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Sound & Vision: Why Deaf People See Differently

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Gallaudet University is the nation's only university with programs designed specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Researchers there say deaf people don't see better than hearing people; rather, they have enhanced peripheral vision.
Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University is the nation's only university with programs designed specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Researchers there say deaf people don't see better than hearing people; rather, they have enhanced peripheral vision.

It's often said deaf people see better than hearing people, but a new study from Gallaudet University proves that's not the case. It turns out deaf people don't develop enhanced vision; they develop enhanced "visual attention" in their periphery. Rebecca Sheir speaks with hearing and deaf people at Gallaudet's Visual Language and Visual Learning Center, to learn more about the pros and cons of heightened visual attention.

[Music: "Sound and Vision" by David Bowie from Best of Bowie]

Visual Attention and Deafness
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