It is commonly assumed that people are equipped with the five primary senses: taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell. The basic senses are often taken for granted by those who possess all five, but for those who do not, accommodations have been made throughout society. Brail writing can often be found in common use and public places, and Sign Language has established a way of communication for the Deaf community.

Although the special accommodations allow blind and Deaf persons to function as productive members of society with little stigma attached, a barrier is still present between the rest of the communicable world. Anyone who is not blind does not know what it is truly like to be so, therefore, very few individuals with sight are able to, or have an interest in learning how to read brail, for example.

However, lack of sight and lack of hearing are extremely different. Establishing the ability to communicate with those who communicate in a different form has been the mission of many, so many, in fact, that college programs and professions have been established in areas such as that.

Dr. Carol Goodman, of Kean University’s faculty, made a gigantic stride towards the integration of the Deaf community into the rest of the student body in 2011 when she established the Deaf Jammers.

Goodman, an Undergraduate Coordinator for the Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Communication Disorders and Deafness Department, serves as the faculty adviser for the Deaf Jammers. Goodman’s motive was to promote awareness of American Sign Language and the Deaf culture through performance.

Deaf Jammers manufactures a way for those who cannot physically hear to enjoy a performance without missing an aspect of it—the sound. Not only does it create a meaningful relationship between Kean University’s student body and the Deaf community, but it also allows the hearing-able performers to gain an understanding of a different reality.

“The students who perform in Deaf Jam [and the other performances] gain an understanding of the unique culture of Deafness and share their knowledge through performance.  Because the language is both an art and a science, most students find it fascinating to learn and their excitement is contagious!” says Goodman.

The enthusiastic and passionate individuals that partake in Deaf Jammers are dedicated to the cause, but are always willing to accept new members and grow. Deaf Jammers is open to all “signers” of any level.

“The overall mission of the organization is to ultimately connect the hearing and Deaf worlds. For the longest time, there has been a divide between what hearing people and Deaf people involve themselves in as far as entertainment, and we aim to allow hearing and Deaf people to equally enjoy the beauty of music and the arts,” says Marissa Falzone, President of Deaf Jammers and senior speech-language-hearing sciences major.

Deaf Jammers opened up the eyes of individuals to a considerably foreign world. Anybody who is not Deaf, does not know what it is like to be Deaf, thus thickening the barrier between the types of people. The members of Deaf Jammers strive to create acceptance and interest of the deaf community, while also making entertainment accessible to them.

Another dream of Falzone’s is to recruit some Deaf individuals from the outside population and get them involved with Deaf Jammers’ activities.

“My ideal future for the group would be to become well known within the Deaf Community. Most of our members have such a strong connection and love for the Deaf Culture, and our main focus is to allow them to feel like they can enjoy the little things in life as much as hearing people do,” says Falzone. “I would love to see Deaf Jammers continue to travel and put together performances. If we can make a difference in one person's life and allow them to experience and enjoy music in American Sign Language in a different way than they have before, then we have done our job!”.

Deaf Jammers puts together performances for different things throughout the semesters. Some of the repertoire for the group includes performing at the annual Ugly Sweater Christmas Party at the New Jersey School for the Deaf in Trenton. They have all performed for Kean University’s Occupational Therapy Club’s All Abilities Talent Show. The group has also volunteered at the New Jersey Deaf Senior Housing Fashion Show Fundraiser, among other performances and volunteer projects.

The group’s primary event is Deaf Jam, and usually takes place at the end of the spring semester, although this year’s Deaf Jam is currently in tentative conditions.

“[On behalf of the Deaf Jammers] [w]e encourage all students and faculty at Kean University to take a look into Deaf Culture and American Sign Language and to really see how beautiful it is. Our main goal is acceptance and to make connections, and I am proud to say that I am part of such a wonderful and rewarding organization,” says Falzone.

For more information on the Deaf Jammers and the group’s mission, or to join, one can visit its Cougar Link page.