Honoring Deaf History Month

Apr 14, 2022

WNC is celebrating Deaf History Month, April 1-30, and all of the amazing Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals who have contributed and sacrificed to maintain their language, heritage, and culture. This month, WNC will spotlight some important dates in history in honor of deaf history.

March 13th was the date of the first-ever Deaf civil rights victory that drew global attention. This happened in 1988 and it was called Deaf President Now (DPN). In many ways, DPN led to the eventual passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act two years later on July 26th, 1990. DPN showcased the activism of the Deaf community as they fought for recognition.

Western Nevada Colleges Deaf Studies Associate of Applied Science Degree Program teaches American Sign Language (ASL) and explores cultural impacts related to being Deaf or Hard of Hearing and the state of Nevada statutory regulations that govern interpreting.

On April 8th, 1864, the charter for the first-ever higher education institution for the deaf in the world, Gallaudet University, was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. As a result of this, many Gallaudet alumni and supporters made a difference in the United States and globally. To this day, when a student graduates from Gallaudet, their diploma is signed by the president of the United States.

On April 15, 1817, the American School for the Deaf opened in Hartford, CT. It introduced American Sign Language (ASL) in the classroom and made Deaf pupils bilingual in ASL and written English.

WNC will be offering Deaf Culture and Deaf History, American Sign Language I through VI and Fingerspelling 1 and 2 online beginning Fall of 2022. Students taking the online program can get their foreign language requirement competed in one year. ASL can be used for an elective and is transferrable to most universities. Students can also transfer to interpreter training programs with this degree. More at wnc.edu/asl.

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