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PARENTS AS ADULT LEARNERS IN FAMILY-CENTERED EARLY EDUCATION-1

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These organizations can provide you with valuable information regarding communication options, early intervention, and community support services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

National center for hearing Assessment and management

NCHAM works to ensure early detection of hearing loss and serves as the National Technical Resource Center for all state-based Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs in the US. Popular links:

American Society for Deaf Children

ASDC is a parent-to-parent organization that provides valuable and trustworthy resources for families with deaf children. Popular links:

HANDS & VOICES

Hands & Voices is a parent-driven organization dedicated to providing non-biased information about communication methodologies. They believe that families can make the best choices for their child if they have access to good information and support.

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These organizations can provide you with valuable information regarding communication options, early intervention, and community support services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. NCHAM works to ensure early detection of hearing loss and serves as the National Technical Resource Center for all state-based Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs in the US.

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There are several different types of communication modalities within the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community. Which you choose for will depend on various factors. Our counselors can help you understand more about each option and can arrange visits to schools that offer each modality. While the Hearin…

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https://cuedspeech.org/

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https://www.handspeak.com/

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Also known as Oral-Auditory communication is based on the fundamental principle of acquiring competence in spoken language, both receptively and expressively. This approach encourages the individual to use any residual hearing through amplification such as a hearing aid, cochlear implant, or assistive listening devices. Auditory training is incorporated as part of an auditory oral education and focuses on spoken communication with the use of voice. It is best developed in an environment where spoken language is used consistently both in the home and in the school.

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Auditory-verbal therapy session with deaf child Henry

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Worcestershire Speech and Language Therapy

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How to use a Total Communication Approach

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https://www.signingexactenglish.com/?pageid=2

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Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss |

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Education Materials For Deaf Students- Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss

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We provide professional educational materials for deaf students or students with hard of hearing. Find out more about Hearing loss students Study Materials.

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The science of hearing - Douglas L. Oliver

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This article is related to VPM's ongoing Instagram TV series, "Spectrum of Expression." Follow us on Instagram @myVPM to watch new episodes every day through the end of Deaf History Month on April 15.

Oralism, the idea that spoken language is often considered superior to signed language, isn't a new phenomenon. By the 1880s, notable figures like Alexander Graham Bell promoted oralism and assimilation to speaking culture so much that American Sign Language was banned in Deaf schools.

Since then, d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing advocates have worked to reverse the stigma against gestural communication. Part of that advocacy has yielded that descriptive term: d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing. The term includes:

Lowercase "d"-deaf: The physical condition of hearing loss, or someone who identifies as deaf without feeling a strong sense of connection to the Deaf community. Sometimes lowercase "d"-deaf people prefer to communicate with spoken language instead of sign language.

Uppercase "D"-Deaf: Someone who identifies as culturally Deaf based on their experiences with the Deaf community, sign language, or personal background. Oftentimes, uppercase "D"-Deaf people prefer to communicate with sign language.

Hard of Hearing: Someone who experiences mild-to-moderate hearing loss, and may or may not use sign language to communicate.

The use of these terms replaces language like "hearing impaired," which can imply poor communication among people who can communicate well using non-verbal language. As d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing advocates worked to elevate their own stories, they garnered national attention. In 2006, The American Library Association officially recognized Deaf History Month and began its annual celebration of Deaf history and culture.

(Photo: r.a. olea)

Deaf History Month commemorates several historic anniversaries for the d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing community, including:

April 15, 1817: The American School for the Deaf is founded in West Hartford, Connecticut, the first school for d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing students.

(Photo: Gallaudet University)

April 8, 1864: Gallaudet University is chartered by Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C. as a grammar school for Deaf and blind students.

March 13, 1988: Gallaudet University appoints its first Deaf president, I. King Jordan, after students lead a protest demanding a "Deaf President Now."

Shortly after Gallaudet appointed its first Deaf president, d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing advocates made strides in legislation and recognition alongside other advocates for disability rights.

July 26, 1990: The Americans with Disabilities Act is passed, mandating the inclusion and accommodation of d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing people.

March 13, 2006: National Deaf History Month is celebrated for the first time in the United States.

Theresia Degener, Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, addresses a roundtable on inclusion and full participation of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action. (Photo: Kim Haughton)

December 13, 2006: The United Nations adopts the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, encouraging a global movement to accept people with disabilities as full and equal members of society.

President George H. W. Bush Signs the Americans with Disabilities Act. (Photo: The National Archives Catalog)

Want to learn more? Check out these resources:

National Deaf History Month: National Deaf History Month | GWSPH Department Announcements

Resources from Gallaudet University:
-Deaf Historical Resources - Gallaudet University
-National Deaf History Month: Exploring Deaf Culture with Library of Congress Primary Sources | Teaching with the Library of Congress
-Celebrating Education during Deaf History Month | Picture This: Library of Congress Prints & Photos
-National Deaf History Month: Exploring the Record of Advocacy - The JFK Library Archives: An Inside Look

Library collections for National Deaf History Month:
- National Deaf History Month: Celebrating an American Community | Los Angeles Public Library
-Observing Deaf History Month | New York Public Library

The National Deaf Life Museum at Gallaudet University:
-National Deaf Life Museum at Gallaudet University

Resources for d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing Virginia residents:
-Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Persons - Improving Communication, Changing Lives
-2020 Directory of Services for People who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind
- Virginia Deaf and ASL Social Events
-Richmond Club of the Deaf (RCD)
-History
-Virginia Association of the Deaf Resource List
-The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind
-Wednesday Webinars - The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind
-ASL Videos - The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind

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Deaf History and Culture in the United States

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This article is related to VPM's ongoing Instagram TV series, "Spectrum of Expression." Follow us on Instagram @myVPM to watch new episodes every day through the end of Deaf History Month on April 15. Oralism, the idea that spoken language is often considered superior to signed language, isn't a new phenomenon.

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Take a look back to commemorate our past and to understand how we came to be at the forefront of the struggle for total equality under the law for deaf and hard of hearing Americans. By celebrating our achievements and recognizing our obstacles, we may confidently invest in our future.

Explore by Decade:

Pre-1900 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

New England Gallaudet Association of the Deaf founded; serving as a predecessor for the National Association of the Deaf

August 25, 1880. First national convention of Deaf-Mutes held in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Chaired by Edmund Booth, who announced the purpose of which was to deliberate on the needs of the deaf as a class.

Robert P. McGregor was elected President of the NAD.

* 1883

Second national convention held in New York City.

Edwin Hodgson elected President.

* 1889

* 1893

* 1896

* 1899

* 1904

* 1907

Eighth national convention held in Norfolk, Virginia.

Concerns included possible prohibition of intermarriage among deaf individuals. The Committee on Eugenics was chaired by Alexander Graham Bell who proposed to prevent the marriage of those, among others, who were deaf. President Veditz said of Bell, "...because he comes in the guise of a friend, and therefore, the most to be feared enemy of the American deaf, past or present."

The NAD formed a committee to address discrimination in federal employment; this led to meetings with Federal Civil Service Commission officials. First move made toward establishment of a $100,000 Endowment Fund.

* 1910

Ninth national convention held in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Olof Hansen elected President.

U.S. President William Howard Taft informed the NAD that he instructed the Federal Civil Service Commission to remove all discriminatory barriers to federal employment of deaf workers.

NAD hosted the World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf in Colorado Springs.

Motion Picture Committee formed to preserve sign language from filmed lectures.

* 1913

Tenth national convention held in Cleveland, Ohio; conventioneers invited as guests at John D. Rockefeller's home.

Jay C. Howard elected President.

* 1915

Eleventh national convention held in San Francisco, California.

Introduction of a bill in Congress to establish a Bureau for the Deaf in the Department of Labor.

* 1917

* 1920

* 1923

Fourteenth national convention held at Atlanta, Georgia- the first in the Deep South.

Arthur L. Roberts elected President.

* 1926

* 1930

* 1933

President Smielau resigned. William H. Schaub became President.

* 1934

* 1937

* 1940

Nineteenth national convention held in Los Angeles, California.

Tom L. Anderson elected President.

The NAD supported U.S. Senator Walsh of Massachusetts' legislative bill to establish a bureau for welfare of the deaf in the U.S. Department of Labor.

* 1946

* 1948

* 1949

Twenty-first national convention held in Cleveland, Ohio.

The NAD undertook a movement to place two deaf professional baseball players, William "Dummy" Hoy and Luther Taylor, in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

Dominating the convention was the need for a permanent NAD headquarters.

* 1950

The NAD opens its first office in Chicago, Illinois.

* 1952

* 1953

The NAD opposed a Congressional proposal by U.S. Senator Jacob Javits of New York to grant a tax exemption of $600 to deaf persons, emphasizing an overriding commitment to total equality under the law.

* 1955

* 1956

The Fulton Tontine (reorganization proposal) held, with the aim of developing recommendations for the restructuring of the NAD.

Results of this first re-organization meeting resulted in rewritten by-laws; establishment of a bicameral system consisting of the NAD Board as one half, and representatives from State Associations as the other half making decisions during conventions

Proposal increased NAD Board credibility; and developed strategies for financial stability.

* 1957

* 1960

Twenty-fifth national convention held in Dallas, Texas.

First bicameral convention held under the newly ratified Fulton proposal.

Junior NAD program established with appointment of Mervin Garretson, considered as the "Father of the Junior NAD" as first national director.

The NAD opposed attempts to eliminate deaf teachers from the education profession.

Intensive membership drive launched.

In the 1960s, a Colorado judge named Sherman Finesilver brought national attention to the safe driving records of deaf drivers. He published articles about their driving records, compiled statistics, and conducted defensive driving workshops for them around the country. This publicity was a benefit to deaf people and helped focus increased attention on their safe driving records.

* 1962

* 1964

* 1966

* 1967

The NAD received a grant of $75,000 from the Vocational Rehabilitation Administration to conduct an international seminar on research on vocational rehabilitation. Another grant of $48,000 was received to develop a sign language program.

Terrence O'Rourke was hired to direct the Communication Skills Program.

The NAD was instrumental in the establishment of the International Association of Parents of the Deaf (IAPD), now named the American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC).

* 1968

* 1969

* 1970

* 1971

The NAD purchased Halex House, a 21,500 square foot building in Silver Spring, Maryland and moves its operations there. The purchase price of the 11-year old home office building was $640,000.

* 1972

* 1973

Halex House officially dedicated on May 19th to the Deaf People of America.

The NAD successfully advocated for the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

* 1974

* 1975

The NAD served as USA host for the Seventh World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf in Washington, DC.

* 1976

Thirty-third national convention held in Houston, Texas. Mervin D. Garretson elected President.

President Emeritus Byron B. Burnes appointed to write a history of the NAD for the approaching Centennial Convention.

Susan Davidoff crowned Miss Deaf America.

NAD Legal Defense Fund (now named the NAD Law and Advocacy Center) established.

Sign Instruction Guidance Network (SIGN) within NAD established, later re-named American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA).

The Federal Communications Commission adopted technological rules for the transmission of closed captioning.

* 1977

The NAD leads national protest and sit-in at the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare to force issuance of Rehabilitation Act regulations (Section 504 as one of these).

The NAD establishes National Association of Hearing Impaired Collegiate Students (NAHICS-now known as Collegiate NAD) under leadership of David J. Nelson.

* 1978

Thirty-fourth national convention held in Rochester, New York.

Ralph White elected President.

The NAD undertakes effort to have sign language taught in public schools and accepted as a second language requirement in high school and post-secondary institutions.

The NAD granted Bernard Bragg $2,000 for a world tour as an advocate for deaf persons' sign language and the involvement of deaf people in theatre.

Branch office opened in Indianapolis.

Jackie Roth crowned Miss Deaf America.

Federal Communications Commission adopted a rule requiring television licensees to transmit emergency messages in a visual format.

* 1979

Albert J. Pimental becomes Executive Director. Debra Krausa becomes Miss Deaf America.

* 1980

Thirty-fifth national (centennial) convention held in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Gertrude S. Galloway elected first female President. Mary Beth Barber crowned Miss Deaf America.

First television programs captioned.

NAD published Deaf Heritage by Jack R. Gannon and Sign Language and the Deaf Community: Essays in Honor of William C. Stokoe and established the William C. Stokoe Scholarship Fund (no longer available) to encourage continued research in the area of sign language.

* 1982

* 1984

* 1986

* 1987

The NAD issues call for a Deaf President of Gallaudet in October 1987. Headline of The NAD Broadcaster: "A Deaf President? Yes, Deafinitely!"

* 1988

Thirty-ninth national convention held in Charleston, South Carolina.

Brandeis Sculthorpe crowned Miss Deaf America.

NAD provided integral support for the Deaf President Now protest at Gallaudet.

California State University at Northridge (CSUN) wins first College Bowl competition.

US President Ronald Reagan appoints Executive Director Olsen to serve on Commission on Education of the Deaf.

The NAD works to increase TTY relay accessibility and the dissemination of TTY equipment. The NAD was also involved in planning the National Forum on Education of the Deaf.

* 1989

Mervin D. Garretson becomes Executive Director.

Fulton Revisited Conference held in Phoenix, resulting in expansion of organizational affiliate members.

* 1990

Fortieth national convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Roslyn G. Rosen elected President. Nancylynn Ward crowned Miss Deaf America. Charles C. Estes becomes Executive Director. Gallaudet wins the College Bowl.

The NAD's leadership results in passage of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Television Decoder Circuitry Act which required all televisions 13 inches or larger to have built-in caption capability.

The NAD wins a competitive contract through the U.S. Department of Education to administer the federal Captioned Films and Videos (CFV) program, later the Captioned Media Program, which involved evaluation and selection of educational and general interest films/videos for open captioning.

First position paper on cochlear implants issued.

Forty-first national convention held in Denver, Colorado.

Stephanie Long crowned Miss Deaf America.

Nancy J. Bloch becomes first female Executive Director.

Gallaudet University wins College Bowl.

The NAD pushed for adoption of technical standards by the Federal Communications Commission for closed captioning on cable systems.

Consumer Action Network established by the NAD, now the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network (DHHCAN).

* 1997

* 1998

Forty-fourth national conference held in San Antonio, Texas. "NAD Convention" changes to "NAD Conference."

Elizabeth R. Pollard elected President.

Amy Wenchuan Wong crowned Miss Deaf America.

Gallaudet University wins College Bowl.

The NAD opposed special flagging of deaf test takers on standardized tests, and published Deaf and Sober: Journeys through Recovery by Betty G. Miller.

The NAD also successfully persuaded the FCC to issue rules leading to increased TV captioning. Congressional censorship of television programs captioned by U.S. Department of Education funds is prevented by the NAD.

* 1999

The NAD successfully co-drafts and pushes for passage of the Walsh Bill (Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening and Intervention Act of 1999).

The NAD also provided guidance on regulations for increased access to air travel and airport facilities, persuaded Gore Commission to approve language for expansion of digital TV access, corrected legislative funding inequity for funding of deaf athletes, gave support to Video Relay Services pilot programs and settled lawsuits against several hospitals across the nation for failure to provide interpreters and established model policies for access. The NAD supported the Violence Against Women Act and Hate Crimes Prevention Act, co-sponsored National Symposium on Childhood Deafness, took part in First White House Conference on Mental Health, pushed for passage of Work Incentives Improvement Act and persuaded the FCC to issue Section 255 rules requiring telecommunication services and equipment to be accessible and compatible.

* 2000

Forty-fifth national conference held in Norfolk, Virginia.

Lauren Teruel crowned Miss Deaf America. Gallaudet University wins College Bowl.

The NAD successfully persuaded the FCC to recognize Video Relay Services and Collaborated on the National Deaf Education Project which published The Educational and Communication Needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: A statement of Principle Regarding Fundamental Systemic Educational Changes by Lawrence Siegel.

Settled landmark NAD lawsuit against City of Houston for failure to provide access to the criminal justice system.

Issued national chart on state interpreting certification and licensure requirements and offered model state legislation as well as guidance on State Universal Newborn Hearing Screening requirements and offered model state legislation.

Issued a new position statement on "Communication Access by Law Enforcement Personnel" and revised the position paper on "Cochlear Implants."

Persuaded the FCC to release rules requiring captioning of emergency information. The NAD also organized a Get out the Vote campaign, and posted a fact sheet on "Getting Mental Health Services."

* 2001

* 2002

* 2003

Andrew J. Lange appointed President.

The NAD successfully persuades the FCC to recognize Captioned Telephone services, and co-sponsored the National Symposium on Childhood Deafness.

Led in the establishment of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Accessibility Working Group with focus on transportation access. Supported Real Time Caption Writers Act.

Settled a lawsuit insuring that a certified deaf softball umpire has access to interpreters for meetings and supported Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act.

Mobilized support saying the state could not compel foster children to undergo elective cochlear implant surgery.

Petitioned the FCC to require that all technology that uses monitors or screens have captioning capabilities.

Opposed the ADA Notification Act.

Newborn and infant hearing screening hits 90%, as an outcome of NAD advocacy efforts.

Position statement on "Mental Health Services for People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" and white paper on "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" issued.

* 2005

* 2008

* 2009

Supported U.S. signing of the UN's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Supported 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, which updates Federal regulation to protect disability rights in communication to include the evolving forms of video and internet-based technology.

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Take a look back to commemorate our past and to understand how we came to be at the forefront of the struggle for total equality under the law for deaf and hard of hearing Americans. By celebrating our achievements and recognizing our obstacles, we may confidently invest in our future.

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The history of Deafness and the Deaf community is long, and it comes with many periods of misunderstanding, oppression, and discrimination. The history also comes with great resilience, beauty, and strength. The Deaf community, denoted with the capital 'D' as a cultural and linguistic minority, has a rich culture and gorgeous language, American Sign Language. We invite you to learn more. All the pictures and icons have links to additional information. As you read, please note the use of historical terms that are not appropriate today. For example, deaf-mute is an offensive term as is hearing impaired. The correct terms are Deaf (cultural and linguistic minority), deaf (physical hearing loss, moderate to profound), hard of hearing (mild to moderate hearing loss), and Deaf-Blind (may be hard of hearing or deaf with low vision to complete blindness).

1000 B.C. Hebrew law provided that the Deaf have limited rights to property and marriage.

355 B.C. Aristotle said "Those who are born deaf all become senseless and incapable of reason."

360 B.C. Socrates mentioned the use of signs by the deaf Plato's Cratylus. Socrates discusses innate intelligence, and claims that Deaf people are incapable of language and ideas.

77 AD Pliny the Elder published his Natural History. He mentioned Quintus Pedius, the son of a Roman Consul. Quintus was a very talented artist who happened to be Deaf. In order to be an artist, he had to first receive permission from Caesar Augustus.

354-430 AD St Augustine believed that faith comes by hearing and that deafness is a hindrance to faith. However, he believed that Deaf people can learn and thus are able to receive faith and salvation. Augustine refers to bodily movements, signs, and gestures, and believed that these modes were capable of transmitting thought and belief. He implied that it is equal to spoken language.

1591 Alberti, a German physician, published the first book of any kind specifically regarding deafness: Discourse on Deafness and Speechlessness. He stated that hearing and speech were separate functions. Alberti believed that Deaf people were rational, capable of thought, even though they lacked speech. He showed that the Deaf can read lips, understand speech, and read, without the ability to hear.

1680 George Dalgarno, a Scottish Tutor, taught students to lipread, speak, and fingerspell. He published conclusions about the education of the deaf in Didascalocophus, also known as the Deaf and Dumb Man's Tutor which supported the use of fingerspelling and gestures in the education of Deaf people.

1755 Samuel Heinicke established the first oral school for the deaf in Germany.

1760 Abbe Charles Michel de l'Epee (1712-1789) established the Royal Institution of Deaf and Mutes in Paris. L'Epee supported the school at his own expense until his death. After his death, the government began to support the school. His successor was the Abbe Roch Concurrou (Curcurran) Sicard (1742-1822). It was Sicard who brought Laurent Clerc and Jean Massieu to London where they met Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. In the same year, Thomas Braidwood founded the first British Academy for the deaf.

1798 Beethoven first noticed his hearing loss, becoming hard of hearing. His hearing loss progressed for almost twenty years until he became totally deaf, but he continued to compose, including the 9th Symphony, both "Missa Solemnis," the solemn mass for orchestra and vocalists, and the opera "Fidelio," among other major works.

1816 Laurent Clerc, a Deaf man from France, came to the US with Thomas Gallaudet to help set up an educational institute for the deaf in America.

1817 The Hartford Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb, later known as the American School for the Deaf, was established by Mason Cogswell, Thomas H. Gallaudet, and Laurent Clerc. French Sign Language and Martha's Vineyard Sign Language were combined to make American Sign Language

1831 Dr. Samuel Howe was the first director for the first school for the blind in the United States which later became known as the Perkins School for the Blind.

1844 The Tennessee School for the Deaf was founded. TSD is a state-operated residential and day school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students ranging from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 and also includes a post-secondary transition program. It is located in Knoxville, TN within the historic Island Home Park neighborhood. There are campuses in Jackson, TN (K-6) and Nashville, TN (K-6) as well.

1864 Gallaudet University was founded when President Lincoln signed an act that allowed for the establishment of a school of the Deaf, which remains the world's only liberal arts university for deaf and hard of hearing students.

1860s Deaf schools for black children opened in the 1860s. The segregation of early residential schools and then the segregation in dorms and classrooms later led to two sign languages in America--American Sign Language and Black American Sign Language. Both have tremendous cultural significance and identity. Gallaudet University did not admit Black Deaf students until 1950.

1873 The Empire State Association of the Deaf was formed. It was the first state association of the Deaf.

1872 Alexander Graham Bell founded an oralist school. During his lifetime, Alexander Graham Bell widely promoted both eugenics and oralism, the belief that Deaf individuals should be taught speech and lip-reading over sign language. AGB actively worked to pass laws to prevent intermarriage within the Deaf community in a desire to eradicate deafness, and he worked to close thriving residential schools for the Deaf and to eradicate the use of American Sign Language. Hisi work and that of those who joined him caused a great deal of harm to the Deaf community. Both Bell's mother and wife were deaf, but Bell's wife did not use sign language and did not want people to know she was deaf. was deaf. His father, Melville Bell, created 'Visible Speech,' a system of symbols meant to assist people in speaking languages they could not hear, and in 1872, Alexander Graham Bell was invited to the Clarke School to present on Visible Speech. Soon after, he returned to Massachusetts to open his own private school for the Deaf in Boston. Later, Bell abandoned the Visible Speech method but maintained his insistence that Deaf individuals needed to learn to speak in order to be professionally and socially integrated. Eventually, Bell's name became synonymous with oralism in the Deaf community.

1873 George Wallis published his book; "Language of Touch - a narrative illustrating the instruction of the Blind and Deaf Mute" based on a deafblind woman called Mary Bradley.

1875 The Deaf Mutes' Journal was established. It continues operation as a popular newspaper of the Deaf until 1951. DMJ is renamed the New York Journal in the 1930s.

1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. He also used his influence to support the practice of oralism, thus restricting communication for deaf people.

1880 Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Stricken by an illness at the age of 2, Keller was left blind and deaf. Despite encouragement to institutionalize Helen, her family continued to seek resources for her Beginning in 1887, Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate, and Keller went on to college, graduating in 1904. During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments, including tackling social and political issues, including women's suffrage, pacifism, birth control, socialism, and helping co-found the ACLU.

1880 The Milan conference convened and stressed Oralism, banning sign language. At the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf, Deaf educators from around the world gathered to discuss oral versus manual (signed) education. After deliberation, the congress endorsed oralism and passed a resolution banning the use of sign language in schools. At the congress, Alexander Graham Bell spoke for three days while advocates of American Sign Language were only given three hours to argue against oralism.

1880 The National Association of the Deaf was founded.

1883 Bell readd 'Memoir upon the Formation of a Deaf Variety of the Human Race' at the American Academy of Sciences in New Haven, CT and to the Conference of Principals of American Schools for the Deaf in 1884. Bell was concerned about intermarriage amongst the deaf and stated that they shouldn't marry because this would isolate the deaf from hearing society and encourage births of deaf children. This sparked debate for prohibition of marriage amongst the deaf and many attempts to pass laws making such marriages illegal for fear of the formation of "a Deaf race."

1886 William "Dummy" Hoy began his 15 year career in professional baseball. He is widely attributed to for developing the hand count for umpires and signals used by coaches in baseball.

1901 The first electric hearing aid was invented by Miller Reese Hutchinson.

1907 Indiana passed the first sterilization law based on eugenics. The Deaf community were one of the groups targeted for forced, barbaric sterilization. By the late 1930s, half the states had forced sterilization laws based on the eugenics of Bell and others. California's compulsory sterilization law became a model for Nazi Germany.

1910s Charlie Chaplin met Granville Redmond, a Deaf artist also working in silent film. Their friendship greatly influences Chaplin. Granville began teaching Chaplin sign language, finger-spelling, pantomime routines and the communication techniques that Chaplin went on to use so successfully in his films. Such was his respect for Granville that Chaplin went on to use him in several of his films as well as sponsoring him in other silent acting roles.

1912 Juliette Gordon Low, a late deafened woman, founded the Girl Scouts of America in Savannah, Georgia.

1924 The International Committee of Silent Sports (CISS) was founded on August 16 by E. Rubens Alcais of France and Antoine Dresse of Belgium following the first International Games for the Deaf which were held in Pershing Stadium in Paris. The Deaflympcs continue.

1927 Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing was founded by Margaret Lane Washington. After learning she was losing her hearing, this young, Middle Tennessee mother, with no services available to her locally, moved to Washington, D.C. where she became a certified lip reading teacher. In 1927, she taught her first speech reading class at the Watkins Institute in downtown Nashville. That first class of thirteen students was the genesis of Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and Ms. Washington remained involved with Bridges until her death in 1991, seeing the organization evolve through different names and services. Today, we are a comprehensive service organization with programs and services for birth through senior years. From our Nashville office, we serve Middle Tennessee, southern Kentucky, and northern Alabama. From our Memphis office, BridgesWEST, we serve Shelby and surrounding counties as well as parts of Mississippi and Arkansas. ​

1928 Nellie Zabel Willhite, believed to be the first deaf pilot in the world, soloed.

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1952 The last deaf individual from Martha's Vineyard that knew MVSL, Katie West, passed away, effectively making MVSL an extinct language.

1954 Andrew Foster was the first African American graduate of Gallaudet College. He went on to found thirty-one schools and two centers for the Deaf in Africa.

1960 The Junior National Association of the Deaf was established for deaf youths.

1960 Stokoe published his findings about sign language as a legit language. His publication did not attract much attention until it is republished in 1965 with Casterline and Croneberg as Dictionary of ASL on Linguistic Principles. His publication leads to the return of ASL to Deaf schools. The Deaf community had been denied their native and natural language for decades due to the work of Alexander Graham Bell. Deaf children who signed sometimes experienced abuse, including having hands tied to chairs, hands struck, being forced to kneel on broomsticks, etc. Painful tools were used in and on the mouth to teach speech.

1961 Dr. William House implanted three patients in 1961, all of whom received some level of hearing stimulation from the implants. The first documented attempt at using electricity to stimulate hearing dates back to 1790. In 1957, scientists enabled a patient to hear background noise. There were major advancements in the 1970s, and in 1985, the cochlear implant was no longer deemed experimental. Implantation has become more common. There is a lot of confusion about CIs. Not all deaf people are candidates. CIs do not work the same for everyone. Some people can ear conversation clearly. Others cannot. Any residual hearing a deaf or hard of hearing person may have is lost permanently during the surgery. CIs must be taken off for showering, swimming, sleeping, etc., and when off (or when broken or when batteries die, the wearer is profoundly deaf. After implantation, wearers undergo years of training to use the implants successfully. Because the medical establishment viewed deafness as something to be "cured" or "fixed," there was a significant controversy and divide between CI wearers and the culturally Deaf community. This divide was heightened by doctors telling parents not to let children with CIs learn sign language despite studies dating back to the 1960s showing that ASL actually supported development of spoken language. Some of this controversy still exists, but much of it has been resolved. The community served at BridgesTN is inclusive and respectful of all informed choices and believe all deaf children should have ASL.

1964 Robert Weitbrecht, a deaf inventor, invented the acoustic coupler which is similar to the American textphone. The coupler allowed people to use typewriters to send messages over the telephone. His invention became the TTY. Though rarely used today, the TTY revolutionized communication for the Deaf community.

1964 The first public demonstration of a one-way videophone occurred on April 7, 1927, between Herbert Hoover (then U.S. secretary of commerce) in Washington, D.C., and officials of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) in New York. One of the first demonstrations of the ability for telecommunications to help sign language users communicate with each other occurred when AT&T's videophone (trademarked as the 'Picturephone') was introduced to the public at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Two deaf users were able to freely communicate with each other between the fair and another city. Videophones grew into Video Relay Service, which expanded rapidly in the 21st Century. Through VRS, Deaf users may call directly to another VRS user or call a hearing user through an interpreter. The Deaf person has a video call with an interpreter who voices to the hearing user on a phone.

1965 The National Technical Institute for the Deaf. NTID, a federally-funded institution located on the campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology, is the first technological college for deaf students in the world.

1968 Three, Black Deaf sanitation workers, Mr. William Stewart, Mr. Jesse Moore, and Mr. Woodly Hunt, joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Sanitation Workers' Strike March in Memphis. Pictured here is the late Mr. William Stewart with his wife, Renonia Stewart.

1972 After the first testing in 1970, open captioning regularly began appearing on broadcasts of The French Chef on PBS in 1972. Shortly after, other stations such as WGBH began following suit. Open captioning eventually led to the technical development of the closed captioning system. It was first displayed at a conference for the Deaf and hard of hearing that took place in 1971 in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1982, The National Captioning Institute developed a process for real time captioning, which could be used to caption a live broadcast. Captioning reporters were trained to write more than 200 words per minute, allowing viewers almost instant access to live shows. The National Captioning Institute was founded in 1979 with the intention of getting commercial television networks to cooperate with each other with respect to the implementation of the new technology. With the help of The National Captioning Institute, American television began full scale use of closed captioning. Some of the first programs to be seen with closed captioning were Masterpiece Theater on PBS, and Disney's Wonderful World: Son of Flubber on NBC.

1973 Bonnie Sloan, who had been a standout at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, became the first Deaf football player in the NFL, a 10th round draft pick for the St. Louis Cardinals.

1973 The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is the federal law that approves grants to states for vocational rehabilitation services, supported employment, independent living, and client assistance. The Rehabilitation Act authorizes research activities that are administered by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and the work of the National Council on Disability. The Rehabilitation Act also includes a set of rules focused on rights, advocacy, and protections for people with disabilities. The Act required the recruitment and hiring of individuals with disabilities and guaranteed effective communication for the D/deaf and hard of hearing.

1976 The first Deaf women's conference is held in Washington, DC at Gallaudet College.

1977 The Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf is established. The Alliance is for Deaf Gays and Lesbians.

1979 The American Association of Deaf and Blind, Inc forms.

1987 Marlee Matlin won the Oscar for her extraordinary performance in Children of a Lesser God.

1988 Gallaudet had yet to have a Deaf president since its induction in 1864, and students demanded a Deaf president to represent them. The week-long protest not only led to the inauguration of a Deaf president at Gallaudet, I. King Jordan, but also spurred legislative and social change for years to come.

1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act became law in 1990, prohibiting discrimination based on disability. The ADA is the first, federal Civil Rights protection for the D/deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind communities. Its importance cannot be overstated. Individuals are guaranteed effective communication.

2012 The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act mandates that all televised material be captioned, including its online distribution.

2013 Sony and Regal Cinemas introduced caption glasses. These glasses allow viewers to watch the screen while captions appear on the glasses. Caption glasses were a huge step for the D/deaf and hard of hearing community. Unfortunately, theaters frequently do not have enough glasses to accommodate viewers. Batteries die because glasses have not been maintained, or the glasses break. Glasses also do not fit children and adults comfortably and are difficult to wear over prescription glasses. The community much prefers open captions where captions appear on the screen visible ot all.

2017 In the fall 2017, Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing hosted its first Town Hall, launching its systems-change advocacy program. The Town Hall on Law Enforcement brought together law enforcement throughout Middle Tennessee with members of the D/deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind communities. The open dialogue birthed the idea for the Deaf Driver Safety Database, which became law in April 2018.

2018 Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing began recruiting theaters to offer regular showings of new release movies with open captions, ensuring equal access for all.

2019 Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing introduced a bill to change the terms "hearing impaired" and "hearing impairment" in the Tennessee Annotated Code to "deaf or hard of hearing" and "hearing loss." These changes, excluding the education section of the TAC, became law in May 2019.

2019 In the Spring of 2019, he Deaf community in and around Memphis, TN, approached BridgesTN and asked us to open an office in Memphis to serve southwest Tennessee and parts of Mississippi and Arkansas. After the community's advocacy, BridgesWEST opened in September 2019, building new relationships and opening new doors for service.

2020 In the wake of many incidents of violence created by racism, and specifically the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, the Black community across the country began protesting for racial justice. The Black Deaf community in and around Memphis, joined by allies and organized by Kiera McGhee and Tawanna Whalum, two Black Deaf women, had a March for Justice and Equality in June 2020, proclaiming to the world that audism and racism must end because Black Deaf LIves Matter.

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The history of Deafness and the Deaf community is long, and it comes with many periods of misunderstanding, oppression, and discrimination. The history also comes with great resilience, beauty, and strength. The Deaf community, denoted with the capital 'D' as a cultural and linguistic minority, has a rich culture and gorgeous language, American Sign Language.

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Culture is traditionally defined as the qualities or traits that a person or group of people have determined to be ideal. Often, a culture is identified according to the age, race, or ethnicity of a group of individuals living in a certain part of the world. In other cases, a specific culture may ar…

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Not the hearing or Deaf world | Heather Artinian | TEDxGeorgetown