Are there other forms of sign language used in the local Deaf community?
Locally, the sign language used is primarily ASL. The interesting thing about ASL is that because it is a language, it is constantly changing. Is the Deaf community open to hearing people being involved? Yes and no. Deaf people live within the hearing world, so Deaf people are in the hearing community. However, the core group within a Deaf community is generally all Deaf. How can a hearing person become involved? The first thing to do is to learn the language. Find a Deaf friend and spend time with him or her. Be open to recognize the differences without judging the differences. Recognize and understand that Deaf people come in all levels of communication and language abilities. Probably the biggest complaint I get from Deaf people when they find out I teach ASL is that hearing people talk down to them. If you want to be connected, you have to be accepting. Are there community events that Deaf people are more likely to be involved with than hearing people? Most towns with a reasonably
