By: Megan Clark Campus Life Editor
Rian Gayle, M.A. and Accommodations Coordinator for the Office of Disability Services, gave a fun and informative presentation on Deaf culture, which explained how hearing people should interact with Deaf or Hard of Hearing people.
Gayle’s amusingly titled presentation, “OMG! There’s a Deaf Person in the Room,” was held on Feb. 9 in the WUC.
Gayle began with a brief personal history about his youth in Jamaica and how he lost his hearing due to meningitis. After graduating from Gallaudet University, Gayle returned to Jamaica to advocate on behalf of Jamaican Deaf people.
He continued on with his presentation, listing the top five worst reactions people have to finding out someone is Deaf. The list included being overly sympathetic and acting like the person is helpless.
Gayle, however stated that this is not the case. He reiterated the point that “deaf people can do anything except hear.”
He continued, “One thing that drives me a little crazy […] they keep saying I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”
Another thing that bothers Gayle is when hearing people dismiss him by saying “Oh, forget it,” if they aren’t understood the first time. “The point is to try and communicate,” insisted Gayle.
There are more productive ways to communicate with someone who is Hard of Hearing or Deaf, even if you don’t know American Sign Language (ASL).
You can enunciate clearly, face the person, write things down, or make use of an interpreter if one is present. If an interpreter is present and on duty, the Deaf person should be addressed directly, not the interpreter.
Gayle also covered a variety of technologies used to aid in communication, such as FM systems that amplify sounds and Video Relay Services that can be used to make phone calls.
For a bit of fun, Gayle taught the gathered audience how to sign the alphabet and count to ten in ASL. He then invited Brent Redpath, an ASL instructor at WOU, to join him and help show how certain signs were different between ASL and Jamaican Sign Language.
“It was cool to learn another culture’s signs,” said Katelynn Farmer, a junior business major.
According to Gayle, the key to interacting with a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person is to try, even if your knowledge of sign language is limited.
