Bridging the worlds of the deaf and the hearing

[pam]

Steven Kapp Perry asked if I would share this story with those on lds.net.

It's a remarkable interview with someone who was born deaf, had cochlear implants done and joined the church. She gives some wonderful tips on how we, as members of the church, can help bridge that gap.

http://www.deseretnews.com/media/img/misc/SKP-INTERVIEW-with-Emily-Thomas-2012.pdf

[bytebear]

What a great story. I dated a deaf girl briefly in High School, and I remember we would be driving, and as the sun set she would say, "Turn on the dome light, I can't hear you." Good times.

[Guest]

I'm currently teaching Primary ASL for I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus. We sang Christmas Bells last Christmas in ASL too. We have the School for the Deaf and the Blind in our Stake so we have lots of ASL-speaking (uh, signing?) folks.

One thing I always wonder is - how do you whisper in ASL? LOL. Also, be careful that you don't gossip - the ASL folks can read your lips...

[Traveler]

How much can currently be solved by science? How much consideration for a hearing condition should be expected by someone that prefers not hearing over hearing?

Of course we should all; always be kind and compassionate.

The Traveler

[annewandering]

I'm currently teaching Primary ASL for I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus. We sang Christmas Bells last Christmas in ASL too. We have the School for the Deaf and the Blind in our Stake so we have lots of ASL-speaking (uh, signing?) folks.

One thing I always wonder is - how do you whisper in ASL? LOL. Also, be careful that you don't gossip - the ASL folks can read your lips...

Whisper by shielding the hand from onlookers with the other hand. :) Would be very handy I am thinking even for hearing people. Picture: Children in sacrament misbehaving. Parent can discipline without disturbing anyone!!

[Guest]

How much can currently be solved by science? How much consideration for a hearing condition should be expected by someone that prefers not hearing over hearing?

Of course we should all; always be kind and compassionate.

The Traveler

In the USA, everybody is free to be who they want to be and get full support, even from government, as long as it doesn't break existing laws. I mean, isn't that why we have para espanol, marque el numero dos?

Of course, we don't have to learn ASL just like we don't have to learn Spanish. Because, if we can't understand each other, we are always free to press 1 for English.

The gospel is here for all people of all walks of life in any language, time, or season. Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me. Uhm, not sure if I got that song right.

[annewandering]

How much can currently be solved by science? How much consideration for a hearing condition should be expected by someone that prefers not hearing over hearing?

Of course we should all; always be kind and compassionate.

The Traveler

I am not quite sure what you are saying here. Are you saying anyone who cant hear is choosing that over hearing? What makes you think that? There are some pretty fantastic new ways being found to help the hearing impaired but it would be a huge surprise if all hearing problems can be fixed. Some are, no doubt, way to expensive and experimental as well.

When the day comes that all physical problems can be fixed well that would be nice wouldnt it, but I highly doubt we are there yet, even just in hearing.

[estradling75]

I am not quite sure what you are saying here. Are you saying anyone who cant hear is choosing that over hearing? What makes you think that? There are some pretty fantastic new ways being found to help the hearing impaired but it would be a huge surprise if all hearing problems can be fixed. Some are, no doubt, way to expensive and experimental as well.

When the day comes that all physical problems can be fixed well that would be nice wouldnt it, but I highly doubt we are there yet, even just in hearing.

I believe Traveler if referring to a certain aspect of Deaf culture.

Like any group of people who feel prosecuted because they are different, the Deaf (and to a lesser extent the Hearing Impaired) have banded together to form their own sub group (aka Deaf Culture) It this sub group being Deaf is not seen as a disability. it is seen as part of who they are. Therefore when things like the cochlear implant it brought up it gets seen much the same as someone coming on this forum and saying 'There is this surgical operation that will make you no longer be a Mormon.' If you can imagine how well that would go over here then you can empathize with how they feel. While we might not understand it, there is a strong push against it.

Please note in the article how she dances around her choice to get the implant and how she empathizes it as her choice and how she didn't really feel connected to the Deaf Culture. I think she is trying to walk a very fine line here.

[Guest]

I am not quite sure what you are saying here. Are you saying anyone who cant hear is choosing that over hearing? What makes you think that? There are some pretty fantastic new ways being found to help the hearing impaired but it would be a huge surprise if all hearing problems can be fixed. Some are, no doubt, way to expensive and experimental as well.

When the day comes that all physical problems can be fixed well that would be nice wouldnt it, but I highly doubt we are there yet, even just in hearing.

Not sure if that's what Traveler is saying...

But, I just want to note that there are people whose hearing impairment can be fixed by the latest advances in occular implants or even the latest advances in hearing aids but they refuse to wear it prefering to be hearing impaired for myriads of reasons ranging from "I am more comfortable with not hearing because I get sensory overload" to "I was born like this, there is nothing wrong with me".

[annewandering]

Those implants are known to have some problems as well. The noise can be quite irritating and it is an operation. I would imagine it is not easy to be thrown into a new life and people, quite different than what you have been used to, in many cases from birth.

To us it would seem like a nobrainer but then again we havent been in their subculture. Perhaps one of the best things we could do for them is to help them to transition and to respect their ties to the deaf community. :)

[Vort]

I understand and have no problem with the deaf community eschewing cochlear implants. What fries my bacon is when they take steps to insure that their children are raised in a non-hearing environment.

[annewandering]

I understand and have no problem with the deaf community eschewing cochlear implants. What fries my bacon is when they take steps to insure that their children are raised in a non-hearing environment.

That is a good point although I would hope it wasn't something commonly done. What is their reasoning for doing that?

[Iggy]

refuse to wear it prefering to be hearing impaired for myriads of reasons ranging from "I am more comfortable with not hearing because I get sensory overload"

This I can relate to- during some RS functions, the women can get overly loud and it hurts my ears. So- I turn off my aids.

Can't even attend church functions where all of the children will be present, such as Halloween party at the Branch, or Easter breakfast and egg hunt. Their little high pitched voices overload my hearing aids.

Then there are the adults who barely speak above a whisper. Even when asked to speak up and into my face, because my hearing aids are not picking up your voice. I turn my aids up and guess what? The furnace running drowns out their voices. Turning up the volume on the microphone doesn't help either, it gives off a static hum that I can hear and not the voice.

[estradling75]

This I can relate to- during some RS functions, the women can get overly loud and it hurts my ears. So- I turn off my aids.

Can't even attend church functions where all of the children will be present, such as Halloween party at the Branch, or Easter breakfast and egg hunt. Their little high pitched voices overload my hearing aids.

Then there are the adults who barely speak above a whisper. Even when asked to speak up and into my face, because my hearing aids are not picking up your voice. I turn my aids up and guess what? The furnace running drowns out their voices. Turning up the volume on the microphone doesn't help either, it gives off a static hum that I can hear and not the voice.

Then there is the hard to avoid feedback squeal... Hearing Aids have to have the mic and the speakers really close together so they fit in the ear... any loud noise can set off a feedback loop... right in your ear... ughhh.

Newer Hearing Aid talk about noise reduction and voice capture filtering... but really there is only so much they can do.

[Traveler]

I realize my opinion sounds quite harsh to many - that was not my intent. I realize that in one way or another we all suffer challenges in life. From the moment we are born the only sure thing that we all can count on happening is that we will all die.

I also realize that most have a more difficult time in life than I do and that I should do all I can to assist everyone in their life journey. I do not know why I am lucky but my life is not over yet - I am still alive.

I do not think I should apologize for the good fortune I enjoy yet I do believe in helping others. But with all this in mind - I believe it to also be true that should I attempt to assist others beyond what they are willing to do themselves for themselves - they will despise and hate me for my efforts.

In addition, if anyone with any impairment expects to do less to "fit in" than what they expect of me to help them fit in - then indeed their impairment is a very real handicap. But to all those that are willing to do more to overcome whatever their impairment is than what they expect of others to react to their impairment - then their impairment is not a handicap and I have discovered that they really dislike being treated as though their impairment is an actual handicap.

The Traveler

[Iggy]

Then there is the hard to avoid feedback squeal... Hearing Aids have to have the mic and the speakers really close together so they fit in the ear... any loud noise can set off a feedback loop... right in your ear... ughhh.

Newer Hearing Aid talk about noise reduction and voice capture filtering... but really there is only so much they can do.

I only get the feedback squeal when someone hugs me, and blocks the air vent on the hearing aid, OR when my aids are dirty:( I have digital aids now. The linear ones, yep there was feedback if there was a microphone any where in the room with me.