Category Archives: education

from 1 May 2006 Issue of Japanese Deaf News, JFD’s monthly newspaper:

New Students Begin Freshman Year With High Hopes and Dreams

First Enrollment Ceremony since Its Start as a 4-Year University

Newly enrolled freshmen listen attentively to the speeches

President Ohnuma giving his speech to the students

The Tsukuba University of Technology (NTUT), the first educational institution in the world providing higher education to students with visual and hearing disabilities, held its first Enrollment Ceremony to welcome new freshman-year students since its rebirth as a 4-year university. (Report and photos by Akitoshi Mochida)

On April 7, 2006, the National University Corporation, Tsukuba University of Technology held its Enrollment (Matriculation) Ceremony at the Tsukuba International Conference Center. The Faculty of Industrial Technology, where the Deaf students study, is divided into 2 departments: the Department of Industrial Information (accepting 35 freshmen this year) and the Department of Synthetic Design (accepting 15 new students).

The University’s education is aimed to provide specialized technology to enable students with visual and hearing impairments to lead independent and self-supportive lives and to become leaders who contribute to society.

Continue reading →

from May 2004 Issue of Japanese Deaf News, JFD’s monthly newspaper:

Every year, schools throughout the country employ new teachers to prepare for the new school year (which begins on April 1 in Japan). A survey has revealed that this year, at least 12 Deaf teachers have been employed by the public education system to teach in Deaf schools throughout Japan. It is the first time in history that over 10 Deaf teachers were newly hired in a single year.

12 New Deaf Teachers to Start Teaching in Deaf Schools

The big news is that Deaf teachers have been employed for the first time by 6 prefectures: Iwate, Nagano, Yamanashi, Gifu, Miyazaki, and Nagasaki. Aichi Prefecture has also hired a Deaf teacher for the first time in 70 years. On the island of Kyushu, Deaf teachers specializing in Physical Education and English have been employed.

Continue reading →

from August 2003 Issue of Japanese Deaf News, JFD’s monthly newspaper:

Report on Recent Movements

More and more people are beginning to express concern about the current situation and future of Deaf education. Delegates from different parts of Japan to the General Assembly of the Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD), held in June in Yamanashi Prefecture, actively exchanged opinions on this issue. The General Assembly reached a consensus on the following points: (1) grave concern about the “Special Support Education” policy by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), (2) clarification of JFD’s standpoint concerning the “Human Rights Relief Statement” submitted by the Japan Deaf Children and Parents Association to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, (3) serious apprehensions about the newborn baby auditory screening test and cochlear implants, (4) need to guarantee substantial education to children with combined disabilities, (5) concern about the future of children who received education in a mainstream environment, and others.

The standpoint and views of JFD concerning these issues are explained in the Resolution of the National Congress of the Deaf entitled “Toward the Improvement and Development of Deaf Education”:

Continue reading →

from July 2003 Issue of Japanese Deaf News, JFD’s monthly newspaper:

Protestors Demand Immediate Discontinuation of the Screening Test

The “Symposium on Hearing Screening for Newborn Infants” was held on May 18 at the Tokyo Olympic Youth Center, attended by about 200 people, including teachers of Deaf schools, otolaryngologists, social workers, parents of children with hearing impairments, and members of organizations of the Deaf.

The morning session consisted of presentations by 3 speakers. Mr. Jun Mishina of Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Maternity and Childcare Center showed a video introducing the screening test, and explained that the test enabled early detection. Ms. Keiko Kawasaki of Bukkyo University, Clinical Psychology Research Center explained that a stable relationship between the mother and infant has positive influences on character formation. Ms. Yoko Matubara of Ritsumeikan University Graduate Division, Department of Comprehensive Advanced Academic Research stressed that “those involved would have to present both the risks and benefits of such screening, and work together with the administrative, medical, and other professionals to reevaluate the structure of newborn infant screening.”

Continue reading →

from June 2003 Issue of Japanese Deaf News, JFD’s monthly newspaper:

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Draws Up the Final Report on “Special Needs Education”

On March 28, “The Meeting of Cooperators for Research and Studies on Special Needs Education” drafted its final report on the basic policies concerning education for children with disabilities. The theme of the final report is “(A shift in focus) from places offering education to educational contents to support diversified individual needs”. The report aims to increase educational opportunities within the community, in the context of normalization, giving due respect to the diversified needs arising from severe or combined disabilities and changing situations.

The report aims to maintain the functions of the former specialized education system, while at the same time recommends ways to enable more flexible measures such as the establishment of a consistent counseling system to support children with disabilities and their guardians from infancy until the children graduate from school, the revision of the level of disability for placing children in Deaf schools, etc., provision of a broad range of support to cater for children and students with learning disabilities (LD) and other diversified disabilities. Furthermore, the report stresses the need for education, social welfare, medical, and other related community institutions to offer appropriate support to enable children and students to live independently in the community.

Continue reading →