Danske Døves Landsforbund (Danish Deaf Association)

Established: 18 May 1935
Full member of EUD since: 1985

Address: Snaregade 12, 1. sal, 1205 Copenhagen, Denmark

Contact details:

Email: ddl@deaf.dk

Fax: (+45) 35 24 09 20

Phone: (+45) 35 24 09 10

Website link: http://www.deaf.dk

Mission statement of the organisation

The aim of the association is to work for all Deaf and other people with hearing disabilities in all fields: before, during, and after school age, within the field of education, in the labour market, as well as in social and cultural life.

Details of the Board          

President: Asger Bergmann (D)

Board members: Claus Jul Larsen (D) - Henrik Hougaard (D) - Ole Vestergaard (D) - Herluf Juul Christiansen (D) - Catherine Jeppesen (D) - Birthe Petersen (D) - Dorrit Christensen (D) - Klaus Haardell (D)

Details of the Staff

Executive Director: Helle Skjoldan (H)

Other staff: Lisa Vogel (D) Accountant and Section Leader - Birgitte Oppermann (H) Head of Communications and Section Leader - Kim Kanstrup Kjeldsen (D) Editor - Pernille Glad (D) Information Officer - Tove Ravn (H) Project Leader - Josephine Anker (D) Project Assistant - Mette Washuus (D) Project Assistant -Constance Hegner (H) Project Assistant - Lars Knudsen (D) Project Assistant - Katrine Eskelund (H) Advocacy Consultant - Mette Sommer (D) Advocacy Consultant - Lene Hempel Consultant - Klaus Huse Consultant - Asbjoern Rasmussen (D) Receptionist - Lise Holm Mikkelsen (H) Receptionist - Jane Soevsoe (H) Interpreter - Joergen Sandholdt (H) Interpreter

Statistics

General Population of your country? (Including hearing people) 5,500,000

Official or approximate figures of the number of Deaf people living in your country? 4 - 5,000

Official or approximate numbers of Deaf people who use sign language as their primary language? 4 - 5,000

How many people are members of the NAD? 2,600

Does your National Association of the Deaf publish any magazine or newsletters for your members? Yes - 8 issues a year and a daily newsletter on the website.

Does your National Association of the Deaf have a youth section? No - because Danish Deaf Youth Association is an independent association.

Status of Sign Language

Is Sign Language legally recognised as part of your Government's constitution? Danish Sign Language is not legally recognised as part of our Government's constitution.

However, Danish Sign Language is legally recognised by different laws - for example:

• The law about Danish Sign Language as a subject for deaf children in public schools
• The law about Sign Language Interpreter training programmes at university level
• The law about providing interpreter services
• The financial support from the Government for our dictionary work

We are working on passing a new language law where Danish Sign language could be included.

Status of Sign Language Interpreters

Approximate number of qualified sign language interpreters: 250

Details of training centre/courses: 3½ years full time training programme with exams and graduation at university level. We are working on developing this programme to be a bachelor programme

Technology

Does your country provide Video Interpreting Service? Yes - as a project for now.

Deaf centre/clubs

How many deaf centres/clubs? 18 local deaf associations

Universities/Sign Language Units

Are there any universities that deal with Sign Language? (Deaf Studies, Linguistics, Interpreting) One Sign Language Interpreter programme

Deaf Schools

Number of Deaf Schools: 3 plus several units in public schools

Education method (Sign Language, Oral or other methods): Bilingualism in most schools - but more schools tend to use the oral method due to an increasing number of Cochleat Implants.

History of the NAD

A group of deaf workers established an association "Døvstummeforeningen af 1866" on 18 November 1866. The aim was to support deaf people who were poor, sick, and unemployed. Later this association also had a social aim. Deaf people gathered in order to meet each other for fun and information about society. This association established local clubs in several cities.

On 18 May 1935 the Danish Deaf Association was established, and "Døvstummeforeningen af 1866" became a local association in Copenhagen and its name was changed to "Døveforeningen af 1866"

Who are the most important people in your country's history? Viggo Christian Hansen, Ole Munk Plum and Knud Søndergaard

Last updated: 26 January 2010 

Get the Flash Player to see this player.