Deaf Education beyond the Western World: Context, Challenges, and Prospects. Perspectives on Deafness

If teachers want to educate deaf learners effectively, they have to apply evidence-informed methods and didactics with the needs of individual deaf students in mind. Education in general -- and education for deaf learners in particular -- is situated in broader societal contexts, where what works within the Western world may be quite different from what works beyond the Western world. By exploring practice-based and research-based evidence about deaf education in countries that largely have been left out of the international discussion thus far, this volume encourages more researchers in more countries to continue investigating the learning environment of deaf learners, based on the premise of leaving no one behind. Featuring chapters centering on 19 countries, from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe, the volume offers a picture of deaf education from the perspectives of local scholars and teachers who demonstrate best practices and challenges within their respective regional contexts. This volume addresses the notion of learning through the exchange of knowledge; outlines the commonalities and differences between practices and policies in educating deaf and hard-of-hearing learners; and looks ahead to the prospects for the future development of deaf education research in the context of recently adopted international legal frameworks. Stimulating academic exchange regionally and globally among scholars and teachers who are fascinated by and invested in deaf education, this volume strengthens the foundation for further improvement of education for deaf children all around the world. Chapters in the book include: (1) Deaf Education Beyond the Western World: An Introduction (Harry Knoors, Maria Brons, and Marc Marschark); (2) Contemporary Practices in Deaf Education in Nigeria (Julius Abiola Ademokoya); (3) The Evolution of Deaf Education in Namibia (Beausetha J. Bruwer and Pamela J. February); (4) Deaf Education in Ghana (Alexander Mills Oppong and Daniel Fobi); (5) Practices and Challenges in Deaf Education in Kenya (Peter Oracha Adoyo and Everline Nyokabi Maina); (6) Deaf Education in Ethiopia (Tadesse Abera Tedla); (7) The State of Educating Deaf and Hard of Hearing Learners in Inclusive Classrooms in Tanzania (Bernadette Namirembe); (8) Discourses in Deaf Education Policies in Zimbabwe (Martin Musengi); (9) Educational Challenges for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children in Morocco (Abdelhadi Soudi and Corinne Vinopol); (10) Deaf Education in Jordan: Current Situation, Obstacles, and Future Aspirations (Eman Al-Zboon); (11) Education and Services for Deaf People in Viet Nam (Nguyen Thi Hoa and James Woodward); (12) 'Free but Not Fair': A Critical Review of Access to Equal Education to Deaf Children in Sri Lanka (Shyamani Hettiarachchi, M. Dumini K. de Silva, Thilanka Wijesinghe, Brayan Susantha, Geshani Amila, Pubhoda Sarani, and Mohamed Rasak) (13) Deaf Education in Taiwan: History, Policies, Practices and Outcomes (Chun Jung Liu, Hsiu Tan Liu, and Jean F. Andrews); (14) Deaf Education: A Bird's Eye View of India (Kalyani Mandke and Prerna Chandekar); (15) Deaf Education and The Use of Sign Language in China (Dingqian Gu, Ying Liu, and Xirong He); (16) Best Practices and Challenges of Deaf Education in Mexico (Mercedes Obregón Rodríguez and Maribel Valero Weeke); (17) When Inclusion Jeopardizes the Learning Opportunities of Deaf Students: The Case of Chile (María Rosa Lissi, Christian Sebastián, Martín Vergara, and Cristián Iturriaga); (18) Deaf Education in Brazil: Contexts, Challenges, and Perspectives (Cátia de Azevedo Fronza, Lodenir Becker Karnopp, and Marjon Tammenga-Helmantel); (19) Deaf Education in Croatia: Challenges and Perspectives (Iva Hrastinski) (20) More Alike than Different: Educational and Social Aspirations and Paths to Successful Adulthood of Polish Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adolescents (Ewa Domagala-Zysk); and (21) Deaf Education Beyond the Western World: Knowledge Exchange, Good Practices, and Challenges (Maria Brons, Harry Knoors, and Marc Marschark).