THE HEARING-IMPAIRED, UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM

The National Curriculum seemed to offer access to a broad and balanced curriculum for all children including those with special needs such a s hearing-impaired pupils. In practice, questions have been raised whi ch cast serious doubts as to the validity of the National Curriculum f or some groups. Without additional resources, such as specialist teach ers and ancillary staff, hearing-impaired children may be exposed to t he National Curriculum without having genuine access to it. Furthermor e, the introduction of the competitive market into education through l ocal management of schools, testing and league tables of school result s may have damaging consequences for deaf children. in situations of c ompetition there are bound to be winners and losers with almost certai nly many hearing-impaired pupils failing into the latter category. The re are also genuine concerns about the impact this could have on the s elf-confidence and motivation of these children. Effective integration may also therefore be illusory. There is a growing suspicion that the National Curriculum may be nothing more than an ideological smokescre en, behind which the selective system of the old grammar schools is be ing re-introduced. If this is so, it has serious implications for the teaching of deaf children.