SPECIAL EDUCATION: The Concept and Practice, The Benefits and Potential Careers

As it is human nature, people have judged a book by its cover. It is a grave mistake, and we have, time and again, failed over this habit. Like Special needs persons, the society has underestimated the community’s favorite course of study- Special Education. A significant number of people outside of the Disability Community, when you tell them about the course that you have studied, they would look at you with confusion and disdain and wonder what on earth you are talking about. However, if at all they know about the course, they would ask why you had gone to read “something like that.” Weren’t there other “cooler courses?”

STOP "PULL HIM DOWN" SYNDROME! SUPPORT CHRIS HAULMARK @JASON TOZIER

“A lot of problems in the world would disappear if we talk to each other instead of about each other.”: When it comes to ourselves in the Deaf community, we can say anything we want to each other, but we must not go outside the Deaf community to talk negatively about ourselves.

THE FORGOTTEN HERO'S PAST: DR. PETER MBA, THE FATHER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

Abraham Lincoln, a century and a half after his death, remains a folk hero and a legend - not only in the United States but across the world. President Lincoln isn’t just famous for his incredible exploits in the White House, he remains an idol and god among political scholars and students, including ordinary people and illiterates who believe that democracy, a system of government that has become so fashionable around the world, has been famously defined by Lincoln as “Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Abraham Lincoln still lives - 152 years after he passed on. So does Helen Adams Keller, the first Deafblind to earn a bachelor’s degree.

SIGN LANGUAGE WAS BANNED BY THE FATHER OF ORAL METHOD IN THE1890s

Oral method in Deaf Institutes (Post-Milan 1880)

This history is fascinating. There was a hearing man who married a Deaf woman, and they were advocating for oral method while there was a hearing man who married a Deaf woman and they were advocating for sign language method, they were called the father of oral method and the father of sign language method respectively. 

HELEN KELLER: THE DEAFBLIND WOMAN WHO INSPIRES THE DEAF COMMUNITY AND THE GLOBE ll

Helen Keller at old age

Every time the story of Helen Keller is told- in the Deaf community, in the blind community, in the community of civic and faith leaders, in the academia, and what have you, it is always impossible to not mention Ann Sullivan. Before Helen Keller had a chance to attend formal schools to get an education, Ann Sullivan had taught young Keller whole lots and lots about lots of things which prepared the Deafblind woman for more formal education in various educational institutions. But in fact, Ann Sullivan stayed on as Helen’s teacher and best friend long after Ms. Sullivan had taught her. Before teacher Ann passed away, the both of them had been very best friends.

HELEN KELLER: THE DEAFBLIND WOMAN WHO INSPIRES THE DEAF COMMUNITY & THE GLOBE

In May of 1888, Anne Sullivan brought Helen Keller to Perkins School for the Blind, where a new world of friendship began.

A staggering number of people in the Deaf community have heard about Helen Keller, but very few of us know about the extraordinary life of this woman. But in fact, Helen Keller isn’t just so famous in the Deaf community, Helen Adams Keller is a world icon. Her incredible spirit will continue to live in the lives of all of us - particularly people who care about the well-being of others, people who have compassion and empathy for other people that deserve justice and a better life.

WOULD YOU RATHER PREFER TO BE DEAF OR BLIND?

Culled from Cartoon Movement

I can remember vividly when I was attending Professor J. A. Ademokoya's class at the University of Ibadan, the primer University. He used to ask us a question then if we had a choice to be Deaf or Blind, which one would we go for? After some thought he answered and said he would rather go blind because he believes that hearing is the most important sense as hearing will empower him and help him to lead everyday life without any form of barriers, limitations or hindrances, it will also enable him to socialize, relate, communicate and stay connected with the world as deafness will isolate one. Even Helen Keller, who was deafblind, often quoted: Blindness cuts you off from things, but deafness cuts you off from people.