Little attention paid
and listening are critical to functioning in the broader society . As a result , they have discouraged children from learning to sign , even though research shows that if kids can communicate effectively without speaking , they ’ ll be more interested in learning speech .
This resulted in the methods used to teach generations of deaf Americans , including me , at schools for the deaf . I was not allowed to use American Sign Language in the classroom , but rather what was called the “ Rochester Method ,” a combination of speech and fingerspelling .
Attendance at these schools , which are mostly residential , has been declining since the 1975 passage of the first federal law requiring public school systems to offer a range of education options for students with different medical or physical conditions , including hearing loss . One option was placement in mainstream schools with aides for assistance .
But public schools aren ’ t always good at supporting deaf and hard-of-hearing students , who often struggle to follow along and fit in at school , including classrooms , hallways , cafeterias and recreational spaces – all of which can be very noisy , making it hard to distinguish one person ’ s voice from another .
Little attention paid
All this history helps explain why there is so little research about the Deaf community , and why officials and families often don ’ t know much about it .
There is no recent census data or systematic research on the use of American Sign Language . The best figure I ’ ve ever found was published in 2004 , when the University of Iowa ’ s Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 people in the U . S . – both deaf and hearing – used American Sign Language .
In my personal and professional experience , this group – the Deaf community – is made up of people who are well equipped to support the mental , emotional and social health of deaf and hardof-hearing children and their families . They participate fully in society , holding a wide range of jobs unhindered by the limits on their hearing . And they have come to understand the role of deafness in their own identities and lives . The
HeART of Deaf Culture website offers a selection of creative works that present profound insight for Deaf identity affirmation .
Yet deaf children who are taught to speak often struggle with language delays through childhood and into adulthood . Teaching them to sign , however , can help them fully express their thoughts , feelings and ideas , and find acceptance and connection with others with similar experiences . I believe these children deserve to be taught to sign , to celebrate their deaf identity .
And many parents of deaf children want more help from the Deaf community than they are able to find . A 2018 survey found that just 27 % of hearing families with a deaf child were connected with deaf adults to help support their child .
One parent told the surveyors : “ I wish we could have a deaf mentor or at least access to a program . I really would like to have a deaf person weekly in our home teaching us .” And 8 % of parents of deaf children reported wanting access to instruction in American Sign Language .
But there are not enough signfluent professionals available to meet that need .
36 Accessibilty for All