Hearing

Hearing aids (Carrie's cousin) (Kourtney's grandfather) [|Gallaudet] university for the deaf [|American Sign Language Online Browser] [|Free ASL Lessons] [|DeafPeople.com] [|Deaf.com] Here is the link to the House episode that we watching during class about a deaf boy who receives a cochlear implant.


 * Every country has its own sign language - ours is derived from the French version**

Movie: [|At First Sight] (1999)

email: shealilly@gmail.com (Shea and Michelle Lilly were the people who came in and "spoke" about Shea's experience being deaf)

Something that I found interesting about Shea and Michelle was something that Michelle mentioned during their presentation. She said that even if he were to get his hearing back, just like in the movie we watched on Thursday (At First Sight), he would have no idea what the sounds he was hearing are. He has never heard what a word sounds like. He would have to learn it just like a child would have to learn to talk. Using a cochlear implant is a way of gaining your hearing back. Although there are benefits there are a lot of risks, as you can see in this [|FDA article]. Some of people who have used these implants say that what they hear is somewhat mechanical. It most, if not all of these scenarios, it sounds like all the people who have used this method have lost only some of their hearing and none have been totally deaf.

A hearing aid, as opposed to a cochlear implant, only amplifies sounds. A cochlear implant helps people who are deaf or severely hard of hearing to have a sense of sound. The sounds heard through an implant are not the same as regular hearing. A lot of people say that voices sound mechanical through the implant. Here are a few accounts of people after they have received a cochlear implant. [|Cochlear Implant Stories].

Mr. Matthews came in and taught basic ASL (American Sign Language) This is the alphabet... we also learned basic words and talked about maybe starting a club or class if there is enough interest.

I found a website about American Sign Language, and it includes the entire alphabet and a dictionary with common phrases. When you click on the phrase you want to learn there is a video of a women showing you how to do the sign. [|American Sign Language]

One thing we learned was that sign language is different in every country. This seems a little strange, because you imagine sign language as being a universal thing, but it isnt that surprising, because it is just like any other language, and most countries have different languages. This is an example of how sign language is different in another country: [|British Sign Alphabet] =Deaf Culture= One thing that Shea brought up was the concept of deaf culture. I wanted to do a little more research and find out the definition of the culture, why it is such a tight group, and how they are different from those who are of hearing. One definition I found was that the community holds deafness as a different life experience rather than a disability. The deaf community is usually composed of individuals who communicate by sign language, interpreters, have attended a deaf school, or have deafness in the family. I was wondering what someone would have to do to be, and if they could be, accepted into this community if they did not have any history of this usual criterias. Also, some people characterize themselves as part of the deaf community, but who makes those clarifications? Usually, someone in a family with a deaf member characterizes themselves as a part of the community. This is usually a child of an adult who is deaf. There is an organization called the CODA, standing for Children Of Deaf Adults, which holds annual support conferences. The things that the society does to support these people is amazing! One thing I thought was really interesting was that many people who are deaf don't want to regain their hearing. This seems suprising, but many either like their culture and like being different, or are too afraid of the change it would bring to themselves and their family.