THERE needs to be more conversation on access to sign language because this runs parallel with deaf children’s education, says Dr Della Goswell, Auslan Interpreting course coordinator of Macquarie University.
Ms Goswell was speaking at the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) conference in Nadi.
There must be conversations across those two working areas because of how deaf children get educated, especially if they are sign language users.
“If there is no interpreting or the interpreting isn’t very competent or skilled, yet hasn’t developed enough or been supported enough, then the deaf community misses out,” Ms Goswell said.
She said addressing this issue was another way of improving accessibility for the deaf community and removing barriers.
“Access for deaf people is about ensuring they understand their education and then ensuring there are interpreting services to work.”
Ms Goswell cited the issue of how the deaf community is portrayed in the mainstream media.
“A lot of newspapers and reporting get uncomfortable about what terms should be used, but you can see, deaf is for people who use sign language, deaf is the way that they are proud to identify.
“Hearing impaired often makes them feel like just someone with a hearing loss, who can speak normally, and they’re okay, but deafness is not a term for putting someone down.
“It’s like if you’re a proud Fijian, you can be a proud deaf Fijian.”