Rather, they consider themselves a part of cultural minority group of which they are proud. Generally, with amplification, hard of hearing people can speak over the telephone. Whereas persons who are profoundly deaf receive information visually, not auditory.
Meaning is conveyed through the hands, facial expressions, and body shifts.
ASL is a living language. New signs are being added all the time with the advent of new technologies and the need to have signs for new things. There are some slight regional differences in signs used in different parts of the country, just as there are regional dialects and accents in spoken English. ASL is not a universal language. However, ASL is generally used throughout Canada.