HAM LAKE, Minn., July 16, 2007 — Does the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) promote a damaging, outdated ideology? Yes, says the Deaf Bilingual Coalition – and it's time for the organization to recognize American Sign Language (ASL) as the only genuine cognitive language for the deaf. To that end, the Coalition has organized a protest of AG Bell's summer conference in Arlington, Va., July 27-28.
Founded in 1887, AG Bell has always promoted Dr. Bell's belief that deaf children should not be taught the use of sign language. Today, according to AG Bell's Web site, the 501(c)(3) organization is "a lifelong resource, support network and advocate for listening, learning, talking and living independently with hearing loss."
That seems pretty positive; however, AG Bell's refusal to introduce parents of deaf children to a visual language (ASL) has proven harmful.
"Alexander Graham Bell's ideology was to have all deaf children learn oral communication methods and eliminate any form of visual language," explained John F. Egbert, deaf author and founder of the Deaf Bilingual Coalition. "We are letting AG Bell know that philosophy must be revised. Thousands upon thousands of deaf people's English language and education have gone downhill since 1880. That trend must be reversed."
Egbert understands this firsthand. Born deaf to hearing parents in 1947, he was introduced to speech therapy early on. Egbert speaks as clearly as any hearing person, something less than 2% of the deaf population can do. And he is passionate about making sure today's deaf children have the opportunity to learn a visual language – the opportunity he was denied.
The task before him is not easy. AG Bell receives significant financial support from the Volta Bureau. The Volta Bureau's bylaws, written by Alexander Graham Bell himself, state that if AG Bell ever promotes the use of sign language, it will cease to receive funding from the Volta Bureau.
But Egbert is not about to give up. "This protest is the first step toward future prosperity for deaf children," he stated. "Deaf children deserve a cognitive language and better education with bilingual programs. The deaf community will no longer accept AG Bell's discrimination against sign language (ASL). Just as there is a place in our community for the oral method, so is there a place for cognitive visual language."
The Deaf Bilingual Coalition will peacefully protest AG Bell's "Talk for a Lifetime Summer Conference" at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Va., July 27 and 28, 2007. To learn more, contact Egbert at egbertpress@mac.com.
About John F. Egbert
John F. Egbert is the author of "MindField" (ISBN 978-0595421589, iUniverse, Inc., http://www.egbertpress.com), a fast-paced suspense novel in which a terrorist cell unleashes a virulent bacteria on the U.S., causing millions of Americans to become deaf almost overnight. The book is available at Amazon.com.
Contact:
John F. Egbert
Egbert Press
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