Why Can't The Deaf Read? Comments on Asking the Wrong Question

A review of the current research on the deaf reader indicates these readers are viewed from a defect or deficiency model. A theoretical framework for viewing the deaf reader as an uniquely different reader is presented. The suggestion is made that too much emphasis has been placed on syntax of written English as the deep structure or meaning level of language. The argument is made that the deaf reader re-creates meaning at the semantic level in terms of his prior knowledge and his unique experiences.