Deaf Self-Advocacy

Welcome to Deaf Self-Advocacy Training (DSAT)!

The NCIEC is proud to partner with the Deaf Community to bring you the Deaf Self-Advocacy Training program.

Effective advocacy for interpreting services has been a long-time concern of Deaf Community leaders. With RSA funding support since 2005, DSAT is a curriculum designed to be taught by Deaf, hard of hearing and DeafBlind trainers to other Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind consumers.

This specialized curriculum is devoted to teaching deaf individuals to self-advocate for effective interpreting services. The content of the curriculum includes concepts of self-esteem and self-determination, the law, ethics of working with interpreters, video relay interpreting, preparing for self-advocacy, and how to effectively tap resources.

The curriculum was first unveiled in 2010. Since that time more than 2,000 Deaf, hard of hearing and DeafBlind consumers have attended a DSAT consumer training and more than 250 Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind individuals have been trained a DSAT Trainers.

DSAT Trainers
Meet a few of our DSAT Trainers
In 2013, the DSAT curriculum was expanded to include DeafBlind-specific adaptations, and ten DeafBlind individuals undertook a rigorous four-day DBSAT Train the Trainer training in preparation to provide future DSAT training to their peers.

The curriculum, available online, is free to anyone upon request. However, NCIEC is available to help you or your agency host a DSAT training.

Dedicated to an “…of, by, and for the Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind” philosophy
The NCIEC Deaf Self-Advocacy Training initiative promulgates an “…of, by, and for the Deaf, hard of hearing, and/or DeafBlind” philosophy in all aspects of its programming. The DSAT curriculum was developed by individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind and designed as a peer-led training.

 

Contact us

For more information on DSAT, please email deafselfadvocacy@gmail.com.