Reasonable accomodation?

Daredevel7

Daredevel7

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I recently went to a training meant for human resources people to hire people with disabilities. I got a workbook that lists possible accomodation for each type of disability. Here are a few quotes for deafness (congenital):

"Provide co-worker and management awareness training to teach basic sign language and the writing style some deaf people use."

"Allow extra time and/or use of qualified interpreters for written tests which cannot be waived."

These accomodations make sense if the job does not require writing skills. However, if the job does require reading and writing skills, do you think these accomodations should still apply?

Personally, I don't think so. Deaf people can write English and there's so many free services that can help them develop their English. Also, I see no reason why co-workers should take training to adapt to the deaf person's writing style if writing is part of the deaf person's job. However, I'd like to hear the flip side of the coin.

Thoughts?
 
While deaf can read and write English, there are those who are more comfortable writing in ASL and I think that's what they meant. In a way, it is like translating written Spanish.

But for me, I've always have trouble writing (not in ASL or any sign language because I grew up as a speechreading oral deaf). I certainly hope they don't discriminate me based on my writing. It's not always easy to teach deaf people how to write, but this doesn't mean they can't read. Deaf people can read, but express themselves is a different story because it take alot of figuring out (the correct word usage, correct sentence order, correct grammar, correct vocabulary.. stuffs that deaf people don't always hear everyday). I have been to many writing workshops too.

I think it depend on the job. If it is a journalist or something, yes. But if it is for communication or making notes and all that, no.
 
Can one even write true ASL?

Doesn't ASL use facial expressions, etc as part of its language?

Now keep in mind that this section that I quoted from also says to provide interpreters, CART, TTY, etc. The usual stuff.

No offense, but I would hope they DO discriminate you for your writing if the job requires good writing. (Although, personally, I think you write very well.). I expect a company to discriminate me for a theatre job that requires me to speak and sing well. Perhaps using the word discriminate is wrong but you get the idea.

I think employers need to to understand how to separate disabilities and qualifications.
 
I already wrote it depend on the job. Just about every jobs require reading and writing. I think deaf people will be homeless if there is no SSI if they keep discriminating their hearing, speech, and their writing on top of that. They gonna have to cut deaf people some slack so they can feed their family.
 
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People have levels of writing and I can see some people writing in true ASL, and in my own sign language as well.
 
JClarke, you reminded me how many people hire people who don't speak and write well in English because their foreign language is their first language. They hire them for Professional jobs too.
 
JClarke said:
People have levels of writing and I can see some people writing in true ASL, and in my own sign language as well.
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Writing in true ASL....what the heck is that? Don't you mean just bad grammar?
 
A said:
JClarke, you reminded me how many people hire people who don't speak and write well in English because their foreign language is their first language. They hire them for Professional jobs too.
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Yeah - I am in a professional job, and AUSLAN is my first language however I have a good level of written english and that improves a lot overtime into the professional job.
 
A said:
I already wrote it depend on the job. Just about every jobs require reading and writing. I think deaf people will be homeless if there is no SSI if they keep discriminating their hearing, speech, and their writing on top of that. They gonna have to cut deaf people some slack so they can feed their family.
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To me, I think it's worse for BOTH the employers and the deaf individuals if they get hired IN SPITE of their lack of needed skills. I think well meaning employers try to "give them a chance" and "give them slack" and allow them to continue things that frustrates their coworkers. This in turn would frustrate the deaf individuals.

Just to give a scenario, picture a deaf person having an job that requires bi-weekly reports (which seems to be very common). The deaf individual submits the reports in the "deaf style" for months until the person receiving them gets frustrated from trying to understand the reports. Who knows what would happen then.

My point is, before the deaf individual even starts work, the needed skills must be addressed somehow. Either from working a way around it, taking advantage of the free services to develop English, or simply use an interpreter to translate ASL to written English. Notice all of the options do not affect the coworkers.

I just don't think it's a good idea to force the coworkers to read "deaf style" English, especially when it pertains to the job.
 
you say you wouldn't expect them to hire you for theatre because of your speech.. what if every job expect a good speech? and they get frustrated because you don't speak clearly enough for them. Or get frustrated you can't hear enough for them?
 
A said:
you say you wouldn't expect them to hire you for theatre because of your speech.. what if every job expect a good speech? and they get frustrated because you don't speak clearly enough for them.
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This is going to go into the realm of pure silliness very quickly.

There is a National Deaf Theater...

And it is obvious that there are many job choices that are in the professional realm that don't require speech.
 
yes, I realize that. the solution is simple. But there are jobs that don't need to be nitpicking and expect a perfect grammar, speech, and hearing. Just enough that is understandable.
 
A said:
yes, I realize that. the solution is simple. But there are jobs that don't need to be nitpicking and expect a perfect grammar, speech, and hearing. Just enough that is understandable.
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Sure, point taken but then again, there are probably jobs that require writing skills, too. Then what? Either the person gets hired and problems begin or there's a work-around. Reality is, most deaf and hearing for that matter don't apply for the latter kinds of jobs, imo.
 
I mentioned it several times, it depend on the job (and gave a example: journalism)

People need to remember that deaf people already went to school and all grown up now. They can't turn back the clock and fix their grammar style. They can only get by with what they already have and they still need jobs to feed their family AND keep their sanity. yes they can work to improve but it is still not easy..
 
A said:
I mentioned it several times, it depend on the job (and gave a example: journalism)
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Why would you think someone with poor written language skills should aspire to a career in journalism?

Couldn't we once have a discussion that had some correlation to reality?
 
Bottesini said:
Why would you think someone with poor written language skills should aspire to a career in journalism?

Couldn't we once have a discussion that had some correlation to reality?
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Journalism as in writing a newspaper for the mainstream. They are going to have a very hard time being hired for that. Are you saying why deaf people with bad writing would be interested in that profession? I never said they would be interested, I was just pointing out that I do understand the important of writing for some jobs. I was talking about jobs like CNA... They require alittle bit of writing, but they don't need to nitpicking.
 
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JClarke said:
Yeah - I am in a professional job, and AUSLAN is my first language however I have a good level of written english and that improves a lot overtime into the professional job.
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there is this college professor (he was my professor too, btw) who came to America (he was from Russia) to teach computer programming. His English speech and grammar was very hard to understand and everyone had a difficult time. But they did manage.
 
A said:
there is this college professor (he was my professor too, btw) who came to America (he was from Russia) to teach computer programming. His English speech and grammar was very hard to understand and everyone had a difficult time. But they did manage.
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I am sure his english and grammar improved overtime, right?
 
who knows? I haven't seen him since.

my husband said alot of people from other countries came to where he work, and he doesn't seem to have a difficult time understanding, so they must have improved.
 
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