Deaf Education, AI, and Choice: Reflections after Question Time Special

I recently watched the BBC Question Time Special (30-minute summary), and it raised important issues about Deaf education, technology, and identity.

There is serious concern about the sharp decline in Teachers of the Deaf. Many Deaf schools have closed — from around 60 in the past to just 22 today. These schools now support a slightly higher number of Deaf students with additional disabilities.

At the same time, more Deaf children are educated in mainstream schools. While inclusion can be positive, many Deaf pupils miss out academically and socially due to limited communication access and the lack of Deaf peers.

One positive development is the BSL GCSE. This is a real game changer:

• Less mocking of Deaf students

• Better communication between Deaf and hearing peers

• Greater respect for British Sign Language

  
  

This shows that language access changes attitudes.

Can AI help Deaf people?

AI can help to fill some gaps, for example:

• Live captions and transcription

• Note-taking and lesson summaries

• Access support when interpreters are unavailable

  
  

However, AI is not yet fully evidence-based, especially in education, healthcare, and justice. It must be used carefully.

Most importantly, AI must not replace human support. The panel strongly emphasised that Deaf children need:

• Teachers of the Deaf

• Qualified interpreters

• Deaf role models

• Human relationships

AI should support access — not become a cost-cutting substitute.

“Curing” deafness, genetic therapy, and consent

Scientific advances such as genetic therapy aim to “cure” aspects of deafness by restoring hearing. This raises ethical questions.

Deafness is not simply a medical condition — it is also a language, identity, and culture.

For example:

• Asking a three-year-old to have cochlear implants is extremely risky because they cannot give informed consent.

• An eighteen-year-old can make that decision with full understanding of identity, culture, and long-term impact.

Choice matters.

Is accepting AI the same as accepting cochlear implants?

No — they are fundamentally different.

Cochlear implants are a permanent medical intervention that alters the body and is often decided in early childhood.

AI tools are optional, reversible, and adjustable. They do not change the body or remove Deaf identity. People can choose when and how to use them — or not at all.

Deaf identity and generational differences

There are different perspectives between older and younger Deaf generations:

• Older generations often value Deaf schools, clubs, and face-to-face community

• Younger generations may rely more on mainstream education, technology, and online Deaf spaces

Neither view is wrong. But the loss of Deaf spaces is a serious risk if nothing replaces them.

Final thought

Deaf people do not need to be “fixed”.

What we need is:

• Language access first

• Human support in education

• Respect for Deaf culture and identity

• Technology that serves people — not replaces them

• Informed choice, not pressure

Inclusion without access is not inclusion.