Many people are inspired by American Sign Language (ASL) from signing in movies, in public, or by a d/Deaf/Hoh friend or d/Deaf/Hoh family member. This inspiration pushes them to want to learn ASL and for some people to choose ASL interpreter as their career choice. Becoming an American Sign Language Interpreter is a popular career […]
American Sign Language and Deaf roles are becoming more and more a popular in the media industry. Whether it is a major role or supporting role, Deaf actors are getting more opportunities to raise to fame and start their acting career. Other movies that have American Sign Language and Deaf actors are Quiet Place Part […]
Holidays are times of the year where families and friends gather to celebrate a warm and cheerful time together. Family members who live in other states will fly to meet, or friends will come together to celebrate the Holiday. Some parties are small and intimate, which usually consist of family, relatives, and partners whereas other […]
Robert Giba 11-21-21 The Silent Souls with Loud Issues – COVID and Mental Health Concerns in the Deaf Community Since March of 2019, the world was has become a confusing place. Not only due to the emergence of COVID-19 and all the parameters of this pandemic but also an increase in mental health concerns […]
A person shared that she heard so many stories of parents being told that their baby or child has failed their hearing tests and how sorry the doctor is to inform them. Imagine being told a newborn baby has hearing loss, or that they aren’t “perfect”. It is devastating for some parents to receive news […]
There are a lot of D/HH athletes out there, whether it is recreational or professional. The most common thing people wonder about is how do D/HH athletes participate in their sport if they cannot hear. Sports usually require communicating with each other, with the coaches, with the umpires/referees, and with other players on the field. […]
What does it mean to be an Ally? An Ally, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as to join (yourself) with another person or group to get or give support. So, what does it mean to be a Deaf Ally? A Deaf ally is a person usually who is hearing, joins the Deaf community […]
Cochlear implants are a hearing device that allows a deaf person to hear. The sound is transmitted through using a processor, an external coil (magnet), and an internal receiver (magnet) that is connected to electrods in the cochlear that sends sound signals to the brain. Although cochlear implants are “connected” through using magnets- read more […]
by Madisen Fritz | 24 September 2021 Ordering a simple cup of coffee or specialty java drink is, for most Americans, is a normal part of their mundane morning routine, but for D/deaf customers ordering a cup of coffee can be a big hassle if the barista doesn’t know sign language. Miscommunications happen frequently, which […]
by Ksenia Muhutdinova | 6 October 2021 Deaf culture is the culture made up of Deaf people that’s based on sign language and values, as well traditions and behavior norms that are specific to the Deaf community. It is the heart of the Deaf community. The Deaf community is made up of culturally Deaf people […]
by Madelynn Willingham | 7 October 2021 For our last research paper of this class, I decided to investigate how the D/deaf experience music. When people experience music, they typically use the sound of the beat and the flow of the lyrics to determine whether they like a song or not. However, for people who […]
In general, have you noticed it is hard to find the love of your life, or you just moved to a new area and are craving to make new friends? Especially if you just started learning American Sign Language and there are not a lot of Deaf people to find as a practice partner in […]
by Lakin Getz | 29 September 2021 Many technological advances have been made throughout the history of deafness. This technology can help everyday life, specific activities, and interpreting. Two new areas of technology advances have developed in hearing aids and cochlear implants. While these two are both used as a part of a person’s physical […]
by Faith Ekart | 29 September 21 Sign language has been around for a really long time. People don’t know exactly when it started, but people have been using types of sign language since the beginning of time. Just like how babies use hand signals to communicate before they can talk, that’s what deaf people […]
Have you been wanting or thinking about learning a new language? You’ve come to right place! American Sign Language (ASL) is a beautiful visual language to learn and it is a form of communication that bridges the gap between the Deaf and hearing communities. There are many questions such as if ASL is hard […]
Video Relay Services (VRS) are a type of video relay services that many Deaf, hard of hearing, Deafblind people and people with speech disabilities use to communicate to hearing callers with the help of an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter (Wikipedia: VRS, 2021). In a VRS call, Deaf/hard of hearing callers can see the […]
There are a lot of Deaf people who love to travel. People may wonder how Deaf people communicate with other people in different states/countries, are able to get around, and go through checking in/TSA without any problems. Well, D/deaf people find ways they can be successful in traveling – it is all about experience and […]
by Abby Doss | 2 March 2021 Throughout the years, Gallaudet University has been known by many different names. Gallaudet is located in Northeast Washington, D.C. Its history begins in 1856 when a man, Amos Kendall, devoted two acres of his own land in order to start a school for the deaf and blind. Kendall’s […]
There are a lot of interracial dating of various ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, and languages. This concept is very similar to dating within the Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing communities. Many people may wonder how that works. Well, if a Deaf person dates a Deaf person, there is no problem with dealing with cultural differences […]
It is known that Deaf/hard of hearing people have one less sense and encounter many hardships and challenges, but there are a lot of positive elements. It is true that hard of hearing people often struggle when conversing in loud environments, talking with people that have heavy accents, or especially interacting with masks on – […]
Ever since the pandemic hit in February 2019, people began masking up to protect themselves from catching and spreading the deadly virus. The mask and a few additional protections such as double masks, plastic face coverings, or plastic walls between the speaker and receiver have created huge communication barriers between the hearing and the Deaf […]
There are two different major types of schooling for Deaf people. Deaf schools also known as Deaf institutes are specially for Deaf students only. This means the communication and teaching are in American Sign Language (ASL) and all the students are Deaf. Mainstream schools means that deaf kids are put in classrooms with other hearing […]
The movie CODA will release on August 13, 2021 on Apple TV+; in addition this will be the first film that the closed captions will be burned in the film. Watch the trailer here. “Gifted with a voice that her parents can’t hear, seventeen-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones), is the sole hearing member of a deaf […]
Deaf people are able to function just like normal hearing people. Hearing people graduate from universities with a Bachelor’s degree and some further their education to getting a Masters or pHD. Well, Deaf people can do the same. In fact, there are a lot of well-known Deaf people who obtain successful careers such as doctors, […]
** Note: Cochlear implants can be viewed as both positive and negative perspectives depending on the people. Hearing people view cochlear implants as to help deaf people hear and to be able to interact in the hearing world whereas Deaf people feel their identity as being Deaf is taken away and they need to be […]
Have you ever wondered how cochlear implants function and how they help people hear? There are two parts to wearing a cochlear implant. The first part is the internal implant known as the receiver and the second part is the external implant known as the sound processor and transmitter. The internal implant is inserted right […]
Deaf-owned businesses and American Sign Language (ASL) are spreading and becoming widely popular. There are many Deaf-owned business all over the country. Here are some Deaf business that you maybe probably heard of, but if not, you should definitely check them out! Apparel By Mara – An iconic ILU designs on soft t-shirts, magnets, […]
The definition of homonyms in spoken English mean two or more words having the same spelling or pronunciation meanings or origins, but they all have completely different meanings. Instead of “homonyms” in American Sign Language (ASL) there is a concept where a single sign has multiple meanings. In order to understand the actual meaning of […]
When the pandemic broke out in February 2020, everything was put on hold including the suspenseful thriller A Quiet Place Part II that was supposed to release on March 8, 2020. Once it was safe for businesses to reopen, there was a big rave when this movie finally was released on May 31st, 2021. The […]
One of the most popular entertaining activities in the Deaf community is storytelling and expressive poetry. Since American Sign Language (ASL) is very visual, storytelling contains a lot of exaggerated expressions, gestures, and body movement which are the most commonly used to tell a story or a poem. There are many benefits when it comes […]
Many people ask, “Is American Sign Language (ASL) universal?” Well, the answer is no, it is not universal. American Sign Language is unique and is commonly used within the United States and Canada. Canada actually has two official sign languages known as American Sign Language and Quebec Sign Language (LSQ). However, people from outside […]
There are a lot of accessibility that Deaf or hard-of-hearing people take advantage of to help them function and be successful in the real world. In addition, there are a few routines or interactions that are different from hearing people. For instance, have you ever wondered how Deaf people know when the doorbell has […]
There are major differences between the Deaf culture and hearing culture that people may not realize and it is crucial to keep in mind when interacting with Deaf people. One of the biggest differences is Deaf people are very direct with each other and “beating around the bush” does not exist in the Deaf community. […]
Kimberly Harrison | 2 February 2021 It is great that the new administration in the White House has stepped forward and is being pro-active about including ASL interpreters at daily briefings, but this is not enough. There are many issues that remain as to the access of the interpreters being provided. TV networks can choose […]
People have different accents depending on where they’re from. Even within the same country, people’s accents differ based on the region. For example, in the US, people from New York will have a New York accent versus people from the South will have a Southern accent. Similarly to accents in spoken languages, there are accents, […]
By Chloe Colvard | 6 January 2021 In recent years there have been big changes in the sports world to try to include all athletes into sports programs. Inclusivity is more important than ever today, and it’s up to the leaders of these programs to get on top of the situation. As a hearing Athlete […]
by Anonymous | 2 January 2021 The Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf (CCSD) is an organization, almost 50 years old, that preserves Canadian Deaf culture and art (in text citation: “Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf.”). This organization targets the preservation of Deaf culture and community while also promoting the use of American Sign […]
Deaf culture consists of many valued traditional aspects that are significant to the Deaf community, and one of them is name sign. Name sign is a sign that is exclusively given to the person and it is usually created based on the person’s characteristics, personality, hobbies, etc, which uniquely and distinctively identify a person. When […]
by Beth Cogen | 22 December 2020 There are two main constructions of deafness: deafness as a medical condition, and deafness as a linguistic and cultural minority (Valentine and Skelton 2007). In a clinical setting, deafness is understood as a disability, and medical professionals emphasize different technologies and strategies that allow deaf people to function […]
Isabella Rogers | 30 November 2020 Although many would disregard the disabled, The Texas School for the Deaf is considered the pride of Texas because it accomplished so much independently in the past two centuries. The deaf school is older than the state capitol in Austin, Texas; the oldest continuously operating public school in Texas; […]
by Nancy Green | 14 November 2020 I chose an article titled “The pandemic’s impact of kids in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community – and how parents and educators are creating their new normal” by Danielle Garrand, Social Media Producer and trending reporter for CBS News. This article looks at the struggles that […]
One needs to understand why it is important when it comes to identification of deaf people. In Deaf culture, “D”, “d”, and “d/Deaf” are extremely significant. “Deaf” with a capital ‘D’, “deaf” with a small ‘d’, and “d/Deaf” with both capital and small ‘d’ all have their unique meanings and how they are applied to […]
By Janet Alberts | 16 November 2020 Every Deaf and hard of hearing individual has the right to communication access. These rights, as well as other laws are protected by the Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA). These laws require all state and local governments, medical facilities, law enforcement, legal personals, educational personals, the employment system, […]
by Emma Pellegrini | 16 November 2020 It is often noted, and quite strongly from a multitude of personal experiences, that words have power. A power that is stronger than most expressions that exist in our world. Words allow for one’s self to be free of the pressure of others and the surrounding world. They […]
by Jonathan McGee (10/29/2020) The world wide pandemic has caused many inconveniences for the general public. Shops are closed, plans were cancelled, “regular life” has been interrupted, but in all this turmoil humans tend to only think of their own personal problems that they are facing. The Deaf and Hard-of-hearing are facing all these same […]
The discussion of Deaf Education and its pedagogy has been examined relentlessly for many decades and continues to be a heated topic of discussion. Deaf children, whether with or without exposure to sign language in the home, are products of a bilingual education. Not only is their learning environment bilingual, but it is a very […]
by Lisa Baker (05/27/2020) Literature and the Arts is an incredibly important outlet within the deaf community. It is one of the four crucial values of Deaf Culture, as it provides a sense of pride in one’s culture, especially for those deaf or hard-of-hearing who may have strong feelings about their hearing loss (Jay, 44). […]
Before you learn how to sign different months of the year in American Sign Language (ASL), it’s important that you learn the American Sign Language alphabet first. The ASL signs for the months of the year are normally fingerspelled in abbreviation or in full (e.g. JAN for January or MARCH). Some people may fingerspell the […]
by Lisa Baker (03/11/2020) It is widely believed in the Deaf community that deaf children should have access to American Sign Language, Deaf role models, and one-on-one interactions with teachers and peers, both hearing and deaf (Jay, p. 56). Some might say that the easiest way to access all of these needs would be through […]
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) recently announced the next Deaf person who will be signing American Sign Language (ASL) at the Super Bowl LV 2021: Warren “Wawa” Snipe! Wawa is a Deaf rapper and recording artist in the Hip Hop world, and he hopes to put Deaf recording artists on the map in […]
by Anonymous | 03 June 2020 For many humans all over the world, our names are one of the first things we receive that differentiates us from everyone else. Names can signify many things about a certain individual, such as their culture or the culture of their parents (Evans). For instance, the name “Antoinette” could signify […]
Social Media has been growing and changing in the last couple of years! It’s now a big part of many people’s lives. When having a conversation with another person, someone probably will ask you, “Can I add you on Facebook?” “What’s your Instagram?” or “Check it out on Twitter!” Social Media networks are now new […]
by Amanda Rolfe | January 13, 2020 American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters facilitate communication between people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people who can hear. Sign language interpreters must be fluent in English and in ASL, which combines signing, fingerspelling and specific body language. ASL is a separate language from English and […]
As a beginner who is learning American Sign Language (ASL), there are many basic ASL signs that you should know, such as the American Sign Language alphabet and weather! In this video, you’ll learn how different weather in ASL. You’ll also notice that some signs look like the word they’re representing! It is known as […]
by Olivia Honeycutt | 25 September 2019 The entire world is a built for Hearing people. Despite having no real connection to one another, no defining features other than those that come with being human, they are considered to be what is “normal.” Where Hearing society is defined simply by being able to hear without […]
A new limited event series, based on Stephan King’s novel, is currently airing on CBS. The miniseries sparked a protest from the Deaf communities, especially Deaf actors, because they cast a hearing actor to play a Deaf character. The character, Nick Andros, is Deaf and sign American Sign Language (ASL). As a Black Deaf filmmaker/TV […]
by Anonymous As a doctor holding a Ph.D. in school psychology who has previously specialized in assessment of the intellectual and educational abilities of children, I have learned much about the importance of, and make every attempt to utilize, cultural sensitivity when assessing students who have been referred for evaluation who are outside of the […]
