Georgia State University Series: Early Intervention with Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

1. Georgia State University Series:Early Intervention with Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing Part 1, Presentation 5 July 2001

2. Deaf Culture Dr. Easterbrooks Group 1 Week 2

3. What defines �Deaf Culture?� �Socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions and all other products of human works and thoughts.� (American Heritage Dictionary, third edition, 1992) People who are Deaf form a community, finding within it not just social interaction, but emotional support. It is not so much a geographical community, as one held together by a common language: American Sign Language. http://www.aidb.org/aidb/deaf.inf.asp

4. ASL used for communication Pride in �Deaf� history and culture Label oneself as capital �D� Deaf and use the lower-case �deaf� to refer to medical deafness View deafness as a social rather than a medical condition Usually attend or attended state residential school for the deaf where ASL was used

5. May be opposed to cochlear implants May belong to �Deaf Clubs� for socialization Deaf theatre, poetry, jokes, sports, storytelling, art, and even music. Magazines, journals, and books written by and about Deaf people and devoted to Deaf interest and concerns. �Peripherals� such as TTYs, Closed Caption decoders, flashing alarms, etc. http://veritas.nizkor.org/`kmcvay/hearing.html

6. Ease with which peer communication is developed Higher self-esteem and better social skills Being able to associate with other individuals with a common bond Having strength in numbers http://hearmemo.tripod.com/deafcult.htm

7. Deaf People who use ASL as their main form of communication Children of Deaf Parents Sign Language Interpreters Teachers of the Deaf Others who have a �place� in the community http://www.chs.ca/resources/vibes/1998/july98/deaf.htm

8. A brief History of Deaf Culture: Early 1800�s, Rev. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet traveled to Europe seeking effective teaching methods for educating deaf children. Gallaudet returned with Laurent Clerc, a deaf teacher from the Paris Institute for the Deaf. Gallaudet learned sign language for reasons of bringing the �gospel to deaf people.� Sign language was brought from Paris by Clerc, commingled with sign languages deaf students brought from across the country---and out of this mix came modern American Sign Language.

9. ASL Signed English Cued Speech Oral/Auditory Oral Total Communication Speech reading Finger spelling http://www.aidb.org/aidb.deaf-info.asp

10. What role has technology played in recent deaf culture? Internet Closed Captioning TTY/TDD devices Interpreter Visual Ring Signaler Message-Relay Service

11. Deaf people are using technology to their advantage. The use of new communications technology, along with the increased awareness of discriminatory practices, have reduced many barriers. The internet has drastically reduced communication barriers.

12. Deaf use Closed Captioning to enjoy television programs and movies. Many technological developments have served to bring oral and signing deaf people together in common cause. For example, an array of professional, social, and political action organizations of and for deaf people worked together to ensure passage of the Television Decoder Circuitry Act in 1993, which required all new television sets with screens 13 inches or larger to incorporate closed captioning technology.

13. TTYs/TDD devices allow deaf people to communicate by phone. The printed word also makes it possible for deaf people to use the telephone by using a TDD (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf.) A deaf person can call another person with a TDD. Instead of talking, the two people type to each other.

14. Message Relay Service If a hearing person is being called by a deaf person on a TTY/TDD machine, there is a message-relay service available. The relay service operator types the messages to the person who is deaf and speaks to the hearing person.

15. The use of interpreters allows deaf people to converse with the hearing world. An interpreter is a deaf person�s ears and sometimes a deaf person�s voice. The interpreter listens and tells the deaf person what is spoken by all the people in the room. If the deaf person chooses not to talk, the interpreter may also speck the deaf person�s message.

16. Visual Ring Signaler: A device called a Visual Ring signaler can be hooked up to the telephone and a lamp, which will blink when the telephone rings. A similar device can be connected to the doorbell, or to a baby monitor to alert parents when a baby is crying. Another device might shake the bed when it is time to get up, instead of ringing an audible alarm.

17. What do you need to know about Deaf Etiquette? Deaf etiquette is very different in many ways from the etiquette of the hearing world. The Deaf way can be described as direct, expressive, and not shy at all. It is important to maintain eye contact, speak expressively, and feel free to use a pen and paper to communicate if necessary.

18. Waving Etiquette Rude Acceptable

19. Touching Etiquette Non-Urgent Urgent

20. Eye Contact Etiquette Acceptable for Hearing People Acceptable for Deaf People

21. Using an interpreter: Do�s Speak directly to the Deaf person. Allow the interpreter to stand or sit close to you so that the Deaf individual can see you and the interpreter at the same time. Look at the Deaf person, not the interpreter. Speak at a normal rate of speech and make your statements clear.

22. Using an Interpreter: Don�ts Say things to the interpreter that you don�t want repeated to the Deaf Person. Ask the interpreter for his/her opinions about the Deaf person. Hold personal conversations with the interpreter. Stop to watch or to wait for the interpreter to begin signing.