Signing Out Loud: Working with the Deaf Community

1. Signing Out Loud: Working with the Deaf Community Breaking the Silence about Violence in a Quiet Culture Presented by Gretchen Waech, Coordinator Deaf Iowans Against Abuse An Outreach Program of ACCESS

2. Purpose of training A educate about Deaf culture Bincrease awareness of personal oppressive behaviors and attitudes Cemphasize the need for accessibility for Deaf victims of domestic and sexual violence Denhance understanding between Deaf and hearing worlds

3. Definitions: • deaf: medical term referring to a person with a severe to profound hearing loss • Deaf: refers to the cultural experience of being deaf • Hard of hearing: an individual who with a hearing loss ranging from mild to severe who generally speaks and may or may not use sign language Distinction between deaf and hard of hearing tends to depend on where the loss is on an audiogram, as well as individual choice of terminology

4. Definitions: • “hearing impaired”: a term created by the medical community - seen as negative and stigmatizing by those who label themselves as Deaf. The Deaf community prefers the terms Deaf and Hard of Hearing. • Also very ambiguous, does not define extent of hearing loss

5. Subgroups of Deaf community • Minimal Language Skills (MLS) • Bilingual-Bicultural (Bi-Bi) • Deaf of Deaf • Children Of Deaf Adults (CODA) • Late Deafened

6. Minimal Language Skills (MLS) • May be foreign-born, but typically includes the Deaf who were educationally/socially deprived • Language deprivation affects further development – may lead to developmental disabilities • Typically communicate through gestures • Weak language skills: both in ASL and English

7. Bilingual-Bicultural (Bi-Bi) • Deaf people who are fluent in both ASL and English • Interact (usually with a degree of comfort) in both Deaf and hearing worlds • Generally have a stronger connection to one than the other • Often will feel they don’t fully belong in either

8. Deaf of Deaf • Deaf people from Deaf families • Often hold the most power within the Deaf community • Why? Language, culture passed down through these families intensively

9. Children Of Deaf Adults • Hearing people from Deaf families • Stay involved in Deaf community because they feel a closer relation to Deaf world OR • Remove themselves from the Deaf community entirely

10. Late-Deafened • Usually do not feel a desire to relate to others in Deaf community • Usually do not identify as being Deaf • Tend to not sign • Often become very isolated

11. Mainstream Views of Deaf Community Two distinct views: Pathological and Cultural

12. Pathology • Primarily propagated by medical establishment, which sees deafness as a physical flaw that must be corrected, along with any “side effects” that result from being deaf (mainly speech impediments) • Has led to a number of cruel/unusual “treatments” over the years

13. Culture • Minority view of Deaf culture • Slowly gaining increased acceptance

14. Pathology: Deaf are inferior to hearing Deaf need to be taught how to speak and speechread Deaf people are like children-need to be protected and watched out for Culture Deaf and hearing are equal in all respects Deaf people are entitled to use the language they are comfortable with Deaf people are individuals to be treated with dignity and respect Culture vs. Pathology

15. Culture vs. Pathology Paternalism: The attitude (of a person or a government) that subordinates should be controlled in a fatherly way for their own good This is the result of the pathological view of deafness.

16. Paternalism Can take unusual forms – Sunken Pedestal

17. Deaf Culture Members of the Deaf culture do not consider their deafness a disability, viewing it rather as a biological characteristic "intimately bound up" with their culture (Padden & Humphries, 1988).

18. Deaf Culture Carol Padden has defined Culture as a set of learned behaviors of a group of people who have their own language, values, rules of behavior, and traditions. (1988)

19. Deaf Culture • Primary language is ASL • Recognized language with its own rules of grammar and syntax • English and ASL are NOT the same thing! Consider possibility of ESL circumstances

20. ASL and English ASL: ME TALK HIM NOW ENGLISH: I’m talking to him.

21. ASL and English ASL: READY NOW GO-OUT DINNER ENGLISH: I’m ready to go to dinner !

22. ASL and English ASL: WOMAN SILLY MOUTH WIDE MY FACE ME UNDERSTAND NO ENGLISH: The woman was screaming in my face. I couldn’t understand her.

23. ASL and English ASL: MAN DRINK MISS DOG HIT WOMAN FRIEND STAND-THERE SEE TELL ME ME KNOW NOTHING

24. ASL and English ENGLISH: The drunk man swerved to avoid hitting a dog and hit a tree instead. My friend was standing there; she saw the whole thing and told me about it… I had no idea!

25. Deaf Culture • Based on common experience of being Deaf in a hearing society • Examples: Restaurant, Hotel, Law Enforcement

26. Deaf Culture • Includes ASL literature and art; social, political, business and sports organizations; and rules and traditions • Sign names • School • Deaf Goodbye • Eye Contact/ Visual Contact • Gestures/Language Use

27. ABC Stories

28. Art - Chuck Baird Silence - Sandi Inches Vasnick Poetic Hand Paul Johnston Being Deaf and Being Free (part of series) - Orkid Sassouni

29. Goals of the Deaf community: A primary goal of the Deaf community on a whole is to achieve public acceptance of deaf people as equals—equals in employment, political representation, and in the control of institutions that involve deaf people, such as schools and service organizations. Another goal is the acceptance and recognition of their history and use of signing as a means of communication.

30. “Can’t we all get along?...” Some basic suggestions for getting along with members of the Deaf community: • Do not place hearing culture above non-hearing culture, or insinuate that Deaf are inferior to hearing • Do not take on a parental or protective role • View Deaf people as an ethnic and cultural group, not as disabled • Allow Deaf individuals to do things for themselves

31. Deaf and Oppressed:A history of the Deaf • Throughout history, Deaf were considered lacking in intelligence • Until the 1500’s, it was common to abandon Deaf babies to be killed by exposure or wild animals • Deafened adults were often left to the mercy of society, forced to beg for a living

32. Deaf and Oppressed:A history of the Deaf • Formal education of Deaf children gained popularity in Europe in the 1500’s • Schools for the Deaf spread in the 1700’s, primarily in France and England. • Early 1800’s, Deaf education brought to America by Gallaudet and Clerc • Two different styles of educating Deaf, also reflect the two attitudes about Deaf community

33. Deaf and Oppressed:A history of the Deaf Two different styles of educating Deaf : • Oral • Teach Deaf children to speak and lipread exclusively • Children are often punished severely for using any sort of sign system in this educational setting • Unsuccessful without prior language skills • Total Communication • Use whatever is effective for each child to facilitate learning • This may include ASL, speech therapy, Signed English, writing, lipreading, etc.

34. Linguistic Realities Window of opportunity

35. There is only one dumb question you can ask a deaf person: CAN YOU LIPREAD? Do you read lips? Discuss.

36. Myths and Realities Lipreading Exercise

37. All Deaf people wear hearing aids Hearing aids restore hearing All Deaf people read lips All Deaf people use sign language All Deaf people are mute “Deaf and Dumb” is acceptable All Deaf people are alike in abilities, tastes, ideas and outlooks Deaf people are less intelligent Deaf people who speak are MORE intelligent Myths and Realities

38. Myths and Realities Hearing has nothing to do with intelligence… nor does English comprehension. Speech usage is likewise unconnected to intelligence.

40. Communicating with the Deaf • Hands down, the best way to sit is… hands down! • Remember not to look at paper while talking • Be conscious of lighting… don’t sit with back to light • Speak at a reasonable pace, but not S…L…O…W…L…Y • If the person doesn’t understand what you say at first… don’t repeat. RESTATE.

41. MOST IMPORTANT DO get an interpreter if the Deaf person requests one, or if you feel it’s needed.

42. Interpreters: Defined • Follow a Code of Ethics • Certified • Qualified • Professional • Understands interpreter’s role as a facilitator of communication between deaf and hearing

43. Interpreters • An interpreter’s role is one of neutrality, confidentiality, and facilitation • Communication goes two ways. The interpreter is there for all parties, making communication possible in both directions

44. Working with interpreters • The Code of Ethics prohibits the sharing of work-related information • The interpreter interprets anything and everything that is said. Any conversation not intended for the Deaf person should not take place in front of the interpreter and Deaf person, as anything the interpreter hears will be interpreted

45. Working with Interpreters • It is your responsibility to verify interpreters have certification at an appropriate level and are QUALIFIED to interpret for a specific situation • If legal interpretation is needed, it is wise to ask if interpreters are certified for legal interpretation, or are experienced in the particular topic

46. Care and Feeding of Interpreters Quite literally… remember to feed your interpreters! (but don’t be offended if they decline lunch… SOMEONE has to interpret lunchtime conversations)

47. Interpreter protocol – Omaha area First hour – professional fee (varies – typically between $50-$80) Anything beyond the first hour - $30-$40 per h Some charge mileage, some portal to portal

48. HOLY COW… those interpreters must be ROLLING in it! Self-Employment Tax State Income Tax Federal Income Tax Health Insurance (self-employed) Business Expenses (Funeral Wardrobe) Trust me… they’re not going home and draping themselves with ropes of diamonds…

49. Working with interpreters: • Where can I find interpreters? • Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (http://www.ncdhh.ne.gov/) • Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (http://www.rid.org/) • Searchable database for Iowa http://www.passitonservices.org/community/terp.php • Other independent interpreting agencies

50. Sexual and Domestic Violence in the Deaf Community: A deafening problem in a silent world…