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From: Greg Snyder
Date: 21 Oct 2006
Time: 19:09:46 -0500
Remote Name: 24.74.142.133
Hi Nicole. Your question, which is a very good one, asks: [Do you feel that as a result of increased awareness of the signs and symptoms of stuttering when signing, that there will be more people who use sign language seeking therapy in the future?] To be honest, I’m not sure if there’s “increased awareness” to stuttered sign. During my time at Gallaudet (a University for the deaf), the presence of stuttering in sign was largely unrecognized by nearly every faculty there--including those who were deaf. But even if it were the case, and a person that uses sign as their primary mode of communication recognized stuttered sign, and sought out treatment… where would they go? At this time, the only grad program that creates good signing SLP students (in which I know of) is Gallaudet, and since my departure, the department is sans a stuttering specialist. So even if the stuttered sign phenomenon becomes more recognized, there is a need for qualified specialists to work in that area.