Sign Language Interpreters – ASL Interpreters

    As an agency, we often get requests from those who believe sign language interpreters probably picked up an extra class at a community college, or maybe they have a deaf relative, or thought they were mostly “volunteers”. We really should have a perfect response recorded so we can just hit the play button. […]

  You may be familiar with the Deaf community in the United States, but what do we know about the Deaf community around the world? Are there different forms of sign language? What about schools and services? Jamie Berke has reported on international deaf communities in countries ranging from Argentina to South Africa. Deaf people […]

  Research indicates how teaching sign language to babies produces positive results even as they enter into their elementary school years. Although little research has been done on baby signing, the research that has been conducted is very positive (Goodwyn & Acredolo, 2000). It has been shown that baby signing can be beneficial for cognitive and emotional […]

    Don’t Sign That!! Recently, after reading a conversation among sign language interpreters, I was reminded of a dramatic episode tucked away in my memory banks. Some memories stick with us long past their expiration date. In a group discussion, an interpreter asked about signing lyrics to rap songs and hip-hop songs that likely […]

Interesting Suggested Terminology from our Canadian Neighbors   The issue What are the “proper” terms and definition to be used in regard to deafness? CAD-ASC’s position The Deaf, the deafened, and the hard of hearing are all very distinct groups. Using the proper terminology shows respect for their differences. deaf: A medical/audiological term referring to […]

  Wow…she sure likes to read a lot! One of my early thoughts while having holiday dinners with my hearing family and one deaf sister. I give myself a break now. I was only about 7 or 8 years old and it had just become normal to see my sister get up from the table and plop […]

  It’s been called a “disturbing trend” and sometimes it seems we are watching an ominous wave as it gradually approaches the beach. A bit of history. Back in the 1960’s, Deaf students had the choice of either navigating their way through Public / Private schools or attending a School for the Deaf. Let’s face […]

Deaf people have a legal right to a qualified interpreter. In legal settings, a qualified legal interpreter will have a specific skill set to ensure that the deaf person’s right to be present and participate is not compromised. Legal interpreting requires highly skilled and trained specialists because of the significant consequences to the people involved in the […]

It’s always a nice surprise when communities recognize the need to communicate with ALL of their citizens. Kudos to the Little Rock Police Department for taking steps to learn ASL and even make classes available to the rest of the community. This article comes from LATV news in Little Rock. In recent years the Little […]

  I recently came across an article from Beth Adams in Rochester, NY.  In this article, she addresses the issue of health conditions affecting the Deaf and Hearing populations. It seems relevant to share the research findings as they highlight the gaps in “access to information” – – especially for deaf individuals growing up in […]