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From: Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: question RE signers and signing
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Date: 4 Feb 91 21:48:07 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 JC> Nevertheless, the cost IS prohibitive for many people,
 JC> including my daughter--a college student who's trying to scrape
 JC> together enough tuition money!

Costly professional certifications serve two purposes, Jay.

    1. To assure some defined level of competence.

    2. To restrict entry into a profession.

When the cost becomes excessive or the procedure unreasonably
cumbersome, one must question which purpose is dominant.

Some of the very best interpreters are native signers, hearing
children of deaf parents, to whom ASL is a "first language".
Yet many of these have not found the need or motivation to
submit to the certification process.

Granted there are situations where an interpreter with the
appropriate "certification" level should be mandatory (court
proceedings come to mind).  But hospital emergency rooms where
time is of the essence and lives may be at stake ???  Naaah!

ASL is a language and, like English or French or Spanish, people
use it with varying levels of proficiency.  Would anyone seriously
maintain that only degreed English majors should be allowed to
speak English?  Or that only ordained ministers should be
permitted to pray?
                                      Jack.

... HI-HoH Silver, Awayyyyy!

--
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