Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
The Monitor - McAllen, Texas
Since I graduated from college in 1983 and moved to McAllen, I have been involved with the Deaf community. For several years, I taught Deaf students exclusively. In 1996, the McAllen school district began offering American Sign Language as a foreign language, and I taught it at Memorial High School. That was an exciting addition to the district’s course offerings because hearing students (Deaf people in the community call those of us who can hear, "hearing") were learning to communicate with Deaf students on our campuses and with Deaf people in our community. Regardless of where their career paths might take them, they would be able to have one-on-one communication with Deaf clients, customers, business associates or friends. ASL is now offered as a foreign language at Memorial, McAllen High Schoo and Rowe. The program has grown considerably since its beginnings a decade ago.
Statistics indicate that nearly nine percent of the population is Deaf or hard of hearing. Approximately 48,022 Texans are profoundly Deaf and nearly two million are classified as hard of hearing. In the Rio Grande Valley, approximately eight thousand Deaf and hard of hearing people are members of our community. Many of these individuals require the use of sign language interpreters when they have legal or medical issues, when they are go on job interviews or when they attend meetings open to the public. Pat Zenor at the Valley Association of Independent Living (VAIL) in McAllen is one member of the community who has taken on a leadership role to try to bring an interpreter training program to the Valley to fulfill the dire need we have for certified interpreters. Zenor is determined to see this happen.
Last week, I learned of an exciting new program being offered this year at the University of Texas-Pan American. Dr. Shawn Saladin, the coordinator for UTPA’s new bachelor’s degree in the Department of Rehabilitation, came to my classroom to talk to my ASL II students. This new program, supported by a Rehabilitation Services Administration training grant, offers a special concentration in Deaf Rehabilitation. Students in the program must complete the standard 48 general education core curriculum hours and the required 42 credit hours for a bachelor’s of science in rehabilitative services. Students then take an additional four courses in sign language and two specialized courses related to deafness, hearing disorders and technology, and psychosocial aspects of Deafness.
Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree, job opportunities include rehab specialist, case manager, rehab technician, vocational evaluation technician and employee assistance counselor, among others. Graduates of the program may work in public and private rehab agencies, state vocational rehab agencies, correctional institutions, client assistance programs and for other institutions and agencies.
This job field is wide open because rehabilitative services are a great need for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals in our community. Graduates of this program will be specialists in working with Deaf clients who need rehabilitative and vocational services.
A limited number of scholarships are available for qualified students who choose this new major at UTPA. These scholarships provide tuition, fees and a monthly stipend so students can spend their time studying instead of having to work while going to school.
Things are starting to look up for Deaf members of our community. As an added note, on Saturday, Cine El Rey, located at 311 S. 17th St. in McAllen, will present the thriller, Forget Me Not, at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Rather than having subtitles, the entire film is in ASL. One of the actresses, Mindy Moore, will be present at all three showings to share with the audience what it was like to make this film. Cost for tickets is $10. For more information, contact Gerry Charles at gcharles@gmail.com or visit ASLfilms.com: "Made By Deaf" Movies & Entertainment.
It is wonderful to see the Rio Grande Valley progressing in serving the needs of the Deaf members of our community. I look forward to seeing even more changes in the near future.
———
Chris Ardis is a teacher for the McAllen school district. To reach her, send e-mail to Cardis1022@aol.com.
Since I graduated from college in 1983 and moved to McAllen, I have been involved with the Deaf community. For several years, I taught Deaf students exclusively. In 1996, the McAllen school district began offering American Sign Language as a foreign language, and I taught it at Memorial High School. That was an exciting addition to the district’s course offerings because hearing students (Deaf people in the community call those of us who can hear, "hearing") were learning to communicate with Deaf students on our campuses and with Deaf people in our community. Regardless of where their career paths might take them, they would be able to have one-on-one communication with Deaf clients, customers, business associates or friends. ASL is now offered as a foreign language at Memorial, McAllen High Schoo and Rowe. The program has grown considerably since its beginnings a decade ago.
Statistics indicate that nearly nine percent of the population is Deaf or hard of hearing. Approximately 48,022 Texans are profoundly Deaf and nearly two million are classified as hard of hearing. In the Rio Grande Valley, approximately eight thousand Deaf and hard of hearing people are members of our community. Many of these individuals require the use of sign language interpreters when they have legal or medical issues, when they are go on job interviews or when they attend meetings open to the public. Pat Zenor at the Valley Association of Independent Living (VAIL) in McAllen is one member of the community who has taken on a leadership role to try to bring an interpreter training program to the Valley to fulfill the dire need we have for certified interpreters. Zenor is determined to see this happen.
Last week, I learned of an exciting new program being offered this year at the University of Texas-Pan American. Dr. Shawn Saladin, the coordinator for UTPA’s new bachelor’s degree in the Department of Rehabilitation, came to my classroom to talk to my ASL II students. This new program, supported by a Rehabilitation Services Administration training grant, offers a special concentration in Deaf Rehabilitation. Students in the program must complete the standard 48 general education core curriculum hours and the required 42 credit hours for a bachelor’s of science in rehabilitative services. Students then take an additional four courses in sign language and two specialized courses related to deafness, hearing disorders and technology, and psychosocial aspects of Deafness.
Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree, job opportunities include rehab specialist, case manager, rehab technician, vocational evaluation technician and employee assistance counselor, among others. Graduates of the program may work in public and private rehab agencies, state vocational rehab agencies, correctional institutions, client assistance programs and for other institutions and agencies.
This job field is wide open because rehabilitative services are a great need for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals in our community. Graduates of this program will be specialists in working with Deaf clients who need rehabilitative and vocational services.
A limited number of scholarships are available for qualified students who choose this new major at UTPA. These scholarships provide tuition, fees and a monthly stipend so students can spend their time studying instead of having to work while going to school.
Things are starting to look up for Deaf members of our community. As an added note, on Saturday, Cine El Rey, located at 311 S. 17th St. in McAllen, will present the thriller, Forget Me Not, at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Rather than having subtitles, the entire film is in ASL. One of the actresses, Mindy Moore, will be present at all three showings to share with the audience what it was like to make this film. Cost for tickets is $10. For more information, contact Gerry Charles at gcharles@gmail.com or visit ASLfilms.com: "Made By Deaf" Movies & Entertainment.
It is wonderful to see the Rio Grande Valley progressing in serving the needs of the Deaf members of our community. I look forward to seeing even more changes in the near future.
———
Chris Ardis is a teacher for the McAllen school district. To reach her, send e-mail to Cardis1022@aol.com.