1. ASL 1 Unit 5 Culture Notes

2. ADA- What does it stand for?  ADA- American’s with Disabilities Act  Federal law requires equal access to information and services for all people, regardless of disability  Think of ramps to classrooms and visual fire alarms

3. Interpreters  Sign language interpreters are a way for deaf and hearing people to have equal access to each other.  Interpreters sign what is heard and voice what is signed  If you use an interpreter, talk directly to the Deaf person- don’t say “Ask him”  Make eye contact with the Deaf person, not the interpreter.

4. Education options:  Residential School that uses ASL  Residential School that uses the Oral Method and do NOT sign  Attend a public school (Mainstreamed)

5. Residential Schools  A residential school is a school specifically for D/deaf students.  Residential schools either use sign (manual method) or forbid sign (oral method)  The first school for Deaf people opened in the US in 1817- The American School for the Deaf. They used the manual method.

6. Residential Schools  There is usually only 1 school for deaf children in each state (depending on the state size and population of deaf people)  Some students will stay at school during the week and return home on weekends and vacations.  This is a place where being Deaf is normal- Deaf teachers, sports teams, administrators, etc. Even if a person who works there is hearing, they can sign. Everyone on campus signs!!!

7. Oral Schools (Oral Method)  These schools strive to teach deaf students to speak and speech read.  The focus is on the “Hearing World”  Rarely (if ever) are students allowed to sign  The schools are usually preschool-8 th grade.  Learning to speak is a long and challenging process for many deaf people

8. Mainstream  Some deaf students attend a public school or are mainstreamed  Often there are very few deaf students in a public school- this can be lonely and frustrating at times  Students will wear hearing aids, teachers use a microphone, and/or there will be an interpreter in the classroom.

9. HISTORY: Milan Conference  Occurred in Milan Italy in 1880  Enforced the oral method over the manual method  The only country against this change was the US  This had a huge impact on deaf people:  Deaf teachers lost their jobs  Students had to sign in secret or be punished  Sign language could have been “lost”  Organizations were developed to protect the rights of deaf people and sign language

10. Gallaudet University  Founded in 1864- the world’s only liberal arts university designed specifically for Deaf and hard of hearing students.  In Washington D.C.  All courses taught in ASL  Hearing students may attend but they must demonstrate fluency in ASL

11. Definitions  Prelingual Deafness: Going deaf before learning a language (first 5 years of life)  Postlingual Deafness: Going deaf after learning a language (after 5 years of life)

12. How to sign “Mr. and Mrs.”  There are no signs for Mr., Mrs., or Miss in ASL.  Show respect by using a person’s sign name and respectful facial expressions.

13. If you are late:  In formal situations in Deaf culture be ready to give a detailed explanation of why you are late.  This is considered polite in Deaf Culture.

14. Time Spot  Used to communicate the hour and minute  Number begins at the wrist  All time signs face outwards including numbers 1-5

15. Classifiers  Handshapes in ASL that represents a class of shared characteristics  The handshape conveys details contributing to the overall concept of the sign as well as the signs meaning  Often used in ASL storytelling and when describing things  Represented by CL:

16. CL:B (see page 193)  Walk/Step  Walls, doors  Flat surface like a table or ground  Flag waving  Boat on waves

17. CL: 1  An individual- walking, hunching over, moving quickly, falling over, etc.  Can increase number for more people up to 5 for a crowd  Can also be cylindrical objects like logs or poles

18. CL: 3  Wheeled Vehicles like cars, bikes, or motorcycles  How would you show these?

25. CL: ʌ  Represents actions of a person’s legs or eyes  Laying down, jumping, falling, how you walk, where you look etc.