[Athen] Interesting Question Regarding Requested Accommodation...

[Cassandra L. Tex]

Greetings All,

Had an interesting question this morning regarding a requested
accommodation at a neighboring community college..



The Scenario:

Student who is blind (no usable vision) is enrolled in an American Sign
Language course.  The accommodation she is requesting is a tactile signer.
There is an interpreter in the area that knows tactile signing (we are a
rural area so our interpreting pool of qualified interpreters is limited).
The instructor does not know tactile signing.



Questions:

1.       The student will essentially be learning tactile signing and not
ASL.  This seems like a fundamental alteration of the coursework for the
ASL course.  Am I off base here??

2.       If the instructor does not know tactile signing, how will he/she
be able to evaluate the student's knowledge?

3.       Is there another way to accommodate an individual who is blind in
this ASL course?  I was thinking that an interpreter or other individual
could sit next to the student and manipulate the student's fingers/arm to
show what the sign is.  Not sure how disruptive this would be in the class
though...



Any suggestions or comments for accommodating this student in the ASL
course would be appreciated!



Thanks!

Cassandra Tex

Assistive Technology Specialist

Humboldt State University
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