Gallaudet

Gallaudet University is a private university in Washington, D.C. It is the world's only institution of higher learning dedicated to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Founded in 1864, Gallaudet was established by an act of Congress signed by President Abraham Lincoln. The university's original mission was to provide education and vocational training to newly freed slaves in the South, many of whom were deaf.

The university is named after Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, an influential figure in the education of the deaf in the United States. His son, Edward Miner Gallaudet, served as the first president of the institution. Gallaudet University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines. The primary languages of instruction are American Sign Language (ASL) and English.

Gallaudet plays a crucial role in fostering deaf culture and ASL linguistics. It serves as a center for research on deafness and related fields. The campus is designed to be accessible to ASL users, with visual communication integrated into its infrastructure. Beyond academics, Gallaudet is known for its vibrant student life and its commitment to advocating for the rights and inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals worldwide. The university has a significant impact on the global deaf community through its graduates and its contributions to research and policy.