Dr. Bill's Bio:

William G. Vicars, Ed.D.

Hello ASL Heroes!
Great to meet you!
I go by "Bill."
My students tend to call me "Dr. V" or
"Dr. Bill." (Hey, I'm flexible.)

I'm president and owner of the Lifeprint Institute, a consultation business focusing on technology-enhanced delivery of ASL Instruction, excursion-based instruction (trips to amusement parks, grin), and extended-immersion-based program coordination (intense two-week residencies).

My "day job" is being a full-time instructor of ASL/Deaf Studies at California State University, Sacramento.

I tend to introduce myself as being "Deaf/hh." That means I am hard-of-hearing and consider myself culturally Deaf.

I learned ASL as a youth from a deaf woman (Kathy Hadfield-Erwin) who lived in the same small town (Brigham City, Utah) where I grew up.

Forgive this next bit of information (I share it because some people want to know their instructor's qualifications).

Some of my degrees and certifications (past and/or present) include:
Ed.D. (Education Doctorate) in Deaf Studies/Deaf Education from Lamar University (accredited), Masters in Deaf Education (accredited), MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer), MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer), A+ (COMPTia Computer Technician), N+ (Network Technician), EdNet (Distance Education Certificate), and ASLTA certification (American Sign Language Teachers Association).

As you can see, I enjoy learning. Next, I'm thinking about becoming a licensed travel agent to be better prepared to set up "ASL immersion" trips to interesting places all over the world.

Some of my current and/or past experiences and qualifications include:

- Over 18 years experience as a university-level ASL instructor
- Authored and self-published "Sign Me Up!" (a really cool 212-page ASL Guide and activity book)
- Directed the Davis County School District Interpreter Training Program
- Co-chaired the Disability Law Center's Consumer Advisory Council
- Utah Association for the Deaf, Board Member (elected position)
- Parent of a child who attended the Utah State School for the Deaf
- Directed a Regional Deaf Access Center -- a 501 (c) (3) organization.
- Presided over and then advised the Sign Language Association at WSU (An award winning organization!)

Currently I'm an Asst. Professor in the ASL Program at California State University, Sacramento.

As far as I know, I was the first ASL instructor from Utah to earn certification from the American Sign Language Teachers Association.

Yadda, yadda, yadda... and a whole bunch of other stuff.
The best thing is being married to a wonderful wife and having four terrific orangutans, er, kids.

My wife, Belinda also teaches ASL. (Though her main focus is writing.)

She was born deaf as a result of the rubella epidemic of 1964. (Whups, gave away her age. Shhhh, act surprised when you find out.) She attended a day-program for the Deaf in Bakersfield, California. She learned ASL prior to learning how to talk. She has taught college ASL classes and numerous community education ASL courses for many years. She's a wonderful mom, and a great cook. Once in a while I let her beat me in Scrabble.

People ask us if our children are Deaf.

I tell them my kids are "hard of listening" (heh). [That isn't a technical term folks.]

The older three kids have normal hearing (when they want to).
They understand ASL quite well and atually use sign when they want something or when lip-reading just isn't cutting it.

The youngest, Sarah, is hard of hearing (HoH). She also has Apert's syndrome. But she is a bundle of joy and energy. (She's a brave kid I'll tell you.) She attended the Utah State School for the Deaf pre-school day-program. Currently she attends a "special ed" program at a local charter school.

We share a home in Sacramento, California with several small furry creatures, (that's pets. The pets are furry, not the kids).

Bill

Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: Are you Deaf?
Answer:

I'm Deaf in the sense that I have a hearing loss, I use ASL, and I participate in the Deaf community.

From a medical standpoint though, I am "hard of hearing." Some of you know the big "D" little "d" terms. Cultural deafness is labeled with a big "D." Physical deafness is labeled with a little "d." Even though I think of myself as Deaf, I call myself hard-of-hearing because I don't want to be labeled by any "militant Deaf" (right-hand over ear, left fist in the air), who might inaccurately assign me the "hearing in the head" sign. With amplification or a hearing-aid I can use the phone--but it depends on the person's voice. Often times even with the volume very loud I still can't understand what's being said. And if they have an accent? Forget it. When you get right down to it, I am bicultural and bilingual. My wife is d/Deaf. She has a hearing loss of over 70 decibels in both ears. You could say she is "legally" deaf as well as culturally Deaf. With extreme amplification she can sometimes use the phone--unless you mumble, have an accent, or a high pitched voice. She attended a "Day Program" for the Deaf in Bakersfield California. Signing was her first language. In our home we use ASL, contact signing (pidgin), or voice--depending on the situation and with which of our d/Deaf, HoH or hearing friends we are communicating.
Question: Where did you learn ASL?
I started learning ASL as a youth from a Deaf woman, (Kathy Hadfield of Brigham City, Utah. She later married Mark Erwin.)
For two years I traveled to various states lived with Deaf roommates, and hung out with Deaf people. Here are a few of my experiences:
* Worked as a volunteer at the the Indiana School for the Deaf (as a teacher's assistant in Laura Gaalema's third grade class)
* Worked as a volunteer for GLAD Orange County Outreach in California
* Worked as a volunteer the (former) Indiana Branch Office (anybody remember that one?) of the National Association of the Deaf
* Lived on-campus at Gallaudet University during a summer internship program.
* Took night classes at the Oregon School for the Deaf (Salem).
* Participated in a couple hundred hours worth of "American Judicial System" - related ASL training at a summer program at California State University Northridge
* Attended a "Signing Naturally" workshop
* Researched ASL Linguistics, ASL acquisition, and Computer Assisted Language Learning during my doctoral studies Lamar University
* Directed/participated in 14 years of "immersion excursions" to exciting places with deaf co-hosts
* Directing an interpreter-training program for Davis County school district during which I interviewed, hired, and worked closely with dozens (over 30) Deaf guest-speakers and/or trainers

And lately I spend much of my time debating the nuances of ASL with my four terrific d/Deaf co-workers.
Question: Are you a member of the "Deaf Community?"
Answer: I have been a member of the National Association of the Deaf since my early 20's. I was elected for a term on the Board of Directors of the Utah Association for the Deaf. I served as president of a Deaf religious congregation of over 150 members (Ogden Deaf Branch). I served as executive director of an IRS 501 (c) (3) non-profit Deaf Access Center. I met my Deaf wife at a "Deaf" event. I use close-captioning (subtitles) when I watch DVDs. One of my kids (Sarah) attended the Utah State School for the Deaf pre-school program, . I hang out with the Deaf, etc. The majority of my associates are either Deaf or work in Deaf-related fields (interpreters, ASL teachers, etc.)
Question: Are you certified?
I hold a doctorate in Deaf Education / Deaf Studies from an accredited university (Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas). I hold a masters in Deaf Education from Lamar university. I am (or was -- depending on if I renewed or not) certified by the American Sign Language Teachers Association. I was a member of ASLTA back when they were still S.I.G.N. (Sign Instructors Guidance Network). As far as I have been able to ascertain, I was the first person from Utah to become ASLTA certified. (I'm now in California.)
Question: What kind of experience do you have teaching ASL?
Teaching ASL is my life's work. I taught ASL at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah for over a decade. I have also taught ASL classes and/or workshops at the Utah Community Center for the Deaf, the IRS, Hill Air Force Base, Defense Depot Ogden Utah, Mills Montessori School, the Newgate Mall, Your Community Connection of Ogden, Clearfield Community Schools, Davis County School District, Weber County School District, Ogden City Corporation, The Sign Language Studio, Lifeprint Institute, Lamar University in Beaumont Texas, The Sign Language Association, California State University--Sacramento, and dozens of other places. Geeze, I must be getting old to have that many experiences. [Editor's note: Since I wrote the above, I've added "Guyana, South America" to the list. By far the hardest work and the most fun.]

Old bio page: "Dr. Bill's Bio"

p.s. I like experimenting with digital art. Here are some digitalized versions of my hand that I'm working on. Eventually I'll do the whole alphabet: