Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

09/07/2026

Deaf Awareness: Did you know?

Sign languages are not universal.

Just as people around the world speak different languages, there are different sign languages. American Sign Language (ASL), for example, is a complete, natural language with its own grammar and structure, it is not simply English expressed with the hands.

There are also other forms of manual communication, including Signed Exact English (SEE), Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE), and Cued Speech. These approaches incorporate English and are different from natural sign languages such as ASL.

People who are deaf and hard of hearing may use ASL, an English-based manual communication system, another communication approach or a combination that works for them.

09/06/2026

KCDHH Office will be closed on Monday, September 7 for Labor Day.

09/06/2026

Deaf Awareness: Did You Know?

Haben Girma made history as the first Deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School!

Haben grew up Deaf and blind, and instead of seeing that as a barrier, she became one of the most sought after advocates for disability rights and accessible technology in the country.

She has worked with major companies to make their websites and apps more accessible, and she uses adaptive technology, including a braille computer, to read, write, and communicate every day.

In 2015, President Obama honored her as a White House Champion of Change for her work advancing opportunities for people with disabilities.

Haben's story is a reminder that innovation and leadership come in every form of communication.



"Haben Girma at CSUN Asssistive Technology conference 2024" by Ted Drake is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

09/05/2026

Deaf Awareness: Did you know?

One of the people known as a “father of the Internet” is hard of hearing.

Vint Cerf helped develop one of the key technologies that made the Internet possible, allowing computers and networks around the world to communicate with one another.

Cerf has lived with hearing loss since childhood and has been a longtime advocate for making technology more accessible.

The next time you go online, remember: one of the people who helped make it possible understands hearing loss firsthand.



Photo: Duncan Hull / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

09/04/2026

Deaf Awareness: Did You Know?

Eleven deaf men helped get us to the Moon!

From 1958 to 1968, a group now known as the Gallaudet Eleven participated in NASA and U.S. Navy research that helped scientists better understand motion sickness, balance, and how the human body adapts to spaceflight.

Ten of the eleven had lost their hearing after spinal meningitis, which also affected the balance systems in their inner ears and made them immune to motion sickness.

During one experiment on rough seas, the Gallaudet Eleven played cards while the researchers became so seasick the experiment had to be canceled!

Their participation made important contributions to the research that helped prepare humans for spaceflight.



Photo: NASA

09/03/2026

Deaf Awareness: Did You Know?

A Deaf scientist helped pioneer modem technology more than 60 years ago.

In 1964, physicist Robert Weitbrecht developed an acoustic coupler that allowed TTY users to send typed messages over ordinary telephone lines. The device converted electronic signals into sounds that could travel through a telephone and then converted them back again.

Sound familiar? That same basic idea was used by the acoustic modems that later connected computers over telephone lines.

Technology developed to improve communication access for deaf people was part of the early history of the technology that helped us all connect.



Photo by Jhlclark~commonswiki, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY

09/02/2026

We are roaring into town with this amazing production set in the height of the “Roaring 20s”. The costumes, the cars, the dancing…come and join us for this interpreted performance.

09/02/2026

Deaf Awareness: Did You Know?

Deaf and hard of hearing actors and performers are appearing across the entertainment industry, from movies and television shows to commercials, theater, and more.

Today, audiences are seeing more deaf and hard of hearing people in roles that reflect the wide range of characters, stories, and experiences found in everyday life.

And increasingly, being deaf or hard of hearing isn't necessarily the story, it's simply part of who the character is.



Photo by Lyn Fairly Media, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by LA LATA, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Sidewalks Entertainment, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Gage Skidmore, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

There's more to hearing loss than you might think!

September is Deaf Awareness Month, and KCDHH is marking the occasion with 30 Days of “Did You Know?” with surprising facts, interesting tidbits, and maybe a few things that make you say, “Wait…really?”

Follow along each day and see how many you already know!