Introducing the American Society for Deaf Children
Authors: Heather L. Withrow, Parent, ASDC Board Member, and DeafBlind Transition Consultant, Texas Deafblind Project, Outreach Program, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)
Every year, September is recognized and celebrated as National Deaf Awareness Month. I am happy to introduce the DeafBlind (DB) community to a wonderful family organization, American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC). ASDC is a family non-profit organization founded in 1967 by and for families of Deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) children. While there are many modes of communication and languages available for D/HH children and their families, ASDC supports full access to communication and believes that ASL should be at least one of the available modes. I am proud to support this, too!
I first heard of ASDC in 1999 when I started my first post-college job as a university recruiter, looking out at a colorful festival atmosphere on a large field on the grounds of Gallaudet University. “What’s happening out there?” I’d asked. An excited reply I got was, “It’s for the ASDC family conference!”
Now 25 years later, I’ve joined the board of directors for ASDC! I’m thrilled to bring to them my experience and knowledge as a parent of a Deaf son and a DeafBlind son. The feeling is mutual among ASDC board members—we are a giving community of contributors. Aside from a board member who is a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the rest of the board includes Deaf or hard of hearing professionals and Deaf or hearing family members of children of varying ages and intersectional identities who are also Deaf, hard of hearing, or DeafBlind.
ASDC has a number of initiatives including their history of hosting family conferences and ASL weekends. This October 24-26, 2024, in Charleston, SC, ASDC is hosting their 2nd Literacy Conference, Literacy 2024: Creating Connections with Language, along with co-hosts Language First, the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind, and the South Carolina Department of Education. This conference has multiple breakout sessions for educators, family members and professionals focusing on language and learning topics for Deaf, hard of hearing and DeafBlind students. Year-round virtual opportunities include ASL classes, ASL classes en Español, a fun cooking class, and webinars on topics such as ABLE accounts, savings programs for eligible people with disabilities. Virtual Deaf mentor opportunities include SignOn Connect where parents can practice sign language one-on-one, and Friends Like Me, a subscription service within the SignOn Platform, that offers a program for Deaf and hard of hearing youth to gather in small groups, developing friendships and directly communicating with each other.
ASDC’s magazine, The Endeavor, is published four times a year with articles in both English and Spanish. One of my favorite things about ASDC’s website is their curated collection of over 300 ASL storytelling videos from various sources all in one place. Thankfully, they’re also all in alphabetical order! These videos can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike from home, school, in the car, under A Giving Tree, or any other place, real or imagined!
The author and ASDC Executive Director, Cheri Dowling, at the 2024 Statewide Conference on Education of the Deaf