to a blind persons education. If they can't get the resources they need, then obviously, they are going to lack in education
- In blindness education, resources are readily available
- I think this is a plus to education in blindness scholes. How ever, WHen A blind person migrates to the real world of sighted people, they are not going to be able to obtain all the resources. Say for example A restaurant menu in braille. You are going to ask for help obviously because you are obvioussly not going to get a restaurant menu in braille all the time.
in conclution,
I say that if you like mainstream education, then stick with it. It goes with out saying that you will return to mainstream education for university and you will graduate from a mainstream university.
How ever, If you are struggling with mainstream education, then you may consider going with specialist education for the blind.
Blind people find it hard to cope in mainstream education with the increased visual elements, and the lack of friendship. When the sighted and blind are children, they still are kind of immature, and not awhere of each other’s needs. With regards to visual problems, Lets take mathematics.
I do not think that the blind or mainstream are brilliant at solving the visual elements of mathematics, But the blindness education schools and college’s may have the leading edge. In some ways, Blind people need extra time. Both mainstream and blind education allow you to have extra time in tasks which take longer than the average sighted person such as exams.
So, it’s really up to you, What is the best, for you is the best for you. It may work for you, but not for others.
Orhan Deniz.
Tags: Advantages, and bad, Blindness, Disadvantages, Equipment, Good, Jaws, Mainstream education, Plus, school, Screenreader, Socialising
May 4, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I think what sickens me is parents of blind people being as ignorant as possible. I know a lot of blind people are not exposed to sighted people really in public school. They let ignorant idiotic teachers dictate where there child stays in school, and since they are stuck in a room somewhere, they don’t really hang out with sighted kids. I’ve seen this with people with learning disabilities more then anything, but I”ve heard about friends of mine ahving a similar experience. If your readin this and your a parent of a blind child please, for the love of god, take an interest in what the school is doing with your child. Don’t let them dictate waht they can do if normal, sighted people can do these things. As for schooling for the blind, I’m so not a fan of it. I’m sorry, but I’ve seen so many antisocial blind people because of them not having any sighted friends, or the social skills they need to make those connections. It has nothing to do with not having the sight to do it, it just sickens me. At the colledge level I think it’s fine because all your development fundamentally anyways is started. ANyways, this comment is a mess, but I hope it sort of kind of makes sence.
May 4, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I agree with you serrebi. How ever, It’s the ignorence of the school as well. they just push their students in to some cramped room with nothing to do. When parents say some thing, they say “health and safety and all that shit”! I’m not sure about Canada but this is the case in the UK.and not to mix with the sighted. If a student can’t mix with the sighted, then how are they going to get used to the real world?
Mostly, sighted people are curious I guess about the blind so that is fine IMHO.
How ever, the distressing fact about mainstream schools not letting the blind mixing is due to the lack of the significance of the DDA (disability discrimination act) in place. Plus,who gives a fuck about it anyway? I’m not saying that the disability discrimination act should be so important, but I’m saying that it should be relivant.
Anyway I’ll just shut up and stop ranting. lol
:D:d:d:d:d:d
May 4, 2008 at 7:44 pm
It’s true, but it ultimately comes back to the parents for the most part, and to a small degree the child, but it’s kind of hard for a yung child to know what’s best for them at least until they hit the 14-older range.
May 4, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Serrebi wrote: it’s kind of hard for a yung child to know
what’s best for them at least until they hit the 14-older range.
That is so true. I was in education for the blind up until I was 12, and I felt a bit nervous about going into MainStream education as it was all new to me, but now, I know its the best thing that has happened to me. Sure I was impressed at the level of equipment and services available to the students when I visited a blind college, but its just not for me.