Abstract:

We present a two-year study (2012-2014) on special education centers that offer Job training programs (FT) to students with hearing disabilities in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. We used several techniques such as questionnaires, semi directed interviews and focus groups. All these materials have been recorded on video and then transcribed. A Mexican Sign Language (LSM) interpreter supported us, in order to be able to communicate with deaf LSM users.
This study has been focused on FT workshops and on identifying CAM Sabino Cruz’s center needs. In this center, we interviewed a total of 27 people: managers, professionals, deaf graduates and parents. The review also includes 10 external deaf participants (teachers, graduates and employees).

The results describe all the strengths, needs and constraints of the center. As strengths, we identified: A secondary education curriculum designed to special needs, training courses to all the Mexican Sign Language (LSM) teachers and, teaching the deaf a profession, and, furthermore, giving them some workshops as a tool to support their learning.

Among the main needs of CAM are: the renewal/replacement of electronic material support for education, including a teacher as a “deaf model” within the Center, the presence of an audiologist at the Center, and getting some materials for the workshops. On the other hand, parents have proposed the students to carry out a year of social service once they reach the third year of secondary school. Within the limitations of CAM; they said that changes in the national education policy, have been less convenient for Deaf students because when students with other disabilities where allowed to enroll in this center, all those services that had been offered for kinder garden deaf students were lost. Therefore, the kindergarten path to elementary school was interrupted in the CAM. There have been profound differences in the students’ academic improvement and achievement; the LSM management levels among the students have decreased because of prior LSM teaching deficiency. According to their experience, graduates give recommendation on how to optimize those courses given to Secondary school students.

The main focus is on four workshops:
1) Workshop on Deaf Culture that includes fundamentals of the history of Mexico, fundamentals of video recording and fundamentals of law.
2) Language Workshop: American Sign Language and International Sign Language System.
3) Biology workshop and basic processes. 4) Psychology workshop: Teaching the students Deaf identity, self-esteem and healthy relationships.

The results of this research also show the demand for interpreters in order for the students to achieve a higher level and educational and professional success. The interviewees point out that it is important to implement new strategies to integrate Deaf learners in the classroom and in the workplace. For example, getting support from a fellow listener, the location of certain students in the front rows of the classroom, support on lip reading and mandatory tutoring.

In the workplace, the interviewees remarked that a module within the company for the orientation of the Deaf person is necessary.

Keywords:

Mexican Sign Language (LSM), job training, educational response, secondary education, deaf users of LSM and optimization of services.