90 area deaf students find normalcy at LISD
By Cody Permenter
Laredo Morning Times
Published: Thursday, October 17, 2013
Belen Villarreal stands at the front of her classroom at Cigarroa Middle School, microphone headset on and hands moving with swift motion.
“Alright everybody, go get the iPads and do a search for Helen Keller,” she says.
Villarreal’s students are doing research on people who are just like them, people who are deaf.
Laredo Independent School District is charged with providing education for 90 deaf students in Webb and Zapata counties.
Since deaf students are far-flung across the state, counties designate one school district to house and educate students. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students have the option of attending Texas School for the Deaf in Austin but many stay in their home areas to be close to family.
“They are just your typical teenagers — they forget their homework … they text and use Facebook,” Villarreal said.
Raul Gomez Jr., LISD special education director, said a new focus on deaf education and awareness has started this year with free American Sign Language classes offered to the community. The classes are held from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Daiches Elementary School library and have had a surge of community support since they started three weeks ago.
SOURCE:
http://www.lmtonline.com/articles/2013/10/17/front/news/doc526093d89c395701710908.txt