d/Deaf culture

Deaf vs deaf

• Many labels used for people within the disabled community surrounding hearing, but the most accepted are “deaf”, “Deaf,” and “hard of hearing”

• Lowercase “deaf” refers to the audiological condition of not hearing, and the uppercase “Deaf” refers to a particular group of deaf people who share a language, ASL, and a culture

• Could be different from those who have lost their hearing due to illness, trauma, or age, and are not aware of the beliefs and practices of Deaf people

• “Hard of Hearing” can denote a person with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, or can denote a deaf person who doesn’t want an affiliation with the Deaf community

Communicating with Deaf individuals

• When first meeting a deaf person, do not make assumptions about the individual’s communication

• *Hearing aids and cochlear implants do not restore hearing back to normal, hearing levels depend on the degree of hearing loss

• Writing, gestures, speech, sign language, technology, and visual aids are all possibilities to be explored

• Get the attention of the individual before speaking, if no response, a light tap on the shoulder

• Speak clearly and at a normal pace, do not yell or over enunciate

• Look directly at the individual while speaking

• Do not cover mouth or look around while speaking

• If you need to repeat, rephrase the thought. Some words are harder to understand than others; rephrasing allows for opportunities to understand what was previously missed

• Use visual aids, gestures, and body language when appropriate