Deaf Community introductionThe Deaf Way Foundation

Objectives• To explain what deafness is and its effect on life

experience• To answer questions and dispel myths• To teach some basic Sign Language and how to

communicate with Deaf people• To help understand the Deaf community and its

culture• To explain how Deaf people experience

discrimination• To describe the current education of Deaf children• To discuss laws and current campaigns of Deaf

people

Quiz – True or False1) ALL Deaf people can talk2) ALL Deaf people use Sign Language3) Deaf people can NOT drive4) Deaf people are NOT clever5) Deaf people can NOT enjoy music6) Deaf people can NOT get jobs7) ALL Deaf people can lip read 8) Sign Language is the SAME all over the world9) Deaf people DON’T mind working in noisy

places10)Deaf people CAN do anything except hear

•The entire world was affected by the work of a deaf inventor who opened up half the day for us by creating the electric lamp. Until then we were diurnal creatures.

•Thomas Alva Edison lit up the night•Thomas Edison was deaf.

Paradigms of Disability•Medical model of disability or deafness:

▫Something is wrong that needs to be fixed/cured

•Social model of disability or deafness:▫Society, government and people cause

problems, barriers and discrimination▫Ignorance of needs of person creates the

problem, the person does not have a problem•Rights model

▫Sees people as having rights to food/health/family/participation in society...

Levels of deafness• Deafness is some level of hearing loss. • There are different levels of deafness.

Mild (25 to 40 dB loss)

May not hear quiet noises. Can understand most speech. Possibly uses telephone. Can happen to the elderly.

Moderate(41 to 70 dB loss)

May be difficult to understand speech, can not use telephone (unless with equipment), replies on lip reading, eye contact and gestures. Maybe uses Sign Language or a hearing aid.

Severe (71 to 90 dB loss)

Possibly uses Sign Language, maybe uses lip reading, may be culturally Deaf, may not hear loud noises like construction.

Profound (more than 90 dB loss)

Probably uses Sign Language, is culturally Deaf, may use lip reading, may not be able to hear loud noises like aeroplanes.

http://www.evdcweb.org/lessons/ts/audiogram.html

Types of deafness• Born Deaf• Acquired deafness (lose hearing in later

life)• Partially Deaf (some level of

deafness)• Hard of hearing is a milder form of deafness.• Older people lose hearing slowly sometimes

and need hearing aids• Army personnel in Artillery regiments have

been found to be affected with deafness as well from cannon fire.

Why causes deafness?

• Genetics (ONLY 10% of deafness is genetic)• Childhood illness – e.g. meningitis, mumps,

chicken pox• Premature birth• Mother contracts illness in pregnancy• Malnutrition and poor medical care in

pregnancy• Repeated severe ear infections in children• Injury – e.g. eardrum puncture

Statistics

• There are no definite statistics for India• Estimates suggest between 4 to 10 million

Deaf people • Urban deaf people would be more likely

to be going to schools and meeting more deaf and so more likely to use and know Indian Sign Language.

How do Deaf people communicate?

•ISL•Lip reading•Speech (sometimes)•SMS•Email•Video chat•Writing

•I feel deafness is the worse of my two disabilities, while blindness separates me from things, deafness separates me from people.

Helen Keller

How can you communicate with Deaf people?• Get their attention by waving • Touch on shoulder or arm• Speak slowly and clearly• Maintain eye contact• Use gestures/mime/body language• Repeat or rephrase• Learn some sign language and finger spelling• Don’t have bright sun or lights behind you• Make sure there is no visual disturbance• Try writing • Have patience

Exercise – Lip Reading • (2 sheets, pairs, different words. One person

has voice on, other person voice off and mouths words to see if other person can understand. Write down the words you understand)

•How did you do??•How far can you go like this. How would you

do if this was the only way of communication.•And remember you already know the

language

Finger spelling

•Take a look at the little handout and see if you can figure out the signs on it. Chances are that you will learn them in a few minutes. Please do.

•The deaf people you work with are going to be really happy that you learned some ISL.

•Hopefully soon you will be learning more.

What is Sign Language?

•Indian Sign Language (ISL) is a full language just like Hindi, Punjabi or Marathi

• ISL is the language of the Deaf Community of India

•ISL has it’s OWN grammar•Every country has it’s OWN sign language•ISL has regional differences just like the

different accents or languages of India

The truth is…..•Learning Sign language endears you to deaf

people•Sign language learning helps you explore a

whole new side to yourself.•Sign Language can be so much fun•When you learn sign language you show

respect for the deaf person who uses it to communicate

•Get ahead with winning deaf people’s confidence trust and loyalty with sign language.

Sign Language - www.deafsigns.org

Case Study 1 - CommunicationA Deaf woman was waiting for a bus

to go home. She was talking with friends when some boys started misbehaving. When they tried to get away, one boy molested her knowing she couldn’t communicate. She slapped the boy and two policemen came over. They pushed her and touched her inappropriately because they thought she was mentally disabled.

Case Study 2 – Interpreters

A Deaf man went to a government run hospital. The doctor refused to talk to him properly. There was no physical examination. The doctor prescribed the wrong medicine. When the Deaf man went back the doctor refused to speak to him. The man was not treated.

Sign Language Interpreters 1

Deaf Interpreter Hearing

Sign Language Interpreters 2

•Must know one sign language and one spoken language – e.g. ISL/ASL/Hindi/English

• Interpreter DOES NOT ‘help’• Interpreter empowers Deaf people to

communicate with hearing people•The interpreter facilitates clear easy

communication in real time.•There are NOT enough interpreters in

India

Case Study 3 – Education

Hi my name is Pratap, I was born deaf. I went to deaf school for 15 years and in all that time my teachers never learned to communicate with me properly. Why they could not learn sign language as all of us students I don’t understand. If they could sign to us then we would have understood our subjects.

Sachin Pokhriyal

•He was a great mime artist and dancer, fun guy, learned computers at our place. He was taken on by HCL as a try out.

•Sachin learned to work on SAP & in 2 months he was producing results.

•HCL hired on 6 more deaf young people. •They all earn upwards of 25k now. • I had the joy of attending 4 of the 5

weddings and 4 of the 4 first birthdays of the kids.

Deaf Education• There are around 1500 schools for the Deaf• Nearly ALL Schools for the Deaf teach with the

oral method (NO sign language used)• There are about HALF A MILLION Deaf children• Deaf children are allowed to go to mainstream

schools for hearing children but suffer due to attitudes and communication barriers

• There are no interpreters for schools or colleges.

Language Development in Deaf Children•Sign Language is the natural language of

Deaf people •Bilingual education is necessary (Sign and

Spoken Language) •Teaching in ISL first helps Deaf children

to learn another language and other subjects

•Global linguistic research shows the importance of Sign Language for Deaf children

Technology and Aids•Flashing doorbell (portable/fixed)•Baby alarms•Hearing aids (some Deaf do not get

benefit from these)•Video Interpreting Services -

www.signntalk.org • Internet/email/SMS/webcams•Vibrating alarm clock (portable/fixed)•Flashing Smoke/Fire alarm•Cochlear Implant

Case Study 4 – Discrimination

The deaf in India are not issued Driving licenses on health grounds. They are seen as medically unfit. The argument is that deaf cannot hear the horn.

Deaf people have gone to court on this issue and are now very actively advocating for the right to Drive.

Deaf Campaigns• Sign Language

medium of education for Deaf children

• To be allowed to legally drive

• For the creation of the post of

“Sign Language Interpreter”

Quiz – True or False – What 1) ALL Deaf people can talk2) ALL Deaf people use Sign Language3) Deaf people can NOT drive4) Deaf people are NOT clever5) Deaf people can NOT enjoy music6) Deaf people can NOT get jobs7) ALL Deaf people can lip read 8) Sign Language is the SAME all over the world9) Deaf people DON’T mind working in noisy

places10)Deaf people CAN do anything except hear

Contacts and More Information• The Deaf Way Foundation www.thedeafway.org

Address: 803 Sahyog Building (58), Nehru Place,

New Delhi, India – 110019Telephone: 011-41607261Email: info@thedeafway.org

• NAD – National Association of the Deaf www.nadindia.org

• ASLI – Association of Sign Language Interpreters www.signasli.org

• ISL Deaf Signs website www.deafsigns.org• Blog on Deaf issues and latest news

http://deafinindia.blogspot.com/