Training and Education in the Dominican Republic

January 20, 2014/in News /by Greater Voice

Over 70 volunteer teachers, parents and audiologists have partnered with Greater Voice since 2002. From introductory workshops on hearing health and oral deaf education to specific professional development initiatives in listening and spoken language development, early identification, classroom acoustics, audiology services, hearing aid donations, cochlear implants, literacy development, mainstream inclusion, parent education and empowerment, and whole child development Greater Voice has inspired parents, communities, teachers and schools for the deaf across the Dominican Republic.

Education and training involved a range of support needed by constituents we partnered with in country. Successfully offered by PGV board of directors and volunteer partners, PGV charitable missions included United States based training for Dominicans, teacher immersion in literacy training, and need based education missions. Training missions provided breadth and depth of knowledge to primarily 32 teachers at Instituto de Ayuda al Sordo Santa Rosa and CASSA, and to hundreds of other teachers in the country. Teachers have successfully integrated PGV’s training into the classroom, in private therapy, and to families. The needs of children with cochlear implants and hearing aids is greatly needed in this county, and over 15 years PGV has seen tremendous progress. Their first visit recognized only 1 audiologist in the country (2002), and today there are a dozen hearing health centers. Several teachers went on to work for the Ministry of Education, Department of Deaf Education, and have shared their knowledge to engage teachers of the deaf throughout the country. Teachers have also established private therapy to serve families of children with cochlear implants.

Places PGV primarily supported include: Santo Domingo, San Andres, Boca Chica, La Romana, Mocca, Santiago, Los Alcarrizos.  Special thanks and gratitude is given to our major in-country partner Sra. Onelia Aybar at Instituto de Ayuda al Sordo Santa Rosa, during her tenure as director of this school.