“The French Roots of American Sign Language and Deaf Culture"

Jodie Ackerman, director of the ASL Program and associate teaching professor, created the micro-credential "Breaking Barriers to Deaf Patients in Healthcare." Designed to prepare medical students to provide more effective, culturally informed care to Deaf patients and others with disabilities, this initiative integrates medical, interpreting and Deaf community perspectives to address a critical and under-served need. Ackerman is also managing the Education Abroad program, "The French Roots of American Sign Language and Deaf Culture," in France, where students explore the historical and linguistic connections between French Sign Language and ASL. It will broaden ASL education into a global context, giving students immersive, Deaf-centered experiences that deepen both linguistic and cultural competence.