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State, nation sees shortage of sign language interpreters | Dothan Eagle
Ricky Holman doesn’t hesitate when asked about the biggest misconception hearing people have about those who are deaf.
“Can deaf people drive?” Holman said, and then answering his own question, “Yea.”
And, no, most deaf people cannot read lips, said Holman, who is hard of hearing and the Dothan regional director for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind.
For many people who are deaf, there is a culture that surrounds them. People who are deaf have a common pride in overcoming adversity. They choose what they want to be called — “deaf” and “hard of hearing” being the most common terms preferred, according to the National Association of the Deaf. Children attend residential schools so they can learn to live and communicate in the world around them. Their language is a key part of their culture.
“It’s a foreign language,” said Cheryl Willis, a staff interpreter at the Dothan Regional Center for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. “It’s just like any other foreign language.”
This week marked National Deaf Awareness Week, an event that commemorates the first World Congress of the Deaf held in 1951.
But how do you communicate with a police officer, a doctor, a teacher, a counselor or a lawyer who doesn’t speak your language?
Many deaf people in the United States consider American Sign Language, or ASL, as their first language just as hearing people might consider English as their primary language. American Sign Language is indeed a distinct language from English — it has its own syntax and grammar, and sign language in general varies from country to country. High schools offer ASL as a foreign language. In Alabama, Troy University has a four-year program for those who want to become ASL interpreters. Alabama requires interpreters to be licensed or permitted.
But there is still a shortage of interpreters both in the state and nationally who can bridge the gap between the hearing and deaf communities.
The Dothan center offers eight-week classes in American Sign Language. The next series of classes, which filled up fast, begins in October. Another is planned for January.
Eddie Leslie has attended a series of American Sign Language classes at the Dothan center. He’s also enrolled in on-line sign language classes through Troy University. He became interested because a close friend has parents who are deaf. Leslie saw the difficulties they encountered when their son was not around to help interpret. He hopes one day to be an ASL interpreter.
“ASL is not English,” Leslie said. “It doesn’t flow like English.”
In his class at Troy there are three men and 20 women. Holman said that highlights the need for more men interpreters.
Tammy Matthews is a school teacher who has taken classes at the Dothan center. She was spurred by the need to communicate with deaf children in her school, including one in her class. She now understands basic sign language and knows enough to tell the child to slow down for her. Some of the hearing children in her class are also learning some sign language.
“It was very frustrating not to be able to communicate with this child,” Matthews said.
Reginald Guilford and Patrick Baxley are both deaf. They help Willis teach the sign language classes in Dothan. Their participation gives students a chance to interact and practice their sign language with deaf people. Baxley, speaking to the Dothan Eagle with Willis interpreting, said he wished all hearing people would learn sign language.
“If they just take the time to learn it, it’s not that hard,” Baxley said in sign. “Hearing people can learn sign language.”
Guilford, also speaking through Willis, said he wished more emergency responders like police officers would at least learn how to finger spell and become more aware of the deaf community. Both Baxley and Guilford said there is a definite shortage of interpreters.
“There’s not enough interpreters here,” Baxley said. “The interpreters around this area, their schedules are full.”
Despite a growing awareness of deaf culture, there are still people who never learn to communicate. Holman and Willis have encountered deaf children and adults who never were exposed to sign language and never learned to communicate.
“You have to have a real strong support at home and school,” Willis said. “ ... Deaf people are independent. There’s no need for them not to be independent.”
Ricky Holman doesn’t hesitate when asked about the biggest misconception hearing people have about those who are deaf.
“Can deaf people drive?” Holman said, and then answering his own question, “Yea.”
And, no, most deaf people cannot read lips, said Holman, who is hard of hearing and the Dothan regional director for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind.
For many people who are deaf, there is a culture that surrounds them. People who are deaf have a common pride in overcoming adversity. They choose what they want to be called — “deaf” and “hard of hearing” being the most common terms preferred, according to the National Association of the Deaf. Children attend residential schools so they can learn to live and communicate in the world around them. Their language is a key part of their culture.
“It’s a foreign language,” said Cheryl Willis, a staff interpreter at the Dothan Regional Center for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. “It’s just like any other foreign language.”
This week marked National Deaf Awareness Week, an event that commemorates the first World Congress of the Deaf held in 1951.
But how do you communicate with a police officer, a doctor, a teacher, a counselor or a lawyer who doesn’t speak your language?
Many deaf people in the United States consider American Sign Language, or ASL, as their first language just as hearing people might consider English as their primary language. American Sign Language is indeed a distinct language from English — it has its own syntax and grammar, and sign language in general varies from country to country. High schools offer ASL as a foreign language. In Alabama, Troy University has a four-year program for those who want to become ASL interpreters. Alabama requires interpreters to be licensed or permitted.
But there is still a shortage of interpreters both in the state and nationally who can bridge the gap between the hearing and deaf communities.
The Dothan center offers eight-week classes in American Sign Language. The next series of classes, which filled up fast, begins in October. Another is planned for January.
Eddie Leslie has attended a series of American Sign Language classes at the Dothan center. He’s also enrolled in on-line sign language classes through Troy University. He became interested because a close friend has parents who are deaf. Leslie saw the difficulties they encountered when their son was not around to help interpret. He hopes one day to be an ASL interpreter.
“ASL is not English,” Leslie said. “It doesn’t flow like English.”
In his class at Troy there are three men and 20 women. Holman said that highlights the need for more men interpreters.
Tammy Matthews is a school teacher who has taken classes at the Dothan center. She was spurred by the need to communicate with deaf children in her school, including one in her class. She now understands basic sign language and knows enough to tell the child to slow down for her. Some of the hearing children in her class are also learning some sign language.
“It was very frustrating not to be able to communicate with this child,” Matthews said.
Reginald Guilford and Patrick Baxley are both deaf. They help Willis teach the sign language classes in Dothan. Their participation gives students a chance to interact and practice their sign language with deaf people. Baxley, speaking to the Dothan Eagle with Willis interpreting, said he wished all hearing people would learn sign language.
“If they just take the time to learn it, it’s not that hard,” Baxley said in sign. “Hearing people can learn sign language.”
Guilford, also speaking through Willis, said he wished more emergency responders like police officers would at least learn how to finger spell and become more aware of the deaf community. Both Baxley and Guilford said there is a definite shortage of interpreters.
“There’s not enough interpreters here,” Baxley said. “The interpreters around this area, their schedules are full.”
Despite a growing awareness of deaf culture, there are still people who never learn to communicate. Holman and Willis have encountered deaf children and adults who never were exposed to sign language and never learned to communicate.
“You have to have a real strong support at home and school,” Willis said. “ ... Deaf people are independent. There’s no need for them not to be independent.”