Deaf People's Right to Communication Access

You have chosen a career in ASL/English Interpretation. Most of you chose this career because you had a fascination with American Sign Language and its community of users, the American Deaf community. You recognized that the deaf community is commonly misunderstood by American mainstream culture. In choosing this career, you have expressed your desire to be the language and cultural bridge between people who don’t share a common language and culture.

You are now beginning your journey. You are enrolled at a college specifically established for deaf people. Deaf students attend NTID out of the thousands of options available to them because NTID is committed to creating an environment free of communication barriers; a place where deaf people will have access unparalleled in any other mainstreamed college environment.

You now have the opportunity to interact, play, and learn in this very unique environment. As a  BSI student, your ASL teachers and your Deaf friends are opening the door to you to enter their world; learning and exploring their language and culture. They provide you with the KEY to enter their world—a world they cherish! This KEY comes with responsibilities. Deaf people are freely sharing their language and culture with you, but there is an unspoken reciprocal agreement in accepting this KEY. This agreement is of vital importance to Deaf people. Just as they have provided you access to their language and culture, the expectation is that you will now use that KEY to provide them access to communication.

 Although eventually you will provide access through the provision of interpreting services, you have an obligation now as part of this reciprocal agreement to provide access through using their language for your own communication. Signing in the NTID environment is one of the many ways we show appreciation and respect for the granting of the KEY. Respecting Deaf peoples’ right to communication access in all aspects of their lives is critical; denying language access to Deaf people in an environment specifically designed to break down communication barriers is particularly egregious.

Show Deaf people your appreciation and respect for the KEY that you have been granted. Sign at all times in all public spaces within NTID!

Thank you for respecting and upholding Deaf people’s right to full access in their daily communication environment.

Jason Listman, ASLIE Chairperson

Jill Burress, BSI Program Director