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April is Deaf History Month

Deaf History Month was established to create awareness for the rich history of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The American Library Association and National Association of the Deaf initially designated March 13–April 15 of every year as Deaf History Month to recognize significant historical landmarks in deaf and hard of hearing education. The celebrations were later moved to the full month of April in 2022.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community

The term Deaf and Hard of Hearing refers to individuals who have experienced hearing loss at any point in their life. Hearing loss can range from mild to severe and can affect one or both ears. Causes for hearing loss can occur throughout different developmental stages of a person's life or can result from physical trauma. As a result, there are different types of hearing loss and available assistive technology for people to use based on what part of their hearing is affected. People who are deaf or hard of hearing use a variety of communication methods including American Sign Language.

Despite advancements in technology, hearing loss remains undertreated. More than 28 million adults in the U.S. could benefit from using a hearing aid but only 20% of them use one. This largely due to the high cost of hearing aids and the fact that many states and employers do not cover hearing aids in their health insurance plans. While some hearing aids are more readily available, some adults who are deaf or hard of hearing may choose not to use them due to their culture perspective and beliefs.

Demographic Trends

Historically, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities have been underserved and excluded from mainstream culture. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 2 to 3 of every 1,000 infants born in the U.S. are affected by detectable hearing loss in one or both ears. The majority of children who are deaf and hard of hearing are born to hearing parents, who often don’t know sign language. As a result, most children who are deaf or hard of hearing are not provided with adequate support or appropriate language acquisition tools within the first five years of their life. This presents additional barriers for students learning how to read.

Given these barriers and lack of support, deaf and hard of hearing individuals experience lower levels of educational attainment both nationally and in Indiana. In 2017, 3% of all adult Hoosiers were deaf or hard of hearing. Only 12% of those Hoosiers obtained a bachelor’s degree in Indiana compared to 26% of their hearing peers. Both national and Indiana data shows almost half of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing are not participating in the labor force. This is likely due to additional barriers candidates face when applying for jobs. Individuals with intersecting identities—such as gender, race, ethnicity and additional disabilities—experienced further disparities in their educational attainment, employment rates and median income.

American Sign Language

While ASL was developed in 1800s, it was not widely accepted as a language until William Stokoe published “Sign Language Structure” in 1960. Exclusion of black children from deaf schools during segregation and variations in rhythm, slang and expressions have led to regional accents and creation of new dialects. Today, visibility for ASL is more common and celebrated but there are still ASL interpreter shortages and educational barriers for children.

Call to action

  • Refer to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing etiquette guide by the World Institute on Disability to learn more about best practices for engaging individuals in that community. Learn more about Deaf culture by clicking this link.
  • Check out the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services page for more resources and links to workshops.
    • The DHHS program within the Division of Disability and Rehabilitative  advocates for needs and rights of Hoosiers and FSSA staff who are deaf and hard of hearing. DHHS provides a variety of services including advocacy, case management services, hearing aid information, interpreter service programs, coordinating ADA accommodations, among others.
  • Provide appropriate ADA accommodations when they are requested (e.g., qualified sign language interpreters, certified deaf interpreters, CART transcription, speech to text apps, etc.).
    • Provide interpreters with as much information beforehand so they can be better prepared for their sessions.
    • Turn on live-captioning during virtual calls for those who may need it.
    • Public events: accommodations should be provided whether or not a deaf or hard of hearing person attends. If accommodations are requested, follow-up to find out specifically what accommodations are needed.
    • General meetings in offices: ask the person who is deaf or hard of hearing about what accommodation they prefer.
  • Use plain language when writing to make information accessible to those who may have disabilities.

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