Two centuries ago, the deaf community appeared in American society as a linguistic minority. Members of this community share a unique human condition, hearing loss. However, the use of American Sign Language, as the main means of communication, and attendance at a boarding school for deaf people also determine their entry into this micro-culture. Although Deaf activists claim that their community is essentially an ethnic group, Deaf culture is certainly different from all other cultures in the United States. Deaf Americans cannot trace their ancestry to a specific country, nor do Deaf neighborhoods exist predominantly throughout the country. Additionally, more than ninety percent of deaf people are born to hearing parents (Singleton and Tittle 222). As a result, they often feel isolated from their families because they don't even speak the same language. Non-hearing children born into hearing families are more likely to attend a regular public school with typical peers, leading them to have little contact with other members of the deaf community. This community therefore encompasses a diverse group of individuals, strikingly different from the rest of their own family members. This situation causes an intercultural conflict that others believe needs to be resolved. However, society should not perceive the deaf community as a group of disabled people but as a discrete linguistic minority, rich in history, values ​​and traditions. Deaf people often occupy a difficult position in society. Since most hearing-impaired children have hearing parents, their family members often oppress them by taking over decision-making processes regarding their well-being (Andrews 27). For example...... middle of paper ......4-153. Academic research completed. EBSCO. Internet. December 9, 2013. Senghas, Richard and Leila Monaghan. “Signs of their times: deaf communities and the culture of language. » Annual review of anthropology. 31.1 (2002): 69-90. Academic research completed. EBSCO. Internet. December 9, 2013. Singleton, Jenny and Matthew Tittle. “Deaf parents and their hearing children. » Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 5.3 (2000): 221-234. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Internet. December 9, 2013. Skelton, Tracey and Gill Valentine. ““It Feels Like Being Normal”: An exploration of the complexities of defining deafness and identity for D/deaf youth. Canadian geographer. 47.4 (2003): 451-465. Academic research completed. EBSCO. Internet. December 9, 2013.Tucker, Bonnie. “Deaf culture, cochlear implants and elective disability. » Report from the Hastings Center. 28.4 (1998): 1-12. Academic research completed. EBSCO. Internet. December 9. 2013.