Deaf Culture Exam questions

Deaf Lit: works created by deaf authors or focused on deaf themes but not presented in ASL. Examples include novels, poetry, and essays that explore the deaf experience and identity, often challenging misconceptions and celebrating deaf culture.

ASL Lit: works created by deaf authors that utilize American Sign Language as their primary mode of expression, showcasing the unique linguistic and cultural aspects of the deaf community.

American Annals of the Deaf is the longest running educational journal in America since founded in 1847

5 genres of literature that represent deaf culture include autobiographies, plays, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

3 genres in ASL Lit are ASL poetry, ASL storytelling and ABC # stories

3 storytelling themes used in ASL are Visual Vernacular and Deaf experience, Preservation of deaf history and culture, and connections to nature and visual world

George Veditz who is a deaf leader and NAD made attempts to preserve the use of ASL in the early 20th century using film

Deaf Humor: Visual, Deaf Experience, Linguistic, and visual wordplay

3 factors that contributed deaf people to create visual art were the use of vision, expression of deaf experience and identity, and resistance to audism and affirmation of deaf culture

De,VIA Art is visual art that represents the Deaf experience

2 categories of De,VIA are affirmation art and resistance art

Deaf Culture art: reflects the values, experiences, and identity of the Deaf community, often addressing themes like Deaf history, language (especially American Sign Language), and the challenges and triumphs of living in a hearing world

General Art: encompasses a broader range of human experiences and does not necessarily focus on the Deaf experience. It reflects the diverse perspectives of all cultures and can cover an infinite variety of themes, from individual expression to universal ideas

The first professional theater of the Deaf was the National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD), founded in 1967

Two full-featured films performed in ASL:

  • "Children of a Lesser God" (1986): A drama featuring a Deaf woman, focusing on the intersection of Deaf culture and relationships.

  • "The Silent Child" (2017): A short film about a young Deaf girl and the struggles of communication and integration in a hearing world.

Music portrayed in the Deaf community:

  • Music is often experienced through vibrations or visual interpretations like music videos with captions, dance, or signed performances.

Seven historical and pragmatically based behaviors or customs in the Deaf community:

  1. Eye contact: Essential for communication, especially in group settings.

  2. Turn-taking in conversations: In group conversations, turn-taking is managed visually, and everyone waits for their turn to speak/sign.

  3. Deaf humor: Often involves visual jokes or wordplay using sign language.

  4. Name signs: A way of identifying individuals in the community with personalized signs.

  5. Cultural pride: Celebrating Deaf identity through events, sports, and advocacy.

  6. Use of visual alerting devices: Devices like flashing lights to indicate sounds (e.g., doorbells, fire alarms).

  7. Community gatherings: Deaf clubs, schools, and social events are central to Deaf culture

Three categories of social behavior:

  1. Private behavior: Behaviors that are personal or intimate, such as family interactions or personal opinions.

  2. Public behavior: Social norms and behaviors seen in larger public settings, like Deaf events or gatherings.

  3. Work-related behavior: Professional conduct or behaviors in the workplace, including interactions with hearing people or other Deaf individuals.

Examples of applications to Deaf culture in each category of social behavior:

  1. Private behavior: Signing within families, or at home, creating a space for communication and bonding.

  2. Public behavior: Deaf festivals, conferences, and social events where Deaf culture is on display.

  3. Work-related behavior: Adaptations in the workplace for communication access, like interpreters or video relay services.

Seven solutions for effective living in the Deaf community:

  1. Sign language: Mastery of ASL for effective communication.

  2. Deaf schools: Attending a Deaf school for education and social integration.

  3. Deaf clubs: Participation in Deaf social groups for community support.

  4. Visual alert systems: Technology to help Deaf people stay informed in their environments.

  5. Interpreting services: Access to professional interpreters for communication.

  6. Social networks: Building relationships within the Deaf community.

  7. Advocacy: Working toward equal rights and access for Deaf individuals.

Examples of mecca/utopia communities in Deaf culture:

  • Gallaudet University in Washington D.C., a world-renowned university for Deaf individuals.

  • Rochester, New York, home to a significant Deaf population and cultural events.

Ableism, Audism, and Linguisticism:

  • Ableism: Discrimination against people with disabilities.

  • Audism: Discrimination against Deaf people, viewing them as inferior to hearing people.

  • Linguisticism: Discrimination based on the language used, such as ASL or other signed languages.

Examples of how Deaf people disassociate from the disabled community:

  • Deaf people often reject the "disabled" label, emphasizing cultural identity and linguistic community over a medical model of disability. They promote a view of Deafness as a difference rather than a disability.

Deafhood:

  • A concept that refers to the process of discovering and developing a positive Deaf identity, embracing Deaf culture and the pride associated with it

    Four disabling effects of being Deaf in a predominately hearing world:

  1. Limited access to information: Due to the absence of sign language interpretation or captioning in many environments.

  2. Social isolation: Difficulty interacting with hearing people due to communication barriers.

  3. Employment discrimination: Challenges in finding work or being excluded from certain jobs.

  4. Educational limitations: Lack of accessible resources or programs for Deaf students in mainstream education.

Legal protection laws for Deaf people:

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Ensures access to public services, employment, and telecommunications.

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Guarantees special education services for Deaf students.

Issues and views on Cochlear Implants for young Deaf children:

  • The Deaf community has mixed views, with some seeing cochlear implants as a tool for hearing and integration, while others view them as a threat to Deaf culture and language, seeing Deafness as a unique identity rather than a condition to be fixed.

Two opposing perspectives on diversity:

  1. Cultural view: Emphasizes respect and the celebration of differences, including Deaf culture as unique.

  2. Assimilation view: Advocates for Deaf individuals to adapt to the hearing world and culture, focusing on integration.

Various diverse Deaf people from the Deaf community:

  • Hard of Hearing: People with partial hearing loss.

  • Deaf people from mainstream programs: Individuals who grew up in hearing-centered education systems.

  • Elite Deaf: Deaf people with access to resources, often well-educated.

  • Grassroots Deaf: Deaf individuals from working-class backgrounds or less affluent communities.

  • Regional Differences: Deaf communities that may have their own unique sign languages or cultural practices based on location.

Common universality Deaf people share:

  • Shared language (ASL), cultural identity, and experiences of being marginalized or discriminated against in a hearing-dominated world.

Four basic human core values shared in the Deaf community:

  1. Equality: A belief in equal rights and opportunities for Deaf individuals.

  2. Access: Ensuring equal access to education, information, and communication.

  3. Community: A strong sense of belonging and mutual support.

  4. Pride: A positive self-identity as Deaf individuals and a celebration of Deaf culture.

Five universal solutions of the Deaf experience:

  1. Access to sign language: Communication through ASL.

  2. Deaf-friendly environments: Creating spaces where Deaf culture and needs are respected.

  3. Education: Support for Deaf students to succeed in school.

  4. Social connections: Maintaining a sense of community.

  5. Advocacy: Protecting Deaf rights and ensuring access to services.

Five universal cultural traits of the transnational Deaf community (Haualand, 2008):

  1. Visual language: A reliance on visual communication methods like ASL.

  2. Deaf pride: A shared sense of cultural pride and identity.

  3. Community support: Strong bonds within the Deaf community worldwide.

  4. Cultural transmission: Passing on Deaf culture through generations.

  5. Language acquisition: The role of ASL in building Deaf identity.

Two general barriers to positive Deaf identity:

  1. Negative stereotypes: Misconceptions about Deaf individuals being less capable.

  2. Pressure to assimilate: The expectation that Deaf people should conform to hearing norms.

Six solutions unique to the U.S. Deaf community:

  1. Video relay services: Technology that allows Deaf people to communicate via video with interpreters.

  2. Captioning laws: Ensuring TV shows, movies, and public media are captioned.

  3. Deaf schools: Educational institutions specifically for Deaf students.

  4. Deaf advocacy organizations: Groups that promote Deaf rights and interests.

  5. Sign language interpreters: Facilitating communication in public and private sectors.

  6. Deaf clubs: Social venues for the Deaf community to gather and connect.

Three possible scenarios that could affect the future of the Deaf community:

  1. Technological advancements: The development of more effective communication tools for Deaf individuals.

  2. Cultural assimilation: Deaf people being pressured to assimilate into the hearing world, possibly eroding Deaf culture.

  3. Increased advocacy: Growth in Deaf advocacy and legal protections leading to better rights and integration.

What is eugenics?

  • Eugenics is the belief in improving the genetic quality of the human population through selective breeding or other forms of genetic manipulation.

Four avenues to membership in the Deaf community:

  • Biological membership: Being born Deaf or acquiring Deafness early in life.

  • Cultural membership: Embracing Deaf culture and language.

  • Social membership: Participation in Deaf social settings.

  • Educational membership: Attending Deaf schools or other Deaf-centered educational programs.