DEAF SPEAK OUT; Analysis.

Byline: by Sasha Mansworth

AT THE start of Deaf Awareness Week, hard of hearing Richard Jones talks to Sasha Mansworth about living in a world that can hear.

I REMEMBER growing up and I did not realise I was deaf, or rather that I was any different. It was only until later when I realised that we were different from the majority of society."

Richard Jones, born to profoundly deaf parents, explains what it is like to grow up in a world of people who can hear.

The 40-year-old community advocacy officer for Cardiff's branch of the British Deaf Association has a high frequency hearing loss.

He can hear heavy vehicles passing and knocking on the door but can't detect people's voices.

"Within the family, we never had communication problems. However, I remember that at Mary Hare Grammar School for the Deaf in Berkshire which did not allow the use of sign language, my parents came to visit me and they were told not to sign to me, " explains the father-of-two.

"As a result, whenever that teacher went out of the room we signed to each other and stopped once the teacher returned and so on. Looking back it was outrageous that I was not allowed to communicate with my parents in our language. If that happened now, my parents with the confidence and knowledge of their rights today would have told that teacher where to get off."

After leaving school, Richard trained as a draughtsman but was made redundant after three years of a proposed five-year stint and was on the dole for nine months.

At job interviews, he was always asked the question:

"Can you use a telephone?"

But in those days there were neither textphones nor sign language interpreters within companies.

He managed to get a job as a machine operator in Plymouth and later became a lead hand in charge of five hearing people.

He recalls the time when he worked in a factory and was stopped from operating machines because it was "too dangerous" but then moving to another company which allowed him to work on machines.

"Different people have different concepts and attitudes, 99 per cent of the pain of being deaf comes from society's attitude.

"I have experienced discrimination almost daily. I cannot hear the announcement in railway stations or in doctor's waiting rooms."

The Disability Discrimination Act has made life easier for Richard as he is entitled to services of a sign language interpreter.

But he points out: "For deaf people, discrimination in the workplace is rife as many cannot get employment let alone gain promotion - research has shown that employers would rather employ a person with a criminal or drug abusing history than a deaf person."

According to Richard, the biggest problem facing the deaf community is stereotyping and attitudes have changed little over the years, due to the lack of official recognition of his first language, British Sign Language (BSL).

"Without BSL I would not be where I am now. I remember my mother teaching pounds, shillings and pennies using matchsticks and in BSL. The next day I went back to school demanding to be given exercises in it. I was about seven years old then."

Richard made friends, got married and communicated to the world using BSL.

"For me it is an essential communication tool. Deaf people without sign language is like a flower without petals, " he says.

"If BSL was actually recognised, we would have better education and only then maybe children will leave school with a better reading level than now."

Research has shown that the average reading age of deaf children leaving school at the age of 16 is eight-and-a-half as they are often taught to speak and lip-read at the expense of their education.

Richard believes there should be a British Sign Language Act similar to the Welsh Language Act. Since the European Parliament has recommended that member states should recognise sign language, following Sweden, Finland and Portugal's lead, things could be looking up for the deaf community.

And what does the future hold for Richard?

"Setting up my own business running a conference centre with built in accommodation - that is my dream and if I have to settle for less I would like to be chief executive of a voluntary organisation, " he says.

"In the meantime I would like to see more deaf people in positions of importance such as chief executives and directors of various organisations where they will prove their worth."

Campaign to improve communication between deaf and hearing world DEAF Awareness Week is the British Deaf Association's (BDA) annual campaign to improve communication between the deaf and hearing worlds.

It also celebrates deaf culture and British Sign Language (BSL) - the first or preferred language of round 70,000 people in the UK.

The association is calling on the Government to recognise BSL under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.

According to the charter, "the right to use a regional or minority language in private and public life is an inalienable right".

Recognition would ensure fuller access for deaf people to public services and information, education, social, cultural and economic life and to the justice system and broadcasting.

Under the slogan "Your hands can say so much" the BDA is asking you to sign your name using British two-handed fingerspelling and signing a postcard to Tony Blair asking the Government to back the campaign.

If you want to learn to sign your name, download the fingerspelling alphabet from www. bda. org. uk where you will also find listings of events for the UK. Contact the BDA helpline for a fingerspelling card or for further Deaf Awareness Week information on 0870 770 3300 or textphone on 0800 6522 965.

For more information about the British Deaf Association and BSL call 020 7588 3520.