I first became interested in the deaf at the age of 7 when I read "The Story of Helen Keller" by Lorena A. Hickok for the first time. I decided then and there that I wanted to work with the deaf. I learned the Manual Alphabet worried everyone to death wanting them to practice with me, soon they grew weary of my approaching them(hahaha). At first my thought I was that I wanted to be a teacher then after taking my first formal ASL (American Sign Language) I decided I want to someday be an interpreter for the deaf. I have started my endevour to do exactly that in 1993. Being that I am a wife and mother, I haven't actively persued this wonderful dream of mine since then. I still have the strong desire to follow through with my dream and I will sooner or later I have had this dream for far to long to let it die now. With this page I hope to have brought you some awareness of ASL along with helpful links If I can be of assistance I will be glad to do so please email me using the link at left.
My oldest daughter is currently enrolled in an ASL class. Last night (1-8-07) she told me she enjoyed it and it was only her first class. I am glad. *Updated 11/3/08* She is now in her 4th class (I think) and is majoring in Audiology and minoring in ASL. I seriously never thought that I would help guide her to this. I am very honored that she has taken this path career wise. My youngest daughter wants to take ASL at the local college. :)
The ASL Graphic up top was made for this page by my friend Bonnie. Thank you again.
This page, The Assistance Dog Page, When I Need You Page (first page I ever created back in 1999), and In Search Of, I brought over here from my Geocities site before I shut it down (1/2007). They were the first pages I ever created.
The Manual Alphabet
The Following is a quote by Helen Keller first in written English then using the Manual Alphabet. My thanks to Bill for creating the Manual Alphabet gif(in blue above) and the Helen Keller manual alphabet jpg(below also in blue) and for his patience in teaching me to do HTML. Bill is a great friend, lost touch with him. I do hope you all have a friend as great as Bill was. I have been blessed with several friends like Bill.
Langauge of Love
If my hands can make
a differance,
If my hands can make
a friend,
Let my fingers do
the talking,
And help make
the silence end.
-Stefanie Drown
My Hands
God chose that I should never talk
and share a voice with you.
My world will be a silent one--
my ears hears nothing,too.
Why was it I was chosen to be
so all alone--
My inner voice was asking if
the answer could be known.
Then I look into the mirror and
saw good things looking back,
I had to take the positives--
put them on the right track.
I thought alot about it,
and now I want to shout,
The wonderous gifts God gave me
outnumber what He left out.
So let me take the challenge in
meetings life's demands--
I have the power to change things,
and it lies here in my hands.
vie Drown
Links
Drop down menu has several very informative and resourcesful links. Visit at your leisure.
The following has more to do with Cochlear Implants then with ASL. I had no where else to "fit" it in and felt it important to share.
First I am an avid Soap Opera Fan for many, many years. Recently one of my soaps introduced deafness in one of the children on the show.
There was a small portion of that story that involved an actress from another soap's son coming on the show and talking about cochlear implants.
With that being said, I would like you to read the following that came in an email from SoapOperaDigest.com
Also please also visit the links below the paragraphs for more information. I just hope that AMC continues the story of the little boys deafness,
there aren't any stories on any of the soaps or tv programs featuring people with hearling loss or blindness or other disadvantages.
I was so impressed with 10-year-old J.Q. DePaiva's recent turn as Jason, a boy with a successful cochlear implant, on AMC that I had to ask his mom, Kassie DePaiva (Blair, OLTL), what she'd think about having another actor in the family. "We joke and say he's retired now," she laughed. "I think he would love to do more of it. But that's something that he's going to have to decide to do when he's a big boy. When he's out of school." DePaiva says she and husband James DePaiva (ex-Max, OLTL) only gave their son one acting note before his AMC taping. "We just told him to talk in his real voice instead of [in a high voice] talking up here. You know, just speak where you speak from your stomach and that keeps you really grounded. That's a good acting note in general. When people are nervous, they talk up in their silly voice. We just told him to stay connected to the big voice in him and that changed everything. But he had a good time. He wasn't nervous. He said, 'Well, Mom and Dad can do it, so it can't be that hard.' " Since J.Q. has a cochlear implant, DePaiva was happy with how the AMC tale — in which Kendall was reluctant to pursue a cochlear implant for son Spike — kicked off with Jason's appearance on NEW BEGINNINGS. "I think the concept was great and the execution was great. I get so many e-mails from people whose children are getting it done or had it done three months ago. I can't even tell you how many e-mails I've gotten from people saying it was such an inspiration."
To learn more about cochlear implants, ABC.com has posted a podcast featuring AMC's Alicia Minshew (Kendall) visiting the League for the Hard of Hearing. To view the segment, go to http://soapoperadigest.email.primedia.com/cgi-bin15/DM/y/jaZH0SDuJa0za0emi0E2 and click on "ALL MY CHILDREN Podcast Episode 27."
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Kassie DePaiva
(Blair, OLTL)
Photo from SoapOperaDigest.com
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Please be sure to visit Kassie's Site, as well as the League For the Hard of Hearing below for more information.
Welcome to the Official Website of Kassie DePaiva
League for the Hard of Hearing
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