Dominicans Train to Help Deaf Children, November 2004

By Faith Tomei, Ipswich Chronicle Staff Writer

Deafness is a handicap. It's difficult for the hard-of-hearing child and for the family. But it's easier to cope in this country, with its relative affluence and sophisticated technology.  In the Dominican Republic, it's an uphill battle to find deaf children the help they need to become independent. But there are enough caring professionals who want to learn more to make a difference in this cash-strapped Caribbean country.

Thanks to the efforts of Joanne Travers, executive director of the Ipswich-based Partners for a Greater Voice, and to generous supporters, opportunities for hearing-impaired Dominicans continue to grow. Eight hearing specialists and educators from the Dominican Republic spent three weeks this fall learning the latest techniques in diagnosing deaf children and teaching them how to speak. Through one-on-one conversations and two in-country planning missions, Travers and others involved in Partners chose professionals with the resolve and leadership skills to make a difference in their country.

Using Ipswich as home base, these women had taken day trips with Travers to Boston Children's Hospital, the state Department of Public Health, and Clarke School for the Deaf. They have learned from experts at the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, HEAR in New Hampshire, A-V Communications Center in Gloucester, Soundworks for Children in Topsfield, the University of New Hampshire, Birth to Three Centers, and many others. With the help of Spanish interpreter Herminia Morillo, presentations were made by over 20 organizations and Dominicans were able to ask relevant and meaningful questions.

The 18-day program for Dominican visitors, funded by donations to Partners, focused on building skills in auditory-oral/verbal therapy while learning about related issues -- audiology, parent advocacy, community outreach, mainstream education, acoustics and technology.

”Limited services are available to the deaf in the Dominican Republic”, Travers said. As the mother of two hard-of-hearing children, she knows that with help the deaf can learn to speak. The Travers children, Tori and Matthew, and with the help of sophisticated hearing aids and coaching from dedicated specialists, have become self-confident, independent learners in a regular classroom.

When the visitors departed from Logan Airport Nov. 12, they had absorbed a lot of information. Each developed an action plan based on their role in helping deaf and hard-of-hearing children in the Dominican Republic. The teachers, administrators, and technicians left brimming with ideas and enthusiasm.  "They learned so much. While they've been working with the deaf for years, they never traveled outside their country. Their vision is changed. They met attorneys and medical professionals who are deaf and successful. They can see the possibilities. And they've made connections with so many new and interesting organizations," Travers said.