Deafness

A hearing impairment that results in little or no residual hearing with or without a hearing aid. An individual who is deaf uses vision as the primary modality for learning and communication. Many people who are deaf use American Sign Language (ASL) as their primary language, which has its own unique linguistic characteristics and is a distinct language from English. Note: People who are Deaf often identify themselves as a cultural, linguistic minority. Individuals who view themselves as a part of Deaf culture do not perceive hearing loss and deafness as a disability, but as the basis of a distinct cultural group. (See hearing impairment/hearing loss).