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Special Needs Programs
Focusing on the Individual
The West Virginia Special Needs Hunter Education Course is open
to the public regardless of ability or disability, but designed
especially for individuals who are either hearing impaired/deaf,
limb impaired or those who desire help with reading. Captioned
videos, interpreters and other adaptive equipment are used to open
the doors to anyone who wants to enjoy the outdoors, regardless of
physical limitations.
What is so "Special" about this growing effort? The key
principle is that we focus on each student, expending whatever
effort is necessary to help them complete the course and also to
help find adaptive equipment for those graduates and "post
class" activities so they too can enjoy the outdoors.
We believe that enjoying the outdoors is a privilege. This is
especially true for those with physical impairments. We value
everyone as an individual. Our students range from 10 year olds to
adults with many years of experience. As DNR Hunter Education
Instructors, we felt the need to adapt our presentations to meet the
needs of our diverse audience. The material is the same, but the
delivery had to be modified. We also wanted to provide access to
information for finding adaptive equipment and accessible
facilities.
This effort is about caring for people, the love of teaching and
especially enabling people to enjoy the great outdoors. It is about
offering hope while raising community awareness about people who are
less fortunate. Further, we are strongly promoting the use of
personal flotation devices, hearing and eye protection, and physical
conditioning.
This current effort was started by volunteers who saw the need to
help the disabled achieve their dream’s. It now includes dozens of
volunteer instructors.
The first pilot course for hearing impaired outside the Romney
School for Deaf and Blind was conducted in Harrison County in June,
1999. All of the students graduated, with the lowest score being
90%. In August, the same team conducted the first ever course just
for limb impaired, and the average score was again in the 90th
percentile.
Email the WV Hunter
Education Association
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