TOLEDO, Ohio — A local school is doing what it can to make sure students of all abilities have access to learn and grow with some unique programming for kids who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Sign language is a way of life at Oakdale Elementary and for more than 40 years, the school has offered a specialized program to help deaf and hard-of-hearing students improve both their speaking and American Sign Language.
"It's a mix of signs with my voiced English. So that way the kids that are hard of hearing, that depend on the voicing more, can have access to the English. The students that need signing have access to the signs at the same time," classroom interpreter and student-teacher, Ashley Bragg, said.
The program is available for preschool through eighth-grade students throughout northwest Ohio.
The students aren't separated from students who can hear. Instead, they are integrated so both hearing and deaf students are able to make connections and learn from each other.
"It's key to have access to communicate. For communication and exposure, it's very important in socializing with the deaf and hearing," language facilitator Tammy DelBrocco said.
The teachers say some days are challenging, but it's all worth it when they see the growth among the students.
"You see great success," pre-school teacher Rachel Dudakavich said. "The data behind students learning and their assessments show that what we do here at Oakdale works."
It's not just the students who benefit from this program. Many of the interpreters have programming and ASL classes outside of school for parents who are hearing but have deaf kids.
"We try our best to teach the kids that they have a community with the hearing community and they have a community with the deaf community. Because deaf is a culture, it's not a disability. It's a culture," Bragg said.
The school wants families to know that deaf and hard-of-hearing students throughout northwest Ohio are welcome.