“American Sign Language 101” Ruth Moore & Dana Hoover
New to ASL? Want to learn the basics? Join Ruth or Dana in an introductory ASL class. New signers welcome! Two session times!
“Deaf Identity Video Project”
Short description: Do you identify as Deaf? Share your Deaf experiences and stories in a video project. Walk-ins welcome. Two session times!
“Yoga Session”
Dannon Yogurt is a part of Partnerships for a Healthier America (PHA), a program devoted to working with the private sector to ensure the health of our nation’s youth by solving the childhood obesity crisis. PHA brings together public, private and nonprofit leaders to broker meaningful commitments and develop strategies to end childhood obesity. Most importantly, PHA ensures that commitments made are commitments kept by working with unbiased, third parties to monitor and publicly report on the progress our partners are making to show everyone what can be achieved when we all work together.A certified Yoga instructor will lead a session for all skill levels. The first 30 participants will get a free yoga mat courtesy of Dannon Yogurt.
"A Love of Dance" Laurie Blanchard
Laurie Blanchard lives in Southborough MA with her husband and two daughters. She is profound deaf and graduated from Clarke School for the Deaf in 1982. She began dancing at age 6 with the Amherst Ballet Company as a way to better understand the "hearing world." She danced for the next 24 years using a variety of styles: ballet, jazz, modern, and tap. This included dancing at Skidmore College where she graduated in 1989.Her presentation will discuss her experiences in learning how to dance without hearing music, and how a few classes at age 6 turned into a great love.
“FREE Paint and Signs painting workshop” **ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION REQUIRED**
30 participants get to paint their own masterpieces. Additional registration is required. Maximum of 30 attendees. Register here.
“Group discussion: The Deaf Experience (Deaf only)”
Participants who identify as Deaf are invited to an open group discussion to share their stories and experiences with one another in a supportive environment. Moderated by Ruth Moore.
“Group discussion: Encouraging Five College Partnerships”
Five College students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend this open group discussion about creating more partnerships (such as DEAFinitions: A Deaf Studies Conference) within the Five College Consortium. Moderated by the ASL Collective.
“Group discussion: Deaf/Hearing Community Building”
All identities are welcome to participate in this open group discussion about creating greater community amongst the d/Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing populations. Moderated by Dana Hoover and the ASL Collective.
Keynote Address
"What's ASL Got to Do with It?" BJ Wood
BJ will open the conference to concepts and issues on Deaf Culture and the Deaf Community.
“When Cultures Collide” René Pellerin
René will perform "When Cultures Collide", stories exemplifying the convergence of the DeafBlind, Deaf, and hearing worlds.
“Certified Deaf Interpreting (CDI): How are CDIs Different than English/ASL Interpreters?” Fatima Silvestre
Since 2008, Fatima Silvestre has worked in the interpreting field. Join in on this presentation about what it means to be a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI).
"Architecture for the Deaf?" George Balsley
Although there is no such thing as “architecture for the deaf”, deaf people do not relate to hearing people in quite the same way when it comes to specific design principles that help the deaf users feel more comfortable in responding to the built environment. Because they do not hear, they depend on their eyes for every bit of visual clues required for ease of communication and for movement in space. Architects and planners must be involved in design practices and principles that consider the deaf community’s perspective and the need for the built environment to encourage social integration, inclusive design principles and equity. There will be a power point presentation of a case study of DeafSpace being applied for the new K-12 school at Rhode Island School for the Deaf.
“Life as a Deaf and Queer Person" Carlisle Robinson
A look in the life of Carlisle, a genderqueer pansexual deaf person. We'll talk about the intersectionality of two worlds: LGBTQIA and Deaf. They will cover topics ranging from accessibility to how to deal with smallness of deaf queer community. They'll also discuss their experiences of being in-closet then out of closet.
“The Power of Deaf Education: Three Approaches to Education” Ruth Moore, Win Moore, and Ellie Lash
Ruth, Win, and Ellie will discusss their histories with Deaf education. Ruth and Win will share their experiences being students and also teachers at schools for the deaf. Each school for the deaf is different according to its philosophy, also the preference of communication. Examples of communication are oralism, manualism - sign language, Signing Exact English, Signed English, total communication. American Sign Language was not recognized until the 1970's and has influenced some schools for the deaf to use the bicultural bilingual approach. Mainstreaming is now happening and is affecting some schools for the deaf. Ellie will discuss how much her first graders learned from having deaf student teachers in their classroom everyday. Learning ASL enhanced their emotional and academic development and opened new doors for many children. Veteran and student teachers benefited and gained valuable insights from one another. Ellie will discuss what everyone involved learned and why she believes this kind of collaboration should happen in every classroom.
"Madness in the Mainstream" Mark Drolsbaugh
"Madness in the Mainstream" reveals how the interpretation of IDEA's Least Restrictive Environment has affected Deaf education. The physical and social-emotional impact mainstreaming has on Deaf and hard of hearing children will be discussed, as well as some ingenious mainstream survival skills (which help mainstreamed students “fly under the radar”). The biggest myths in Deaf education will also be addressed, leading to better understanding and advocacy for mainstreamed students who have yet to develop a healthy Deaf identity.
"Deaf Studies: A Rich Heritage of Language and Culture" Claire Sanders
This eye-opening presentation is designed to initiate a shift in the audience’s frame of reference about Deaf people. For centuries, there has been an antiquated (pathological) view of deaf people that has eroded the opportunity for them to build a solid foundation of citizenship. Beginning with setting up a barrier to a rich natural language environment, followed by a continual emphasis on deficit thinking: asking deaf children who are born with a natural ability to SEE to do something that is biologically nearly impossible and unnecessary: to HEAR. The presentation with cover a variety of topics connected to Deaf citizens’ success, struggles with power and privilege, a brief history of Deaf Education, use of language, and Deaf culture. Participants will leave the session with a better understanding of what Deaf people have experienced, where they are currently, and how to create a better future with Deaf people...preserving and promoting human rights
"Envisioning Inclusive Art Practices, Presentations and Places" David Bobier
The presentation will highlight the innovative work of VibraFusionLab based in London, Ontario, Canada and will detail the Lab's inclusive arts-based programming and activities around innovative best practices of accessibility in the arts in ways that are both useful and integral to the aesthetics and conceptualization of the artwork and presenting spaces.VibraFusionLab is an innovative, interactive creative studio that provides opportunities and resources for the research, creation and presentation of multi-sensory artistic practice with a particular interest in developing multi-modal experiences of sound, music and movement based art practices. As a creative media studio VibraFusionLab promotes and encourages the creation of new accessible art forms, including the vibrotactile, and focuses on inclusive technologies that have the potential of expanding art-making practices.
Employing emerging inclusive technologies, in particular the vibrotactile, furthers our desire of exploring alternative language and communication strategies and experiences and integrating them into artistic practice. The use of this type of interactive multimedia, multi-sensory approach provides those with different abilities to access and enjoy equal participation. It offers new and unique approaches to art making and enormous potential for making various forms of artistic practice more accessible and inclusive to a broader audience.
“Deaf/Hearing Family Panel” Liz Rosenberg, Celia Child, and Rita Child
Join the Rosenberg/Child family in a panel discussion about being a part of a family that has both hearing and Deaf members. Moderated by Ruth Moore.
"The Deaf Community in the Outdoor Field: Strategies for Providing Full Access and Training Opportunities" Hannah Lewis, Raylene Lotz, Evan Perkins, Lauren Sprague, and Rye Zemelsky
This presentation is based on several years of collaboration between Deaf and hearing students, administrators, instructors and interpreters at the Outdoor Leadership Program (OLP) at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, Massachusetts. We have valuable lessons, strategies, and techniques for creating successful accessible programs that are critical for others in the outdoor field, especially OLP's unique approach of using Deaf Interpreters.
"Deaf Japanese Culture and Japanese Sign Language" Uiko Yano and Kazumi Matsuoka
Japanese Sign Language (JSL) is the native language of deaf signers born to deaf parents in Japan. Due to the extremely small number of native signers, JSL has not been recognized as a language distinct from Japanese in the society. Despite of the lack of recognition and ongoing emphasis of oralism in deaf education, the Japanese deaf have succeeded to maintain and share JSL with younger generations. In recent years, the Japanese deaf began to celebrate their identity and culture in JSL, as can be seen in the establishment of Meisei School for the Deaf (the first BiBi school for the deaf) and other community schools, daily news program on TV with deaf JSL casters, etc. Various topics in relations to deaf education and deaf community in Japan are given in this presentation.
“Residential Treatment for Deaf Youth with Emotional Challenges” Karen Bishop
Karen will present about the work done by the Walden School. Walden School is a nonprofit, nationally-recognized educational institution which provides comprehensive treatment and educational services for Deaf children and adolescents between the ages of 8 to 22.
Endnote Address
"Puzzles of Life" Dana Hoover
Dana will wrap up the Deaf Studies Conferences with reflections, insights, and visions to take away from conference weekend.