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Bachelors in ASL students draw inspiration for reducing the Deaf unemployment rate

William Woods ASL

The U.S. unemployment rate is an issue that always garners much attention from politicians, with promises of more jobs and news outlets frequently reporting national trends. There is one sub set of the unemployed population however, that does not receive as much attention, and that is the Deaf and hard of hearing community. According to […]

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August 10th, 2018

Posted in ASL At Work, Deaf Culture

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Creative paths for Deaf, hard of hearing, and ASL interpreting majors: Deaf-led theatre

William Woods ASL

Paula Garfield spent 15 years as an actress, and for most of that time she was the only Deaf professional she knew working within a “mainstream” theatre company. Garfield became increasingly frustrated with the barriers that Deaf actors and directors face in the arts, and even more so, the lack of theatre created by Deaf […]

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May 16th, 2018

Posted in ASL At Work, Deaf Culture

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ASL Interpreting Specializations: Combining ASL studies with other practice areas

William Woods ASL

People with an understanding of ASL and Deaf culture are needed in nearly every field to help communicate with Deaf and hard of hearing people and ensure access for everyone. Did you ever think about how you could combine ASL Studies with another area? Often, William Woods University ASL interpretation studies and ASL Studies students […]

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March 21st, 2018

Posted in ASL At Work, Deaf Culture

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Sign language across the pond — and beyond

William Woods ASL

A recent blog post covered the UK’s first BSL poetry slam, and how sign language poetry utilizes visual elements to create beauty. But did you know that BSL and ASL are not as similar as you might think? “ASL and BSL are two separate languages which arose independently of each other. Although there are some signs […]

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September 20th, 2017

Posted in Deaf Culture, Living Language

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Deaf poetry and visual language

William Woods ASL

In a previous post, Look into ASL mentioned poetry slams happening all over the U.S, and a recent BBC story covered the UK’s first BSL slam. The video follows one competitor, 20-year-old Honesty Willoughby from Bristol, through the process of composing a poem and performing it on the night at the BSL Slam. While ASL […]

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August 30th, 2017

Posted in Deaf Culture, Living Language

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American Sign Language users share personal experiences in honor of National ASL Day

William Woods ASL

In a speech last fall in Columbia, Missouri at the University of Missouri’s Celebrate Ability Week, Deaf activist, actor and model Nyle DiMarco ended with a piece of advice: Embrace yourself, he said. It’s this kind of celebration and embracing of Deaf culture for which National ASL day was created. Held on April 15 every […]

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May 24th, 2017

Posted in ASL Books & Resources, Deaf Culture

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Accessibility and Technology: What it means for Deaf and ASL users

William Woods ASL

In a previous post, Look into ASL Studies highlighted the Americans with Disabilities Act and how it affects American Sign Language Interpreters and others working closely to the Deaf community. Another piece of the ADA includes standards for websites as well. More and more people in the web design world are looking deeper into what […]

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August 17th, 2016

Posted in Deaf Culture, Technology

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The importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act for sign language interpreters

William Woods ASL

American Sign Language interpreters and others who work with Deaf and hard of hearing people need to know the legal protections and rights of the people with whom they are working. That way they know when there is a violation of not only the law, but also an individuals’ understanding of important information. The Americans […]

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June 29th, 2016

Posted in Deaf Culture

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Uber partners with Deaf organization to create more jobs for the Deaf community

William Woods ASL

Over 72 percent of Deaf and hard of hearing people are unemployed or underemployed according to Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), an international not-for-profit organization devoted to elevating the quality of life for people who are Deaf, Deaf-blind, or hard of hearing, Chief executive of CSD, Chris Soukup, labeled the Deaf unemployment situation a […]

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June 22nd, 2016

Posted in Deaf Culture, Leaders

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Stretching Boundaries: ASL Literature Course Spotlight

William Woods ASL

At William Woods University, bachelors in American Sign Language Interpretation and ASL Studies students take various courses that build breadth and depth of knowledge about Deaf culture and the various artistic expressions that have come out of the Deaf Community. William Woods University ASL Instructor Becky Davis developed the course ASL430: ASL Literature and has […]

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May 25th, 2016

Posted in ASL At Work, Deaf Culture

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