About 11 million people in the United States (or 3.6% of the population) consider themselves Deaf or have serious difficulty hearing, according to data from the National Deaf Center. A similar percentage of Americans consider American Sign Language (ASL) as their native language.
ASL is taught in about 1,000 public schools nationally as an elective or world language option. While that percentage number roughly tracks with the population that is Deaf or hard of hearing, it does little to prepare hearing individuals to effectively interact with the Deaf community outside of their family environment. The low number of schools teaching ASL is due in part to budget restraints, with elective classes often being among the first to be cut, as well as limited availability of qualified teachers in some regions.
In Rhode Island it is estimated that 3.6% of residents are considered Deaf or hard of hearing, and 15% of Rhode Islanders experience some sort of hearing loss.
Building Awareness & Education
Since 1958, National Deaf Awareness Month has been observed every September to celebrate Deaf culture, raise awareness about hearing loss, and advocate for accessibility and sign language rights. In 2023, the French Deaf-Blind artist Arnaud Balard designed this flag to symbolize pride and unity among the world’s Deaf community. Blue ribbons are sometimes worn as a symbol of solidarity, and blue lights may also be shown in windows.
The French initially had a hand in developing what we know today as ASL through French Sign Language, which was first introduced by the Deaf French educator Laurent Clerc. At the invitation of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Clerc moved to America and co-founded The American School for the Deaf in 1817 in Hartford, Connecticut, which was the first public free deaf school in the United States.
In 1876, The Rhode Island School for the Deaf was founded by the parents of Jeanie Lippit, a young girl who became deaf at the age of four after contracting scarlet fever. As a child, her mother, Mary Ann, taught Jeanie to communicate through lip reading and later Jeanie became an advocate for the establishment of a school for Deaf children. In 1875, Jeanie’s father, Henry, became Governor of Rhode Island and helped push through legislation to establish a state school by 1877.
RISD (or RISDeaf) still operates today at 1 Corliss Park in Providence and welcomes children from grades K-12.
Lifting a Few Local Community Voices
James Smith IV was one of the first new friends I made when I moved to Newport. Deaf, with a smile that lights up a room, James is also an expert at reading lips. He is employed at the seafood restaurant Hooked in Newport and also works as a Direct Support Professional and ASL teacher at the James L. Maher Center in Middletown.
At the age of two, James was diagnosed with spinal meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. He told me he nearly died from his high fever and the nerve endings in his ears were literally “cooked,” leaving him deaf. But he was alive.
“My mom was a single mom raising three children and my doctor suggested a boarding school for the Deaf, to help her manage. I was taught ASL in early childhood; it was my first language.”
Regarding early mentors, Smith said, “There were several staff members at both The American School for the Deaf (West Hartford, CT) and The Model Secondary School for the Deaf (part of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.) who left lasting impressions on me because they cared for me like I was their own child. I also had a coach who taught me never to use my deafness as an excuse for anything.”
My friend, Jay Garrett, recently shared his sibling story with me. “My younger brother Kevin was born deaf. My Mother contracted German measles while she was pregnant with him which caused his deafness. My parents sent Kevin to Clarke School for the Deaf in Massachusetts which is an oral school that taught lip reading and speech. Some of the students there had some level of hearing but Kevin was born profoundly deaf. Imagine trying to learn how to read lips and speak a language you’ve never heard? It was difficult for him, being so young and away from home. My parents decided to transfer Kevin to the Rhode Island School for the Deaf where he learned American Sign Language and he attended there through high school.”
Jay started to learn ASL on his own through books, mostly by learning the alphabet and fingerspelling. “Kevin taught me some words in sign and I started taking classes. Kevin’s daughter was born to two Deaf parents. About that time, I really dove in and took a lot of ASL classes and spent time with the Deaf community. Learning ASL brought us all closer together. I understand the communication challenges and frustrations of a Deaf person living in a hearing society. I am blessed to be able to communicate with someone who is Deaf. When I see a Deaf person using sign language in public, I usually try to say hello and let them know that I know sign, although I’m not great at it.”
Rhode Island-based Resources
Smith told me about the Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH). It acts as the state’s primary coordinating and advocating entity. It runs a sign language interpreter and CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) referral service, offers a resource directory, and helps protect rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Compared with areas like Connecticut, New York and Washington, D.C., Smith says Rhode Island is lagging behind in generally accessible services for the Deaf.
“I am often asked where people can learn ASL and, unfortunately, the answers are limited. Local colleges offer some classes, but outside of that, people would need to find someone who offers private classes (such as myself).”
On occasion, Smith and his partner have taught ASL classes in their local school district.
When asked what local businesses and non-profit organizations are specifically sensitive to the Deaf community, Smith shared several recommendations: The Corliss Center in Warren and Perspectives Corporation in North Kingstown offer a broad range of services and support.
The Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL) is a well-known non-profit organization in Warwick and Pawtucket that offers dedicated Deaf services. They provide assistive technology loans, accessibility assessments, and advocacy services that can help Deaf individuals establish independent work environments or make businesses more accessible.
Rhode Island Hands & Voices is a non-profit dedicated to supporting and empowering families with Deaf or hard-of-hearing children, fostering a supportive community network across the state.
For-profit businesses can also take steps to be more welcoming and accessible to Deaf and the hard of hearing individuals. These include ensuring their websites and digital channels comply with ADA Guidance on Web Accessibility, ensure closed captioning is always turned on for virtual meetings, and hire an ASL interpreter to translate dialogue, panel discussions, songs and speeches whenever feasible.
Jay Garrett added, “I agree there needs to be more services available for the Deaf. There’s not enough ASL interpreters. They cost money and businesses sometimes aren’t willing to pay even though they should be.”
“When people ask for a good recommendation to learn ASL on YouTube, I always recommend Bill Vicars,” James shared. “He is Deaf and works with a hearing student and so he offers a comprehensive picture. I also recommend at least learning the alphabet in ASL – that will provide a basic capacity for communication. And when all else fails, gesturing helps a lot as well!”
James Smith can be reached for private ASL lessons through his email, jamesesmithiv@gmail.com.
Upcoming event: For the past 37 years, the James L. Maher Center has hosted “Christmas in Sign,” an annual family-friendly holiday event held in early December. Interested ASL learners and speakers should keep an eye on their website to learn more about this year’s event.
