Right to empathy

The deaf, like any of us, have the right to choose what languages they would like to learn. If they are more comfortable in sign, they must be taught to sign. If they are more comfortable with speech and hearing aids/cochlear implants, that must be made available to them. From what I have seen personally in my interactions or observations of the deaf [this is a strong personal opinion, not to be confused with a professional or authoritative one] , they have always switched back to sign the moment they're left alone with their deaf friends.

I grew up in Mumbai and every evening outside our local park, there used to be this group of men...around 6 of them if I remember right who'd be laughing loudly...making sounds that I couldn't understand and happily signing away to glory. That is my earliest memory of a whole group communicating beautifully without speech.

Ofcourse, I would be very foolish to suggest that parents must not expect a 'normal' life and choose a 'normal' language for their children. That would be insensitive too. But if speech comes naturally and without too much trauma, it is welcome. In other cases, it is more sensitive to allow the child to communicate using a language he/she is most comfortable in.

I was invited to a felicitation ceremony for the disabled in Pune last year. A well known [in his social and work circles], well educated, well placed deaf gentleman, Arun ( name changed), who had also participated in our first workshop, was being given an award for his courage and progress despite his disabilities. He sat on the podium and the speaker introduced him to the audience over the microphone. Arun does not use hearing aids and he sat facing the speaker's back so he couldn't read his lips. There was no interpreter and Arun had no way of knowing what was being said about him. He sat there till the person next to him nudged him when it was his turn to accept his award. He took the microphone. He was raised to be 'oral' ...to speak. He also signs fluently, but for some reason, that evening, he decided not to sign. So he spoke. None of us understood a word he said. Not one word. He still stood there and talked...and I rose to leave because I could not take the overwhleming irony anymore. There were representatives of Helen Keller Inst. in the first row. There were people from various established NGOs in attendance. Nobody reacted. As I walked out of the hall, Arun was still 'talking'.

I visited Sibaji Panda in Lancashire University. We had lunch together. He talked to me and I talked too, trying to sign and succeeding sometimes. He read my lips without any problems. He was not born deaf but lost his hearing in his childhood. He lip reads and speaks many languages fluently. He also signs and is very active with the ISHARA foundation in Mumbai. That is him, signing in the first video.

Our choices for our children, I think, must not be based on our biases but on unconditional love and acceptance. That would perhaps take our world forward. But for that sensitivity and acceptance to come, we must educate our future generations and sensitise them to the limitations nature has endowed each of us with.

I believe in angels!

http://miraklecouriers.wordpress.com/

Miss communication?

I wonder when the hearing impaired in India will have any use for something like this. I have no idea why a country with so many languages and dialects will not adopt the ASL and just let our deaf use a language people will understand internationally. Why the resistance? If we can all learn to communicate in English...adding our own peculiar nuances to it, why not ASL?

Watch this space

Avanti!! has been in hibernation for a long time now but it is waking up from its slumber. We do not intend to give up hope that we will indeed find the necessary help to set up classes in Pune sooner than later. We need an instructor who resides in Pune and will be able to devote a couple of hours every week regularly for classes. As you already know, there are NO CERTIFIED teachers of ISL in our city and we've had to 'import' them from Mumbai for our two workshops and it isn't a feasible option if we're planning a course spanning a few months.

There are discussions and brainstorming sessions underway and we hope to be able to come up with some sort of concrete plan by the next academic year.

Please don't give up on us!

Workshop for Bal Kalyan Sanstha

21st of July found us conducting another workshop for teachers of the deaf at Balkalyan Sanstha. There were 37 teachers from all over Maharashtra. This time though, the enthusiasm levels were not comparable with those at our first workshop. These were teachers from government schools who've been there and done that ( enough said?!). They were tough customers who wanted solutions from Avanti!! Teachers who've been in the line over 25 years ...Avanti has no sure-fire solutions, only a team which taught ISL...a language which is used by the deaf all over India...in its different versions and dialects. A team which recommends using a language the deaf are comfortable with...much as we are comfortable in our own mother tongues. It was a great day for learning...for Avanti, for the team of instructors and hopefully for the teachers who attended. These teachers are from inclusive schools ...where hearing and deaf kids study together. But the surprising part was the obvious lack of interest in communicating directly with the 4 deaf adults who were conducting the workshop except when the actual demonstration of signs began. India has a long way to go before empahty becomes an oft-used word. May God lead us in the right direction. Amen!!

Speedbreakers

We have identified one instructor for Pune. Now to begin classes.

We're hoping for August.

Rights and wrongs

Em-Power Point-ers