Draft:Deaf gain

International Symbol for Deafness

Deaf Gain

Deaf Gain is a concept that reframes being Deaf not as a loss but as a benefit or an advantage. It highlights the unique contributions that Deaf individuals and Deaf culture bring to society, including linguistic, cultural, and cognitive diversity. Deaf Gain challenges the traditional view of deafness as a deficit or disability and instead focuses on the positive aspects, such as the development of sign languages, enhanced visual-spatial skills, and a rich cultural identity.

History and origin

Coining the Term:

The term Deaf Gain was first introduced in the early 2000s by authors Joseph J. Murray and H-Dirksen L. Bauman in their joint article, "Reframing: From Hearing Loss to Deaf Gain". Murray and Bauman sought out to change the narrative behind Deafness and hearing loss, claiming that it should be seen as a source of benefit and diversity, rather than a loss or impairment. “Society views deafness as a negative thing. Deaf Gain is the opposite. Deaf Gain represents the ability to share the Deaf experience and contribute to the world” .

Throughout history, the medical model of deafness was perceived as a problem that necessitated correction. Murray and Bauman challenged this model, and used Deaf Gain and Deaf culture symbiotically to highlight the contributions that Deaf communities have instilled upon our society. By using the involvement by Deaf individuals and communities in fields such as but not limits to art, technology, and communication, there has been a noticeable pragmatic shift in the attitude towards Deafness.

H-Dirksen L. Bauman, Joseph J. Murray

The author pair are each distinguished scholar and advocates for the Deaf community and are most commonly known for their invention and work on the concept Deaf Gain. Both authors are recognized for their imperative constitutions in the field of Deaf Studies. Their 2009 article Reframing: From Hearing Loss to Deaf Gain along their book Deaf Gain: Raising the Stakes for Human Diversity were building blocks in the foundation of how Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and communities are perceived today. Bauman and Murray emphasize the idea that Deaf people's experiences and use of sign language offer pronounced benefits in fields such as communication, visual-spaced skills, and innovation. Bauman and Murray are praised for their increase in awareness for the Deaf community, and have been commended for their role in pursuing the narrative in which Deafness is a form of human diversity rather and a deficit.

Awareness and Human Capital

Deaf Gain is a movement of awareness and recognization of the reframed notion towards individuals within the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. The term Deaf Gain is a direct longing for respect and positive affirmation, along with the abolishment of negativity towards Deafness as a whole. In an effort to promote progression and acceptance, Deaf Gain acts as a looking-glass into the lives of Deaf people and the societal benefits they have and will continue to provide for the general public. Attitude is everything, and Deaf people have constantly attested to this perspective, including well known advocate for Deaf Culture Aaron Williamson. when he was first going Deaf, he consulted many doctors who repetitively told him he was losing his hearing.  Never was their response something of a gain—never it was “gaining his deafness”.  

From Accessibility to Everyday Use

Throughout history, Deaf individuals have struggled significantly with challenges of communication, safety, and participation in common activities. In an effort to address these issues and solve this problem, many technological advancements were invented, and a good number of them exceeded their original need. Deaf Gain is all about shining a light onto the negative connotation with what it means to be Deaf. As technology advances, the inventions focused on Deafness have evolved into a new meaning. For example, early uses of text-based telephone communication through systems such as pagers, paved the way for texting and messaging as we know it today. Something so prevalent in our lives is often overlooked in the context of its origin and original purpose.

Gallaudet University

Image of Chapel Hall at Gallaudet University

Gallaudet University is a university whose faculty, staff, and student body are primarily made up of and served for members of the Deaf community and hard-of-hearing students. Nearly 90% of students are Deaf, and since its founding in 1864, Gallaudet has been the leading educator for and of Deaf culture and studies. The university is the vanguard of promoting Deaf culture, and is a leading advocate of American Sign Language. Since 1864, Gallaudet has been a prestigious institution in Deaf studies, and has been an influential force in promoting and contributing to Deaf Gain. Gallaudet has always strived to redefine Deafness as a positive, cognitively constructive benefit to individuals and the general public. Gallaudet has been preached as a cutting edge progressive institution due to their fields of research, their staff to student body relationships, and their affect on not only the Deaf community, but the rest of society. In fact, one of the most prevalent yet overlooked examples of Deaf Gain comes directly from Gallaudet's campus. In 1894, the quarterback for Gallaudet's football team Paul Hubbard invented the football huddle. In an effort to prevent other deaf teams from stealing their plays by watching him sign them, the team huddled up and created what we now see countless times in every football game regardless of level.

Robert Weitbrecht (1920-1983)

Photo of Robert Weitbrecht

Robert Weitbrecht was a California native who was born Deaf and later became a physicist at the University of California and an electronic scientist at the U.S. Naval Air Missile Test Center. He found success throughout his life and received the 1971 Laurent Clerc Award for his scientific Career. In 1964, Weitbrecht invented the TTY (also known as TTD, or the Telecommunication Device for the Deaf). The invention permitted Deaf individuals and those who are hard-of-hearing the ability to communicate with by means of telephone lines by using text-based messages. This invention was a paradigm shifting moment in relation to the means of communication and accessibility. Prior to Weitbrecht's invention, Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals had a very limited ability to communicate with others over long distances, and primarily had to rely on written notes and in-person interactions. Not only was this invention paramount to the communication of Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to other members of their communities, but the invention of TTY gave access to essential services, including but limited to education and employment. Decades later, we carry a piece of Weitbrecht's intellect in our pockets, with TTY being a pivotal role in the invention and progression of modern text and instant messaging systems.

Closed Captioning (CC)

One of the most known, used, and obvious forms of Deaf Gain is closed captioning, the process of text being displayed on a screen that is transcribing all auditory cues, such as spoken dialogue, sound effects, music cues, and other important auditory increments in an effort to make audio content accessible for individuals who are either Deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Origin

Closed Captioning was first used in the early 1970s when the National Captioning Institute (NCI) invented the first closed captioning system. Their objective was to produce a means of accessibility to television for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. The first ever bench test of CC on national television was in 1972, on PBS. By the 1980s, CC was used by TV networks everywhere and was being incorporated into regular programming.

Impact

It is now used constantly and everywhere, ranging from the likes of entertainment platforms such as live TV and TikTok, to airports and stadiums. CC is a tool that has boundless use, whether it be transcribing a YouTube video, to providing necessary information and instructions in a public setting. The access of visual media has spread like wildfire in our screen based society, and is one of the most prevalent examples of Deaf Gain.

Closed captioning is a crucial accessibility tool, and is recognized by all who utilize screen oriented technology. The analysis of its development and use show clear indication that innovations for those in the Deaf community can project onto the greater public and can be seamlessly incorporated in our everyday lives. Closed Captions is not only a tool for those who have auditory restrictions, but is also frequently used by viewers in an effort to help them learn English as a second language, and for children to enhance their English. We often overlook inventions that are byproducts of Deaf Gain, but exploring the examples of inventions incorporated into our everyday lives offers insight into the contribution of these technologies that extend beyond their original purpose of providing accessibility.

Visual Alerting Systems

Devices and/or technologies known as visual alerting systems use visual singals such as flashing lights to notify individuals of events or circumstances that are ordinarily delivered through sound. These circumstances are events such as alarms, phone calls, doorbells, any many more. These are crucial inventions for members of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community to notify them of situations that can be potentially life threatening. Implications such as fire alarm flashing strobes, police/emergency vehicle lights, and emergency notifications. Not all visual alerting systems are under the category as a life saver, but most are without a doubt an invention that drastically improves the lives of those who may require a visual cue. Vibrating alarm clocks and phone notifications, video doorbells, traffic signals, even video based communication systems are all examples of an innovation manufactured for those who cannot hear, that are permanently implemented into our society, and used by billions of individuals daily.

Other Examples:

There are countless examples of inventions that were created with the intention of serving Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, but here are some extraordinarily prominent examples of Deaf Gain inventions that are seamlessly incorporated into our lives.

• Closed Captioning (CC)
• Vibrations based systems
• Football Huddles
• Baseball Umpire Signals
• Visual Alerts
• Texting and Messaging
• Video Calling
• Voice-to-text and Speech Recognition systems
• Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TTY)
• Smart Home Devices
• Bluetooth
• Assistive Listening Systems