Cynthia Sanders

Cynthia Sanders serves as Associate Professor in the Department of ASL and Interpreting Education at Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). She teaches advanced ASL courses including American Sign Language IV, VII, Intermediate ASL II, and Linguistics of ASL, requiring students to engage with Deaf communities and achieve specified ACTFL proficiency levels.

Her research focuses on ASL linguistics (particularly pragmatics and speech act theory), innovative curriculum development for workplace settings, and Deaf cultural studies. Recent work examines indirect message interpretation in ASL, e-curriculum design, and historical analysis of residential schools' cultural impacts. Teaching emphasizes cultural protocols alongside linguistic competence, with courses requiring community engagement and advanced narrative construction.

Scholarly output from 2010-2013 shows consistent focus on practical ASL applications, with the ASL at Work curriculum system representing significant pedagogical contribution. Publications demonstrate methodological diversity spanning theoretical linguistics, educational technology, and sociocultural analysis, particularly addressing workplace communication needs and historical assimilation contexts.

Recognition includes:

• Seed Funding Award from Provost's Sponsored Research Services (2013) for "OH-I-SEE" project

Dr. Sanders maintains active research-teaching integration through NTID's Rosica Hall Research Festival and collaborations with Dawn Sign Press. Her work addresses critical gaps in professional ASL development while contributing to broader understanding of Deaf cultural preservation and workplace integration challenges.