Discovering Deaf Worlds March 2014 Newsletter, vol. 7, issue 3

March 2014 Volume 7, IsSue 3

A mountain view in Baguio, the Philippines

www.discoveringdeafworlds.org

Board Members President Harold Mowl, Jr., Ph.D.

Senator Bam Aquino files two bills on Filipino Sign Language!

Vice President James DeCaro, Ph.D. Treasurer Bryan Hensel Secretary Stacey Miller Donalda Ammons, Ph.D. Carol-lee Aquiline Bernard Bragg Mencie Hairston Marty Hiller Khadijat Rashid, Ph.D. Michael Schwartz, Ph.D. Denise Thew, Ph.D. Madan Vasishta, Ph.D. Staff Executive Director Davin Searls International Programs Director and Co-Founder David Justice Newsletter Services T.S. Writing Services www.tswriting.com

About DDW

Discovering Deaf Worlds is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the selfdetermination of signing Deaf communities through local capacity building in developing countries.

DDW recognizes that all people, regardless of their social or economic background, possess the capacity to succeed, and deserve equal access to education, the workplace, and the benefits that society has to offer. For more information, visit www.discoveringdeafworlds.org.

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Click here to watch a video of Philippine Federation of the Deaf President Rey Alfred A. Lee sharing this exciting news!

House Bill 2117: An act requiring the use of Filipino Sign Language insets for local news programs, amending for the purpose section 22 of Republic Act no.

7277, as amended, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities.�

House Bill 2118: An act declaring Filipino Sign Language as the National Sign Language of the Filipino Deaf and the official language of government in all transactions involving Deaf people, and mandating its use in schools, broadcast media, and the workplace.

Special Thanks ...to these extraordinary DDW supporters since the last issue!

Donald Galloway Dr. Harold and Mary Mowl Dr. Gerry & Judy Buckley Dr. Khadijat Rashid Dr. W. Scot and Sally Atkins Erin Green-Justice

Marty and Karen Hiller Dr. JMatt and Susan Searls Dr. Ted Supalla Julie Schafer Dr. Brian and Kyle Justice Daniel and Suzann Bugosh

Two weeks in the Philippines: Implementing phase one of the USAID EXPAND program

By Dr. Shilpa Hanumantha

Last fall I was presented with an extraordinary opportunity to work as a data collection program specialist with the EXPAND program, a joint project of DDW, the Philippine Federation of the Deaf, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). I was both excited and nervous. This trip would push me out of my comfort zone, working with a An afternoon meeting with the Baguio City councilman. team of Deaf Filipinos I had never met before.

DDW’s goal through the USAID-funded EXPAND prosions.

Inigram is to work closely with the Philippine Federation tially, it was of the Deaf (PFD) Sustainability Sub-Committee (SSC) a big chalfor two years, providing organizational development, lenge for process consultation and training to improve the susScot and I tainability of PFD and its 28 members. DDW’s orgato sit down nizational consultant, Scot Atkins, Ed.D., and I were and figure out how to teach the most critical complextasked with the momentous responsibility of ensurities inherent with data collection and the research ing the success of this phase. Since this phase set the process. Colleges devote entire semesters and years foundation for the whole EXPAND program, I had anto teaching research concepts, while we had to sumother reason to be nervous. marize all these concepts in just a few days before Once we landed in Manila, we took a cab to our traveling to other cities to begin data collection. Our gorgeous hotel downtown. I was suddenly transported goal was to give PFD-SSC as many tools as possible to to my childhood hometown of Bangalore, India. The carry on their research work after we left. warm weather washed over me, the crowded streets Specifically, we taught PFD-SSC how to conduct jostled my senses, the Jeepneys (similar to rickshaws data collection, goal setting, the similarities and differin India) provided a cozy cocoon from which to obences between quantitative and qualitative methods, serve the surroundings and the people. The malls and field work question development, mock interviews, outdoor spaces had people of all ages out and about. and then begin the initial set-up for data gathering This initial encounter with Filipino culture and its peoin Baguio and La Union. Day by day, I found myself in ple comforted me knowing that even though this twoawe of how much the PFD-SSC team wanted to learn week trip was for business, it would also contain a lot when it came to the research process itself — espeof pleasure. cially since it can be rather dry and it is not so simple Meeting the PFD-SSC core team was a great expeto teach this stuff. As a teacher, I would love to have rience, despite the communication and linguistic chalstudents as motivated as they are; it truly made our lenges at the beginning. I was amazed at the close-knit jobs much easier and more fun. I often found myself partnership among the Filipino members, their motilaughing or smiling as they welcomed me into their vation and the sheer passion for the common shared warm, tight-knit group during lunch breaks or dinner goal of improving PFD. I felt right at home when I saw gatherings. It became evident to me how much PFDhow much they took care of each other and how they SSC members cherished each learning opportunity ensured no one was left out during the training sesthey could grab, while making sure Scot and I had March 2014

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good times, too. This also occurred up in the mountains of Baguio and the beach area of La Union.

Of course, this experience was not without its share of challenges. One huge professional challenge was overcoming communication and linguistic barriers in working with two of the selected PFD-SSC members who were heavily involved in this training and mainly responsible for gathering data in Baguio and La Union. Not only did we need to teach them, but we also needed to learn from them about their community’s research needs. It was crucial that the message was clear and received on both sides to ensure a successful research project.

During the two weeks of training, these two members experienced a variety of challenges themselves, from showing up on a daily basis despite everything else going on in their lives, George Lintag and Yvette Apurado learn techniques for their learning new material, trying to underfirst Group interview. stand the concept of researcher bias, traveling, being quick on their feet with the schedule changes, as well as being Each Deaf Filipino that I met was “thirsty” for more able to handle interviews in both groups or one-oninformation, knowledge, and resources. At the end of one situations, and accepting our feedback during this training back in Manila, the PFD-SSC members, training. These two PFD-SSC members became proalong with assistance from Scot and me, developed tégés. They showed tremendous improvement over a future data collection intervention action plan, an the training time, especially with their communication Organizational Management Training Manual action styles, professionalism, and abilities to solicit valuable plan, and a potential action plan for conducting comdata as neutral facilitators. I was proud to witness their munity workshops in various areas of the Philippines. growth and transformation and felt comfortable that Having this experience and seeing how DDW truly bethey were very capable and would implement everycame a partner in the local Deaf Filipino community, I thing they learned from our trainings in carrying out felt inspired. It gave me hope that other Deaf commuthe rest of the research. nities and organizations worldwide will also have the Looking back on this trip three months later, I opportunity to gain this valuable partnership through continue to be in awe of the high number of particiDDW someday, if possible. pants engaged in our interviews in both Baguio and La Union. Despite the huge contrasts between the Dr. Shilpa Hanumantha is a faculty member at the three cities of Manila, Baguio and La Union, the Deaf University of Virginia with a joint appointment in the community in all cities had all shared a desire to see American Sign Language Program and the Departan improvement within their respective communities. ment of Psychology. Hanumantha also works in private Despite the communication, education and linguistic practice as a resident in clinical psychology providing challenges in each Deaf community, they all had that comprehensive assessments for persons who are deaf shared vision of improvement within their local oror hard of hearing. ganizations as well as the national PFD organization.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

– Gandhi 4

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USAID EXPAND Program: Strategic planning

SHANE FELDMAN LEADS A DISCUSSION ON STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH THE PHILIPPINE FEDERATION OF THE DEAF.

DDW’s Executive Director Davin Searls and Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Executive Director Shane Feldman recently were in Manila, Philippines, providing training on strategic planning. Our June issue will feature more about their trip. In the meantime, for more information on the USAID EXPAND program, visit www.discoveringdeafworlds.org/programs/usaid-expand-program.

DDW is sponsored by

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An update:

Philippine Deaf Resource Center Last December, while visiting the Philippines as part of the Department of State-funded EMPOWER program, our DDW delegation had the opportunity to meet Liza B. Martinez, Ph.D., founder and director of the Philippine Deaf Resource Center (PDRC) during the launch of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD) Parallel Report by the Philippine Coalition on the UNCRPD. For over 12 years, Martinez DDW and PFD empower participants visit with dr. Liza martinez has been a staunch advocate of the at the uncrpd parallel report launch. rights to language and culture for the Filipino Deaf community and all persons with disabilities. Her efforts have brought together numerous national and international allies, including human rights defenders, researchers, professors, activists, government officials, and so forth to continue “fightin the Philippines. We salute Martinez for her outing for the right to understand and be standing commitment, guidance, and activism, and understood.”

After a surmountable number of accomplish- hope that DDW’s partnership with PFD will help ments, PDRC has closed its doors, transitioning continue such efforts for many years to come.

To read a closing letter from Martinez, please continued leadership to the Philippine Federation of the Deaf and other disability rights organizations visit www.phildeafres.org.

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echo Greenlee and Ben Abrams

Thank you for your outstanding contributions to DDW in 2013. We are honored to receive such support from deafREVIEW, and thank you immensely for your generous and philanthropic hearts!

Shout-Outs Marlene Elliot: What a blessing you have been to our organization these past several months. Thank you for your interpreting services, your guidance through popular education, and your innovative ways to help raise funds for DDW. You are appreciated!

Peter Cook, Kenny Lerner, and Aaron Kelstone: We are deeply honored to have had the opportunity to showcase DDW at the Flying Words Performance at NTID. Thank you for the opportunity to engage with your fans and our local community.

Sheena Stuart: Year after year, you go above and beyond for DDW. We are so fortunate to have you and the AllOut Marketing team helping out with our annual benefit and programs in the Philippines. Thanks for all you do!

Dr. Scot Atkins and Dr. Shilpa Hanumantha: A million thanks for your outstanding efforts and contributions to the USAID-funded EXPAND program! You’ve kicked off this program in the right direction and we’re excited for what’s to come!

Source: www.un.org/disabilities/documents/maps/enablemap.jpg