Interacting with the Hard of Hearing September 21, 2007
Posted by Kurt in : Uncategorized , 2commentsFor those who don’t know it, RIT is also home of NTID, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. So there is a large deaf population on campus, and for that matter, in Rochester. Additionally, NTID has kind of an “outpost” right down the hall from me (And my faculty). A few offices and a lab.
Anyway, that’s kind of the background. I’ve often felt a bit nervous and/or uncomforatble around them. Not because I have a problem with them, or fear them. Why? Mainly because I feel like I’m the ignorant guy dealing with people from another country. No, I’m not implying they aren’t American (although I’m sure some of their students aren’t, RIT has a large international student population). Almost all of them speak my language to some degree or another (American English), but I’m the one who doesn’t know *their* primary language. American Sign Language.
I’ve just not got around to picking it up yet. When I do make the time, there are probably not too many better places than here at RIT. I just haven’t found those round tuits yet. 
So really, I just feel a little weird because I feel somewhat like I’ve been too lazy to pick up their language. Really, I shouldn’t. I actually broke down a couple months ago and asked someone who works in NTID about a courtesy issue that had always bothered me. See, when there is a big conversation between a bunch of people using ASL, they stand in a circle so everyone can see everyone’s hands and chat. I always used to feel that when I went through them, like to head to the front of the building, that I was like some guy butting into your conversation briefly to shout at the top of my lungs as I went by. Because I would break their line of sight briefly. When I finally asked someone about it, I was told they don’t see it that way at all. It’s actually more inconsiderate to get their attention just to go by. (Which I had figured out I shouldn’t do). It’s just part of using ASL to communicate. I mean, no stopping to do jumping jacks in the middle of them
I found out a couple days ago my current “lackey”, in addition to all the other things he does, teaches sign language at the NTID “No Voice Zone” events. I was rather impressed. He teaches folks how to sign, without anyone speaking. It really seems like a good idea. Just like other immersive language classes.
Another thing that occured to me then, is the difference in cognitive load for people who sign and speak at the same time. I suppose someone who was talking and writing or talking and typing at the same time might be similar… but ASL is not American English. It’s a different language, different concepts (from my understanding). So you will see many people speaking and signing at the same time, and they are speaking two distinct languages simultaneously. Even the aforementioned people typing and/or writing at the same time generally are using the same language in two mediums. And when else does someone speak two languages simultaneously. We’re not equipped :) Unless you can point someone to me who speaks, say, French and Spanish simultaneously