BARBARA WELLS

MJC Communication Handicapped Specialist, Disability Services
American Sign Language Instructor, Literature and Language Arts Division

M.A., Communicative Disorders, Education of the Deaf
California State University Stanislaus

A.A., Speech
Modesto Junior College

Advisor:
MJC Sign Language Club
Alpha Gamma Sigma

President, Stanislaus County Mayors’ Committee for the Employment of
People with Disabilities

As the Communication Handicapped Specialist, I coordinate the programs and services for the Deaf and hard of hearing students who attend MJC, which include, but are not limited to, interpreting, notetaking, priority registration, advising and counseling, advocacy, referral service, assistive listening devices, special courses and TTY’s.

As the American Sign Language instructor, I teach three levels of American Sign Language. All of the courses focus heavily on the grammar and syntax of ASL and the culture of the Deaf.

• Sign 125, Beginning ASL covers a minimum of 1,000 sign glosses and 20 language patterns. Knowledge of the basic grammar and syntax of ASL is developed. Students are required to read a novel about Deaf culture, complete a research project about a Deaf individual in history and to communicate with Deaf people in our community.

• Sign 126, Intermediate ASL incorporates the language and syntax patterns of the Deaf into dialogues and stories for consecutive discourse. There is heavy emphasis on facial expression, idioms, nonverbal manual cues and translation of English into ASL. A variety of projects require students to demonstrate their fluency and accuracy in both receptive and expressive modes. Students are expected to become involved in the Deaf community.

• Sign 127, Advanced ASL requires students to demonstrate a sophisticated knowledge of ASL grammar, syntax, sign-to-voice and voice-to-sign skills while incorporating all of the sign and language knowledge of the previous two courses. Advanced reading about Deaf culture and projects demonstrating an ability to translate and analyze the language of the Deaf are required. Students are expected to participate regularly in the activities and programs for the Deaf in our community.

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Last Updated: January 07, 2003