Gallaudet University's communication policy:
2.2 Policy Concerning BilingualismThe video provides captioning and meets, as a minimum, Gallaudet University's policy guideline that the communication be direct, comprehensible and accessible. In Yinka's case hers is not a bilingual example. Secondly, the video is not in a classroom setting and those in the video volunteered to speak. Third, before ya'll get huffy, we don't know the circumstances or reason behind Yinka not signing in the video. We don't even know how long she's been at Gallaudet University and may have been recently hired. This has happened before when people got unnecessarily angry and ugly at a deaf professor who talked at a Gallaudet University's graduation commencement speech instead of signing. For the sake of fluidity and speed, and perhaps not enough signing skill to start with Yinka choose to speak instead. And lastly, Yinka should not in any way be reprimanded, retaliated against or scolded for speaking in that video.
Gallaudet University is a bilingual, diverse, multicultural institution of higher education that ensures the intellectual and professional advancement of deaf and hard of hearing individuals through American Sign Language and English. Gallaudet University’s mission as a unique educational institution is inextricably bound to the need for direct, accessible communication among students and faculty. To that end, all members of the University Faculty are committed to promoting bilingual communication. The University is committed to providing training and resources, as needed, to support all members of the Faculty in developing the necessary language skills.
For those who already accessed Yinka's email account and wrote nasty emails to her in response to the video, shame on you! If you're thinking about writing a nasty email to her, don't! The people in charge of the video-taping and editing choose to keep Yinka in that video as part of Gallaudet University's video on "How Does Gallaudet University Celebrate the Holidays?" Go talk to them first before going after Yinka. She should be given the widest latitude in this circumstance. Regardless of the outcome, the real question shouldn't be about Yinka's communication preference but the people who made that video. At least it was captioned and we all should be thankful for that. Nobody missed out on anything in that video. And it doesn't hurt to show a bit of diversity, either....as long as communication access is readily available just like when I did my speech without signing in 2007 at Gallaudet University.
12 comments:
It's STUPID for some people to be making a big deal out of this. I saw nothing wrong with the video. What I saw was inclusiveness of the University. When there are efforts to make a video accessible to all, it meets the goal of being inclusive. Not only that, the inclusiveness also involves variety of ethnicity, people of different religion and countries.
How many shared their holiday tradition on the video by just signing? All but one. And, how many spoke? Just one. And, they choose to make a big deal out of it? Geez. At least we're not seeing the same people bitching about those who choose to sign whilst using their voices. c
Some people need to get a LIFE.
It proves that Gallaudet University ain't bilingual as it claims to be! What a false claim!
*D*eaf here
Who says we are complaining this time?
Can you point more than 10 sources who complain about the video?
Thanks!
I thought the Gallaudet holiday video was neat and represents DIVERSITY and INCLUSION in communication, religion, tradition, choice, and global people. That is what Gallaudet University should be. It is also what we all should be, do and respect each person's choice of what she or he makes. Thank goodness for you to keep things in perspective and balance! Keep up your work.
Interesting that MZ closed down the comment section yesterday.
I agree about the DIVERSITY and INCLUSION in communication, religion, tradition, choice, and global people.
*D*eaf...Candy said "some people" are complaining about it. I think 4 or 5 people complained in MZ's comment section about the video. I'd say they are making a mountain out of a mole hill....make that an ant hill.
Kudos to you on Part one and two, Kokonut Pundit!
It is okay for any person who does not feel in confident himself for mastering ASL, let him speak. Importantly, they provide some closed captions and depend on interpreters.
Gallaudet University should be appreciate to have any person who happens to be a CEO to hire any deaf students to work for the corporations to speak at the graduation commencement. It means so much to Gallaudet University and its deaf community. It is not necessary for any people to use sign language. Again, importantly they provide the interpreters and closed captions at the Graduation commencement.
Anony@6:12 AM -- I agree every words what you said.
I find MZ's latest on this topic pretty bad tasteful.
White Ghost
I find it rather disingenuous when some deaf say that ASL must take precedence in Gally videos, when they state that Gally's bilingualism policy is ASL and written English. To be inclusive the college has to take into account the different communication modes that deaf ppl use. Ppl should respect one's preferred mode of communication, be it ASL, spoken English, cued English, etc. Ya can't make those who don't know sign language ASL-fluent overnight. When subtitles are used, that's the written English part of bilingualism and makes the argument of no translation rather moot.
Granted, speech has been glorified and ASL has been put down by oralists and some hearing ppl over the years, but that's a poor excuse for culturally Deaf to snub spoken/written English and insist on ASL first for everybody, a tactic that can turn some ppl off. With ASL's rising popularity in college curriculums all over the country, the language is starting get the respect it deserves.
The Gally video is a good example of how to rise above the communication issues that all deaf experience and how to practice some tolerance. I give the communication dept at Gally kudos for addressing those issues.
Ann_C
I agree, Ann_C. The nit-picking is silly.
*D*eaf here.
You wrote this blog because of a few comments found on MZ's blog! Oh jesus.
*D*eaf...not because of comments found. I wrote mine before comments were ever made on MZ's blog. I was making the case to not go after Yinka but instead it'd be better to ask questions for the people who put together that video. Did you not read my blog at all?
Comments elsewhere points to a few, yes, just a few, deaf who feel that Gallaudet should be a place for those who use ASL only and that anyone else can go elsewhere.
Reality is Gallaudet has always been a place where sign language of all kinds were used, including those who prefer to speak. Now we have more students with CI entering Gallaudet, and common sense dictates that with CI, there are going to be more students that will use their voice and perhaps not be fluent in ASl, but use PSE/SEE.
The same group of like minded people also feels that CI/oralism is colonialism and they see it as war.
These folks most likely do not embrace ICED's latest statement.
If certain groups advocate for ASL, it wouldn't be a problem. Except, the same group not only advocates for ASL but also put down other sign languages and other forms of communication and that does NOT reflect diversity at all.
Which is why you'll see certain groups of deaf people not being receptive to 'diversity'.
Not to accept diversity is an act of discrimination favoring isolationist attitudes.
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