Why does the Deaf community exist?
The Deaf community exists as a cultural and linguistic minority within the wider community. It provides each Deaf person with a sense of belonging, a place where identities can be developed, confidence enhanced, skills learnt and friends made. The Deaf community plays a vital role in the life of each Deaf individual and plays a similar role to other minority groups within the community. Most Deaf people still spend the majority of their day with hearing people, at work or with their family. They may also belong to hearing groups, sporting clubs and associations. However, the Deaf community is one place where they feel they fully belong and where no communication barriers exist. How do Deaf people in the Deaf community communicate? Deaf people communicate with other deaf people through Australian Sign Language, Auslan. Deaf people are proud of Auslan and promote Auslan as the language of their choice as it meets all visual language requirements of Deaf people. Who belongs to the Deaf co
