Deaf Awareness Week Forum Program

Topic

Presenters

Time

Opening Remarks & Welcome

Dr. Joseph P. Messina
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

10:00AM

ASL Instruction Development in Higher Education

Dr. Kenneth DeHaan
Gallaudet University

10:10AM

Questions / Discussion

10:40AM-
11:00AM

Deaf Culture / Deaf Community

Tabitha Venable
Dr. Tracy Knight
University of Alabama
Sam Houston State University

11:00AM-
11:40AM

Question / Discussion

11:40AM-
11:50AM

Remarks

Dr. James Dalton
Executive Vice President and Provost 

11:50AM-
12:00PM

Lunch Break

Lunch on your own

12:00PM

Who is taking ASL?

Eden Webb
Vice President BAMA ASL – UA Student Group

1:00PM-
1:30PM

Questions / Discussion

1:30PM-
1:45PM

Ice Breakers

YOU

1:45PM-
2:00PM

KODA

Dr. Tracy Knight
Sam Houston State University

2:00PM-
2:40PM

Questions / Discussion

2:40PM-
2:50PM

Concluding Remarks

Dr. Kent Schafer
Alabama Department of Mental Health

2:50PM-
3:00PM

Topic

Presenters

Time

Opening Remarks and Welcome Day 2

Dean Brian Butler  
College of Communication & Information Sciences

10:00AM –
10:10AM

Developing ASL Technologies

Dr. Sevgi Gurbuz
Electrical and Computer Engineering

10:10AM –
10:40AM

Question / Discussion

10:40AM – 10:50AM

ASL / UA Grad Student Research

Carolina Kudesey
Felicia Smith

10:50AM –
11:20AM

Questions / Discussion

11:20AM –
11:40AM

Taiko Drum Performance

Laurie Arizumi 
& UA Nozomi Daiko with participants

11:40AM-
12:00PM

LUNCH BREAK

12:00PM-
1:00PM

The State of Being Deprived

Dr. Kent Schafer
Alabama Department of Mental Health

1:00PM –
1:40PM

Questions / Discussion

1:40PM –
2:00PM

Panel Discussion:
Deaf Culture / Diversity Inclusive Community @ UA

Moderator: Dr. Kent Schafer
Panelists: 
Dr. Kenneth DeHaan (Gallaudet University);
Tabitha Venable (The University of Alabama); 
Debrah Bryant (AIDB);
Ben Hollingsworth (ADRS);
Ryan McDonald (AIDB);
Marcus Washington (AIDB);

2:00PM –
2:50PM

Closing Remarks

Dr. Christine Taylor
Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

2:50PM –
3:00PM

Adjourn

3:00PM