Swedish deaf studies researcher named Powrie Doctor Chair

Dr. Sangeeta Bagga-Gupta is the holder of the Powrie V. Doctor Chair of Deaf Studies for the academic year 2001-2002.

Bagga-Gupta co-heads the Communication, Culture and Diversity   Deaf Studies (KKOM-DS) research group at Orebro University in Orebro, Sweden. She is also a senior lecturer and researcher on the faculty of the Department of Education at the university   one of only two university departments in Sweden which offer Swedish Sign Language (SSL) courses and professional teacher education courses, specializing in the education of deaf students of all ages. It carries the distinction of being the only university department in Sweden that offers both kinds of education. Research conducted by members of KKOM-DS focuses on ethnicity, literacy, functional disability, gender, class, and other aspects of diversity and how these relate to aspects of democracy.

Bagga-Gupta's research interests are related to issues of multilingualism with a focus on literacy, human communication, institutional practices, cognition, and culture. Her post-doctoral research has consolidated around deaf education in Sweden and she is especially interested in deaf bilingualism with a focus on literacy.

Sweden has a unique bilingual education system for deaf and hard of hearing people. This system, where SSL is understood as deaf students' "first" language and written Swedish as a "second" language, has existed up to the high school level following a parliamentary decision in 1981. Efforts by members of the KKOM-DS research group in 1996-97 highlighted the need to make SSL available to deaf, hard of hearing and hearing students and faculty at the university level in Sweden. Developments in the last few years have included a bill introduced in the Swedish parliament that led to the Orebro University Board setting up a task force to put this effort in operation. Funding from the Swedish parliament last autumn has lead to the establishment of a project to realize the democratic goal of making an SSL environment accessable at the university level in Sweden. This project got underway on January 1, 2002 and is headed by Dr. Carsten Ljunggren. He can be reached via e-mail at: <carsten.ljunggren@pi.oru.se>.

Orebro is often called the "deaf capital of Sweden." Sweden's largest preschool, largest compulsory school for deaf and hard of hearing students, all three national high schools for deaf and hard of hearing students and one of the largest groups of university-bound deaf and hard of hearing students can be found in the city.

During her one year tenure in the Powrie Doctor Chair, Bagga-Gupta is working on two Swedish classroom research projects and has initiated a comparative cross-cultural discussion on literacy and learning in deaf bilingual arenas. It is hoped that this will continue to form the basis on which a cross-cultural comparative understanding of diversity and everyday life in deaf bilingual school settings could be undertaken. In addition, Bagga-Gupta is collaborating closely with the Department of Education and the Gallaudet Research Institute on projects currently underway at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center.

Bagga-Gupta's office is in the Gallaudet Research Institute, HMB S-433; her phone number is x5859. She can be contacted at sangeeta.bagga-gupta@pi.oru.se after August 2002.

The Powrie V. Doctor Chair of Deaf Studies is supported and administered by the Graduate School and Professional Programs.