Draft:Connect Society

Connect Society is a school and a non-profit educational society in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1963, Connect Society provides services for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, as well as children of deaf adults.

History
Connect Society was founded in 1963 as the Association for the Hearing Handicapped. In 2002, Hilda Marian Campbell wrote that "Edith Preston... worked with the Association for the Hearing Handicapped, now known as the Connect Society, to open the first preschool for Deaf and hard-of-hearing children in the basement of Cross of Christ Church in 1962."

From 1979 until 2010, Connect Society was located at 11342 127 Street in the Northwest Edmonton neighborhood of Inglewood. Since 2010, Connect Society has been located in the Alberta School for the Deaf. Connect Society received a $35,000 grant from Desjardins in 2018.

Community Living Support Services
Individuals with developmental impairments who are Deaf or hard of hearing can receive residential help from Connect Society's Community Living Support Services (CLSS). Services are provided on a needs-basis and might range from sporadic to round-the-clock assistance. The majority of people have variable support needs, and the program is flexible enough to meet their needs. The CLSS Program offers hands-on assistance so that people can live as independently as possible and take part in society however they see fit. The CLSS staff members have a wealth of expertise and education in American Sign Language, Deaf culture, and assistive technology for the Deaf. This includes accessing services through interpreters for professional visits, using hearing aids, lighting systems for doorbells and fire alarms, community activities for the Deaf, and day-to-day help as needed or identified with clear communication in ASL.

Notable alumni

 * Angela Petrone Stratiy
 * Carole Sue Bailey
 * Charmaine LeTourneau
 * Jeremy Witten
 * Jolanta Lapiak
 * Kathy Dolby