Sign Language Interpreters – ASL Interpreters

What’s the difference between “Hard of Hearing” and “Deaf” ? In contemplating this question, it occurs to me that many labels are actually degrees on a spectrum of experience.  If you imagine that the range is from zero to ten, with zero being “no hearing whatsoever….at any time….with any device….complete silence. Then ‘ten’ would equal […]

   The Name Game Recent news has brought our attention to our language and terms we use to describe each other. Countless labels involving race or gender are widely known and deemed to be distasteful, insulting,   or just politically incorrect. Many in the Deaf community have fought tirelessly over the years to change the […]

  Go ahead and ‘Google’  “How do deaf people………………………………?”  and you’ll discover how many hearing people are curious about managing life with ‘no’ or ‘diminished’ sound. How do deaf people “hear” doorbells? How do deaf people use alarm clocks? You get the idea. Over the years, new technology has provided innovative ideas . Here are […]

Wow…..twenty five years ago! This month we are remembering the “Deaf President Now” movement at Gallaudet University in 1988. In light of this historic moment in Deaf History, it seems appropriate to look back and remember how Deaf Culture has evolved over time. Thank you to Wendy Shaner at College of The Canyons for putting […]

Silly questions?  When ‘googling’ these questions, it’s amazing to see how many people are still asking these questions in 2012. For those of us living and working in the world of ‘deafness’, sign language interpreting, and ASL, these questions DO seem silly. Long, long ago….in a land far away….actually it was Atlanta in the 1980’s, […]

This bench sits in a beautiful meditation garden in Southern California. There are signs posted to “Please Respect the Quiet”, the peacefulness and this special place where many come to relax and meditate.  On a recent visit, I sat on this bench to enjoy some peace and quiet after a busy week. Ahhhh…….with eyes closed, […]

The train left the station. The passenger next to me began a friendly conversation and ultimately asked me “In what kind of settings would a sign language interpreter be needed?”.  This lovely lady was unfamiliar with Deaf Culture and was just making polite conversation.  I was afraid my answer sounded a bit ‘flip’, but I […]

An upcoming publication questions the typical communication styles of the Deaf population – comparing it to the styles of the Hearing population. Unless you’ve experienced both, you may not be aware of the difference. Even if you have spent time in the company of both, you may not have consciously noticed the difference. If you’re […]

Advice for Service Providers When Requesting Sign Language Interpreting Services Did you know that “sign language” is not a ‘one size fits all’ language? To ensure optimal communication, it is important for service providers to question the sign language style that best fits the Deaf person. Sign Language Agencies often receive requests from service providers […]

A Short Story:   Please, Ma’am, May I NOT Have Any More?  Mary Anne Pugin Warm milk, beans, and rhubarb.  We got those a lot at the Lutheran School for the Deaf, an oral school in Detroit, Michigan.  As an 11-year-old sixth grader, with a home and family in South Bend, Indiana, the Lutheran School was […]