Doug Bahl Passes

The deaf community has lost one of its well-known voices of advocacy. Doug Bahl has died from cancer at the age of 63. He was president of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens for a decade and taught ASL at St. Paul College. You can read here about his lawsuit against Police in St. Paul. He was pulled over in 2006 and beaten during the traffic stop for failing to obey the commands of officers--commands he could not hear. Officers now receive training from the city about how to relate to deaf citizens.

US jury: Implant maker should be fined millions

The largest cochlear implant maker in the world is facing a multimillion dollar fine. LifeScientist reports that a California jury wants to fine Cochlear Limited $131 million after deciding the Australian company infringed on two patents held by the Alfred E Mann Foundation for Scientific Research, which licensed the two patents to Advanced Bionics. The verdict isn't final--a judge will have to sign off on it. Five investment analysts have given Cochlear's stock a "sell" rating, according to Zolmax.

Big Money for NTID

The National Technical Institute for the Deaf is getting an extra $4 million in federal money this year. The funds will provide students with new equipment and keep tuition costs down. It was included with the appropriations bill Congress just passed. Here's Senator Chuck Schumer announcing funding for NTID in Rochester in a video from WHEC-TV.

Seahawks' Coleman responds to girl's letter

@JakeIsMobile via Twitter 

Seattle Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman will be the first deaf person to play in the Super Bowl a week from Sunday. One thing that might keep him going is the support of
Riley Kovalcik. The New Jersey nine year old wrote to Coleman and tried to help him stay confident. "Just try your best," she wrote. "I have faith in you Derrick." The letter was sent via Twitter by Riley's father, Jake. He told the New York Daily News on Wednesday that he posted the letter to show Coleman how much of an inspiration he is for kids. Coleman posted his letter to Twitter on Wednesday so she could see his response. Read more here.

A captioning first

One year ago today (Jan. 21, 2013) the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama for his second term included a closed captioning first--attendees were able to read closed captioning of the proceedings on their smartphones. It is one of several innovations that organizers added to make the inauguration more accessible than any before it.

No terp at hospital during birth

A UK deaf couple didn't have an interpreter when their son was born at a London hospital last month, according to The Guardian. The 12-year-old daughter Hulusi Bati was forced to interpret for him and and Nadia Hassan at University College hospital when the labor ran into complications. The hospital says there wasn't time to get an interpreter on short notice. But no interpreter was provided most of the time during the baby's week-long stay at the hospital either. Bati said, "There was a lot of panic and they brought in my wife's sister-in-law to interpret but she's not an interpreter at all. She only knows the basics so there was no accurate medical information. I felt completely at a loss. I wasn't part of it." Read the full story here.

the "Wilt Chamberlain of the deaf"

Perhaps the greatest high school basketball player of all time in the state of Arkansas history was deaf. It was on n this date (January 19, 1971-which is given here though the National Federation of State High School Associations says the game occurred on December 4, 1971) that Bennie Fuller score 102 points in a game against Leola that was played at Arkadelphia. Only three basketball players in U.S. history have scored more points in a high school career than Bennie Fuller did. Between 1968 and 1971, the 6-foot-2 guard scored 4,896 points for the Arkansas School for the Deaf becoming known as the "Wilt Chamberlain of the deaf." Now living in Oklahoma, Fuller sadly lost him home in 2013 to a tornado. He averaged more than 50 points a game that season. He was offered more than 100 scholarships to college but he ended up at Pensacola Junior College. He later worked for the US Postal Service and had four hearing children with his wife.

Review of Tribes in RI

Tribes, a show that features a deaf actor in a lead role "falls short," according to a revew in Rhode Island's Providence Journal. Actor Joseph Ausanio was brought in from New York to play the deaf sibling in the Theatre 82 production. Reviewer Channing Gray says, "The point of the play often gets obscured by family stuff and (the writer's) inability to really bring focus to her script." Read the full review here. Tribes is playing at Theater 82 in Cranston and you can purchase tickets here.

One win away from the Super Bowl

The video about Derrick Coleman's journey from a deaf childhood to a NFL running back has more than 5 million views in less than a week. We shared the video with you on Sunday (you can see it here). His team is now just a single win away from getting to the Super Bowl--which would be another first for a deaf player. Here's a video report from CBS News about Coleman.

City pays former alderman in settlement

Davenport, Iowa is formally apologizing to one-time alderman Keith Meyer. It's part of an out-of-court settlement for an employee knocking softly on the hard of hearing man's door. The city will also pay Meyer nearly $50,00o dollars. You can read the apology here and details about the incident in the Quad City Times here.

Suit over assistive listening devices

A San Francisco-area man is suing a hotel in Foster City, California. Todd Rich asked for assistive listening devices and got smoke detectors instead. He was at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for a seminar put on by Success Strategies Institute. Read more on the case in the Daily Journal here.

Deaf Man beaten by State Troopers

Police claim Pearl Pearson left the scene of a minor car accident in Oklahoma City. The police report says he "refused to comply with officers and refused to comply with repeated orders to display his hands." But what it doesn't say his that Pearson is deaf. An advocacy group is planning a fund-raiser for Pearson, which you can read about here. Watch the story in a video from KFOR-TV below (no captions) or read it here.

University promotes ASL Linguist

Carol Padden

Carol Padden is rising in the ranks at UC San Diego. The sign-language expert and MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant recipients will serve as the school's Interim Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. Padden has been a faculty member for three decades. Read more about her appointment here.

First deaf swimming championship today

Some 100 swimmers from nine different countries have gathered in upstate New York where the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a college of Rochester Institute of Technology, is hosting the U.S. deaf international short course swimming championships. The event starts this afternoon and runs through Saturday. Read more about it here.

Condo board demands deaf man get rid of service dog

Roman Erikhman is battling his condo board over his service dog in New York City. The deaf grandfather filed a lawsuit after his was told by the Cove Club Condominium board to get rid of his Doberman Pinscher. Read more on the story from DNAinfo.

Simplified Home Office Deduction

The IRS's new, simplified option for claiming a home office deduction greatly reduces paperwork and recordkeeping, but some restrictions apply. HEre's an ASL video about it.

Australia woman rejected from jury duty

An Australia woman is appealing her rejection from jury duty--because she is deaf. Gaye Prudence Lyons was called for duty in 2012, but "was excluded after revealing she was deaf and would require Auslan (Australian Sign Language) interpreters" according to News.com.au. Read more here.

video of deaf NFL player goes viral

We first told you about Derrick Coleman in 2008 when he was running for UCLA's football team (here). In December, we shared with you how he is inspiring students (here) as an NFL running back. Coleman was diagnosed with hearing problems when he was about one year old and started wearing hearing aids at the age of four. A short video about Coleman has gone viral (more than 1 million views in its first couple of days) and you can see it below. The Sporting News has an interview with Coleman about the video here.

First Saudi Sign Language Dictionary

There's a new Saudi Sign Language Dictionary--for the first time. Put together by the Saudi Association for Hearing Impairment, the dictionary has 2,700 sign words and a manual dictionary that includes the alphabet, numbers, more than 750 sign words and native phrases. Read more here.

Education Tax Credits

Find out how you or your child can get a tax credit for going to college or some other post-secondary education institution in this ASL video from the IRS.

Online Payment Agreement

Find out how to make tax payment arrangements online in this IRS video in ASL.

UK charity picks teacher of the year

Catherine Drew accepting her award

A charity organization called Signature has picked a London sign language teacher as its teacher of the year. Catherine Drew teaches at the Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children. A former student nominated her and a ceremony took place in Bloomsbury, a part of the London Borough of Camden. Catherine leads the Deaf studies and BSL courses at the school for not only pupils, but parents and local community members as well. It was her little brother that "knocked on the door of 10 Downing Street" a decade ago "to hand in to the Prime Minister the petition requesting recognition of BSL and outlining the needs of the Deaf Community." Learn more about the Catherine and other winners here.

Deaf star of 'Tribes' wants theater world to listen

During the stage production of Tribes, a young man explodes in sign at his father--who learns Chinese but is unwilling to study sign language. In the Steppenwolf Theatre production of the show, taking place in Chicago right now, John McGinty plays Billy. He tells the Chicago Tribune "I don't think the hearing audience fully understands the implicit slight there. But when we have deaf people in our audience, we really can feel their reaction." Read the full article here.

Deaf Center Breaking Law, say Opponents

There's a battle brewing over a deaf center on New York's Coney Island. A group representing other businesses do not want the Deaf and Wellness Recreation Center to open. They've complained to city that breaks the building codes of the Island because, they say, the only businesses that are to be allowed are supposed to have an entertainment focus. The Center's leadership defends the outreach, saying it IS a entertainment center--for the deaf and the elderly. You'll find the Center's website here. The Brooklyn Paper has more on the controversy here.

Uncle Henry's Gift

Uncle Henry got the gift he wanted for Christmas. A video of him getting it has more than 2 millions hits on YouTube in just three days. A family member writes, “For some background on this video and my uncle – Henry is hearing [and] speech impaired. He has a heart of gold and everyone who meets Henry absolutely loves him. Henry is also a kid at heart and loves Hot Wheels, cars and especially games on his iPhone. Because we appreciate Henry so much and wanted to show him how much he is loved, we all pitched in and got Henry the ultimate gift (as you can see, he was quite happy),” the family member continued.

Enhancing live theater in Kansas

One young girl went out of her way to ensure a Christmas Spectacular in Kansas included captioning. WDAF-TV explains how in the video below. No captions but you can read the story here.

Update on Carson

A kindergartner in suburban Atlanta is adjusting well to his cochlear implants--after his family's insurance company first refused to pay for the procedure. But earlier this year, ABC News did a piece on it and the company changed its mind. ABC has a video update on Carson Rubin's story below (captions available).

Hearing Aid Models

Here is a look at the 5 types of hearing aid models along with their advantages and costs.

 ▪ BTEs "behind the ear" These are the familiar crescent-shaped instruments first developed in the late 1940s. These durable aids include a receiver, microphone and amplifier that fits over the ear. The small plastic case is worn behind the ear and connects to an ear mold inside the ear. It directs sound into the ear canal through a tube and custom-fitted ear mold. The most options and is easiest to handle. Picks up sound and processes it into electrical impulses that are sent through a wire to the speaker. Cost: $500 to $2,900 per ear.

 ▪ "mini" BTEs or OTE (on the ear) These are the newest aids. They dramatically reduces the size of the crescent and replaces the bulky wire and speaker with a clear, thin tube. They cost $700 to $2,350 per ear.ITEs "in-the-ear" Smaller than BTEs, these fit into the outer ear and project slightly into the ear canal. Fairly easy to handle and comes with many features. These can be ordered with or without dual microphones, which provide information to the computer to analyze and reduce background noise. It comes in full shell size and the smaller, less-visible "half shell" size. Cost: $500 to $2,400 per ear. ▪ ITCs "in the canal" This variation on the in-the-ear models protrudes only slightly into the outer ear. They are partially visible though smaller than ITEs. Not for people with severe or profound hearing loss. Fewer features and more difficult to handle. Cost: $650 to $2,350 per ear.

 ▪ CIC "completely in canal" The smallest but most difficult to handle model, these customized hearing aids are tucked so far down that it comes with a plastic thread to pull it out; They are rarely visible. Not for people with severe or profound hearing loss, smaller batteries with short life; will last no more than 7 years. Impressions are taken of the ear canal to fashion the aids. Cost: $500 to $2,900 per ear.

 ▪ IOT "invisible open technology" A one-size-fits-all model, these aids are a variation on CIC aids but are not custom-fitted. Sometimes referred to as "fit-and-go," it can be programmed in in one visit to a hearing aid center. Cost: $1,500 to $1,900 per ear.

Deaf Man Rescues People Trapped

On this date (Jan 8) in 1913, a deaf man saved himself and three others after an elevator plunged four floors in New York City. Henry Souwein was the only one still conscience. He was able to squeeze his hand into the only space rescuers could see. Someone who knew sign language was able to communicate with him, understanding his call for help, leading to everyone being rescued safely from the car.

Vimeo relaunches player today

YouTube's biggest competitor, Vimeo, rebuilt its video player and, for the first time, it supports translated subtitles and closed captioning. Users will still have to create and upload the captioning, but at least the process has begin. The biggest difference is rooted in the decision by the company to switch from Flash to HTML5. As a result, videos will load faster, whether viewed on the Vimeo site or elsewhere. Vimeo is working on voice over support as well. You can read more here or watch a Vimeo video about the changes below.

TV Closed Captioning Rules in U.S.

All the FCC's captioning rules have kicked in for video that has been shown on TV and is now available on the Internet. So during 2014, all full-length prerecorded video programming as well as all live programming--must have closed captions IF the programming was shown on television in the US with captions since September 30, 2012. If the program was shown on TV with captions since September 30, 2013, and the programs has been edited especially for Internet, then the Internet version must also be captioned.

School Staffer Dedicates life to helping students

Wilton McMillan says, “I’m so passionate. Passionate for how we can get every single deaf and hard of hearing child to be truly bilingual.” The director of outreach for statewide support services at Kentucky School for the Deaf, McMillan tells Kentucky's Advocate Messenger he relishes his role as an encourager. Born deaf but raised by hearing parents, he understands the struggles that can sometimes arise for deaf and hard of hearing children. Read his full profile in the AM here.

NPR's closed-captioning receiver

NPR is getting an award for its FM receiver to be used as part of an emergency alerting system for the deaf. The Consumer Electronics Association is making NPR labs an Innovations 2014 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree. The award will be presented at the CEA annual conference, which starts tomorrow in Las Vegas. The closed-captioned radio is a standalone box intended to supply emergency information whenever the power is out and WiFi isn't working. Right now, those emergency alerts are the only thing being offered, but NPR says it intends to eventually offer captioning for most of its programming. The device is being tested now along the Gulf Coast. Read more information here.

Deaf--and a Utah Lawyer

Image from the Utah State Bar

There are only a couple of hundred people like Jared Allebest in the country--profoundly deaf without hearing aids as well as a lawyer. Deseret News says from his private practice in Salt Lake City, Jared has taken cases to trial in Ogden, Provo and Salt Lake. After struggling to find a job after finishing law school, Jared discovered, 'The answer was underneath my nose: I can work for deaf people. I have the skill and I know their world. I don’t want to be typecast (as an attorney only for the deaf), but my calling is to be a bridge between the deaf and the hearing.” Read the full story here.

Interpreting in Germany

While several videos of sign language interpreters at concerts have gone viral in the U.S., interpreting music in Germany is considered worthwhile by many venues. Interpreter Laura Schwengber says, "They raised all sorts of objections, saying that an extra person wouldn't fit on stage, that it would distract from the band, that it would turn the event into a show just for disabled people. The organizers were basically worried what the reaction would be." Find out how she's made a breakthrough in an article from German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle here. Below is a video of Schwengber interpreting the music of Keimzeit.

Teen Speaks out for Deaf Parents

Image from theCreekview High School newspaper  

A high school senior in the Dallas suburb of Carrollton authored a column in the Dallas Morning News titled, "People should make more of an effort to understand the deaf community." Kayla Davis writes:

My parents and many of their deaf friends have.. been handed menus in Braille, offered wheelchairs at airports and questioned about whether they can drive. It seems people will continue to be misinformed about deaf people and deaf culture when things like this are happening. Deaf people are often misjudged. They are pegged as unable when they are forced to sit in wheelchairs and strolled across the airport when their legs work just fine.. They are pegged as rude when at the grocery store they can’t hear the person behind them saying excuse me and they don’t move. But deaf people are not disabled or weird or rude. A deaf person, as my mom puts it, can do anything a hearing person can do — except hear.

Read Kayla's entire piece here. Besides writing columns for the Dallas newspaper, she's an editor for her high school newspaper, too.

KY inmates sue for access

Inmates in Kentucky are suing to get interpreters when they have medical services provided for them, as well as video phones. Inmates Oscar Adams and Michael Knights say it's a volition of ADA law that prevents them from fully communicating, not only with doctors and family, but also prevents them from being involved with the educational services offered in prisons. Read more here.

Finding a common language, onstage

Tribes opens at the Studio Theater in Washington, DC this Wednesday and runs through February 23. The comedy-drama features deaf actors--including 2011 Gallaudet graduate Joey Caverly, will have 11 performances signed or captioned. The Washington Post offers a look behind the scenes at the production here or you can get tickets here.

Video of interpreter saving busload of children

A sign language interpreter is being credited with stopping a school bus filled with students from flipping over. A bus filled with fourth graders from Pinckney Elementary in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina with students was headed back from a field trip when the driver lost control and rolled the vehicle into a ditch. That's when Lee Morris jumped into action. Watch the video below from the Post and Courier to see what Morris did next and read more details from the newspaper here.

Spotting a fake service animal

What if you suspect someone's "service dog" is just a regular pet, and its owner is faking a disability so they can take their dog wherever they want? KUSA-TV has a video report. No captions, but you can read the story here.

No Terp for Taiwan prez

Ma Ying-jeou

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou choose not to have a sign language interpreter for his New Year’s address and this has upset the Taiwan Association for Disability Rights. Read what the group's Secretary General, Wang Yuling, has to say about that decision in the Taipei Times.

Deaf News Today 2013 year in review video

The 1st deaf female rabbi

The first deaf female rabbi, Rebecca L. Dubowe, is now a visiting scholar at Gallaudet University. The Washington Post offers a photo slideshow of her work here.

Girl gets new implant for Christmas

Cherie Marciniak was adopted by an American family six years ago. The move from Thailand to Minnesota not only meant a new home, but a cochlear implant. It stopped working after four years of use. That's when friends and family stepped in to raise money so that Cherie, now 11 years old, would get a newer and better implant. KBJR-TV, the NBC-affiliated for Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin, tells the full story in the video below (captions included).

Bogus Terp calls himself "Great Fake"

image from Facebook video

Thamsanqa Jantjies says that even if he is a fake sign language interpreter, he is "a great fake". Jantjies caused an international stir after he "interpreted" at Nelson Mandela's memorial service. He said he is a "great fake" because "I expose what is going on in the government and system" in a rambling video posted on Facebook. Watch the video here. You can see in the video he is wearing a shirt with the word Sterkfontein on it. That is the name of a psychiatric hospital in Krugersdorp. Jantjies was admitted there a few days ago. He has admitted to taking part in killing two people a decade ago, but he did not stand trial because of metal health issues. Read more about that episode here.

Deaf man arrives on flight--in the wrong state!

Kenneth Brown was on his way to visit his brother in a Seattle hospital last week. But instead he wound up in Phoenix. Details on what happened on his flight from KNXV-TV here.

Song: I liked you better deaf

Danny Hamilton wrote a song about his father getting hearing aids for Christmas. Danny titled it I liked you better deaf. While his father wasn't profoundly deaf before getting some digital help, the video of the song has already racked up around 200k hits. Danny writes, "My Dad, who has been hard of hearing for about as long as I can remember, recently invested in hearing aids. So I wrote him a little song for Christmas to celebrate his newfound sense, affectionately entitled, 'I Liked You Better Deaf.'" The lyrics are posted along with the song on YouTube. There's captioning, but it isn't very accurate.

CBS: Inexpensive hearing devices bring gift of sound to less fortunate

Tiny, high-tech hearing aids are making a difference "in the world's poorest countries." Barry Petersen of CBS News reports on what Sound World Solutions is doing to help the developing world in a video report posted below.

Active Shooter Drill at Deaf School

Police officers practiced active shooter training at the Kentucky School for the Deaf yesterday in Danville. Read about how sign language was incorporated into the drill from The Advocate Messenger here.

Implant: I expected to be hearing more

A Florida man decides to turn in his hearing aid for a cochlear implant. Mike Gray says he was initially disappointed and it's a slow process. See a video report about Gray from the Tampa Bay Times below (no captions) or read a more detailed report here.

Protests at Seattle Men’s Chorus concert

Protesters marched in front of Seattle's Benaroya Hall last night over the sign language interpretation of the Seattle Men's Chorus. KING5-TV filed a video report on the controversy.

Woman assaulted near Gally

A woman was sexually assaulted by armed men just a couple of blocks from Gallaudet University this past weekend. WJLA-TV has a video report posted below on DeafNewsToday.com.

Update on Medical Student Suit

In September we told you about a Nebraska jury verdict here, siding with a medical student who sued sued Creighton University for not meeting his learning needs. Michael Argenyi was not provided interpreters or a transcription system. Argenyi has a cochlear implant but also uses cued speech. A Nebraska jury agreed with Argenyi--but failed to award him any financial damages. This week, a judge agreed with the jury that he didn't prove the discrimination was intentional--that means Argenyi is still responsible for the $133,000 bill for the services he was given during his first two years of medical school. However, the judge also ordered the University to provide him with an interpreter and the transcription service when he returns to the school this coming summer. Argenyi plans to appeal the parts of the decision that went against him--and the school hasn't decided whether to do the same. Ironically, while he was waiting for this case to be resolved, Argenyi attended Boston University where he was given the accommodations that are at issue in his case with Creighton. You can read the NAD's (National Association of the Deaf) reaction here and judge's Friday ruling is here.

Deaf School loses Superintendent

Barbara Garrison
(Image from the Missouri
School for the Deaf website) 

The Missouri School for the Deaf is losing its superintendent. Barbara Garrison is retiring after more than a decade at the school. She told the News Tribune her favorite things during her time at MSD has been the "students, the staff and the families.. In general, I’ve loved the city of Fulton — it has been one of the most welcoming communities I’ve ever been in.” A search is underway for Garrison's replacement. Read the full story here.

ASL of Twas the Night Before Christmas

Sheena McFeely has two daughters--one is deaf like her and the other hearing. You can see one of the daughters (Shaylee) signing a version of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas in the video posted below. Mental Floss magazine picked up the post and offers what it says are 9 Reasons This Little Girl’s Sign Language Version of “'Twas the Night Before Christmas” is Great which you can read  here.

‘Does someone born with a hearing loss “hear” an inner voice?’

"I can sometimes use my hands to retrieve an appropriate meaning item, and then choose an English equivalent. Likewise, when I spend a lot of time with deaf, signing friends or colleagues, I will find myself signing in my dreams. Thus the inner hands become available as needed, or with use." Read more responses to the question at the Guardian here.

Petition: Dump Men's Chorus interpreter

The Seattle deaf community is abuzz over the ASL interpreter working for the Seattle Men's Chorus. Some complain that Kevin Gallagher he is hard to understand and not certified. The city's weekly newspaper, The Stranger, reports the Chorus plans to keep Gallagher as its interpreter. In an open letter, Chorus executive director Frank Stilwagner says:

I have consulted with individuals who I know to be qualified ASL experts. I have also had conversations with individuals affiliated with the deaf community, including deaf patrons who regularly attend our concerts, to listen to a spectrum of needs and responses, furthering our understanding. While most have praised our dedication as an organization to offering accessible performances with interpreters, this current concern highlights a need to expand those services.

Stilwagner goes on to ask for "constructive feedback." Some have started an online petition here which says Gallagher is not an "effective interpreter" and plan a protest at the choir's show this coming Sunday. Below is a video report from KING-TV (captions available).

Fake Terp in hospital

The fake sign language interpreter is now in a psychiatric hospital. Sign language experts said Thamsanqa Jantjie wasn't doing anything but flapping his hands during Nelson Madela's memorial service, which drew together world leaders like Barack Obama. Jantjie claimed schizophrenia caused him to have hallucinations and hear voices during the service. Johannesburg's Star is reporting that he has been admitted to the Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital. Jantjie has been linked to the mod murder of two men a decade ago. Read about that here.

Money for 100 kids to get implants

The UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is footing the bill for 100 children to get bilateral cochlear implants. The cost will reach more than 3 million pounds (nearly $5 million dollars). Read the story here.

BuzzFeed ASL video

The viral-focused internet site BuzzFeed is offering a short video titled 8 Phrases You Need to Know in ASL in this video.

New Terp Rules in SA next year

The South African parliament has passed a new language bill--and the Department of Arts and Culture says it "has nothing to do with the interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial." The law would require interpreters to register and hold certain qualifications. Read the story at the Independent Online here.

Lost in interpretation

The recent fiasco at the Nelson Mandela memorial service has put sign language interpreting in the spotlight. The PBS NewsHour says the interpreters job is "part performance, part science, and part cognitive gymnastics." The program offers a detailed look at what happens when things go wrong in an online article here.

Fake interpreter part of a mob that killed two men

The fake interpreter at Nelson Mandela memorial service was involved with burning two men to death, according to the Associated Press. Thamsanqa Jantjie was supposed to stand trial a decade ago for the crime, but according to a relative and friends, he avoided prison because the court found him mentally unfit. Jantjie allegedly joined an angry mob that found two men with a stolen TV. The group of vigilantes put tires around the two men and torched them. Jantjie admits his involvement, telling the Sunday Times newspaper of Johannesburg, "It was a community thing, what you call mob justice, and I was also there." eNCA, a South African news station reports that Jantjie was accused of rape but acquitted. He was sentenced to three years in prison for theft, according to eNCA, but may not have spent any time in jail. Attempts by various news outlets to find the school that Jantjie claims to have studied sign language at have not been successful.

Opinion: Colleges Might as Well Say ‘Deaf People Unwelcome Here’

"Colleges and universities often provide garbled interpretation for deaf students, if they provide any at all, sending the message that deaf people are not welcome," writes University of Illinois at Chicago professor Lennard J. Davis. He explores why sign language interpreters are in short supply on college campuses in an opinion piece published in the influential Chronicle of Higher Education here.

What was really said by fake interpreter

Jimmy Kimmel invited a sign language interpreter on his show last week to try to interpret what Thamsanqa Jantjie was signing at the Nelson Mandela funeral. The interpreter told the audience that Jantjie was doing some words of sign language, but it was unrelated to the speeches being given in Mandela's honor and "complete gibberish." The Kimmel video is posted below.

Salaries for Top Gallaudet Administrators

T. Alan Hurwitz makes more than half-of-a-million dollars in total compensation as president of Gallaudet University. Hurwitz pulls in $512,946, According to the Chronicle of Higher Education. That makes him the third highest-paid president in his peer group. Here are some other Gallaudet salaries, as reported by the Chronicle. Paul Kelly, VP for finance & administration: $408,183

• Stephen Weiner, Provost: $309,962
• Cynthia King, Chief information officer: $269,420
• Edward Bosso, VP for clerc center: $259,792
• Carol Erting, Dean, GSPP: $258,779
• Donald Bell, Chief of staff: $256,978
• Thomas Allen, Director VL2: $250,446
• Catherine Andersen, Assistant provost & chief enrollment manager: $247,396
• Jane Dillehay, Professor & chairperson gsr: $245,427
• Lynne Murray, VP for development and alumni relations: $240,519

Read more details here.

SNL Mocks Fake Funeral Terp

Saturday Night Live addressed the Nelson Mandela fake interpreter fiasco last night in its opening sketch. Kenan Thompson portrayed Thamsanqa Jantjie, the incoherent South African interpreter while Jay Pharaoh pretended to be President Barack Obama. The interpreter is eventually seized by Secret Service personnel, but later returns to shout the opening line from the NBC show: "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night Live." The video is below on DeafNewsToday.com.

Bogus sign language service alleged

A deaf couple in the UK is accused of creating a fake sign language interpreting service, according to the Daily Mail. Prosecutors say Shahab Reza submitted bogus invoices for interpreting services that were never done. His wife, and their two adult children were involved as well. The family pled not guilty in court yesterday and will go on trial this coming fall. Read the full story here.

Deaf St. Peters man hears daughter sing for the first time

Ken Stehle's got to hear his daughter sing a solo at the Villa Duchesne High School's Christmas concert for the first time Sunday. St. Louis TV station KSDK-TV has a video report below. No captions but you can read the story here.

Fake interpreter comes forward

He suffered a schizophrenic episode. That's the explanation of what happened from the man accused of pretending to be a sign language interpreter. Thamsanqa Jantjie told Johannesburg's Star newspaper he was ill when he presented himself on stage as world leaders honored Nelson Mandela during a South African memorial service. But people in the deaf community say he was gesturing gibberish. Jantjie claims he started hearing voices and hallucinating while on stage. He told the Star:

"There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation. I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am very sorry. It's the situation I found myself in."

Jantjie said he did not know what triggered the attack and said he took medication for his schizophrenia, though he also told Johannesburg's Talk Radio 702 he was pleased with his performance. Read more in the Star here. Below is a eNCAnews report that compares what Jantjie did and what a real interpreter would do.

Stephen Colbert on Fake Terp

The sign language scandal at Mandela's Memorial service got the attention of comedian Stephen Colbert. He spend a segment of his Comedy Central show on the topic. You can see it below (captions available).

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Video Archive

CNN report on fake interpreter

The CNN went to Gallaudet University for part of its video report on the fake interpreter that showed up on stage in South Africa at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela. Watch it below on DeafNewsToday.com.

Mystery interpreter Named

The UK's Daily Mirror says it knows the identity of the fake interpreter at the Nelson Mandela memorial. According to the paper, "sources in South Africa last night named him as Thami Jantjie." And it appears he's done the same thing before--there is video of him next to the South African president at an African National Congress event last year. Jantjie's gestures did not match those of an actual interpreter in the corner of South African TV screens. Read more here.

Cute CODA's Holiday Concert signing caught on video

A kindergartener made sure her deaf parents were able to follow the singing of her classmates by signing her way through several Christmas songs at her school's holiday concert. Tampa's WTVT-TV (Fox 13) has the video of the demonstrative CODA.

Reaction to Fake Terp

The Obama Administration said it has no comment about the fake sign language interpreter who showed up on stage at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela, according to USA Today. Questions are being referred questions to the South African government. But White House spokesman Josh Earnest it would be "a shame" if this incident became "a distraction" from the many tributes to Mandela. Meanwhile, Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf is offering experts to the media that can talk about what happened. You can read a press release here. A social media reporter for the Washington Post suggests what happened could be "a legacy of apartheid." Caitlin Dewey explains why here.

Today Show Jokes about Fake interpreter

NBC's Today show is apologizing for a joke about the fake interpreter at the memorial service for Nelson Mandel in South Africa. During a discussion of the controversy among the hosts, someone appeared in the corner of the screen, making random gestures as if they were an sign language interpreter. Host Natalie Morales shook her head and immediately said, “Oh no, no, no. Guys, let’s not do that,” Morales said, shaking her head. She was joined by other anchors who expressed disapproval. Al Roker echoed her "No, no, no" and added "wrong" before covering his face with his hands.The Today Shows Twitter feed later send this apology: We aired a joke in our 9:00 hour that was offensive. We apologize to our viewers. Here's a video of what happened.

Deaf Seahawk RB inspires students

Seattle Seahawks running back Derrick Coleman spoke to about 100 students at Tacoma's Baker Middle School yesterday. Coleman lost his hearing when he was just three-years-old.  KING-TV, channel 5 has a video report (no captions, but you can read the story here).

ASL program growing at UA

The popularity of sign language classes at the University of Arizona is bringing some changes to the program, according to the school's student newspaper. The Educational Interpreting Program has been adding a couple of dozen students each year, so administrators are getting more selective about who gets into it. An essay and ASL test will be given to applicants and a practicum requirement is being added to the program. Learn more about it here.

China sign: American = Crazy

Cantonese Sign Language uses the same gesture for American as it does crazy, according to a South China Morning Post article. Read the full story about national stereotypes in Chinese sign language here.

iPads help children with implants

"My therapists are passionate about this,” said Kathleen Sussman, director of the Weingarten school. The California program run by the school uses iPads to help children who've had cochlear implant surgery. The Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf in Redwood City is working with the Stanford School of Medicine‘s Department of Otolaryngology on the “teletherapy” project. Read more at the Science Blog here.

Lubbock church gives deaf opportunity to worship

A Lubbock, Texas church is reaching out to the deaf community in its area. KJTV has a video report posted below. No captions, but you can read the story here.

Gallaudet admin to lead Midwest school

A Gally administrator is leaving to become president of a private school in Kansas. Lynne Murray will take over at Baker University from its retiring president. Right not, Murray serves as Gallaudet's vice president of development and alumni and international relations. Read more from the Baker University website here. You can see a video of the announcement below.

African TV network to add sign language interpreters

The President of the African country of Tanzania has ordered TBC, the Tanzania Broadcasting Cooperation, "to use sign language experts in its programmes" according to The Citizen. Read the story here.

Shootout Near Gally

Image from Google Maps

A shootout with DC police took place last night just a few blocks from Gallaudet University. A suspect was killed in the exchange and an officer was wounded around 9pm, according to DC media reports. The altercation took place after police stopped a car driving throughout the area.

Students Make History in Hong Kong

In a "city where sign language is still banned from usage in most classrooms and where there are only 10 officially licensed translators" seven deaf students are the first to complete a new program. They each have linguistics diplomas from Hong Kong's Chinese University. Read the story from the South China Post here.

Iowa School Super to Retire

The superintendent of the Iowa School for the Deaf is retiring. Iowa's Gazette reports that Patrick Clancy will end his less than two years term in the post on June 30th of next year. The board was criticized when it appointed Clancy because he does not sign and did not seek input from the deaf community when making the decision. The search for a new superintendent begins early next year.

Louisiana Agency Makes Shift

The Deaf Action Center in Shreveport has shifted its focus in the last three years. Find out what the organization is doing in an article in the Shreveport Times here.

Tribes Opens in Chicago

Tribes opens this Thursday in Chicago at the Steppenwolf Theatre. The play is about a family struggling to understand deafness. Billy is deaf but doesn't learn about sign language or deaf culture until he meets Sylvia--and his world begins to open up. The Chicago performances run through February 9 and you can find out more here. Below is a video interview from WLS-TV with some of the cast members.

Terp's moves a concert hit

ASL interpreter Holly Maniatty work at music venues is profiled in an Associated Press story here.

A look at Gally from the Middle East

An Arab new site explains to its readers what it's like to be a student at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. Arab News, a Saudi Arabian publication, has the story here.

Made for iPhone hearing aids

Apple is partnering with a Danish company to create something new for iPhone users--hearing aids connected directly to the iPhone. The ReSound LiNX was developed by hearing aid manufacturer GN ReSound. It will work like a bluetooth, allowing users to get sound right from the phone--without a connecting device. There's more information from GN ReSound here.

Hamilton Honor

Hamilton is honoring Kathy Miller as its Iowa 2013 Deaf Community Leader. She earned the award for her work at the Iowa School for the Deaf and involvement in groups like the Deaf Services Commission of Iowa and the Council Bluffs Deaf Club. She serves as president of the Iowa Association of the Deaf. Born deaf, Miller was taught the oral method as a child and mainstreamed. When she got a chance to attend the Iowa School for the Deaf, her world opened up, learning sign and meeting her husband. Find out more here.

Journey to Bilateral Cochlear Implants

Sue Vardon says, "Bilateral hearing gave me: a fuller sound; improved location of sound; increased discrimination of sound especially in noise; more enjoyable music; reduced frustration; fewer mispronunciations; the ability to always have one working ear; and two ears working together." Vardon made a presentation about her journey to Desert Cochlear Connections recently. It's detailed in the Arizona Daily Star here.

Commentator: "Why I Hope Closed Caption Typos Never Go Away Completely"

A commentator for Boston's public radio station wants closed captioning to keep making mistakes on TV programs. Rich Barlow write that he want to continue getting a "good chuckle" out from seeing mistakes. Read the full story here.

Long-term Outcomes of Implantation

Now that cochlear implant users are getting older, researchers are starting to look at the devices' long-term effects. A professor at Penn State focused a recent study on the impact of mainstreaming children with implants. Assistant Professor of Psychology Daniela Martin titled her research Long-term improvements in oral communication skills and quality of peer relations in children with cochlear implants: Parental testimony. She followed children for an average of nine years after receiving implants and says she found the oral skills and socialization of most of the children improved over time. You'll find the study here.

ADA lawsuits for profit?

Are some people taking advantage of ADA law to make profits instead of breaking down barriers? That's the question Sacramento's KXTV investigated after local businesses complained. No captions but you can read the story here.

Gally gets 1st Gagliardi finalist

Gallaudet University has a football player in the running for most outstanding football player in Division III. It's the first time for the Washington, D.C. school. Senior defensive end Adham Talaat is one of the 10 finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy. The winner will be announced next month (Dec. 18). With a 3.90 GPA, there is talk that the Springfield, Va native could wind up playing in the pros.  Talaat says he is "humbled, grateful and thrilled to represent Bison Nation and the deaf and hard of hearing community as a whole. I hope I can make them all proud." Talaat racked up 46 tackles, five sacks, and six quarterback hurries for the Bison this season. Read more details here.

School Upgrades to Reflect Priorities

The "refurbished $2.5 million state-of-the-art auditorium" that was just opened by the Washington School for the Deaf highlights facility's "new educational philosophy." Read more about the school's new auditorium featuring student art at Oregon live here.

A doctor who can communicate

A Pittsburgh-area doctor is one of the few physicians in the nation who is ASL fluent. Find out why at the Post-Gazette here.

New D-PAN ASL Music Video

The Gospel ASL Music video from the D-PAN covering The Clark Sisters You Brought The Sunshine is out. The song came out the early 80s and has been updated by the Deaf Professional Arts Network. As we mentioned in an earlier post, the new cover was shot this summer in Detroit’s Little Rock Baptist Church and includes the original track, a deaf San Francisco choir and the Detroit gospel group Larry Callahan & Selected of God. A special about the making of the video will be broadcast this coming Wednesday on the Word Network.