American Sign Language, Deaf Education - Assignment Example

 It may seem at first glance that Oscar is not qualified to be co-chair for “The Black Deaf Experience Conference,” especially since he is neither Black nor Deaf. However, his abilities, qualifications, and achievements led him to be the co-chair for this conference. In fact, Oscar had a long and hard struggle in order to attain the recognition of American Sign Language as a primary language interpreter for the Deaf. Actually, “he has the temerity to disinter issues from his own back yard, bring them to the table, and call them by name.” (Cohen, 1995, p.204). He has also established a mandatory sign language classes for teachers who are not proficient in use of sign language, which resulted in discontented reactions from the union and those teachers. This was because they thought that using sign language to teach Deaf students will prevents them from acquisition of English language. One of Oscar’s achievements was that that he founded the black parents group, deaf parents group, and the Black Deaf children project in order to address the needs of the multitude of various group. This action promotes Deaf culture and the idea of Deaf pride. Therefore, the choice of Oscar as the co-chair for “The Black Deaf Experience Conference,” was not peculiar at all. 2 In the chapter (14), “Moving the Boundaries,” the author talks about her personal journey to learn American Sign Language. During this journey, Alec Naiman who was Leah’s sign language teacher, teaches her the sign for “hard- of- hearing”, “strong-deaf”, and “think- hearing.” He also illustrates that all these terms do not indicates to a Deaf person’s degree of hearing loss as much as a personal concept toward hearing loss, as well as affiliation to Deaf culture. The ‘Hard- of Hearing’ label is usually a term that is used to describe people who often use speech as their fundamental mode of communication. They are also engaged in both Deaf culture and Hearing culture. However, they don’t identify themselves as Deaf. On the other hand, a strong –deaf label refers to the Deaf members who are proud to be Deaf and believe that deafness is a vital part of their culture. Moreover, they considered American Sign Language as their native language; so they are likely attend residential school for the Deaf. In contrast, the term of “think hearing” refers to people who are deaf, but they think and try to act as hearing people. Finally, choosing the proper label depends on how the person identifies himself or herself as a Deaf person instead of hearing loss level. 3- In chapter (15), Deaf students take a much awaited trip to Washington, DC. However, their visit to the Gallaudet University was the most enjoyable attraction for several reasons. In the Gallaudet University, the Deaf President Now (DPN) movement took place in 1988. This provided a real turning point for the deaf community. It led to the increasing awareness and demand of rights for deaf individuals. This fact is consistent with the author’s vision about Gallaudet University that it is “the epicenter of deaf power and deaf pride.”(Cohen, 1995, p.233). In addition, Gallaudet University is considered the solely liberal arts college for deaf people in the world. Moreover, it provides free elementary education as well as a variety of services that include medical, diagnostic, and social services. It also houses the secondary school for the deaf. Furthermore, an exhibit at Gallaudet University reviews the deaf people history and the Holocaust and describes their social beliefs, art, behaviors, and literary traditions and how this history touches their personal life experiences. For example, the author describes how Sofia connected between the Nazis’ efforts to forbid the birth of Deaf children and her parent’s resolve not to risk having another Deaf kid. It also illustrates how the Deaf people are greatly proud of their history. Also, Gallaudet's bookstore has everything reflects the culture of the Deaf such as: book on Deaf culture, on sign language, assistive devices for the Deaf and poster carry such slogans as “Deaf people can do anything except hear.” In Gallaudet University, all students, faculty staff, and employees must know and use American Sign Language. Based on all these facts, this environment is relative to their hearts and keeps pace with their aspirations which make them feel that they strongly belong to this culture. 4- The students at the bus were identifying regarding to the language. Those in the front of the bus are called “ low-functioning “ or “ low-verbal “ because they don’t know ASL or may be they are using ASL in their communication for fluency in the extensive vocabulary or the grammatical structure. Once people would have said that they had ‘minimal language skills “However, this labels have become deserted owing do to the efforts of deaf activists. Those students are called “six-one-one “at Lexington, Actually this labels refers to ratios of students teachers in special education classrooms. Based on their educational individual needs plans (IEPs). They are placed in classrooms with no more than six of these students and this class should consist of one teacher and one instructional assistant. On the other hand, students who sit up in the back of the bus are proficient in the use of sign language. They may describe themselves as “ASL.” At the Lexington those students are classified in the classroom based on their educational individual needs as “twelve-one-one” or (twelve-one-one). Moreover, those students may identify themselves as “Deaf “ or “strong-Deaf” in stead of deaf. “The author describes this clearly when he states that “they would rather socialize with people fluent in their language, and on the bus they naturally gravitate to gather.” (Cohen.1995, P.237). 5- The role of an interpreter is surrounded with several moral and ethical issues that causes a great emotional drain. Actually the author notes these issues since the first day that she worked as an interpreter. The first issues is the lack of professional standards that led to increase of the inefficient interpreter. This in turn led to the perpetuation of several stereotypes among hearing people about Deaf people and their language. In this regard, “chiefly that sign language could be picked up easily, therefore it was therefore a simplistic, primitive language and that Deaf people who signed were limited in their ability to comprehend and express abstract thoughts” (Cohen, 1995,P.249). In other word, interpreters’ play a remarkable part in how hearing people think or feel about deaf world. The author explains this dilemma when she worked for the first time as an interpreter during her grandfather’s ceremony where she was unable to follow what the interpreter said. Another reason, the author was wondering if she could feel ethically comfortable and honest especially that one of the interpreting rules is that you can not interpret any information that you don’t understand. The third reason, the author believes that there are some ricks which related to transition between two languages and culture.Particularly that most of the interpreter are hearing and they use the Deaf language. Therefore, Deaf people must relay on them as a mediator between Deaf people and hearing community and the author illustrates this clearly when she said, “ it could also present a danger: that the culture and language will become tools with which people can further control deaf people lives.”(Cohen, 1995, p.255) . Finally, the author was not able to bear the frustration and grief of entering Deaf people lives and feeling their pain and sorrows. She poignantly described her experience with a therapist and Deaf patient:” But I was utterly lost when a Deaf patient sobbed in his therapist’s office……should I put him, in order to convey the therapist’s consoling words tactilely?” (Cohen, 1995, p.260). She explains that some situations are so emotionally. Therefore, she must distance herself from the intimate message while she is conveying another important information. Read More