Teacher, King School for the Deaf
In the early 1900s, through their experiences at the hospital and their travels in rural areas, missionary educators realized how little was being done for children with physical disabilities. When they were presented with a deaf boy, they initiated efforts to educate children with disabilities. Central to this initiative was Arsilialouis Der Kaloustian, who took on the role of teacher at the King School, educating children with hearing impairments and demonstrating their potential.
Under her guidance, children in the region were able, for the first time, to learn lip-reading, speaking, reading, and writing. By 1913, the King School had fifteen students, most of whom were Armenian. Der Kaloustian’s approach proved that individuals with disabilities could be educated, develop, and integrate into society, challenging the prevailing belief of the time that such children were “incurably disadvantaged.”
Her contribution, combined with funding from the Women’s Board of Self-Governing Churches, established the King School as a model institution for the education of children with disabilities, paving the way for their social inclusion.
