Deafness in Taiwan

The deaf community of Taiwan is made up of an estimated 123,000 deaf individuals who share similar values, language and culture. There are federal laws and standards to provide services (such as sign language interpretation) and anti-discrimination protections to the deaf and heard-of-hearing (DHH) community. In addition, the government also offers newborn hearing screening and diagnoses services as well as subsidies for hearing aids and cochlear implants for eligible individuals. Taiwan Sign Language (TSL) is the native language of the Taiwan deaf community and a recognized national language. It has been influenced by Japanese Sign Language, sharing syntax and vocabulary, and Chinese Sign Language.

Systemic deaf education in Taiwan was first introduced by the Japanese and then built upon by the Taiwanese government. Still, a majority of deaf individuals attend mainstream schools that use oral instruction with limited use of TSL and sign language interpretation services. Even at schools for the deaf where TSL is taught, spoken and written Chinese are still emphasized but with more resources and tools to aid deaf students. Due to communication barriers, deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students have a lower literacy level and underperform on exams compared to their hearing peers, becoming a barrier to higher education and professional licenses.

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