By: Giulia Gourgue, Contributing Writer
It’s National Disability Awareness Month and the Accessibility Services team has been showing the campus was to become an ally to people with disabilities.
On Oct 21, in front of the SCC Loggia, there was a tabling event where it showed the American Sign Language (ASL) alphabet, how to be an ally, classes you can take, and more.
Jennifer Francis works for the educational interpreter project where she goes around the state and trains educators on how to provide services to deaf students. She had an interpreter with her and described American sign language.
The presentation board had fun facts about deaf and blind people in
History and their accomplishments.
Francis stated, “It takes the average person about 2 years about to master sign language if they practice it every day.”
“Get an app and start learning the alphabet and basic words” Francis stated. “You can eventually take classes and they gradually move you on up, but you start with the very basics. If any students are interested, the nearest place that offers classes is at University of South Florida.”
“When someone is born deaf or blind, their hands and their backs are used to guide them”, Francis stated as she demonstrated using hands and someone’s back. “Using my fingers I will draw on their backs to let them know how big the rooms is, how the chairs and tables are set up, how many people are in the room.”
Blind individuals have to visualize everything, so their other senses are heightened.
“When students reach out to us and say they need accommodations, we’re the office that helps with the right conversation,” Michael Bailey, Director of Saint Leo’s Office of Accessibility Services, stated.
Bailey stated, “One of the mistakes that people do when talking to someone with an interpreter is that they will look at and speak to the interpreter instead of the person they are talking to.”
They provided the ASL alphabet and ways to learn ASL.
Facial expressions, body language, and eye contact are a big deal and play a role when talking to someone with disabilities.
The event also teaches wrong terms like deaf-mute, deaf and dumb, or hearing-impaired, and how they are offensive. Some correct terms to use are deaf and blind.
To be an ally, one can go to deaf events and learn a little bit of ASL, at least the alphabet and the basics greetings. Francis stated, “Deaf people will want to know why you’re at their events, it makes them feel better if you’re able to communicate with them the most basic way, it will allow them to open up more since they see you cared enough to learn ASL.”
