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MARVIN MANDEL, Governor 3673
No. 5
(House Joint Resolution 1)
A House Joint Resolution concerning
Teaching of Sign Language
FOR the purpose of requesting the Department of Education
to study the feasibility of including the Language
of Signs and/or other means of communication as part
of the language curriculum in public schools.
Among the major handicapping conditions, deafness is
probably the least understood. This is true, at least in
part, because of the fact that deafness strikes at one of
the most fundamental things that people do, which is to
communicate.
Deafness tends to be an invisible handicap and its
impact upon the individual is little appreciated or
understood by the public-at-large.
Traditionally, one of the major problems facing deaf
people has been the lack of public understanding. This
results in a relative insensitivity to the basic needs
and the special needs of this unique population.
Lack of public awareness and understanding also
permits subtle, as well as overt discrimination. This
discrimination affects almost all areas of a deaf
person's social, economic, and educational life.
Public awareness of the problem of the deaf could be
increased by educating young people in the public
schools; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
the State Department of Education study the feasibility
of including the Language of Signs and/or other means of
communication used by deaf persons to communicate as part
of or an elective in the public school language
curriculum; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to
the Governor, Honorable Marvin Mandel; the Secretary of
Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Neil Solomon; and the
State Superintendent of Schools Designate, Honorable
David W. Hornbeck.
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Approved April 12, 1977.
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