History and Present of Finnish Sign Language and Deaf Community

The aim of the bachelor's thesis is to map the key historical milestones and the current status of Finnish Sign Language and Finnish deaf people from the beginnings to the present. The thesis will use the compilation study method. The thesis will first focus on the historical development of the status of the deaf and Finnish Sign Language in Finland. The first mentions of the deaf will be described, the establishment of the first schools for the deaf, especially the work of Carl Oscar Malm. Emphasis will be placed on the development of the status of the deaf in Finnish society and changes in the approach to deaf education. Attention will also be paid to the important milestones of the 20th century, the development of organizations supporting the deaf community, and the development of social and legal recognition of Finnish Sign Language, including the legislative anchoring of the rights of the deaf (e.g. the constitutional recognition of sign language in 1995). The work will also include mapping changes in the educational system and the development of linguistic research on Finnish Sign Language, especially the establishment of the Sign Language Center at the University of Jyväskylä. In conclusion, the current situation of Finnish deaf people, current legal and social conditions, as well as...