<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Embrace a more diverse communication model. I know MANY people well assimilated in the "D" Deaf world with cochlear implants.<div>They have no hesitancy or delusions about it; they simply enjoy the best of both worlds. </div><div>I know people that grew up with speech therapy and the oral method and they have no issues in the Deaf community whatsoever.<div><br></div><div>If a child is born deaf, there are undoubtedly some hard decisions to make. (Whether you're a hearing or a Deaf parent.)</div><div><br></div><div>I know a Deaf family that has two children, one who is profoundly deaf and the other who is HH. The HH child has two</div><div>high tech hearing aids, receives speech therapy, is oral, and signs ASL with great fluency. He coexists in both worlds.</div><div>I don't think deaf kids of hearing parents always have this luxury.</div><div><br></div><div>Parents resist learning sign, or refuse to expose their children to it, or they become paralyzed by the perceived "disability". </div><div><br></div><div>When I went to school I was taught that the cochlear implant was taboo and the Deaf Community would shun you if you got one,</div><div>and you wouldn't have a strong identity in the Deaf community. That's a bunch of hooey. A person with a cochlear implant has every chance to become</div><div>an active participant in the Deaf world and to become fully assimilated. It's a choice. Parents must be good advocates and understand the richness and diversity</div><div>of the Deaf culture and the importance and richness of ASL. I understand the paranoia and pride issues; we must transcend for we're all humans just trying to coexist. </div><div><br></div><div>I think much of the fear of the cochlear implant, oralism, and the pathological view is that it will inherently destroy OR taint Deaf </div><div>Culture and devalue the importance of ASL. </div><div><br></div><div>Diversity is essential in all cultures. I serve adults with deafness and developmental disabilities and it is my job to break down walls</div><div>and barriers that separate them from the Deaf culture and the hearing culture. </div><div><br></div><div>Historically it is understandable why the cochlear implant is problematic in the Deaf world. It reinforces the pathological view and possibly </div><div>is symbolic in some way of the oppressive hearing society. "D" Deaf doesn't want "H" Hearing to dictate how their culture should be</div><div>evolving. </div><div><br></div><div>...I tried to be unbiased....</div><div><div><div>On Dec 6, 2008, at 10:24 PM, KJ wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div bgcolor="#ffffff" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><font face="Arial" size="2">I don't think anyone can give an unbiased opinion about cochlear implants!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">KJ</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></font>----- Original Message -----</div><blockquote style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid; margin-right: 0px; "><div style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: rgb(228, 228, 228); font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; background-position: initial initial; "><b>From:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a title="icemandeaf@gmail.com" href="mailto:icemandeaf@gmail.com">Adam Frost</a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a title="sw-l@majordomo.valenciacc.edu" href="mailto:sw-l@majordomo.valenciacc.edu">SignWriting List</a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Saturday, December 06, 2008 1:31 PM</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Re: [sw-l] Appreciating the cochlear implant</div><div><br></div>Well, I don't know how much help I can be with providing neutral, factual information as I am biased being a Deaf person strongly imbedded in the Deaf World and still very successful in the Hearing World such that getting a cochlear would be unneeded. I can tell you this much that I know that besides all of that, I am ill candidate for a cochlear because my deafness is as a result of auditory nerves that never developed correctly. I do have to agree that many people get very passionate about this topic. Not really much can be done about it and is expected when something seems to destroy a way of life. I know that hearing aids were viewed with the same passion when they first came out.<div><br></div><div>Adam</div><div><br><div><div>On Dec 6, 2008, at 6:04 AM, Gerard Meijssen wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite">Hoi,<br>In several discussions about sign languages and SignWriting, the subject of the cochlear implant was mentioned. I have been doing some reading on the subject. I find it hard to learn what a cochlear implant does for someone who gets an operation and has one implanted. I learned that the operation is not without risks and the soundfiles that I listened to on the Internet do not give 22 channel quality.<br><br>The Wikipedia article is deemed to be not good enough. So I am really looking for an improved article and also in a better appreciation of such devices.<br>Thanks,<br> Gerard<br><br><a href="http://ultimategerardm.blogspot.com/2008/12/cochlear-implant.html">http://ultimategerardm.blogspot.com/2008/12/cochlear-implant.html</a><br><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_implant">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_implant</a><br><br><br><br>____________________________________________<br><br>SW-L SignWriting List<br><br>Post Message<br><a href="mailto:SW-L@majordomo.valenciacc.edu">SW-L@majordomo.valenciacc.edu</a><br><br>List Archives and Help<br><a href="http://www.signwriting.org/forums/swlist/">http://www.signwriting.org/forums/swlist/</a><br><br>Change Email Settings<br><a href="http://majordomo.valenciacc.edu/mailman/listinfo/sw-l">http://majordomo.valenciacc.edu/mailman/listinfo/sw-l</a></blockquote></div><br></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><hr><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><br><br><br>____________________________________________<br><br>SW-L SignWriting List<br><br>Post Message<br><a href="mailto:SW-L@majordomo.valenciacc.edu">SW-L@majordomo.valenciacc.edu</a><br><br>List Archives and Help<br><a href="http://www.signwriting.org/forums/swlist/">http://www.signwriting.org/forums/swlist/</a><br><br>Change Email Settings<br><a href="http://majordomo.valenciacc.edu/mailman/listinfo/sw-l">http://majordomo.valenciacc.edu/mailman/listinfo/sw-l</a><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><hr><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><br>No virus found in this incoming message.<br>Checked by AVG -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.avg.com">http://www.avg.com</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.9.15/1833 - Release Date: 12/5/2008 7:08 PM<br></blockquote><br><br><br>____________________________________________<br><br>SW-L SignWriting List<br><br>Post Message<br><a href="mailto:SW-L@majordomo.valenciacc.edu">SW-L@majordomo.valenciacc.edu</a><br><br>List Archives and Help<br><a href="http://www.signwriting.org/forums/swlist/">http://www.signwriting.org/forums/swlist/</a><br><br>Change Email Settings<br><a href="http://majordomo.valenciacc.edu/mailman/listinfo/sw-l">http://majordomo.valenciacc.edu/mailman/listinfo/sw-l</a></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div></div></body></html>