You will be writing a short report comparing the life of a Deaf person to the life of a similar hearing person. First, choose a prominent contemporary American Deaf person. This could be someone involved in the arts, advocacy, politics, science, or anyone else of note who is deaf. Select someone that you are able to find at least four credible sources of information on their life and activities. Also, find a prominent hearing person with a similar profession or life circumstance to your Deaf subject. For instance, if you chose to profile Marlee Matlin, you might want to choose another female actress who was nominated for an Academy Award the year she won hers.

Next, research both subjects’ lives, comparing the similarities and differences between them: social, professional, educational, and personal. Be sure to include answers and/or information about each of the following in your report:

How has language likely influenced and shaped the experiences of these two people?
How do cultural norms differ for the two people?
Find a video clip or piece of writing by each of your subjects and compare their perspectives. What factors in Deaf or American history have affected either person?
What cultural factors are different or the same for both people?
How did language shape the experiences of these two people?
Finally, when you have finished gathering the necessary facts and ideas about your two people, write a formal paper that explores the similarities and differences between them and their distinct cultures. Organize your paper so that it includes:

An introduction
A one paragraph biography for each subject
Comparisons between the life experiences, culture, language, and social circumstances of the two subjects (make sure to include answers to the various questions you researched in this section)
A conclusion that restates the important points