Deaf adults have long been concerned about where and how deaf youngsters spend their summers—they recognize the need for these youngsters to participate in summer activities with their deaf peers. Thus Deaf adults have taken it upon themselves to create and manage summer programs that specifically meet the needs of deaf children. The 1960s saw the founding of several long-standing summer camps for deaf children. After the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was passed in 1975, and as more and more children were placed in general education settings, the number of summer programs grew exponentially, demonstrating that concerned Deaf adults and their hearing allies see summer programs as critical elements in the lives of deaf children.

Summer and weekend programs for deaf youngsters are as ...