Deaf Awareness Month

Nomeland, Melvia M., and Ronald E. Nomeland. The Deaf Community in America : History in the Making. McFarland, 2012.

This volume tracks the changes in education and the social world of deaf people through the years. Topics covered include the attitudes toward the deaf in Europe and America, the evolution of communication and language and increasing influence of education.

Lindgren, Kristin A., et al. Signs and Voices : Deaf Culture, Identity, Language, and Arts. 1st ed., Gallaudet University Press, 2008.

This collection addresses all of the factors now changing the cultural landscape for deaf people. Signs and Voices is divided into three sections: “Culture and Identity”, “Language and Literacy”, and “American Sign Language in the Arts”. Each section focuses on a particular set of theoretical and practical concerns.

McCaskill, Carolyn, et al. The Hidden Treasure of Black ASL : Its History and Structure. Paperback edition., Gallaudet University Press, 2020.

Based on the findings of the Black ASL Project, which undertook this unprecedented research, Hidden Treasure documents the stories and language of the African American Deaf community. With links to online video content that includes interviews with Black ASL users, this volume is a groundbreaking scholarly contribution and a powerful affirmation for Black Deaf people.

Stewart, David A., et al. Barron’s American Sign Language : A Comprehensive Guide to ASL 1 and 2. Kaplan North America, LLC d/b/a Barron’s Educational Series, 2021.

Presents a guide to learning sign language, including fingerspelling, illustrated signs, quizzes, and more.

Nović, Sara. True Biz : A Novel. First edition., Random House, 2022.

True biz? The students at the River Valley School for the Deaf just want to hook up, pass their history final, and have doctors, politicians, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies. This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, cochlear implants and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy.

Leigh, Irene W., et al. Deaf Culture : Exploring Deaf Communities in the United States. Second edition., Plural Publishing, Inc., 2022.

How does Deaf culture fit into education, psychology, cultural studies, technology and the arts? This book addresses these questions with both theoretical and practical information. With the recognition of American Sign Language (ASL) as a bona fide language, the perception of Deaf people has evolved into the recognition of a vibrant Deaf culture centered around the use of signed languages and the communities of Deaf people.

Ladd, Paddy. Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood. 1st ed., Multilingual Matters, 2003.

This book presents a ‘Traveller’s Guide’ to Deaf Culture, starting from the premise that Deaf cultures have an important contribution to make to other academic disciplines, and human lives in general. Within and outside Deaf communities, there is a need for an account of the new concept of Deaf culture, which enables readers to assess its place alongside work on other minority cultures and multilingual discourses.

Gannon, Jack R., et al. Deaf Heritage: A Narrative History of Deaf America. 1st ed., Gallaudet University Press, 2012.

In Deaf Heritage: A Narrative History of Deaf America, Gannon brought together for the first time the story of the Deaf experience in America from a Deaf perspective. Recognizing the need to document the multifaceted history of this unique minority with its distinctive visual culture, he painstakingly gathered as much material as he could on Deaf American life.

Scarl, Hilari, et al. Sign with Robert. 4, Deaf Culture. Directed by Hilari Scarl, Worldplay, 2015.

Explore the meaning behind Deaf culture, international signs, sign names and acronyms utilized in the Deaf community. Access all Sign with Robert videos.

Missouri Institute of Mental Health, production company. Understanding Deaf Culture. Missouri Institute of Mental Health, 2013.

In this presentation, Elijah Buchholz, LPC, will instruct viewers on how to provide culturally sensitive and competent mental health services to members of the Deaf community through understanding of the culture and its specific needs.

TEDx Talks. “Navigating Deafness in a Hearing World | Rachel Kolb | TEDxStanford.” YouTube, 20 June 2013.

In the United States, two-thirds of hearing-impaired people do not complete high school. In this talk at TEDxStanford, Rhodes Scholar Rachel Kolb, who was born deaf, shows what is possible through family support and self-belief, and proves that what is assumed about you and what you can actually achieve don’t always match up.

Carton, Laetitia, et al. I’ll Come to You with Deaf Eyes. Directed by Laetitia Carton, The Party Film Sales, 2015.

Description from the filmmaker: “This film is a letter to my friend Vincent who died ten years ago. Vincent was Deaf. He introduced me to his language, his culture, his world. Through Vincent ‘s life, the film will examine the roots of the distress that plagues the Deaf, and also explore a rich and fascinating world, a people that struggles to preserve its Sign Language and Culture.”

American Society for Deaf Children provides resources to empowering diverse families with Deaf/Hard of Hearing children and youth by embracing full access to language-rich environments through mentoring, advocacy, and collaborative networks.

Center on Early Intervention on Deafness maximizes communication potential through education, family support, and community audiology services for children and adults who are deaf and hard of hearing.

National Association of the Deaf is the nation’s premier civil rights organization of, by and for the deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States. This captioned YouTube video from the National Association of the Deaf describes their mission in Sign Language.

Sign Language Center provides virtual ASL classes and one-on-one tutoring sessions for all levels of learning.