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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY M. WHITE, PILEGGI, WASHINGTON, RAFFERTY, BOSCOLA, MUSTO, FERLO, TOMLINSON, ERICKSON, ORIE, LEACH, FONTANA, EARLL, BAKER, D. WHITE, PIPPY, WARD AND WONDERLING, JULY 6, 2009 |
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| REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JULY 6, 2009 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Urging the institutions in higher education that receive State |
2 | funding to recognize American Sign Language coursework for |
3 | foreign language credit. |
4 | WHEREAS, The unique social, cultural and linguistic heritage |
5 | of the hearing-impaired community and its substantial |
6 | contribution to the enrichment and diversity of our society is |
7 | important to this Commonwealth; and |
8 | WHEREAS, Over the past 20 years, a significant and growing |
9 | body of scientific inquiry of American Sign Language (ASL) has |
10 | been undertaken, with the result that ASL is now generally |
11 | recognized as a separate language with its own grammar and |
12 | syntax; and |
13 | WHEREAS, ASL is the third most communicated language in the |
14 | United States other than English, and there is a significant and |
15 | growing need for sign language interpreters and transliterators; |
16 | and |
17 | WHEREAS, The legislative bodies of 40 states have formally |
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1 | recognized ASL as a foreign language; and |
2 | WHEREAS, Learning and communicating with ASL contributes to a |
3 | greater understanding of the social and cultural aspects of |
4 | hearing impairment, the promotion of better communication |
5 | between those with hearing and the hearing impaired and the |
6 | advancement of the full inclusion and participation of people |
7 | who are deaf and other persons with disabling conditions in |
8 | every area of society; therefore be it |
9 | RESOLVED, That the Senate urge the institutions in higher |
10 | education that receive State funding to recognize American Sign |
11 | Language coursework for foreign language credit; and be it |
12 | further |
13 | RESOLVED, That the Senate respectfully request that the |
14 | presidents of the institutions in higher education that receive |
15 | State funding confer and collaborate in providing for the |
16 | inclusion of American Sign Language among the foreign language |
17 | courses approved for foreign language credit at their respective |
18 | institutions, as well as to determine ways and incentives in |
19 | which institutions of higher education that receive State |
20 | funding are encouraged to accept successfully completed |
21 | coursework in American Sign Language for foreign language |
22 | credit; and be it further |
23 | RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to |
24 | the presidents of the institutions in higher education that |
25 | receive State funding. |
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