It is interesting to see the way German hard of hearing and deaf people reflect on their education and employment experiences. When I was talking to young people and adults with hearing loss in Germany, I noted their response or asked them to answer specific questions via email, which enabled me to make an overview of the current situation in German education and employment.
When it comes to education, the Councils of different Germany lands (Lander) are responsible for education policy. The tendency to integrate education has increased almost everywhere in Germany-- there are more and more schools where hard of hearing people study together with their hearing counterparts. With the recent trend towards educational development for both the deaf and hard of hearing, the use of sign language (previously not practiced in special schools in Berlin and in Hamburg) has become possible. For some, the use of sign language evokes concerns about the quality of education.
"Now they madea specialized school here, Witzleben School, available for both deaf and hard of hearing students, and they can use sign language. But it is still difficult for everyone, because not all teachers can sign." (Ulli, Berlin)
"Education is going to become worse because they are going to put deaf and hard of hearing pupils in one school, not to mention that the quality of education in special schools already suffers in comparison to mainstream." (Jürgen, Hamburg)
As I mentioned in one of my previous articles, to enter the university, all German students have to pass the Abitur (school exit exam that also serves as a university entrance exam). Hard of hearing students have special adjustments:
"Hard of hearing students can take an additional 30 minutes to complete the Abitur, usually this is helpful and enough time for them to succeed." (Ulli, Berlin)
In most specialized schools, Abitur cannot be provided. Only gymnasiums (the German equivalent of U.S. college preparatory high schools) and the Witzleben school for the deaf and hard of hearing, which is located in Berlin, are entitled to provide the Abitur test.
Interestingly enough, the traditional curricula at some special schools in Berlin complement several subjects that encourage active participation and learning about social welfare access:
"Some schools for the deaf and hard of hearing have introduced lessons on how to cope with hearing loss or how to apply for aid from the government." (Jens, Berlin)
Teachers of the deaf in Germany have their own association (Berufsverband Deutscher Horgeschädigtenpädagogen ), www.b-d-h.de. The association has an annual weeklong course on audiology, teaching and technical information that is relevant to instructing deaf or hard of hearing students. Once in every three years, the Teachers of the Deaf organization hosts a national congress that confronts many issues in deaf education.
One reason why inclusive education is progressively developing-- and why more hard of hearing children are willing to exchange the psychological comfort of a specialized school for challenges of a mainstream school-- is the provision of the personal assistant for a deaf or hard of hearing student who attends a regular school. This provision is considered one of the most important advances in the educational system and is a clear indication of the schools' ability to meet the individual needs of a hard of hearing person. The assistant, who is often referred to as an "ambulant teacher", explains the specificity of hearing loss to the student's teachers and discusses the best approaches on how to make the student's learning process smoother.
At this time, personal assistants or counselors are not provided at higher education levels. Hard of hearing young people are faced with the challenge of struggling for their own right to information and education, and especially for the assistive technical equipment:
"Under the age of 18 you can apply for a FM system, induction loop system and sign language interpreter, covered by your health insurance. After you turn 18, you can get these only from an employer or from a university disability council, depending on the severity of your hearing loss. But you can get such equipment mostly only in big universities - if you go for it and ask them." (Jens, Berlin)
An educational sign language interpreter is paid 46 Euros (about U.S. $72 at the current exchange rate) per working hour. Due to a lack of state provisions and funding, both deaf and hard of hearing students have to devise their own strategies for being included in education:
"There are still no induction loop systems in the study halls, not enough captioners, and we have to fight hard for a sign language interpreter as the state does not have enough money to pay for the fees they require." (Olga, Berlin)
In addition to that, the realities of everyday life at a mainstream university show that technical equipment alone is not enough for integration in the study process. Attitudes and general knowledge of the needs of the hard of hearing are the key component of integration. Hearing loss - an "invisible condition" - is not perceived as a serious barrier to education or is not recognized as a disability/sensory limitation at all:
"I asked my math professor to use the FM system and he put it in his trousers. Of course I could not hear anything. I tried to explain him that I am profoundly hard of hearing and need the system to help me to follow the classes, but it did not work. He forgot or did not want to use it. Several weeks later he saw that I was talking to my friend using sign language and said 'Ah! She is deaf! I did not know that.'' (Anonymous, Berlin)
As a general consensus, the public views a person as either deaf or hearing-- there is no middle ground. Stereotypes of deafness or hearing loss are connected with two common misconceptions. First, many people assume that every deaf or hard of hearing person has a working knowledge and use of sign language. Secondly, the public tends to assume that all deaf or hard of hearing people have underdeveloped, unclear or monotonous speech-- or a complete lack of speech ability. Despite the fact that we are redefining relations between disabled people and the state, a lot of time will pass before hard of hearing people are able to explain and prove what technical means are necessary for their inclusion in education and the workplace. In this sense, a hard of hearing person is at a big disadvantage, in contrast to a deaf person who belongs to a social group that is clearly visible through the use of sign language and whose educational needs are more connected with sign language interpretation than with assistive listening technologies. Incidentally, a big step for inclusion of deaf people in Germany was made with the acceptance of German Sign Language (Deutsche Gebärdensprache) as the official language.
If the student is a deaf user of sign language, he or she can take a written exam. Another type of support is direct financial support from the state. German hard of hearing students can get Bafög scholarships, which provide financial support to students younger than 30, but only if their family cannot support their study. For students with disabilities and hard of hearing students, the age limit for state support can be waived. Hard of hearing students recognize that this is a necessary form of support for them while they are pursuing their education, and realize all benefits provided to them by the status of a hard of hearing student. "If not for the Bafög, I would not be able to study here and live on campus. Half of the scholarship has to be paid back to the state, but as a hard of hearing student, I can pay less. This also depends on how good of a student I am," smiles Miriam, a student at Humboldt University in Berlin.
As they leap through the challenges of education, a deaf / hard of hearing person is exposed to the challenges of getting employment and eventually, full recognition of his/her special needs at the workplace. How do people with hearing loss in Germany solve this riddle? We will take an in-depth look with our next installation. Stay tuned!
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