Paper short abstract:

This paper argues that while the sociality of the deaf people shapes their (in)abilities to access and utilize communication technologies; at the same time, the technologies influence the social relations of the deaf people.

Paper long abstract:

Today, communication technologies are increasingly becoming the means of disseminating health education messages. Often the assumption is that the use of technologies will lead to faster ways, more accurate and effective dissemination of health education messages, and as a result an improvement in prevention, access to health services and better life conditions in general. This paper analyzes how communication technologies are appropriated by Deaf persons in order to access HIV and AIDS education messages in Uganda. How do deaf persons access and utilize communication technologies? What determines what technologies are appropriated? I will argue that technologies are not passive tools but constitutive parts of networks linking human and non-human actors. While the sociality of the deaf people shapes their (in)abilities to access and utilize communication technologies; at the same time, the technologies influence the social relations of the deaf people. The analysis is based on 112 interviews of Deaf persons followed by five follow-up cases in Kampala - Uganda. Focus was placed on radio, televisions, bill boards/ posters, phones, and newspapers as the artefact technologies, and the organizational and institutional structures to which they are linked. Findings show that technology user groups (e.g whatsapp groups) have been formed, new friends made by Deaf persons in the process of appropriating these technologies. Emphasis should not only be put on the technology itself (how appropriate) focus should also be placed on the social relations the deaf people are involved in and how these shape the appropriation of the communication technologies