About Us
Children's Language Acquisition Support System Inc. (CLASS) is a voluntary, non-profit organization that was established in 2018 to ensure families with children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing (DHH) or non-oral speaking receive comprehensive information on all options of communication and language development. CLASS supports families with children from birth to 18 and commits to providing programs and services focusing on education and empowerment.
"Language deprivation has irreparable catastrophic consequences on the educational, social and vocational development of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children." (LEAD-K)
When provided with access, opportunities and support, the DHH child has the ability to develop language. The DHH child who has the foundation of language will acquire English literacy. CLASS aims to end language deprivation through supporting families of DHH and non-speaking children as well as advocating for DHH children rights to their language choice.
At CLASS, we believe that Deaf and Hard of Hearing children benefit from American Sign Language (ASL), a natural visual language, however our goal is language acquisition regardless of the language used, whether ASL or English or both.
Learn about the Bilingual-bicultural method.
Approximately six in every thousand babies born in Canada have some degree of hearing loss, including profound deafness. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050 one in every ten people will have disabling* hearing loss.
*Disabling hearing loss refers to hearing loss greater than 40 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear in adults and a hearing loss greater than 30 dB in the better hearing ear in children.
"Language deprivation has irreparable catastrophic consequences on the educational, social and vocational development of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children." (LEAD-K)
When provided with access, opportunities and support, the DHH child has the ability to develop language. The DHH child who has the foundation of language will acquire English literacy. CLASS aims to end language deprivation through supporting families of DHH and non-speaking children as well as advocating for DHH children rights to their language choice.
At CLASS, we believe that Deaf and Hard of Hearing children benefit from American Sign Language (ASL), a natural visual language, however our goal is language acquisition regardless of the language used, whether ASL or English or both.
Learn about the Bilingual-bicultural method.
Approximately six in every thousand babies born in Canada have some degree of hearing loss, including profound deafness. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050 one in every ten people will have disabling* hearing loss.
*Disabling hearing loss refers to hearing loss greater than 40 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear in adults and a hearing loss greater than 30 dB in the better hearing ear in children.
