INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Deaf Culture

Culture is defined as a collection of common routines, values, behaviour and common language. Language is a very important attribute in which one can feel isolated or can also isolate some individual on purpose. This, in turn could form as a communication barrier for several people, especially the deaf. Nine out of ten deaf children are born to hearing parents in UK.

The deaf is categorized in the group of disabled as well as non-disabled. There exists a wide tradition that the deaf was looked upon as a differently abled by the unknown or by the society. In the middle ages, the families were assumed to help and care for their dear ones, even if they turned out to be disabled. But they couldn’t care for the ones that were not prolific to the family. The physically disabled may not be of any help in a family of laborers, whereas could be helpful as a weaver or a teacher. Similarly, the deaf may be acceptable to a community of laborers, weaving, carpentry etc. but not to a community of teaching or communicating in any manner, which is the basic need in life. This then gradually creates a form of isolation for the deaf community. In the early 19th century, the deaf were sent to Asylums for education, by the hearing people. The intention was to observe them learn how they respond to the hearing people1 . Later they were free, but turned the asylums into educational institutions, just like any other institutions.

But in fact, the damage was already done. The deaf already felt that they were completely being rejected by the other people. Even the physically disabled can blend into a normal community due to the common language he holds, which would be easy to socialize. Whereas the deaf does not have that privilege.

These could be the reasons why they tend to form a separate social community such as deaf clubs, deaf sports, deaf schools etc. The clubs involved several activities such as lectures, workshops, dramas, church etc.

Hence, deaf culture is a traditional deaf community, where they have developed a degree separately from the majority other cultures, via sign languages in deaf schools and other deaf education systems. 2Planning a space, considering the physically disabled, are now a rule and has become a universal design code, but not for the deaf. Architects have always designed an environment focusing only the hearing. If the spaces were changed and designed where the deaf and hearing could use it, then those designs could be stated as standard design codes or universal design codes.

1 History of British Sign Language 2 Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood