LAFAYETTE, La. — For the first time in University of Louisiana at Lafayette's history, a minor in American Sign Language (ASL) is being introduced to the curriculum starting this fall.
This inclusive addition will offer students the chance to be able to study and one day master the language.
The program is already off to a great start _ once the announcement was made that ASL would be offered as a minor, classes quickly filled up. It was offered as a modern language requirement elective, but this will allow students to actually minor in it.
The hope of the department is to educate and inspire those who do decide to minor, to have more individuals in the community proficient in ASL.
KATC was able to meet two ASL instructors at UL about what this addition means.
“I think it’s gonna be great for the university and also the community because we have a large deaf community and it would be nice if more people in the public would be able to communicate and also help in their future jobs,” signed Leah Dawsey, ASL and Deaf Studies Instructor.
According to the Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, ASL is the third most commonly used language in the United States, after English and Spanish.
"We have been working on it for the last two years, and I think it will really add quite a bit to the university just exposing the students to a wider variety. More than just your basic conversational sign language which we do address. We also address deaf culture, issues within the community and inclusion," says Katie Potier, ASL and Deaf Studies Instructor.
Current student Mary Hooks Boudoin has already decided to pursue her minor in ASL after hearing that it will be now offered.
"I was very happy to see UL was offering a minor in American Sign Language. For me it was two-fold," she says. "I have a special needs daughter who is 27, she is hearing but she is non-verbal and as an advocate for people with special needs. It means a lot to me to be able to communicate with a diverse group of people and my goal is to become a teacher in English or History and I would love to communicate with students who are deaf or hearing impaired."
To find out more about the Department of Communicative Disorders department at UL, click here.
