In comparison, hearing people speak to communicate. Cochlear implants are controversial amongst the deaf community because they fear that the use of cochlear implants will threaten their established culture and sign language. DEAF SCHOLARThey fear a deaf child with an implant may choose to leave the deaf culture because they are ashamed of their true identity. This may inevitably cause low self-esteem and lack of self-acceptance. The deaf believe cochlear implantation exploits the idea that being deaf is wrong or a disability that needs to be “fixed,” which decreases their potential of living life to its highest potential. Deaf scholar This is a common view of hearing culture, but the deaf community disagrees. A critical aspect of the cochlear implant debate has to do with the concept of deafness and at how hearing people perceive those who are deaf. (Deaf scholar) The deaf community does not think that they have a disability to be cured. They fully embrace their inability to hear and they stress the importance of accepting yourself. DEAF SCHOLAR Those who are hearing assume that spoken language is essential, yet they fail to see the importance of ASL and to understand the needs of the deaf community kind of from perspective of deaf PERSPECTIVE OF DEAF The deaf community also fears cochlear implants will cause separation. When deaf children have the implant, they will likely be exposed to only spoken language and will never learn ASL. FROM DEAEF SCHOLAR Because a child with a cochlear implant may want to speak more often than use ASL, it could potential create a language barrier between the child and the parents. Cochlear implants separate deaf people from deaf culture because they have the ability to hear, whereas their peers do not. Because of this, the deaf community may reject the child as a part of their community. The hearing…
