Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!130!10!Linda.Iverson
From: Linda.Iverson@f10.n130.z1.fidonet.org (Linda Iverson)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Sign Language as a Foreign Language
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Date: 10 Oct 90 03:00:51 GMT
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Index Number: 11020

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Hi, William!
 
Well, not being HI, I can't address the issue of sign language as a 
foreigh language, but I have some--well, I guess you might say philosophical 
problems with it.  First, what if a totally blind person wanted to 
take this as a foreign language requirement?  Would the school make 
provisions?  Yes, you could take a reader or friend to class, but what 
about exercises where the teacher might say something and you had to 
respond.  I assume this course is taught like foreign languages most 
of us know with labs, conversational practice, reading and writing. 
 If they pick ASL what about the users of SEE/  If this is considered 

a foreign language--something used by our own U.S. citizens, could 
other dialects of this country become accepted and seen as a foreign 
language?  Hey, I believe it should be taught, but is this putting 
a group of our citizens into a different category from the rest of 
us?  I know I wouldn't appreciate braille being thought of as a special 
form of reading or writing.  True, it is different from print, but 
it is not a foreign way of writing.  Speaking of braille, I think it 
is taught as college credit nowadays.  Well, just a thought.  I for 
one would love to learn sign.  It is being taught as an enrichment 
course at my son's school.  Fran, if you read this, do you think my 
son would benefit from your program?  One of the teacher's has a daughter 
who is deaf, but she doesn't use sign with her daughter though she 
knows it.  This is a small school, so her daughter does well.  She 
seems to fit right in with the other kids.  Even though her daughter 
is deaf, I've found it interesting that her mother has always been 
a little patronizing to me as a blind person.  I guess it goes to show 
we might accept the disability we know, but not stop and think people 
with other disabilities have ways of coping and do well.
 
Hey, William, I really enjoyed talking to you and Marda the other day. 
 If we get Miss Annie here it'd be fun to have a get-together.  Please 

send me the info on netmail.
 
Don't study too hard!
 
Take care!
 
Linda
 

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