A central theme of this book is the ecological nature of development ( Bronfrenbrenner, 1979). Characteristics of the child (e.g., temperament, hearing status) interact with characteristics of the environment to produce a unique system that influences, and is influenced by, interactions in ever-broadening, hierarchically layered contexts. These contexts include family, friendship and peer groups, educational and therapeutic service pro- viders, and larger social and political entities. These are all areas that have been touched by Meadow-Orlans' work and must be considered holistically in order to optimize the development and education of deaf children.The book is organized into three sections. The first focuses on deaf and hard of hearing children in the context of the family. Interactions between family and school are addressed in the second section. The third section considers issues related to design of, and contexts for, educational inter- ventions and programs. Chapters in this last section address ways that spe- cial characteristics of deaf and hard of hearing learners, as well as societal expectations for their achievement, affect services provided for and devel- opment attained by those students.The complexity of the individual and societal factors influencing devel- opment of deaf and hard of hearing children calls for integration of diverse perspectives and areas of expertise if that development is to be under- stood. This book provides such a variety of perspectives. To that end, chap- ters represent the views of authors with backgrounds in a number of professional fields, including anthropology, sociology, psychology, educa- tion, medicine, and social work. In addition, chapters represent the per- spectives of deaf as well as hearing professionals. Authors of several chapters provide first person descriptions by deaf children and their par- ents of the systems in which they participate.Despite the diversity of perspectives provided, a number of basic gener- alizations about the development of deaf and hard of hearing children can be drawn from the chapters in this book. These include recognition of the following:
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Deaf and hard of hearing children as visual learners and communi- cators.
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Strengths of both deaf and hearing families in supporting their chil- dren's development, especially with early intervention support.
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Continued gaps in the quality of services provided to families of deaf and hard of hearing children.
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Impact of programming and placement variations on personal as well as academic development of deaf and hard of hearing stu- dents.
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Continued need for improved educational methods and curricula to better accommodate diverse characteristics of deaf and hard of hearing children and promote their development.
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Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication Information: Book Title: The Deaf Child in the Family and at School: Essays in Honor of Kathryn P. Meadow-Orlans. Contributors: Patricia Elizabeth Spencer - editor, Carol J. Erting - editor, Marc Marschark - editor. Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Place of Publication: Mahwah, NJ. Publication Year: 2000. Page Number: xviii.
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