The Current State of Deaf Education in the Dominican Republic

• In Event: 25.074 - Deaf and Hard of Hearing Research Paper Session

Abstract

Though this study was conducted in the Dominican Republic, the research on deaf education and deaf people’s education experiences parallel the experiences in the United States (U.S.) primarily because deaf education in the Dominican Republic was and still to today is heavily influenced by the U.S. church missionaries and the education system (Williams and Park, 2010). There is a dearth of research that studies the implications of language and education experiences of Deaf Dominican Republic students. Dominican Sign Language (Language Sign Dominican-LSD) was derived from American Sign Language (ASL). The primary purpose of the research is to investigate and to understand the current state of education of Deaf Dominicans through the lens of the Deaf community, parents, and children.

Author

• Doris D. Alcantara, Gallaudet University