Since ancient times, being deaf was considered undesirable and culturally disconnected from the rest of mainstream society. Often members of the community found themselves ostracized by members of other cultures, who viewed them with suspicion, and were believed to be possessed, or in communion, with undesirable "spirits", particularly during the advent of Christianity which was in practice during the period Middle Ages. During this period, before the advent of Gutenberg's metal movable type printing press, the population was mostly illiterate and religious texts and spiritual obligations/instructions were conveyed verbally to the people by the literate clerics of the time. Therefore, it was believed that the deaf did not have access to “Fides ex auditu”, which was the main way, and often believed to be the only one; one could achieve spiritual fulfillment and salvation. (Lane, 1984) Today in the United States, approximately 4,500 children are born deaf each year, and numerous other individuals suffer from injuries or illnesses that can cause partial or total hearing loss, making them the largest “disability” segment in the country. . Although those in the medical field focus exclusively on the medical aspects of hearing loss and deafness, members of the deaf community find this unwarranted focus limiting and restrictive; due to its inability to adequately delineate the sociological aspects and implications of the deaf and their culture. Current members of Deaf culture reject classifications such as “deaf-mute” or “deaf-mute,” as they marginalize them due to their allusions to a perceived disability. (Edwards, 2012, p. 26-30)This struggle against marginalization is one of the main elements that bind their sense of community,...... middle of paper......entury Deaf Education and the Growth of Deaf Culture. New York: NYU Press.Green, A. (2014, February 2014). Deaf inmate receives $150,000 settlement from Oregon after claiming jobs assigned were discriminatory. Oregon. Retrieved from http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/02/deaf_inmate_gets_150000_settle.htmlLane, H. (1984). When the mind hears: a story of the deaf. [Turn on]. Retrieved from http://www.randomhouse.comThe Americans with Disabilities Act, TITLE 42 - PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE USC § 12101 - 12117 et seq. (Author 1990).US Code: Title 28 - JUDICIAL JUDICIARY AND PROCEDURE, Part V - Chapter 119 - 1827 - Interpreters in the Courts of the United States USC § 1827 (Author n.d.).Van Cleve, J.V., & Crouch, B.A. (1989) . A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America (1st ed.). Washington DC: Gallaudet University Press.