The development of a considerable body of literature on British Sign Language (BSL) now permits analyzing and describing the sociolinguistic history of the language. An impressive amount of sociolinguistic information on BSL pertaining to the United Kingdom (UK) provides rich material for such analysis, but, until now, very little BSL research has…

This article describes the family of Alexander Graham Bell, including research and therapeutic work in speech and hearing impairments spanning three generations. Bell's life and discoveries are discussed, including the formation of the American Association for the Promotion of Teaching of Speech to the Deaf, whose history and organization are…

Two pilot telecourses were offered in fall 1991 at Rochester Institute of Technology and Gallaudet University. The course "Black Civil Rights in the Twentieth Century" was taught by a Rochester faculty member with a Gallaudet teacher as resource or co-teacher. The other course, "Mass Media and Deaf History," was taught from…

Historically, American society has had conflicting views on the nature and nurture of Deaf people and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) people. In the context of majority cultures and societies in history, the reality of Deaf and LGBTQ people's lives has often been summarized in general terms such as invisibility and oppression.…

Deaf high school students participating in an oral history project interview deaf adults, collect oral and signed histories on videotape, and translate the American Sign Language text into written English captions. The project's goals are to help deaf students build self-esteem, improve English writing skills, and become acquainted with role…

Developments in deaf education were influenced by broader social and cultural currents in American society. The United States has always been a pluralist nation, but the American majority has not always manifested a pluralist toleration for the integrity and value of minority cultures. There has always been a tension between the majority's desire…

This article sheds light on issues concerning discrimination in the history of deaf people in Sweden in the 20th century. With the help of a specific typology of concepts for analysing discrimination exercised through the use of language, it is shown how the categorization of the hearing impaired has changed over time and how, in this process of…

Although research of bilingualism in a single aural-oral linguistic mode is common, this has yet to be extended to visual-gestural modes of language use. This is a significant research gap, as deaf people and signed languages are agentic forces that contribute to a diverse global linguistic and sociocultural landscape. In this article, we present…

Recent research has shown that a distinct variety of American Sign Language, known as Black ASL, developed in the segregated schools for deaf African Americans in the US South during the pre-civil rights era. Research has also shown that in some respects Black ASL is closer than most white varieties to the standard taught in ASL classes and found…

This chronology lists highlights in the history of deaf-blind education from 1789 to 1995. Events covered include those concerning early special schools in Europe and the United States and trends in service delivery. Emphasis is on federal legislative actions since 1968. (DB)

Argues for the existence of two types of communities other than the diglossic deaf communities--isolated and developing deaf communities. The history, sign language and finger spelling of the Grand Cayman deaf community are discussed. As the deaf community develops, it is thinning out and breaking up. (PJM)

Co-author and teacher Bill Wainscott found that his students lack simple state geography concepts. They have little sense of the historical, economic, and cultural influences that shape their state, and they are missing background knowledge that is needed to engage in grade-level curriculum concepts. This article describes the development of an…

Deaf culture is defined, and hearing parents of deaf children are encouraged to learn about deaf culture, by making contact with deaf people, learning sign language, and learning about deaf folklore and history. A resource list on deaf folklore and sign language includes books, articles, periodicals, and national organizations. (JDD)

Maritime Sign Language (MSL) emerged in the easternmost provinces in Canada with origins traced as far back as to the Weald, a region in Southeastern England. Therefore, British sign language is a root language that led to the creation of MSL. This type of language emersion is known as a Deaf community sign language, which occurs when Deaf people…

Describes activities of a deaf awareness week in a deaf-education program within a public elementary school. Emphasis is on exposure to deaf culture and history in age appropriate activities, involvement of the entire school and community, and a Friday night sleep-over at the school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students and staff. (DB)