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In the documentary, See What I'm Saying, we see actor Robert DeMayo, singer TL Forsberg, comedian CJ Jones, and drummer Bob Hiltermann face setbacks and make combacks as they take their shots at success as Deaf people in a hearing world.
(See What I'm Saying, 2009)
Audism is coined term refering to the discrimination of Deaf individuals. It is defined as the belief that one is superior based on their ability to hear, speak, or act like one who hears and/or speaks.
Audism effects the lives of every Deaf individual, and is often the cause of discrimination and lack of accommodation.
Many people within the Deaf community feel frustrated, left out, isolated, and overall NOT understood by the hearing people around them. Discrimination is never acceptable, which is why laws must be put in place to prevent discrimination under the law.
(Audism Unveiled, 2008)
This act was passed in 1973 to stop discrimination against individuals considered by law to be disabled, including Deaf individuals. This act allows Deaf U.S. citizens to recieve the same employment and accessibility as hearing persons under any program, company, or activity funded by the U.S. governement. This includes:
And many other federally funded services and programs
(Laws and Legislation, 2021)
Marc Chisolm, a Deaf New Jersey citizen, was denied an interpreter in court, resulting in his incarceration for almost a week. 5 of those days were spent in solitary confinement and Chisolm was falsely noted as suicidal. His arrest warrant was initially issued for failure to show up to required classes after a DUI. When Chisolm did show up to those courses, there was no interpreter and he was told to go home. He was finally able to contact his attorney, Smit, 4 days after his arrest, who was told the jail was unable to provide interpreters or TTYs. Chisolm was incarcerated due to his deafness, and was not given due process through the legal system. These events are why laws such as the Rehabilitation Act are so important.
(Laws and Legislation, 2021)
Previously titled Law PL 94-142, the IDEA act provides a free and appropriate education for all children who are considered disabled under the law. This law requires an education in the Least Restrictive Environment and an annual Individualized Education Program be provided, to ensure that the child recieves the education they are entitled to. This law was a big step in the education of Deaf children and allowed millions of Deaf individuals to access the education that was kept from them for years
(Laws and Legislation, 2021)
State residential schools
Neighborhood/mainstream schools
(Educational Options for Deaf Children, 2021)
Like any child, education is vital to mental and social development. It is even more important in Deaf children as they do not have the same modes of communication and socialization as hearing children. Tommy Tranchin, a profoundly Deaf child, was 1 year old when his parents discovered his degree of hearing loss. His parents, unsure of how to raise a Deaf child, put Tommy in a mainstream school with speach therapy. Tommy was unable to talk like the average hearing child, and often did not know how to socialize with other children. He was left without a method of communication, and as a result, his development was delayed in his early years of life. Tommy was not put in the Least Restrictive Environment for his abilities.
(For A Deaf Son, 1993)
The ADA is a civil rights law that extends to individuals considered disabled by law. This law states that individuals with "disabilities" have the same rights as non-disabled individuals in accessing employement, government services, public accomodations, and telecommunications. Under this law, facilities are required to make themselves accessible to "disabled" individuals, within reasonable limits.
(Laws and Legislation, 2021)
Darrin, Anna, and their son D.J. Majocha were denied an ASL interpreter at their sons pediatrician.
Darrin and Anna arranged their hearing son, D.J's, pediatric ENT visit. When they informed the office that Darrin would need an interpreter for the visit, the office refused and told Anna she would have to come to the appointment alone or interpret for Darrin. Represented by the NAD law center, the Majocha family sued the doctors office after several pleas for an interpreter, and won. This case set the tone to amend discriminatory policies by taking these civil rights violations to the federal court.
By denying the Majocha's an interpreter for their doctor's visit, this office violated the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act.
(Majocha Settlement, 2002)
For 90 years, after Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, Deaf individuals were forced to rely on hearing people for their telecommunications, unable to make emergency or personal calls.
It wasn't until 1960, when the teletypwriter (TTY) was invented by Robert Weitbrecht, that Deaf individuals could communicate with eachother without being face-to-face. This device modeled after a typwriter, allowed two people to type messages to each other through the transmission of elecrtical pulses over a wire. The pulses would then be translated into printed messages, allowing communication.
Under the ADA, alternative methods of communications are required to be provided to Deaf individuals in the U.S.
(Through Deaf Eyes, 2007)
Some laws/bills that are less well known, but still relevant to the Deaf community:
While these laws are not specific to d/Deaf individuals, they still effect their rights and should be known.
(Laws and Legislation, 2021)
45+ states in the U.S. require, by law, that newborns are screened for hearing loss, and most require treatment or follow-up care for children with hearing loss. Ohio's law was put in place in 2002, requiring that all newborns be screened, follow-up care be provided, and services are covered by insurance.
(Newborn Hearing Screening, 2021)
Born in 2000 to parents Apryl and Raj, Zahra was born Deaf. The hospital did not provide hearing screenings for newborn, and the new, young parents knew little about babies. Alarms would sound and Zahra would sleep through them. By 20 months, she only had a vocabulary of mama and dada. Zahra's first pediatrician assured the Chauhan's that many kids dont develop speech until the age of 3. When Zahra was seen by a substitue pediatrician at the age of 2, they immediately recommended a hearing test, and discovered she was Deaf.
A hearing screen two years prior could have made an immense difference in the Chauhan's lives. Zahra lost two fundamental years of language development while Apryl and Raj lost two years of time to educate themselves.
Requiring newborn hearing screening is a great way to ensure that the best steps can be taken from birth to help every Deaf child develop properly.
(Far From The Tree, 2014)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QRe0xVobdn5IIvlBkr8GwxpVP2h2-KfHe-STDd9M8Oc/edit?usp=sharing
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