Is a mute person who uses sign language to communicate considered disabled?

Answer 1

AnswerThey are considered "disabled" because they don't have the ability to speak.

This is the dictionary definition of disability: "A disadvantage or deficiency, especially a physical or mental impairment that interferes with or prevents normal achievement in a particular area."

Having a disability doesn't mean you can't do things, it just means you have a certain disadvantage.

AnswerThey also might be deaf because when you are deaf you can't hear what you are saying so it sounds like a very odd accent and sometimes impossible to understand. AnswerOne way of calling them are "Differently Abled" not disabled. They may not be able to speak but they could still communicate.

As mentioned in a very good previous answer , they are disadvantaged. That disadvantage is that not very many people are capable of signing back. This makes it extremely hard to comunicate. This is not a statement of any mental or physical capablities, just a disadvantage in communicating.

AnswerI must humbly say that the second answer is inaccurate. This question does not mention the ability to hear. Inability to speak is not the same as the inability to hear. Anyone can have one or both. And, in addition, there are plenty of people who can speak but are not understood by others because they speak a different language. So, are they disabled because they can speak a foreign language and not English?

Answer

The Deaf community does NOT like to be referred to as "disabled" or "impaired" . If they can not speak maybe they choose not to speak or do not know how. Plus, they function perfectly well and communicate just as well as hearing people when they are within their own community.

Also: Regards to the third answer above. I have many Deaf friends, and when we go out in public, they are able to communicate very well, non-verbally, and are quite capable of functioning. I would not call it a disadvantage. It is really the hearing world that has a disadvantage because they do not know sing language.

Answer

While deafness or an inability to speak is technically a disability, which would be covered by the ADA for example, the Deaf community (with a capital 'D') does not consider itself to be a community of disabled people, but rather they have a cultural identity that makes them "different."