Science, Deaf History of and Participation in

The legacy of deaf individuals in the history of science is an absorbing study of dedicated men and women who made significant contributions despite the communication barriers and attitudes they often experienced. Their auditory condition ranged from partial to profound and occurred at different ages of onset. They used a variety of strategies to communicate with their hearing associates. Some were involved in the Deaf communities of their time, while others immersed themselves almost completely in their scientific work. The field of Deaf Studies, however, has traditionally not emphasized science. Most likely, the reason is a lack of familiarity with the rich contributions made by deaf men and women in scientific history. Research over the past two decades has revealed that several thousand deaf men ...