Unit Three: Deaf
Community!
LET’S LEARN ABOUT THE
HISTORY OF THE DEAF!
Remember these important facts:
 American Sign Language is most similar to French
Sign Language, as we all learned.
 Deaf people prefer to be called “Deaf” not hearing
impaired or any other word.
 The best and most effective way to communicate
with a Deaf person is to use sign language (ASL) or
an interpreter.
 If you don’t know ASL, use fingerspelling. It should
only be used as a back up to ASL.
Laurent Clerc
 A founder of the
education for the
Deaf in United States
 A mentor and a
teacher.
 He came from France
(born there)
 Founded American
School for the Deaf
with someone else,
guess who?
About Laurent Clerc
 He was believed to became Deaf due to the accident
with the fireplace. He fell from the chair into the
fireplace, suffered a head injury and a permanent
scar on his right face, hence the name sign (show the
class)
 He also lost his ability to smell as well.
 Attended the Institute of the Deaf and Mutes in
France under the guidance of Abbe’ Charles-Michel
de I’eppe
Thomas H. Gallaudet
 NOT the founder of
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Gallaudet.
A hearing teacher
He looked for a language.
He traveled with Alice
Cogswell.
Laurent Clerc met this
man in London in 1816.
Together, they traveled
back to America.
After Gallaudet and Clerc’s first meeting:
 1817: Founded the Connecticut Asylum for the
Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb
 Later, it is changed to American School for the
Deaf.
 The school opened on April 15, 1817.
 Clerc brought French Sign Language with him to
America.
Questions for you to answer:
 1. Who was Thomas H. Gallaudet?
 2. How did Thomas realize that Alice is Deaf?
 3. Which country did Thomas visited first?
 4. Why didn’t Thomas liked the school for the Deaf
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in England?
5. Who did Thomas met in France?
6. Who was Laurent Clerc?
7. What is the name of the school that Thomas and
Clerc establish?
8. What year and where was the school founded?
Fast Forward to years and
years later…
Edward Miner Gallaudet
 Founder of Gallaudet
University.
 Son of Thomas H.
Gallaudet
 Had a job in Connecticut,
but quit and became the
president at Columbia
Institution (later became
Gallaudet University) for
46 years.
Abraham Lincoln
 16th president of the
United States
 VERY supportive of the
education for the Deaf
 1864: Signed a charter to
start the first college for
the Deaf in the world.
 It was first named
National Deaf-Mute
College, before name
changes all over the years
to Gallaudet University.
The Lincoln Memorial Statue Story!
 Many people believe that Abraham Lincoln actually
had the letters “A” and “L” fingerspelled while taking
the picture. What do you think?
Questions for you to answer:
 1. Who was Abraham Lincoln?
 2. What did Lincoln do in 1864?
 3. Who was Edward Miner Gallaudet?
 4. What is the name of university that E.M. Gallaudet
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founded?
5.
6.
7.
8.
Entering the Dark times of
the Deaf community….
Alexander Graham Bell (AGB)
 Creator of the first-ever
telephone
 Started a school in
Boston to train the
teachers of the Deaf how
to use oral method.
 He tried to destroy the
lives of Deaf people.
 Established what is now
called “AGB” Association
for the Deaf in 1890.
Alexander Graham Bell said this….
 “Deaf people SHOULDN’T MARRY other deaf
people because it will MESS UP THEIR GENES!”
 What do you think?
Questions for you to answer:
 1. Who was Alexander Graham Bell (AGB?)
 2. Why didn’t AGB want Deaf people to marry each
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other?
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The Milan Convention (1880)
 The conference that changed everything.
 The International Congress on the Education for the
Deaf met in Milan, Italy to discuss issues related to
education for the Deaf.
 However, after the conference…….
The Milan Convention Aftermath:
 NO signing allowed in schools ANYWHERE!
 Deaf teachers LOST their jobs
 National Association of the Deaf gained more
supporters as Deaf community fought to save sign
language and the culture.
 The president of Gallaudet College decided to keep
sign language in Gallaudet campus, and it may
be the reason why sign language survived the worst
moment.
Very important information!
 ASL and the culture are passed on from generation
to generation through residential schools and Deaf
adults.
 Deaf people keep each other informed through social
events and activities such as Deaf clubs, churches,
picnics and sports games.
 Name signs are only earned by a Deaf person.
Questions for you to answer:
 1. What was the reason for the 1880 Milan
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convention?
2. What happened after the Milan Convention?
3. What do “NAD” stand for?
4. How do Deaf people keep each other informed?
5. How is ASL and Deaf culture passed on through?
6. Who can only give you name signs?
7.
8.
To be continued………….