10 December 2015 – Parallel Session

Inclusive Higher Education for Deaf Students in Europe

Ingo BarthLeader of the Max Planck Research Group “Current-Carrying Quantum Dynamics”

Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Halle (Saale), Germany

Synergies to fuel Researchers’ CareersLuxembourg, 10 – 11 December 2015

organised by

1880: Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf (ICED, Milan, Italy)

Resolutions were passed that banned the use of sign language in schools for the Deaf!

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Milan Conference

„The Convention, considering the incontestable superiority of articulation over signs in restoring the deaf-mute to society and giving him a fuller knowledge of language, declares that the oral method should be preferred to that of signs in education and the instruction of deaf-mutes.“Passed 160 to 4

„The Convention, considering that the simultaneous use of articulation and signs has the disadvantage of injuring articulation and lip-reading and the precision of ideas, declares that the pure oral method should be preferred.“Passed 150 to 16

1857: “Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind”

1864: “National Deaf-Mute College

1894: “Gallaudet College”

1986: “Gallaudet University”located in Washington, D.C.

The only university in the world for the education of the Deaf, officially bilingual with ASL and English

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Gallaudet University

NTID is the first and largest technological college in the world for Deaf and hard of hearing students, established in 1965. NTID is one of nine colleges within the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) located in Rochester, N.Y.

And in Europe?4

National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID)

1999–2003: “European Deaf University”(Prof. F. Dotter, Klagenfurt, Austria)

Proposal at the EU level failed!

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Deaf University in Europe?

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Sign languages in Europe

Status of sign languages in Europe:Recognized in constitutional levelRecognized totallyRecognized partiallyNot recognized at all

2002

2008: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)

Right to inclusive education at all levels

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UN Convention

RatifiedSigned but not ratifiedNot signed

2010: Official rejection of 1880 Milan resolutions(ICED, Vancouver, Canada)

Use of sign language in schools is now allowed!

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Rejection of Milan resolutions

2009–2011: “European Sign Language University” in Bad Kreuznach, Germany

Idea according to inclusion principle, but lack of funding!

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Inclusive University in Europe?

Private or public university for all European students with sign language skills

Inclusion: Deaf and hearing people study togetherBetter education for Deaf people

Access possibilities for hearing people to visual world of sign languages and Deaf culture

No ghetto for Deaf peopleExpansion of inclusive offers of other universities by employing lectures and sign language interpreters qualified in sign languages at European Deaf University

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since 2011

2015: 7th International Deaf Academics and Researchers Conference in Leuven, Belgium

Workshop was fully booked!

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Bilingual University in Europe?

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Architectural design of the Bilingual University in Europe

www.mainsdiamant.com/nos-actions/universite/

German STEM workshopsfor Deaf scientists, doctors, and academics1st German STEM workshop: 12.-13.06.2015 (2 days)

2nd German STEM workshop:13.-15.11.2015 (3 days)

MPI of Microstructure Physics in Halle, Germany (approx. every six months)(exchange of experiences, scientific talks, STEM terms in sign language, networking)

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 13

German STEM workshops

German STEM workshopsfor Deaf scientists, doctors, and academics1st German STEM workshop: 12.-13.06.2015 (2 days)

2nd German STEM workshop:13.-15.11.2015 (3 days)

MPI of Microstructure Physics in Halle, Germany (approx. every six months)(exchange of experiences, scientific talks, STEM terms in sign language, networking)

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 14

German STEM workshops

Build up a network of Deaf scientists in Europe

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Deaf scientists in Europe

German and Austrian Deaf scientists

Other Deaf scientists in Europe (examples)Dr. S. Hellström, Swedish physicistDr. A. Cameron, Scottish chemistR. Hatchi, French mathematician

8th International Deaf Academics and Researchers Conference

2017 in Aarhus, Denmarkconference topics include “Deaf STEM”

Using sign language interpreters enables communication between Deaf/hearing lectures/students

Direct communication in sign language between Deaf/hearing lectures/students is possible

Other resources could also support inclusionusing online interpreting services

using (speech-to-text) captioners

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Inclusive learning and teaching

It would make European universities inclusive!

Inclusive Massive Open Online Courses (i-MOOCs) would promote Deaf students in Europe

They contain not only audible but also visualmaterials using sign language as well as subtitles for Deaf, hard of hearing and foreign students

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Massive Online Open Courses

It would approach the goal of inclusive higher education for Deaf students in Europe

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Employ sign language interpreters at universities

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Promote Deaf students and scientists in Europe

Employ sign language interpreters at universities

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Promote Deaf students and scientists in Europe

Employ sign language interpreters at universities

Develop technical terms in sign language

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Promote Deaf students and scientists in Europe

Employ sign language interpreters at universities

Become Deaf professors

Develop technical terms in sign language

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Promote Deaf students and scientists in Europe

Employ sign language interpreters at universities

Become Deaf professors

Introduce and develop inclusive MOOCs

Develop technical terms in sign language

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Establish an inclusive university for the Deaf in Europe

Promote Deaf students and scientists in Europe

Employ sign language interpreters at universities

Become Deaf professors

Introduce and develop inclusive MOOCs

Develop technical terms in sign language

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Promote Deaf students and scientists in Europe

Employ sign language interpreters at universities

Become Deaf professors

Introduce and develop inclusive MOOCs

Develop technical terms in sign language

Thank you for your attention!

Establish an inclusive university for the Deaf in Europe