Interview with Martin Smales for National Week of Deaf People 2024

Hi Martin, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am 44 years old, born in Kalgoorlie, and grew up in a hearing family of six. Even though I was probably born profoundly deaf, my parents did not find out until I was about three years old. In 1984, at the age of four, we moved to Perth so I could get the support I needed. I started kindergarten at the Cottesloe School for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children. This school, now closed, focused on oral communication rather than sign language. Despite there being another school nearby that taught Auslan (Australian Sign Language), my parents chose Cottesloe for its emphasis on oral communication. Today, schools are more inclusive, offering both oral and sign language methods to give Deaf students more opportunities.

At the age of 10, my parents asked if I wanted to move to a hearing school. I agreed and moved to Samson Primary to be with my three brothers, attending the same school from preschool through to Year 7. I repeated Year 4 to keep up, but my strong maths skills, honed through visual learning at the Deaf school, helped me. I finished my education at hearing schools and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Murdoch University with distinction, all on my own merit.

Today, I work as a web developer in the Digital & Technology Solutions team. I enjoy learning new things and using technology to make a positive impact. My goal is to create an inclusive environment through technology where everyone can thrive, not just survive. This is what I think about every day. I identify as Deaf and prefer not to use terms like “hearing impaired” or “partially hearing”. Even though I speak more clearly than many other Deaf people and use less sign language, I am still Deaf. Please refer to me as “Deaf.”

Can you share more about your education journey?

My education journey can be divided into two completely different periods. In the 1980s, attending the Deaf school was challenging. We were often treated poorly and forced to focus solely on speaking and listening, which is difficult for Deaf people. Visual learning is more effective for us. Teachers would cover their mouths while teaching subjects like Mathematics and English, including spelling. Their approach, based on the belief that listening harder would somehow improve our hearing, made learning very difficult. Despite these challenges, I excelled in subjects like Mathematics, which was visual, and enjoyed learning spelling and touch typing. I remember my teacher being so strict that I wasn’t allowed to use my fingers to count, so I learned to do calculations quickly in my head.

Moving to a hearing school in the 1990s was a major change. The environment was much more positive, with kinder teachers and larger classes of about 30 students, compared to the small classes of up to seven at the Deaf school. At the hearing school, I used an FM system listening device and sat at the front of the class to lip read. I enjoyed interacting with my hearing classmates, and the teachers were very supportive. I even had the chance to debate in front of the class. Although my classmates didn’t fully understand me, they applauded my efforts because it didn’t matter how clearly I spoke; I gave it a go.

Who made a positive difference in your education journey?

My parents were the most important people in my education. They truly understood me and always had my best interests at heart. At the Deaf school, Ms. Bindon, my Year 3 teacher, was particularly kind. She even visited my hearing school, Samson Primary, in Year 5 as a relief teacher and showed educational TV with closed captions to everyone. I also value the visiting teachers who helped me from Years 4 to 12 while I was in hearing schools. They spent time with me outside my normal classroom lessons, guiding me with my studies and providing some speech therapy. Additionally, I received formal speech and listening training from Mr Brian Fisher, a British speech audiologist. Before I was 10, my speech was unclear due to mumbling. Thanks to speech therapy, my speech improved significantly.

I am glad to hear that. What are your preferred modes of communication?

I prefer one-to-one conversations where both people engage visually. This means reading lips, facial expressions, and body language as well as clear talking and texting. Engaging visually helps me thrive in communication. Visual methods work better for me than just listening. I use a cochlear implant hearing aid along with lip reading to improve communication.

Where did you learn to lip read?

I taught myself lip reading from a young age. Growing up in a hearing family, we spoke and didn’t use sign language. One of my brothers knows some fingerspelling and enjoys using rude and funny signs, which always makes us laugh.

What about Auslan? Do you use it today?

I learned some Auslan from my Deaf classmates at school. I started studying it more seriously at 24 when I took a class at TAFE in Leederville. Most of the students were hearing, but many of the teachers were Deaf, and we had a laugh with the way we signed. There are many Auslan classes available in Perth if you are interested, both online or in person at TAFE, Deaf Connect and other organisations. I am not fluent in Auslan since I do not use it often. To keep my skills up, I meet with my Deaf friends once a month to play golf and practice signing.

You recently went on an overseas holiday. Do you like to travel? What is it like travelling and navigating different cultures, environments and sign languages overseas?

I love travelling and outdoor adventures. They boost my confidence and I thrive on engaging one-on-one interactions. In 2004, I joined a group of some 20 Deaf friends on a trip to Wadjemup. Instead of setting up tents when we arrived during the day, we decided to relax at a local pub. When we returned to camp, we realised we hadn’t set up the tents. It was so dark we had to use torches to sign to one another. Luckily, a few people stepped up to guide us; together we figured out how to set up the tents. It took about an hour, and we were grateful for a good night’s sleep!

I’ve visited Bali 10 times. My first trip in 2008 was a big culture shock, but I have come to love the friendliness of the locals. Each visit brings new surprises. On my most recent trip, something unexpected happened. My dad and I went to a pub with karaoke where I met a Deaf woman. She used American Sign Language while I used Auslan. Despite the differences, we could communicate easily because the languages share many similarities, and we were able to improvise as we chatted.

What about your journey at Curtin? How many years have you worked here?

I have worked at Curtin for over 21 years and have held four different positions. I started with unpaid work experience in 2002, followed by a five-day contract in early 2003, which I completed in just four days. My third role was a one-month position as a web developer, which led to my current permanent role as a web developer in the Digital & Technology Solutions team.

Today, I focus on cloud technologies and frontend technologies, working in an agile environment with a fantastic, friendly, and diverse team. I am passionate about using technology to enable inclusive environments.

How have your experiences at work changed over time? What challenges did you face?

Verbal group conversations and team meetings can be challenging when people forget that I am lip reading and I cannot see their faces clearly. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when everyone had to work from home and attend meetings online, there was a positive cultural shift, making it more inclusive for me. I began using Microsoft Teams with automatic captions. While the captions are not always accurate and sometimes not everyone is present on Teams in hybrid meetings, they have significantly improved my working experience.

What can we do to better support Deaf employees and students, and those living with hearing loss?

We should recognise that hearing loss can impact anyone over time; it is estimated that one in six Australians live with some form of hearing loss. Hence, we should educate everyone about hearing loss, Deaf awareness, and communication. To create a more inclusive and accessible community, we should use captions, hire Auslan interpreters for events, and provide hearing loops and other assistive technologies. I really hope educators and event organisers care more about accessibility requirements.

We should also continue to support people who need help with JobAccess or NDIS applications. I also encourage people to join the employee reference group Abilities Collective@Curtin, which is open to all staff, to help advocate for a more inclusive workplace.

The National Week of Deaf People (NWDP) is a week-long national celebration of Deaf individuals and the Australian Deaf community. What is the biggest misconception you would like to address about Deaf people?

One of the biggest misconceptions about Deaf people is that they are less capable or “dumb.” This is simply not true. Deaf people can do anything (except hear) and succeed just like anyone else. We can drive, have careers, and form strong relationships. We can enjoy music and other live events and performances – by feeling, via hearing aids or through interpreters.

It’s important to remember that the Deaf community is diverse. Not all Deaf people communicate in the same way. Some use Auslan or another sign language, while others rely on lip reading and speech. Deafness is a spectrum, and we all communicate differently.