Open AccessAuthentic Voices, Authentic Encounters: Cripping the University Through American Sign Language
Author(s) -
Octavian Robinson,
Jonathan Henner
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
disability studies quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2159-8371
pISSN - 1041-5718
DOI - 10.18061/dsq.v38i4.6111
Subject(s) - obligation , popularity , sign language , american sign language , disabled people , sign (mathematics) , disability studies , pedagogy , sociology , exploit , economic justice , psychology , political science , linguistics , gender studies , social psychology , law , computer science , philosophy , life style , demography , mathematics , computer security , mathematical analysis
Discussions on disability justice within the university have centered disabled students but leaves us with questions about disability justice for the disabled scholar and disabled communities affiliated with universities through the lens of signed language instruction and deaf people. Universities use American Sign Language (ASL) programs to exploit the labors of deaf people without providing a return to disabled communities or disabled academics. ASL courses offers valuable avenues for cripping the university. Through the framework of cripping, we argue universities that offer ASL classes and profit from them have an obligation to ensure that disabled students and disabled academics are able to navigate and succeed in their systems. Disabled students, communities, and academics should capitalize upon the popularity of ASL to expand accessibility and the place of disability in higher education.