Gallaudet is Hearing and Speech Center, not University!

Wow. The beginning of that video is really powerful. That many signs? It does make me wonder in what direction Gallaudet’s heading in now. I think it’s safe to say that contrary to some people’s claims, we aren’t seeing things, when one considers the pattern the university’s showing right now.

Thank you for pointing this out. This had been going for some time. The evidences are already out there if we remove our blinders. The holiday greeting is one, showing the changes.

MZ, Admittedly, the holiday video didn’t hit me as hard as this current video did. The holiday video makes me think, about inclusivity. But on my blog, the pattern of signage all over the campus pointing where the Hearing and Speech Center is more important to the visitors to navigate around the campus to get their clinical services, than other group of visitors seeking for American Sign Language and Deaf Culture to get their language services. That is an alarming fact.

Why so much emphasis on hearing and speech since there are virtually every hospital, universities and clinic provide clinical services, but Gallaudet is not proud of promoting their image that they are experts in American Sign Language?

WWGAD? What would Gallaudet Alumni do?

Amy

It’s very interesting indeed. I’d like to find out more information about this…..

Also, did these people at Gallaudet keep forgetting that it was Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet who sought out to Europe to find the best way to educate Deaf children, and he brought Laurent Clerc with him to America to introduce sign language/deaf education here, thus the birth of American Sign Language begins.

Is Gallaudet University forgetting their own heritage, and continues to promote Hearing and Speech Center with hopes to generate some revenue to keep University running?

WWGAD? What Would Gallaudet Alumni Do?

Mmm..

Amy

It was a smart move to include the black hearing speaker in the guise of inclusion and diversity. but with no asl terp, the ‘inclusion’ becomes exclusion. The move was very subtle, but very symbolic. Hadn’t I noticed the changes the last several years, I would have thought this non signer segment odd, but insignificant, too. But it fits with the new image Gallaudet has been working on. Remember they put emphasis on clients of SLCC seeing ASL when they entered the bldg? Do we remember the floor plans of SLCC and the % of asl and deaf studies dept in that building I covered almost five years ago? The new emphasis on SLCC with the signs was evident for some time.The increase in HUGS last year and this year. It’s expected to be increased gradually. The signs have been there for some time.

too many signs of Hearing and Speech Center, that sound like to take over Gallaudet University. I do not like this name of Center, should put something different name like other people’s name or something, That is way too much to see so many signs of one Center.

We really need to do something about it. Is there?

GUAA?

Amy

Well, this is my opinion they should stay with College .. NOT University.. Cause the hearing students will destroy the Deaf Gallaudet….

Michianer, it does NOT make any difference. *rme*

Amy, this pissed me off to no end. But come to think of this, that is what you get for having T. Alan Hurwitz — that guy is all for appeasing hearing people than deaf people, IMO.

Will mention this on twitter as well.

R-

Even though I never have been a Gally student but I’m with you guys on this one. They’ve gone way too far this time with that new name. It’s happening everywhere all over states in some schools. Clarke Hearing and Speech Center.
But for Gally, come on….that is a safe haven for ASL using students without any restrictions.

Michianer…..University has nothing to do with hearing, speech or anything. University means it has offered more accredited courses, etc. than colleges offer some courses. For example, law schools can be found in universities, not in colleges at all. Same goes for medical schools. Even for undergraduates to go to universities. I mean for MA, BA, PHD degrees….if you know what I mean. So this opinion is worthless. We’re talking about what’s with that name “hearing and speech center”, not “university vs college”.

Misha

That’s one of the damnest reasons why I am not a fan when it comes to “Alumni” fund-raising activities. How much money was put into these “hearing/speech” signs? Lawdy have mercy!

My question is Do Gally Alumni know about that, Erudition? If they don’t, let them know! If they knew, ask them WHY and what reason to compel Gally to change the wording.

Wow. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. The clinic has the same amount of space that it’s always had. Nothing has changed, except signs have been added. Why? In June 2011, the hearing and speech clinic housed at Gallaudet in the SLCC began accepting insurance and Medicaid payments. The clinic does not just serve the Gallaudet community — it serves the entire greater Washington community. One of the requirements (by insurance companies and Medicaid) for this to happen was that it was clear for people coming on campus to be able to find the clinic easily. So, they put up more signs. Is it about money? Partly, yes. If Gallaudet is going to thrive and grow, they need to find ways to make money since the federal allocation is no longer regularly increasing, and has in fact been flat for the past three years although costs continue to rise. So, what’s the problem? We’re bringing people who would never have been exposed to Gallaudet or ASL-using deaf people on to our campus. It’s a good thing.

You don’t want to go there? Fine! Don’t go! But there are plenty of people in the community who want therapy, who want to get new hearing aids, learn how to deal with declining hearing, etc. Why shouldn’t they come to Gallaudet for that, and why shouldn’t we make a profit?

You want to get alumni involved? Tell them to donate to the University.

So, stop feeling sick. They’re just signs. Nothing has changed. The world is not coming to an end. Gallaudet is just trying to deal with a sad financial reality and doing it the best way they can.

Wait a min, is this video a Gally grad student project? This is NOT an independent source video, separate from Gally student/faculty influence.

That vid is another example of pandering to deaf issues, Amy, and you should know better. 🙁

Ann_C

Interesting. Thanks for exposing this. Strange picture, I copied it. Outside of my mainstreamed school from elementary to 9th grade in high school, before I quit; I went to a place called “……Hearing and Speech Center”. I never saw it in a negative way. Then in the mid-90’s, I went to “….Communication Disorder” to fine tune my speech as an adult. Nothing wrong with that too.

Seeing that sign all over Gallaudet Campus is a different story. I can’t believe that.

“University” is the word to keep (to Michianer).

@ MZ, you close comment on your blog. I miss the bus, so I will share my thought here, if you do not mind.
It is my opinion that Gally may try to avoid lawsuit, or negative news if they decided not to use that person speaking verbally without using signing. Gally may be trying to be politically correct.

I can speak, not using sign. Not appropriate for Gally considering their history. Strange but true.

whoa – all this uproar over a mere student video project??? honestly, I wouldn’t take it so seriously. First, the student’s object is obviously to inflame the viewer and stir things up. Kind of like Ms. Elena M. Ruiz and her infamous B&B article. Nothing wrong with that, actually. just watch out for folks whose aim is solely to push your buttons. Second, did anyone take a close look at that graph about the Australian deaf population? Please. It’s sad that intelligent people don’t seem to know how to interpret a bar graph. The chart was about the numbers of deaf people who became deaf due to rubella. that’s all. nothing more. not about cochlear implants at all. geez Louise. Lastly, maybe those signs were put up because the SLCC is still new? Do community members go there for clinic services? it seems logical to me that outsiders need to know where the building is, since students and staff would know.

If i was that student’s teacher, I’d give him/her a C- for twisting the facts so badly. that kind of yellow journalism has no place in an academic institution.

Sigh .. What’s wrong with this picture? Hello! Gallaudet is an original Deaf University! Even I am not happy with the new logo as well. I am embarrassed because I graduated there in ’91.

Sorry…but again I think you are grasping at straws here like MZ was with the holiday video.

Who uses the hearing and speech center? Likely non-signers who can’t ask for directions.

Food for thought…blast away! 🙂

The prominence of the medical clinic signs all over the Gallaudet campus is NOT analogous to other universities having medical clinics.

Gallaudet, as an educational institution, is also a cultural hothouse and an incubator of modern Deaf thinking. It promotes development of Deaf creative thought and exudes a “Deaf people are valuable” quality.

These clinic signs are an eyesore that contradicts the dignity of a Deaf center of intellectualism. It implies that the mission of Gallaudet is to eradicate or minimize deafness.

What is similar is a yeshiva having a barber shop, or a French immersion school having an English department. It is culturally incongruous and insulting. Better to locate the Speech and Hearing center off campus.

I am disgusted with this. Gallaudet needs add ASL/Deaf Studies all over the campus, if not, then these signages need to go! I am tired of seeing “Hearing and Speech Center” all over the country. We certainly don’t need any more of them. It gave me a knot in my stomach because we do have one similar here in Dallas, TX. It is called Callier Center for Communication Disorders and it is a big place because they have a big hearing and speech center. They promote cochlear implants with the emphasis of speech. They receive grants and are part of the medical field. AND I do not want to see these signages on Gallaudet campus. Gallaudet should be the bilingual and mulitcultural university as it states. Hope Deaf people there will find that it is absurd and take care of it giving HELL.

Gallaudet is hosting the 2nd wave of audism, and anyone who complains that ASL and Deaf Studies should be next door to the hearing speech center at Gallaudet is obviously a Dyconscious Audist.. We only need a Deafhood University, and kick out the hearing and speech center off campus. There are no need for neighbors inside or outside the University thats audist! Get audism out, and Alan Hurtwiz should get PNG! He was hand picked as President, to invite AUDISTS in with open arms! Wool was pulled over your eyes.. Oh by the way, Alan is a Dyconscious Audist. The King of em all replacing the ousted Jane Fernades. Save the University, OCCUPY GALLAUDET!

MKB

Wow, must came from my heart! all that?? I love the Deaf Community and ASL.. Audists hate Deaf people and look us down thinking we need to be fixed and banish Deafhood!

Deafhood is forever!

I don’t see how Amy and MZ are grasping at straws. And knowing them as I do, they aren’t the type to do that. You worked with them for a couple of years, JJ… so you really should know better than that.

And twisting facts? The video shows very clearly how many signs there are on campus. How is that twisting facts? Unless you’re accusing the student of lying and putting up the signs there for his/her video project?

It’s one thing to have a couple of signs point to where the Hearing and Speech center is. But this many? I’ve been to many college campus, including those that had medical centers. And I cannot recall a single campus having this many signs for ONE sole building. Something’s amiss here.

Pundit,

Yeah…there are A LOT of signs…maybe a little bit too much. However, look at it this way…who made that decision? Probably some facilities supervisor who noticed that hearing people or non-signers always were getting lost on campus and just decided to put up more signs.

If there were a blind university…there would be signs for people who can see and also light blubs…a lot of them I would imagine.

I enjoyed working with Amy and MZ…my opinions on deaf issues are mutually exclusive from my opinions of them.

If Amy were to investigate further…like find out WHO specifically made that decision…and ask that person WHY…

Now, if the investigation were to uncover a massive conspiracy perpetuated by those in control on campus to transform the school to a non-ASL school…then I’d applaud them…until then..it’s grasping at straws in my opinion.

Can’t be…must be photoshopped photos.

Another aspect to this: increase of traffic. On a small college campus, parking is even more critical than in many major universities, so the multiplicity of signs was probably meant to minimize traffic and limit parking problems. It has the opposite effect, however: by increasing traffic it increases a perception of Gallaudet as a medical facility and that it is open to all outsiders particularly the increasing numbers of senior citizens. All the more reason to locate it off campus, as these people aren’t likely to be interested in college, Deaf culture or sign language.

hey, my local college have a disability center (for accomadations), why no “speech and hearing” for those who are deaf and plan on going there ? Sadly, Gallaudet is being target. I don’t blame you.

speaking of medical view of deafness: Here’s an ad from Gallaudet: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/fbh/2715751572.html notice “special need”?

There is NO increase in traffic. Again, the signs have nothing to do with traffic. The size of the staff is the same. They’re seeing the same number of people as always. There is a dedicated parking lot in front of SLCC that is ONLY for the people using the clinic. Believe me, nobody thinks Gallaudet is a medical facility. That’s just laughable.

Why should the clinic be off campus? We have an audiology and speech pathology program as part of the university. That’s where the clinic is. And I don’t know where you’ve been lately, but there are plenty of ASL using deaf people who use hearing aids, cochlear implants, and want to know about new technology. Why shouldn’t they come to Gallaudet? Why shouldn’t Gallaudet profit? And how do you know that the elderly clients who use the clinic aren’t interested in the University or in ASL?

Such narrow thinking.

JJ,

That’s a great question – who decided to put up the signs? I would like to know too. I also would like to know their reasons for putting up so many signs all over campus, if what SK3 says is accurate regarding a dedicated parking lot for the SLCC.

Of course a blind university would have signs and light bulbs. I would imagine that the signs would have braille on them too, so people knew which building and area they were near/in. Light bulbs have to be there for everyone, because of safety issues. So I don’t think this is really analogous.

Nobody is saying that Gallaudet cannot profit from having a hearing and speech center. SK3 makes a valid point that there are more and more ASL users who also use cochlear implants. Gallaudet should serve these students to the fullest capacity possible.

However, it is one thing to be driven by the bottom line (monetary profit) rather than being driven by the mission and vision while at the same time, ensuring the institution is financially sound.

And if one looks at the patterns in the Deaf Community, and knowing the recent history of Gallaudet…. I do believe there’s reason to be concerned about the direction the university’s taking.

just to clarify: I’m not questioning that the signs are actually there. that’s not the issue.

the issue is that the creator of this video went to the trouble of photographing all those signs, put them together in a video, and then mixed in with a lot of irrelevant, misleading, and deliberately inflammatory buzz words and triggers that would be guaranteed to upset a certain group of people. if you watched the video again, you’ll see that it’s nothing more than hot air: images, slogans, provocative phrases – no content to speak of. Another reason for giving a C-. how easily foolish and gullible people can be deceived and manipulated.

I agree with J.J. that the signage is for non-signers who won’t be able to communicate with non-ASL users. that’s all it is.

The most disturbing of all signposts shown in the video is “Hearing & Speech Center : __Patient Parking Only__” (emphasis mine). The word “Patient” insults all deaf students’ intelligence! So unbelievable. Why do students not protest?

I particularly appreciate Diane Gutierrez’s comment. She says it all!

Take a look at NTID, for example, an institution almost comparable in size. Although they have an audiology department, its signage is simply on the door and is intended for students. At Gallaudet, not only do the signs begin at the Florida Avenue gate, they are all over campus and there is said to be a planned dedicated parking lot. Therefore I don’t believe it is either intended only for students nor that it the same amount of traffic as before. And please note that this is said without editorializing or insulting comments.

Whoa everyone!

First of all, let make this blog cordial as possible. I am not interested in any personal attacks or talking about the rest of the video. I am not talking about the credibility of the whole video done by graduate students. I’ll leave them up to the college professors.

The only thing I am discussing here is the first 57 seconds of the video, where there are 13 signage posted across the campus instructing outside people where the HSC is located. That is quite excessive, in my own opinion. I know that Gallaudet is one of several clinics in DC Metro area provide these services to the public, INCLUDING mental health clinic. If the outside people want to come into Gallaudet to receive mental health services, and where are the signs? If someone outside wanted to come into Gallaudet to seek for sign language research, where are the signs?

I am concerned about the over-emphasis of a specific locale where Gallaudet placed their signs instructing the general public to this place. I just wanted some kind of balance.

My suggestion is the main signage at the front, or various key places where there is a campus map outlining specific areas: HSC, ASL/Deaf Studies, Mental Health Clinic, etc so that it will be accessible for anyone.

I am not grasping any straws. I am sharing my reaction when I saw this video and I felt little sick. I want some kind of equal footing for respecting both languages, American Sign Language and English. I want Gallaudet University to be a model where ASL and Spoken English are respected equally. So far, I am seeing is little bit-off balance here, putting a lot of emphasis on phonocentrism.

I don’t care that we live in a hearing world, and I am fully aware of that. I was been told by many people that there is a big hearing world outside. Duh, I live here as same as you are.

The question remains, how do we want Gallaudet represent to the community, to the United States and to the world? It is only premier University in the world specializing working with deaf people and the birthplace where ASL was formally studied and researched.

I ask for some respect to our precious language, American Sign Language.

Would you?

Thank you,
Amy Cohen Efron

I agree with Jean Boutcher. A “patient” is a person who is sick. Being Deaf or hard-of-hearing is not an illness or medical disaster.

Hearing and Speech Center for Patient Parking Only? OMFG! The gloves are coming off! Calling Deaf people “patients” is deemed offensive because there is nothing wrong with us. Gally is for students, not patients. WTF is matter with that Hearing and Speech Center people to decide on that?!?

We need to do something about that. JJ, they’re not grasping the straws. I don’t know what has gotten into you lately but yet I’ve noticed you’re starting to divide the Deaf just like others. Divide needs to STOP! I mean it. I’m sick of that.

Let’s NOT talk about the students and video, JUST DROP THAT! We need to focus on that signs and the words “Hearing Speech and Center” and “Patient”. We need to hear from Gally President, Board of Trustee and staff….or anybody who came up with that! Let’s focus on that.

Misha

Amy, my point is this: you cannot take those first 57 seconds out of the context of the overall message. The student did that for a reason. She or he reeled you in like a big ‘ol trout by putting all those photos at the beginning. You got played. Sorry to say, it’s all propaganda. And it’s nothing to be ashamed of – that’s what propaganda, and heck, all kinds of advertising does. They bombard you with provocative images, like those signs, and tap on your deepest fears.

How about putting on your skeptic and critical thinking hat for a change? I wrote an analysis of the PPT on Candy’s blog and invite you to read it. I know that with your academic training and ability to analyze scholarly research, you will see the flaws in this PPT when you look at it with objective eyes.

What’s more, I can almost guarantee that if you were actually on the campus of Gallaudet, you wouldn’t even notice those signs. You’d be too busy enriching your Deaf heart with the ease and beauty of ASL and loving the camaraderie of Deaf people. Or maybe you’d enjoy the convenience of going to the HSC to get your hearing aid fixed. it’s not that big of a deal.

Anonymous,

I was at the campus last Spring and yes, I did not notice these signs UNTIL the video framed this way. It just struck me that the inbalance of signage across the campus. I didn’t bother to watch the rest of the video, and I reacted to the first minute. That is an effective tool to make us to see things differently. So I shared my reaction to the public.

What you are doing is to downplay my feelings and making rational statements. It is my blog, and I do whatever I want to do with my blog. I invite provocative dialogue among us, and we do have some influence how we want to view our world. Of course, controversial issues and we all can agree to disagree.

But for you to downplay and telling me how to think differently, I do not appreciate this. The last paragraph is somewhat little insulting that the goal for me to come to Gallaudet because it enriching my Deaf heart? I visited Gallaudet to introduce my nephew the part of my world I live in, and my nephew gets enriched more than I do. He became so excited to learn few signs and met Curtis Pride, the former pro baseball player. He got an autographed baseball from Curtis.

I think Gallaudet can do more to promote their uniqueness, than just focusing on phonocentrism and emphasizing that deafness is a disability that needs to be serviced. It is much more to deafness that the general public need to learn and understand.

Have you seen the short movie called “The End” by Ted Evans? I blogged about this and I felt that this movie COULD come true only if we allow how the society perceives us, and not letting us to promote the beauty of ASL and diversity among the deaf community.

http://www.deafeyeseeit.com/2011/06/20/the-end-film-by-ted-evans/

Best,
Amy

@deafa, the ad is not from Gallaudet. It’s from CraigsList, and the originator of the ad is ZipRecruiter on behalf of their client. I believe that Gallaudet outsources the food services, and another company will hire the Director of Culinary Operations. The choice of words is unfortunate, but a second- or third-hand source wrote them, not Gallaudet.

Amy, I apologize if I gave offense or discounted your feelings. Your feelings are genuine and real. I simply meant to offer a different perspective. I must have been a little too heavy-handed about it. I’m not saying I’m right and you’re wrong. I took a rational approach because that’s how my Deaf Eye sees it. it’s your perogative to think for yourself. I appreciate your giving me a space to share my views.

how amazing is it that your nephew visited Gallaudet and met Curtis Pride! How can my last paragraph be insulting? I myself would feel extremely proud to be Deaf, meeting Curtis Pride, and having my 4 hearing nephews be wowed by the Gallaudet environment.

Amy..

This movie, The End, was interesting to say the least. Whether that could actually become a reality depends largely on the countries itself, whether they pass laws to eliminate the right to choose treatment and/or to have treatment forced on individuals. In the case of this movie, no one was forced. One lone deaf man in the film held out til the very end. I think in reality, if a cure was found, many deaf of deaf would not opt for it so, I think that case scenario will not happen here. Just my perspective.

In the USA the parents have fundamental right to decide treatment options for their children. The exception would be if the child’s life is in danger. A cure for hearing loss is not a matter of life or death. I think this film is another propaganda to put fear in people and create hysteria.

I highly doubt this would happen in the USA unless we’re ruled by a dictator. No one knows what our future will hold. However, vigilant monitoring of our rights is something we can do to ensure that it does not happen. Opting for a cure should be a choice and not mandated.

i don’t know but Gallaudet should be hiring People who know ASL in their food dept. not depend on a third party who knows nothing about deaf (btw, Does Gallaudet offer Culinary degree?) for one reason, food allergy.

I can understand speech and hearing center in most universities that specialize medical teaching (students who want to get into medical field) but I don’t care for audiology teaching (unless it is require for a teacher of the deaf to learn about hearing tools) … it’s like christians targeting china because of their heavy buddist beliefs (or other beliefs) and there is nothing wrong with their beliefs.

Anonymous, I did watch the whole video. And just now watched it again. The premise of the video is that we are a hearing-centered world and peoples’ mental frames are centered on hearing.

Then it goes on to reframe being Deaf as a Deaf Gain concept–the perceptions and contributions we make as a Deaf society to humanity. The contributions we make that have nothing to do with being d/Deaf. The worth we have, Deaf or not.

I do not see where the context was missing in reference to Gallaudet’s signage…it STILL is about putting a hearing-centered appearance on campus. That this is a Deaf-centered campus makes the Hearing frame especially glaring.

You are upholding this Hearing frame, despite being Deaf yourself (an assumption I made from certain words you used.) We need to watch this, because it is possible that one day when medical research has perfected a cure for most types of deafness (particularly the genetic kind) there will be tremendous social pressure on parents, including Deaf parents, to have their Deaf kids cured.

Are you implying we should welcome this uncritically and treat a Deaf nature as a thing of the past, forever considered undesirable? And without regard to possible side effects 20, 30, 50 years later? Are we going to be expected to give up our bodies and that of our children to medical experimentation and medical advances yet untested by time? Because people consider ANY kind of hearing that desirable?

Rhetorical questions, yes, but these questions bother many of us today. We are fighting a mindset, you see, that we are a less than optimal people just because of this one characteristic. The Speech and Hearing signage is a reminder of this and a coming orientation toward medicalization on a cultural campus.

thank you, DianRez, for proving my argument so beautifully. I could not have found a better example.

Thanks for sharing this video with us. I graduated from Gallaudet University. The signs on the campus is just to tell the clients/patients where the Speech and Hearing Center is. It is not a big deal. The signages on the campus does not mean that we “should” recognize Gallaudet University as a Gallaudet Speech and Hearing Center. If the signages on the campus means more money to Gallaudet University, so what?! I would rather see more cash flow to Gallaudet University and see that Gallaudet University broaden its horizons by providing necessary services to the “public.” I also would rather clients/patients to attend to a renowned deaf university and get some speech and hearing assistances from the impartially deaf university with options as opposed to going to a Speech and Hearing Center on the, say, Catholic University with limited options.

Amy – looks like u r on to something

see how they run, see how they run….

they be pushing and pulling and shoving and stretching and deflecting and distorting all over da place to try to get folks off of the focus which is:

“Hearing & Speech” we got a plenty of in this world

not saying that Gallaudet can not provide clinical services, not saying that Gallaudet can not do research in that area HOWEVER Gallaudet should be ever mindful of just how HURTFUL that “hearing & speech” mantra has been and just how OVERLY VALUED it is once folks walk out of the gate on Fla ave

and that is your bloody point and i for one agree YEP

so either the folks who commissioned those signage and had them mounted everywhere are incredible ignorant of this tension and this OVERVALUATION of the ears/mouths or they are saying suck it up and live with it cuz its a hearing world

either one is not cool

so u stand and u say HEY and HUH and whats up with that

ur not making a huge drama over it

u r just NOTING and NOTICING

and then we see how they respond – BLOG WAR!

seriously they say dont make an ant or a mole hill out of this by they themselves making an ELEPHANT HILL OUT OF THIS – wag that dog folks

so let the feud continue if folks want – we all know what happened to the feudal times

meanwhile if they r concerned about hill making – they might want to take a look at some of the larger issues before us

a real war just ended but we will have mercenaries and defense contracts there
a war against our civil liberties is kicking up harder and stronger
innocent Deaf folks r rotting away in prison

thank u amy for caring

stay strong

peace

patti

Hello there,

I am seeing the reason why we, Deaf people, cannot fight together; it all proves here on this blog. We all have different opinions and different point of views. It is just sad that Deaf people oppresses its own people just because of our background, race, sexual preferences, gender, additional disabilities, the way we sign, schools we choose, and all those silly reasons. I know this is not the point here, but if we all look closely… and see those comments, this is the whole reason WHY the DEAF COMMUNITY WILL FALL APART… if we all forget the fact that we have other races, additional disabilities, etc etc… and we all agree on what DEAF means, then we will be heard, and get what we want in a respectful way.

Excuse me, Gally2013. Not telling you how or what to think, no. here is my opinion: what’s going on here is a dialogue, not oppression. a heated, passionate dialogue. it’s OK. Just because we are the Deaf Community does not mean we all have to think the same way about the same things. The Deaf Community in the US has been going strong for centuries despite the challenges we have faced. a hot debate will not tear us apart, no sir. There’s no reason for us to agree on what DEAF means – if you’ve spent any time in the deaf blogosphere, you’d know that’s not happening! by all means, let’s advocate for what we want in a respectful way.

I don’t suppose you know who is responsible for the direction signs to the HSC, and can you go to that person and talk about it? since you are currently a student, it appears. just curious.

I’m betting that person will tell you it’s all a big conspiracy and that the cochlear implant manufacturers, surgeons, and other components of “Big Ear” paid for them. any takers?

It seems that what started to be criticism of a lack of sensitivity has turned into a furious dialogue that jumped to other blogs.

Especially from anti-cultural people who hold a mindset that deafness is a disability best viewed within a medical framework. This type leaped with glee at the chance to negate the criticism and ridicule the respondents.

In doing so, they harmed themselves by attempting to tear down the idea that Deaf People are to be respected as any other group. They went to bat for hearing people who see only one aspect of deaf people: the medical. They see nothing wrong with omitting Deaf people from sharing in decisions such as signage. They call Deaf people “babies” for refusing to accept the “patient” label.

What can be done about this divide? Dialogue isn’t effective as long as they stubbornly hold the deafness-as-disability mindset and Deaf people insist on upholding a cultural environment.

It’s important for the wider community to see Gallaudet as a cultural incubator, so opening the campus to incoming community members for services is one step.

Surrounding them with a cultural, not medical orientation is the next step.

Remove the “clinic” and “patient” verbiage and cancel all mindsets connected with it. Use different words such as “New Thornberry Communications Center” for the signage. Include ASL in every offering of the clinic and have Deaf employees constantly visible. Make it a truly comprehensive facility and it will fit perfectly in the cultural atmosphere. Else, locate it across the street on its own campus.

Dianrez,

Bingo!

Amy

Right, BINGO to Dianrez!

ENCORE!

DIANREZ!

ENCORE!

She hit right on the nail….THAT! THAT! Exactly that! She said it ALL!

Misha

I’m wondering if readers are aware that the hearing and speech clinic is part of the university’s Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences Department?

http://www.gallaudet.edu/hearing_speech_and_language_sciences.html

Quoted from the above link:

“The Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences Department at Gallaudet University serves many functions and responsibilities within the University by:

Providing graduate training in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology;
Offering a range of clinical services to the Gallaudet and metropolitan DC communities;
Offering undergraduate courses relating to speech, hearing and consumerism; it offers graduate courses in audiology and amplification to other Departments on campus;
Supporting research aimed at a broad range of areas affecting deaf and hard of hearing individuals.”

Note that “offering a range of clinical services to the Gallaudet and metropolitan DC communities” means the hearing and speech clinic housed on the second floor of the Sorensen bldg.

For those of you who wish to discuss the signage issue with Gally’s Dept. of Hearing, Speech and Languages:

Dr. Matthew Bakke Ph.D.
Contact: Victoria King
Sorenson Language and Communication Center (SLCC) 2200

TTY: 202-651-5329
Voice: 202-651-5329
Fax: 202-448-7144

dianrez,

No offense, but a number of patients may get confused about the wording of such-and-such Communications Center. Communications center can mean anything, I mean I have seen public libraries refer to their computer rooms as communications centers, for example. Too ambiguous unfortunately. Some patients need to have it spelled out as obviously as possible, as in hearing and speech center or clinic, to understand where they need to be directed to.

I’m not against the clinic offering ASL courses in addition to the other services, as such an offering can possibly help some deaf patients and their relatives with communication needs.

As for removing the clinic off campus and relocating it elsewhere, that would be a rather costly move for Gally to do so. And considering the tight budget constraints the school is facing, I don’t see that in the near future.

Ann_C

Forgot to add that Dr. Bakke is the chair of the Hearing, Speech and Languages Dept.

The info can be seen on the link I provided.

Ann_C

Amy was just expressing how the signs made her feel. I don’t understand why some people are making a big deal about this, to the point of attacking others.

I don’t have much of an opinion, because I have not been to Gallaudet University recently, and the signs do not provoke a strong reaction from me. Actually, they don’t bother me at all. But, I can understand why some would be upset with the signs, especially with how the video present them.

I do have to ask, for those who are extremely upset by these signs, What do you want Gallaudet University to do about this? And what do you think will happen if they take these signs down? Have you been to Gallaudet recently (less than a year) and actually seen these signs? Maybe they are not so overwhelmingly present as they are portrayed in the video.

(e

I think that these signs are demeaning to non-signers because they need to see a sign at every turn in order to get to the Hearing and Speech Center. It makes the students at Gallaudet who are proud signers seem intelligent enough to navigate a campus. If those geniuses that don’t want to accept that they are deaf need a sign then so be it. That is what the message to the general public should be about these signs, not that Gallaudet is focusing on hearing and speech. Of course Gallaudet has ASL programs. That is obvious considering that it is a University for the deaf. Do you guys really think that anybody with a grain of sense would think that Gallaudet does not have sign language programs. You guys are making a huge issue out of nothing.

First – Dianrez – so good to see you still at it though I no longer ‘blog’.

Saw the video and read the following comments with interest. I’d have to say that the excessiveness of these signs can play a significant part in sending mixed messages at the best. Of course – WE know better (quick smile). But for new students (especially the hearing ones) and those of the general public who lack a background in deafness, are apt to have some degree of influence stemming from oversaturation of said signs. In a way, it’s an insidious approach on their part – or rather, can be construed as such.

Either way, questions DOES need to be raised on this issue – and confronted.

Go with it, Amy – and anyone else who can flex some muscle.

Cheers

RF Walker

Amy’s being upset about the first 58 seconds of the video in which so many signposts, Hearing and Speech Center – Patients Parking Only. Violators Will Be TowedViolated are shown is not only quite understandable but also very reasonable. Oxford’s English Dictionary defines “patient” as “one who receives medical treatment.”

Ann_C’s use of a word, “clinic”, somewhere here has also compelled me to quote Oxford English Dictionary: (1) “clinic is a facility, associated with a hospital, that deals mainly with outpatients; (2) “a medical establishment run by specialists; (3) a training session in which medical session in which medical students observe the examination and treatment of patients.” Therefore, learning the American Sign Language is definitely not clinical. Learning ASL is like learning French, Spanish, or German.

Georgetown University, where Daddy studied foreign languages and linguaphones is not a language clinic; rather, it is a facility called “the Foreign Service”. The same is true with Gallaudet University where non-signers learn the American Sign Language: “The Deaf Studies Program and ASL”– not “The ASL Clinic”.

Jean Boutcher,

It is the Hearing and Speech Center, (not Clinic), but it provides clinical services as stated in the department page of Gally’s website link that I provided above.

The center doesn’t offer ASL courses for its patients as yet. At least there is nothing on the Hearing and Speech Center’s website page that indicates it offers ASL in addition to its other services. That was a suggestion that others have made in this blog and something I also agree with. It would be up to the department of Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences to determine how ASL would be offered and what kind of service it would be called, should it adopt such a suggestion. I doubt that such an offering of ASL courses in the center would fall under Deaf Studies or medical services, these courses would be just for those deaf patients and their relatives who need an alternative means to communicate. Such patients could be late-deafened recently, such as the Iraqi war vets who sustained hearing losses in combat duty, for example. I guess what I’m thinking is that ASL in such a setting would be a remedial service. If such patients learn initial ASL language, they then could continue learning the language through the courses offered at the university, if they wished.

Ann_C

Gallaudet offers many ways for people to learn ASL. The Hearing and Speech Center doesn’t need to offer classes — it would be a duplication of services already offered at Gallaudet. They can direct people where to go if they are interested in learning ASL.

They DO offer many types of communication therapies for people who are losing their hearing, who want to learn better communication strategies, learn about new technologies that can help them make use of the hearing they do have, and just deal more effectively with communication. The new reality of Gallaudet is that our students are included. They come from all different backgrounds, and while we do all we can to help them learn and become fluent ASL users, we also realize that many of them also want to make use of the hearing they DO have. There’s nothing audistic or oppressive about this. Why not let them use all they tools they possibly can to get along in the world? Half of the students on campus are walking around with headphones on or earbuds in their ears to listen to their iPods. Shouldn’t Gallaudet also be there to help them get the most out of their hearing as possible if that’s what the students want?

*shaking my head* at those who keep skirting the real issue. nobody is being fooled. The reality is there for everybody to see, as much as some people want to deny it.

the truth is ugly, isn’t it?

i’m not going to play the dance of denial. i have too much respect for culturally deaf people.

MZ, right you are. My heart sank every time the drum of medicalization of deafness was beat in this blog.

Some people just don’t get it.

When that happens, it is dangerous to give in and allow unthinking majority upholders to steamroll over the groundswell of Deaf integrity. When sensitivity techniques and cultural education fails, the only thing left is to push back.

When students and faculty at NTID asked that the AGBell name and plaque be removed from a residence hall. It took several years of increasing pressure. The powers tried a lot of political posturing to keep it, but eventually respect for Deaf won.

Progress can only be made when there is positive action to change peoples’ perceptions.

Dianrez, you see… not only do some people get it, they are also fine with it. this is why some are busy protecting the hearing system while invalidating the valid concerns of culturally Deaf people.

That’s why all hell broke loose. they didn’t like it when the hearing system was challenged regarding the respect to Deaf people and sign language.

“After all, we live in the hearing world”

Kinda ironic, isn’t it? FCC will provide an ASL format for their proposal in two weeks due to a request by the Deaf Community for full accessibility. Yet Gallaudet doesn’t provide full accessibility to sign language in its holiday geeting video.

It is wrong to even allow hearing people run the Gallaudet Campus literally. The biggest proof is that there is a hearing & speech center on campus. It is a big wide world, and all about AUDISM. Its nothing but all about oppression being obvious. If you people really think its offensive to have a speech & hearing center on campus you people would be protesting already. So far, no one is protesting so it is pretty safe to say that you people don’t really care. All of you are just talking cheap doing nothing about it. I would be wasting my time anyway.. By the way, if you protest like before.. Hearing people are the ones who would decide what is best for Gallaudet as usual and get away with it like before to have it their way! If there are any Deaf on the board of trustees, they are puppets anyway. Subalterns (Deaf) only please hearing people and tell Deaf to chill out or take it easy. Its obvious most of you all are in submission to the hearing folk. By the way.. Merry Xmas and Happy New Year and I won’t be suprised if nothing will change significantly. I would hope that I am wrong! The only way to be right from the wrong is to: Take Gallaudet back, it belongs not to the hearing, but only to Deaf people! It is Deaf Space, not hearing space anyway..

Hello everyone!
I have to agree with the views of Jean Boutcher. I have to give credit to Cynthia Nagy for talking about our early Deaf history. For example, she mentioned Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet who brought a deaf teacher from France to America. Research findings show that about 60% of our American sign language came from French sign language that Laurent introduced in America. This teacher’s name was Laurent Clerc. By the way, Jean Boutcher painted a very beautiful portrait of Laurent Clerc that is now hanging in Kendall Demonstration School secretary’s office. Jean is an accomplished artist!

Wendy

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