For individuals who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing, embarking on any kind of real estate transaction can present its own set of communication challenges. The Greater Boston Association of REALTORS® had this underserved community in mind when it offered a course in American Sign Language last year, in an effort to empower members to break down communication barriers, enhance accessibility, and ensure equitable service for all. A Fair Housing Grant from the REALTOR® Party helped make it possible.
According to Maria Brogan, the association’s Executive Vice President, this was an entirely member-driven program, initiated and taught by Ashley Gendreau, a member who had learned ASL as a child in order to communicate with a non-hearing classmate. “This has become Ashley’s passion, and helping her fellow REALTORS® support clients who are deaf or hard-of-hearing is a natural extension of her outreach to her classmate all those years ago. ASL is not a common skill, so fostering a familiarity with the language and with Deaf culture aligns very well with our goal of broadening the scope of our DEI initiatives.”
The board promoted the ASL course with a video announcement of Gendreau using sign language, with a voiceover and closed captions. The training was not intended to make interpreters of members, but to help them with communication and understanding the inherent challenges and culture of the Deaf community and be a resource for this often underserved group.
Over the course of eight weeks, eight committed REALTORS® participated in an in-person weekly two-hour class. Brogan reports that it was fascinating to watch: “They were all very engaged, and bonded during the in-depth, no-phones, and often silent sessions. Not only did they work on learning the language, Ashley taught them about Deaf culture; they were also assigned homework to sharpen and maintain their skills.” The participants left wanting more training, she notes – the mark of a valuable program.
Building on the success of the class, the association is compiling an online collection of resources, such as a directory of interpreters, and plans to share this with partners, affiliates, lenders, attorneys, home inspectors, and others in the industry. In 2025, when Brogan served as chair of NAR’s RCE advisory board, she highlighted the course at the national conference; Gendreau presented a compact version of her class virtually to NAR’s Residential Real Estate Council (RRC).
“In my experience, the most effective programs start with an idea from a passionate member or someone already on your staff,” says Brogan. “Leverage that passion and let them lead!”
Along with this example of member-leadership, she cites the efforts of Paul Yorkis, another REALTOR® member, who recently led the charge to have the most commonly used Massachusetts real estate forms translated into multiple languages. “The bottom line is that when our members can communicate effectively, consumers have a better experience.”
To learn more about how the Greater Boston Real Estate Board is working to promote more effective representation in real estate transactions, contact Maria Brogan, Executive Vice President, at mbrogan@gbreb.com or 617.399.7854. To see the video promoting the ASL course, visit: https://www.facebook.com/reel/562864303564904
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