LETTERS

Support for American Sign Language

As a speech-language pathologist and deaf educator, I am consistently disappointed and concerned with ASHA's negligence toward the Deaf community. Every convention is overwhelmingly sponsored by and commercialized by the Oberkotter Foundation. As a clinician and educator who believes in providing Deaf/hard of hearing (DHH) children with accessible and comprehensible language input, I find ASHA's "blanket" endorsement of spoken language discriminating against DHH infants and the Deaf community. It's common knowledge that 90% of children born with hearing loss are born into hearing families. These children frequently experience severe language delays due to lack of comprehensible language input in their early years. While I acknowledge and value the role of the grieving process and coming to understand a young child's uniqueness, I also acknowledge and value the role of American Sign Language as a completely accessible and comprehensible language for all DHH youngsters. As a speech-language pathologist, I find the focus on language acquisition a priority over speech (spoken language) acquisition. Spoken language can be developed subsequent to a solid language foundation if the child and parents wish to pursue that.

In sum, I have two questions: 1) Why is ASHA and the field respectful of so many language minorities, yet they consistently marginalize the Deaf community? And 2) why is learning to communicate using sign language acceptable and encouraged for hearing children, yet discouraged and withheld from DHH children?

Rachel Friedman Narr
Granada Hills, CA

Editor's Note: The ASHA Policy Document, "Knowledge and Skills Required for the Practice of Audiologic/Aural Rehabilitation" (2001), promotes facilitation of multimodal forms of communication for the client and family. A list of this and other document supporting communication choice is available below. Corporate sponsorship by organizations such as The Oberkotter Foundation provides non-dues revenue to help support ASHA's programs, including those that focus on language acquisition, but does not indicate endorsement by ASHA of the sponsor's products or programs.

ASHA Reference and Resource Documents:

• Audiologic Assessment of Children from Birth to 5 Years of Age (2004)
• Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists: Definition (1988)
• Cochlear Implants (2004)
• Inclusive Practices for Children and Youths With Communication Disorders (1996)
• Knowledge and Skills Needed by Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists to Provide Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (2004)
• Knowledge and Skills Required for the Practice of Audiologic/Aural Rehabilitation (2001)
• Meeting the Communication Needs of Persons With Severe Disabilities (1991)
• Position Statement on Access to Communication Services and Supports: Concerns Regarding the Application of Restrictive "Eligibility" Policies (2002)
• Roles, Knowledge, and Skills: Audiologists Providing Clinical Services to Infants and Young Children Birth to 5 Years of Age (2006)
• Roles of Speech-Language Pathologists and Teachers of Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Development of Communicative and Linguistic Competence (2004) position statement
• Year 2007 Position Statement: Principles and Guidelines for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs (2007)