The cost of disabling hearing impairment in South Africa
This paper investigates the history of deaf education before the end of Apartheid in South Africa. The history in deaf education is of cardinal interest to understand the significant implications for curriculum and instruction. The field of deaf education is one that has a long history that parallels public education in South Africa. The Western Cape Province was one of the provinces that was on the forefront of education for learners with deafness and have become leaders in the field of special education. The paper chronicles the history of deaf education from 1863 to 1994. This study reveals that the deaf in South Africa have been underserved in education: that documentation of best practices is lacking, and that there is a need for the advocates and practitioners of eclectic approaches to deaf education in South Africa to share information and collaborate in order to chart the best future.