Who We Are
Our Mission: ASL Access encourages access to American Sign Language in everyday life, education, and entertainment.
The ASL Access board has four Deaf members and two hearing members.
Chris Wixtrom
Growing up near the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, I learned ASL from Deaf friends. In 1997, I founded ASL Access, a fully volunteer nonprofit organization which placed over 5,600 ASL videos in collections of 200+ ASL videos in each of 28 libraries nationwide.
The current ASL Access project is the Read with ASL YouTube channel. Our ASL presenters are Deaf. Read with ASL videos encourage reading, English acquisition and American Sign Language acquisition. The Read with ASL website, englishbyeye.org, offers resources for persons learning English and ASL. The ASL Access website, aslaccess.org, also has many resource links, as well as articles about Deaf Education, American Sign Language, and more.
I have over 40 years of teaching experience with learners of all ages. I hold a Master of Science: Education: TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). I love producing ASL + reading video resources, and welcome ideas for new resources!
Contact emails: englishunlocked@gmail.com
unlockasl@gmail.com
Alec G McFarlane
Alec C. McFarlane (Deaf) has worked with the Library for Deaf Action (LDA), founded by Alice Hagemeyer, MLS, where the production of the I Made America Great Series (IMAG) and the Bridging Deaf Cultures (BDC) collection are primary arms of business. He has served on the Friends Of the Library for Deaf Action (FOLDA) board, which is the public service arm of LDA. He has worked with Ms. Hagemeyer for many years and spearheaded the action to create the nation’s first Deaf Cultural Digital Library in Maryland. Additionally, Mr. McFarlane serves on the administrative board of ASL Access, Inc., which promotes access to American Sign Language (ASL). Prior to Mr. McFarlane's involvement with libraries, he spent 40 years in the construction industry specializing in custom homes and light commercial construction and remodeling. He continues to work as the principal of the New Image Associates, Construction Consultants (NIA).
Indhira "Indy" Patricia Dixon
Treasurer, Indhira "Indy" Patricia Dixon has served as a key advisor for ASL Access. Mrs. Dixon holds an A.A. degree in Accounting (1991) from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) and a B.S. in Business Administration (1996) from Gallaudet University. Mrs. Dixon, who became deaf in infancy, grew up as the only deaf person in her family. She has three hearing children who are trilingual (ASL, English, Spanish). Mrs. Dixon is enthusiastic about ASL Access and its project, the Read with ASL YouTube channel. Since 2015, she has worked at Fairfax County Public Schools as a substitute teacher, a substitute instructional aide, and as an ASL teacher (elementary, middle and high school). She has a tutoring business, as well. She recommends that parents of deaf children use American Sign Language and spend time reading with their children daily, as this will make a huge difference in the kids' lives!
Katie Young
Katie Young: “I became Deaf at the age of two from spinal meningitis. I was not supposed to walk but overcame my challenges. I learn best by being hands on with everything. I received my A. A. in Elementary Education and am currently working on my bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education. My goal is to receive a master’s degree in Deaf Education. I am currently a keynote speaker for my former professor at College of Western Idaho (CWI) for one of her classes that focuses on the students with hearing losses every semester. I have been doing this for about 5 years now and I LOVE it. I also am a Deaf advocate for many Deaf students plus the students who are hearing and in the Extended Resources Room. I currently work at Van Buren Elementary school, working with hearing students with disabilities and teaching them how to sign, how to communicate, and how to prove that they know what they need to do to meet their goals. I used to work for West Ada school district in Meridian in the DHH program for almost ten years! I also provide access and support for Read with ASL YouTube projects.”
Ellen Walsh Semerjian
Ellen Semerjian represents a high level of expertise in church interpreting in Virginia and Nevada. She has endeavored to provide ASL services for approximately 45 years. She attended Gallaudet University along with several ASL seminars in the community. She has been interested in ASL interpreting for most of her life. She was employed at The Washington Post Newspaper as a printer in the Composing Room for 32 years, along with many deaf printers, who were also employees. Mrs. Semerjian provides volunteer ASL services within her community. She has a vision for ASL internet as a worldwide resource.
Robyn J. Marcak
Robyn J. Marcak holds a B.A. in Education from California State University, Northridge, as well as an M.S. in Deaf Education from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. In Texas, she is certified in two areas: All Levels in Deaf Education and Secondary Level in ASL. Ms. Marcak has been teaching high school and college courses for twenty-three years. She started ASL programs in two school districts and built up each ASL program to over 500 students. She then moved on to a college district and started another ASL program that grew to over 300 students. In her early teaching career, Ms, Marcak was filmed by a local cable television show - “All About Kids” - performing an ASL interpretation of “Lean On Me.” Ms. Marcak has written and published curriculums for high school and college districts where she was employed. Ms. Marcak presented numerous ASL workshops throughout the nation. Ms. Marcak served on numerous board committees: as Texas President and Member-at-Large Texas ASLTA 2003-2011, ASL/ITP Advisory Boards: Houston Community College District and Lone Star College District. and currently, is a TCCTA Section Chair for ASL/ITP Programs. Ms. Marcak earned numerous awards: Klein Forest High School- “Outstanding Foreign Language Teacher of the Year 2001-2002”; Cy-Fair College- “Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award 2006”; Blinn College-“National Institute Staff and Organizational Development Teaching Excellence Award 2012”; and Blinn College- “Selected Teaching Excellence Award 2017.”