Knowing Your Disability - The History of Deafness
History has not always been kind to those born deaf; early historical accounts tell us that the ancient Greeks thought deaf people incapable of education and early religious accounts viewed children afflicted with deafness as evidence of God’s anger; however, in the 1600s, the Benedictine monk Pedro Ponce de Leon thought differently. He developed a means to teach deaf people to speak. At about the same time in Italy, Geronimo Cardano, a physician, successfully taught his deaf son to communicate using a variety of symbols.
- In 1760, the French priest Charles Michel de L’Eppe, created a free public school for the deaf – the first of its kind. He developed a system that used finger spelling and signs. By 1788, he had published a French sign language dictionary.
- Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, was also a deaf educator in the mid to late 1800s. His mother was born hard of hearing and his father worked on a form of sign language called “visible speech.” He used the funds from his telephone invention to develop the Volta Bureau, a school to teach hearing-impaired children.
- In World War I and II, deaf citizens aided the war effort through defense work, volunteer efforts and military service. While most deaf people were excused from military service, the adult children of deaf parents were a great asset to the armed forces, who used sign language as a “secret language” to communicate sensitive information.
For more information on the history of deafness, visit these sites:
- Sound and Fury -- The History of Deafness: PBS delves into the history of deafness and details the battles of those who are deaf against discrimination and their struggle to be heard.
- The History of Deaf Culture: From the Kansas School of the Deaf, we learn about the history of the deaf culture.
- The History of Hearing Loss: Hearing loss has plagued people since the beginning of man’s history.
- Deaf People & World War II: A resource website with insight into deaf culture during the Second World War
Hearing Loss Causes
Hearing loss can be congenital, meaning from birth, or occur as a result of a disease or accident. Some of the diseases that affect hearing include Scarlet Fever, Meningitis, Mumps and Measles. Traumatic skull or ear injuries, exposure to loud sounds, ear pressure problems incurred while scuba diving and more can lead to permanent full or partial hearing loss.
Hearing loss occurs in one of two areas: a conductive hearing loss, which is due to a mechanical problem within the outer or inner ear known as CHL, or sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), which has to do with the tiny nerve cells in the ear experiencing injury, disease or malfunction.
To find out more about causes of hearing loss, visit:
- U.S. National Institute for Health: The causes of hearing loss.
Living with Deafness
More than 20 million people in the United States identify themselves as hard of hearing, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Hearing assistive technology has helped helps bridge any communication gap as a result of hearing loss. For the hearing-impaired, most auditory devices, such as phones, doorbells, alarms are equipped with flashing lights or some kind of visual signal to alert them, and further technology to allow them to communicate. Cars outfitted with special equipment that alerts the deaf driver to ambulance, police or fire truck sirens allow the deaf to own and drive vehicles. Other assistance comes in the form of cochlear implants, hearing aids and the use of specially trained assistance dogs.
To find out more about deaf culture visit:
- Dogs for the Deaf: A non-profit association, the Dogs for the Deaf rescues and trains dogs to assist those who are deaf.
- The National Association for the Deaf: An organization dedicated to protecting and ensuring the civil rights of the deaf.
- The National Theater for the Deaf: To employ and train deaf artists and produce plays geared to the deaf.
- Deaf Life: The story of how the magazine, “Deaf Life” came to be.
- USA Deaf Sports Federation: A site that shares the stories and accomplishment of deaf athletes.
- European Deaf Sports Organization: A consortium and organization consisting of European deaf athletes.
- American Society for Deaf Children: A network that helps families with hearing-impaired children stay updated with news, information and resources.
- Deaf Teens: A site dedicated to hearing-impaired teens and their support communities.
Hearing Aids
In 1892, the first electrical hearing aid was invented and powered by large batteries, allowing many hearing-impaired people heard for the first time. Technology continued to develop and new assistive technology became available. One of the most notable advances is the cochlear implant. Approved for testing in 1985, cochlear implants are available to those whose medical condition warrants them. These implants can help deaf persons gain the ability to understand speech and may help deaf children speak more effectively and clearly. Cochlear implants use advanced technology, including an electronic element surgically implanted into the ear, a small, exterior microphone (usually fitted around the ear), a speech processor, a transmitter and a sender/receiver.
- The Deafness Research Foundation: Learn about the work being done into deafness research.
- Cochlear Implants: The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders explains the cochlear implant.
Research is ongoing for help those who are deaf and, according to the Deafness Research Foundation, scientists are now researching deafness at the cellular level.
American Sign Language
Society has tried a variety of means to communicate with the deaf, mostly widely recognized is American Sign Language. American Sign Language has its beginnings in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, which, with a large deaf community, developed its own alternative language.
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, the namesake for Gallaudet University, formed the first school for the deaf in the U.S., the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut; which led to the development of other schools for the deaf throughout the country. Thomas’ son, Edward, establishes the first college for the deaf, the National College for the Deaf and Dumb in 1864 with a charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln.
American Sign Language grew out of the combination of the French Sign Language, the sign language used by those at Martha’s Vineyard and the signs developed by Abbé de l’Épée at the Royal Institution for the Deaf. ASL morphed from all of these variations combined together and used at Thomas Gallaudet’s school.
- American-Speech Language Association: An organization committed ensuring those with hearing issues receive the services that help them to communicate.
- The History of Sign Language: A site sharing the history of sign language.
- Gallaudet University: A university geared specifically to the deaf.
Famous Deaf People
Deafness does not need to define a person or dictate one’s life path. There have been many notable deaf individuals throughout history who have positively impacted the deaf community and society as a whole.
- The famous speaker and lecturer, Helen Keller, born deaf and blind, who learned to communicate through the efforts of her teacher, Anne Sullivan.
- Ferdinand Bertheir, founder of the world’s deaf organization was the first deaf person bestowed with the French Legion of Honor.
- Williams Elsworth Hoy, American baseball player and fielder is accredited with help in establishing baseballs’ sign language.
- Deaf artists include the American sculptor Douglas Tilden and American artist and painters Granville Redmond and Will Quinlan.
- Sean Forbes, a musician and deaf rapper started the Deaf Professional Artists Network after graduating from NTID in 2008.
Learn More About Famous Deaf People
- Bernard Bragg: The life and history of a deaf theater performer and actor.
- Sean Forbes: A graduate from the National Technical Institute for the deaf is a rapper who didn’t let his deafness get in the way of his music.
- Deaf Teen Earns Motorcross Gold: A story about deaf teen Ashley Fiolek and her Women’s Moto X Super X First Place win.
- Deaf Teen America: Brook Stanfield and Keith Brooks received their winning crowns.
- Deaf Professional Artists Network: A network of deaf artists and musicians.
- Deaf Scientist Corner: A site that shares the biographies of famous deaf scientists.