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What is Deaf Gain: Benefits And Examples

Discover why Deaf Gain goes beyond disability and find out how it's reshaping our understanding of human capabilities. Click here to read more!

Author:
Colton Jannusch
What is Deaf Gain: Benefits And Examples

What are the first words that come to mind when you hear the word “deaf”? Is it a loss? Deficit? Disability? Pity? Something that can be cured or fixed? Do you think about what deaf people are missing out on? How they can’t hear the rain or listen to music? Do you assume that all deaf people wish they could be hearing?

Deafness has long been viewed as a ‘hearing loss’ - something a person lost. There exists a perceived stigma surrounding deafness and hearing loss. For many, it is impossible to think about a disability without thinking about loss. Yet deaf people don’t view their lives nor their disability as loss, rather they reframe it as a “Deaf Gain”.

What is Deaf Gain?

adult women communicating through sign language
adult women communicating through sign language

The term “Deaf Gain” is becoming more commonplace in our society, but what does it mean?

While the term might seem like an oxymoron, it has come to challenge and redefine common held notions about what it means to be deaf and/or disabled. This term demonstrates the positive implications of deafness and challenges the negative connotations that may come with the term ‘hearing loss’. 

  • Deaf Gain was coined by Aaron Williamson, a performance artist, when he shared his story of going deaf later in life. He consulted many doctors who repetitively told him he was losing his hearing. Never was their response something of a gain—never it was “gaining his deafness”. 
  • This concept was further developed by H-Dirksen Bauman and Joseph Murray (in 2014) that aims to counter and challenge the idea that being deaf is a ‘loss’ and instead encourage people to see deafness as a strength. Through this lens, deafness is approached as a distinct way of being. 

Think of it this way, most deaf people were born without hearing. Can you lose something you’ve never experienced or known? Rather than focusing on what might be considered as missing, Deaf Gain focuses on what is present in deaf people’s lives. 

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For example, deaf individuals tend to have unique capabilities in:

  • spatial and facial recognition
  • peripheral processing 
  • the detection of images 

The host of visual-tactile processing acuities have the potential to provide insights into the wider practices of architecture, filmmaking, video game design, bilingual education, monitoring surveillance, etc. 

Deaf Gain and Transnationalism

One aspect of Deaf Gain is transnationalism. The deaf community’s reach goes beyond national boundaries. In this way, deaf people around the world, regardless of a dominant hearing culture surrounding them, have a unique connection to each other that hearing people will never have.

A hallmark of deaf transnationalism is the ease of communication between deaf people from different parts of the world. I can assess to this from my trip to Iceland where I met with the Icelandic deaf community. Within the same night, we were able to have full meaningful conversations where we could understand each other.

It is a common experience for deaf people who travel to other countries and be immediately able to communicate using improvised and international signs (with only minimal frustration). This is in stark contrast to hearing travelers who must take the time to learn each other’s language before they can hope to communicate successfully.

For deaf people, such formal training is not needed. This can be attributed to the shared features of signed languages, such as role shifting the body and using classifiers, and the facial expression skills that deaf people have. It does not take long to figure out what the other person is saying. Leah Katz-Hernandez, the first and only deaf White House secretary to the President of the United States, once said, “Being deaf transcends the boundaries of countries, cultures, and languages.”

Deaf people, while a linguistic minority group, are united not by geographical boundaries, but by a shared language and identity. That is what makes the deaf community so powerful. This is what it means when I say that culturally Deaf people aren’t lacking anything and certainly do not define their lives by loss.

Deaf Gain Benefits

smiley women conversing table using sign language
smiley women conversing table using sign language

Deaf Gain also refers to the contributions of deaf individuals, communities, and their languages to humanity as a whole. In the most general sense, society at large has benefited from the existence of deaf people and sign language. 

One significant example of Deaf Gain is closed captioning. Closed captioning is designed to help the deaf access audio content in media. Today its usefulness is universal. It is everywhere.

  • It helps viewers learn English as a second language, and for children to enhance their English. 
  • With the increase of reality television, dialogue is spoken quickly, sloppily with accents, or mumbling. Closed captions provide clarity. 
  • It also helps viewers with learning disabilities, attention deficits or autism. 
  • Captions allow viewers to watch TV in sound-sensitive environments, like offices, libraries, or even noisy bars. 

Other Examples of Deaf Gain

In mainstream society:

  • The signals used by baseball umpires to call balls and strikes, as well as the plays, were developed by Dummy Hoy, a deaf person.
  • Gallaudet University, the world’s first and only university for the deaf, created the huddle in football.
  • Research shows that “baby signs” and sign language practiced on and with babies speeds up speech development and increases parent-child bonding.
  • Being in a noisy environment can be quite annoying sometimes. Deaf people have the choice to turn their hearing aids off. Hearing people don’t have this choice. They have to deal with the noise. 
  • In a work environment like a factory, or a place that has a lot of noise or machinery, deaf workers are able to focus better because they are not bothered by the noise and don't require the use of headphones or ear plugs. 
  • Whenever you’re asleep, you could be woken by noises like the rumbles of rolling thunder outside, or dealing with somebody who is snoring loudly.

Signs for Deaf Gain

In American Sign Language, Deaf Gain can be signed in 3 different ways:

  • DEAF INCREASE: the opposite of hearing “loss”
  • DEAF BENEFIT: deaf people have something important and unique
  • DEAF CONTRIBUTE: all the ways that deaf people contribute to society

Deaf Gain Potential

This term, “Deaf Gain”, can be seen as a reframing of “deaf” as a form of sensory and cognitive diversity that has the potential to contribute to the greater good of humanity. As we move towards 2024 and a more interdependent world, the hearing world can only gain from learning about the deaf world and what it has to offer. 

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Colton Jannusch

A passionate and dedicated English teacher who creates an inclusive and engaging learning environment, inspiring students to develop their language skills and cultivate a lifelong love for literature.

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What is Deaf Gain: Benefits And Examples

Key Findings

  • Workplace Impact: 62% of Deaf and 66% of Hard-of-Hearing individuals report that communication barriers hinder career mobility.
  • Healthcare Challenges: 62% of Deaf and 66% of Hard-of-Hearing individuals experience communication barriers in healthcare settings, contributing to delays in treatment.
  • Concerns About Emergency Communications: 20% of Deaf and 24.3% Hard-of-Hearing users also expressed serious concerns that communication barriers would prohibit them from contacting healthcare personnel in an emergency situation.
  • Independence Boost: Assistive technology nearly doubled rates of independence, with 60% of Deaf users and 63% of Hard-of-Hearing users reporting increased autonomy.
  • Emotional Strain: 55% of Deaf users and 83% of Hard-of-Hearing users reported emotional distress due to communication frustrations.
  • Social and Professional Opportunities: 46% of Deaf and 32.9% of Hard-of-Hearing users saw improved social and career prospects thanks to assistive technologies.

Empowering the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Through Technology: A New Era of Communication and Independence

At Nagish, we’ve seen firsthand just how much communication shapes daily life for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities. Our recent survey highlights the significant barriers they face in the workplace, healthcare settings, and in their social lives. But it also sheds light on a powerful solution: assistive technology. The results of this survey reinforce our commitment to empowering these communities and remind us why our mission matters: with access to the right tools, independence grows, opportunities expand, and well-being improves.

We collected data through a comprehensive survey involving over 300 individuals who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and currently use hearing assistive technology. The survey included 179 Deaf and 140 Hard-of-Hearing participants, with data collected in an inclusive and accessible manner to ensure that everyone could participate and share their experiences without barriers.Communication Barriers in the Workplace: Limiting Career Mobility

Communication challenges in the workplace remain one of the most significant hurdles for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals, preventing them from fully realizing their career potential. Assistive technology offers a solution by removing these barriers and expanding access to a broader range of job opportunities and career growth.

A majority of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing participants reported that communication barriers affected their career decisions, making it harder to pursue job opportunities or advance in their careers.

Deaf Participants

Hard-of-Hearing participants

65% of Deaf users rely on assistance from hearing individuals at least once a week to communicate effectively, which can limit their ability to fully engage in dynamic work environments.

Communication Barriers in Healthcare: A Matter of Public Safety
Communication challenges are not just a workplace issue — they extend into healthcare settings, where they can directly impact individuals’ health outcomes. Accessible communication tools are essential for ensuring that Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can receive timely and accurate medical care, especially in emergency situations

Many Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users face communication barriers in healthcare settings, which can lead to missed appointments, misunderstandings about medical treatments, and delayed care.

Deaf users:

62%

Hard of Hearing users:

66%

Some Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users have concerns about reaching healthcare professionals in emergencies, highlighting serious public safety risks.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Empowering Independence Through Assistive Technology
One of the most encouraging findings from our survey is just how much independence is boosted with assistive technology. This improvement in independence is not just about doing things on their own; it’s about having the confidence and ability to engage fully in both professional and personal settings.

Assistive technology has significantly increased the independence of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users in managing daily tasks, showing clear improvements after adoption.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Expanding Social and Professional Opportunities
Beyond independence, assistive technology creates connection.By removing communication barriers that keep people from joining in socially or professionallyassistive technology allows users to engage more deeply in social activities and pursue career opportunities that were previously out of reach.

Assistive technology has helped Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users expand their social networks and professional opportunities, enabling new connections and career growth.

Emotional and Psychological Impact: The Hidden Toll of Communication Barriers
People often overlook the emotional and psychological toll of communication , but they can have a profound impact on the mental well-being of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals. Assistive technology can help alleviate this emotional strain, empowering users to communicate more effectively and reducing the anxiety associated with relying on others for basic communication.

A significant number of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users experience frustration and anxiety when communicating with family and friends, leading to isolation and stress.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Why This Matters: A Call for Widespread Adoption of Assistive Technologies
The findings from our survey are clear: communication barriers continue to limit the lives of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in many areas, from the workplace to healthcare to their social lives. What’s also clear to us is that the question isn’t whether assistive technology helps—it’s how quickly we can make this powerful solution universally available.. By making these tools more accessible, we can open up new opportunities for individuals to thrive in their careers, maintain better health, and lead more independent lives.
At Nagish, we are committed to advocating for the integration of assistive technologies in all aspects of life. Whether it’s in healthcare, the workplace, or social settings, these technologies have the potential to create a more inclusive society where Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can live fully empowered lives. 
Our hope is that these findings inspire not just awareness, but action. We hope this survey creates awareness and action in promoting accessibility and inclusion for these communities. Together, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of their hearing abilities, has equal access to opportunities and services.