Deaf Culture

-Brady Donner, Angie Blaser, and Kayla Burton-

 Intro to Deaf Culture

Why is “deaf culture” considered a culture?

CULTURE: “a set of learned behaviors of a group of people that share a

language, values, rules for behavior, and traditions.” -Carol Padden, PhD

● Language- Dictionary of ASL, contributed to the recognition of Deaf culture in 1965

● Values- Language (ASL), not speaking, socialization within community
● Rules for Behavior- eye contact, facial expression, & labels (Deaf vs deaf)
● Traditions- Participation in face-to-face Deaf cultural events

(Start ASL, 2008)

 Values & Art

Core Values
Language
Culture (Rourke, 2011)

Legal Values
Civil Rights
Human Rights.
Linguistic Rights
Community Values
Diversity
(Gallagher, 2002)
People
(National Association of the Deaf, 2017)
(Baird, 1992)
Behavioral Norms

Eyes- looking away is like covering your ears

Facial expression & body movement- exaggerated

Introductions- not “politically correct”

Labels- Deaf vs deaf vs hearing impaired

Conversations- straight to the point → extended

conclusion
(Start ASL, 2008)
 Cultural Controversy

Cochlear implant
(Hanson, 2008)
Celebrate Deaf children

Schooling-
oral/interpreter/sign

Preservation of Deaf
culture
(Rosenzweig, 2015)
(STOP! , 2014)
For more info & Narratives

Sound and Fury 2000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdIoSNwNfVs

Sound and Fury 6 Years Later

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb-zKebd5us&t=1231s

TED Talk: Not the hearing or Deaf world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhm5OaXJVMQ&t=614s
Issues of Power and Privilege
Politics
There are currently no deaf (American) individuals in political positions within the U.S. Government (National
Association of the Deaf, 2017)
Education
Due to the ADA and other legislation, some accommodations are made in public and private schools (ex:
interpreter, use of visual aids, etc.)
Often segregated - attend a deaf specific school (barrier free environment)
Employment
ADA - offers protection and guidance on what is required in a work setting (National Association of the Deaf,
2017)
Social
Cultural recognition (the public does not understand social norms)
Privileges of Hearing Culture
Movie theatres (no subtitles), restaurants (communication), simple sounds (breathing, dropping something,
people conversing around you)
Global Social/Societal Issues
American sign language (ASL) is not nationally recognized as a foreign language
ASL is not uniform across the states and other countries (World Federation of the Deaf, 2016)

Access to medical care and specialists is challenging for low-income families

If desired, auditory screenings, cochlear implants, and surgeries are very expensive (Looi, et al., 2016)

“Deafness separates people from people” -Helen Keller

Communication barrier: some individuals choose to speak rather than sign and others only sign
Lack of understanding and discrimination leads to a separation of hearing people and deaf people
Uncomfortable
The deaf people must interact with the hearing world but those who hear do not have to interact with deaf people

Deafness is not perceived as a “real” disability

Invisible - access to resources and support is often limited in certain places (Lintz, 2016)
Healthcare Issues in the Deaf Community

Health Knowledge
Those who use American Sign Language (ASL) are at a higher risk of having inadequate health
knowledge.
This translates to poorer healthcare service
When compared to hearing people, the deaf population has more obesity, cardiovascular problems,
and less access to preventative care.

Mental Health Care

The deaf population has a higher risk of having depression and anxiety (unrelated to deafness)

Contributing factors
They receive less information in their education so they seek help less.
They visit their healthcare professionals less because of a lack of direct communication.
ASL users have a different culture that is not always understood by healthcare professionals.
Qualified interpreters are not always provided in healthcare settings. (Pick, 2013)
What Occupational Therapists Should Know

Communication with individuals with hearing impairments

Before beginning interactions get the client’s attention

Always face the client when speaking to them

Ask the client what type of communication they prefer

Create an environment with few distractions

Clear communication is key (Herlache & Sheff, 2010)

Conclusion

Prevalence of hearing impairment

17% of American adults
Nearly half of people over the age of 75
40,000 children are born each year
Understanding Deaf, deaf, and hard of hearing
Its own culture
Issues in education, politics, and employment
Societal Issues
Health care disparities
How to communicate
 References
Baird, C. (1992). Deaf Culture: Art No.2 [Digital image]. Retrieved April 3, 2017, from
http://deafcuture.blogspot.com/2015/07/1.html

Gallagher, T. (2002). Enculturation [Digital image]. Retrieved April 3, 2017, from

http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/vumcpub/?pubID=7&articleID=767

Hanson, B. (2008, March 1). Cochlear Implant: Before & After [Silent News Cartoon]. Retrieved April 3, 2017, from
http://cochlearimplantonline.com/site/how-much-better-is-the-acceptance-today/

Herlache, E., & Sheff, A. (2010). Meeting the Needs of Clients With Hearing Impairments. OT Practice, 7-8.

Lintz, Janice S. (2016, July 29). Hearing Loss, the Forgotten Disability. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/janice-s-
lintz/hearing-loss-the-forgotte_b_7896184.html

Looi, L. M., Ganten, D., Mcgrath, P. F, Gross, M., Griffin, G. E. (2015). Hearing loss: a global health issue. The Lancet, 385(9972),
943-944. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60208-2

National Association of the Deaf. (2017). About Us. Retrieved April 3, 2017, from https://www.nad.org/about-us/
References
National Association of the Deaf. (2017). Discrimination and Reasonable Accommodations. Retrieved April 3, 3017, from
https://www.nad.org/resources/employment-and-vocational-rehabilitation/discrimination-and-reasonable-accommodations/

Pick, L. (2013). Health care disparities in the deaf community. American Psychological Association.
Rosenzweig , E. (2015, June 22). This Is NOT My Cochlear Implant [Digital image]. Retrieved April 3, 2017, from
https://auditoryverbaltherapy.net/2015/06/22/free-poster-this-is-not-my-cochlear-implant/

Rourke, N. (2011, September 13). Wink at MFD University [Digital image]. Retrieved April 3, 2017, from
http://www.nancyrourke.com/kodawink.htm

Start ASL. (2008). Deaf Culture.Retrieved April 04, 2017, from https://www.startasl.com/deaf-culture_html

STOP! [Digital image]. (2014, January). Retrieved April 4, 2017, from http://deafyouvideo.blogspot.com/2014/01/stop-dr-gerald-
fain-and-cochlear-implant_11.html
World Federation of the Deaf. (2016). Human Rights. Retrieved from https://wfdeaf.org/human-rights/