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From: Tzipporah.Benavraham@f608.n107.z1.fidonet.org (Tzipporah Benavraham)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: ideas for Sign Friends
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Date: 4 Feb 91 17:26:23 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Well, I know what you are saying... a little sign is not like fuill
knowledge. I read those. I think though there is another tangent here.
This is ONE KIND of communication method. We are doing an array of
intros to the use of "alternative communications" for them also a as a
film. Remember that Mary uses a WOLF also? Well some people use Bliss
boards, some use other augmentative speech devices, and some use other
kinds of methods of speech communication. I know a mentally retarded
young lady who uses pictures. She points to the picture of what she
wants.

You see SOME understanding is important. Let me be graphic. There was a
deaf man here in the area who got out of his car to throw away some
garbage in a garbage can. he parked only for a moment to do that. A
meter maid started shouting at him while his back was turned. The Meter
maid did not know he was deaf. She walked over to him and starting
hitting him on the shoulder as he was eating a candy bar and throwing
away the wrapper. As e turned around she saw the fact she was furious
and lipread "why are you ignoring me? I will add another fine for
that". He started using sign and she just kept hitting his hands. She
said to the sargrant later he was "flailing his hands around trying to
hit her". he was trying in sign to show her he was deaf and did not
hear her. Now as it happens this meter maid NEVER SAW SIGN IN HER LIFE.
So a program like this would have introduced her to the issues and made
hr aware. You see the lack of know;ledge even a little bit caused this
man alot of greif.

I still say the program and words are very important. It will be part
of the communication aids film also showing and expalining what this
is. It is only meant to b an intro.. not an end all. But it still may
save lives.

--
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