However, some people who were born deaf or hard of hearing do not think of themselves as having lost their hearing. Over the years, the most commonly accepted terms have come to be “deaf,” “Deaf,” and “hard of hearing.” According to Carol Padden and Tom Humphries, in Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture (1988):

What do deaf people hear?

Deaf people have very little hearing or none at all. Deaf people and those who are hard of hearing can nonverbally communicate with others in several different ways. Some examples include American Sign Language (ASL) and lip-reading.

Is it better to say deaf or hearing impaired?

Many individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing prefer the terms deaf and hard of hearing, because they consider them to be more positive than the term hearing impaired, which implies a deficit or that something is wrong that makes a person less than whole.

Do deaf people have any hearing?

Deafness is the most profound form of hearing loss. People who are deaf can hear very little or may not hear anything at all.