1. Introduction
2. Current Special Education Provision for the Deaf
2.1 Integration And Mainstreaming
2.2 Issues On Communication in the Education for the Deaf
2.3 The Needs for Vocational, Technical and Industrial Training
3. The Widening of Special Education Scope and Service
1. Introduction
An historical overview explains that Malaysia's landmark in the education of the deaf was establishment in 1954, its first and pioneer fully residential school: The Federation School for the Deaf in Penang, Malaysia. A decade later in 1963 special integrated classes or units for the deaf were established to accomodate more deaf children nationwide. Although the current TREND is towards streaming and normalisation in a less restricted setting both the residential and day special schools have to be continued as least for some years alongside with the special classes or units in the mainstreamed schools. These special schools, we envisage, will serve as Centres of Excellence to provide regional or district special educational needs for the rural and "geographically isolated special children." These centres will provide fuller audiometric and diagnostic services and also engage in community education about deafness and to promote communications among the non-handicapped. They will also function as centres for pre-school parent guidance, and provide vocational awareness, training and guidance for deaf adoplescents.
| REGULAR SCHOOL ALL TYPES | SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF | SPECIAL CLASS OR UNIT FOR THE DEAF | |
| PRIMARY | |||
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2. Current Special Education Provision for the Deaf
2.1 Integration And Mainstreaming
Deaf pupils including those with substantial hearing losses are receiving their basic education inregular primary or secondary school environment in additional to the 24 special school for the deaf. The total number of pupils or students as on September 1989 in government schools is as follows : -
| 1. | Ordinary/Regular school | ||
| 2. | Special Schools for The Deaf Day - Residential | ||
| 3. | Special Classes or Units | ||
There remain several different ways in which deaf children can be educated in mainstreamed schools. In Malaysia, special educational provision for the deaf is currently implemented in different broad settings :
1. Fully Residental Special School setting.
2. Day Special School setting.
3. Special Day Classes or Units in Ordinary/Regular School setting.
There are two broad forms of provision i.e. Unit Provision and Individual Integration. There are being carried out in residential and day special schools, full or almost full time education in a special school or part-time class/part-time in an ordinary school and full-time or almost full-time attendance in ordinary classes with occasional withdrawal to the special class. These are current models of integration.
Individual integration however has to be implemented on a wider scale: when a deaf pupil is placed full-time in his local school where he is likely to be the deaf pupil in that school , specialist educational support by peripatetic teacher of the deaf must be made available. In actual fact, there are rooms for improvement for successful integration.
Below is a current models of integration : -
1. Unit Provision.
2. Individual Integration.
3. Separate Special Class Provision within the ordinary school.
4. Part-time Special Class/Part-time Ordinary Class Provision.
5. Unit Tutorial Resource Room Provision.
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2.2 Issues On Communication in the Education for the Deaf
The education for the deaf in Malaysia was initiated in 1954 when the first school for the deaf, the Federation School of the Deaf was established in Penang, Malaysia. The rehabilition programme for this category of handicapped students was at first category of handicapped students was at first heavily concentrated on educational treatment. Oralism was the sole method of instruction in both the residential schools and the special classes or units for the deaf.
In 1977, the fact remained that most of the school leavers had not mastered adequate language to express themselves intelligently. Failure to gain fluency in communication skills by the end of their scholastic year made vocational training and job placement extremely difficult. The student's language, both written and oral, was so grossly underdeveloped that it was impossible to adhere strictly to the curriculum of a proper vacational syllabus. As an alternative, in 1978, Total Communication was introducted and implemented in all goverment special schools and classes or units. It must be emphasised here that the Malaysian concept of Total Communication includes oralism, lip-reading, manually coded Malay language or "Bahasa Malaysia Kod Tangan" natural signs and cues. The introduction of Total Communication was aimed at giving every opportunity for coomunication improvement so as to cater for the special needs of all categories of deaf students.
A Plan of Action was proposed. The setting up in 1978 of The National Committee and the Working Committee on Total Communication was chaired the Director of Schools Division, Ministry of Education and Prof. Dr. Datuk Asmah Hj. Omar, Director of Language Studies at the University of Malaya respectively. The term of reference of these committees was to make recommendations and advise on all aspects of Total Communication. As results these committees was to make recommendations and advise on all aspects of Total Communication. As a result these committees were able to produce four volumes of Manually Coded Malay Language or "Bahasa Malaysia Kod Tangan". A total of 5000 codes was recomended and circulated to all special schools and special classes or units in the hope of strengthening the method of instruction as an additional to oralism. This will definitely give added assistance for the deaf to communicate. In the course of its implementation the oral element in total communication was, sad to say, neglected. This is simply because of human tendency to take an easy way out. The effectiveness of Total Communication is yet to be officially ascertained. This research is being carried out at the University of Malaya.
COURSES
In service courses on Total Communication were organised for specialist teachers of the deaf and administrators and interested individuals. In line with the implementation of Total Communication in all government specials schools and special classes for the deaf were organised by the Special Education Unit, School Divisions, Ministry of Education Malaysia in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985. This transitional period from Oralism to total Communication was the beginning of a new era in the methodology of teaching the deaf in Malaysia. In Malaysia and for that matter in all countries, the homes play a major role in whatever systems of communication used. Therefore, Parent-Teachers' Associations and all interested agencies are expected to organise nationwide. We noted with great concern that parental and other non-government agencies participation were only minimal. On the other hand, teachers, admistrators and special educators have shown greater participation in the implementation of Total Communication. To date, four volumes of Manually Coded Malay Language have been circulated to all special schools and special classes throughout the country. Atotal of 5,000 standardized codes have been formulated by the Working Committee on Total Communication. Malaysia now has its own sign language like the American Sign Language, the Australian Sign Language, the Korean Sign Language, etc.
In spite of all efforts made to improve the standard of communication in the education of the deaf, academic examination results of deaf candidates remain stagnant because the Malaysian School Examination requires a credit or least a pass in the Malay language, the main determining factor to acquire a full certificate.
The National Society for the Deaf is currently trying our Cued Speech in its pre-school programme. This experimental stage has yet to be officially assessed before it can be implemented in government special schools.
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2.3 The Needs for Vocational, Technical and Industrial Training
A greater emphasis is being given to vocationalization of Special Education for the deaf so that they will be able to acquire self-employable skills in consonance with the manpower needs of the country. In line with development of technical and vocational education Malaysian is going through an instensive evolutionary process to cope with rapid technological advancements and their associated challenges. This is to provide young deaf school leaves with more meaningful preparation for their future employment. THe Vocational Secondary Special School For THe Deaf in Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan built in 1987 prepares the students with specific skills for employment. THese students are prepared to sit for examination which is administered by the National Vocational Trade Council (NVTC) under the Ministry of Manpower And Human Resource. Course offered are : -
- Refrigeration and Air-Conditional
- Mechanical (Domestic)
- Electrical (Domestic And Industrial)
- Dressmaking
- Furniture Making
- Plumping
- Welding
In additional to the above, other courses are also available such as Catering, Graphic Designing, Horticulture, Art and Craft, Students have to pass school-based assessment in these subjects.
A wide range of vocational skills are taught to deaf students for example, in the Federation School for the Deaf in Penang, Malaysia, which was established in 1954. This pioneer schools for the deaf started its apprenticeship scheme in 1961. Students were trained in draughting, accounts machine operating, typewriter servicing, priting, bread making and film developing. This scheme lasted eight years until 1969.
In addition, a variety of courses such as Woodwork, Sewing, Dressmaking, Agricultural Science, technical Drawing, Batik Priting, Poultry Farming and Radio or T.V. Repairing are taught.
It is a universal truth that education has aimed and will always aim to develop precious potential of the human being to its full capacity. This is no exception to Special Education for the deaf as an enriched from of general education aimed at enhancing the quality of lives of those who labour under a handicapped condition to enable them to make use of specially trained education, para medical personnel and social wokers who are aware of the application of methodological advances in special education and of technological equipment to offset deafness. We believe that Special Education for the future must be more scientific, vocational and technically oriented. We need more technical and vocational schools for the deaf to help them find more meaningful and productive employment in the technological era of the future. Malaysia as a developing nation is gearing towards these needs.
Effective links have been and must continue to be established between schools and industries with industry participation occuiring in cirricular development. The TREND in a changing Malaysian society, and the process of industrialisation will widen the scopen and job opportunities for the deaf. Therefore a continuum of skill training must proceed right through stages from hard training manual training, dexterity training as done in the pre-school and primary school to vacational training in the specific trade or industry.
Therefore, in the planning of special education for the deaf, Industrial Education for special students should be inclusive in education programmes which thaught students work habits and discipline by having these students work at project-making enterprises. The TREND however, will benefit the deaf if a National Technical Institute For The Deaf is set up within the next decede or so.
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3. The Widening of Special Education Scope and Service
The NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION MANAGEMENT, Ministry of Education is involved in development service programme founded under THE EIGHTH WORLD BANK EDUCATION LOAN. A total of MR117,000.00 has been approved for expert training in Special Education Programme. The Institute and the Schools Division, Ministry of Education are committed to upgrade the skills and knowledge of Malaysian Special Educators and administrators so as to enable them to play the effective roles as change agents, innovators and catalysts of change at the planning and implementation levels of the National Special Education System. This is facts is the outcome of The Need Assesment Educational Facilities Training and Programme Study Tour To Australia and New Zealand For Uprading The Professional Expertise In the Field of Special Education and other specialized courses from 19 August to 2nd September 1989 by the Deputy Director of Education II, Dato' Omar Mohd. Hashim and the Principal Assistant Director Special Education, Hajjah Wan Kalthom bte Wan Chik Bakar and others.\Recommendations amde at the International Congress on Education of The Deaf (ICED) held at The University of Manchester, United Kingdom in 1985.
- In view of the rapid expension of the education for the hearing impaired more para educational staff or co-workers such as psychologogists, audiologists, audiometricians, guidance officers, aids and technicians should be trained to meet the growing needs of the eighties.
- In view of Malaysia's industries which are becoming export-oriented and government policy for industrial growth and expansion Special Education for the hearing impaired in a developing Malaysia should be vocationalised.
- all deaf students in the secondary schools with integrated programmes in the country should be made to have easy access to vocational skill training to enable them only to cope with more industrialized Malaysia but also to reduce economical burdens on the family and the community.
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Kuala Lumpur Society of the Deaf, 9B, Komplek Perniagaan Sri Selangor,
Jalan Sang Peng, 55300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel : 03 - 2230690 /
Fax : 03 - 2226536