Monday, September 20, 2010
Kokata and the way ahead!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
training is on!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Bridging the Gap!!
How do we get interpreters certified and how do we get people to recognize certification and how do we train people for certification? These are the questions that been plaguing the country for years and the deaf community is so fed up of the fight. They are hanging in there though for the distance and we do hope that the fight will soon turn into cooperative effort between Govt. and NGO’s to create the needed human resource for the deaf to be able to access life. The ASLI has taken a big step forward recently with the completion of the Interpreting ‘Bridge’ Course. The idea is to involve at the first level, the best of the signers in India and the ones who can actually communicate with the deaf being CODA’s or siblings of the deaf. The 10 day intensive full time course is aimed at giving these signers the knowledge of interpreting theory and coping strategies enabling them to do better as interpreters and avoid the trap of being in the helper mode which s rather common. The idea would be that at the end of the course they would be far more efficient as interpreters than they were before.
The course is being put up to the Rehabilitation Council of India for review and accreditation. The Course will be similar to the one we did way back in 1999 in Chennai as an Orientation course for interpreters. This one is far better and is actually going to be a fore runner of the longer 3 months certificate course that ASLI would like to develop.
The idea of using deaf community terps as trainers is unique and the ASLI trainers are even now seeking out deaf and hearing terps with family who are deaf or who have long time association with the deaf community.
ASLI setting up training!
The ASLI has now set in motion a dynamic new idea to increase the awareness of interpreting and interpreters in the country. I was at the world conference of Interpreters in Segovia in 2007 and remember listening to talks by various individuals about how the “professional interpreter” was emerging as a ‘delinked’ individual in some ways in certain societies. The most impressive of these speakers was Dr. Chris Stone of the English ASLI, a brilliant interpreter and academic. He was talking about how the deaf community as an integrated unit needs to include interpreters and the interpreters themselves need to be involved at different levels and interfaces with the deaf community instead of coming in – doing a job – and leaving. This makes for a divide between terps and deafies and this is to be avoided. I remember sharing a question at the time. I was amazed or rather aghast at what he said. We in India are praying and preparing and advocating and fighting for the “professional interpreter” and trying to get out of the “helper mode” and he was talking about deaf community linkage and trust. I said we have 10 million deaf in India and very few interpreters. How do we do this? His answer was even more amazing, he said “Well Arun we are going to be watching you and seeing how you are going to resolve the issues cuz we need to find out how to do this.” This from a person of Dr. Stone’s stature just goes to show how the more you know the more unassuming we need to become. My respect for him increased greatly at that time from his simple humble answer. I am glad to say that the first step of my journey in setting up interpreting in India was validated at that time. The actual nuts and bolts of giving India interpreters took longer and now 3 years later we are halfway there with a website for amateur interpreters and a small membership organisation.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Realising the need for interpreters!
Friday, March 12, 2010
OPEN LETTER TO STANDING COMMITTEE OF PERSONNEL
Greetings from the Association of Sign Language Interpreters!
We are a relatively new organisation working for the promotion of the profession of Sign Language Interpreting and Equal Access for the deaf community of India. Our membership is across the country and the work thought slow thus far has been heartening as many people are coming forward to serve the needs of the deaf people of our country.
The deaf people of India have had no formal accessibility norms until today and it is with regard to this that I am writing to you today.
The 11th 5 year Plan was a revolutionary document in that, unlike the previous 10 Plans, this one has an entire chapter (attached) devoted to the upliftment of the disabled people of the country. A specific mention was made of many disabilities and particular mention was made with regard to deafness.
A portion of the section reads “The interventions planned shall provide access to information in all its forms. A large number of sign language interpreters need to be developed for hearing impaired people to access health, employment and legal services.” Further “during the Eleventh Plan period a Sign Language Research and Training Centre will be established which will be devoted to the development and promotion of sign language and training of teachers and interpreters”
The deaf community needs these interventions as their basic necessities for a positive dignified life as contributors to society and empowered citizens. There is then a fundamental need to create a new job in the ‘job list’ defining a “Sign Language interpreter” Without this job being in the job list no interpreter will be recruited by the Govt to provide the access needs of the deaf community of India. If there is no career future then no persons will train to become interpreters and the cycle continues.
Sir, as you see we are approaching a crisis. The Finance Minister in his budget speech has already announced the approval of funds for the Sign Language Institute. The institute will not serve its purpose unless there are trainees and no trainees will come if there are no jobs available for them.
Sir, we would like to meet with you on this matter and try to come to an understanding of what can be done. Please do give us an appointment at your convenience where we may discuss this and other matters.
Thanking you,
Thursday, March 4, 2010
ASLI ROLLING ALONG!
Monday, March 1, 2010
the vision for indian interpreting!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Conference News!
The attendees had students of ISL, parents, researchers, deaf people, CODAs and professional interpreters as well. what a mix and what a fun two days.
Dr. Madan was the key note presenter and he came up with some really funny gags to keep everyone in splits. The Dupatta interpreter was a particular favorite. ha! He was talking about how indian girls when they interpret they are continuously fidgeting with their clothes and particularly the dupatta. ha! Good one!
An amazing two days. Just the energy around the table and the expectancy and the hope was tangible, almost could touch the excitement in the air. What a cool suggestion came from someone in the audience who is a student of ISL. He said as casually as possible " I was looking in all the bookshops for a sign language book but could not find one."
It is really crazy why nobody has ever mainstreamed the ISL handbook. Simple get a publisher to pick it up and then they publish it and it goes into the regular book network and thats that. so simple! My god!! why didn't anyone think of it before??? or maybe they did and they just did not say anything. Any way its got me thinking!!!
Friday, February 12, 2010
countdown to conference!
Its so encouraging to be receiving confirmations from across the country for the conference and yet its like being on a high-wire walk across the grand canyon. Very very scary.
The stage is set and our speakers are here. The program is finalised. I somehow feel the future of indian interpreting is all going to be there tomorrow. The core team of interpreters who were bold enough to spend their own money and come and participate without knowing very much about us. are we going to be able to fulfill their expectations?? this is in my mind. Are we going to be able to take on the onerous charge of running this organisation effectively.
The need is simply huge. the new signntalk video interpreting relay service is due for launch and the while country is watching. its a really emotional high time. i feel so relieved and at the same time apprehensive. a series of conflicting and confusing emotions as we go in to the conference tomorrow.
Hats off to the team tho. they have been ultimately wonderful. the support of my beloved staff and friends has as always been a bulwark for me in every new venture we take on and i am so thankful for that support.
HERE'S TO TOMORROW!!!!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
count down to the conference!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
COMMUNICATIONS CARD
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Indian sign language website!
Indian Sign language and the Interpreter situation in India has received very little attention and as such it has been an uphill struggle to get anyone to understand the importance of the access issues the deaf face. We have been trying in vain for years for people to understand the issue and accept the fact that interpreters are an integral part of the intervention the deaf people of India need to be able to participate in society and be included. This has had no effect on any of the ones we have spoken to beyond tut-tutting and a pat on the back.
So we had to take decisive action to promote and promulgate Indian Sign Language in any way possible. We started with leaflet distribution in 2004 and VCD soon after.We have just launched the first website to use video to showcase and teach Indian Sign Language. The site went up last week and we are just through checking it. So this is an invite to all the people who really want to learn and see Indian Sign Language in action. The site is out there at www.deafsigns.org
The marathon production took over a 18 months to complete and finalise and finally design and upload. A team of deaf people worked on it for vocabulary and choosing dominant and popular signs. the film work and the editing was also done by deaf people. a completely indigenously made website with a lot to offer.
We plan to make a DVD of the entire site with sentences in Sign language included and grammar notations to enable student of Indian Sign Language to access learning at home.
The Deaf Way had made the first VCD of Indian Sign Language years ago and that has been the mainstay of the teaching process at The Deaf Way for some time. This new Website has taken it to the next level and we really hope that many people will be able to access and use it to learn.
so go there and check it out.
www.deafsigns.org
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