Well, I have digested all the anger over the Sorenson Language and Communication Center (SLCC). I too would like for there to be more of a focus on ASL.
I don't have all the facts. Is the audiology and speech language pathology space going to be used for education in those fields, or to provide services? Actually, it doesn't make any difference. It doesn't make any difference because if it is not ASL, it is not ASL.
At the same time, I am a realist if nothing else. What do you think the future Gallaudet student body will be composed of? Primarily signing, non-implanted students, or (maybe) signing students who hear pretty well due to cochlear implants? The students who hear pretty well due to cochlear implants need audiology and speech language pathology services.
A growing population of cochlear implantees of all ages needs trained audiologists and speech language pathologists. Where are they going to come from? A college environment where they have zero exposure to sign language, or Gallaudet University, where they can get a good grounding in and appreciation of ASL at the same time that they are learning to provide audiological services and speech language services?
The SLCC "argument" is really a symbol for the big question everyone is asking - what is the future of Gallaudet University?
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Vlog Accessibillity for the DeafBlind
If you read nothing else on deaf blogs today, please read what Christine has to say about vlogs and the deafblind in her blog posting, "Vlogs and the DeafBlind." I have said all I can on this issue; I am turning the "baton" over to Christine and the deafblind community.
I did mention accessibility for deafblind people briefly in my previous posts about captioning/transcribing/summarizing vlogs, but as a deafblind person, Christine says it better than I could! How do you think the deafblind community feels, watching the growing popularity of vlogs, knowing that a fantastic exchange and expression of thoughts and ideas is taking place through vlogs, yet they are unable to access those thoughts and ideas?
The deaf community is always complaining that accessibility for us is an "afterthought." So is accessibility for deafblind people! We must set an example by making an effort to make our vlogs accessible for deafblind people as well as those sighted people who do not know or understand ASL well. This does NOT mean having to caption! It can mean just a transcript, or just a summary of the highlights.
After all, it is only by the grace of god that I am able to see. I was born deaf from rubella. That rubella could have made me blind as well as deaf.
I did mention accessibility for deafblind people briefly in my previous posts about captioning/transcribing/summarizing vlogs, but as a deafblind person, Christine says it better than I could! How do you think the deafblind community feels, watching the growing popularity of vlogs, knowing that a fantastic exchange and expression of thoughts and ideas is taking place through vlogs, yet they are unable to access those thoughts and ideas?
The deaf community is always complaining that accessibility for us is an "afterthought." So is accessibility for deafblind people! We must set an example by making an effort to make our vlogs accessible for deafblind people as well as those sighted people who do not know or understand ASL well. This does NOT mean having to caption! It can mean just a transcript, or just a summary of the highlights.
After all, it is only by the grace of god that I am able to see. I was born deaf from rubella. That rubella could have made me blind as well as deaf.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
When Gallaudet Became a University
One of my strongest college memories is of the day Gallaudet became a University.
I actually missed the official University ceremony in the Fall of 1986 during homecoming weekend because I had been up until 4:30 in the morning the night before in the offices of the Buff and Blue, supervising production of a special "Gallaudet Becomes a University" issue. I crashed in my dorm room for several hours.
What I did not miss, was witnessing the pride on the Gallaudet campus as Gallaudet became a University. Gallaudet, we were told, had grown big enough and was doing enough things (like the regional centers) that it merited University status. There was excitement in the graduating class of 1987, because our degrees would be the first ones to say University on them. I had transferred from NTID to Gallaudet College, but would be graduating from Gallaudet University.
Now, with the possibility of losing MSA accreditation looming, will Gallaudet lose its University status? Or will the MSA give Davila, who is working hard and fast to repair the damage, a fair chance to shore Gallaudet up first?
The accreditation crisis has now moved beyond blogs to the mainstream media. When I got home from work, I saw that a wire service article had already hit CNN.com, the Houston Chronicle, San Diego Union Tribune, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Forbes, the Kansas City Star, CBS News, and more with more to come in the next several hours to couple of days.
I actually missed the official University ceremony in the Fall of 1986 during homecoming weekend because I had been up until 4:30 in the morning the night before in the offices of the Buff and Blue, supervising production of a special "Gallaudet Becomes a University" issue. I crashed in my dorm room for several hours.
What I did not miss, was witnessing the pride on the Gallaudet campus as Gallaudet became a University. Gallaudet, we were told, had grown big enough and was doing enough things (like the regional centers) that it merited University status. There was excitement in the graduating class of 1987, because our degrees would be the first ones to say University on them. I had transferred from NTID to Gallaudet College, but would be graduating from Gallaudet University.
Now, with the possibility of losing MSA accreditation looming, will Gallaudet lose its University status? Or will the MSA give Davila, who is working hard and fast to repair the damage, a fair chance to shore Gallaudet up first?
The accreditation crisis has now moved beyond blogs to the mainstream media. When I got home from work, I saw that a wire service article had already hit CNN.com, the Houston Chronicle, San Diego Union Tribune, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Forbes, the Kansas City Star, CBS News, and more with more to come in the next several hours to couple of days.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Promoting YouTube Videos
Dear readers,
There is a reason that I have not gone public about yet, why I have been raising the captioning/transcript/summary issue for vlogs. The reason why is what I am going to be able to do soon at About.com.
Right now, About.com is allowing only a few guides (I am not one of them) to promote YouTube (not Google, sorry) videos. Here are some publicly available examples. (Please note that each example consists of a summary, and an image with a clickable arrow to play the video. Also note the option to submit your own YouTube video for consideration for promotion at About.com.)
http://cats.about.com/b/a/257739.htm
http://figureskating.about.com/b/a/000159.htm
http://martialarts.about.com/b/a/255954.htm
http://worldmusic.about.com/b/a/257410.htm
http://rcvehicles.about.com/b/a/257678.htm
http://exoticpets.about.com/b/a/256644.htm
http://themeparks.about.com/b/a/257338.htm
http://painting.about.com/b/a/257901.htm
http://paranormal.about.com/b/a/257807.htm
http://politicalhumor.about.com/b/a/256935.htm
I will be able to create permanent directories of YouTube videos, like this one here: http://figureskating.about.com/od/youtube.htm. Maybe I will even have themed directories, like "sign language," "deaf education," and "cochlear implants."
I am very excited about this and can't wait til I have the ability to do this! I will be selecting deaf-related YouTube videos to promote. Videos that I select can expect to get more traffic.
However, because the majority of the visitors to my About site are not deaf but hearing, I will have to put a special notation on each video like this in order to meet the needs of most About visitors: "captioned/transcript:yes" or "captioned/transcript:no" so that the visitors know what to expect. I don't know what will happen, but I am theorizing that the ones that are captioned/have a transcript, will get more traffic through the About site than the ones that are not captioned/do not have a transcript.
There is a reason that I have not gone public about yet, why I have been raising the captioning/transcript/summary issue for vlogs. The reason why is what I am going to be able to do soon at About.com.
Right now, About.com is allowing only a few guides (I am not one of them) to promote YouTube (not Google, sorry) videos. Here are some publicly available examples. (Please note that each example consists of a summary, and an image with a clickable arrow to play the video. Also note the option to submit your own YouTube video for consideration for promotion at About.com.)
http://cats.about.com/b/a/257739.htm
http://figureskating.about.com/b/a/000159.htm
http://martialarts.about.com/b/a/255954.htm
http://worldmusic.about.com/b/a/257410.htm
http://rcvehicles.about.com/b/a/257678.htm
http://exoticpets.about.com/b/a/256644.htm
http://themeparks.about.com/b/a/257338.htm
http://painting.about.com/b/a/257901.htm
http://paranormal.about.com/b/a/257807.htm
http://politicalhumor.about.com/b/a/256935.htm
I will be able to create permanent directories of YouTube videos, like this one here: http://figureskating.about.com/od/youtube.htm. Maybe I will even have themed directories, like "sign language," "deaf education," and "cochlear implants."
I am very excited about this and can't wait til I have the ability to do this! I will be selecting deaf-related YouTube videos to promote. Videos that I select can expect to get more traffic.
However, because the majority of the visitors to my About site are not deaf but hearing, I will have to put a special notation on each video like this in order to meet the needs of most About visitors: "captioned/transcript:yes" or "captioned/transcript:no" so that the visitors know what to expect. I don't know what will happen, but I am theorizing that the ones that are captioned/have a transcript, will get more traffic through the About site than the ones that are not captioned/do not have a transcript.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Gallaudet, World Deaf College?
Gallaudet University, the World's Deaf College? Could that be part of the solution to Gallaudet's future survival? There is no shortage of deaf students from foreign countries, where often they have no access to higher education.
In addition, there are foundations and nonprofits that are eager to sponsor capable foreign deaf students. On Sunday, February 18, 2007, the Washington Post Magazine had an article, "Making Himself Heard." It was about a deaf Nigerian graduate student at Gallaudet. His education is being paid for by the Ford Foundation. He is not the only deaf student being sponsored by the Ford Foundation; the article mentioned there were ten deaf students.
Another interesting fact from the article: Nigeria's deaf population is huge. Direct quote: "But with a population of mostly young, deaf citizens conservatively estimated to be equivalent to the city of Chicago -- and possibly almost twice as large -- Nigeria is at the threshold of "deaf critical mass," Irokaba said, a political movement in waiting. Each year that population grows, driven by unchecked viral outbreaks."
If Gallaudet has difficulty keeping up its enrollment with American deaf students, should it increase its efforts to attract foreign students? Gallaudet hardly needs to advertise internationally. These days, I am getting more and more e-mail at About Deafness from foreign potential Gallaudet students, and now I'm even starting to hear from the parents of deaf foreign children desperately seeking a way for their children to have a college education.
As far as I know, Gallaudet does not have an office devoted solely to the recruitment and enrollment of international deaf students. Perhaps they should have one. In the past couple of months, I have gotten e-mails from Zimbabwe, Congo, India, and some Middle Eastern countries. Just last week, I referred an African mother with three young deaf children to Gallaudet.
In addition, there are foundations and nonprofits that are eager to sponsor capable foreign deaf students. On Sunday, February 18, 2007, the Washington Post Magazine had an article, "Making Himself Heard." It was about a deaf Nigerian graduate student at Gallaudet. His education is being paid for by the Ford Foundation. He is not the only deaf student being sponsored by the Ford Foundation; the article mentioned there were ten deaf students.
Another interesting fact from the article: Nigeria's deaf population is huge. Direct quote: "But with a population of mostly young, deaf citizens conservatively estimated to be equivalent to the city of Chicago -- and possibly almost twice as large -- Nigeria is at the threshold of "deaf critical mass," Irokaba said, a political movement in waiting. Each year that population grows, driven by unchecked viral outbreaks."
If Gallaudet has difficulty keeping up its enrollment with American deaf students, should it increase its efforts to attract foreign students? Gallaudet hardly needs to advertise internationally. These days, I am getting more and more e-mail at About Deafness from foreign potential Gallaudet students, and now I'm even starting to hear from the parents of deaf foreign children desperately seeking a way for their children to have a college education.
As far as I know, Gallaudet does not have an office devoted solely to the recruitment and enrollment of international deaf students. Perhaps they should have one. In the past couple of months, I have gotten e-mails from Zimbabwe, Congo, India, and some Middle Eastern countries. Just last week, I referred an African mother with three young deaf children to Gallaudet.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Ontario Forbidding ASL for Deaf Kids?
Many parents of implanted deaf babies continue to use sign language, because they recognize the importance of being able to communicate with their children when they are not using the implant. Unfortunately, it seems the government of Ontario in Canada is not aware of this importance. According to Patricia Raswant in her Alert posting on the ASL Community Journal, the Ministry of Education in Ontario is banning the use of sign language with implanted deaf babies.
I posted a comment on her blog asking to see proof. (I tried to watch the OAD vlog, but no captions and the video quality was not that good). In her response, Raswant pointed me to a flyer on the Ontario Assocation of the Deaf website. This flyer is not visual proof of the matter. Next, Frank Folino, a secretary on the Ontario Association of the Deaf's board posted a comment that the Infant Hearing Program in Ontario was the one banning ASL exposure for implantees from birth to five years old. Not only that, according to Folino, the ban could be extended to school-age deaf children.
Definitely outrageous! But, I still want to see proof. (Remember that not too long ago, we had been having a debate regarding credibility on blogs?) I searched the web looking for proof. Surely there must have been some type of public statement made by the Ontario government?
Results of my search:
Once I see the proof, I and other deaf Americans, will probably be outraged. What's to say a similar policy could not be announced by a state or local government here in the United States? Milan 1880 lives.
I posted a comment on her blog asking to see proof. (I tried to watch the OAD vlog, but no captions and the video quality was not that good). In her response, Raswant pointed me to a flyer on the Ontario Assocation of the Deaf website. This flyer is not visual proof of the matter. Next, Frank Folino, a secretary on the Ontario Association of the Deaf's board posted a comment that the Infant Hearing Program in Ontario was the one banning ASL exposure for implantees from birth to five years old. Not only that, according to Folino, the ban could be extended to school-age deaf children.
Definitely outrageous! But, I still want to see proof. (Remember that not too long ago, we had been having a debate regarding credibility on blogs?) I searched the web looking for proof. Surely there must have been some type of public statement made by the Ontario government?
Results of my search:
- http://www.oma.org/pcomm/OMR/jan/04infanthearing.htm. It is obviously from the year 2004. I did a word search for "sign language" and found this statement: "The family is encouraged and supported to make informed choices among options such as amplification, auditory-verbal therapy, sign language training, or a combined approach."
- http://www.tpsls.on.ca/ihp_support.htm. Under the "Family Support" link I found this language: "Families of babies identified as deaf or hard of hearing will have access to unbiased information on all methods of communication available to their child. A Parent Resource Binder will be given to each family. It will be the decision of the fully informed parents as to what method (s) of communication their child will use. They will be provided with information on all methods of communication and on the various stakeholders that represent the different communication options."
- http://mtsinai.on.ca. Website of Mt. Sinai Hospital, with an Infant Hearing Program. A search for "sign language" led to http://ihp.mtsinai.on.ca/english/FamiliesAndCaregivers.htm, where it refers to the Communication Development Options section, which includes sign language. That page in turn, refers to the Visual Approach, which focuses on sign language (there is also a Dual Approach, or Total Communication).
Once I see the proof, I and other deaf Americans, will probably be outraged. What's to say a similar policy could not be announced by a state or local government here in the United States? Milan 1880 lives.
Monday, February 12, 2007
A Case for Text Relays
At the DeafRead awards event, I approached the representative from Hawk Relay, the sponsor for DeafRead. I wanted to thank them and also ask if they had a text relay service.
The representative replied they did not. Nor are there plans to add one.
I know video relay services are very popular. However, I hardly use them. Why? Because I can't.
Most relay calls I make are made from work. My employer blocks video to reduce bandwith costs, and no videophone. (I'm sure there must be many employers doing the same thing.) So I am limited to text relay..either through Aol Instant Messager or websites.
It bothers me that every time I make a relay call at work, the money from my relay minutes is going to another company instead of Hawk Relay. After all, when we use Hawk Relay, that means more funding support for DeafRead.
In addition, it goes without saying that there are deaf and hard of hearing people who do not sign, who need text relays. Are there more video relay users than text relay users? I don't know. If there were more video relay users that would partially explain why a video relay company would not offer text relay.
Is the per minute rate for video relay higher than text relay? I don't know. If it is higher, that too would explain why a video relay company would not offer text relay.
Another argument in favor of having text relays as an option is demographics. In the future, will the signing deaf community be large enough to support the competing video relay services? Or will the size of the non signing deaf community be much larger (think cochlear implants), making it more financially lucrative to offer text relay services?
Yet another argument is cell phones. We can use instant messager on our cell phones but not video relay services, as far as I know. Technology is so advanced now that if it is possible to use a video relay service on a cell phone please let me know.
To be fair, Hawk Relay is probably a small company that has to be selective about the services they offer. Resources are probably limited and the reason they don't have text relay service.
Unfortunately, that lack of a text relay service means that "my" money is going somewhere else.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
No Captions or Subtitles on Vlog? No Problem.
After reading all the comments from people on my blog and on other blogs, about the issue of captioning on vlogs, I have come up with a plan. I really want for ASL-impaired people who do not know sign language, to be able to understand what is said on the vlogs. So here is my plan: When I see an uncaptioned/unsubtitled vlog that I want to promote on my blog(s), I am going to watch the vlog and write my own text transcript to post along with the link to the vlog.
The text transcript may not be a totally accurate translation, but at least this way I can promote the vlogs that I like, AND make them accessible to ASL-impaired people without having to ask for the vlog to be captioned/subtitled. I will put up a cautionary note for hearing readers that the text transcript is my own effort and may not be accurate.
What do you think of my plan?
(Update: I have read the comments and so far, the suggestion I like best is the one to post only a summary instead of an actual transcript. I like it because it avoids legal issues, AND also may result in a more accurate interpretation of the vlog. It also saves time, because I would not have to waste time e-mailing a vlogger to tell him/her that I wanted to promote his/her uncaptioned vlog and does he/she have a transcript? I would be able to post links to vlogs more quickly.)
The text transcript may not be a totally accurate translation, but at least this way I can promote the vlogs that I like, AND make them accessible to ASL-impaired people without having to ask for the vlog to be captioned/subtitled. I will put up a cautionary note for hearing readers that the text transcript is my own effort and may not be accurate.
What do you think of my plan?
(Update: I have read the comments and so far, the suggestion I like best is the one to post only a summary instead of an actual transcript. I like it because it avoids legal issues, AND also may result in a more accurate interpretation of the vlog. It also saves time, because I would not have to waste time e-mailing a vlogger to tell him/her that I wanted to promote his/her uncaptioned vlog and does he/she have a transcript? I would be able to post links to vlogs more quickly.)
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Emphasize Practical or Academic Skills for Deaf Children in Poor Countries?
Today I read this article, "Uganda: Hope for Deaf Children." The article is about a hearing woman's efforts to take care of deaf children. Her voluntary efforts grew into an official school.
What got my attention was this paragraph:
"The children follow the Ministry of Education syllabus. Nsamba is aware that most of them are not likely to get decent office jobs, so she introduced practical subjects. The boys take on woodwork lessons while the girls learn tailoring and weaving."
Based on this paragraph, it sounds like the deaf children are learning the same thing as the hearing children (following the MOE syllabus). However, it also sounds to me like the emphasis is not on the "hearing" educational skills, but on the "practical" skills of woodworking and tailoring/weaving.
If the emphasis is on the practical, doesn't that keep the grown deaf children trapped in relative poverty? Even if a well-educated deaf African does not get hired by hearing Africans, doesn't a well-educated deaf African have the ability to create his or her own job and start businesses? This ability comes from developing good language skills.
What got my attention was this paragraph:
"The children follow the Ministry of Education syllabus. Nsamba is aware that most of them are not likely to get decent office jobs, so she introduced practical subjects. The boys take on woodwork lessons while the girls learn tailoring and weaving."
Based on this paragraph, it sounds like the deaf children are learning the same thing as the hearing children (following the MOE syllabus). However, it also sounds to me like the emphasis is not on the "hearing" educational skills, but on the "practical" skills of woodworking and tailoring/weaving.
If the emphasis is on the practical, doesn't that keep the grown deaf children trapped in relative poverty? Even if a well-educated deaf African does not get hired by hearing Africans, doesn't a well-educated deaf African have the ability to create his or her own job and start businesses? This ability comes from developing good language skills.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Giving Up on Hearing Aids Too Fast
After reading in Elisawrites the statement that parents "zoom to get implants" when they hear how well their babies could do, I felt I had to make this post. It has actually been a question on my mind for awhile, I just didn't get around to blogging it yet. Are parents too quick to give up on hearing aids?
In fact, I am aware that today's parents of newly identified deaf babies are simultaneously pursuing cochlear implants while trying hearing aids with their infants. They do so because they want to be able to move quickly if the hearing aids do not provide enough benefit to their deaf babies. I have even read statements that some parents secretly hope that their children will be able to get implants instead of having to use hearing aids.
Who can blame them? Hearing aids are a pain with little ones. Struggles to keep the little ones from tearing them off their heads. Itchy, or allergic earmolds. Cochlear implants - it is all inside the head! Only a magnet that sticks on the head. Yes, there's a speech processor to deal with, but at least no struggles over a hearing aid.
At the same time, I wonder how much benefit is "too little" benefit from a hearing aid? If I were born today, would my parents have decided that I wasn't getting enough benefit from my hearing aids and have rushed to implant me? How can you tell when an infant is not getting enough benefit? I am not an audiologist so I have no answer for this question.
Previous generations of deaf kids - including profoundly deaf kids - did just fine with hearing aids. Why are hearing aids considered "not good enough" for the current generation of deaf babies? My generation did okay with hearing aids. At least my friends and acquaintances did okay.
Is language development the reason that hearing aids are not considered good enough for the current generation of deaf babies? Access to more sound means better language? Maybe I couldn't hear the words to a song as a kid, but I heard enough sound to be able to develop language.
I am about to begin a trial with hearing aids myself to find out if I qualify as a cochlear implant candidate. Still need to have earmolds made. I find myself hoping that I will qualify for an implant for one stupid reason - insurance! My insurance company will not pay for hearing aids, but they do pay for implants.
I wonder if lack of insurance coverage plays any role in some parents' decision to get implants for their children? I know that in many cases, parents must pay for hearing aids themselves.
In fact, I am aware that today's parents of newly identified deaf babies are simultaneously pursuing cochlear implants while trying hearing aids with their infants. They do so because they want to be able to move quickly if the hearing aids do not provide enough benefit to their deaf babies. I have even read statements that some parents secretly hope that their children will be able to get implants instead of having to use hearing aids.
Who can blame them? Hearing aids are a pain with little ones. Struggles to keep the little ones from tearing them off their heads. Itchy, or allergic earmolds. Cochlear implants - it is all inside the head! Only a magnet that sticks on the head. Yes, there's a speech processor to deal with, but at least no struggles over a hearing aid.
At the same time, I wonder how much benefit is "too little" benefit from a hearing aid? If I were born today, would my parents have decided that I wasn't getting enough benefit from my hearing aids and have rushed to implant me? How can you tell when an infant is not getting enough benefit? I am not an audiologist so I have no answer for this question.
Previous generations of deaf kids - including profoundly deaf kids - did just fine with hearing aids. Why are hearing aids considered "not good enough" for the current generation of deaf babies? My generation did okay with hearing aids. At least my friends and acquaintances did okay.
Is language development the reason that hearing aids are not considered good enough for the current generation of deaf babies? Access to more sound means better language? Maybe I couldn't hear the words to a song as a kid, but I heard enough sound to be able to develop language.
I am about to begin a trial with hearing aids myself to find out if I qualify as a cochlear implant candidate. Still need to have earmolds made. I find myself hoping that I will qualify for an implant for one stupid reason - insurance! My insurance company will not pay for hearing aids, but they do pay for implants.
I wonder if lack of insurance coverage plays any role in some parents' decision to get implants for their children? I know that in many cases, parents must pay for hearing aids themselves.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Two Percent of Us
One interesting fact that came out at the blog/vlog conference yesterday was that only two percent of us create content for the blogs. The other 98 percent are readers.
Bloggers are like comic strip writers. We must constantly search for and be on the lookout for ideas for our blogs. That's where the other 98 percent can help us. The 98 percent of people who do not blog, can bring things to our attention, or suggest content and ideas for our blogs.
The deaf blog community probably would not have seen the tremendous growth it has seen over the past year, if not for DeafRead. You can help the continued growth of the deaf blogosphere by putting links to DeafRead or adding the DeafRead RSS feed, to your own website or blog if you have one or the other.
Bloggers are like comic strip writers. We must constantly search for and be on the lookout for ideas for our blogs. That's where the other 98 percent can help us. The 98 percent of people who do not blog, can bring things to our attention, or suggest content and ideas for our blogs.
The deaf blog community probably would not have seen the tremendous growth it has seen over the past year, if not for DeafRead. You can help the continued growth of the deaf blogosphere by putting links to DeafRead or adding the DeafRead RSS feed, to your own website or blog if you have one or the other.
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