Beyond Words: American Sign Language established at the University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas students attend an American Sign Language club meeting. Photo by Sarah Wittenburg.

By Madison Hiser

Since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) were passed, American Sign Language (ASL) has become a popular language choice recognized on college campuses across the nation. Now, the University of Arkansas offers its students the opportunity of joining an ASL registered student organization and taking the newly added course.

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) states that ASL is “the backbone of American Deaf Culture.” Research shows that deaf and hearing-impaired people are more likely to reach their full potential when they are exposed to ASL, especially earlier in life; members of this community benefit when others take part in creating this exposure. Advocates encourage others to experience learning and using ASL, in hope of more people becoming skilled communicators, educators, and interpreters of the language.

To promote American Sign Language as an educational tool and life skill, the University of Arkansas re-established its in-person ASL course in Fall of 2023. An RSO, or student-ran club, was established on campus in Spring of 2023.

ASL club meeting at the University of Arkansas. Photo by Sarah Wittenburg.

The university’s American Sign Language Club currently meets on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. at the Epley Center in room 122. The club has 30 members, all from various degree programs, with the majority of them in the Communication Disorders (CDIS) major. The club prides itself on being welcoming to all levels of ASL proficiency, with a focus on interacting with and learning about the Deaf community. It creates a space on campus to promote cultural understanding, personal growth, and a supportive community.

Learning ASL not only contributes to communication skills, but also teaches inclusivity, cultural awareness, and empathy, ASL club Vice President, Mattie Watkins said.

“Empathy and sensitivity are naturally gained through knowledge as we learn about others with hearing impairments and break down communication barriers,” Watkins said, “members of the club develop a deeper understanding about the Deaf community.”

Members of the club develop a deeper understanding about the Deaf community. Photo by Sarah Wittenburg.

The ASL club promotes an environment where people from different backgrounds can come together to learn about a different form of communication. The RSO serves as a platform for students to improve understanding among peers.

Each week, the club members are joined by an ASL instructor from the Northwest Arkansas SOURCES program, Priscilla Scanlan, a member of the Deaf community. Learning to communicate in ASL from actual members of the Deaf community is the best way to learn, ASL club secretary, Lydia Rickard, said.

In spirit of this, the club holds events, such as dinners and coffee socials, to learn from and interact with those who communicate daily using ASL. During the final meeting each semester, members of this community are invited to join.

Each week, the club members are joined by an ASL instructor from the Northwest Arkansas SOURCES program. Photo by Sarah Wittenburg.

“The weekly meetings serve as an opportunity to review what we have learned and play fun games to incorporate sign language into practical activities. We also learn about important figures and the history of ASL,” Rickard said.

As for the ASL course, enrollment for Spring 2024 is now open; the class will meet once a week on Tuesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Listed as WLLC 398V in UAConnect, the course currently has seven available seats out of the 21 total. The section is taught by instructor Matthew Parkhurst, a fluent signer of ASL.

The growth of both the club and the new ASL class creates a space for students wanting to learn the language in order to foster social connections and practice signing. Rickard says that it is important for the Deaf and hearing-impaired communities to feel included in every aspect of society, and by taking the class or joining ASL club, University of Arkansas students are giving back to those groups.

Club members learning ASL. Photo by Sarah Wittenburg.

ASL, like every other spoken language, has distinct characteristics that lie in its grammar and sentence structure. Learning to communicate with individual signs is relatively easy, compared to learning the language in its entirety. It can take a year or longer to obtain enough skill in the language to communicate comfortably. Like any other skill, learning ASL is different for everyone. Some learners may pick up signs faster than others, but the speed at which someone learns is not essential to successfully grasp the language. To get a jump start while checking out these opportunities, download an app, such as ASL App, or visit HandSpeak®, an online resource for introductory ASL content.

The National Association of the Deaf intends to preserve ASL as a language and promote it as an educational tool for deaf and hearing-impaired people of all ages. To learn more about careers, advocacy, and education concerning ASL and the community it serves, visit the NAD website.