• Deaf Community & GU
• Diversity Statement & Guidelines
• Gallaudet University Strategic Goals
• The Vision Statement
• Communication Statement
• Planning Information

Communication Statement

In February 1995, Gallaudet University adopted the following statement about sign communication:

Since its inception as an institution of higher learning, Gallaudet University has endorsed direct visual communication among deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing members of the community. Clear, understandable signing is the responsibility of each of us. Because of the increasing social, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students, we have reexamined and described what effective sign communication means at Gallaudet.

American Sign Language and English
Gallaudet University is a bilingual community in which both American Sign Language and English thrive. We recognize that in our campus community ASL and English coexist in complex ways; accordingly, this statement reflects the attitudes, philosophies, and realities of sign diversity on campus.

Sign Communication
The University is committed to creating a visual communication environment which best supports scholarship and the basic tenets of humanistic education. Three principles will be our guide as we work together to ensure that clear and visual communication is the norm in every University unit and department.

Principle 1: At Gallaudet, effective sign communication supports education.

Each of us has the right and responsibility to understand and be understood. Clear and well-paced visual communication is a requirement for this learning community. Because Gallaudet is an institution of higher education whose primary mission is to educate deaf and hard of hearing individuals, understanding of the content we wish to convey, more than the mode of communication, must guide our actions.

Principle 2: Sign communication at Gallaudet will be inclusive, respectful, and flexible.

Our community will incorporate and respect ASL and recognize that students, faculty members, and staff members may each have different visual communication needs. We will respect the sign language style of each individual and use whatever is necessary to communicate in a given situation. We will know and practice deaf/hearing communication etiquette so that public discourse, both formal and informal, is fully accessible.

Principle 3: Direct sign communication is central to the Gallaudet vision.

Since effective visual communication in this bilingual community is fundamental to the successful achievement of our academic mission, Gallaudet will develop the training and assessment programs necessary to ensure that all of us have the opportunity to become fluent signers. We will each be assertive and sincere in our efforts to attain sign language proficiency so that we can all communicate directly with each other.