Deaf and hearing children will share a day-camp experience this summer at 15 YM-YWHA and community centers, according to the UJA-Federation of New York. A grant from the federation will pay for deafness resource consultants at the campsites.
The program is good for both sets of campers, notes Lynn Weintraub, a Lexington School for the Deaf teacher who coordinates the sessions.The children with good hearing learn the language of signs, and they find out firsthand that deaf people have the same abilities for learning, friendship and fun as they do, she said. The hearing-impaired youngsters learn to work and play with children who do not share their impairment.
The children without hearing difficulties will learn through stories and books what it means to be deaf.