Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Defining Total/Simultaneous Communications

This is a response to Patti Raswant's blog post as well as the DBC requests.

There seems to be some confusion about what total communications and simultaneous are. I was brought up via the oral method as a child, but then started using simultaneous communications later on. I often use sim comm when I'm with other deaf and with those who don't use or don't know sign language.

Observe these URLs;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Communication
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simultaneous_Communication
http://deafness.about.com/cs/communication/a/totalcomm.htm
http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/SupportServices/series/4010.html

Simultaneous communications, according to what I was told and experienced multiple times, is the use of speech/lipreading and sign at the same time. Total Communications is the use of all means of communications whenever. Meaning, in the course of the day, someone goes through speech therapy, and then at home, uses sign language. It's not time-sensitive.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

DBC requests for what and where did you get that? The members know the difference between total communication and simultaneous communication very well.

Please do not claim DBC in a false name since no where is to be found that they requested for this information. They are much smarter than that and well beyond with this concept. Besides not even this topic was found in Pat Raswant's blog. Thank you.

mishkazena said...

TC was supposed find a middle ground in age-old disputes between oralism and manualism, and as an alternative to Simultaneous Communication. In practice, however, most Total Communication programs use some form of Simultaneous Communication.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Communication

mishkazena said...

Just because I want to clarify that we don't mean simultaneous communication doesn't mean I don't know what TC and SC is. I stress this only to prevent any misunderstanding because so many TC programs are already using SC and calling it TC.

Robert G said...

Anonymous, which would have been better? The word demands, requests, statements, what?

Besides, did you even bother to read Patti's entry which I referenced? There is mention.

What does DBC want to see? So far, Patti mentions AVT and sign.

Mishka, you're right on all that, but I was told both were the same, or at least, total comm is when you use sign and speech at the same time. Seems I was told wrong or so it seems, as I was right in the middle of the oral-manual disputes when I was starting school, and some terms were still being developed or not quite developed yet.

I didn't quite get full-time into the deaf community til after high school. Watch my Growing Up Deaf serial and you'll see what I mean.

mishkazena said...

Robert,

You aren't alone. Unfortunately that word were misused so many times by hearing educators for the deaf that many people nowadays associate it with SC. Sigh

Beaux Arts de Boutjean said...

It is my understanding from 1970s that Total Communication means as follows:

1. Signing or
2. Fingerspelling or
3. Writing or
4. Speaking or
5. Gesturing
6. Pencil on the keyboard

Suppose a hearing person bumps into a deaf person. The hearing uses #4 (speaks) to the deaf. The deaf cannot understand what the hearing has spoken. Most naturally, his communication breaks down.

Solution:

The hearing would have to use #3 (writing). Finally, both the hearing and the deaf can communicate to each other to the fullness.

Some people are paralyzed and cannot speak or sign. Solution? Pencil in his mouth would click the keyboard. That is what Total Communication means.

Meaning? The transmission of communication is fully transitted and very communicable between the hearing and the deaf.

So, one has to use that OR this (by choosing one of the numbers as laid out above.

The goal of Total Communication is TRANSMITTABLE. It does not mean a person has to use all #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5. Just choose one of them that comforts two aprties. Importantly, look at the word "or".

Anonymous said...

Of course, I've already read everything to what Patti wrote. My point is that DBC has never requested for such information especially what TC or SC means and I just don't get it why you drag DBC in it.

Robert G said...

Anonymous, great, so you read the stuff. You still haven't answered my question. Which would have been better, the word demands, requests, statements, what? Someone read my quote before I posted it and said it was too strong a sentence if I used the word demands. What should I have said?

"This is a response to Patti Raswant's blog post as well as the DBC requests."

...or...

"This is a response to Patti Raswant's blog post as well as the DBC demands."

From everything I've seen with the DBC, they're [insert word here] better communications in education.

[demanding, requesting, pleading for, demonstrating for, protesting for, ...]

So what is it? You've not answered my question. You're flipflopping and dancing around it.

I'm not dragging the DBC into this at all. This is a valid question.