The Deaf World Around You
by Leslie Michaelson and Olia Palmer
Celebrate with the Deaf World when the North Harris Library unveils its display for March-April, “History Through Deaf Eyes.” This display will place the social history of Deaf Americans within the context of better-known aspects of American history.North Harris College is home to many Deaf students and staff as well as a thriving American Sign Language (ASL) and Interpreter Training program.
It’s important to understand that deaf (lower-case d) refers to the audiological condition of not hearing and Deaf (upper-case D) refers to the particular group of deaf people who use sign language to communicate and who share in the beliefs and practices of Deaf culture.
The Deaf World is what Deaf people call their culture with its unique language and institutions. Deaf people communicate primarily in sign language and are connected by a culture that is recognizably their own, with common values, mores and goals. Here in the USA and in Canada, most Deaf people who are members of the Deaf World use ASL as their primary language. In other countries, the Deaf have their own sign languages, just as the hearing have different languages in different countries. Among the Deaf, meaning is conveyed through facial expressions and body language, which can be as expressive as the human voice.
The NHC Interpreter Training program is lucky to have Brian Kilpatrick and Charles Trevino, both of whom have years of professional experience, as professors. The college supports Deaf students and staff with various services, the most visible being interpreters at all meetings and in classes attended by Deaf students.
Deaf History Month, March 13 to April 15, honors several important milestones: the March 13, 1988, victory of the “Deaf President Now” movement at Gallaudet University; the April 8, 1864, signing by Abraham Lincoln of the charter for Gallaudet University, and; April 15, 1817, the day The American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut, opened its doors.
Olia Palmer is a Reference/Instruction Librarian at North Harris College.
Leslie Michaelson is a Deaf R.N.C. (Registered Nurse Certified) and a student at NHC.
"This story originally appeared March 2005in the North Star News (NorthHarrisCollege) and is reprinted with permission."
CUTLINE for photo below:
Brian Kilpatrick, ASL professor at NHC, is signing and entrancing a little girl.
A fascinated little girl watches as Brian Kilpatrick, ASL professor at NHC, signs for a "Hand Held Tales - Stories inASL & English" program at Illuminations Theater andChris Groom, RID certified interpreter, tells the story in English. More information isavailable at copyright held by Illuminations, used with permission.)