On 24 April 2024, Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, will mark a historic day for the Flemish deaf community. The Flemish Parliament has approved an amendment to the “basic education” decree, allowing regular schools in Flanders to offer bilingual education in Flemish Sign Language (VGT) and Dutch. This is seen as a significant step towards a more inclusive education system for deaf children.

The Current educational situation for deaf children in Flanders

Until now, deaf children in Flanders have had only two educational options. Firstly, there are the six existing schools for the deaf, where children aged 2.5 to 12 can receive education. “However, the term ‘deaf school’ is misleading,” explains Sammy Van Landuyt, alongside Sara Van Leuven, both of whom are deaf parents of two deaf children. “These are primarily schools for children with disabilities. In the past, more deaf children attended these schools, but that number has now decreased significantly. The children who are there now require specific support.”

While deaf schools provide a valuable meeting place for deaf peers, these children risk having fewer opportunities later in the job market and in higher education. Deaf schools fall under special education, which focuses on promoting as independent a life as possible rather than a broad cognitive development. “Is there equal education? That varies from child to child and school to school,” says Sara Van Leuven. “In a deaf school, there isn’t a single class of deaf children at the same level. Instead, individual support needs are assessed for each child.”

Conversely, deaf children have the option to integrate into regular education, where they can rely on a sign language interpreter during lessons. However, this solution also presents challenges, particularly for families who communicate entirely in sign language at home. Sara explains, “Our children identify most strongly with sign language. Our family and friends are all sign language users. We wonder how our children will communicate with hearing classmates in a mainstream school. Moreover, there is no guarantee that a sign language interpreter will always be present. Our children would likely be the only deaf students in a hearing school environment, without other deaf peers to identify with.”

Co-enrollment as a possible solution?

Doof Vlaanderen, the national association for the deaf in Flanders, has long advocated for quality bilingual education, not only for deaf children but also for hearing children, such as CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults). Recent research in Flanders indicates that co-enrollment is the most suitable form of education. This model involves a regular school organising a bilingual class in which deaf and hearing children learn together. These lessons are taught by a team of both deaf and hearing teachers. An example can be found at the French school Paul Blet in Poitiers, where a hearing teacher and a deaf colleague teach a class with both deaf and hearing children. This bilingual education programme is organised by 2LPE, which stands for “Deux Langues Pour une Éducation.”

Erwan Bourbon, a former student of this school, shares his experience: “Co-enrollment was very positive for me. We were not only with deaf children in the class, but also with hearing children. This allowed us to exchange many ideas, which was very educational. If we had only been with deaf children, we would have remained in our own world. Now we learned what it is like to live and communicate with hearing people, both in writing and in sign language. That gave us a sense of equality.”

However, Bourbon acknowledges that this model also has challenges. “Sometimes there is a difference in pace between the two groups, as the deaf and hearing teachers do not always work fully in sync. There are times when I might ask something of the deaf teacher, while the hearing teacher might provide a more complete answer, or vice versa. Sometimes it seems that a sign language interpreter who translates everything could bring the whole class onto the same page.”

Concerns surrounding co-enrollment

In Flanders, efforts are currently underway to find schools willing to implement co-enrollment. Although Sara and Sammy are hopeful about this educational approach, they also express some concerns. “It is important that deaf children occasionally have their own space,” states Sara. “Hearing children can, for example, go to music lessons, while deaf children receive lessons about deaf identity, deaf culture, and their community. That safe space for deaf children is essential.”

Furthermore, Sammy Van Landuyt emphasises the importance of a good balance between the number of deaf and hearing children in the class. “There needs to be the right ratio. This also depends on the willingness of parents to embrace this system. Many deaf parents sometimes forget to consider the wishes of hearing parents.” According to general figures, 95% of deaf children have hearing parents who are not always convinced of the benefits of bilingual upbringing with sign language. Therefore, Sammy advocates for building more bridges between groups of deaf and hearing parents. “This not only helps the enrolment of deaf children in this educational form but also facilitates contact with deaf role models, which can improve the attitudes of hearing parents.”

What does inclusive education mean for deaf children?

Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) states that States Parties must ensure that deaf and deafblind children learn sign language and receive education in the language that is most suitable for them, in an environment that promotes their optimal development. While this convention acknowledges the rights of deaf children, it leaves open how and where this education should be organised. “Inclusion is often seen by politicians and researchers as bringing together children with and without disabilities,” explains Dr Maartje De Meulder, a deaf researcher at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands). “However, whether that is truly inclusion remains a matter of perspective. The CRPD does not state that separate education for deaf children cannot be inclusion.”

There are also schools that exclusively admit deaf children, such as Heathlands School in St Albans, UK, which provides high-quality education solely for deaf children. However, in Flanders, this approach is sometimes viewed as a form of segregation, as it separates deaf children from their hearing peers. While co-enrollment is preferred in Flanders as the most suitable form of bilingual education for deaf and hearing children together, bilingual education could just as effectively be provided in a deaf school, according to Dr. Maartje De Meulder. “Inclusion does not have to be a fairy tale in which deaf and hearing children are always together in one class. What matters is that deaf children receive the best educational environment, whether that is in a deaf school, bilingual school, or a regular school with a sign language interpreter. The quality must be high, and the teachers must be proficient in sign language. As long as those conditions are met, any form of education can be inclusive, including a deaf school.”

“If a deaf child has to adapt as the only deaf student in a hearing school, that can actually be segregating. The child is physically present, but may feel mentally excluded,” says Dr De Meulder. “Inclusion is not just about physical presence; it’s about the experience and feeling of belonging somewhere.”

LEAD REPORTER – SAM VERSTRAETE
CO-REPORTER –  SARAH MASSIAH
SUPPORTING REPORTER – JORN RIJCKAERT