Study evaluates support to the hearing-impaired

The Gozo Association for the Deaf, with the cooperation of Skola Helen Keller, will be holding a national conference on Saturday at Skola Helen Keller, in Qrendi.

The conference, which will focus on the theme Supporting Parents Of Hearing-Impaired Children Aged Between 15 - 25, will bring a Grundtvig 2 Project to an end.

The project was organised by the Gozo Association for the Deaf, Skola Helen Keller, The Sensory Inclusion Service, Telford, Shropshire, UK and Tullangsskolan, an upper secondary school in Orebro, Sweden.

A questionnaire dealing with the quality of support and counselling on various aspects - audiological, educational, sociological, psychological, advocacy and issues on deafness - was mailed to parents of hearing-impaired children and students aged 15 to 25 years.

During the conference, the coordinators of the project, Andrew Broughton (UK), Asa Andersson (Sweden) and Carmen Grech (Malta), will present an analysis of the findings of the questionnaire. Mr Broughton will also talk about the similarities and differences that result from the response to the questionnaires in the three countries.

Other keynote speakers will include Carmen Cascun, head of Skola Helen Keller, and Joe Sammut, EUPU national coordinator.