Sign Languages Commons^™

The Vital Role Of Interpreters In The Deaf Community: Navigating Accessibility Amidst Declining Deia Initiatives, Andrew Kovacs

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The catalyst for this research project stems from the rollback of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives under the current presidential administration. Executive Orders from the presidential office have caused budget cuts and pauses in federal programs that affect all types of communities across the United States. For the Deaf community, funding for federal and state programs aimed at training ASL interpreters, helping Deaf individuals find jobs, and other communicative tools used by native signers has been paused. Despite the urgency of this issue, few studies have looked at the intersection of Deaf accessibility and the decline of DEIA …

Evidence For Explicitation: Working From Asl Into English, Campbell Mcdermid, Carrie Humphrey, Anita Harding

Journal of Interpretation

A study was done to examine the explicitation and compression strategies used by interpreters working from American Sign Language (ASL) into spoken English. To date, most research has focused only on their work from English into ASL. A review of the literature identified several expansion and compression strategies that interpreters and translators utilize, and these served as a model of coding the data and for triangulation. The methodology for this study was qualitative and descriptive. Twenty-two interpreters volunteered to simultaneously interpret four ASL recorded texts into spoken English, for a total of 88 target texts. The researchers identified 9 expansions …

Emotional Display Rules Of Deaf Culture, Nicholas M. Gala, Lawrence Pick

JADARA

Emotional display rules refer to the expression of culturally prescribed and socially acceptable emotions across different people and situations (Wu & Schulz, 2020). The display rules among hearing adults across several cultures are well defined and depend on the type of emotion, the individuals involved in the exchange, and the situation. Regarding Deaf culture in the United States, this minoritized group may follow unique display rules (Hosie et al., 2000), but there has been almost no research conducted with this population and the existing studies have focused on youth. The present study explores perceived emotional expressions among a sample of …

Speech & Language Services: Examining The Experiences Of Deaf / Hard Of Hearing People, Milayna N. Barker

University Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) adults and parents of Deaf/HoH children related to speech and language services, and their recommendations for service providers. Historically, professionals have focused on the development of speech and aural/oral skills of Deaf and HoH people. As such, when working with families of newly-identified children with hearing loss, hearing professionals may be ill-equipped to provide culturally-responsive, fully inclusive information and education regarding communication options and opportunities.

Method: This study used a qualitative research design to examine participant experiences related to speech and language services …

Mapping Deaf America: Visualizing American Deaf Sociality Through Geographic Information Systems, Emily Nover

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

In the study of the US deaf community, a noticeable gap is evident in the absence of an accessible map that presents current data about the community. This project takes an American perspective, embracing the term “Deaf America” as a framework that highlights the unique social network, geographic nuances, and sensory experiences of the deaf community in the United States. These elements are crucial to understanding the extensive network of the deaf community in the US. However, there is a lack of quality visual representations of these elements. This project seeks to bridge this gap by collecting data and leveraging …

Signed Language Interpreter Education Programs In North America: A Descriptive Study, Len Roberson, Sherry Shaw

Journal of Interpretation

The objective of this study is to provide interpreter education faculty, university administrators, accrediting bodies, stakeholders, interpreters, and students (current or prospective) a descriptive snapshot-in-time of interpreter education curriculum and programs in North America. This study expands upon work done in the late 1987-1990 and 2007-2009 to capture a descriptive snapshot-in-time of the preparation of signed language interpreters. Researchers anticipated learning how programs align their curricula with CCIE accreditation standards (whether they are accredited or not), how two- and four-year programs (including Canada) allocate faculty time and resources, and how student characteristics and support systems differ among programs. This study …

Exploring Essentialization, Stereotyping, And Forms Of Dehumanization In American Sign Language, Madeline Haefele

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper investigates the philosophical implications of evolving and removing certain signs in American Sign Language (ASL), with a focus on those considered problematic due to their potential to perpetuate stereotypes or essentialism. Through an analysis of signs for words such as Jewish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Black, this study explores how language shapes and reflects social attitudes, particularly within the Deaf community. The research situates these signs within philosophical frameworks, identifying their potential contributions to social essentialism, prejudice, or forms of dehumanization.

While addressing the challenges of limited first-hand accounts from Deaf individuals, the …

The Deaf Experience In National Parks With An Emphasis On Rocky Mountain National Park, Madeline Dannewitz

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research investigated the experiences of Deaf visitors to the Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). The little research available focuses on how the National Park Service and its workers interact with Deaf people. Conversely, this study investigated the experiences of Deaf people and their perspective regarding interacting with the park and its members. A study regarding Deaf visitors in Yosemite National Park found that many were invisible to its employees. The desire from the Deaf community and lack of research shows the significance of this study. This analysis is crucial to the human experience as quality of life is improved …

Exploring Student Engagement At Gallaudet: A Video Analysis Of Direct Asl Instruction And Asl Interpreter-Facilitated Instruction, Mara Land

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This capstone study explores students' engagement levels in Gallaudet’s classrooms through a compilation of videos courtesy of Gallaudet’s Bilingual Evaluation, Testing, and Assessment Center (BETA Center). Students' engagement in videos of classes taught by a professor who uses ASL interpreters (indirect communication) and those of professors fluent in ASL (direct communication) are analyzed. The video analysis consists of two classes taught by professors fluent in ASL and one taught by a professor utilizing ASL interpreters. Student and professor surveys also contributed to the data collection. This research aims to analyze the differences between each classroom type and contribute to identifying …

Toward Equal Access: A Model For Lay Advocacy Programs Serving People Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Melissa Bell

JADARA

Advocacy programs are prevalent among state government agencies that specialize in serving persons who are deaf or hard of hearing around the United States. The work is crucial to ensuring equal access and equal opportunity, yet the lay advocacy profession is not yet formalized with certification, ethical standards, or training programs for advocates serving this population. Research was conducted to advance efforts to maximize these programs’ effectiveness by compiling components of an ideal model for lay advocacy programs. Directors from state agencies that specialize in serving this population around the country refined the model and described the structure of their …

Beyond The Hands: Exploring Intersectional Identities Of Black American Sign Language Users, Tatum Turner

Theses and Dissertations--Linguistics

There is a significant gap in research related to the impact of intersectionality on linguistic identity performance among individuals negotiating multiple marginalized identities. This gap is especially significant among deaf Black and African American individuals who use the American Sign Language (ASL) variety deemed Black American Sign Language (BASL) (Hairston & Smith, 1983). This research aims to identify and discuss the use of the eight distinguishing features of BASL (McCaskill et al. 2011) as indexes of intersectional identities.

My data consists of videos sourced from YouTube, each chosen according to the following criteria: must have at least one self-identifying Black …

The Critical Need For Early Language Access For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Children, Kinya D. Embry-Wright

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are referred to as the experts of communication (ASHA, n.d.) utilizing their specialized training, extensive education, and clinical expertise to work with individuals across the lifespan with a variety of different speech and language delays, disorders, and deficits. However, when working with deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) children, there is often precedent given to speech and listening (M. L. Hall et al., 2019). For example, ASHA only recently updated their DHH portal to include American Sign Language (ASL), though they still list it on some webpages as an Augmentative …

The Impact Of The First Language Transfer On English Language Syntax For Arab Esl Students At Private Language Center In Mid-Size University Town, Mohammed A. S. Abdalhadi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the Impact of the First Language Transfer on English Language Syntax for Arab ESL Students at Private Language Center in Mid-Size University Town. The research population was 12 participants from Spring International Language Center through Intensive English Program and 7 participants from Adult Education center. The writing samples and interview were the main two instruments to analyze the data. I used constructive Analysis (CA), Error Analysis (EA), and coding to analyze the writing samples and the interview. The study focused on the syntax transfer between Arabic L1 and English L2, so Adjective/noun order, Subject/verb order, Number/numbered order, …

Signed Copy Of "The Misrepresentation Of American Sign Language In Mainstream Film Media: A Call For Inclusive Representation", Katherine M. Hamilton, Lisalee D. Egbert

MavTHAT ASL Student Organization-Archive

Mass film media shapes culture, reflecting dominant norms and influencing public opinions. This popular form of media has the power to shape popular culture and influence public opinions and perceptions; thus, properly portraying Deaf characters, the correct linguistic model of American Sign Language (ASL), and Deaf Culture in this powerful medium is crucial. This research examines the misrepresentation of Deaf Culture and ASL in film and its impact on real-world interactions between Deaf and hearing c/Communities. By analyzing historical film trends, bring modern trends to light, and creating educational tools, this study aims to create measurable change in media practice. …

Deaf Awareness Panel Poster With Panelist Signatures, Mavthat Asl Club

MavTHAT ASL Student Organization-Archive

MavTHAT ASL Club (an official student organization at the University of Texas at Arlington) Presents: Deaf Awareness on September 22, 2023. Mavs THAT ASL Club is proud to present the dynamic interdisciplinary work of local Deaf citizens. Panelists include: Shelia Grady, Access Specialist at the Deaf Action Center in Fort Worth, passionately advocating for inclusivity and accessibility. Her dedication to fostering communication bridges gaps for the Deaf community. DayDay Sands, A Deaf artist specializing in photography, he brings creativity to life while also serving as a Tarrant County College ASL Lab Tutor. Their visual artistry captures the essence of the …

Exploring Strategies For Modeling Sign Language Phonology, Lee Kezar, Riley Carlin, Tejas Srinivasan, Zed Sehyr, Naomi Caselli, Jesse Thomason

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Like speech, signs are composed of discrete, recombinable features called phonemes. Prior work shows that models which can recognize phonemes are better at sign recognition, motivating deeper exploration into strategies for modeling sign language phonemes. In this work, we learn graph convolution networks to recognize the sixteen phoneme “types” found in ASL-LEX 2.0. Specifically, we explore how learning strategies like multi-task and curriculum learning can leverage mutually useful information between phoneme types to facilitate better modeling of sign language phonemes. Results on the Sem-Lex Benchmark show that curriculum learning yields an average accuracy of 87% across all phoneme types, outperforming …

Initiation Practices And Access To Higher Education For Deaf Students: The Interpreter As A Resource, Susana Barbosa, Ana Oliveira, Fernanda Teixeira

Journal of Interpretation

The transition from secondary school to higher education institutions (HEIs) can be a very exciting experience, but it can also represent unique challenges, making this moment a crucial event in the academic path of all students. Academic initiation practices are a tradition that exists on several universities campuses with the purpose of promoting students' integration into academic life during such an important transition.

It is important to analyse the participation of deaf students in initiation practices to higher education and the sign language interpreters' role in including them in this process. Sixteen deaf students of HEIs in the Porto region …

Unveiling Linguistic Equity: Two Deaf Women Highlight Sign Language In Iran, Ardavan Guity

Society for American Sign Language Journal

The emergence of awareness of sign language and deaf culture in Iran has brought attention to the need for language rights within the deaf communities of Iran. Deaf Persian/Iranian women face a unique and challenging situation, experiencing oppression on two fronts: gender and being deaf. These women aspire to achieve their dreams but often encounter restrictions imposed by Iranian society. This study focuses on the narratives of two deaf women, highlighting their journeys, overcoming obstacles to advance themselves in society, and striving for equity, independence, and self-determination. The story of Katayoon Guity showcases her journey as a successful artist, while …

50th Anniversary Of “Ameslan Prohibited”: Celebrating Betty G. Miller’S Creativity, Pamela Conley

Society for American Sign Language Journal

The art piece known as “Ameslan Prohibited” may currently enjoy an excellent standing in the eyes of deaf people in the United States and abroad, but this was not the case in 1972 when it was first exhibited to the public. Fifty years have passed with the art piece shifting from being thought of as outrageous by many viewers to being highly acclaimed. “Ameslan Prohibited” refers to society’s historical and contemporary lack of support for the language of deaf people in the United States, American Sign Language (ASL). The now deceased Betty Gloria Miller was the creator of “Ameslan Prohibited”; …

A Tribute To Barbara Marie Kannapell, Mj Bienvenu, Kathy Jankowski

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

A Tribute To Nathie Lee Marbury, Niesha Washington-Shepard, Carolyn Mccaskill

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

A Tribute To Marie Jean Philip, Mj Bienvenu, Jessica Meehan

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

Deaf Women: Agents Of Change, Arlene B. Kelly

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 6, Number 2, Full Issue

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

Working With Deaf Children In Healthcare Settings, Maria E. Lombardi

JADARA

Effective and efficient health care is greatly influenced by communication between patient and provider. Federal laws require the use of a sign language interpreter (SLI) or other appropriate accommodations to ensure effective communication within the health care system for deaf children. Specialized training and certifications are available for SLIs choosing to specialize in the health care field. The training is typically geared toward SLIs working with adults rather than children. In addition, very few studies focus on the use of SLIs for children within health care settings. SLIs bring unique perspectives to their respective settings when referencing one’s skill set. …

Irish Sign Language Interpreter Workplace Wellness During Covid-19: Looking Back And Moving Forward, Sarah Sheridan, Joanne O'Donnell

Journal of Interpretation

This study aims to provide insights into the impact of COVID-19 on the Irish Sign Language Interpreting profession in regards workplace wellbeing and occupational health. A two-staged mixed method data collection took place in the form of an anonymous online survey followed by focus groups. This captured work practices throughout the pandemic, the impact it had on Ssign Language Interpreters (SLIs), as well as mechanisms employed regarding wellness and self-care. The results reveal many issues impacting SLIs in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic, including drastic decreases in workload, and a forced transition into an online environment. The sudden shift to …

Enrico Pea And The Awareness Of Never-Ending Detachment (Alexandria, Egypt 1896–1914), Stefano Giannini

Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics - All Scholarship

This chapter analyzes the postcolonial discourse in Italy, through the voice of the novelist and playwright Enrico Pea (1881–1958). Living outside of Italy, Pea gained a unique awareness of the notion of multi-ethnic societies, of the concepts of nationality, borders, and boundaries. Alexandria, Egypt, is Pea’s referential space. It is a center, and at the same time, a marginal place. Alexandrea ad Egyptum, that is, the door to Egypt, as it was known in antiquity, this city brought together Arab and European artistic experiences that converged on, and were triggered by, its multicultural profile. The history of political exile …

Asymmetric Event-Related Potential Priming Effects Between English Letters And American Sign Language Fingerspelling Fonts, Zed Sevcikova Sehyr, Katherine J. Midgley, Karen Emmory, Phillip J. Holcomb

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Letter recognition plays an important role in reading and follows different phases of processing, from early visual feature detection to the access of abstract letter representations. Deaf ASL–English bilinguals experience orthography in two forms: English letters and fingerspelling. However, the neurobiological nature of fingerspelling representations, and the relationship between the two orthographies, remains unexplored. We examined the temporal dynamics of single English letter and ASL fingerspelling font processing in an unmasked priming paradigm with centrally presented targets for 200 ms preceded by 100 ms primes. Event-related brain potentials were recorded while participants performed a probe detection task. Experiment 1 examined …

Engaging The Rwandan Deaf Community: Sociolinguistics And Education, Lillian Berggoetz

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This capstone project focuses on language research among the deaf community in Rwanda, Africa. This study examines sign language in Rwanda, the language’s context, and considers one’s positionality as the researcher. This is a three-tiered project. The first tier is an analysis of research positionality and how to do ethical research. The second tier applies qualitative research methods to understand sociolinguistics by interviewing Rwandans in the deaf and signing community. The third tier is a linguistic analysis of colors in data previously collected in Rwanda by Dr. Cecily Whitworth. The ultimate goals for this project are to learn about positionality …

Pioneering The Field Of Deaf Women’S Studies, Genie Gertz, Arlene B. Kelly, Vicki Hurwitz

Society for American Sign Language Journal

This article is written by three Deaf women-scholars who pioneered Deaf Women’s Studies (DWS) about thirty plus years ago: the discipline arose from the need to explore the Deaf female experience (Kelly, 2016). Then, the 1990’s was when the DWS coursework was first developed and offered in American academia. To gain a greater understanding for DWS, the article begins by reviewing the emergence of both Black Studies and Women’s Studies as academic fields and how these were the impetus for DWS. A discussion about the Deaf women’s experiences during different periods of American history is given in detail. A brief …