[nabs-l] blind students in ASL courses

[Jewel S.]

I have wanted to take ASL classes, also, and when I talked to the
interpreter of a deafblind friend of mine (who was busy in class at
the time(, she suggested that I ask about a tactile interpreter,
someone who would sign everything directly into my hands. She
suggested this because Jenn, who is deaf-blind, and I had been signing
just fine to each other through tactile signing (signing directly into
each others' hands, though I often couldn't follow her fast signs and
ASL grammar (I know signed English, but not ASL grammar). So...I would
suggest a tactile interpreter, and perhaps send two copies of an ASL
textbook to RFBD to have them record it. They will record any textbook
you send them if you send two copies. In this way, they will describe
the graphics, the signs in the pictures. Call RFBD before you do this,
because they may have to figure out something special for such a
picture-intensive textbook as one of ASL. Also, a tutor would be a
very important thing for a blind student in an ASL class, as that
would be the only viable way of studying by making signs. The tutor
could tell the student if they are doing it right. I think the best
tutor would be someone who is fluent in ASL. The person could be deaf;
the student would have even more reason to learn ASL, but at the same
time, a hearing tutor would be able to communicate easier with the
blind student.

Some thoughts,
Jewel

P.S.- Please let me know how this goes, for my own reference for
future ASL classes myself.

On 6/10/10, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
> Not necessarily. Many, if not most,  of the
> deaf/blind folks in the NFB prefer assisted listening over ASL. that
> doesn't mean one shouldn't try to contact the Deaf/Blind division, I'm
> just saying that it might be difficult to get the information you
> request. You might also go to the American Association of the
> Deaf/Blind (AADB) web site at http://www.aadb.org.
>
> I took ASL classes. I would highly recommend using a tactile
> interpreter. Your school's DSS should provide that service. Your
> tactile interpreter is responsible for signing anything she or he sees
> in the classroom and identifying who is signing what. Your interpreter
> can be Deaf or hearing depending on how your class is structured.
> Hopefully, your ASL instructor is Deaf and uses ASL on a pretty regular
> basis if not all the time.
>
> You'll undoubtedly hit a few obstacles as you work in ASL. The fact is
> that both the Deaf and blind communities consider the deaf/blind to be
> more handicapped than themselves. (the Deaf community more than the
> blind). When I was taking ASL, I noticed that the Deaf people I signed
> to didn't know what to do with me. Once they figured out that I'm a
> tactile signer, they'd sign with me. Unfortunately, they grabbed my
> hands a lot because they didn't think I could follow their hands by
> touch to know what they were saying. In a large gathering of deaf
> people, it's also really difficult to interact because people can sign
> across the room from each other and you'd never know it. Once you find
> someone to talk to, you then meet the difficulties I've just described.
> I'd highly recommend making friends in the Deaf community and going to
> Deaf gatherings with them so they can help you break down those barriers.
>
> Let me know by e-mail if you have any specific questions on tactile
> signing techniques. My e-mail is loneblindjedi at samobile.net.
>
> Respectfully,
> Jedi
> Original message:
>> Hello,
>
>> Have you contacted the Deafblind division of the NFB? While this
>> student isn't deafblind himself, I think they would have excellent
>> suggestions as to how to accommodate the blind student for this course.
>
>> http://www.nfb.org/nfb/deaf-blind_resources.asp?SnID=2
>
>> This resource list may be of some use to you.
>> Hope this helps.
>
>> Briley Pollard
>> On Jun 9, 2010, at 12:29 PM, Loew, Ruth wrote:
>
>>> Hi - I'm a sighted lurker on this listserv.  I know many of you from
>>> NABS meetings at the NFB Conventions and Washington Seminars.
>
>>> I participate in another listserv for people who work with deaf and hard
>>> of hearing college students.  Today someone raised an interesting
>>> question: a blind student has registered for an ASL (American Sign
>>> Language) class, and the Disability Services counselor is looking for
>>> suggestions as to how to make the class accessible and meaningful.
>
>>> I know that some NABS members have taken ASL courses.  Do any of you
>>> have ideas I could pass on to my colleagues?  You may contact me
>>> off-list at RLoew at ets.org; or, if you think the discussion would be of
>>> interest to others, feel free to post to the list, and I'll see your
>>> responses there.  Thanks!
>
>>> Ruth C. Loew, Ph.D.
>>> Assistant Director
>>> Office of Disability Policy, ETS
>
>
>
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