For the past ten years, our studentsf choice of universities has gradually become diverse, resulting in more and more students studying in various faculties at college. Some students even go on to graduate schools or study abroad. These are achieved by the efforts made by listening-impaired students themselves, and the teachers and staff assisting such students. We sincerely appreciate this, and at the same time, wefve come to think that along with studentsf academic abilities we need to foster 1) their attitude of managing human relations successfully (having respect for both others and themselves), 2) their communication competence (comprehension and expressiveness through the Japanese language and sign language), 3) their ability to explain to people around them the social barriers that hearing disabilities cause, and 4) their capability of illustrating the importance and concrete measures of ginformation supporth to those with auditory disorders.
We have considered and discussed the situations, contents, and ways of teaching, and have practiced since the school year of 2008 (the school year of Heisei 20 in the Japanese calendar). As a result, we now have a sense of having helped our students change their way of thinking through our career guidance programs such as exchange events with senior high schools of normal hearers (sign language chorus, explanation about auditory disorders), events such as cultural festival (display about hearing disorders, film making), self-care activities (practicing passing along information about hearing disorders to other people), delivery lectures by university teachers (lectures on psychology about improving life skills), lectures by teachers in Kindergarten Department and Elementary School Department (learning the importance of acquiring Japanese), etc.
Also, we have had simulated-experience classes of being hearing impaired at the universities our students have enrolled as support for our students after graduation. This has helped the university teachers and students improve their understanding about hearing impairment. In this manner, this type of support after graduation can help create the supporting system with which hearing-impaired students can learn side by side with hearing-unimpaired students in the same classroom.
We should continue to improve both our career guidance and our support after graduation in order for our students with auditory disorders to further develop their zest for life.