Overcoming Communication Barriers Deaf Entrepreneurs of America Foundation

About Deaf Entrepreneurs (D.E.A.F) Deaf Entrepreneurs of America Foundation™ (D.E.A.F) is a business training and development company specializing in teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) entrepreneurs how to start and succeed in developing small businesses. In order to meet the unique needs of D/HH entrepreneurs, KCH Services LLC created Deaf Entrepreneurs of America Foundation (D.E.A.F) to present our successful business trainings and programs in full American Sign Language (ASL). Additionally we provide Vocational Rehabilitation services including job placement, coaching, vocational adjustment training and interpreting.

WORK™ WORK™ is a revolutionary workshop that is tearing down communication barriers in the workplace empowering diverse minded companies to expand their workforce with skilled, able bodied workers. The workshop developed by Deaf Entrepreneurs of America Foundation (D.E.A.F.) helps companies overcome their hesitancy to hire hearing impaired job seekers because of perceived barriers to communication. WORK™ uses simple techniques to educate your employees on communicating with hearing impaired co- workers using a variety of proven strategies including basic ASL (American Sign Language), voice to text devices, and even pen and paper to get messages across effectively.

About ASL American Sign Language (ASL) is a complex visual-spatial language that is used by the Deaf community in the United States and English-speaking parts of Canada. It is a linguistically complete, natural language. It is the native language of many Deaf men and women, as well as some hearing children born into Deaf families. ASL shares no grammatical similarities to English and should not be considered in any way to be a broken, mimed, or gestural form of English.

ASL ETIQUETTE Don't assume the individual reads lips Speaking loudly doesn't help Patience is important Don't expect things to go as normal; be prepared to make adjustments Assume the individual is sound in mind unless otherwise informed Thoughts are processed differently; thinking is not in English word order. Be prepared to adjust perspectives ASL is not easily translated into English; idioms are expressed as signed concepts Sign language is not universal - there are many different sign languages Reception is limited - you cannot conduct multiple activities simultaneously Repetition is key to clear communication Don't expect that individual will maintain pace with hearing people even with the assistance of interpreting Acknowledge the individual Make a point of learning a few signs to establish rapport Be receptive to feedback

Introduction to Deaf Culture Culture is very blunt - there is no sense of political correctness' deaf speak their mind Everything is visual - assumptions are made based on what's seen Individuals are very perceptive; the assumption is one of distrust with sensitivity to being excluded Individuals tend to be distrustful of hearing people Individuals don’t consider themselves handicapped Acutely aware of not being regarded with dignity Many read English with difficulty Typically supportive of other deaf Please note this a reference sheet only. These are some of the traits that have been observed in Deaf Culture and in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. The purpose of the reference sheet is to assist the reader with their understanding and tolerance of Deaf Culture.

Deaf Culture Continued “Deaf culture” is a positive term, indicative of pride and a communal identity, whereas terms like “hearing-impaired” and “deafness” do not connote any particular pride or sense of community. There are oralists (deaf as well as hearing) who deny that there is such a thing as Deaf culture. They prefer to see it as an artificial political construct formulated in recent times, more of a self-conscious, posturing attitude than a reality. This view denies the importance of ASL to Deaf people.

Deaf Culture Continued Each ethnic and religious group has its own culture. In the case of U.S. mainstream Protestants, the characteristics may not be sharply defined. Recent Hindu or Hmong emigrants, for example, will likely have a well-defined, all-encompassing culture—a distinct mode of dress, a distinct cuisine.

Deaf Culture Continued Deaf people who claim a culturally “Deaf” identity compare themselves to members of other ethnic communities. “We have a language; we have a culture,” they say. Opponents of this view don’t see deaf people as members of an ethnic minority but simply as handicapped persons, people with a hearing loss, people with a hearing disability, audio logical patients.