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ALAN JONES n 1863 the first school for deaf students in South Africa was opened in Cape Town. Legislation concerning special schools, induding schools for deaf students , was adopted by Parliament in 1928. From then on, the government has continued to recognize that special schools for the handicapped need to be subsidized and given special consideration. Over the years, there has been a subtle shift among educators of disabled children from placing emphasis on the disability itself to focusing on the child, who happens to have a disability. This attitude personalizes the problem and emphasizes the ability of the person rather than the disability. There was a realization that handicapped people are individuals in their own right and do not all act or react in the same way. In South Africa there are no private schools. All schools for the deaf are heavily subsidized by the government, which is in a position to supply the most advanced equipment. As you all know, that alone does not guarantee the best eduction, because the quality of the teachers and the methods used often outweigh the need for advanced equipment. In this regard, I am extremely grateful that a majority of schools for deaf students -even those formerly wedded to oralism-are now using Total Communication as the preferred method. A new spirit is emerging among our local deaf people, and they are being given more say in their own affairs. Deaf people are now serving on the Executive Committee of the National Council for the Deaf, and other disability groups are now merging and integrating in order to give more weight to their concerns. A survey of some half a million people conducted by the South African National Council for the Deaf (SANC) showed that a staggering 86 percent of South Africans had no understanding of the causes or problems of deafness. Generally, they had no idea how to communicate with deaf or hard of hearing people, who number about one and a half million in our country alone. In 1987, the South African National Council for the Deaf induded for the first time a large number of deaf people on its Executive Committee. Previously, except in rare instances, deaf people had only been appointed to subordinate committees. Strategic Planning The dynamic director of the SANe, Mrs. Henna Opperman, organized a strategic planning session last year that involved a three-day meeting at a country retreat, away from the bustle of the city. We just talked "deaf-deaf-deaf," with no telephones or TTYs and Deaf Awareness Programs in South Africa no interruptions. It was think, talk, and plan. The key phrase of the session was "If you do not know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?" The planning session inspired us to introduce a deaf awareness program using several means, such as television, radio, and newspapers-an expensive task, because advertising does not come cheaply today. We became more united in our purpose and developed a sense of loyalty to each other and to our cause. I seemed to get a new aim and enthusiasm, as indeed we all did. We were inspired to go out and use our Godgiven talents to gain understanding for deaf people and to help them develop their potential. Here are some of the components of our deaf awareness program: .:. Deaf Achiever's Award: This annual award receives wide publicity. •:. Television: We are sponsoring an eighteen-part television series, which will air during peak times each evening of the week. Deaf people also will appear and make their views known. •:. Posters: A deaf executive was given the opportunity of judging slides to be made into posters for nationwide publicity. •:. Silent Messenger: This magazine, the only monthly magazine published for deaf people, has a growing number of subscribers. •:. Leadership Courses: These courses are designed to help deaf people develop their talents. Sign Language After the planning session, I tackled my own assignments with renewed energy. My efforts include continuing to teach my sign language courses, as I have done for many years. This year the class was the largest I ever had. It opened with more than ninety people from all races and from many walks of life. All passed the test at the end of the twelve-week course. There is a lack of hearing people able to act as interpreters, and these courses have produced some people who are gifted in that area. I have spent many years working...

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