It was because of academic rules that require learning a traditional, spoken foreign language, like Spanish or French, in order for students like her to receive some advanced academic degrees in high school and some college diplomas. The spoken requirements make it almost impossible for the deaf to pass these courses.

Unlike most other states, Alabama does not offer sign language as a foreign language to meet such diploma requirements.

Pugh, a math teacher at the Alabama School for the Deaf in Talladega, was among about 75 deaf Alabama residents who attempted to crowd into a small hearing room at the Alabama Statehouse Wednesday as the House Education Committee considered a bill to make American Sign Language an official foreign language in Alabama schools.

When the committee approved the bill, by voice vote, interpreters used sign language to convey the action to the deaf residents, some in the room and some in the hallway outside. When the vote was announced, most of those in the crowd threw their arms in the air, a way of applauding for the deaf.

"I felt like finally, yes, it's going to happen," said Pugh, using sign language and speaking through an interpreter.

She said making sign language a foreign language will open up many academic fields now closed to deaf students and will also encourage hearing people to study sign language.

"There are limited social opportunities for people who are deaf. This means there will be more people who can communicate with me," Pugh said.

The sign language bill, sponsored by Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, now goes to the full House for debate.

Ford said he was encouraged to introduce the bill by his mother, Judy Ford, who teaches at Gadsden State Community College.

"She said deaf students had come to her and said they couldn't fulfill the foreign language commitment for certain degrees," Ford said. He said American Sign Language is considered a foreign language in 39 states and that many deaf students are forced to leave Alabama to earn certain degrees.

Cynthia Frey, a sign language interpreter from Phenix City, said if the sign language bill becomes law, it will encourage more people to study sign language and become interpreters. She said there is currently a shortage of trained interpreters.

Judith Gilliam, the president of the Alabama Association for the Deaf, speaking through an interpreter, said making sign language a foreign language also would open up careers that are now mostly closed to the deaf.

"There's a myriad of careers this would open up," she said.

By Bob Johnson