Boros, Alexander

Boyd, Dolly

English

Western Connecticut State University: WestCollections - digitalcommons@wcsu

JADARA 
Volume 8 Number 4 Article 6 
October 2019 
Bridging the Gap with Deaf Paraprofessionals 
Dolly Boyd 
Research Associate, Kent State University Project with the Deaf 
Alexander Boros 
Associate Professor of Sociology, Kent State University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.wcsu.edu/jadara 
Recommended Citation 
Boyd, D., & Boros, A. (2019). Bridging the Gap with Deaf Paraprofessionals. JADARA, 8(4). Retrieved from 
https://repository.wcsu.edu/jadara/vol8/iss4/6 
BRIDGING THE GAP WITH 
DEAF PARAPROFESSIONALS 
DOLLY BOYD and ALEXANDER BOROS 
A GAP IN SERVICE 
A gap exists between the agencies and institutions that serve the deaf and 
the deaf community. The gap can be labeled. as "unresponsiveness" in 
delivering services to deaf persons. A way to help bridge the gap would be to 
utilize the expertise of deaf paraprofessionals. 
There are numerous complaints from the deaf community about the way 
professional services are being delivered in the fields of education, mental 
health, the courts, and vocational areas. In order to place into perspective the 
complaints about inadequate services often made by deaf persons, the 
treatment process has to be broken down into the elements of unresponsive­
ness in agencies coupled with the peculiar limiting characteristics of a large 
number of unreached deaf clients. For reasons of simplicity, these client 
limitations are listed below: 
1. Serious Communication Problems
a. Hearing
b. Speaking
c. Reading and Writing
2. Unsophistication
a. Confused by Bureaucratic Complexities
b. Ignorance of Professional Role Behavior
c. Inadequate Formal Education
3. Fear of Exploitation by Hearing Persons
Ms. Boyd is Research Associate, Kent State University Project with the Deaf and Mr. Boros is Associate 
Professor of Sociology, Kent State University. 
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DEAF PARAPROFESSIONALS
4. Self-Segregation (Sussman & Stewart, 1971)
5. Over-Dependency on:
a. Helpers (e.g. interpreters)
b. Relatives
c. Deaf Leaders
6. Low Economic Status
7. Under-Aspiring in:
a. Vocational Areas (Vernon, 1970)
b. Educational field (Vernon, 1970)
c. Social spheres
The delivery system should be designed to meet the particular needs of these
unreached deaf clients. However, agencies have elements which are
inadvertently designed for hearing clients. This point is illustrated in the list
presented next.
The common agencies serving the deaf are: Speech and Hearing Centers,
Public Schools, Universities, State Hospitals, the Bureau of Vocational
Rehabilitation and others. Although these agencies and institutions vary in
their effectiveness in delivering quality care, certain elements of unrespon-
siveness are often found operating in them all at one time or another. For
convenience, these deficiencies are listed below:
1. Emphasis on Middle-Class Communication Skills
a. Professional Vocabulary
b. Facilitating Hearing Personnel
c. Under-utilization of Trained Interpreters
2. Inadequate Client Handling
a. Lack of Effective Public Relations (Vernon, 1970)
b. Superficial Client Orientation
c. Insufficient Follow-up
3. Underdeveloped Rapport with the Deaf Person
4. Little Outreach to Isolated Deaf
5. Paternalism (Sussman & Stewart, 1971)
It is time consuming to involve the client in the decision making
process, thus the efficiency of bureaucratic delivery systems
perpetuates the dependency of some deaf clients.
6. Nine-to-Five Scheduling, Weekdays.
7. Fragmentary Treatment
Little time to spend on assessing the needs of the whole individual
who has unique problems that require extensive re-motivation help.
As a result of the above listed elements of unresponsiveness there is a
large number of unreached deaf clients who have specific needs that could be
met by the various agencies serving the deaf if programs were designed to
bridge the gaps that presently exist.
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JADARA, Vol. 8, No. 4 [1975], Art. 6
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DEAF PARAPROFESSIONALS
UTILIZING THE DEAF PARAPROFESSIONAL
There is already ample evidence of the successful utilization of the
paraprofessional to overcome agency unresponsiveness in areas other than
deafness. (E.g. rehabilitation, drug addiction, alcoholism, inner city
programs, etc.) However, in reviewing the literature on these programs using
the paraprofessional, readers can find they can be applied to meeting the
needs of the deaf.
Some of the unique advantages of using the paraprofessional within
rehabilitation programs have been:
a. Ready availability of such personnel.
b. Special skills and capacities that many had to offer, including an em
phasis on indigenous experience.
c. Marked enthusiasm, particularly in regard to humanistic goals and
values.
d. The more efficient use of higher skills of more highly trained per
sonnel.
e. The more expeditious delivery of services in response to the pressing
needs of disabled people resulting in increases in production.
f. The more imaginative and innovative responses of personnel less con
ditioned by traditional, professional, or institutional structure
{Serving More Disabled People Better through New Careers in Re
habilitation).
Considering the advantages of using the paraprofessional in other fields,
the deaf paraprofessional could be used in bridging the gap in deaf services. It
has been stated earlier that a large population of the deaf community have a
serious communication problem, which in turn becomes a barrier when a
service of the community at large is needed. In most cases, the professionals
that staff agencies serving the deaf are not equipped to overcome that barrier.
The hearing professional (even though he may have taken lessons in sign
language) will have difficulties in communicating his values and specialized
technical jargon to deaf persons who have limited backgrounds.
On the other hand, the deaf paraprofessional who lives within the deaf
community is more apt to have the necessary communication skills to over
come this communication barrier. More than likely, he is not only knowledge
able in comprehending the language of signs or American Sign Language
used by the deaf client, but has a knowledge of the English language. Also, he
could be trained to have a working knowledge of the special vocabulary of the
field that is represented in his agency.
As a result of an inadequate formal education, the unreached deaf client
is often confused by bureaucracies and ignorant of the role of the
professional. Therefore, it is necessary that agencies providing services to the
deaf have an effective public relations program that would include educating
the deaf community of the agency's functions, orientation of new clients and
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DEAF PARAPROFESSIONALS
follow-up on cases until they obtain satisfactory closings. Often the agency
fails on one or more of these steps in handling deaf clients.
The deaf paraprofessional can alleviate these elements of unresponsive-
ness. He can familiarize the deaf community of the services available by giving
speeches at gatherings of the deaf, accompany the professional and introduce
him to the community at various functions, advise the agency of media serving
the deaf and in general promote favorable public relations between the agency
and the deaf community.
Upon a deaf client's application for a needed service, the deaf para
professional can act as a guide for the client, taking him through the
necessary and often tedious preliminary steps to obtain service. A deaf client
can not make a telephone call for an appointment and in many cases will not
realize an appointment is necessary. He may not realize the function of a
receptionist. He may not realize that the professional usually has a large
number of clients to serve in addition to him, limiting the professional's time
and mobility. Very often the professional not only handles clients, but has
administrative functions to perform. The deaf client may perceive delay as an
unwillingness on the part of the professional to work with him as fully as the
client had expected. Due to the varied responsibilities of the professional,
insufficient follow-up of the client often occurs. The deaf paraprofessional
can inform and help educate the client to the multiple roles of the professional
and assist in following up the case. Since the deaf paraprofessional is a
member of the community he is serving, his involvement with a client would
be on-going, permitting the important function of follow-up to be carried to a
successful closing.
The role of the deaf paraprofessional as a community liaison can not be
over emphasized. Although not always expressed, the fear of exploitation by
hearing persons, exists among a large number of deaf people. This can
become magnified by the impersonal attitude of some of the agencies.
Here the deaf paraprofessional can fulfill a very important role, that of a
liaison person between the client and the agency. The successful deaf para
professional already has the rapport with the deaf community and can
become an extension of the agency to the deaf community. His opinions would
be motivating factors in overcoming the fear of exploitation.
Because of the aforementioned limitations of the unreached deaf client,
he will tend to be in touch with the "hearing world" only to the extent that it is
imperative to his survival. Therefore, when a problem or crisis arises in his
life, he may not be able to reach out for professional assistance.
One effective way to establish an outreach program to the self-segregated
deaf client is through another deaf person. Through normal fraternization,
the deaf paraprofessional would be in a position to know of the client's
problem or crisis. The client would be more apt to appeal to the deaf
paraprofessional first for help. The deaf paraprofessional would not only be
able to locate these clients, but could overcome their fear, provide supportive
measures and encourage the client to seek the expertise of the professional.
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DEAF PARAPROFESSIONALS
In attempting to operate an efficient service to many deaf clients,
intentionally or unintentionally, agencies perpetuate paternalism in an
already over-dependent deaf client. The agencies fail to educate their clients
by involving them in the decision making process that would enable them in
the future to become somewhat independent in handling their affairs.
Although a certain amount of dependency is necessary and even
desirable in our social structure, the deaf paraprofessional can devote the
additional time that is required to acquaint the client with procedures for
attaining a degree of self sufficiency in tackling problems by including the
client in the decision making process.
Institutions and agencies are geared to operate their facilities in an
efficient manner. This includes setting specific working hours to attain
maximum results with a minimum of effort and expense. It is not practical to
operate an institution or agency in shifts the way industry does.
This places an additional burden on the deaf client, who is usually in the
low economic strata of society. Due to the nine-to-five scheduling of office
hours, the deaf client is confronted with the anxieties of loss of wages for time
off to go to an agency and the fear that he may lose his job if he is required to
take too much time off.
Here the trained paraprofessional can be utilized in a very innovative
way. He would not be restricted by nine-to-five scheduling. Scheduling could
be made accordingly to meet the needs of the client. The comparative cost of
using the paraprofessional would be minimal compared to the cost of
maintaining a staff member that works within a structure, requiring utilities,
office equipment and secretarial assistance. In fact, if properly trained, he
could perform the functions of orientating the client, obtaining case histories,
relate the problem to the agency, refer the client if necessary to another
agency and do the follow-up work that is required, all at the convenience of
the client.
The deaf paraprofessional can assist the professional in becoming more
knowledgeable about the whole individual and his needs. The professional
with his expertise, can assist the deaf paraprofessional to remotivate the
client. Since the deaf paraprofessional lives and socializes in the same
community as the client they share an on-going relationship, whereas the
professional's involvement with the client usually terminates when the agency
meets the need that brought the professional and the client together.
IMPLICATIONS
It appears that the deaf paraprofessional can be used to bridge some of
the gaps between the unreached deaf client and the agencies. This leads to the
question of how and where the agencies can obtain the services of the deaf
paraprofessional.
There are at least three avenues open to the agencies in locating and
utilizing the skills of the deaf paraprofessional. The first would be to consider
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DEAF PARAPROFESSIONALS
using deaf persons as volunteers in some areas to improve the responsiveness
of services. Some agencies are presently doing this in the form of an Adivsory
Board made up of both hearing and deaf members. Another way would be to
use volunteers when the need arises to act as an escort when referring clients
to another agency; or as a person to orient the agency to the deaf community
and the deaf community to the agency.
A second avenue would be to tap deaf organizations that are presently
working on various problem areas within the community. These organizations
have within them a wealth of experienced people who have been working
within the community over a long period of time in areas such as Adult
Education, Interpreting, Communications, Insurance, the Law and the
Courts.
A third avenue would be to engage the deaf paraprofessional in agency
service through hiring one or more deaf paraprofessionals as full or part-time
staff members. As a paid staff member he (they) could perform the duties that
the agency itself has to enrich and provide a more comprehensive service to
the community it serves.
Although the deaf paraprofessional can certainly bridge many gaps
between the unreached deaf client and the agencies, it would be remiss not to
consider some of the problems that may arise from this situation. It is possible
that an interpersonal conflict could occur between the paraprofessional and
the professional (Training and Supervision of New Careerists in Rehabilita
tion). This could happen through insufficient knowledge of each person's role,
insufficient knowledge of each person's role.
Another conflict could occur between the client and the paraprofessional
on the issue of confidentiality. The client must have complete faith in his
ability to relate his problems to the paraprofessional without the fear of his
problems being "aired" among other individuals within the community.
Frustration on the part of the paraprofessional could result if he is given
unimportant job tasks at the beginning of his employment without the hope or
opportunity for working his way up to assuming more responsible roles in the
future. The New Careers literature is especially helpful in providing guidelines
to overcome these problems.
Although the degree of unresponsiveness in institutions and agencies
serving the deaf community varies, certain elements of unresponsiveness can
be found in almost all of the institutions and agencies. The inability for the
agencies to overcome these deficiencies seems to persist, despite the
dedication of many professionals in the field, due to the bureaucratic system
they have been established on. Therefore, it is the contention of this paper
that the professionals can overcome many of these deficiencies by tapping the
already available abundant source of manpower at a minimum of cost by
utilizing the unique and indigenous skills of the deaf paraprofessional to
bridge the gaps presently existing between the unreached deaf client and the
institution or agency supplying services.
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HOW A SPECIAL COLLEGE SERVES THE DEAF 
REFERENCES 
Serving MoreDisabled People Better through New Careers in Rehabilitation, 
U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Manpower Administration 
(Washington, D.C.). 
Sussman, Allen E. & Stewart, Larry G., Counseling With Deaf People­
Deafness Research and Training Center (New York University School 
of Education, 1971). 
Training and Supervision of New Careerists in Rehabilitation, U.S. Depart­
ment of Labor, Office of Manpower Administration (Washington, 
D.C.).
Vernon, McCay Ph.D., "Potential, Achievement and Rehabilitation in the 
Deaf Population," Rehabilitation Literature, Vol. 31, No. 9 September, 
1970. 
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Bridging the Gap with Deaf Paraprofessionals

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Bridging the Gap with Deaf Paraprofessionals

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