Deaf/hard of hearing Plus
Pushing Limits to Ultimate Success (PLUS)
By Lucas Davies
I am one of an estimated million Americans who are Deaf. Ten million are estimated to be Hard of Hearing. But I’m not just Deaf. I have health issues too, and I’m not alone. Forty to sixty percent of people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (D/HH) also have health issues. That means 4,400,000 – 6,600,000 people could be D/HH “Plus.” When I interviewed other young adults like me, I learned how young adults have made big differences in their communities. If we made differences in our communities, you can do too! And maybe a few folks who aren’t D/HH Plus will learn something from us.
I sent out questions and received responses from three people: Malik Morris, Rosalind Ho and Michael Moody, and I will include my thoughts, also. We have some things in common and we are very different, too. I enjoyed learning about their lives; I hope you do as well.
Malik Morris, 23, currently lives in a group home with three other roommates where he has his own room. Because he sees with one eye, he has assistants help him with some needs and responsibilities. He likes to spend time with friends and also likes to go shopping. He is starting to volunteer at a local church making meals for people who are homeless.
Rosalind Ho is a Canadian young woman who currently lives with her parents. She loves to read, especially historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction, and is interested in keeping up with current events and politics. She loves to hang out with friends, traveling and seeing new things, cooking, and yoga. She works full time in the finance department at a nonprofit focusing on community inclusion. In addition, she volunteers with a variety of associations for young adults with hearing loss.
Michael Moody, 26, lives in a college dorm during the school year and home on breaks. His interests are watching sports, PS4, playing basketball on street courts, and doing aviation games on his cell phone. In the past, he volunteered two summers at a mini-Deaf Olympics camp. He is currently working at an internship, is most proud of passing his college classes and graduating with an associate degree soon! He hopes to get a job after graduation.
Luke Davies, 23, currently lives with his parents with a goal of moving out next June. His interests are playing video games, learning about computers, watching movies and going out with friends. He has volunteered at MN Hands & Voices, at high school robotics competitions and at the Twin Cities Marathon. He has worked since he was 16, most recently at Best Buy and now at Home Depot. After health problems last year, he eventually would like to return to community college.
My Parents are Proud of:
Malik: My parents are proud that I have made the transition to live on my own after 14 years of living at school and home.
Rosalind: My parents are proud of my communication skills, my community involvement, and my high EQ (emotional quotient or intelligence).
Michael: My mom is most proud that I have overcome so many obstacles and that my attitude is always positive and confident. I don’t feel sorry for myself and am a mostly happy, loving, social person. My dad is proud of that too, but he is also proud that I play golf so well even with one arm.
Luke: My parents are proud of how smart I am, that I am a kind person, helpful with technology for our family and friends. They love my sense of humor.
What Would You Like to Change?
Malik: I often get bored, so I need more activity like joining a gym, learning to take public transportation.
Rosalind: I wish that there could be better employment opportunities for young adults with hearing loss.
Michael: I want to meet more friends but it’s a challenge because I can’t drive. I wish I could drive, but I can use Uber and have someone drive for me! I would like to live around a Deaf school.
Luke: I would like more accessibility for people who are DHH Plus, especially on the job. We aren’t all the same. Some of us have more challenges physically but are very skilled at office tasks. Others are very strong and do well in physical jobs.
What are your goals:
Malik: More things to do, as I said.
Rosalind: To improve my career prospects so that I can help other Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in the future.
Michael: I would like to have a job and live in an apartment with my best friends.
Luke: My goal right now is to find a job that I really love and fits my skills.
Thoughts on Advocacy:
Malik: When I was in school, I advocated for my class to work off campus. We worked at Pizza Inn.
Rosalind: In my 4th year in college, I went on exchange to the University of Hong Kong (HKU). Upon arrival at HKU, I found out that they had never had a student with hearing loss before. I requested real-time captioning services (CART) as an accommodation, which they didn’t know about, and I gave them contact information for some captioning companies in the area. HKU student services came back to me and said that their budget wouldn’t allow this accommodation, which I was very disappointed about. Instead, I asked for volunteer notetakers from amongst my classmates, and used my FM system. HKU student services learned more about hearing loss through their interactions with me, as I told them about accommodation practices in North America and I encouraged them to set up similar services. Just before I left HKU, they let me know that they were going to create a Senior Student Advisor position to serve students with hearing loss and dyslexia.
Michael: I advocated for everything I needed in my IEP like written notes, extra time, not required to use drawing skills for tests, interpreters if teaching was not direct in ASL. I didn’t always get what I advocated for.
Luke: I am proud of myself for self-advocacy for requesting accessibility for various things like closed captioning for movies, asking for accommodations, asking for teacher’s notes or a notetaker, accommodations on the job.
Like Most about Being Deaf:
Malik: I don’t have to hear my mom yell! She is very loud!
Rosalind: I take off my CIs and can sleep in silence at night. I can also take off my CIs when there is too much background noise e.g. kitchen fan, dishwasher, etc.
Michael: Meeting other Deaf people and I sleep great!
Luke: I don’t have to hear thing I don’t want! I can turn off noises that bother me, but the rest of my family can’t. I am bilingual in English and ASL and I understand cued speech.
What Do You Call Yourself?
Malik: I describe myself as a young man with CHARGE Syndrome or Deaf Plus.
Rosalind: Deaf or Hard of Hearing. I do not have any other health issues other than a slight gross motor skill delay.
Michael: I am a smart Deaf man! Proudly Deaf. [I have CP that affects my left hand and left foot (I wear a brace), I have a seizure disorder and I’m on the autism spectrum. Also, a little OCD and ADD.
Luke: I am hard of hearing plus. Without my technology, I’m deaf. I’m a bit of everything! If someone needs to know about a specific health issue I have, I’ll tell them. But it’s not something I share all the time. I have a medical alert bracelet with a QR code to a website for emergencies.
What Do You Want Parents to Know?
Malik: I want them to just love their kids and have fun with them. Allow us to live our lives to the fullest by providing many opportunities to experience.
Rosalind: In the BC Early Hearing Program Film Nice to Meet You, I talked about the importance of developing communication with one’s child and nurturing the child’s literacy as early as possible so that they can develop language. You can watch the film with English captions at https://youtu.be/QWJTK2waj68
I wrote an article reiterating the 3 tips for parents that I talked about in Nice to Meet You: My Message to Parents: Disability Does Not Equal Disadvantage. https://www.bchandsandvoices.com/post/my-message-to-parents-disability-does-not-equal-disadvantage/
Michael: Communicate with your child, love them, have high expectations, focus on academics.
Luke: Listen to your child and encourage them to be independent. Realize they haven’t changed. The parents have had to adapt to their new baby but all new parents have to do that anyway.
What Do You Want Employers/Volunteer Coordinators to Know?
Malik: Have high expectations and give us a variety of experiences to see what we can do.
Rosalind: We are just as capable as other people who do not have hearing difficulties.
Remember to speak clearly and enunciate properly. Turn down background music and other noises if possible. Provide accommodation if needed at the workplace e.g. sign language interpreters, FM microphones, real-time captioning, etc. at training sessions or large group meetings.
If you are not understood, then rephrase, don’t repeat. Don’t say “never mind” or “it’s not important” — that makes it sound like WE are not important enough to be included in what you are talking about!
Other ways to communicate include email and/or text messages.
Michael: I want them to know that I have a diploma from high school and college and to know my personality, that I am a hard worker. I want them to find ways to communicate with me such as interpreters, text, email, writing.
Luke: Would like them to understand the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) / their employee’s rights, and for them to see all the different technologies and accessibility options to help hiring people like me. We are very dedicated employees when treated with respect.
What Do You Want Teachers to Know?
Malik: See previous response.
Rosalind: We are just as capable as other students who do not have hearing difficulties.
Remember to speak clearly and enunciate properly. Minimize background noise as much as possible. Provide accommodation if needed in the classroom and on field trips e.g. sign language interpreters, FM microphones, real-time captioning, etc. Offer preferential seating in the classroom if needed. Extra time for examinations should be given if requested.
Hand out written information about assignments and due dates or write it on the classroom blackboard.
If you are not understood, then rephrase, don’t repeat. Don’t say “never mind” or “it’s not important” — that makes it sound like WE are not important enough to be included in the classroom discussion!
If the DHH student does not respond, it doesn’t mean that they are being uncooperative or inattentive, it’s just that he/she may not hear you well.
Michael: Partner with the mom and work together. Have a positive attitude and high expectations. You must want help the student be successful as they can so sometimes you be creative and need to encourage always.
Luke: I had great teachers because they all believed in me and didn’t see my health issues stopping me. Help your student believe in themselves and become a strong and independent.
What Do You Want Other DHH People to Know?
Malik: Observe me. I don’t always communicate clearly, but I know what I like and dislike.
Rosalind: Take the time to get to know each other. Ask about each other’s activities and interests; find common ground. Smile to show friendliness and interest.
Michael: I am the same. I want friends. I want girlfriends. I want to have fun and participate in everything. Be friendly, smile, chat with me and treat me the same.
Luke: I really just want to be included but haven’t always been. It is extra lonely to be left out by people who use the same communication as me. I’m worth the extra effort to get to know me. I’m deaf too.
If you Had a Million Dollars to give towards D/HH…:
Malik: I would open more places for them to live together and jobs.
Rosalind: Set up a foundation to provide various supports to DHH people, such as:
- Hire teachers to teach free ASL classes
- Fund research related to hearing loss and assistive hearing technology
- Set up employment programs to help young DHH people obtain meaningful employment
- Summer programs, playgroups, athletic opportunities for children and youth with hearing loss
- Social gatherings and workshops for teens and young adults with hearing loss
- Brownies / Girl Guides / Boy Scouts troops for the DHH
Michael: I would take care of homeless D/HH. Build a group home for them and provide transportation for them.
Luke: I would give money to a D/HH charity like D/HH advocacy lawyers to defend the rights of people who are D/HH and D/HH Plus.
Thank you to everyone who helped me with this article. I hope you realize you are not alone. This took me awhile to write, but like everything else with me, I hope it was worth the wait.
Five Tips to Being a D/HH Plus Ally:
“An ally is someone who supports the cause of a marginalized group and uses their privilege to learn from that group and amplify their cause.” – Anti-Oppression Network, https://theantioppressionnetwork.com
Please see our strengths instead of what you think we lack.
If you are running a D/HH event or provide services, please consider having a person who is D/HH “Plus” or their parents involved with planning it.
Please consider us for role models for your families, panels, and events.
Please consider hiring us or as volunteers, because it is hard for us to find jobs and get work experience.
If each of you make a friend with one of us, think how both of our lives would be better. ~