some articles at Wikipedia to enable us to know more about The Deaf (Orang Pekak):
Hearing impairment
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
See also: Deaf culture for the social movement.
Deafness is a condition wherein the ability to detect certain frequencies of sound is completely or partially impaired. When applied to humans, the term hearing impaired is rejected by the Deaf Culture movement, where the terms deaf and hard-of-hearing are preferred.
Definition
Hearing sensitivity is indicated by the quietest sound that an animal can detect, called the hearing threshold. In the case of humans and some animals, this threshold can be accurately measured by a behavioral audiogram. A record is made of the quietest sound that consistently prompts a response from the listener. The test is carried out for sounds of different frequencies. There are also electro-physiological tests that can be performed without requiring a behavioral response.
Normal hearing thresholds within any given species are not the same for all frequencies. If different frequencies of sound are played at the same amplitude, some will be perceived as loud, and others quiet or even completely inaudible. Generally, if the gain or amplitude is increased, a sound is more likely to be perceived. Ordinarily, when animals use sound to communicate, hearing in that type of animal is most sensitive for the frequencies produced by calls, or in the case of humans, speech. All levels of the auditory system contribute to this sensitivity toward certain frequencies, from the outer ear’s physical characteristics to the nerves and tracts that convey the nerve impulses of the auditory portion of the brain.
A hearing loss exists when an animal has diminished sensitivity to the sounds normally heard by its species. In humans, the term hearing impairment is usually reserved for people who have relative insensitivity to sound in the speech frequencies. The severity of a hearing loss is categorized according to the increase in volume that must be made above the usual level before the listener can detect it. In profound deafness, even the loudest sounds that can be produced by an audiometer (an instrument used to measure hearing) may not be detected.
Another aspect to hearing involves the perceived clarity of a sound rather than its amplitude. In humans, that aspect is usually measured by tests of speech perception. These tests measure one’s ability to understand speech, not to merely detect sound. There are very rare types of hearing impairments which affect speech understanding alone.[1]
More reading at Wikipedia..
Deaf culture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Deaf culture describes the social beliefs, behaviors, art, literary traditions, history, values and shared institutions of communities that are affected by deafness and which use sign languages as the main means of communication. When used as a cultural label, the word deaf is often written with a capital D, and referred to as “big D Deaf” in speech and sign. When used as a label for the audiological condition, it is written with a lower case d.
Members of the Deaf community tend to view deafness as a difference in human experience rather than a disability.[1] The community may include family members of deaf people and sign-language interpreters who identify with Deaf culture and does not automatically include all people who are deaf or hard of hearing.[2] According to Anna Mindess, “it is not the extent of hearing loss that defines a member of the Deaf community but the individual’s own sense of identity and resultant actions.”[3] As with all social groups that a person chooses to belong to, a person is a member of the Deaf community if he or she “identifies him/herself as a member of the Deaf community, and other members accept that person as a part of the community.”[4]
Deaf culture is recognised under article 30, paragraph 4 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which states that “Persons with disabilities shall be entitled, on an equal basis with others, to recognition and support of their specific cultural and linguistic identity, including sign languages and deaf culture.”
Acquisition of Deaf culture
Merikartano school for deaf students in Oulu,Finland (February 2006).
Historically, Deaf culture has often been acquired within schools for the deaf and within Deaf social clubs, both of which unite deaf people into communities with which they can identify.[1] Becoming Deaf culturally can occur at different times for different people, depending on the circumstances of one’s life. A small proportion of deaf individuals acquire sign language and Deaf culture in infancy from Deaf parents, others acquire it through attendance at schools, and yet others may not be exposed to sign language and Deaf culture until college or a time after that.[3]
Although up to fifty percent of deafness has genetic causes, less than five percent of deaf people have a Deaf parent,[5] so Deaf communities are unusual among cultural groups in that most members do not acquire their cultural identities from parents.[6]
Students at a school for the deaf in Baghdad,Iraq (April 2004).
Diversity within Deaf culture
Anna Mindess notes that there is “not just one homogenous Deaf culture.”[3] There are many distinct Deaf communities around the world, which communicate using different sign languages and exhibit different cultural norms. Deaf identity also intersects with other kinds ofcultural identity. Deaf culture intersects with nationality, education, race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, and other identity markers, leading to a culture that is at once quite small and also tremendously diverse. The extent to which people identify primarily with their Deaf identity rather than their membership in other intersecting cultural groups also varies. Mindess notes a 1989 study, which “found that 87 percent of black Deaf people polled identified with their Black culture first.”[3]
Characteristics of Deaf culture
Sign languages
Members of Deaf cultures communicate via sign languages. There are over 200 distinct, naturally-occurring sign languages in the world. Although the United Kingdom and the United States share English as the most common spoken language, the sign languages used in these countries differ markedly. Due to the origins of deaf education in the United States, American Sign Language is most closely related to French Sign Language.
Apart from using sign languages, Deaf culture has typical beliefs, values, and arts that help to define it.
Values and beliefs
- A positive attitude toward being deaf is typical in Deaf cultural groups. Deafness is not generally considered a condition that needs to be fixed.[3]
- The use of a sign language is central to Deaf cultural identity. Oralist approaches to educating deaf children thereby pose a threat to the continued existence of Deaf culture. Members of Deaf communities may also oppose technological innovations like cochlear implants and hearing aids for the same reason.
- Culturally Deaf people value the use of natural sign languages that exhibit their own grammatical conventions, such as American Sign Language and British Sign Language, over signed versions of English or other spoken languages. Note that spoken English, written English and signed English are three different symbolic systems for expressing the same language.
- Deaf communities strongly oppose discrimination against deaf people.
- Deaf culture in the United States tends to be collectivist rather than individualist; culturally Deaf people value the group.[3]
Behavioral norms
- Culturally Deaf people have rules of etiquette for getting attention, walking through signed conversations, leave-taking, and otherwise politely negotiating a signing environment.
- Deaf people also keep each other informed of what is going on in one’s environment. It is common to provide detailed information when leaving early or arriving late; withholding such information may be considered rude.[3]
- Deaf people may be more direct or blunt than their hearing counterparts.[3]
- When giving introductions, Deaf people typically try to find common ground; since the Deaf community is relatively small, Deaf people usually know some other Deaf people in common. “The search for connections is the search for connectedness.”[3]
- Deaf people may also consider time differently. Showing up early to large scale events, such as lectures, is typical. This may be motivated by the need to get a seat that provides the best visual clarity for the deaf person. Deaf people may also be late to social events. However, at Deaf social events such as parties, it is common for Deaf people to stay for elongated amounts of time, for the solidarity and conversations at social gatherings are valued by Deaf people.
Literary traditions and arts
Main article: American Sign Language literature
A strong tradition of poetry and storytelling exists in American Sign Language and other signed languages. Some prominent performers in the U.S. include Clayton Valli, Benjamin Bahan, Ella Mae Lentz, Manny Hernandez, C.J. Jones, Debbie Rennie, Patrick Graybill, Peter Cook, and many others. Their works are now increasingly available on video.[7]
Culturally Deaf people have also represented themselves in the dominant written languages of their nations.[8]
Deaf artists such as Betty G. Miller and Chuck Baird have produced visual artwork that conveys a Deaf worldview.[6]
History
Deaf people who sign are intensely proud of their history. In the United States, they recount the story of Laurent Clerc, a Deaf educator, coming to the United States from France in 1816 to help found the first permanent school for deaf children in the country.[8]
Another well-known event is the 1880 Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Milan, Italy, where hearing educators voted to embrace oral education and remove sign language from the classroom.[9] This effort resulted in strong opposition within Deaf cultures today to the oralist method of teaching deaf children to speak and lip read with limited or no use of sign language in the classroom. The method is intended to make it easier for deaf children to integrate into hearing communities, but the benefits of learning in such an environment are disputed. The use of sign language is central to Deaf identity and attempts to limit its use are viewed as an attack.
Shared institutions
Deaf culture revolves around such institutions as residential schools for deaf students, universities for deaf students (including Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf), Deaf clubs, Deaf athletic leagues, Deaf social organizations (such as the Deaf Professional Happy Hour), Deaf religious groups, and an array of conferences and festivals, such as the Deaf Way II Conference and Festival and the World Federation of the Deaf conferences.
Deaf clubs, popular in the 1940s and 1950s, were also an important part of Deaf culture. During this time there were very few places that the Deaf could call their own; places run by Deaf people for Deaf people. Deaf clubs were the solution to this need. Money was made by selling alcohol and hosting card games. Sometimes these ventures were so successful that the building used by the club was able to be purchased. However, the main attraction of these clubs was that they provided a place that Deaf people could go to be around other Deaf people, sometimes sharing stories, hosting parties, comedians, and plays. Many of today’s common ABC stories were first seen at Deaf clubs. The clubs were found in all of the major cities, New York City being home to at least 12. These clubs were an important break from their usually solitary day spent at factory jobs. [6]
In the 1960s, Deaf clubs began their quick and drastic decline. Today there are only a few spread out deaf clubs found in America and their attendance is commonly small with a tendency to the elderly. This sudden decline is often attributed to the rise of technology like the TTY and closed captioning for personal TVs. With other options available for entertainment and communication, the need for Deaf clubs grew smaller. It was no longer the only option for getting in touch with other members of the Deaf community. [6]
However, others attribute the decline of Deaf clubs to the end of WWII and a change of the job market. During WWII there was high demand for factory laborers and a promise of high pay. Many Deaf Americans left their homes to move to bigger cities with the hope of a factory job. This huge influx of workers into new cities created the need for Deaf clubs. When WWII ended and the civil rights movement progressed, the federal government started offering more jobs to Deaf men and women. People began switching from manufacturing jobs to service jobs, moving away from solitary work with set hours. Today, Deaf clubs are rare, but Deaf advocacy centers and other Deaf organizations have become widespread and popular. [6]
Deaf Space
Initially known as visu-centric design. This concept began at Gallaudet University with the Sorenson Language and Communication Center (SLCC) building. This was designed by theSmithGroup. “Designed in its entirety for the needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing, this unique academic building establishes a new level of architectural accommodation.” [10] With soft corners, diffused lighting and wide circular pathways SLCC allows total visual access and connectivity. Automatic sliding doors compared to the traditional swinging doors allow continuous conversation, without unnecessary pauses. Metal railings can become visual obstructions, therefore are replaced by glass railings. [11]
The SmithGroup has won the following recognitions for the Sorenson Language and Communication Center:
- Section Award, Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), 2009
- Illumination Award of Merit, Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), 2009
- Silver Award/Educational/Institutional, International Interior Design Association (IIDA), Mid-Atlantic Chapter, 2009
- Award of Excellence?Best Institutional Project, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), Maryland/DC Chapter, 2009
- Institutional Award of Merit (submitted by Heery International), Mid-Atlantic Construction, 2008
“Eyeing the Future: Gallaudet University‘s new visu-centric facility promotes communication”, Environmental Construction & Design, November 2008
“Gallaudet Eyes the Future with Visual Design”, School Construction News, November 2008 [12]
Terminology
“deafness” and “Deafness”
In a clinical context, the term deafness (written with a lower case d) refers to a physical condition characterized by a relative lack of auditory sensitivity to sound compared to the species norm.[1] In a cultural context, the term “Deafness” (written with an upper case D) refers to cultural membership within a group that is composed mainly, but not exclusively, of people who are clinically deaf and who form a social community with an identity that revolves around deafness and the use of sign languages to communicate.[2]
“hearing-impaired”
The term hearing impaired is more likely to be used by hearing people and people who have acquired deafness in adulthood than by those who have grown up deaf. By contrast, those who identify with the Deaf culture movement typically reject the label impaired and other labels that imply that deafness is a pathological condition, viewing it instead as a locus of pride.[1]
Myths regarding people with hearing losses
There are many myths regarding people with hearing losses including, but not limited to:
- Everyone who is deaf or hard of hearing uses sign language.
- There are a variety of different sign systems used by hearing-impaired individuals.[19]
- Individuals who experience hearing loss later in life usually do not know sign language.[20]
- People who are educated in the method of oralism or mainstream do not always know sign language.
- People who cannot hear are not allowed to drive.
- Deaf people may use special devices to alert them to sirens or other noises, or panoramic mirrors to enable improved visibility.[21]
- Many countries allow deaf people to drive, although at least 26 countries do not allow deaf citizens to hold a driver’s license.[21]
- All forms of hearing loss can be solved by hearing aids or Cochlear Implants.
- While many hearing-impaired individuals do use hearing aids, others may not benefit from the use of a hearing aid.[19]
- For some hearing-impaired individuals who experience distortion of incoming sounds, a Cochlear Implant may actually worsen the distortion.[19]
- A lack of hearing correlates to a lack of intelligence.
- A person’s intelligence level is unrelated to whether or not the person can hear.
- All deaf/hard of hearing people are experts in Deaf Culture.
- Deaf people may have a variety of different beliefs, experiences, and methods of communication.[20]
- This may be influenced by the age at which hearing was lost and the individual’s personal background.[20]
- All deaf people want to be hearing.
- While some individuals with hearing loss want to become hearing, this is not the case for everyone. Some take pride in their deafness or view themselves as a minority rather than a disability group.[22]
- People who can’t hear can’t use a phone.
- Teletypewriters, Video phones and cell phone text messages are used by deaf people to communicate.
- Everyone who cannot hear can lip read.
- Only about 30% of spoken English is visible on the lips.[19][20][unreliable source?]
- Lip reading requires not only good lighting, but also a good understanding of the spoken language in question and may also depend on contextual knowledge about what is being said.[20]
- Most deaf people have deaf parents.
- Less than 5% of deaf children in the United States have a deaf parent.[23]
Cabaran2 untuk Orang Pekak terutama Orang Islam yang pekak (apa kita boleh bantu segera):
1.Mengajar mereka segala aspek beribadat terutama solat dan hidup sebagai seorang Muslim
2,Menjemput mereka selalu beristiqamah menjadi ahli jemaah masjid atau surau pada setiap solat fardu dan majlis2 tazkirah atau ibadat yang lain
3.Memberi tugasan2 yang penting agar mereka juga akan merasai kenikmatan berjasa dan hidup berkomuniti
4.Kita yang “normal” perlu belajar bahasa isyarat orang pekak agar kita senang berkomunikasi dengan mereka dengan cepat,tepat dan berhasil
5.dan banyak lagi…
Adalah menjadi sangat penting agar Komuniti Orang Pekak ini akan di bela,di sayangi dan ditransformasikan menjadi Rakyat Malaysia yang DINAMIK,CERIA,MAJU,BIJAK DAN HARMONI dengan kehidupan mereka serta dengan Rakyat2 Malaysia yang sudah berjumlah 29 juta orang ini!
Inshallah.
Hubungi Ramli Abu Hassan di hp:+6019-2537165 atau emel: ramlipromoter@yahoo.com untuk pertanyaan atau bantuan yang ingin di salurkan kepada Komuniti Orang Pekak khususnya.Ramli ada berkenalan dengan Komuniti Orang Pekak ini dan berusaha agar mereka2 ini akan di Transformasikan menjadi Rakyat Malaysia yang Terbaik & Beriman dan selamat hidup Dunia & Akhirat,Inshallah.
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