Clark State Community College American Sign Language Instructor Sarah Henegar has been appointed as president of the Ohio Chapter of Ohio American Sign Language Teachers Association (OhioASLTA).
Her term has been instated, and she will serve in the capacity of president through September of 2021.
Henegar said she is honored to have this opportunity. She said her goal is to ensure that ASL instructors maintain ASL teaching standards, continue to provide support for other ASL instructors and cherish the Deaf culture and Deaf community. “The future of the organization is very bright, and I am very excited to see this organization prosper,” she said.
Clark State currently offers four ASL courses on Clark State’s Springfield campus and at the Greene Center in Beavercreek. Several local high schools also offer ASL through the College Credit Plus program.
“There are many Deaf and hard of hearing individuals at every job out there,” said Henegar. “Communication is key; providing clear communication and support will take down communication barriers between hearing and a person who may be Deaf or hard of hearing.”
ASLTA is the only national-level professional organization for American Sign Language and Deaf studies educators.
It is also the only national association dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching of ASL and Deaf studies at all levels of instruction. ASLTA is an individual membership organization of more than 1,000 ASL and Deaf studies educators, from elementary school through graduate education.
“I am so proud of Sarah and the role she will be assuming as the newly elected president of the Ohio American Sign Language Teachers Association,” said Dr. Tiffany Hunter, vice president of academic affairs for Clark State. “Sarah is an invaluable asset to Clark State as a faculty member, and I feel confident in her abilities to lead and to continue contributing to the field of American Sign Language.”
ASLTA also supports the growth of the profession of ASL and Deaf studies education through the exchange of ideas among instructors on best teaching and learning practices at local, state and national levels. ASLTA advocates for the improved recognition of ASL as a viable language option for Deaf individuals learning ASL as a heritage language and as a world language for non-Deaf students. As the third-most studied language in the United States, ASL has grown in popularity in no small part due to ASLTA’s pioneering advocacy efforts over the past 40+ years.