Disabilities in DR

Samuel J Jordan · May 23, 2004

I am an educator in New Jersey, US, and am gathering impressions and interpretations about physical and learning disabilities in DR. The goal is to be able to tell US special educators about the cultural considerationsb they should have when working with Dominican families here in the US.

Does anyone have opinions or impressions about what it means in DR to have a disability and what the life experience of a disabled person is? I would appreciate any perspectives.

MaineGirl · May 23, 2004

Samuel J Jordan said:
I am an educator in New Jersey, US, and am gathering impressions and interpretations about physical and learning disabilities in DR. The goal is to be able to tell US special educators about the cultural considerationsb they should have when working with Dominican families here in the US.

Does anyone have opinions or impressions about what it means in DR to have a disability and what the life experience of a disabled person is? I would appreciate any perspectives.

There are a few people on this board who have worked with deaf and hard-of-hearing kids in the DR, myself included. Being married to a deaf guy, I can compare the two cultural experiences (American mindset towards deafness and Dominican mindset.) Again, my scope is small as I only have two people from which to draw my conclusions. BUt I'm willing to chat about it.

There was also a recent poster who moved to the DR with her kids, one of whom had Down's Syndrome, if I am not mistaken. Maybe she'll see this and jump in on the talk.

I'm a teacher, too, by the way

.

I'll post more after supper, estoy muriendo de hambre!

Ken · May 23, 2004

What sort of disabilities are you asking about? Every imaginable sort to handicapping condion can be found here. Most noticeable are the severe physical disabilities. There are few if any programs for these people so you see them on the street with their deformities, missing limbs, etc., etc. About all there is for the most severely handicapped to do is to beg. Take the people who must travel the streets on their hands and knees until reaching where they plan to spend the day begging. Then they prop themselves up, put out their paper cup or tin can, and hope it collects a few pesos. You might want to talk with people like this to see what it means to have a disability.

Escott · May 23, 2004

I have noticed Dominicans giving pesos to the people Ken mentions. Sometimes I was surprised when the people were only making a few thousand pesos a month giving away money.

Scott

PS> It also may be wise to consult with other people in your field in Washington Heights and the Bronx for the best answers to your questions and to fill you in on required research. I had a friend visit me recently for the second time this year who is a Speech Therapist in NY who may be able to give you some feedback whos email I would gladly give you via pm if you would like.

Rosanie · May 24, 2004

DA persons in DR

Some of the posters have already mentioned that there is a lack of programs or services for those who are Disabled. They live a hard life and rely on family and strangers to give them money and support - I have not yet seen a Disabled person with a job. There is some hope. Many organizations from the US and Canada are in the DR working with different disabled groups. For example, The Rotary Club has contributed many dollars and people to help the School for the Deaf in Puerto Plata. I believe that change will come from Education and Awareness. This new generation of Deaf children are determined to live fully and have the same opportunities others their age have.

Their biggest barrier lies with ATTITUDE.

Rosanie

mainer · May 24, 2004

MaineGirl said:
There was also a recent poster who moved to the DR with her kids, one of whom had Down's Syndrome, if I am not mistaken. Maybe she'll see this and jump in on the talk.

I don't think that the way that my daughter was treated in the DR is a fair representation of how disabled Dominicans live. My daughter is small for her age and pretty bright. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes with a very sweet disposition. She had HB's heart from the moment that she met him. During the four months that we were there, she was treated like a national treasure by everyone that we met. No wonder she loves the DR so much!!!

Once the Dominican employees in the complex found out that she has a disability, they became very protective of her and treated her as though she was their special child. They were very good to all of the children, but it was obviously different with my daughter. We homeschooled our children, and the Dominicans were very surprised that we did not want to put our son in school. There was never any question about putting our daughter in. When I was going to volunteer at the school, it was assumed that she would be left home with a muchacha. The Dominicans were very surprised to learn that I intended to take her with me. This is keeping in mind that my daughter can read and write well, while some of the Dominicans we knew were illiterate.

We talked about starting some sort of special ed or tutoring center at Colegio Nueva Vida, but I moved back to the States before anything had begun. I believe that children with milder handicaps are put right into the regular school system. Children with obvious or more severe disabilities are just kept at home with no thought of an education. There appears to be little or no knowledge of various learning abilities. We only visited one public school. All of the kids of a grade level were in one classroom. Those that could learn did; those that couldn't didn't. The children were taught in Spanish, but from what I understood, these kids were WAY behind the average US school, so a child with learning disabilities would not stand out anyway. There were children ages 5 and 6 who were just learning to color. They did not yet know the names of the colors. Children 8 and 9 were learning to write their numbers. I would think that a parent who is accustomed to a school system such as that would be shocked for you to say that a child is "special needs" because he is not ready to read at age 5 or 6.

I agree with Ken about the people with severe disabilities. There is a young boy (maybe 10yrs old) who collects fares on a guagua between Cabarete and Sosua. Otherwise, we did not see anyone with severe disabilites working, just begging.

After all this rambling, I will say that I know very little about the Dominican education system.

Mainer

Mongoose · May 26, 2004

working with disabilities

Hi I worked out in Buenos Aires, Herrera last year at a home for adults and adolescents with both phyisical and learning difficulties and also taught at a small special needs school run by the same charity, they also run a workshop for the adults both from the homes and the local community where they make cards adn some craft things to be sold. This was a wonderful place to work and we lived as a family.

On my weekends I also voluntered over my weekends to work at what is more commonly avaliable for people with disabiloities in the Dr if they are able to access anything at all this was hogares de luby, i believe they have three home, one in Santiago i know of. They are large homes that ahve a lot of people living in them in santo domingo there were 96 residents from small babies lots with hydrocephalys, cerebral palsy, muscle wasting disorders and lots more to old adults. The staff there do there best but there were only 8 of them and only two on nights so it is very difficult and they have very little money and resources and the methods they use are not always appropriate.

As for differences in working with their families one thing i found important to remember was that ecspesially in the poorer areas their families and parents cannot read and write and many do not see the point of sending them to school as they do not see how they are going to learn and they are never likely to be able to work.

Children out here that i worked with have a lot of resiliance and hope and are more than capable of learning things although there is no formal curriculum so many are not taught successfully and the methods that are chosen need to be carefully considered due to limited resources. Hope that this helps sorry to waffle on. if you need anymore information my email is hannahldavies@hotmail.com

MaineGirl · May 26, 2004

Ok, I had my dinner and can now relate with full tummy my experiences/observations.

My husband went to Puerto Plata about three years ago on a missions trip. He is 90% hard of hearing. He reads lips and uses sign language and any other visual clues. I was not with him and I am the Spanish speaker.

Long story short, he left his hearing aids on the beach, in a bag (along with my Pentax, grrr.) It got lifted and suddenly he was in a silent world in new country.

Dominican people took to him kindly, wrote things down for him, spoke slowly so he could try and lip-read Spanish. End result, he felt very positive about the experience. He does not get that kind of courtesy in the States. Mostly because he does not wear a sign that says "I can't hear you." He fakes it pretty well--in fact he faked it so well as a kid, for a few years they thought he was "slow" (mom's words) and one day they figured he was deaf and in fact very, very bright! Then came the barrage of "what services, how do we teach him, what will serve him best". This is the US. Special ed, special services, Boy's Town. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from RIT. Thanks to persevering parents and the American mentality that has recently formed that people like Jason deserve an opportunity even if they achieve it differently than others.

Jason and I went to the DR together a year after his first trip (with new digitals in, he got to hear the birds singing that year). We made friends with a little deaf girl from Luperon. Her parents knew she was deaf but had not the money to seek any medical help. Through help from people on this board (bless you a million times over) we got her tested and she is deaf, deaf, deaf. We were able to teach her some sign language and gave her a lot of "work at home" materials...because in the second grade, they told her she could not keep going to school because the teachers couldn't teach her. Now you know and I know that she is perfectly teachable, it is just not the route that 99% of the kids take to learn.

While we were in Luperon we walked through the town and met the only other deaf man there. He was not working, could not communicate in sign, could not speak, and our hosts were clearly embarassed we spent a good 20 minutes trying to talk to him.

So, my husband in the US got years of speech therapy, a note-taker, an interpreter, and anything else he needed. His schooling was paid for through the state, all through college (vocational rehab.) He owns his own business and is a success by American dream standards.

Damalbi in Luperon left school in the second grade and her mother's hope for her is that she can find a decent vocation and not end up like the local deaf guy who wanders the streets.

My Dominican hosts in Puerto Plata think I am a little crazy to try and help this girl.

She is a valuable precious child who will grow up quickly and I want her to know that she can learn to be a rocket scientist if her heart desires. Or, if she just wants to do hair, as long as she is has self-esteem, that's what matters. her mother is very progressive and super supportive. The mom is one of the most amazing ladies I have met. Damalbi is her oldest and healthiest child. Everyone in the family loves Damalbi but very few members of her family/community see a future for her.

That's my 50 cents.

Samuel J Jordan · May 27, 2004

Good Idea

Your idea is a good one.

Ken said:
What sort of disabilities are you asking about? Every imaginable sort to handicapping condion can be found here. Most noticeable are the severe physical disabilities. There are few if any programs for these people so you see them on the street with their deformities, missing limbs, etc., etc. About all there is for the most severely handicapped to do is to beg. Take the people who must travel the streets on their hands and knees until reaching where they plan to spend the day begging. Then they prop themselves up, put out their paper cup or tin can, and hope it collects a few pesos. You might want to talk with people like this to see what it means to have a disability.

Samuel J Jordan · May 27, 2004

Thank you

Thank you for your insights and personal story. It gives some confirmation to what I have thought might be going on. Can you tell me more about who you spoke with when you were pursuing special education classes for your daughter?

-Sam Jordan

mainer said:
I don't think that the way that my daughter was treated in the DR is a fair representation of how disabled Dominicans live. My daughter is small for her age and pretty bright. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes with a very sweet disposition. She had HB's heart from the moment that she met him. During the four months that we were there, she was treated like a national treasure by everyone that we met. No wonder she loves the DR so much!!!

Once the Dominican employees in the complex found out that she has a disability, they became very protective of her and treated her as though she was their special child. They were very good to all of the children, but it was obviously different with my daughter. We homeschooled our children, and the Dominicans were very surprised that we did not want to put our son in school. There was never any question about putting our daughter in. When I was going to volunteer at the school, it was assumed that she would be left home with a muchacha. The Dominicans were very surprised to learn that I intended to take her with me. This is keeping in mind that my daughter can read and write well, while some of the Dominicans we knew were illiterate.

We talked about starting some sort of special ed or tutoring center at Colegio Nueva Vida, but I moved back to the States before anything had begun. I believe that children with milder handicaps are put right into the regular school system. Children with obvious or more severe disabilities are just kept at home with no thought of an education. There appears to be little or no knowledge of various learning abilities. We only visited one public school. All of the kids of a grade level were in one classroom. Those that could learn did; those that couldn't didn't. The children were taught in Spanish, but from what I understood, these kids were WAY behind the average US school, so a child with learning disabilities would not stand out anyway. There were children ages 5 and 6 who were just learning to color. They did not yet know the names of the colors. Children 8 and 9 were learning to write their numbers. I would think that a parent who is accustomed to a school system such as that would be shocked for you to say that a child is "special needs" because he is not ready to read at age 5 or 6.

I agree with Ken about the people with severe disabilities. There is a young boy (maybe 10yrs old) who collects fares on a guagua between Cabarete and Sosua. Otherwise, we did not see anyone with severe disabilites working, just begging.

After all this rambling, I will say that I know very little about the Dominican education system.

Mainer

Samuel J Jordan · May 27, 2004

Thank you

you gave me a great deal to work with. I would like to visit the homes you spoke of. Do you think that they would be open to visitors? Can you share some directions? Thanks very much.

-Sam Jordan

Mongoose said:
Hi I worked out in Buenos Aires, Herrera last year at a home for adults and adolescents with both phyisical and learning difficulties and also taught at a small special needs school run by the same charity, they also run a workshop for the adults both from the homes and the local community where they make cards adn some craft things to be sold. This was a wonderful place to work and we lived as a family.

On my weekends I also voluntered over my weekends to work at what is more commonly avaliable for people with disabiloities in the Dr if they are able to access anything at all this was hogares de luby, i believe they have three home, one in Santiago i know of. They are large homes that ahve a lot of people living in them in santo domingo there were 96 residents from small babies lots with hydrocephalys, cerebral palsy, muscle wasting disorders and lots more to old adults. The staff there do there best but there were only 8 of them and only two on nights so it is very difficult and they have very little money and resources and the methods they use are not always appropriate.

As for differences in working with their families one thing i found important to remember was that ecspesially in the poorer areas their families and parents cannot read and write and many do not see the point of sending them to school as they do not see how they are going to learn and they are never likely to be able to work.

Children out here that i worked with have a lot of resiliance and hope and are more than capable of learning things although there is no formal curriculum so many are not taught successfully and the methods that are chosen need to be carefully considered due to limited resources. Hope that this helps sorry to waffle on. if you need anymore information my email is hannahldavies@hotmail.com

Samuel J Jordan · May 27, 2004

Thank you

It sounds like there is a pervasive mindset that the existence of a disability inherently determines a limited future. That mindset is alive and well in the US too, but there is enough advocacy to counter it in many cases. I am getting the feeling that poverty and illteracy is the key to the equation. I find that here in the US too. The poorer communities tend to have the least amount of services and expecations, while the afluent communities are demanding every service their child can possibly benefit from.

Thank you for your insights and personal story. Your work with this little girl is very important. Your are giving her a better chance. I wish you luck.

If you can think of any locations that I might visit while in the DR relating to this whole issue, I would appreciate the suggestions.

Take care.

-Sam Jordan

MaineGirl said:
Ok, I had my dinner and can now relate with full tummy my experiences/observations.

My husband went to Puerto Plata about three years ago on a missions trip. He is 90% hard of hearing. He reads lips and uses sign language and any other visual clues. I was not with him and I am the Spanish speaker.

Long story short, he left his hearing aids on the beach, in a bag (along with my Pentax, grrr.) It got lifted and suddenly he was in a silent world in new country.

Dominican people took to him kindly, wrote things down for him, spoke slowly so he could try and lip-read Spanish. End result, he felt very positive about the experience. He does not get that kind of courtesy in the States. Mostly because he does not wear a sign that says "I can't hear you." He fakes it pretty well--in fact he faked it so well as a kid, for a few years they thought he was "slow" (mom's words) and one day they figured he was deaf and in fact very, very bright! Then came the barrage of "what services, how do we teach him, what will serve him best". This is the US. Special ed, special services, Boy's Town. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from RIT. Thanks to persevering parents and the American mentality that has recently formed that people like Jason deserve an opportunity even if they achieve it differently than others.

Jason and I went to the DR together a year after his first trip (with new digitals in, he got to hear the birds singing that year). We made friends with a little deaf girl from Luperon. Her parents knew she was deaf but had not the money to seek any medical help. Through help from people on this board (bless you a million times over) we got her tested and she is deaf, deaf, deaf. We were able to teach her some sign language and gave her a lot of "work at home" materials...because in the second grade, they told her she could not keep going to school because the teachers couldn't teach her. Now you know and I know that she is perfectly teachable, it is just not the route that 99% of the kids take to learn.

While we were in Luperon we walked through the town and met the only other deaf man there. He was not working, could not communicate in sign, could not speak, and our hosts were clearly embarassed we spent a good 20 minutes trying to talk to him.

So, my husband in the US got years of speech therapy, a note-taker, an interpreter, and anything else he needed. His schooling was paid for through the state, all through college (vocational rehab.) He owns his own business and is a success by American dream standards.

Damalbi in Luperon left school in the second grade and her mother's hope for her is that she can find a decent vocation and not end up like the local deaf guy who wanders the streets.

My Dominican hosts in Puerto Plata think I am a little crazy to try and help this girl.

She is a valuable precious child who will grow up quickly and I want her to know that she can learn to be a rocket scientist if her heart desires. Or, if she just wants to do hair, as long as she is has self-esteem, that's what matters. her mother is very progressive and super supportive. The mom is one of the most amazing ladies I have met. Damalbi is her oldest and healthiest child. Everyone in the family loves Damalbi but very few members of her family/community see a future for her.

That's my 50 cents.

Mongoose · May 28, 2004

visiting

I am sure they would welcome you visiting, i am going back out in august for a couple of months aswell. Hogares de luby is on calle Dr Defillo just past 27de Febrero also on the same street is the Dominican association for Down Syndrome where i attended some interesting courses, they are both on the same block.

El Arca where i was working for the year is part of the wider oranisation of L'arche that has communities all over the world including the states. This is in buenas aires herrera off of calle mexico their email is arcadom@codetel.net.do the director is Maria Elvira she will be very helpful Im sure.

Hope that you manage to get in a view visits it is very interesting and all three organisation provide a great contrast.

Samuel J Jordan · Jun 19, 2004

Are there any more opinions/comments out there?

Samuel J Jordan said:
I am an educator in New Jersey, US, and am gathering impressions and interpretations about physical and learning disabilities in DR. The goal is to be able to tell US special educators about the cultural considerationsb they should have when working with Dominican families here in the US.

Does anyone have opinions or impressions about what it means in DR to have a disability and what the life experience of a disabled person is? I would appreciate any perspectives.

Are there any more opinions or comments out there on this subject? I need help finding people to talk with who are special education teachers or care givers in DR. Any help is appreciated.

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