THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1978
IN ADDITION, HE SAID, AUDIOMETRIC SCREENING PROGRAMMES NOW COVERED ABOUT 55 PER CENT OF PRIMARY 1 STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS AND SOME AIDED SCHOOLS, AND BY 1981 IT IS PLANNED TO PROVIDE UNIVERSAL COVERAGE FOR PRIMARY 1 STUDENTS.
HE SAID SPEECH SCREENING PROGRAMMES WERE ALSO EXPANDING AND BEGINNING THIS YEAR A SPECIAL CLASS SPEECH SCREENING PROGRAMME WAS BEING WIDENED TO PROGRESSIVELY COVER ALL SPEECH IMPAIRED CHILDREN IN SPECIAL AND RESOURCE CLASSES IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
MR. STRACHAN SAID THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE DEAF WAS AT PRESENT LOOKING AFTER 10 PRE-SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN.IN. ITS CENTRE AT HOSPITAL ROAD. THE PROGRAMME PLAN RECOMMENDED THAT PRE-SCHOOL CARE FOR PROFOUNDLY DEAF CHILDREN IN SPECIAL CENTRES BE EXPANDED IN 1979 AND THAT PLACES FOR PARTIALLY DEAF CHILDREN BE EXPANDED BY 24 PLACES IN 1978 AND 1979 IN ORDINARY CHILD CARE CENTRES.
THERE WAS ALSO A NEED, HE SAID, TO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES FOR SPEECH AND AUDITORY TRAINING FOR HEARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTRES OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT BETWEEN NOW AND 1984.
THE NUMBER OF ROOMS DESIGNED WITH ACCOUSTICAL TREATMENT WOULD BE EXPANDED FROM THREE TO FIVE AND THE NUMBER OF STAFF PROVIDING SPEECH AND AUDITORY TRAINING SERVICES WOULD BE EXPANDED FROM THREE TO 16.
MR. STRACHAN SAID MORE THAN HALF THE DEAF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WERE AGED OVER 60 YEARS AND THE PROGRAMME PLAN HAD PROPOSED THAT A CENTRE FOR DEAF ADULTS BE ESTABLISHED BY THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE DEAF DURING 1979.
+ IN ADDITION, WE RECOGNISE THE NEED TO HAVE MORE SOCIAL WORKERS TRAINED IN DEALING WITH DEAF PEOPLE AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WILL BE CONDUCTING SPECIAL COURSES FOR ITS FAMILY CASE WORKERS SO THAT THERE IS AT LEAST ONE TRAINED CASE WORKER IN EACH FAMILY SERVICE CENTRE BY 1980, + HE SAID.
ON HOUSING FOR THE DISABLED, MR. STRACHAN SAID MOST PEOPLE DID NOT REALISE THE PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WHICH DEAF PEOPLE FACED
IN OBTAINING HOUSING. THE HOUSING SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE (R.D.C.C.) IS NOW REVIEWING THE PROVISION IN PUBLIC HOUSING FOR DISABLED PEOPLE INCLUDING THE COMPASSIONATE HOUSING QUOTA, THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, INTERNAL TRANSFERS AND THE HOUSING OF SINGLE DISABLED PEOPLE.
+THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE EXAMINED BY THE FULL R.D.C.C. SHORTLY AND THE NEEDS OF THE DEAF WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THIS EXAMINATION,+ HE SAID.
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