Robert G.

Sanderson

A Man Who Made a Difference

Born Las Vegas 1920

This is where he started his life as a person who can hear.

Alongside his sister.

A Change of a lifetime.

Robert and his sister lost their hearing when they were young due to a disease called Spinal Meningitis. The
family moved to Utah to help the young kids have a learning environment conducive to their new way of life.

(Kinner, 1)
A life of struggle

After his time in Utah Robert moved to

Washington DC. to further his education at
Gallaudet University. The school was designed to
be for deaf students learn by offering class only in
ASL. After graduating He moved back to Utah to
find a job and be closer to family. Here he
struggled to find a job until he was connected
with the State Office of Education. This is where
he coordinated for deaf adults in the Division of
Rehabilitation Services (Kinner,4)
The competition

Sanderson was not the only person to have

thoughts on how deaf people should be taught in
schools. Another Dr. Grant B. Bitter, believed deaf
people should learn how to read lips and speak.
He was going to achieve this by signing students
into mainstream schools. Meaning deaf and
hearing students will be in the same classroom
receiving the same instruction evenly. (Kinner,
O’hara, Kinney)
Dr. Sanderson’s Dream

To combat Dr. Bitter idea of mainstreaming, Dr.

Robert G. Sanderson wanted all deaf students
would receive the same, or better education as a
hearing student in the language of their
preference. With this dream in mind, He created a
hybrid option for students to make their own
decisions on what mode they want their
instruction.
In the end

Robert Sanderson died in 2012, achieving many more victories for the Deaf community. As a token of their
appreciation for his work they decided to rename the Deaf center after him.
Works Cited

“In Memoriam: NAD President Emeritus Robert G. Sanderson.” National Association of the Deaf, National
Association of the Deaf, 2012,
https://www.nad.org/2012/03/05/in-memoriam-nad-president-emeritus-robert-g-sanderson/.

Kinner, Jodi B. “Dr. Robert G. Sanderson.” 2012.

Kinner, Jodi Becker. “Dr. Robert G. Sanderson's Dream.” Edited by Valerie G. Kinney and Bronwyn O'Hara, Utah
Deaf History and Culture, 2016, https://www.utahdeafhistory.com/dr-robert-g-sandersons-dream.html.