Florida Senate - 2012                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 260
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 204848                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  11/02/2011           .                                
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       The Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 (Wise) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 30 - 59
    4  and insert:
    5         2. Children who have a hearing loss possess the same innate
    6  capabilities to acquire language as any other children. They
    7  communicate through a visual language/American Sign Language or
    8  a spoken-written language/English. Manual systems, which do not
    9  include American Sign Language, are not languages and shall be
   10  used only as a tool to teach spoken English, not as a mode of
   11  communication in the classroom. American Sign Language is a
   12  formal language as well as the preferred language of the signing
   13  Deaf community as spoken English is the preferred language of
   14  the oral deaf community.
   15         3. It is critical that all citizens in the state work
   16  toward ensuring that:
   17         a. Deaf and hard-of-hearing children, like all children,
   18  have quality, ongoing, and accessible communication in their
   19  preferred language, both in and out of the classroom.
   20         b. Deaf and hard-of-hearing children be placed in the least
   21  restrictive educational environment that is appropriate for
   22  their communication modality and receive services based on their
   23  unique communication, language, and educational needs, as well
   24  as the culture and choices of their families, consistent with 20
   25  U.S.C. s. 1414(d)(3)(B)(iv) of the Individuals with Disabilities
   26  Education Act.
   27         c. Deaf and hard-of-hearing children be given an education
   28  in which teachers, related service providers, and assessors
   29  understand the unique nature of deafness; are specifically
   30  trained to work with deaf and hard-of-hearing students; and can
   31  communicate spontaneously and fluidly with these children in a
   32  spoken-written language/English, listening and spoken
   33  language/auditory-oral, or a visual language/American Sign
   34  Language, which are accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing
   35  children.
   36         d. Deaf and hard-of-hearing children, like all children,
   37  have the benefit of an education in which there is a sufficient
   38  number of age-appropriate peers and adults with whom they can
   39  interact and communicate in a spontaneous and fluid way.
   40         e. Deaf and hard-of-hearing children receive an education
   41  in which they are exposed to deaf and hard-of-hearing role
   42  models in their preferred communication modalities.
   43  
   44         Delete line 101
   45  and insert:
   46  communication needs of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing,
   47  the preferred communication modality of the child, and the
   48  culture of the child’s family,
   49  
   50  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   51         And the title is amended as follows:
   52         Delete lines 10 - 11
   53  and insert:
   54         Department of Education develop a communication plan
   55         to be included in the individual education plan for
   56         deaf and