Wow, after a 30 year struggle, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Jamaicans have finally earned the right to drive! Can you believe it? I very often forget that not all countries have the same beliefs in the abilities of deaf people. They just held a 30 day sign language training course for police officers and personnel from the Island Traffic Authority. Good for them!
Information taken from this article:
Driving deaf – Traffic Authority personnel receive sign language lessons
Like many bloggers, I’ve been too busy with my own life to post as much as I intended to when I first started this blog. I wanted this blog to be an interesting and informative resource for Sign Language Interpreting students and a place for me to connect with Deaf people whose blogs and vlogs I visit on a regular basis.
But…well, you know how it is. Anyway, while I was looking up local Deaf events, hoping to find a Silent Movie event, I found a link to this really awesome website: DeafMD.org.
This is pretty funny. It’s also very interesting if you’re interested in other sign languages of the world besides ASL. It’s fun to recognize iconic signs and also to see how BSL has some seemingly really strange arbitrary signs, when you’re used to ASL.
Hmm, this is interesting. I just got an email about a research project: “Deaf-Friendly Cities in the U.S.” by Deaf411, Inc. Here is what they have to say about themselves and their project:
Deaf411, a marketing and public relations company, has launched an internet video website with an online survey. This survey is part of their research to compile a report of “Deaf-Friendly Cities in the U.S.” which will be made available to interested consumers free of charge.
This research will involve identifying criteria of what a deaf person living in any city needs in terms of accessibility and general services; compilation of services and resources needed in that city, identifying and listing cities with proven track records of providing such services; attitudinal considerations, and other factors involved in determining what constitutes an ideal city that is fully accessible.
Areas covered in this project will include employment, government, business, and community services and opportunities. In the video at Deaf411 online, Michel Swafford describes some factors that a consumer who is deaf or has a hearing loss face when they move to a new city. Findings of the online survey and correlating research will provide a powerful tool for professionals and businesses with clientele who are pre-dominantly deaf or have a hearing loss.
The project is expected to take six months. More information on the “Deaf-Friendly Cities in the U.S.” project, the online survey, and the upcoming report is now available at Deaf411 online.
Personally, I think this seems like a worthwhile project. I’d be interested in knowing more about the Deaf scene in a new city to which I might move.
In the eight or so years that I have been studying ASL, the changes in technology and computers have amazed me. There are so many more resources available, and they are much easier to find, than I when I started. I am constantly amazed – I feel like I’ve just woken from a long sleep. And so, I now expose my naivete. I had no idea that this beautiful, glossy magazine existed:
How cool is that? As an aspiring interpreter I’m ashamed of myself. But at least I’m making an effort. I’m attending my first ASL club in years this Sunday and now I will be up to date with Deaf news. I wonder if my computer will ever be new enough to support VR (Video relay)?
