Paper Example: Research on the Perceptions of My Peers About the Deaf

For my creative writing class, I decided to involve my peers in my research about the perceptions they have about the deaf. I chose Terence Mike Parkin, a South African swimmer who participated in the 2000 Olympics and won a silver medal, and the 2004 Olympics where he won two gold medals. With his disability, Parkin managed to save a boy from drowning in the rear 2011. I sought to ask my peers if they knew Parkin, but from their gestures and responses, it was clear that they did not know who he was. I thought this was ignorance because the swimmer is still in the limelight, and being that Olympics is watched all over the world.

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I, therefore, sought to explain to them who he was, and to share some of the experiences of deaf people. I was able to gather some of the various misconceptions my peers had about the deaf. To start with, one of the misconceptions that they shared is that deaf people speak in a funny way. Fortunately, I had done some research regarding the deaf, and this helped me in clearing the misconceptions. I explained to them that all deaf people were unique and different. There are those that speak clearly, and there are others that do not. Their levels of hearing depend on their type of hearing loss and whether they have undergone speech therapy. What my peers do not know is that the deaf do not talk funny, but what they have is an accent.

Secondly, they had the belief that deaf people cannot drive. This is a misconception people have about the blind. It is a fact that the deaf can drive. Studies have proven that the deaf are better drivers and cause fewer accidents than their fellow men with good hearing. For a person to get a driving license, they are not required to take a hearing test. The flashlights on ambulances and police cars among others are some of the signs that help the deaf during driving.

Besides, my peers had the impression they need to shout or speak loudly for the deaf to hear. However, this is just a misconception that is baseless and non-factual. People are advised to speak normally and naturally; that is not in a fast or slow manner. This is because in all cases exaggerating the mouth movements makes it more difficult for the deaf to understand what is being communicated to them. Lastly, another misconception that I gathered from my peers is that they believe that there is a deaf culture that all deaf people participate and understand. This is however not true because most deaf people do not choose to participate in this culture. From studies, deaf culture requires shared values, behaviors, and a common language among others, and most deaf people prefer to use technology other than sign language. This is because the deaf want to fit into the hearing world (Lane, Hoffmeister, & Bahan, 1996).

Furthering my research, I realized that audism is shared across all generation of people. The attitudes towards the deaf are similar across the board. The deaf are treated differently in the restaurants, in the offices and even in the sporting field among other places. I was able to identify some oppressions that the deaf experienced. Before I documented this, I decided to explain to the people I interviewed about audism because most had not come across that word. According to my study, audism is the conception that an individual has, based on their ability to hear. Most people in interviewed thought that those people who have hearing problems live a miserable life that is a life that is not futile. This notion has led to the stigmatization towards those with hearing problems.

One of the places I visited is the hospital because from a prior study I learned this is one of the sectors where the deaf are oppressed. Lucky enough, I managed to interview a deaf person, and I used an interpreter to communicate with them. One form of oppression that affects the deaf in hospitals and other places is that the deaf are often not provided with an interpreter. This makes it difficult for them to communicate and they end up receiving low-quality services. Without good communication, the health of the deaf is affected due to delayed appointments, wrong medications, and misdiagnoses among others. The person I interviewed also felt that the doctors perceived the deaf as disabled, stupid and inadequate.

The same patient had a bad experience at the hospital saying,

The first day I came to this hospital, I requested for an interpreter, but the doctor was very upset citing that getting an interpreter was going to be expensive. The doctor even suggested that I did not need an interpreter since I was able to read his notes. He also recommended that I tag a family member along to act as my interpreter.

This oppression cuts across in other institutions like the workplace. I extended my research further to the neighborhood. The deaf people I interacted with cited that they felt left out in neighborhood gatherings (Higgins, 1987; Sachs, 1976; Sussman, 1976).When neighbors gathered for occasions, the deaf said that they often carried a pen and a piece of paper which aided in the communication.

From information collected, I saw the need to act as an ambassador and try to create awareness on audism. Since the technology is changing, and with the revamped use of social media, I created a Facebook page where the deaf and the general public can interact. I also made a trip back to the hospital and neighborhood where my interviews took place to create awareness. With the knowledge gathered I was able to come up with some recommendations. A mandatory curriculum needs to be introduced in medical schools where the students are taught on the needs of the deaf, and how to handle those with hearing problems. This can also be achieved by the National Association of the Deaf, by creating workshops on self-empowerment, resources, advocacy and legislation among other opportunities to reduce the oppression.

In summary, communication is imperative in the interactions with the deaf with the ordinary person. This requires the provision of interpreters in all institutions. This means that those managing the institutions should provide an environment that is accessible to the deaf people. Cultural awareness is also very important. From my interviews, I realized that people are not aware of the effects of audism to the deaf community. People need to be made aware of their actions and attitudes towards the deaf. This can only be achieved through workshops where knowledge about the deaf is disseminated.

References

Lane, H., Hoffmeister, R., & Bahan, B. (1996). A journey into the deaf-world. San Diego, CA: DawnSignPressSussman, A. (1976). Attitudes towards deafness: A dimension in personality. Hearing Quarterly Rehabilitation, 24, 3041.