There are many challenges to being deaf in a hearing society, starting with the educational system that, depending on where a Deaf student attends, can be ill equipped or inadequately meet the needs of a student who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Social emotional issues can often arise during this time due to communication differences which can lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Once a Deaf individual completes their educational experience, then new challenges arise, including the prospect of finding employment. In fact, statistics indicate that a majority of Deaf or Hard of hearing individuals are unemployed due to the challenges that come with job searching and securing employment with reasonable accommodations. Beyond school and work, social interactions can be difficult for those individuals who are not immersed in Deaf culture and who don’t have access to supportive and similarly-abled peers. However, there are protections in place to lessen these challenges through the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.
Challenges in Education
Being a Deaf student attending a mainstream elementary or high school can be incredibly challenging. Typical educational systems, whether public, charter, or private are not equipped to handle Deaf students. While a parent or student can request a reasonable accommodation to allow them equal access to the general curriculum, oftentimes the accommodation is not the Deaf students preferred communication method. This can be challenging for young learners who will be required to learn a new technology to effectively communicate with school staff as well as school staff also being required to learn how to implement it. You can’t just hand a student an alternative communication device and expect them to know how to use it; they must be taught by a school employee, such as a speech language pathologist or assistive technology specialist how to use it.
In adolescence, we all have a want and need to socialize and engage with others—deaf individuals are no different, but when two people are communicating using different methods, nothing is going to be achieved beyond what can be said using written or visual communication. This can leave deaf individuals feeling left out of social or educational opportunities at an early age and has driven a large part of the deaf community to build their own deaf culture, including deaf only residential schools. While this may seem like a wonderful option to deaf individuals, it can also be incredibly challenging. Imagine being able to have access to peers of the same age, the same communication modes, and strong, deaf role models (many teachers at these schools are deaf as well), only to have to leave your family in order to attend.
In college, the same challenges are faced–being able to effectively communicate with others while not utilizing the same communication method; note takers and sign language interpreters are vital to deaf individuals to allow them to have a sense of equity while they pursue higher education.
Challenges in Employment
When transitioning into the workplace, another challenge for deaf individuals is being able to secure employment. Years ago, when telephone conversations were the norm, it would be nearly impossible for a deaf individual to secure an interview or position without an intermediary such as a teletypewriter (TTY) or sign language interpreter communicating on their behalf. Thankfully, advances in technology have helped immensely with these issues. Text to speech, real time transcription, in addition to access to videoconferencing, word processing applications, and written communication have all helped level the playing field for deaf individuals. The ADA Title I provision states that no employer can discriminate against a Deaf individual and must provide reasonable accommodations for the recruiting and interview process and after employment has been secured. Unfortunately, challenges like additional steps when scheduling interviews like securing interpreters or even unconscious biases by hiring managers can create a stressful situation for Deaf workers when trying to secure employment. Even after employment is secured, when there is not a common avenue of communication, deaf individuals may feel like they are left out of interoffice communication which is a vital component to working on a team or interacting with others on the job. Many miscommunications can occur when deaf people interact with hearing people, either through misreading lips, or nonverbal communication breakdowns. These miscommunication breakdowns can lead to Deaf people feeling deaf stigma and ultimately becoming depressed or anxious about interoffice communication.
Challenges in Interpersonal Relationships
This was touched on in the employment challenges a Deaf employee can experience, but a third challenge of being deaf in a hearing society is the stigma of being deaf and the mental health issues that can arise from it. Various research has shown that deaf people are more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression. There is a constant internal tug of war for deaf individuals—the need to fit into a society that doesn’t normalize deafness and trying to carve out an identity within deaf culture. While assistive technologies are available for Deaf individuals within our society to ease the communication challenges, including closed captioning, FM devices, cochlear implants, and sign language interpreters, they are often expensive and with technology, some can occasionally malfunction. One positive aspect when dealing with mental health conditions for Deaf or hard of hearing individuals is inclusive mental health services, with therapists, psychiatrists, and counselors whose practice is specifically tailored to help Deaf individuals with their mental health.
Conclusion
While major gains have been made in the inclusion of Deaf individuals into American society, the hard truth is that most of society as individuals do not have the skills or knowledge to bridge the communication gap so they can fully engage with a deaf person on an interpersonal level. If you are ever in need of bridging the communication gap and creating an inclusive and accessible environment for all, reach out to Unspoken Language Services, a professional sign language interpreter service.
