Deaf Awareness

Brianna Elliott

On September 28, 2014, in St. Augustine, Florida, Brianna Elliott shows her hearing aid. Elliot hears at 55 dB,
which includes airplanes, trains, and some dogs when they bark. Elliot does not remember what rain sounds like,
so when she hears something she becomes obsessed with that sound. According to doctors Elliott would be seen
a hard of hearing, but she labels herself as deaf, because of the people she affiliates with.

In St. Augustine, Florida, on Sept. 28, 2014, Brianna Elliott demonstrates how to say "I love you" in sign language.
After having many ear infections, Elliott started to lose her hearing at the age of seven.

In St. Augustine, Florida, on Sept. 28, 2014, Brianna Elliott and Hannah Ostrus have a conversation in sign language. Elliott and Ostrus are roommates at Flagler College and Ostrus helps Elliott by interpreting for her throughout the day.

Brianna Elliot and Hannah Ostrus sign to each other on Sept. 28. 2014, in St. Augustine, Florida. After losing her hearing at the age of seven, Elliott went through eight years of speech pathology for two hours a day, five days a week.

Brianna Elliot and Hannah Ostrus sign to each other in St. Augustine, Florida, on Sept. 28, 2014.
Ostrus gave Elliott a vibrating alarm clock as a gift and Elliott puts in next to her on the bed to wake up.

Brianna Elliott and Hannah Ostrus have a conversation in sign on Sept. 28, 2014, in St. Augustine, Florida.
Due to being academically behind as a child, Elliott is still catching up on English grammar.

On Sept. 28, 2014, in St. Augustine, Florida, Brianna Elliott and Hannah Ostrus
make hearts with their hands and look through them at each other. 

Brianna Elliot watches Hannah Ostrus' lips to understand what she is saying on Sept. 28, 2014, in St. Augustine, Florida. Elliott gets through her day mostly by reading lips. The most difficult thing for her is being in big groups because she can only concentrate on one person's lips at a time. Often, Elliott misses eighty to ninety percent of group conversations. 

On Sept. 28, 2014, in St. Augusitne, Florida, Hannah Ostrus interprets for Brianna Elliot.
As a student at Flagler College, Elliott is accompanied by interpreters during class. 

Hannah Ostrus interprets for Brianna Elliott on Sept. 28, 2014, in St. Augustine, Florida.
Elliot says that the better skilled her interpreters are the easier it is to keep up in
class because if they mess up it is difficult to catch back up with the teacher.