Deaf Culture & Libraries

Deaf culture °  deaf/Deaf ° ASL ° technology ° arts

The Internet

The Internet, with all of its possibilities for instant and visual communication, has been a powerful  force in  the Deaf Community.  John Michael Day, a librarian at Gallaudet University, writes that perhaps because it began as essentially a visual medium, "deaf people appear to have a particular affinity for the WWW." and that  because of this, there seems to be an "unusual wealth" of  resources for Deaf communities on-line. Chat, instant messaging are popular alternatives to TTYs, and there are many emerging possibilities such as wireless video-chat¹⁷. The Internet also provides opportunities for virtual reference services for Deaf and hearing library users.

Although the Internet and other messaging technologies have helped to build community and prevent isolation, some people are concerned that the ability to "chat" or Instant Message may be having a negative impact on some portions of Deaf Culture. Deaf Clubs, for instance, may be losing their central social role in Deaf Communities¹⁸. Most people, however, don't seem to be concerned and see this simply as a inevitable cultural change and an exciting opportunity for social and information exchange.  At any rate, the past few years have seen an explosion of Deaf Culture on the Internet which means there are many resources available to Deaf Communities,  libraries or anyone else wishing to learn more about Deaf Culture. For access to more on-line resources on Deaf Culture, please see the Links page.

It is important to remember that many members of the Deaf community have ASL as their first language, not English, so they may or may not feel comfortable with written English, or they may write out direct word-for-word translations of ASL. For some Deaf people, ASL may be their only language of access.

Other communication technologies
The first thing many people think in terms of communication technology for people who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing is probably TTY phones which enable d/Deaf people to use text through a regular phone line, and also allow for conversations with another person using a non-TTY telephone with translation through an operator. If a library offers phones for use by patrons, the ALA Guidelines¹⁹ Pagers with the ability to send and receive text messages are a popular alternative in some Deaf communities, especially among university students at schools like RIT or Gallaudet.

There are many adaptive technologies which allow d/Deaf people to do things like see a phone ring through flashing lights or similar functions. Libraries should make sure their emergency preparedness plan includes a warning device with visual cues to alert d/Deaf patrons or staff in the event of an emergency²⁰. To look at a day in the life of a Deaf students using various forms of technology, see this article called A High Tech Day in the Life of a Deaf student.

Video technology has also provided a venue for recording, sharing and publishing ASL materials such as ASL literature or signing books (which operate much like talking books but provide a video translation of books into ASL or other sign languages).

With the rate of change in emerging technologies it's hard to say what's to come. Today there is video conferencing, video chat, PC to TTY communication, and much more. Tomorrow - who knows?
For a more technical look at these and a wide range of communication technologies check out Gallaudet University's  Technology Access Program.


Cochlear implants
Though it is not the focus of this website, it is impossible to discuss Deaf Culture and technology without at mentioning cochlear implants. This particular technology has had a huge impact on Deaf Culture and continues to be a very political issue in d/Deaf communities.  The implants are able, for some people, to bring hearing to a person who was previously deaf, including babies who are born deaf.  Many members of Deaf communities see this procedure as an attempt to "fix" something which does not need fixing, since they do not see d/Deafness as a disability but a positive trait.  Some consider the technology a threat to the continuation of ASL, the thriving linguistic community that is built on ASL, and to Deaf culture itself.²¹

This is far too complex an issue to cover here, but a better understanding of the values of Deaf Culture may help those outside the community understand why the issue is so controversial.

For more information check out the National Association of the Deaf FAQ on Cochlear Implants or
their position paper on the subject. PBS also produced a documentary called Sound and Fury about Cochlear implants, and has an extensive website with information on how they work (also available in a flash version) and the debate surrounding this technolgy.