In an interview with The News on Sunday, Aaron Awasen, an advocate for the deaf community in Pakistan, discusses the vision behind the Deaf Reach Programme. Drawing on more than 17 years of experience, Awasen talks about the pressing need for education and specialised teachers for deaf individuals, aiming to empower them and bust societal barriers.

The programme was founded by Richard and Heidi Geary after their son, Michael, became profoundly deaf due to meningitis. It drove them to seek effective communication methods. Motivated by this personal experience, they launched educational initiatives for deaf children, starting with a single classroom and expanding to six schools across Pakistan, significantly impacting the lives of many families.

The News on Sunday: We know that there is a shortage of trained special education teachers in Pakistan. What do you see as the main obstacle in recruiting and retaining teachers in this field?

Aaron Awasen: Education for deaf individuals requires two important considerations: a highly visual curriculum and educators proficient in Pakistani Sign Language. Interestingly, a degree in education is not the primary requirement for teachers of the deaf.

Many teaching methodologies used in hearing education, such as phonics and songs, are not applicable in deaf education. Deaf Reach provides teacher training to both deaf and hearing educators, many of whom are relatives of deaf individuals or are deaf themselves. Over 50 percent of Deaf Reach’s management and teachers are deaf.

TNS: How effective do you find the current training programmes for special education teachers in Pakistan?

AA: There are currently no training programmes for deaf educators. Each deaf school selects and trains its teaching staff.

TNS: What initiatives can be implemented to improve the training and development of special education professionals? Does Deaf Reach have a unique approach in place?

AA: Over the past three years, Deaf Reach has been developing a digital, offline curriculum that is accessible to any teacher of the deaf—whether in government, private, hearing or deaf schools. We piloted the KG curriculum in 12 deaf schools across Pakistan in January 2024 and are working on building the Class 1 curriculum this year. Our goal is to make a digital curriculum from KG to Class 5, freely available throughout Pakistan.

TNS: What role does the government currently play in supporting special education, particularly in terms of specialised teacher training?

AA: Recognising that over 70 percent of children in government Special Education centres are deaf, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in Sindh has mandated that all government deaf educators receive ongoing sign language and deaf education training at Deaf Reach campuses in Sindh. Deaf Reach will be training staff and providing the digital curriculum—along with a deaf educator—at 16 Special Education centres across Sindh.

TNS: Are there international best practices in the training and recruiting of special education teachers that you believe Pakistan could adopt?

AA: Yes, only in the 21st Century has extensive research been conducted on best practices in deaf education. There are three programmes in the US (Boston, Washington DC and California) where deaf-focused curricula are being developed. Deaf Reach has connected with these programmes and is incorporating best practices in its digital curriculum.

PSL classes—introduced at the school level and for special education teacher trainees—will improve communication between the hearing and deaf communities. Sign language training is very popular; in fact, American Sign Language is the third most used language in the US, after English and Spanish. British Sign Language is the fourth most used language in the UK, after English, Welsh and Gaelic.

TNS: In your experience, how does the Pakistani society perceive the importance of special education teachers?

AA: Attitudes towards persons with disabilities are gradually shifting, not only in Pakistan but the world over. In Pakistan, the KFC deaf employment programme has been a significant catalyst for changing attitudes towards deaf individuals, increasing research into PSL-to-spoken language programmes, and creating demand for PSL training in schools and companies.

This shift in attitudes has been driven by many individuals and organisations, including Deaf Reach, promoting the normalisation of persons with disabilities in the society and removing the stigma surrounding them. International days of awareness of various disabilities are regularly observed, with the support of government departments.

TNS: What can be done to improve social awareness and attitudes?

AA: There is still much to be done to sensitise the public about persons with disabilities. Nationwide campaigns aimed at raising awareness and understanding of these issues have been under discussion.

A significant challenge lies in the field of Allied Health Professionals, including speech and language pathology, audiology, cognitive therapy and occupational therapy. These fields are often perceived as less desirable compared to mainstream medical education pathways. Even when degree programmes are available at universities, attracting students can be a struggle. AHPs are also very unlikely to be willing to work away from urban centres in Pakistan.

It is our hope—and the hope of other organisations working in this field—that increased awareness will lead to greater interest and enrolment in AHP services that are critical for the quality care and education of persons with disabilities.

TNS: What are your aspirations for advancing special education in Pakistan?

AA: Deaf Reach’s goal is to ensure that no deaf child in Pakistan is left without literacy and learning and that all parents of deaf children have information about their child’s needs.

Additionally, it is our goal to promote and support legislation that recognises PSL as a national language in Pakistan, at par with spoken languages. Deaf Reach was the ghostwriter for the Access to the Media (deaf) Bill 2022, passed by the National Assembly last year.

Improvements in special education in Pakistan—like many social initiatives—have historically been driven by influential people who experience disability in their families. The first PTV programme in PSL, Boltay Haath, was established because Gen Zia-ul Haq had a deaf daughter.

Disability support in Sindh is higher than in other provinces because senior ministers have children with disabilities. Much of the support for NGOs working in special education comes from wealthy families or individuals who have close experience with PWDs.

The interviewer is a freelance contributor