Dennise Scott

ASL teacher, Deaf interpreter

"Well my experience with the health care system, if I ever have a doctor’s appointment, I need an interpreter. If I show up for the appointment and there is no interpreter I refuse to go on with the visit. I need to know what's going on in that visit and my doctor knows me now; he knows to make sure there is an interpreter. It's important for me know what's going on. If the doctor is examining me and then doesn't tell me anything, I need to know if I'm OK I need to know what he found. I need to make sure I'm in good health, so I need an interpreter to explain all those things."

Abstract: 

Dennise Scott was born in Washington, D.C. in 1951. She was born deaf and describes growing up within a deaf family. Currently she is married and has two hearing children. In this interview she relates what it was like learning to communicate with sign language, going to a school for deaf children, and then attending Gallaudet. Dennise also explains the difficulties communicating in everyday situations and how she enjoys her job teaching ASL at the College of the Holy Cross.

Interview
Interviewer: 
Interview Date: 
May 8, 2007