As odd as this may sound I am neither deaf nor from Kansas City, I was asked to come on as a moderator to help police this site as an outsider who is interested in the deaf community and is learning ASL. I feel then I should explain where I'm coming from. My wife studied ASL in college and is virtually conversationally fluent and is relearning signs she has forgotten, she is also teaching me ASL because she often completely loses her voice making it the easiest way to communicate. There have also been studies done saying that by signing to an infant they are able to communicate faster through sign language and developed better communication skills through out life, my wife is currently pregnant with our first child so there is now a rush on for me to learn.

I know snippets about deaf culture from sociology classes on different subcultures and from what my wife told me about her ASL classes which were taught by a deaf professor which I'm told is the best way to learn. I'd like to learn more though so could anyone expand on what is less commonly known. I know that deaf clubs often play music with heavy bass at very loud levels so that the patrons can feel the music I also know a little bit about a couple of the more important figures in history. I ask you to please expand upon my very little knowledge.