A RECENT survey by Deaf Children Australia (DCA) has shown many rural children, living in regions like the Riverland, believe their schools lack necessary skills, resources, and support.
The survey of hundreds of parents, carers and school staff, primarily in rural and regional areas, found that more than 60 per cent of respondents believe their mainstream school needs greater deaf awareness while more than 40 per cent reported their schools have limited skills in effectively communicating with deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
This is despite 83 per cent of deaf and hard-of-hearing students (DHH) in Australia attending mainstream schools.
The DCA survey also found 80 per cent of respondents felt the school community would benefit from skills and resources to better support DHH kids.
In response, Deaf Children Australia (DCA) last month launched Building Bridges, a free online course designed to help school communities better support their DHH children.
Building Bridges is evidence-based and built on years of research, and designed to be practical and flexible for any school setting and individual need.
Building Bridges includes: 

• Deaf awareness, communication tips and guidance.
• Access to