Purpose:

• to give Deaf and Hard of Hearing Albertans an opportunity to express their ideas and develop their skill and talents;

• to preserve Deaf Culture and promote excellence in cultural endeavors among Deaf and Hard of Hearing Albertans;

• to encourage cultural interest and teach cultural programs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing citizens of Alberta;

• to preserve, encourage, and advance the arts and culture of Alberta population by featuring performing and visual arts, media arts and literature reflecting Deaf heritage. Deaf cultural values - including the importance of signed languages, culturally appropriate behaviours in the community, the value of the collective and Deaf arts - known as Deaf View Image Art (De'VIA);

• to foster Deaf pride;

• to encourage use and recognition of ASL (American Sign Language) as a distinct language;

• to further enlighten the larger hearing society regarding the capabilities of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons.

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Goals:

• to provide workshops for the Deaf Community on Deaf Culture, Deaf Studies, and features of ASL;

• to support community colleges and other educational institutions in Alberta which offer programs related to Deaf Studies and /or ASL;

• to provide American Sign Language Instructors of Alberta with workshops and updated information on ASL and Deaf Culture from the national organization, American Language Sign Instructors of Canada (ASLIC);

• to heighten awareness among the general public about bilingual/bicultural education of the Deaf;

• to support parents and their Deaf and Hard of Hearing children;

• to foster positive self-images by welcoming Deaf individuals into Deaf society on their own terms.

• to provide ASL and Deaf Culture classes to the public to promote quality instruction of ASL