Congress 105Th;* Education of the Deaf Act 1986; Reauthorization
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 429 380 EC 307 114 TITLE Reauthorization of the Education of the Deaf Act. Hearing of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources on Examining Proposed Legislation Authorizing Funds for Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for Deaf as Contained in the Education of the Deaf Act. United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, Second Session. INSTITUTION Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. REPORT NO Senate-Hrg-105-414 ISBN ISBN-0-16-056365-8 PUB DATE 1998-02-12 NOTE 61p. AVAILABLE FROM U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402. PUB TYPE Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials (090) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Deafness; *Educational Legislation; Elementary Secondary Education; Federal Aid; *Federal Legislation; Hearings; *Special Education IDENTIFIERS Congress 105th; *Education of the Deaf Act 1986; Reauthorization Legislation ABSTRACT This transcript reports on a Senate hearing concerning the reauthorization of the Education of the Deaf Act. As well as statements by committee members, the transcript presents statements by and answers to questions of the following: students at Gallaudet University (Washington, DC), students at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (New York), Jordan I. King, president of Gallaudet University; Robert R. DaVila, vice president of National Technical Institute for the Deaf; Judith Heumann, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education; Carol Cichowski, Director, Special Education, Rehabilitation and Research Analysis Division, Department of Education; Ramone Rodriguez, Liaison Office for Special Institutions, Department of Education; Sarah E. Snyder, Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf; and Nancy J. Bloch, President, National Association for the Deaf. Additional material includes a chart showing placements of Gallaudet graduates and responses to questions asked by Senators James Jeffords and Tom Harkin. (DB) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** L-L S. RR°. 105-414 REAUTHORIZATION OF THE EDUCATIONOF THE 00 DEAF ACT C\1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement 1:21 ED CATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION r-T4 CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. HEARING Points of view or opinions stated inthis document do not necessarily represent OF THE official OERI position or policy. COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED FIFTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON EXAMINING PROPOSED LEGISLATION AUTHORIZING FUNDSFOR GAL- LAUDET UNIVERSITY AND THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF AS CONTAINED IN THE EDUCATION OF THE DEAF ACT FEBRUARY 12, 1998 Printed for the use of the Committeeon Labor and Human Resources U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE 46-878 CC WASHINGTON : 1998 For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-056365-'8 (Y) BEST COPYAVAILABLE COMMITTEE ON LABOR ANDHUMAN RESOURCES JAMES M. JEFFORDS, Vermont,Chairman DAN COATS, Indiana JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Massachusetts BILL FRIST, Tennessee CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut TOM HARKIN, Iowa MIKE DeW1NE, Ohio MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland TIM HU'TCHINSON, Arkansas JEFF BINGAMAN, New Mexico SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine PAUL D. WELLSTONE, Minnesota JOHN W. WARNER, Virginia PATTY MURRAY, Washington JACK REED, Rhode Island MITCH MCCONNELL, Kentucky MARKE.POWDER,Staff Director SUSANK.HATTAN,Deputy Stoff Director WILLIAM C. DAUSTEN, Minority Chief of Staff and ChiefCounsel CONTENTS STATEMENTS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1998 Page Jeffords, Hon. James M., opening statement 1 Clancy, Megan, MA, accompanied by Mollie Easter, Algona, IA, and Rebecca Ellis, Putney, VT, students at Gallaudet University, Washington, DC; and Meghan Rainone, Marlton, NJ, accompanied by Matthew Hamill, Loveland, OH, and Kathryn Hoheusle, Bethel, NY, students at National Technical Institute For the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 2 Prepared statement 4 Harkin, Hon. Tom, a U.S. Senator from the State of Iowa, opening statement 9 Jordan, I. King, president, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC; and Robert R. DaVila, vice president, National Technical Institute For the Deaf, Roch- ester Institute of Technolou, Rochester, NY 15 Prepared statements of: Mr. Jordan 17 Mr. DaVila 23 Heumann, Judith, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilita- tive Services, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC, accompanied by Carol Cichowski, 'Director, Special Education, Rehabilitation and Re- search Analysis Division, and Ramone Rodriguez, Liaison Officer for Special Institutions 35 Prepared statement 38 Snyder, Sarah E., Department of Professional Programs and Services, Alexan- d.er Graham Bell Association for the Deaf; and Nancy J. Bloch, president, National Association for the Deaf, Silver Spring, MD 41 Prepared statements of: Ms. Snyder 44 M. Bloch 51 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Articles, publications, letters, etc.: Placement of Gallaudet Bachelor's Degree Recipients 28 Responses of Mr. DaVila to questions asked by Senator Jeffords 31 Response of Mr. Jordan to a question asked by Senator Harkin 35 REAUTHORIZATION OF THE EDUCATION OF THE DEAF ACT THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1998 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES, Washington, DC. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02a.m., in room SD-430, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Jeffords (chair- man of the committee) presiding. Present: Senators Jeffords and Harkin. OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JEFFORDS The CHAIRMAN. The Committee on Labor and Human Resources will come to order. We are pleased today to be holding a hearingon the Education of the Deaf Act. I am pleased to see everyone here. Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology playa central and necessary role for students- who are deaf and hard of hearing seek- ing postsecondary educational opportunities. Through their unique and complementary programs, these two institutions have contrib- uted significantly to the postsecondary education and successful employment of individuals who are deaf, here and inmany foreign countries, through the improvement in the quality of education that deaf students receive, the quality and quantity of interpreter services available throughout the country, and the public's greater willingness to address the communication-related needs of individ- uals with hearing impairments in diverse settings. This committee last authorized the Education of the Deaf Act in 1992. The Act's purpose is to authorize Federal funding for Gallau- det and NTID. We made substantial improvements in the law in 1992 and, by most accounts, the law is working well today. We need to preserve and build on the 1992 Amendments. We seek in- formation in that context. We also welcome information about the barriers that individuals face in educational settings and how assistive technology should or could reduce these barriers. This lat- ter information will help us later this year whenwe begin the re- authorization of the Tech Act. I am looking forward to the testimony fromour witnesses, espe- cially our first panel, which includes three students from Gallaudet University and three students from the National Technical Insti- tute for the Deaf. One witness, Rebecca Ellis, from Putney, VT, is my constituent. (1) 2 The young people of Americaare an essential part of our society, and we want to do everything wecan to help all elements of our society in that respect. The CHAIRMAN. I would now like to introduce the first panel.We are very pleased to have with us today six students who are im- pressive in what they have achieved, both academically andperson- ally. First, we will hear from Megan Clancy,a senior at Gallaudet University who will receive her B.A. in biology this spring. Next, Meghan Rainone, a student from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, will testify. Ms. Rainone has the distinction of being Miss Deaf America and has the opportunity to visitmany other hardworking deaf and hearing students. Also with us from Gallaudet Universityare Rebecca Ellis, a con- stituent of mine from Putney, VT and Mollie Easter,a freshman from Algona, IA, who plans topursue studies in physical education. Also from NTID are Kathryn Hoheusle,an imaging science major from Bethel, NY, and Matthew Hamill,a champion wrestler from Loveland, OH. We are pleased to have all ofyou with us, and now, we would like to hear from you. Ms. Clancy and Ms. Rainone will bothbe of- fering testimony; however, all of the panelists will be ableto tell us about their experiences on their campuses and how they value attending schools which are dedicated to educating deafstudents. Megan, would you please proceed? STATEMENTS OF MEGAN CLANCY, BOSTON, MA, ACCOM- PANIED BY MOLLIE EASTER, ALGONA, IA, AND REBECCA ELLIS, PUTNEY, VT, STUDENTS AT GALLAUDET UNWERSITY, WASHINGTON, DC; AND MEGHAN RAINONE, MARLTON, NJ, ACCOMPANIED BY mATTHEW HAMILL, LOVELAND,