Breaking barriers in communication: transforming access for Deaf and Deafblind Australians | Monash

"I am proud to support Monash University’s nomination of Associate Professor Louisa Willoughby for the Shaping Australia Community Award.

Able Australia is a leading provider of disability services for people with complex needs, including those living with deafblindness. We have long recognised the need to develop the skills of professionals who support communication for people with deafblindness, a population often excluded from education, employment and public life because of limited access to communication supports.

In response to this challenge, we partnered with Associate Professor Willoughby, her team at Monash University, and the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) to research best practice in tactile communication with people who are deafblind. From the outset, people with deafblindness were not participants on the margins but central to the project as co-researchers, advisors and co-designers. This approach ensured that the program was responsive, inclusive and genuinely community led.

Together we have co-designed a comprehensive national training program for sign language interpreters and communication guides, along with the world’s first national credential for interpreters working with deafblind clients. This credential addresses along-standing gap in professional standards, ensuring quality and consistency in services for deafblind Australians, while setting a new international benchmark for inclusive communication support.

The outcomes are transformative. People with deafblindness now have improved access, autonomy and participation in society. At the same time, the workforce has been strengthened and professionalised through new pathways for training and accreditation.

This initiative shows what can be achieved when universities, communities and industry partners work together. Associate Professor Willoughby’s leadership exemplifies the purpose of the Shaping Australia Community Award: empowering communities, dismantling barriers and creating lasting national impact."

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Dr Meredith Prain, National Head of Research and Centre of Excellence – Deafblind

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"I am pleased to strongly support the nomination of Associate Professor Louisa Willoughby for the Community Champion Award.

Melbourne Polytechnic (MP) is one of Victoria’s largest vocational training providers and the only Victorian TAFE offering accredited Auslan training from Certificate II in Auslan through to the Diploma of Auslan. Our courses address the needs of people interested in interpreting, learning Auslan to communicate with family members, or working with clients who are Deaf, hard of hearing or Deafblind.

There is a well-documented national shortage of Auslan interpreters and Auslan educators. This challenge is in part due to the emerging nature of sign language interpreting, sign language teaching, and limited resources and professional development for this niche sector.

MP has therefore valued our partnership with Louisa on projects that have provided a critical bridge between academic research and classroom practice. This includes a 2014ARC Linkage grant which provided a deeper insight into how students learn Auslan, informing the development of teaching resources and the first textbook designed specifically for Auslan learners. All of these resources are incurrent use.

Louisa’s 2024 ARC Fellowship has enabled Louisa to collocate in our Collingwood campus where most of our Auslan teaching is delivered. This new partnership addresses the development of Australia’s Auslan teaching workforce and has already supported the formation of a national community of practice, the first national Auslan Teachers Conference, and a mentor program led by respected Deaf peers, sparking new enthusiasm for Auslan teaching and clearer opportunities for professional development. A revitalised Auslan Signbank and a new app for fingerspelling practice will also address significant identified needs in the sector.

Louisa’s work exemplifies the spirit of the Community Champion Awards, driving change through collaboration, innovation and a deep respect for community expertise. I would be delighted to provide any further details in support of Louise’s well-earned nomination."

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‍Joe Sabolcec, Manager, deafConnectEd‍