University of Rochester pioneers ASL academic paper

The article points out the striking absence of health care data on deaf people, due to the way researchers have traditionally collected such information – via telephone surveys and written mail. The problem with trying to reach deaf people solely through written English, Barnett noted, is that adults who have been deaf since birth have a wide range of English reading skills, from limited to proficient. A lack of the most rudimentary health statistics in the deaf population make it impossible to set priorities, make improvements, or prevent disease, Barnett said. The authors also addressed the issues of low health literacy, poor doctor-patient communication, and emerging research on a possible biologic basis for some health differences between deaf and hearing people.

In announcing the plans Tuesday, UR President Joel Seligman described the new building as symbolic of the university's commitment to education. "We owe our children a better future," Seligman said. Warner school Dean Raffaella Borasi hopes that UR's educational programs will become more of a force for change. "It will allow us to be a catalyst in the community," Borasi said.