Deaf History: 1981 to Present

The period between 1981 and the second decade of the 21st century has been characterized by significant technological advances in assistive aids for the deaf and by increased public awareness of the need for improved laws that recognize the rights of those with special needs. For the deaf, this recognition has included access to opportunities for advancing education and employment based on abilities rather than false concepts of disabilities. Since 1981, countries around the world have passed new laws mandating improved access, including both communication and physical access. In the United States, Congress and state legislatures have expanded the protections of earlier laws and responded to advancing technologies such as the Internet, digital televisions, cellular telephones, and movie streaming services to enact new laws that guarantee the rights of the deaf in the 21st century. By 2014, estimates suggest that more than 30 million individuals living in the United States were deaf (notably, census data on deaf individuals has not been collected since 1930, making it impossible to verify this number). The methods of communication preferred by those individuals included American Sign Language, lipreading, and oral communication. Some 96% of all deaf children are born into families with at least one hearing parent. This means that young children may not be immediately exposed to the culture of the Deaf community. The battle over the advisability of ensuring that those children are exposed to the Deaf community has been prolonged. Controversy over the use of cochlear implants also continues to incite heated debate. While American Sign Language continues to be the preferred method of communication within the Deaf [Page 207]community, those who are deaf sometimes opt for assistive devices that enhance their ability to hear. Many deaf people are comfortable moving between the Deaf and hearing communities. The Deaf community became stronger throughout the period between 1980 and the present, and the Deaf community has been particularly strengthened in large urban areas and in communities that host residential schools for the Deaf. Seeking to protect their interests, individuals within the Deaf community have formed political alliances at all levels of government and have created organizations that work to advance the interests of the community.