Workshop simulates deaf culture for hearing peopleAshley DukeTNE Writer

Jameie Combs, American Sign Language instructor, teaches her American Sign Language I class. The upcoming “It’s A Deaf, Deaf World” workshop helps hearing people experience situations from the perspective of a deaf person. The workshop offers four sessions from 9-10:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., 1-2:30 p.m. and 2:45-4:15 p.m., April 22, in UC Ballroom A.

“It’s A Deaf, Deaf World” demonstrates what it is like to be deaf or hearing impaired in real life situations. This traveling workshop is presented at colleges, businesses and anywhere that would like to increase awareness of deaf culture.“It turns the tables in the world right now,” said Jameie Combs, American Sign Language instructor. “Deaf people are the minority, and hearing people are the majority. Suppose the world was the opposite. Suppose everyone was deaf and there were only a handful of hearing people. How would you feel?”Total Source for Hearing-loss and Access, a non-profit organization that has provided services to those with hearing loss for more than 50 years, presents the event. Donations are welcomed by TSHA at the workshop but are not required. “Being able to walk in the shoes of the deaf community is an interesting aspect this workshop has to offer,” said Meghan Mckinney, Sallisaw senior. “We know that one out of 10 people are deaf, but gaining the understanding of what it means to be deaf in our hearing world will be an experience we should all take part in. I think the first hand experience will change a lot of people’s perspectives on the deaf community.” The workshop is set up in different stations. Each student will receive a small book to act as a passport. They will mark off stations in their passport as they travel to each one. The stations consist of a doctor’s office, a hotel check-in, a travel agency visit, an emergency alert and an unfair hearing test. Each situation is recreated in a manner of how a deaf person would perceive it. “It is really a neat thing,” said Combs. “There are modes of communication at each station. So maybe when you go to court for your traffic ticket, the judge will only use finger spell. Then you get pulled over by the police officer, he may only communicate by speech reading and you have to read each other’s lips to communicate. Maybe you go to the travel agency and want a vacation to Hawaii but they may only communicate in American Sign Language. It is a whole variety of all the different communication methods that deaf people experience.”The workshop offers four different sessions. The sessions are 9-10:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m.- 12:15 p.m., 1-2:30 p.m. and 2:45-4:15 p.m., April 22, in UC Ballroom A. “I am excited to be able to experience what deaf people go through and how they make it through the day,” said Ashlyn Reheard, Muskogee sophomore. “ I am interested to see what it will feel like to go to a public place and have difficulty communicating with people.”For more information, email combs@nsuok.edu.

Published 4/17/14