Deaf history focuses, in large part, on a centuries-long struggle over ways to overcome a heritage of discrimination by the hearing world and to provide better opportunities for the hearing-impaired. Language lies at the center of this debate. While some endorse sign language as the natural method of communication and education for the deaf, others believe that deaf people should learn spoken and written language so they can be mainstreamed with the rest of society. With the appearance of such recent technological innovations as the cochlear implant, questions of community, language, integration and identity continue to rage. - Sound and Fury http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury/index.html
In a large world filled with over seven billion people and growing at an exponential rate, it may seem that you hardly ever hear about or see successful Deaf and hard of hearing people but the opposite is actually true! They may not always be in the spotlight or be the most famous celebrity but there are thousands of successful Deaf and hard of hearing people out there that would serve as a great role model for some of your Deaf and had of hearing students!
Check out this list: http://www.start-american-sign-language.com/famous-deaf-people.html
Check out this list: http://www.start-american-sign-language.com/famous-deaf-people.html
This is just a small series of YouTube videos that were created as a visual summary of highlighted events within the history of the Deaf and hard of hearing. Countless more videos can be found on YouTube as well as published documentaries showcasing the history and struggles of the deaf and hard of hearing and Deaf Culture.
*Scroll down to bottom of this page to find a list of websites where you can research the documentaries and purchase them if interested.*
*Scroll down to bottom of this page to find a list of websites where you can research the documentaries and purchase them if interested.*
A visual horizontal time line can also be found at this website: http://www.deafjam.org/timeline.html
Gallaudet University has an extensive Video Library that is worth checking out: http://videocatalog.gallaudet.edu/
Gallaudet University has an extensive Video Library that is worth checking out: http://videocatalog.gallaudet.edu/
List of Published Documentaries about Deaf Culture and the struggles and history of the Deaf and hard of hearing: