-
1000 BCE
Hebrew Laws deny deaf rights
A hebrew law stated that a deaf, mute, or mentally defective may not vow or dedicate the worth of another because they don't possess any understanding. Deaf people were grouped with idiots and were unable to enter transactions that required responsibility or independence of will. -
355 BCE
Ancient Greeks Deny deaf education
-
French sign language established (FSL)
-
Establishment of deaf schools
-
ASL
-
Program captioning introduced
The FCC approved of a technology that provided captioning despite opposition from the industry of broadcast. The national captioning institute was created and the first closed-captioned broadcasts began by 1980. -
The rehabilitation act
A United States federal law that was the first major federal disability rights law. This prohibited discrimination against individuals with disabilities in federal employment and other programs/activities that receive federal funding. It also established the NIDILRR. This extended to anyone who had limits on major life activities (ex. hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, breathing, learning, etc.) -
Public law
-
Cochlear implants
Electronic devices that provide a sense of hearing to people with hearing loss. This device bypasses the inner ear that is damaged and stimulates the auditory nerve. It requires surgery as the device has both and internal and external bit. -
Americans with disabilities act
A civil rights law that protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in areas of public life (including employment, public accommodations, and transportation). This act also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants or employees and protections that impose accessibility requirements on public accommodations. (this extends to deafness, blindness, autism, ptsd, cancer, cerebral palsy, hiv, etc). -
IDEA
The idividuals with disabilities education act -- a law that makes available and free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities through the nation and ensures that special education and services similar to kids support early intervention. -
Summary
The history of the oppression of people with disabilities (deaf in this case) has changed significantly. Deaf individuals are still excluded in the hearing community, but there has been progress/innovations to provide care/aid to them. I observed the slow but progressive change in inclusions of the community and the difference in how they're treated compared to BCE and now. Barriers are being broken through ASL and cochlear implants along with more inclusivity in media (TV shows) and exposure.