Understanding the Deaf Community
No two Deaf individuals are exactly alike.
Deaf vs. deaf
Some individuals identify culturally as Deaf (capital D), reflecting membership in the Deaf community and use of American Sign Language (ASL). Others may identify as deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, or DeafBlind. Individual communication and identity preferences vary.
The most effective strategy is simple: ask. The employee or candidate is the expert on what works best for them.
Communication Methods
Gallaudet students and Deaf employees may communicate through:
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American Sign Language (ASL)
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Spoken English
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Written English and written chat
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Interpreters
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CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation or real-time captioning)
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Speech-to-text technology
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Automatic captions
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Video Relay Services (VRS)
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A combination of methods
Avoid assuming that all Deaf individuals communicate in the same way.
Common Employer Misconceptions
Reality: Modern technology makes communication easier than ever through video conferencing, captioning, messaging platforms, interpreters, and speech-to-text tools.
Reality: Most accommodations are low-cost or no-cost, and many employers report that accommodations cost little or nothing to implement.
Reality: Gallaudet graduates work successfully across business, technology, engineering, government, education, healthcare, public policy, nonprofits, research, arts and media, and many more fields.
Deaf Culture Resources
Topics employers often find helpful include:
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Deaf culture and identity
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Visual communication norms
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Eye contact
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Attention-getting strategies
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Deaf space
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Communication accessibility
The Office of Career Success can provide Deaf culture presentations and training for employers interested in learning more.
Contact
- Office for Career Success
- Fowler Hall | 100
- career.success@gallaudet.edu
- 202.448-7036
- (202) 250-2071
- 202-448-7036
