Distant Pals is a program that connects students who are deaf or hard of hearing with other students with hearing loss, by pairing them up through letter writing and other literacy-based activities.

What are the goals of Distant Pals?

• To encourage safe, healthy, and positive relationships between children who are deaf and hard of hearing;
• To support literacy skills through letter writing and other activities
• To cultivate peer to peer relationships and mentor/mentee relationships and encourage appropriate social skills through these interactions.

What are the benefits of connecting with another student?

• Peer Connections….
  • Research shows that students with a range of hearing loss educated in public schools experience an absence of close friendships (Anita, Kreimeyer & Eldredge, 1994; Stinson, Whitmore, & Kluwin, 1996, Tvingstedt, 1993).
  • Deaf adolescents consistently feel more emotional secure and more accepted in relationships with deaf peers than with hearing peers (Foster, 1989a; Stinson & Whitmore, 1991).
  • In Wisconsin, it is estimated that more than 50% of deaf and hard of hearing students have no deaf or hard of hearing peers in their school environment

• A Sense of Self Identity….
  • A strong sense of self identity can be developed by providing students with exposure to role models and peer socialization.
  • A strong self identity leads to self-acceptance, the ability to cope, positive self esteem, feeling competent, self-advocacy and greater academic achievement.
     

Did you know?

• The Distant Pals Program promotes self acceptance, self esteem, and close friendships with other students who are deaf and hard of hearing throughout Wisconsin?
• Since its start, over 250 different deaf and hard of hearing students throughout Wisconsin have participated in the Distant Pals Program?
• Students have written almost 2,000 letters within just two short years to other deaf and hard of hearing kids throughout Wisconsin?

Is there a charge for this program?
No, this program is free of charge.

Click here to see Distant Pals FAQs

Click here to download the Distant Pals Program brochure.

For more information, contact Stefanie Kessen, Program Coordinator.