At United Through Reading (UTR), we are so lucky to have volunteers who bring their time, talent, and passion to support our mission. While many volunteers help out at events, there are so many ways to engage with UTR.
Here’s a perfect example. One volunteer who is an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter created six ASL-interpreted stories for UTR, helping expand accessibility and make storytime more inclusive for military families.
The ASL interpreted stories were also included in our Virtual Storytime with a Service Member playlist and have already been viewed more than 600 times.
ASL is used by many deaf and hard of hearing individuals as well as their families and larger community. Additionally, some people with Autism, Apraxia, and Downs Syndrome also use sign language to communicate.
At UTR, we select books and stories that not only speak to all children and families, but also provide opportunities to learn about others who may be different from them. Books are an incredible way to introduce concepts to children and help them build understanding, and these stories are a perfect example.
We know that these stories not only increase the level of accessibility and show representation for the deaf and hard of hearing community in these videos, but they also offer a great opportunity for children and families to see ASL in use—many for the first time— and discuss how communication can take place in many forms.
Know ASL? We would love to have more Spotlight Stories with interpretation featured. Learn more about ways to get involved with UTR.