SMS Use Among Deaf Teens and Young Adults in Norway

Abstract

SMS is first and foremost a technology that gives the user an informal channel for communication across distance. Norway is among the countries in the world with the highest usage of SMS, with the penetration of mobile telephones among 13-20 year olds at 95% (Ling 2001a). A feature in the adolescent culture is the need to coordinate interaction with friends and to be available in a social network. For many teens and young adults, it is important to be informed, to know the whereabouts of friends are and what they are doing. The mobile telephone and SMS was thus ideal for covering all these needs (Froenes and Brusdal 2000). The need to be available is a common one for all young people, regardless of their hearing status. Teens and young adults, both deaf and hearing, have the same social needs and seek devices that can help fulfil them. Hearing status has inherent social implications, and many deaf people feel isolated because they lack a common form of communication. The deaf must participate in both the deaf and the hearing cultures, whether they like it or not. The official language of the country is Norwegian but the deaf use sign language, making them a linguistic minority. Within the deaf community, where all communication takes place in sign language, the interaction works adequately. It is only when society fails to meet the special needs of the deaf that deafness becomes and is perceived as a disability. Different forms of adaptation by the deaf themselves or by their surroundings may reduce the perception that hearing impairment is a disability. This chapter will explore the social implications of SMS use in relation to these issues of social networking and linguistic and social isolation. SMS was brought into use by the hearing impaired through their own initiative. Adoption has literally taken place without the knowledge or intention of SMS developers and providers (Lindstroem 2001). First, the special needs of this group were not taken into consideration. Second, there is no obvious potential for the profitable production of specifically designed equipment. This means that the deaf represent a small group of consumers, and most of the other products developed for this group are financed by public sources.