There was a time when a child born deaf had few choices. For more
than a century, the only option for parents was to send their son or
daughter away to a boarding school for the deaf. There, the children and
the schools thrived in the shadows, embracing a distinct culture of
silent communication.
Recent advances in medicine and technology
are now reshaping what it means to be deaf in America. Children who
could never hear a sound are now adults who can hear everything. That’s
having a dramatic impact on the nation’s historic deaf schools as well
as the lives of people.