DEAF HISTORY & CULTURE MISS EWART

Mid-1700’s Deafness used to be considered a divine punishment or sin. In the mid-1700’s – a French priest, Charles Michel De L'Eppe, established the first free public school for the deaf in France. He also published a dictionary for French Sign Language. At the same time, oral education was making strides in other countries.

Early 1800’s Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, an American interested in deaf education, travels to Europe where he meets De L'Eppe's successor, the Archbishop Roche Sicard, the author of "Theory of Signs." Sicard sends one of his instructors, Laurent Clerc, back with Gallaudet, and the pair found the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut in 1817. Many teachers of the deaf train in Hartford, and, soon sign-based deaf schools in New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and elsewhere begin to flourish. Alice Cogswell, Gallaudet's initial inspiration to teach the deaf, is the first to graduate from the American School.

Mid/late-1800’s In 1864 – Abraham Lincoln signs the charter for the Washington, D.C. – based college for the deaf. Originally known as the National College for the Deaf and Dumb, it is the only accredited facility for the deaf in the United States to offer college degrees. The first president of Gallaudet is Edward Miner Gallaudet, son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. The dedication of the Gallaudet family is honored when the college changes its name to Gallaudet College in 1893. Today, Gallaudet remains a leader in higher education for the deaf.

A.G. Bell In 1872, Alexander Graham Bell opens a school in Boston that concentrates on oral methods of instruction for teachers of the deaf. The school is not successful due to heavy opposition from established deaf schools that use manual sign methods. Bell eventually gives up administering deaf education and refocuses his attention on a contraption he has been tinkering with that mechanizes speech. In 1876, A. G. Bell invents the telephone. Armed with wealth and enormous recognition, he goes on to found the Volta Bureau to promote oral-based education for deaf children. A period of upheaval in deaf education begins with a backlash against sign language.

Oral Education & NAD An international gathering of Deaf educators decides that oral education methods are superior to manual education methods. The only country opposing the vote for oral-based education is the United States, where manual education has made great strides. During the next 10 years, the popularity of manual education for the deaf declines sharply. 75% of teachers using the manual method have retired by 1890. In the U.S. – the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is founded in 1880 and gains support. The NAD is instrumental in keeping sign language and manual education alive.

Sports In 1901, baseball's American League gets its first grand slam thanks to William "Dummy" Hoy, a deaf player. Umpire hand signals are developed so that Hoy can see a strike called from the outfield. In the 1920s, Gallaudet University's football team keeps its plays a secret by hiding signed instructions in a huddle formation. Soon, other teams are huddling up too, and a football tradition is born.

TTY & Hearing Aids In 1964 – Robert Weitbrecht, who is deaf, invents the teletypewriter (TTY), which enables deaf people to use phone lines to call each other and type out their conversations. Hearing aids are large and bulky, often weighing a couple pounds.

TC & PL 94-142 Two historically divergent education methods converge, at least in theory, as Total Communication, a combination of manual and speech based instruction for the deaf is developed and promoted. Formulated in the early 1960's by a mother dissatisfied with oral-based attempts to teach her deaf daughter, the Total Communication system gains grassroots support and becomes the foundation for a new approach to deaf education within public school systems. By 1975, Public Law 94-142, is passed requiring handicapped children in the U.S. be provided with free and appropriate education, allowing many to be mainstreamed into regular public schools, where they receive special instruction but interact with the general public school population.

Closed Captioning By 1980 Close Captioning is developed and the first show broadcast. Close Captioning hides the text from view unless the user has a decoding device. By the early 1990’s, the FCC requires that all newly manufactured televisions have the decoding chip.

Cochlear Implants - 1985 The cochlear implant is approved for clinical trials in people 18 and older. The device bypasses the bones of the inner ear, placing electrodes directly into the cochlea, where sound waves are absorbed and interpreted by the auditory nerve. Huge debate in the Deaf community over CI.

Marlee Matlin - 1987 Marlee Matlin becomes the first deaf actress to win an Academy Award, for her role in the movie "Children of a Lesser God."

Deaf President Now - 1988 Students and faculty at Gallaudet University protest the selection of another hearing president. The 'Deaf President Now' protest continued for 8 days, with multiple rallies, press conferences and marches. Finally, Dr. I. King Jordan was named the first deaf president of Gallaudet University. Dr. I. King Jordan is famous for saying, “Deaf people can do anything except hear.” Meanwhile, Congress recommends that American Sign Language be used as the primary language for the deaf, with English as a second language.

Americans with Disabilities Act - 1990 President George Bush signs the ADA in 1990. Discriminatory practices and obstacles to accessibility for the handicapped are both outlawed. The law requires greater communications, education, and employment opportunities for the deaf. In keeping with the ADA, caption decoder chips are required in television sets larger than 13".

First Deaf Miss America - 1995 Heather Whitestone, an orally educated deaf woman from Birmingham, Alabama, wins the coveted crown. She states, "[Speech] worked for me, but it does not work for all deaf children.“

Technology Cochlear Implants – remember the debate? Hearing Aids – amplify sound only FM Systems TTY Video Phones Texting Email

Deaf Culture Deaf vs. deaf Deaf = being part of a community with its own history, values, and culture. 2 biggest aspects of Deaf Culture are: being Deaf using ASL deaf = inability to hear post-lingual elderly people

Deaf Culture continued… ASL is not universal. Hearing = Individualist Deaf = Collectivist Deaf people are more comfortable sharing personal information. Deaf people tend to be more direct. Facial expressions & eye contact are essential. Deaf people tend to take longer to leave. “If you can see it, you can comment on it”

Deaf Myths Myth: All Deaf people can read lips. Fact: Only about 30% of what is said can be lip-read. Myth: All Deaf people are mute. Fact: DP have the ability to talk, but some chose not to for a variety of reasons. Others enjoy using their voice. It is a personal decision. Myth: All deaf people use sign language. Fact: Spoken word, SEE, TC, etc…

Deaf Myths continued… Myth: Deaf people prefer to be called handicapped or disabled. Fact: Deaf prefer to be called DEAF or HARD-OF-HEARING. Myth: Deaf people are less intelligent. Fact: The inability to hear is unrelated to intelligence. Myth: Deaf people can’t read or write. Fact: Deaf people CAN read and write.

Deaf Myths continued… Myth: Deaf people want to hear. Fact: Deaf people are perfectly fine being Deaf and don’t feel they need to become hearing to live a “normal” life. Myth: Deaf people can’t drive. Fact: Deaf people have safer driving records than hearing people. Myth: Deaf people don’t enjoy music. Fact: Deaf people can feel the vibrations of music.

Deaf Myths continued… Myth: All Deaf people have Deaf parents. Fact: 90% of Deaf children have HEARING parents. Only 10% of Deaf children have Deaf parents. These children are called CODAs… a Child of a Deaf Adult. Myth: Deaf people can read braille. Fact: Braille is for the blind.

Deaf Peddlers DEAF PEDDLERS STAY AWAY!