Read complete books and articles on: Deafness

Deafness - partial or total lack of hearing. It may be present at birth (congenital) or may be acquired at any age thereafter. A person who cannot detect sound at an amplitude of 20 decibels in a frequency range of from 800 to 1,800 vibrations per second is said to be hard of hearing. The ear normally perceives sounds in the range of 20 to 20,000 vibrations per second. There are two principal

Conductive Deafness

Conductive problems are those that disrupt the conduction of sound through the outer and middle ear (see ear), affecting hearing before the sound reaches the cochlea and the nerve receptors of the inner ear. Disturbances of the conductive mechanism are often temporary or curable. Most such cases are caused by otitis media, an infection that spreads to the middle ear from the upper respiratory tract; the condition usually responds to antibiotic therapy, but serious cases may require drainage of collected fluids through an incision in the eardrum (tympanum) or insertion of a tiny drainage tube. Foreign bodies or impacted wax can cause hearing loss and must be removed by a physician. In adults a predominant cause of conductive deafness is otosclerosis, a chronic hereditary condition in which spongy bone formation results in fixation of the stapes (the bone that connects the middle ear to the inner ear) and restricts its vibration. Important advances in surgical techniques have led to successful treatment of otosclerosis by replacing the stapes with a combination of grafted tissue, plastic, and wire appliances. Deafness can also be caused by perforation or rupture of the eardrum by a sudden loud noise, by physical puncture, or as a result of an infectious disease. In some such cases the eardrum can be repaired by grafting. Today there are many advanced medical techniques for treating infection of the mastoid and congenital malformations of the outer and middle ear that, if neglected, might result in deafness.

Sensorineural Deafness

Sensorineural deafness results from damage to the neural receptors of the inner ear (the hair cells, organ of Corti), the nerve pathways to the brain (notably the auditory nerve), or the area of the brain that receives sound information. Deafness of this type is usually permanent. It can be congenital or accompany other birth-related problems such as erythroblastosis fetalis (Rh incompatibility) or anoxia (lack of oxygen during delivery). Before vaccines were available, German measles ( rubella) and common measles (rubeola) were leading causes; maternal cytomegalovirus and genital herpes simplex continue to be threats.

Tumors, injury, stroke, toxic substances (e.g., mercury), and certain over-the-counter and prescription drugs (e.g., streptomycin) are additional factors that can affect auditory pathways and the brain and lead to sensorineural deafness. Continued exposure to loud noise, as in certain industries or from loud music (see noise pollution), can result in damage to the inner ear, causing irreversible hearing loss. Presbycusis, or changes in hearing, especially of high frequencies, in adults has long been accepted as inevitable, but study of cultures where the phenomenon does not exist is bringing this into question. The hearing of patients with sensorineural deafness can sometimes be improved if the patient discontinues harmful medications or avoids exposure to loud noise, e.g., by wearing protective earplugs. In some cases, limited hearing has been restored by cochlear implants, tiny devices implanted into the inner ear that translate sound waves into electrical impulses that are then transmitted to the auditory nerve.

Mechanical and Educational Aids

Persons whose deafness cannot be relieved by medical or surgical means may be greatly helped by various types of electronic hearing aids. Those with hearing loss that cannot be relieved even by mechanical devices (i.e., those with sensorineural deafness) can have special training in speechreading (see lip reading). When deafness is present at birth or develops before a child has learned to speak, it is necessary also to provide specialized speech training and education in sign language, in which fingers and hands are the instruments of expression and communication. Schools and trained teachers for the hearing-impaired are now found in every large city in the world. Other aids for the hearing-impaired include specially trained "hearing dogs," customized telephones, and closed-caption television.

History of Education for the Deaf

Except for sporadic attempts by clerics in past centuries, there was no well-organized effort to help the hearing-impaired until the Abbé Charles Michel de l' Epée founded a school for the deaf in Paris in 1755. Samuel Heinicke established another one in Germany in 1778. The first public school for the deaf in the United States was founded (1817) in Hartford, Conn., by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet; it is now called the American School for the Deaf. Alexander Graham Bell and his father, Alexander Melville Bell, did much to establish the study of speech on a scientific basis and to improve the methods of teaching the hearing-impaired. Educational and employment opportunities for the deaf have improved since passage of legislation in 1973 that prohibited discrimination against the handicapped by any institution receiving federal money and of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.

Bibliography

See L. DiCarlo, The Deaf (1964); R. V. Harrison, The Biology of Hearing and Deafness (1988); A. P. Freeland, Deafness (1989).

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15 of the Best Books and Articles on: Deafness

as selected by Questia librarians

1.

Psychological Perspectives on Deafness, Vol. 1 » Read Now
by Marc Marschark, M. Diane Clark. 393 pgs.

Collections: Psychology, Entire Library

...Data Psychological perspectives on deafness / Marc Marschark and M. Diane Clark...references and index. ISBN 0-8058-1054-4 1. Deafness -- Psychological aspects. 1...
2.

Psychological Perspectives on Deafness, Vol. 2 » Read Now
by Marc Marschark, M. Diane Clark. 346 pgs.

Collections: Psychology, Entire Library

...Psychological Perspectives on Deafness Volume 2 Contributors C. Tane...20815 Psychological Perspectives on Deafness Volume 2 Edited by Marc...
3.

Deaf Empowerment: Emergence, Struggle, and Rhetoric » Read Now
by Katherine A. Jankowski. 193 pgs.

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This meticulous study examines the rhetorical foundation that motivated Deaf people to work for social change during the past two centuries. In clear, concise prose, Jankowski analyzes the rhetoric they used, not limited to spoken language, to galvanize effective action. Central to Deaf Empowerment...
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This meticulous study examines the rhetorical foundation that motivated Deaf people to work for social change during the past two centuries. In clear, concise prose, Jankowski analyzes the rhetoric they used, not limited to spoken language, to galvanize effective action. Central to Deaf Empowerment is the struggle between the dominant hearing society and Deaf people over the best means of communication, with the educational setting as the constant battleground. This evocative work first tracks the history of interaction between these two factions, highlighting the speaking majority's desire to compel Deaf people to conform to "the human sciences" conventionality by learning speech. Then, it sharply focuses on the development of the Deaf social movement's ideology to seek general recognition of sign language as a valid cultural variation. Also, the influence of other social movements of the 60s and 70s is examined in relation to the changing context and perception of the Deaf movement, as well as to its rhetorical refinement.
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4.

Silence of the Spheres: The Deaf Experience in the History of Science » Read Now
by Harry G. Lang. 192 pgs.

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Prior to the publication of this book, there has been a complete absence of literature on the contributions of deaf men and women in science. Written by a deaf scientist, this book is one of the few syntheses of the issues facing deaf people in a particular field of professional endeavor. Because of...
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Prior to the publication of this book, there has been a complete absence of literature on the contributions of deaf men and women in science. Written by a deaf scientist, this book is one of the few syntheses of the issues facing deaf people in a particular field of professional endeavor. Because of the highly invisible nature of deafness, much of the information presented by Lang will be new to readers. His research represents six years of archival search among the historical documents of the deaf communities of Europe, Canada, and the United States. The prominent role that deaf scientists have played in history becomes apparent through Lang's presentation of the accomplishments of these talented and determined men and women. The study of deaf scientists is part of the study of other marginalized groups, and finds parallels in African American and women's studies. The issues surrounding technological development, eugenics, and disabilities in general are several of the important themes of this work.
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5.

Handbook of Communication and People with Disabilities: Research and Application (Chap. 14 "Deaf Activists in the Rhetorical Transformation of the Construct of Disability," Chap. 20 "When the Deaf and the Hearing Interact: Communication Features, Relationships, and Disability Issues," and Chap. 21 "Sighting Sound/Sounding Sight: The 'Violence' of Deaf-Hearing Communication") » Read Now
by Dawn O. Braithwaite, Teresa L. Thompson. 555 pgs.

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...themes included women and disability, mental disabilities, cross-cultural concerns, handicapped newborns, independent living, deafness, chronic illness, political issues...
6.

Pinky Extension and Eye Gaze: Language Use in Deaf Communities » Read Now
by Ceil Lucas. 265 pgs.

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This volume's ten meticulously prepared chapters reflect the refinements of research in six major sociolinguistics areas. Rob Hoopes' work, "A Preliminary Examination of Pinky Extension: Suggestions Regarding Its Occurrence, Constraints, and Function", commences Part One: Variation with a sound...
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This volume's ten meticulously prepared chapters reflect the refinements of research in six major sociolinguistics areas. Rob Hoopes' work, "A Preliminary Examination of Pinky Extension: Suggestions Regarding Its Occurrence, Constraints, and Function", commences Part One: Variation with a sound explanation of this American Sign Language (ASL) phonological characteristic. Part Two: Languages in Contact includes findings by Jean Ann on contact between Taiwanese Sign Language and written Taiwanese.
Priscilla Shannon Gutierrez considers the relationship of educational policy with language and cognition in deaf children in Part Three: Language in Education, and in Part Four: Discourse Analysis, Melanie Metzger discusses eye gaze and pronominal reference in ASL. Part Five: Second-Language Learning presents the single chapter "An Acculturation Model for ASL Learners", by Mike Kemp. Sarah E. Burns defines Irish Sign Language as Ireland's second minority language after Gaelic, in Part Six: Language Attitudes, the final area of concentration in this rigorously researched volume. These studies and the others by the respected scholars featured in Pinky Extension and Eye Gaze make it an outstanding and eminently valuable addition to this series.
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7.

Mental Health Care of Deaf People: A Culturally Affirmative Approach » Read Now
by Neil S. Glickman, Sanjay Gulati. 432 pgs.

Collections: Psychology, Entire Library

Mental Health Care of Deaf People: A Culturally Affirmative Approach, offers much-needed help to clinical and counseling psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, and other mental health professionals-and to their program administrators. The editors, a psychologist and a psychiatrist...
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Mental Health Care of Deaf People: A Culturally Affirmative Approach, offers much-needed help to clinical and counseling psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, and other mental health professionals-and to their program administrators. The editors, a psychologist and a psychiatrist, and the authors, leading authorities with a variety of expertises, systematically review the special needs of deaf patients, particularly those who regard themselves as "culturally Deaf," and provide professionals with the tools they need to meet those needs. Among these tools is an extensive "library" of pictorial questionnaires and information sheets developed by one of the very few psychiatric units in the country devoted to the deaf. These handouts greatly simplify the processes involved in the diagnosis and treatment of people who in many cases are not good readers-for example, explaining medication and inquiring about side-effects. The handouts are reproduced on a CD included in each copy of the book, to enable purchasers to print out and use copies in their work. This comprehensive clinical guide and its accompanying CD constitute vital resources for all those who seek to provide sensitive, effective mental health care to deaf people.
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8.

Culturally Affirmative Psychotherapy with Deaf Persons » Read Now
by Neil S. Glickman, Michael A. Harvey. 290 pgs.

Collections: Psychology, Entire Library

In this paradigm-shifting book, the new cultural model of Deafness is taken up in a comprehensive manner by mental health professionals. Starting from the premise that members of the Deaf community are best thought of as culturally different rather than disabled, the contributors present an approach...
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In this paradigm-shifting book, the new cultural model of Deafness is taken up in a comprehensive manner by mental health professionals. Starting from the premise that members of the Deaf community are best thought of as culturally different rather than disabled, the contributors present an approach to counseling Deaf people based on the best practices currently known in cross-cultural treatment of minority persons. Among the topics discussed are the development of cultural self-awareness in Deaf and hearing people, the knowledge base necessary to work with Deaf culture, and the specific skills of culturally affirmative counseling and psychotherapy. The resulting book will be of interest to all mental health professionals working with culturally different persons.
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9.

Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education » Read Now
by Marc Marschark, Patricia Elizabeth Spencer. 493 pgs.

Collections: Education, Entire Library

The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education is the definitive professional reference work in the field of deafness research. This volume covers all important aspects of deaf studies: language, social/psychological issues, neuropsychology, culture, technology, and education. Each...
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The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education is the definitive professional reference work in the field of deafness research. This volume covers all important aspects of deaf studies: language, social/psychological issues, neuropsychology, culture, technology, and education. Each chapter, written by an acknowledged authority in the field, contains a state-of-the-art review of an important aspect of research concerning individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The book also includes comprehensive bibliographies and a glossary. The editors are from the two primary institutions for research and post-secondary education of deaf individuals and were founding editors of the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. The Handbook is intended for researchers, educators, educational administrators, service-providers such as audiologists, speech therapists, and school psychologists, as well as graduate students in the field of deaf studies.
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10.

Educating Deaf Students: From Research to Practice » Read Now
by Marc Marschark, Harry G. Lang, John A. Albertini. 269 pgs.

Collections: Education, Entire Library

The field known as deaf education has undergone considerable change over the past 30 years. In part, this situation reflects the evolution of understandin concerning deaf people and American Sign Language. The magnitude of this change, however, owes much to progress in pedagogy, developmental...
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The field known as deaf education has undergone considerable change over the past 30 years. In part, this situation reflects the evolution of understandin concerning deaf people and American Sign Language. The magnitude of this change, however, owes much to progress in pedagogy, developmental psychology, psycholinguistics (including language acquisition), and other related fields. Together with dramatic chnages in technology, scientific progress has provided new options and new perspectives for deaf students, their parents, students, and teachers. In the context of reviewing these changes Educating Deaf Students: From Research to Practice considers what we know, what we do not know, and what we should know about the education of deaf students. Using a research-based but readable approach, the authors set aside the politics, rhetoric, and confusion that often accompany such discussions. Rather, the educational and research literatures are evaluated with an eye toward systematic inquiry and generality of findings. The results is a summary of the current state-of-the-art in deaf education and related implications for parents, teachers, and other gatekeepers. Educating Deaf Students describes the common assumptions that have driven deaf education for many years, revealing some of them to be based on questionable methods, conclusions, or interpretations, while others have been lost in the cacophony of alternative educational philosophies. As a result, many deaf students have been assumed to be "deficient" or "intellectually inferior" simply because investigators or teachers did not know how to communicate with them in the way that elicited optimal performance. Historical consideration of how we arrived at such a point is accompanied by evaluation of the legal and social conditions that surround deaf education today. Language, literacy, testing, and other academic issues are considered in both educational and developmental contexts. One assumption that is woven throughout the book is that the appropriate education of deaf children demands that we fully understand their development in language, social, and cognitive domains and match our teaching methods appropriately. Perhaps most centrally, the successful education of deaf students depends on our understanding of the roles of communication and language in development and education. Communications is the tie that binds children to parents and to society and that provides for social and academic education. The book thus argues that there is no aspect of educating deaf learners - from infancy to adulthood - that does not depend on or benefit from clear and accessible communications. The perspectives of the authors (deaf and hearing, from diverse backgrounds) reflect their roles as educators and researchers involved in the education of deaf students. They clearly articulate the need to consider both formal and informal education in the context of the world in which both are embedded. In reminding readers - and themselves - that there is wisdom in diverse perspectives, the authors present complex information in a way that will be useful to teachers, parents, and future professionals, as well as researchers.
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11.

Raising and Educating a Deaf Child » Read Now
by Marc Marschark. 235 pgs.

Collections: Education, Entire Library

Over 90% of all deaf children are born to hearing parents. For most of these mothers and fathers, their own child is the first deaf person they have ever met. Raising a child who can hear is a challenging and difficult task, but raising a deaf child can seem like an overwhelming responsibility...
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Over 90% of all deaf children are born to hearing parents. For most of these mothers and fathers, their own child is the first deaf person they have ever met. Raising a child who can hear is a challenging and difficult task, but raising a deaf child can seem like an overwhelming responsibility, especially with the mass of conflicting information and advice offered by professionals and well-meaning friends and family members. In Raising and Educating a Deaf Child, Marc Marschark offers parents and teachers a readable and comprehensive summary including everything a parent would want to know about growing up deaf. Parents of a deaf child, like the parents of any child, want to know the answers to some apparently straightforward questions, such as "What kind of school will provide my child with the best education?" "What language experience is best for my child, sign or speech?" "Will my child be able to get a good job?" Marschark addresses these questions and more, with topics ranging from what it means to be deaf and the uniqueness of Deaf culture to the medical causes of early hearing loss, from technological aids for the deaf such as TTYs and cochlear implants to the educational and social opportunities available to deaf children. He describes the many ways that the environment of home and school can influence a deaf child's chances for success in both academic and social circles. Above all, he emphasizes the need for early detection of hearing loss and the importance of being able to communicate with deaf children from a very early age, recommending that all parents of deaf children learn sign language and use it often. This is not a "how to" book or one with all the "right" answers for raising a deaf child. This is a guide through the many conflicting suggestions and programs for raising deaf children, as well as the likely implications of taking one direction or the other. A leading researcher himself, Marschark makes sense of the most current educational and scientific literature, including his own recent research, and talks to deaf children, their parents, and deaf adults about what is important to them. The result is a readable and enlightening survey of what we know about the language, social, and intellectual development of deaf children, and what educational and practical issues face them and their families. Parents of deaf children can and should make their own decisions, based on what is right for their family and for their child. Armed with Raising and Educating a Deaf Child, parents will have access to the bets information available, allowing them to make informed decisions for their child.
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12.

'It Feels like Being Deaf Is Normal': An Exploration into the Complexities of Defining D/deafness and Young D/deaf People's Identities, in The Canadian Geographer » Read Now
by Tracey Skelton, Gill Valentine. 16 pgs.

Collections: Entire Library
13.

Funny in Deaf--Not in Hearing, in Journal of American Folklore » Read Now
by Susan D. Rutherford. 13 pgs.

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...Although a general level of awareness of deafness is increasing among the hearing world...cultural group is based more on "attitudinal deafness" ( Baker and Padden 1978...
14.

When the Hearing Gets Hard: Winning the Battle against Hearing Impairment » Read Now
by Elaine Suss. 274 pgs.

Collections: Entire Library

...not happen. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 1989...Gallaudet Encyclopedia of Deaf People and Deafness Van Cleve, 1987 deals...
15.

Deaf Children in China » Read Now
by Alison Callaway. 317 pgs.

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To learn how Chinese parents raise their deaf children, Alison Callaway conducted extensive research in the city of Nanjing in 1994. There, she interviewed the parents of 26 deaf children while also carefully analyzing a large collection of letters written by other parents to the supervisor of the...
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To learn how Chinese parents raise their deaf children, Alison Callaway conducted extensive research in the city of Nanjing in 1994. There, she interviewed the parents of 26 deaf children while also carefully analyzing a large collection of letters written by other parents to the supervisor of the nursery school that was the center of her research. She also made fact-finding visits to several other schools and programs for deaf preschoolers, and had discussions with teachers, administrators, and staff members. Also, through detailed background analysis, she was able to enhance her interpretations with a balanced assessment of the cultural influences in China, such as the role of the family and the government's one-child policy. The results of her study form the remarkable body of information presented in Deaf Children in China.
Callaway also compared data on English mothers of deaf children to her research, which reveals the differences between Western and Chinese parents, who rely upon grandparents to help them and who frequently search for medical cures. Yet, she also discovered that many issues cross cultures and contexts, especially the problems of achieving early diagnosis and intervention for all deaf children, and optimizing early development of language in deaf children of hearing parents. Her pioneering work will fascinate and enlighten readers invested in the development of deaf children for years to come.
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