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dblack22287

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Hello. I am a college student who is writing a paper on deaf culture and I am looking for someone who will answer a few simple questions about their experiences and background with deafness. It will not take much time and I am very much interested in learning. The short interview can be any way you wish, (email, facebook, AIM, phone, etc) and all I ask is that you answer a few questions truthfully and that you are in fact a deaf individual. Your help is greatly appreciated and thank you for your time.
 
Post the questions here and I will answer.
 
I will answer them as well if you post them here.
 
Hi dblack22287,

One post will do, as double posting is no-no in AllDeaf. :)
 
hohDougRN said:
Triple posting is OK though
Click to expand...

:lol: no, to be clear.... double posting as in threads is no-no of repeating same type of question in another new thread - one thread had to be removed.
 
What is your family communication background?
-Are your parents hearing? Deaf siblings? Does your family sign?

What is your preferred mode of communication?
-Speech, ASL, etc

What is your educational background?
-Did you attend private deaf schools, public hearing schools, college?

If you know ASL, when did you first begin using it?

What sort of deaf communities do you belong to?
-local/national groups, forums like this, school groups, clubs, etc

What is your work background and were there any major communication issues?

Finally, any specific stories or examples of being treated differently because of your deafness.

The more specific/detailed, the better as it will give me a clearer view. If any of these questions seem too personal to post on hear PLEASE feel free to email me at dblack22287@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing what you have to say!
 
What is your family communication background? Oral
-Are your parents hearing?
father was hoh, mother is hearing
Deaf siblings?
no
Does your family sign?
no

What is your preferred mode of communication?
using speech, but am learning ASL. Family is not learning ASL.
-Speech, ASL, etc

What is your educational background?
Public hearing schools.
-Did you attend private deaf schools, public hearing schools, college?

If you know ASL, when did you first begin using it?
just now learning and using.

What sort of deaf communities do you belong to?
I belong to a local Deaf Club, and a few forums.
-local/national groups, forums like this, school groups, clubs, etc

What is your work background and were there any major communication issues?
I had always done customer service or medical billing, unable to do now, due to hearing loss and we moved. No work now due to family issues and companies not willing to hire a total deaf person.

Finally, any specific stories or examples of being treated differently because of your deafness.
Mention here on AllDeaf before, but I will repeat for you. I went into a local bank (Bank of America) and because I had multiple things to do, I wrote them out on a piece of paper first. I was very clear on what I needed and wanted. When I went to the window, I spoke to the teller and told them I was deaf and I had a note of what I needed done. When I gave the teller the note, for some reason, this teller must have thought I was trying to rob the bank. She called the head teller and the branch manager to come over and started to hit her little button. She was stopped before pressing the button, by a co-worker who knew me. The manager asked what the problem was and she proceeded to tell the manager that I had a note and was trying to rob the place. the manager looked at my note and realized the problem and asked the girl to read it herself. She was really embarrassed, but I was mortified and have since closed my account and moved on to another bank that is deaf friendly.

I still have issues with grocery stores and businesses that are of the mind that if I can speak, then I should be able to hear. I was born hoh, I slowly lost my hearing over 43 years. At 43, I lost it all from a different reason. I have no residual hearing. I am proud of what I am able to do, and I do not hold my hearing loss against me. I feel much freer no having to deal with hearing aids. I do miss hearing my husband telling me he loves me. I also miss the sounds of my children's voices and I never got to hear my son's voice change from the little boy to the 14 almost 15 year old deeper voice. My mother says he sounds like a cross between my father and husband. That doesn't help me to know what she means, but at least I have the memories. I miss music, but like I said, I have my memories.

The more specific/detailed, the better as it will give me a clearer view. If any of these questions seem too personal to post on here PLEASE feel free to email me at dblack22287@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

Hope this helps.
 
dblack22287 said:
What is your family communication background?
-Are your parents hearing? Deaf siblings? Does your family sign?

What is your preferred mode of communication?
-Speech, ASL, etc

What is your educational background?
-Did you attend private deaf schools, public hearing schools, college?

If you know ASL, when did you first begin using it?

What sort of deaf communities do you belong to?
-local/national groups, forums like this, school groups, clubs, etc

What is your work background and were there any major communication issues?

Finally, any specific stories or examples of being treated differently because of your deafness.

The more specific/detailed, the better as it will give me a clearer view. If any of these questions seem too personal to post on hear PLEASE feel free to email me at dblack22287@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing what you have to say!
Click to expand...

I'll help!! I always loved " Answer questions about yourself " ( except describe yourself.. go figure... lol )...

1.) Nope, im the only one who is HoH in the family. Except for my aunt, and grandmother, but it was due to getting older... they really didnt have that for long either.

2.) Preferred mode of communication would be speech, at this point in time. I am, however, going to school currently for ASL. So I have the best of both worlds!

3.) Educational backgrounds would consist entirely of public schools, and some college. I never went to any schools for the deaf due to my parents' refusal to send me.

4.) Im only just now getting into the Deaf community. I have met a wonderful instructor at my school where I am learning ASL.. im learning quite a lot more than just ASL. And Im in here as well, in this Deaf Forum.

5.) For the better part of my life ive worked in Food Services. Because of that, ive went w/out hearing aids all these years. I am beginning to regret it, as well as a few other things too. I do believe there was some communication issues; as always, you will always have people who are ignorant and think the Deaf and HoH people are simply retarded. There's that kind of mental block or mental wall that you have to always overcome. Ive had a lot of those experiences, and continue to do so.

6.) Being treated differently? Gosh, I could write a book about that, and Im not kidding. It's the little things that you see day after day, and sometimes it can come back and haunt you.
 
What is your family communication background?
-Are your parents hearing? Deaf siblings? Does your family sign?

Nope, I'm the only deaf one in my family - my family does not sign, although they want to learn, now that I prefer sign language. (In all fairness, I've only recently used Auslan, and they live far from any auslan class that they could go to).

What is your preferred mode of communication?
-Speech, ASL, etc

I prefer Auslan. (Such a weird name, but I guess "ASL" was already taken!)

What is your educational background?
-Did you attend private deaf schools, public hearing schools, college?

Was mainstreamed, and eventually graduated from university with honors.

If you know ASL, when did you first begin using it?

i started using and preferring Auslan a bit over two years ago, although I really only started being "conversational" about a year ago, still learning!

What sort of deaf communities do you belong to?
-local/national groups, forums like this, school groups, clubs, etc

Mostly just a monthly deaf group, plus church. (There are very few deaf people in churches... :( )

What is your work background and were there any major communication issues?

I work full time as an engineer. Please define what you mean by "major communication issues" - certainly none that could not be resolved. I'm... Often regarded as very direct and tactless, and apparently I'm quite noisy when reorganising a cupboard!"

Finally, any specific stories or examples of being treated differently because of your deafness.

Many people who don't know me often consider me as not being terribly smart, sometimes before they even try to communicate at all! Frustrating, although it doesn't help at all not being fluent in one's preferred languages...
 
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