I don't think Helen Keller is a good example here. Keller had the added issue of blindness.
I worked with the deaf. I lived with a blind man for 3 years.
The issues they face are monumental.
A deaf child might see an apple but have no name for it. But he can be taught that he can pick it up and eat it.
The blind child doesn't see the apple unless he comes across it by accident or unless someone gives it to him.
One cannot be compared to the other because each presents different issues. And combined the issues are not just doubled but magnified.
Helen Keller's experience can only be compared to the experience of other deaf-blind children.
I know plenty of deaf people who say if they had to choose they would rather be deaf than blind. And the blind say they would rather be blind than deaf. In each case they have learned to adapt to their disabilities. They are comfortable with it. They know next to nothing about the other world.
Communication is such an intergral part of our development that children who do not have the advantage of learning some form of communication earlywill eventually be left behind. Blindness does nto inhibit learning to communicate. It inhibits the world that is is out of sight but not the communication. It is easier to teach about what is out of sight than what things are named.
I remember heving a discussion with my blind friend about dinosaurs. He had no clue what they were like. Describing it to him wasn't working. So we went to a pet shop and I asked if he could hold one of the animals in the store. He suggested we come back when the store closed. He wouldn't take the animal out of the cage while the store was open in case it got away. So we went back after the store closed and he took this animal - not as big as an iguana but something similar and let him hold it. So Yvon got to hold it and feel its skin and back, the strength of its legs. Then I said - now imagine that is as big as your house. He got it.
With a deaf person you could simply show them the picture. And give them a sign for it.
It isn't so easy for the totally deaf-blind. Not that I am in any way and expert on the deaf blind. I haven't ever met one even. Bu they don't use the sign languale that any deaf person would use. Those are all visual sign languages - totally useless to a blind person. The form of language they ise is very different. I actually taught sign languiage to my blind friend who in turn taught to another blind friend. Since both were totally blind they learned to spell the words out by placing their hand on top of mine while I spelled out the words. Slow but it worked and a couple of times when a deaf person came into the office when my blind friend was there alone they were able to communicate. It was pretty impressive to hear how they had managed. Left alone they were forced to use a type of communication that Hellen Keller was taught.
All that being said levels of deafness or blindness will certainly affect the degree of disability a person lives with. My blind friends andf my deaf friends do not see themselves as disabled. They have learned to adapt.
I am losing my sight. I now use hearing aids. I also use a wheelchair. Seems all thise disabilities are ganging up on me. At least I know that disability does not have to mean dis-abled. I am just differently abled.
