Imagine trying to learn a new language, making the correct tongue movements, controlling the flow of air through the mouth, and expressing the correct sound and tone. Now imagine doing this without knowing what the word you're saying sounds like. This is what many deaf and hard of hearing people have to do to learn to speak. The technique of teaching deaf people to speak and read lips is called “oralism”. It is a hard and laborious method and in the past often involved extreme measures, bordering on abuse, implemented to try to ensure success. Manaulism is when a deaf person uses sign language as their primary means of communication. Learning to communicate using sign language is much easier for a person who is deaf or hard of hearing. Although most Deaf culture views oralism as a form of abuse and an attempt to “fix” one's disability, rather than embracing differences and culture, many Deaf families view oralism as a way to interact with the “normal” society of hearing people. world and embrace the idea of ​​allowing their profoundly deaf children to “hear” and speak to hearing people through a spoken language. When people hear the word “deaf” they often think of their grandparents or other elderly people who have lost the ability to hear due to old age. However today for every 1,000 children, at least 1 is considered deaf or hearing (Honig, 177.) Deafness is a disability that is easily overlooked and misunderstood because it is not an easily observable disability. Helen Keller once said that “Blindness isolates people from things. Deafness separates people from people." When a person is blind or needs glasses, society easily recognizes that in some cases special accommodations...... middle of paper...... using total communication can still maintain inclusion in deaf culture , but also become a member of traditional society. In conclusion, while using the oralism technique for deaf children to learn to communicate with a hearing society is time consuming and frustrating, it can be beneficial if they learn to speak and read lips. Not so that society “fixes” them, but so that they can understand people and become part of a hearing society. By being able to communicate with mainstream society, they can more easily defend their rights and help us understand their problems and obstacles. A deaf or hard of hearing person can convey their thoughts, feelings, needs and opinions to anyone without the need for a translator. Works Cited Honig, J. and Jones, J. Adult Basic Education for the Deaf, Fair Lawn, NJ: Fair LawnCommunity School, 2011.