School for the deaf
The school for the deaf offers children of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn and develop in all school subjects.
Most of the children come from Jordan, although some also come from neighbouring Arab countries. As the vast majority of the children live too far away, they live at the boarding school, although there are also a few day pupils.
The school offers four levels of education:
- Kindergarten
- primary school
- secondary school
- upper school with the opportunity to take the Jordanian Abitur
From secondary school onwards, children can do vocational training at the same time. If they decide to take the Jordanian Abitur, they then have the opportunity to go to university.
In addition to the classrooms, the school has a staff and student library, a computer room and a nature study room, as well as rooms for technical and textile design. There is also a gym in the basement, a playground with many play options and an enclosure with various animals.
Deafblind department
The deafblind department of the HLID is the only opportunity for deafblind children in the Middle East to receive an education. It offers them education and care and aims to prepare them as well as possible for an independent life.
It is not known exactly how many deafblind children there are in the region, but the need is greater than can currently be met. Due to the limitation of not being able to see and hear, there are many different needs to consider and the HLID has gathered a lot of expertise on this since 2001, designing rooms and creating materials accordingly.
The deafblind department offers the children a homely environment with round-the-clock care. The lessons are directly related to the reality of their lives and they receive individualised support so that they can develop independence.
An important part of the lessons is learning tactile sign language. As a deaf-blind person cannot see signs, tactile sign language is used. In tactile signing, the hands of both people touch and so the deafblind person can feel what the other person wants to say. The communication repertoire is later expanded to include finger spelling and Braille (Braille for the blind).
Boarding school
The boarding school is a second home for the children, where they can feel safe and valued. They are encouraged and supported to develop their full potential.
This includes developing an understanding of community and good behaviour towards each other. The older children are therefore responsible for taking responsibility for the younger ones and helping them.
Boys and girls are also taught basic household skills by being allowed to help in the kitchen or take on other tasks such as tidying up.
Vocational training
In addition to the theoretical education offered at the school for the deaf, the children at HLID are also encouraged to develop their practical talents, which is why various training programmes are offered in the following areas:
- Carpet weaving
- Tailoring and embroidery
- Pottery and mosaic making
- Cookery
- Carpentry
- Metalwork
- Car mechanics
- Childcare
- Special needs education
Most of the available areas currently focus on manual labour. The institute hopes to be able to expand the selection in the future.
Completing a training programme has already enabled many people to successfully apply for a job. The fact that the unemployment rate among deaf people with good vocational training is far below the national average is testimony to the success of the programme.
Audiology
The audiology department offers a variety of audiological services and provides support even if some people cannot afford the actual price. Some people do not have health insurance and cannot afford treatment.
The department offers examination, diagnosis and counselling services, as well as the sale and repair of hearing aids at reasonable prices.
In 2003, Audiology began a national programme with a number of local and international partners to detect deafness at an early age, even before birth. The Ministry of Health is now responsible for implementing this programme throughout the country wherever possible.
The audiology department also offers training opportunities in audiology, hearing aids and hearing aid technology. Remarkable detail: most of the earpiece technicians are deaf themselves.
Field service
Hundreds of children with hearing and speech impairments have taken part in the field service’s various programmes in recent years. There are various teams and facilities that are in great demand.
The Institute’s field service promotes:
School integration
School integration is offered in state schools in co-operation with the Ministry of Education. The Institute helps to integrate these children into a normal class.
Community-based rehabilitation
The Institute tries to co-operate with local institutions such as clinics, hospitals and schools, as well as factories and local businesses. The aim is to promote the integration of disabled children into their environment as much as possible. Employees from both public and private organisations are trained for this purpose.
Education
Educational and integration support programmes make it possible to learn how to use sign language and provide support for other disabilities.
Refugee work
Since 2013, HLID has had a centre for disabled children in the refugee camp in Zaatari and one in Azraq on the Syrian-Jordanian border.
Disabled children are the most injured people in the camp. Since the start of its work, the centre has helped more than 3,000 children, as well as young and older people with hearing, sight or mental health problems. Every day, 75 children come to the centre to be provided with hearing aids, therapy, education or just for the support and friendship of the HLID staff.
Low budgets and overstretched staff in the camps mean that refugees with special needs are too often overlooked in the ever-increasing efforts.
Language development
The Department of Language Development focuses on researching and developing sign language. To this end, teaching materials are produced and a sign language dictionary is maintained. This is marketed under the title ‘Introduction to the Grammar of Jordanian Sign Language’ and there are already several editions.
It is also possible to take various sign language courses and become a certified interpreter for Arabic sign language.
Over a hundred people are taught sign language every year. The courses are attended by employees and guests of the HLID as well as students from universities or parents or other family members of deaf children.
