Diversity and Deafness Topic of UWM Conference

MILWAUKEE - Individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing have their own culture, but it's a diverse culture. That's the underlying theme of a conference Monday, June 24, and Tuesday, June 25, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The first Diversity & Deafness summer institute is aimed at teachers, educational interpreters, parents, and others who work with deaf students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, says Amy Otis-Wilborn, professor in the School of Education's Exceptional Education Department. The institute is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday in the UWM Union Theatre, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.

"Deaf individuals have a culture with unique characteristics, primarily related to a unique language, American Sign Language (ASL)," says Otis-Wilborn. But there is also ethnic diversity within the deaf community, she adds.

Teachers not only need to be sensitive to the cultural differences of children and families, they need practical ideas on teaching techniques and tools that help them work with deaf and hard-of-hearing students from these diverse backgrounds, and help them learn to communicate, says Otis-Wilborn.

For example, she says, a Hispanic family with a deaf child faces the challenge of teaching and communicating with that child in three languages--Spanish, English and American Sign Language. Or, cultural or religious background and other factors may influence parents' decisions about new surgical techniques to treat deafness and hearing loss. "Different cultures view hearing loss differently," says Otis-Wilborn. "Teachers can explain options, but ultimately the families make the decisions."

The Institute's keynote speakers, Beth Harry and Sharon Baker, are experts in working with children from diverse backgrounds. Beth Harry, a native of Jamaica and an associate professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Miami, focuses on research, writing and teaching about families and students from different cultures.

Sharon Baker, an associate professor of deaf education at the University of Tulsa, has extensive experience as a classroom teacher of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. She also has done research on the special needs of Native American deaf adults living in tribal communities.

On Monday evening, institute participants will hear from Children of the Sun, a drum ensemble featuring students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. The group is led by Jahmes Finlayson, who works with the Milwaukee Sign Language School and the Center for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing.

The summer institute is funded through a federal grant designed to recruit and certify teachers for early childhood, elementary, high school and special education programs to work with students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Part of the federal grant's focus is to provide teacher education programs that address issues related to children and families from diverse backgrounds. Another goal of the federal program is to recruit more teachers for the deaf and hard-of-hearing who reflect the cultural diversity of students.

In addition to the summer institute, the grant helps support a distance education program teaching students at several different locations in Wisconsin class via the Internet and videoconferencing.

"Some of the students in this class work with deaf and hard-of-hearing students on American Indian reservations and with Hmong communities in their area," says Otis-Wilborn. "Others are in areas of the state where there is little cultural diversity."

Through distance education, the students are able to do much of the work in the UWM class from their home base. Students will be on campus four weeks in the second year of the program, working with students from diverse backgrounds at the Milwaukee Public School's Milwaukee Sign Language School.

"Like most teachers in general, the majority of teachers in programs for the deaf and hard-of-hearing are white women," says Otis-Wilborn. "They bring cultural views and values that may not reflect those of the students or families they work with. Through the institute and the distance education classes, students can learn to not only be sensitive to these different cultures, but also learn what to do to help these children and families."

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