ASL and Deaf Studies

What you will learn:

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

• Communicate proficiently in ASL and English in various contexts and employment settings;

• Apply principles of the bilingual-bicultural approach to ethical decision making;

• Act as an Ally to support the aims of the Deaf community for autonomy, opportunity, and accessibility;

• Incorporate critical thinking into systematic inquiry, theoretical reasoning and problem solving;

• Identify the challenges and issues faced by the d/Deaf community;

• Analyze, critique and discuss genres of ASL and Deaf literature, and media;

• Act in an ethical and professional manner in working with the Deaf community;

• Implement a personal and professional development plan for continued growth and life-long learning;

• Prepare and present a variety of public speeches.

What to expect:

The program is scheduled over three terms. Each semester consists of practice and theory in ASL, as well as courses on Deaf culture, public speaking, English grammar, becoming sensitized to the Deaf community and its issues, and Deaf/ASL literature.

The primary focus of the program is the acquisition and understanding of ASL. This comprises nearly 70% of the program. Receptive and expressive skills with appropriate cultural applications are developed through a functional/notional approach to second language acquisition.

This also involves studies in ASL grammar/syntax, which is markedly different from English grammar/syntax.

Students work both individually and in groups. Courses are presented through lecture, small group discussion, assigned readings, labs, self-study and online activities.

An important component of the program is LAB time when students have the opportunity to practice their ASL skills with the input of instructional assistants.