Oral vs Sign Debate

The oral vs sign debate has persisted for several decades starting from the 1880s during the second International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Milan, Italy. The move shift to oralism has had negative repercussions on many deaf individuals who were barred from using sign language at home and at school.

Here are two videos which portray the impact of the oral vs sign debate.

This video is a brief introduction to how oralism came about in Deaf education and its impact on Deaf communities.

​This documentary gives an account of the family's journey through a maze of emotional, educational, political and social factors as they face life-changing decisions concerning their deaf son. Viewers will get a good grasp of the oral vs sign debate that is prevalent in Deaf education.