Using Available Resources in Programs for Hearing-Impaired Children Overseas

M. Clark
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

There is a worldwide outcry about lack of resources in almost every area of life. Wi thout doub t we could all do more if we had more resources and this is particularly t rue in our special field of providing adequate services for hearing-impaired children. Nevertheless, one of the biggest lessons the author has learned since becoming involved in in ternat ional work, especially in developing countries, is jus t how m u c h can be achieved with amazingly limited resources. Our concepts of needs and of resources are relative to our s tandards of living. If an area has no electricity with which to recharge batteries for FM systems and no funds with which to provide the necessary battery back u p for such a system, then the lack of an FM system is no t something on which one dwells. If there is no regular supply of water, steps have to be taken to ensure that there is a sufficient storage facility to supply water for the making of ear molds at any time. Does it surprise you to know that in the middle of the Anatolian Plain in central Turkey no child has to wait for longer than 24 hours to receive a well-fitting ear mold, but that in more affluent countries, 2 or even 3 weeks may elapse between the taking of the impression for the mold and the delivery of the mold to the child. The constant outcry about lack of resources and poor facilities of one kind or another can often mask more basic problems. What really counts in the end is the quality of the human resources who manage all the other. Do they have their priorities right? As we are well aware, no t all hearingimpaired chi ldren in "developed countries" have the opportuni ty to reach a level of spoken language that is functional for life in society at large. All too few of them come th rough to a level of academic success that is compatible with their innate ability. Yet, in some "developing countries," due to discontent with their existing provision or lack of any provision, to their having a vision of a bet ter system and the courage, determination, and tenacity to implement that system, professionals are using their resources in such a way that they are bui lding u p programs that surpass in quality, many of the programs in "developed countries." This is a far cry from the attitudes of some professionals from more affluent countries who feel that anything is bet ter than no th ing for poore r countries and who dabble there , offering only second best. The au thor has always held a contrary view. H e r exper ience is proving that, in difficult situations where resources are really scarce, it is possible to p roduce high-quality programs provided that a long-term plan is made . This must be
利用海外听障儿童项目的可用资源
几乎在生活的每一个领域,资源的匮乏都引起了全世界的强烈抗议。毫无疑问,如果我们有更多的资源,我们都可以做得更多,特别是在我们为听障儿童提供充分服务的特殊领域。然而,自参与国际工作,特别是在发展中国家的工作以来,作者学到的最大教训之一就是如何在有限的资源下实现这些目标。我们对需求和资源的概念与我们的生活水平有关。如果一个地区没有电力为调频系统充电,也没有资金为调频系统提供必要的电池备用电源,那么缺乏调频系统就不是人们居住的地方。如果没有定期供水,必须采取措施,确保有足够的储存设施,以便随时为制造耳模供水。在土耳其中部的安纳托利亚平原中部,没有孩子需要等待超过24小时才能得到一个合适的耳朵模具,但在更富裕的国家,从取模到把模具交给孩子可能需要2甚至3周的时间。对缺乏资源和这样或那样糟糕的设施的不断抗议,往往掩盖了更基本的问题。最终真正重要的是管理其他所有人的人力资源的质量。他们有正确的优先顺序吗?众所周知,并非所有“发达国家”的听障儿童都有机会达到在整个社会生活中都能使用的口语水平。他们中很少有人能在学业上取得与他们的天赋相匹配的成功。然而,在一些“发展中国家”,由于对现有规定或缺乏任何规定的不满,由于他们对更好的制度的愿景以及实施该制度的勇气、决心和毅力,专业人员正在以这样一种方式利用他们的资源,建立质量超过许多“发达国家”的方案。这与来自较富裕国家的一些专业人士的态度截然不同,他们认为对较贫穷的国家来说,任何东西都比没有好,他们在那里涉猎,只提供次好的服务。作者一直持相反的观点。他的经验证明,在资源确实匮乏的困难情况下,只要制定长期计划,就有可能制作出高质量的节目。这一定是
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