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This guide was developed by
Cathryn Carroll
Publications and Information
Dissemination
Laurent Clerc National Deaf
Education Center
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A Closer Look at
Sections of the Exhibition
The "History Through Deaf Eyes" exhibition is divided into
several sections. Only the first two of the sections are explored in depth
at this time.
- Community Formation
Beginning in the early 1800s, social and economic conditions, and a
religious determination that deaf individuals should not be excluded
from teaching led to the founding of schools for deaf students. As deaf
students gathered together, they developed an important set of shared
experiences.
- Language and Identity
While the schools fostered a language that grew out of the communal
interaction of individuals who communicated via sign and sight, the
general society emphasized the importance of voice and hearing, resulting
in a tension between some deaf individuals and the hearing world and
within the deaf community itself.
- Community Building
Lifetime friendships forged in the residential schools led to communities
of educated deaf adults who formed their own organizations. These included
local clubs, national advocacy organizations, and school, community,
and national sports groups. These organizations in turn enriched the
deaf community and enabled deaf citizens to express their citizenship
in lives devoted to labor and support for their country.
- Awareness, Access, and Change
The civil rights movement inspired a nation to respect all of its diverse
communities and individuals within these communities to press for greater
access and respect. At the same time technological innovations promised
greater ease of participation and access.
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