Working with the
Deaf & Hard of
Hearing Community
Introduction
Brittany Hoff
Travel Trainer, MTM, Inc.
Washington, DC
What Will We Talk About Today?
 Deaf (Self) Identity
 Deaf History & Culture
 Interpreters &
Communication
 Travel Training Situations
 Questions
Deaf (Self) Identity
Key Terms
 Deaf
• A cultural identity: “Deaf
Culture,” “Deafhood,” etc.
• A person could have any degree
of hearing loss
 deaf
• An audio logical/medical term
used to describe a severe to
profound degree of hearing loss
 Hard of hearing
• An audio logical/medical term
used to describe a moderate to
mild degree of hearing loss
• May or may not identify with
Deaf Culture
 Oral deaf
• An individual who only
communicates by reading lips
• Often does not identify with
Deaf Culture
Key Terms
 Late-deafened
• An individual who becomes
deaf after childhood
• Often does not identify with
Deaf Culture
 Deaf-blind/low vision (LV)
• An individual who is Deaf &
blind/LV
• May identify with Deaf, DeafBlind/LV, or Blind Cultures
 Hearing
• A term used to describe
those who are not D/deaf
 Hearing impaired
• Audio logical term/medical
label
• Generally avoided as it
implies disadvantage &
negativity
Deaf Culture
What is Deaf Culture?
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Shared language
Oppression (audism)
Political agendas
Experiences
Behavioral norms
Values & traditions
Deaf History
1817
First deaf school
founded in US in
CT; other states
quickly followed
1880s
Milan
Conference,
NAD
founded
1960s
First ASL dictionary,
deaf theatre, clubs,
community, TTY
invented
1817
1972
RID established
1980s
1870s
Alexander
Graham
Bell,
oralism,
“Dark Ages”
1910s-50s
Employment boom
1864
Gallaudet
College
established
1960s-70s
Mainstreaming/
manually coded
English systems
1970s - 80s
Access Legislation
Interpreters
+/- impacts
d
1980s
Captioning
widespread,
linguistic
research grows
1988
Marlee Matlin
wins best
actress
1980s
1988
Deaf President
Now Protest,
Deaf Way
1995
Cochlear Implants
available for those
age two & over
1990s
1993
IDEA identifies Deaf Schools
as “most” restrictive
1986
1990
1995
Miss
America
2006
Over 30,000 cochlear
implants worldwide,
controversy continues to
grow
2000s
2000s
Handheld devices, video phones/
video relay service
2010s
Deaf schools
struggling
Early 2010s
Interpreters in
the news:
fake interp. at
Mandela funeral,
performing on
Fallon
2
2010s
Technology!
Mobile VP/VRS, social
media, YouTube, etc.
2010s
Late 2000s
VPs & Interpreters
common in workplaces
2011
ABC Family’s
Switched at Birth
Interpreters &
Communication
What is Sign Language Interpreting?
 According to the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf,
Sign Language interpreting:
• Makes communication possible between people who are
deaf/hard of hearing & people who can hear
• Is a complex process that requires a high degree of linguistic,
cognitive & technical skills in English & ASL
• Is more than replacing spoken English with a signed depiction
of the word
• Has grammatical rules, sentence structure & cultural nuances
• Can incorporate cultural information
When Should You Use an Interpreter?
 The individual requests
an interpreter
 Signing papers
 Completing
assessments
 Travel training sessions
Communication Tips
 Eye contact & facial
expressions
 Body position
 Allow extra, extra time
 Turn taking
 Visual, visual, visual
 Written English
What is a Qualified Interpreter?
 Required under the law
(504, ADA, IDEA)
 Bi-lingual
 Pass rigorous testing
procedures
 Interpret concepts &
meaning, not words
 Held to a professional code
of conduct
• Confidentiality
• Professionalism (message
equivalency)
• Conduct
• Respect for consumers
• Respect for the profession
• Business practices
• Professional development
Qualified Interpreters are NOT
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Helpers
Secretaries
Bookkeepers
Personal care attendants
Teacher’s aids
Travel trainers
How to Request an Interpreter
 RID
 Independent living center
 Interpreter agency
 Transportation agency
Remember
Who. What. When.
Where. Why.
More Details =
Better
Travel Training Situations
Questions?
Resources
ASL
www.lifeprint.com
www.aslpro.com
http://www.handspeak.com
www.gallaudet.edu
General Information/Advocacy
www.nad.org
http://nationaldb.org
www.wfdeaf.org
http://hearingloss.org
Interpreters
www.rid.org
Publishers
http://gupress.gallaudet.edu
http://www.dawnsign.com
http://www.signmedia.com
Resources
Films & TV Shows
Through Deaf Eyes (PBS Film)
Joel Barish No Barriers
www.joeybaer.com
Switched at Birth (ABC Family)
Deaf News
www.deafworld.com
www.ideafnews.com
www.deafnewstoday.com
www.deafnation.com
References
 Fox, M. (2007). Talking hands: What sign language reveals
about the mind. New York, NY: Simon & Shuste, Inc.
 Garey , D., & L. Hott (directors), K. Chowder (writer). Through
deaf eyes. PBS short film.
 Groce, N. E. (1985). Everyone here spoke sign language:
Hereditary deafness on Martha’s Vineyard. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press.
 Lane, H., R. Pillard, & U. Hedberg (2011). The people of the eye:
Deaf ethnicity and ancestry. New York, NY: Oxford University
Press.
References
 Lane, H., R. Hoffmeister, & B. Bahan (1996). A journey into the deafworld. San Diego, CA: Dawn Sign Press.
 Novak, J. (2010). Deaf community and interpreters Presentation
[PowerPoint Slides].
 Novak, J. (2014). A timeline of impactful events in deaf history.
Unpublished document.
 Novak, J. (2015). Personal Interview, July 15, 2015.
 Sacks, O. (2000). Seeing voices: A journey into the world of the deaf.
New York, NY: Vintage Books.
 Valli, C., C. Lucas, & K. Mulrooney(2005). Linguistics of American Sign
Language: An introduction. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University
Press.
Helpful Contacts
Jodie Novak, MA
ASL Linguist & Interpreter
Jodie.Novak@Live.com
Gallaudet University
Museum
Holly Rioux, MSW
Director, Deaf & Hard of
Hearing Services
Greater Nashua Mental
Health Center
riouxh@gnmhc.org
Contact Information
Brittany Hoff
Travel Trainer, MTM, Inc.
Bhoff@mtm-inc.net
202-681-4745
300 M St. SE, Suite 825
Washington, DC 20003