Summary of organisation: The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) provides high quality specialized educational programs for children aged 0-18 years who have hearing and/or vision impairment, including services for children with additional disabilities. Each year, over 800 children and their families receive support through our Early Childhood Services and School Age Services across Sydney and a remote service for families in regional areas across Australia.
About the project: RIDBC is seeking funding for the purchase 15 iPods + 15 Screen Films for a total amount of $9,429. This project is to provide Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to children and families of RIDBC Thomas Pattison School on an iPod so they can learn the language using current portable technology. The project aims to teach Auslan to families, who need to learn Auslan, to benefit the social, cognitive and language needs of a deaf signing child, to enhance communication opportunities within families and children and better prepare deaf children for their educational pathway. Parents and young deaf children of the RIDBC Thomas Pattison School and service providers working with deaf people will benefit from this project. An expected outcome will be:
• Parents/siblings/extended family members will be able to converse with the deaf child..
• Family members will be able to assist the deaf child to acquire language through Auslan.
It is hope that, upon approval of the grant, this project can be implemented as soon as possible.
Website: www.ridbc.org.au