Okay I'm going to share a paper I wrote for one of my classes this semester. The only reason I'm sharing is because lately I've been reading all kinds of articles regarding education and developing countries. They've perked my interest, enough to go make an appointment with my advisor (which is coming up soon finally) and to talk to her about a possible minor in international development/affairs. It would be nice to combine my Special Education degree and actually have a minor too that would allow me to someday go overseas and help to improve educational conditions for people living with disabilities. If anyone knows where I can get international sign language instruction videos of any kind, let me know where to look. I'd greatly appreciate that!

Pasted below is my paper:

In the article, “The Effectiveness of International Development Assistance From American Organizations to Deaf Communities in Jamaica” the author Amy T. Wilson conducts a research based on how effective our assistance is to developing countries. The focal point is on Jamaica as it is one of the three countries that receive aid and support from three types of American organizations. The author was able to converse in not only English but make adaptations from ASL (American Sign Language) to JSL (Jamaican sign language) and study participants both deaf and hearing. Amy Wilson was also able to obtain permission from the organizations to observe their programs and review their documents. Also Jamaica being in close proximity to the United States helped to make the study financially possible.

Throughout the developing world, there is a lack of resources for understanding and being aware of diversified disabilities. Based on this alone, it means there is a lack of education for the disability population in developing countries. 20% of the world’s deaf population attends school. In other countries they are not able to marry another deaf person, hold certain jobs, drive or operate a car, and are kept from establishing Deaf associations. The experience of economic hardship and social isolation is often considered the ‘norm’ in the developing world.

Even with the help of foreign assistance programs, little to no help may be received by deaf people in different parts of developing countries. Out of 100 countries only seven receive minimal assistance for improving conditions for the deaf population. There are problems that arise when these international organizations provide assistance.

A few examples include but are not limited to these reasons: some organizations enter into communities without being invited first. One can speculate that this reason alone may breed hostility from the community towards the organization trying to help. In poorer or rural areas, the programs of developmental assistance are impossible to duplicate because the foundations of such programs were created for ‘ideal’ situations. Being in poor rural areas, the conditions are less than ideal. Instead of being able to do for themselves, the people become dependent on this serving agency. They are unable to have community ownership of the program. Another example of a provocative problem found in the American organizations trying to help, is that they do so with their own values and there is little to no regard for existing cultural values at hand. The mention of culture here involves both Jamaican culture and Deaf culture. With a superficial knowledge of both, the Deaf Jamaicans found it absurd to think these organizations can effectively implement the plans made in the developing country’s best interest.

There were two religious organizations and two non-religious organizations working to improve educational conditions for deaf Jamaicans. The non-religious organizations focused on building schools, paying for children’s tuition, the people who taught in the schools were fluent in JSL, usually high school American graduates, and generally paid for maintenance costs to keep schools running. They did not evangelize.

The religious organizations also built schools but heavily relied on interpreters instead of learning JSL to teach the Deaf Jamaican students. Teachers often taught in religious instruction. These organizations even went so far to build deaf villages where the deaf community could earn wages at an on-site factory and raise their families.

None of the organizations had Deaf Americans serving and helping to implement educational plans in Jamaica. This did not go by unnoticed by Deaf Jamaican community. There were many suggestions by them when it came down to analyzing effectiveness of American organizations, to start hiring Deaf Americans to serve as role models and instructors in their schools. Deaf culture was neither taught nor encouraged in any of the new schools built. Generally the Deaf Jamaican culture felt as if they were between a rock and a hard place. Their own government would not put funds aside for educating people with disabilities so they had no choice but to be grateful for the American assistance. Still this bred dependency that the Deaf Jamaicans did not enjoy. Being kept dependent, Deaf Jamaicans could not feel the freedom of doing for themselves or have the opportunity to learn about Deaf empowerment. Many felt they were being segregated when “deaf villages” were built for them. Deaf teachers and deaf leaders in America wonder why the administration never contacted them for their input since Jamaican Deaf culture obviously demanded and respected American Deaf people more than the ones that surrounded them.

However there are now signs of progress to implement better conditions. More Deaf Americans are being encouraged to be recruited to enroll in international development degree programs. Deaf Jamaican organizations have invited Deaf professionals to make short visits and take back with them the knowledge of how to educate about Jamaican Deaf culture to the American Deaf mainstream. More American volunteer organizations are becoming inclusive of deaf people to send overseas and educate those with disabilities. The Deaf Jamaicans are learning to stand up for themselves and be less passive regarding JSL almost being wiped and replaced with ASL in some of the schools recently established there.

In conclusion, it should not be about whether or not a Deaf Jamaican was converted to some American religious serving agenda but instead we should try harder to learn about their culture and learn their language. We are being sent over there to help them empower themselves. To give them the tools to become self-sustaining would serve the community in the long run than to keep them dependent on outside services. Our services should not have to involve the annihilation of a beautiful already existing culture. There are bridges that could be built so an understanding of both cultures can be reached and grounds for mutual respect and teamwork established.