This document provides an overview of deaf and hard of hearing topics. It discusses the process of hearing and how sound is turned into meaning. It then profiles Dorothy Brett, a partially deaf British artist. Next, it reviews the historical context of deaf education dating back to the 1500s. It also covers the debate around oral vs. manual communication teaching methods. The document outlines challenges for those with hearing loss and discusses Gallaudet University's pioneering role. It defines key hearing-related terms and concepts like types of hearing loss and assistive technologies.