[nfb-db] knew to the list

[Marsha Drenth]

Hi Heather,
I considered taking an ASL class like your doing, but my fear was that I could not keep up. So currently I am paying a private tutor to learn tactual sign. Here where I live in PA, an interpertor costs about 75 dollars for an hour. But I have worked it out with the few SSP/interpertors that we pay that every two weeks. This is the best way to go, one on one. 
I will be going to HKNC in a few month for training in deaf/hard of hearing skills. i have been blind almost my entire life. So I do not need the blindness skills part. 
When I went for a tour to HKNC back in June, my husband and I asked them the same thing. Is there a braille or text document on how to make and perform the signs? There answer is no, they knew of nothing. 
So when my husband I started learning sign we started this document of how to make the signs and the movements. We are careful to describe for espically the blind, what to do, including the 5 parameters of ASL. 
We are currently up to about 400 signs. Tomorrow we will be starting with a new instructor on our sign lessons, so we will be adding to that document. At some point we would like to offer it to other blind persons who want to know how to sign. 
I am alsdo sorry you had such a bad experience with the DB social. Even though I am now very involved in the DB group here in PA, its a sub group of either the blind or deaf community. Because your HOH you don't exactly fit in either the sighted or hearing, deaf groups. 
I am wondering if your involved with your state affiliate of NFB, if that would be a good way to find other DB persons in Texas. When I lived in Dallas, I didn't have a hearing loss, so I didn't pay attention to the state services for those who are HOH/deaf. But maybe that would not only be a good start to find other DB persons, but maybe finding another person you could connect with to learn sign. And further social events. 
You might look into Texas's SSP program, if they have one at all. Until you really get into the community of DB, can you then connect with other resources and people. 

I hope I have made sense? And one last thing, like I said I lived in Texas, specifically Dallas until 2008. your name sounds familiar. But you might know me as Marsha Lindsey, or Marsha marin. If we are long lost aquintances, its great too reconnect again. If we aren't, sorry for mixing you up with someone else. 

Marsha drenth  
Sent with my IPhone 

On Sep 4, 2013, at 2:04 PM, "heather albright" <kd5cbl at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello, I am taking my first ASL class at the community college!  I am taking  this course because I want to communicate with my deaf-blind friends and I myself have hearing difficulties!  I wanted to know if there is a brailled manual for the letters!  I received several audio books and one braille book however, they don't describe how to make the signs!  I thought they would after all the materials are from a blindness organization!  I tried to e-mail the Helen Keller foundation and never received a response!  I have tactile interpreters for in class!   However,  I don't have anyone who can work with me outside of class!   I have only been to the deaf-blind chat here in Austin once!  It was not a pretty nice experience!  The sighted deaf were talking amongst themselves and the so called interpreters for the deaf-blind were talking to themselves ignoring the people they were supposed to help!  So my friends and I have not been back!  We communicate with our braille displays on the note-takers for now!  But I think there might be a better way!  I also work with refugees who are deaf and found that Iwas the only one who wanted to take ASL so I could at least communicate with the deaf refugees!  I already work with blind refugees, as a volunteer.  Thank you, Heather Albright
> Heather Albright
> "When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another." Helen Keller   
> contact: voice and text: 
> 512-680-3985
> skype: cynterline
> e-mail:
> heather.albright at g.austincc.edu
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