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On creating a workable signing environment: deaf and hearing perspectives
A M Young1, J Ackerman, J G Kyle
1School of Community, Health and Social Care, University of Salford, Allerton Annexe, Frederick Road, Salford M6 6PU, United Kingdom A.Young@salford.ac.uk
Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education
|September 30, 2004
Summary
Creating inclusive workplaces requires understanding diverse perspectives on sign language. Hearing colleagues
Area of Science:
- Sociolinguistics
- Workplace Communication
- Organizational Psychology
Background:
- Service provider teams in education and psychiatric services often include both deaf and hearing professionals.
- Creating effective communication and collaboration in these diverse teams presents unique challenges.
- Understanding the dynamics of a signing work environment is crucial for inclusivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the meaning constructions associated with signing at work from both deaf and hearing perspectives.
- To identify the challenges faced in cooperatively creating a signing work environment.
- To analyze the impact of organizational factors on deaf/hearing relations.
Main Methods:
- Ethnographic methodology was employed to study three UK organizations: two psychiatric units for deaf adults and a school for deaf children.
- Data were collected through interviews with 41 participants (20 deaf, 21 hearing).
- Analysis focused on the perspectives of deaf and hearing individuals regarding sign language use in the workplace.
Main Results:
- Deaf individuals perceive hearing colleagues' sign language use as a sign of respect, value, and confidence, with willingness to sign being more important than fluency.
- Hearing individuals associate sign language use with workplace changes, pressure, and questioning of professional competence.
- Deaf perspectives on improving relations are person-centered, while hearing perspectives are language-centered.
Conclusions:
- Addressing challenges in deaf/hearing workplace relations requires acknowledging differing perceptions and focusing on both interpersonal and linguistic aspects.
- Organizational factors, including power and status imbalances, significantly influence the effectiveness of communication and collaboration.
- Fostering a truly inclusive signing work environment necessitates a nuanced understanding of diverse perspectives and a commitment to addressing systemic issues.