CHAPTER 19:

 "What is Total Communication?"

Total communication is popular in the U.S. but very tricky to define. The Conference of Educational Administration Serving the Deaf defines TC as "a philosphy incorporating the appropriate aural, manual, and oral modes of communication in order to ensure effective communication among hearing-impaired persons". Total communication is the throwback to an outlook in a broader view that held the acquistion of speech that is not the be-all and end-all of dead education_it is just one aspect. There are other approaches such as: simultaneous communication and bilingual-bicultural(most popular today) that makes this language even more complex!
Considering that sign language is continuously changing and adapting to the newest trends in deaf education, we use the bilingual approach today which uses ASL in the classroom to teach English. I truly believe that attention must be paid to the inndividual needs of each deaf child. As stated in text, a residual hearing person may be happiest in an oral/aural program where on the other hand a profoundly deaf person may be happiest in an ASL affirmative environment.