HONORABLE MENTION
Past, Present, and Future

By Jerod Updike
Anchorage, Alaska

In the old days, lack of technology for deaf people caused them to be unsuccessful. Deaf people had a hard time understanding TV because there were no closed captions. Deaf people did not have bed alarms to wake them up. Deaf people couldn't hear much because they received no help from their hearing aids. They didn't have any TTYs and no flashing lights for doorbells, fire alarms, or the phones.
Today, technology for deaf people is a lot better. For example, hearing aids help people hear and speak better, flashing lights work as doorbells, fire alarms, and phones, and TTYs enable communication with people around the world via phone. We also have services such as Relay Alaska to call hearing people. We have bed alarms to help wake up on time for jobs and school, and we have videophones so we can see each other sign.
It is my feeling that future technology for deaf people will be lots better than today's technology. Deaf people will have better alarm systems to help them in more ways and they will flash everywhere. Deaf people will use a computer to do all the work of a lipreader. Television will have closed captions for every program, with the option of American Sign Language or English presentations. There will be a better way to help deaf people to hear better.
Technology--of the old days, the present, and the future--is a hot subject for deaf people. It's important for deaf people to know what is going on with it. I really depend on technology a lot.