A Journey Into the Deaf World

567 Pages·1·4.603 MB·English

by  Harlan Lane

Also by Harlan Lane
As Author
The Wild Boy of Aveyron
When the Mind Hears: A History of the Deaf
The Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community
As Editor
Recent Perspectives on American Sign Language
(François Grosjean, co-editor)
The Deaf Experience: Classics in Language and Education
(translated from the French by Franklin Philip)
Parallel Views: Education and Access for Deaf People
in France and the United States
Looking Back: A Reader on the History
of Deaf Communities and Their Sign Languages
(Renate Fischer, co-editor)
Also by Robert Hoffmeister
Discourse Processes in American Sign Language
(James Gee, co-editor)
Also by Ben Bahan
American Sign Language Literature Series:
Bird of a Different Feather
(with Sam Supalla)
Signs for Me
Basic Sign Vocabulary for Children, Parents & Teachers
(with Joe Dannis)
My ABC Signs of Animal Friends (with Joe Dannis)
A
Journey
into the
DEAF–WORLD
Cover art:
Discovery of Language
___________________
by Harry R. Williams
As a Deaf boy, the artist struggled to understand the connections between
words and images. His discovery of language came when he grasped that
the fingerspelled word “b-a-l-l” matched the picture of a ball, and the door
of enlightenment opened for him. Before, his mind was a desert. After, his
vision was transformed by the primary colors—red, blue, yellow—which
were to change his life. The flower in full bloom is Williams’ rendering of
the moment of discovery: “I understand!”
L. K. Elion
My Eyes are My Ears;
Homage to Harry R. Williams
A
Journey
into the
DEAF–WORLD
HARLAN LANE
ROBERT HOFFMEISTER
BEN BAHAN
DAWNSIGNPRESS
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
A Journey into the Deaf–World
Copyright © 1996, Harlan Lane, Robert Hoffmeister, Ben Bahan.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.
No part of this book (except brief quotations to be included in a review) may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.
Editor: Corona A. Machemer Editorial Services
Producer: Joe Dannis
Sign Illustrator: Paul Setzer
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Published by DawnSignPress.
The paintings of the abbé de l’Epée on his deathbed, by Peyson; of the abbé de l’Epée giving a
lesson, by Privat; and of Sicard and Massieu, by Langlois are from the collection of the library of
I’Institut National des Jeunes Sourds, 254 rue St Jacques 75005 Paris.
The information contained in this book is intended to be educational and not for diagnosis,
prescription, or treatment of health disorders, whatsoever. This information should not replace
competent medical care. The Authors and Publisher are in no way liable for any use or misuse of the
information.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lane,
Harlan L.
A journey into the deaf–world / Harlan Lane, Robert Hoffmeister, Ben Bahan.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-915035-63-4 (paper: alk. paper). — ISBN 0-915035-62-6
(hardcase: alk. paper)
1. Deaf—Social conditions. 2. Deaf—United States—Social conditions.
3. Deaf—Means of communication—United States. I. Hoffmeister, Robert. II. Bahan, Benjamin J.
III. Title.
HV2380.L27 1996
305.9’08162’0973—dc20 96-19522
CIP
Quantity discounts for the print edition are available
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For more information please contact:
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San Diego, CA 92121
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Order Toll Free 1-800-549-5350
For our parents and the Deaf people
who have led us on the journey
Contents
Acknowledgments
Authors’ Note
Part I: In the Center of the Deaf–World
Chapter 1 Welcome to the Deaf–World
Chapter 2 Families with Deaf Children
Chapter 3 The Language of the Deaf–World
Chapter 4 Form and Function in ASL
Chapter 5 Deaf Culture
Chapter 6 The World Deaf Scene
Part II: At the Borders of the Deaf–World
Chapter 7 Disabling the Deaf–World
Chapter 8 Educational Placement and the Deaf Child
Chapter 9 Language and Literacy
Chapter 10 Bilingual and Bicultural Education for Deaf Children
Chapter 11 Evaluating Deaf People
Chapter 12 The Hearing Agenda I: To Mitigate a Disability
Part III: When Two Worlds Collide
Chapter 13 The Future of the Deaf–World
Chapter 14 The Hearing Agenda II: Eradicating the Deaf–World
Chapter 15 The Deaf Agenda: Enriching the Deaf–World
Chapter 16 Journey’s End
Notes
References
About the Authors
Acknowledgments
Many of our colleagues have greatly assisted us in preparing this book and
it is a pleasure to acknowledge their help: Thomas Allen, Yerker Andersson,
Elliot Aheroni, Douglas Bahl, Charlotte Baker-Shenk, Donald Bangs, Sue
Burnes, John Campton, Kathee Christensen, Oscar Cohen, Dennis Cokely,
Janis Cole, Betty Colonomos, Jay Croft, Amy Czisk, Kristin Diperri,
Lindsay Dunn, Gilbert Eastman, L.K. Elion, Karen Emmorey, Kathy Girod,
Neil Glickman, Debra Guthmann, Michael Harvey, David Hays, William
Isham, Trudy Schafer-Jeffers, Jerald Jordan, Debbie Kneisell, Michel
Lamothe, Jessica Lee, Ruben Leon, Ella Mae Lentz, Ceil Lucas, Alan
Marcus, Marina McIntire, Paula Menyuk, Betty G. Miller, Ilene Miner,
Elizabeth Monaco, William Moody, Elissa Newport, Carol Padden, Peter
Paul, Hal Rosenblatt, Susan Rutherford, Al Santoro, Carol Santoro, Jerome
Schein, Brenda Schertz, Michael Schwartz, Ginger Smith, Theresa Smith,
Jim Tourangeau, and Clayton Valli.
We want to record particular gratitude to our gifted editor, Corona
Machemer, who has been an invaluable advisor, collaborator and critical
reader; to Lynn Stafford, our copyeditor; and to the skilled and dedicated
team at DawnSignPress.