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From: James.Womack@f14.n300.z1.fidonet.org (James Womack)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Greetings
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Date: 7 Nov 90 21:20:43 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

I am a bit rushed for time at the moment, but will try to run over 
some of the things you brought up.
 
I lived pretty much a neglected life before entering a deaf school. 
I went to gallaudet because I was given a test while at the deaf school 
and passed it. I didn't really understand what it all meant until my 
sophmore year at Gallaudet.
 
Oh shoot, I am forgetting what else you asked me. Let's see, i am a 
strong supporter of ASL. I myself became deaf at age 13, butlearned 
ASL from deaf peers so that I became rather proficient with it. After 
going through all those sign systems (it is inappropriate to call them 
languages because technically they are not) such as SEE, LOVE, SE etc 
and seeinghow they did not advance deaf people's education-I turned 
to ASL. Using ASL to pair English and to speed up learning processes 
inthe classroom, I kept it. I kept it also because of the sheer joy 
I saw in my kids' faces when they were taught in T H E I R language 
and began to grasp conceots they could not before. I also support ASL 
after seeing mainstreamed kids whose parents finally realized the mainstream 
program was not helping their child and brought them to the residential 
school. I watch these kids' self-esteem, education and grades rise 
over time. I also watched other people who graduated from other programs 
gravitate towards ASL. Obviously,this natural process is telling us 
something if we will onlylisten. So I am a hardcore signer.
 
I am all for the civil rights and new handicapped rights laws. they 
are overdue. there are a few aspects about them that i don't like, 
but generally i am for the package.
 
Sorry , gotta go.
 
James

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