Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life

Deafness

A Disability or a Way of Life?

Andrew S. Gettins

Global Connections

Instructor: Mr. Falls

December 8, 2017

Abstract
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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This paper tells about the deaf community and their treatment in three different economic

levels. It discusses the debate against cochlear implants from the perspective of the hearing and

deaf community, who have very different viewpoints on the issue. Then lastly it tell about the

teaching of deaf people, the usage of American Sign Language in schools and in deaf people's

lives, and why the amount of deaf schools and teachers in America is not widely available.

Tables of Contents

Title Page……………………………………………………………………………………….....1
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
3

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………....……....2

Table of Contents…………………………...…….………………………………….. …………..3

Introduction…………………………………………………………………....…………………..4

Limitations of Study ……………………………………………………………………...……....5

Literature Review…………………...……………………………………………...……………...6

Discussion…………………………………………………………………………….…………...7

● Treatment of Deaf People in the United States……………...…………………………….8

● Treatment of Deaf People in

China………………………..….………………………….10

● Treatment of Deaf People in Kenya…………………………………...…………….…...12

● Issue of Cochlear Implants…………………………………………....………………….13

● Teaching of ASL and deaf students in Virginia Beach………………....………………..15

● Conclusion…………………………………………………………....………………….17
References....…………………...………………………………………………...……....………18

Appendix A……………………………………………………………………………………....24

Appendix B……………………………………………………………………………………....28

Deafness- disability or way of life?

Seventy million people. That is the number of people that according to the World

Federation of the Deaf are challenged with living in a silent world. Although for the hearing
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
4

population deafness seems to be a disability, to deaf people it is simply a way of life. When

examining how deafness is treated in the United States as compared to less developed countries,

the issue of cochlear implants, and the availability of American Sign Language (ASL) in

Virginia schools, an understanding of deaf culture, and the struggles and everyday impact that

being deaf has on both hearing and non-hearing populations is gained.

Introduction

When a person is deaf, it is usually not something they choose. Deafness can occur

anytime throughout a person's life due to illness, trauma, birth defects, or complications that

occurred during birth. In a child's development deafness can occur due to the mother falling ill,

genetics, and other complications during pregnancy. Deafness is not a visible disability and as a

result is often overlooked by the general population.

Deaf people are supported by governments and nonprofit organizations throughout most

of the world. In more developed countries (MDC) deaf people are often given special education

to accommodate their needs and learning requirements. The deaf population in the United States

is taught American Sign Language as a means of communication to afford them equal social and

educational opportunities in their life. In some less developed countries (LDC) people are less

likely to get the same care. They are not always taught the sign language used in their country

and face issues communicating with people from every field of life which prevents the deaf

community in those countries from living what the hearing community would refer to as normal

life.

Limitations of Study

While deafness affects people from all around the world, the author is only focusing on

hearing loss in the United States, China, and Kenya. This factor is not stating that deafness in
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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other countries and portions of the world are less severe or unimportant. The author cannot travel

to these places to see firsthand what the conditions are like and is having to rely on the accounts

of others or published materials, which in some cases these sources may be limited due to a lack

of information about the treatment of deaf people in some areas.

The author is hearing and does not have firsthand experience of what it is like to be deaf

and therefore cannot give personal experiences. Due to that factor, the author will be relying on

interviews with deaf people to gain an understanding of what it is like to be deaf and to obtain an

insight into deaf culture and what it means to be deaf in our society. He will ask deaf people to

explain their personal experiences and what deafness is to them.

The author does not know fluent ASL and is at a beginner’s level and will have to rely on

translators or interpreters to hold conversation. Even though during any communication there

will be a translator present, the lack of fluency may become an issue due to mistranslation and

potential misunderstanding. The author also does not know Chinese Sign Language (CSL),

Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), and Swahili Sign Language (LAK) and could not converse with

anyone using these forms of communication.

Due to not knowing Mandarin Chinese or not knowing any tribal languages in Kenya or

Swahili (one of the official languages of Kenya) the author cannot communicate with natives of

the countries to learn about how deaf people are treated and will have to rely on other people's

published work or interviews with English speakers.

Literature Review

Formation of Sign language. The first accepted sign language was taught by Juan Pablo

de Bonet. In the time before 1750 there was no formal deaf education program until Abbe de

L’Epee created a school for the deaf and designed French Sign Language. French Sign language
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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was brought to America by Laurent Clerc who accompanied Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet

back to the United States ( History of sign Language, 2017 ). The two, using French Sign

Language as a base, created what is known today as Old American Sign Language ( History of

American Sign Language, 2017).

Teaching of Sign Language/ ASL. Sign Language is taught to members of the deaf

community and is a vital form of communication within the non-hearing community (The

History of Sign language, 2017). The different forms of sign language are used to act as a “native

language” globally. It is an accredited foreign language class in many states and universities

throughout the United States even though it is not commonly taught at schools. In Virginia

Beach, sign language is only taught at only one high school (Mrs. Treptor, 2017).

Treatment of the deaf in the United States. Deaf people in the United States are given

resources to be successful. They are taught ASL and given education opportunities in primary

and secondary school. They have the option to continue their education into the college level

with schools like Gallaudet University, which is the only fully accredited university specifically

for deaf students (Deaf Education, 2017). Deaf people have the opportunity to get jobs later in

life in multiple fields of work.

Treatment of the deaf in China. The deaf community in China is taught Chinese Sign

Language. They are given education in many major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing.

China does provide services for deaf people and tries to create an equal standard of life, even

though that is not always the case (Enter the dragon, 2013).

Treatment of the deaf in Kenya. Kenyans are usually not taught Kenyan Sign Language

due to a large portion of the population not knowing it exists. This hinders the way of life even

though there are laws that promote the social well-being of those with disabilities but there are
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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still issues due to lack of enforcement and lack of infrastructure to secure the well-being of the

deaf (Kenya: How Access to Health Care for Deaf People Can be Improved, 2017).

Issue of cochlear implants. Cochlear implants have benefits to those that are deaf but

there is an argument made by the deaf community that the implants destroy the deaf culture that

has been formed in many areas of the world.

Discussion

Is deafness a disability or a way of life? That question is one which plagues the deaf

community. While many argue that deafness is a way of life, the hearing population believes that

deafness is a disability. People who are born deaf are commonly the ones that see deafness as a

way of life compared to those who become deaf later in life due to severe trauma or illness, both

of which can cause permanent hearing loss.

Aristotle (384-322 BCE) (Aristotle, 2017) said that deaf people were unteachable and due

to his attitude, deaf people have carried this stigma for over two thousand years. They have

faced hardships like not being able to practice religion, marry, buy property, and in some cases

deaf people were called “non-persons” by society (History of Sign Language, 2017). It was not

until 1750 when Abbe de L'Epee, a Catholic priest in Paris, France became the first to publicly

educate deaf people. In the late 1500s and early 1600s, others before him like Pedro Ponce de

Leon who was the first to develop a teaching method for deaf students, Geronimo Cardano who

taught his deaf son using written words, and Juan Pablo de Bonet who also succeeded in

educating deaf by written words or in the case of Juan Pablo de Bonet, who created the first

“manual alphabet” or sign language. Deaf people were first incorporated into society and given

schooling by Abbe de L’Epee when he created the National Institute for Deaf-Mutes where he
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
8

taught the students what is now known as Old French Sign Language, which eventually spread

throughout Europe (History of Sign Language, 2017).

Treatment of deaf people in the United States. The treatment of deaf people in the

United States began improving when Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet travelled to Europe to learn

about the education of the deaf, which was when he met Laurent Clerc and Abbe Sicard, who

was the successor of Abbe de L’Epee. Gallaudet asked Clerc, who was a teacher at the National

Institute for Deaf-Mutes, to accompany him back to the United States to help create what became

the American School for the Deaf (History of American Sign Language, 2017).

Deaf population, or the population of deaf people within a country is demographic

statistical information based on fact. Deaf culture is a much more fluid term used to describe the

culture deaf people have formed within their individual countries. Deaf culture is different in

different regions of the world in the same that the hearing communities culture is different in

other regions of the world. In almost every country, there are services in place for deaf people

that work to promote the well-being of the deaf population. Article 25 of the United Nations

Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living

adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing,

housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of

unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in

circumstances beyond his control.” The well-being of those who are disabled is attempted to be

preserved in almost every country with organizations like the United Nations, national

governments, and nonprofit organizations that assist in whatever ways they can depending on

what parts of the world they are in, economic status, and development level of the countries.
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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In more developed countries (MDC) like the United States, deaf people are given many

opportunities in life like schooling, job opportunities, and social functions which provide

opportunities for what the hearing population would call a normal life. In the United States the

vast majority of deaf people are taught ASL and put in specific schools designed for children that

are deaf or hearing impaired and they continue to have schooling opportunities’ up to the

university level. Schools like Gallaudet University, which offers twenty six bachelor programs

and also masters and doctorate degree programs, provides education and support to deaf people

throughout the United States (Sheen, 2006, p. 64-65). Deaf people can get jobs in a variety of

fields ranging from writers and bloggers, teaching ASL, and as therapists for deaf patients

(Unemployment Problems for Deaf, 2013). Working leads to a relatively normal style of life as

deaf people do not have to rely completely on the government to put food on the table.

The deaf community in the United States is one which is relatively small but does what it

can to support the well-being of its members. Deaf people have opportunities to live a life similar

to the hearing population with programs like summer camps specifically designed for those that

suffer with hearing loss (Sheen, 2006, p. 73). There are also many support groups and

organizations that exist to benefit the deaf people like Dogs for Deaf, which is a nonprofit that

trains service dogs for deaf people and the USA Deaf Sports Organizations, which tells the

accomplishments of deaf athletes (Knowing your Disability, 2007). Even though people are

affected by deafness in the United States they have opportunities to succeed in life. There are

many famous people like Helen Keller and William “Dummy” Hoy, who was the first person to

hit a grand-slam in the American Major League Baseball and was also the first deaf person in

MLB (History of Sign Language, 2017). Deaf people in the United States are also sometimes
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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offered cochlear implants, which is something that doesn’t always happen in less developed parts

of the world.

Treatment of deaf people in China. Much like the United States, China offers many

services for deaf people. It is a vast country that is only slightly smaller than the United States,

but with a population that is more than three times that of the United States. Like most countries,

China has organizations and laws that exist to promote the well-being of the disabled, like the

China Disabled Persons Federation or the CDPF (What is life like for deaf people in China,

2017). Even though these laws are in effect, people with all disabilities, not just deaf people,

face problems in China. They are often unable to get jobs, have lower education rates, and are

often poor which forces them to live off the government (Enter the Dragon, 2013) who often see

disabled people as needy and “always asking for money” says a deaf official at the CDPF (What

is life like for disabled people in China, 2017).

Chinese Sign Language, or CSL, is known and used by the deaf community (Deaf People

and Community in China, 2017) but its existence is generally not common knowledge among the

general population. CSL has also not grown like most other forms of sign language have in other

countries (Enter the dragon, 2013). The deaf population in most countries, like the United States,

have formed what has become known as deaf culture; something which has not happened in

China. Deaf culture not being formed in China is due to the Chinese government not providing

steady, reliable aid for deaf people and the government advocating the use of devices like

cochlear implants to allow deaf people to live a “normal” life. China has provided over 10,000

cochlear implants since 1995, with 85% of these implants being given to children under 7 years

old (Enter the dragon, 2013). Though 10,000 may seem like a large number, less than 1% of the

21,000,000 deaf people in China have received them (Deaf People and Community in China,
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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2016). Some children are offered nothing but basic living accommodations and many are not

given an education. The implants, even though given to some deaf people in China are not

offered to everyone. Some orphaned children in China are kicked out of orphanages and forced

to live on the streets. Those children attempt to immediately get a job and if they fail, end up

living a life of homelessness and poverty (See Appendix A for more information).

Children in China are tested for deafness usually within the first few days after they are

born, but only if they are born in urban areas. When a child is born in rural areas they get

screened for deafness, but it sometimes takes a month or more for the screening to take place

(NCBI). Once it is determined that a child is deaf, there are a few outcomes that could happen.

The child could be abandoned in the streets by the parents and picked up by an orphanage, they

might be hid by the parents and would live in secret, or they would be sent away to a boarding

school. These are not all the possible outcomes, but these commonly do happen to deaf and

disabled children in China (What is life like for disabled people, 2017).

Even though disabled people tend to have a significantly lower education rate, they do

still apply to universities, which deny students entry by saying that “their physical condition does

not meet the needs of study,” (What is life like for disabled people, 2017) there are still

schooling opportunities for deaf people in most major cities. In Beijing there is the Fourth School

for the Deaf, in Nanjing there is the Nanjing Deaf School, there is the Shanghai Deaf School, and

many more (Deaf People and Community in China,2016).

Treatment of deaf people in Kenya. Though the treatment of deaf people in China is not

ideal, it is comparatively better than the life of deaf people in Kenya. Kenya is an LDC with a

population of 48 million as of 2016 with a possible total of 600,000 deaf individuals. Kenya's

national government is weaker both politically and economically, and cannot always support the
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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needs of its people, much less the needs of those who require extra care and assistance. There are

organizations like Deaf Child Worldwide, a non-governmental organization based out of the

United Kingdom (Deaf Child Worldwide, 2017), which promotes the providing of a good

education for every child (Failure is accepted: Kenya, 2016), but the some of the most valued

help comes from the schools that exist to help deaf children.

Schools like the Kinango School for Deaf Children, where students like Nyamula

Mandoro, a fifteen year old girl who was taught Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) once she arrived

at the school, are there to educate the deaf children in Kenya (Failure is accepted: Kenya, 2016).

Like in China, many Kenyans do not know of sign language even though the Kenyan

government recognizes KSL as an official language, and allow it to be used in parliament

(Kenya: How Access to Health Care for Deaf People Can Be Improved, 2017). The Kenyan

government knows the importance of educating and promoting the welfare of deaf individuals.

They have called for the promotion of deaf education and to have qualified interpreters in

Kenya's Disability Act (Failure is accepted: Kenya, 2016). Though attempts have been made by

the Kenyan government, with a GDP of only 70.53 million USD (Kenya GDP, 2017) it does not

have the resources needed to uphold this law. Deaf people struggle every day to get the basics

like medical services because they have no way to communicate with doctors and nurses who

possibly do not know sign language (Kenya: How access to Health Care for Deaf People can be

Improved, 2017).

Around the world actions are being taken to promote the well-being of deaf people,

whether it be by the United Nations, private organizations, or national governments. Generally

the best help is given in MDCs which have the resources to provide for the better treatment of

deaf people. This is typically not the case in LDCs where there is not enough resources,
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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knowledge, or the people simply do not care about the deaf, which is the case in parts of Kenya.

(Failure is accepted: Kenya, 2016)

Issue of Cochlear Implants. Most people would think that giving someone who was deaf

the ability to hear would be treated as a miraculous advancement, this is not always the case

when it comes to cochlear implants. In October 1982, Graham Carrick invented electronic

implants that help people with severe or total hearing loss hear (Cochlear 30 year anniversary,

2012). The system is made up of an external speech processor and an internal cochlear implant.

The processor uses microphones to detect sounds, which in turn converts to coded signals that

get sent to the implant. The implant then converts them into electrical energy which acts like the

nerve fibers in the cochlea, which the brain interprets as sound (Cochlear implants - How they

work, 2014).

Since the creation of cochlear implants, the deaf community has been divided by their

use. In the United States, the deaf community has formed a deaf culture where there is some

opposition to the use of cochlear implants, leading to a debate about their usage. In China, there

is not a clearly developed deaf culture, which is why the use of cochlear implants is not protested

like it is in other countries (Enter the dragon, 2014). Those against them argue that you do not

need to hear to lead a functional, fulfilling life (Understanding Deafness:Not everyone wants to

be “Fixed”, 2013)

Cochlear implants are also a risk because instead of allowing a person to hear, they could

malfunction and destroy any existing hearing a person may have. Within the deaf community in

the United States, cochlear implants are not always viewed as a means to “fix” a person.

Because the sound is not created in a natural way, what the user of a cochlear implant “hears” is

digital. Opponents of cochlear implants say parents of deaf children are forcing hearing upon
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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their child, ruining the deaf way of life. They argue “deafness is not a handicap, but a culture”

(Start ASL- Cochlear implants, 2008).

“Deafness is a way of life. It is only a disability if one allows it to be a disability.” (Miani

2017) Daniel Miani, an American who has adopted a deaf child from China, believes that one

does not need to hear to live a full life. When a child is discovered to be deaf, some parents

immediately start trying to get the child implants to allow them to hear. Some deaf people do not

view being deaf as a disability, nor do they think anything is wrong with the child. Some hearing

parents immediately begin trying to find devices like cochlear implants to allow the child to hear

again even though there is no promise of it working and it could complicate life further (Start

ASL- Cochlear implants, 2008). If allowed to live deaf, a child can grow up using ASL, lip

reading, and learn other skills.

Teaching of ASL and deaf students in Virginia Beach. Deaf students in the Virginia

Beach City Public Schools are given the opportunities to receive an education equal to that of

their hearing peers. They are able to go to the same schools, where they can receive special help

to get an education. The students do have to sometimes leave their normal school zone within

Virginia Beach to be able to attend the designated school that teaches ASL and is suited to teach

kids that are deaf. Due to lack of resources and qualified teachers, all deaf or hearing impaired

students have to attend either Corporate Landing Elementary School, Corporate Landing Middle

School, or Ocean Lakes High School. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, ASL is an accredited

foreign language class. However it is only taught at Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach

because of the lack of qualified teachers of ASL in the district and due to the potential cost of

having a certified ASL teaching in all eleven high schools in Virginia Beach.
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
15

At these designated schools, students are taught ASL, English, and visual phonics. ASL

is different grammatically than Standard English and students must be taught the subject in order

to read and write. Students are also taught to speak and to read lips. Teaching deaf students to

read lips allows them to understand what people who do not know ASL are saying. Just like

ASL, lip reading is an effective communication tool that can allow deaf people to converse with

non-deaf people. American deaf people are also taught to speak English, and even though they

cannot hear themselves speak, it allows them to communicate with hearing people (Miani,2017).

For those that wish to learn ASL who are not members of the deaf community, the

options are available to learn through private tutoring and public classes at places like Tidewater

Community College (TCC, 2017). Various resources like websites and books are also dedicated

to teaching hearing people ASL. Students in the Virginia Beach school system that attend Ocean

Lakes High School also have the option to take ASL as their world language requirement.

Through this, Virginia Beach bridges the gap between the hearing and deaf population.
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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Conclusion

In the world, organizations, governments, and normal citizens try to assist and secure the

well-being of deaf people through education and providing the services needed for them live a

successful life. Though the prosperity of deaf people is not always equal in every part of the

world, as is clear when comparing different social and economic development in countries like

the United States, China, and Kenya, efforts are being made to secure their welfare. With

debates about the morality of implants that could potentially improve the way of life for deaf

people, portions of the deaf community argues that implants take away the opportunity for

people to have a different, but fulfilling life. With sign language being taught to individuals who

are deaf around the world and the general population, deaf people are able to make the most of

life.
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
17

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Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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Appendix A

Interviewee- Daniel Miani

Date- December 3, 2017

Q: How old is your son and where does he go to school?

A: He is 11 years old and attends school at Corporate Landing elementary school in Virginia

Beach.

Q: Does he know ASL and was it taught in his school. How is he taught in school, using ASL or

an alternative form of communication? Is ASL used in that school? To what degree? Is he taught

only by using ASL?

A: He has been taught ASL at Corporate Landing since he started attending Corporate Landing.

He is taught ASL, standard English, and visual phonics. Communicating in ASL is very

different than Standard English; thus, he must learn Standard English to read and write properly.

Visual phonics is used to assist him with speaking, reading lips, and understanding components

of words.

ASL is used in his school every day. Many of the hearing teachers and students know some ASL

because Corporate Landing is the school that has the deaf and hard of hearing program for

Virginia Beach City Public Schools. The entire school community embraces the deaf and hard

of hearing community at Corporate Landing.

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Q: What opportunities are available as he gets older? As he gets older do opportunities for a

"normal" life broaden or shrink?

A: He has many opportunities available such as entering college or the workforce. He wishes to

go to college to become an art teacher in a public school system. Being deaf and hard of hearing

will not hinder him from many opportunities as an adult; in addition, in most areas, there are

very involved deaf and hard of hearing communities within the larger community.

Q: What do you think his life would be like if he was not adopted? Would he have been given an

education? An equal opportunity to succeed in life? How is his life different in the US compared

to if he was left in China?

A: Like many orphaned children, once they reach a certain age, they are released to survive on

their own. It would have been a difficult life; for example, he would not have had an opportunity

to receive an education. He would have to try to get a job immediately; if that were not possible,

he may have led a life of homelessness.

If he was raised in a family, his life may have not been too different. He would have had

different opportunities as an adult in China than America. It is up for debate whether those

opportunities would have been the same, better, or worse.

Q: Is deafness a disability or a way of life in your eyes? In his eyes? In your other kids’ eyes?

A: Deafness is a way of life. It is only a disability if one allows it to be a disability. In his eyes,

he sees no issues with being deaf. He has deaf and hearing friends, he participates in all

activities as hearing students, and can communicate with everyone in his family and at his

school; thus, he does not view it as a disability. I am sure there are people that think deafness is

a disability and, by definition, it is a disability. To be honest, we teach our children to be

Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
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confident with who they are and how God made them: it is not important what other people think

about you.

Q: Did everyone in your immediate family have to learn sign language to communicate with

him?

A: No, but everyone knows a little bit of ASL to make sure he feels included in family

communication.

Q: Did you know he was deaf when you started the adoption process?

A: Yes, we knew he was deaf from the beginning of the process. The only thing we did not

know is the extent of the deafness.

Q: How broad is his ASL knowledge?

A: He has picked up ASL very quickly. He can communicate very easily with other deaf

students, interpreters, and deaf people in the community.

Q: Can he read? If so, how well in terms of vocabulary range and comprehension.

A: He can read, but it is difficult because, as stated earlier, learning Standard English is very

different than ASL. Coming to America with no formal education or knowledge of English or

ASL meant he started from essential nothing or grade zero. After two years, he is reading and

writing on the 3rd grade level.

Q: Can he speak at all? If so, how well?

A: He cannot hear his own voice; however, through the teaching of visual phonics. He can speak

at a level that is understandable, but not perfect. More importantly, after two years, he is capable
Deafness- Disability or a Way of Life
26

of reading lips, which is helpful in understanding conversations with hearing people that do not

know ASL.

Q: Have you thought about getting cochlear implants for him? Was he offered the implants in

China?

A: He was not offered anything in China but a place to live with basic accommodations. There

was very minimal education and some job skills were taught.

We have gone through the process of attaining cochlear implants, but upon finishing the process,

he decided he did not need them.

Q: How is he socially? Does he get along with other kids? Does he have other deaf friends? Does

he have hearing friends?

A: He is very social and has many friends at his school. He also practices Tae Kwon Do and has

many friends at the Dojang. Most children do not know he is deaf; usually, they think he is just

shy or does not feel like talking. The majority of his friends are hearing; however, he does have

a few deaf friends that are mostly children he goes to school with at Corporate Landing.

Q: As a parent, is it necessary for you to refresh language skills with ASL classes so you can

easily and successfully communicate with your son?

A: Yes, my wife has taken ASL classes and come home and taught me. In addition, his teachers

send home flashcards of vocabulary words so we can practice ASL as a family. ASL is like

anything else, the more you practice the better you become at it.

Appendix B
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Ms. Tina Treptor

“ASL is offered for hearing kids . I don't know if she has deaf kids in there, but the majority are
hearing. It is a really popular course and many students take it. The course counts towards a
language requirement.”