Bulletin

Issue: April 2005

News

La Trobe Deaf Studies a first for regional Victoria

In a major boost for the Deaf in regional Victoria, La Trobe University is conducting a new Deaf Studies program in Bendigo

AUSLAN, the national language of the Deaf, is being offered from this year at the School of Education in the new Faculty of Education at the Bendigo campus.

The move, a first in regional Victoria, responds to a shortage of teachers and interpreters for the Deaf in country areas.

The program is already conducted at the University’s National Institute for Deaf Studies and Sign Language, located in the School of Health Sciences on the La Trobe main Melbourne campus at Bundoora.

Bachelor of Education Course Co-ordinator at the Bendigo campus, Dr Steven Tobias, says there has been a lot of interest from pre-service primary teachers, parents, teachers and health workers.

AUSLAN is being offered as an elective subject to all undergraduate students at Bendigo as well as at Certificate and Graduate Diploma levels. Lecturers from the Bundoora institute conduct classes in Bendigo every second Thursday.

‘This initiative is an example of the University drawing on expertise across campuses to broaden course offerings for regional people,’ says Dr Tobias.

‘The lecturers themselves are Deaf. They conduct an immersion program so students may gain an understanding of Deaf culture and the natural language of the Deaf, AUSLAN.’

He says there is a huge shortage of qualified interpreters for the Deaf.

Leader of the Bendigo Deaf Facility, Margaret Tope, says the Deaf community in central Victoria was ‘ecstatic’ about the new program.

‘This partnership with La Trobe University has the potential to deliver real life outcomes for Deaf people in regional areas.

‘It is a major step towards establishing Bendigo as a regional hub for Deaf people to increase opportunities for training and tertiary education that have not been available in regional Victoria before.’

Ms Tope says an increasing number of Deaf students are coming to schools in Bendigo because of the Bendigo Deaf Facility.

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