Key materials leave out vital information
A history of oppression
their child a cochlear implant , they are no doubt making the best choices they can with the information and understanding they have about growing up and living in a world where most people can hear .
But too often they miss out on key support for themselves , and for their kids , from the Deaf community , which I am a part of – as the deaf mother of a deaf son – and which I study professionally . People who are deaf or hard-of-hearing , and those with average hearing all use sign language – the most common of which in the U . S . is American Sign Language – to fully understand and express themselves in ways that go beyond speech , and help each other navigate the challenges presented in a hearing world .
Key materials leave out vital information
According to the U . S . Food and Drug Administration , some of the benefits of having a cochlear implant include being able to understand speech without lip reading , making telephone calls , watching TV and enjoying music .
Many professional websites maintained by hearing implant specialists boast that deaf and hard-of-hearing children can be successfully trained to speak and hear for full integration in their communities .
But these sources leave out key information , such as the common need for assistance in school even after getting a cochlear implant . Their primary focus , as with many consultations with hearing specialists , audiologists and speech therapists , is on helping deaf and hard-of-hearing children learn to listen and speak .
These efforts downplay or ignore the idea that there are other ways deaf and hard-of-hearing people can communicate , without hardship or difficulty . For instance , on the U . S . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website section about screening for congenital deafness , the emphasis is on providing deaf and hard-of-hearing children early intervention services to avoid delays in learning to speak . Information on American Sign Language is reached only by clicking to another page and reading through a bullet list of technical jargon like “ auditoryoral ” and “ cued speech .”
A history of oppression
Over decades , even centuries , the Deaf community in the U . S . and around the world has been ignored , and even repressed , by mainstream hearing society .
As far back as the 19th century , educators of deaf people , such as telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell , have tended to believe that speaking
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Accessibilty for All 35