Deaf Education Beyond the Western World: An Introduction

Abstract

This introductory chapter outlines the case for focusing on deaf education beyond the Western world. Research into the effectiveness of educational approaches for deaf learners needs to be ecologically situated, because the geopolitical context in which the research is carried out will influence the results. To improve education for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in countries beyond the Western world, it is not sufficient simply to apply research results obtained in countries in the West. To do so is to ignore the specific political, economic, and cultural contexts in a given situation, risking a mismatch between findings and needs or, at worst, the potential to do significant harm, either in the short term or the long term. Rather, we must focus on the specific, local contexts in which deaf education is situated, together with any international obligations that might influence how education is to be conducted in these contexts. To build a context for the interpretation of the chapters in this volume, attention is given to the relationship between poverty and disability, to international policy frameworks influencing educational practices all over the globe, to the worldwide advocacy of inclusive education, and to development cooperation. In addition, data are given about the prevalence of hearing loss in children in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Middle and Latin America.