Deaf studies program to feature discussion panel

By Colleen Kent

The students in prof. Paul Ogden’s Deaf Culture class watch Ogden sign while hearing his words from the interpreter who voices for him. The interpreter sits at the front of the class, a device for communication between the deaf teacher and the hearing students. By the time the beginning students reach the senior level in deaf studies, no interpreter will be provided.

Ogden is one of two full-time deaf professors in Fresno State’s communicative disorders and deaf studies department, where he’s taught for 25 years. The other is David Smith, who is in his first year teaching at Fresno State. They, along with several other professors, deaf, hard of hearing and hearing, comprise the faculty training students for two possible careers: interpreter or deaf education specialist.

According to Ogden, there is a severe shortage of both interpreters and teachers for the deaf.

Nicole Schmall is one student who could fill a space in that shortage.

Schmall, who graduates next fall from the deaf education program, started out taking American Sign Language to fulfill her foreign language requirement. Instead, she’s found a potential career.

“ I think it’s a great program at Fresno State,” Schmall said. “It’s a well-rounded program with a lot of different approaches and no bias as to which is better, lip-reading and speaking or using sign language.”

A professional deaf panel will convene on March 23 in order to showcase the approaches and emphases of the deaf studies program as well as shed light on deaf culture.

The panel will consist of full-time and part-time deaf and hard of hearing faculty, with the hearing faculty serving as interpreters. Ogden will be the moderator.

This is the first time something like this has been done.

Smith, adviser to the American Sign Language Club on campus, said he hopes this will expose people to the deaf community. It will give the audience a chance to see into deaf society in America and the challenges they have faced, he said.

The panel will also attempt to clear up misconceptions people may have about the deaf, like the myth that all deaf people can lip read.

Schmall said she began to realize the differences between deaf and hearing cultures as she progressed in the deaf education program.

“ I didn’t think of it as another culture, but once I got into it I saw how it’s different,” Schmall said. “The deaf have their own language, for instance, and different ways of doing the things that we do. Like we’ll pick up a phone to call our friends, and they now have text messaging to call theirs.

“ If you don’t know about it, it’s easy to ignore,” she said. “It’s a great culture, it really is neat in itself.”

The Professional Deaf Panel is sponsored by the American Sign Language Club and the college of health and human services. It will be held on Tues., March 23 in the Satellite Student Union. The event is free and open to the public.