PBS Kids Show Introduces Deaf Character
The animated PBS children's series Maya and Miguel chronicles the adventures, and sometimes misadventures, of 10-year-old twins Maya and Miguel Santos, and features their family, relatives, and a richly diverse neighborhood of friends. The show's characters come from many different cultures, but everyone works together to create an encouraging and diverse community.
When the new season opener aired on September 25 as part of National Deaf Awareness Week (September 24—30), this episode shared the barriers many deaf and hard of hearing students face when moving to a new school and entering a mainstream classroom. The new student, Marco, is quickly accepted by his peers, and each child works diligently to clearly communicate with him. Marco will continue to be a regular character on the show.