Experiences of Finnish adults with hearing impairments (n=186) and their views of Finnish society were studied, and methods of collecting data were compared. Study questions focused on knowledge about and satisfaction with Finnish society, participation in activities, and values and attitudes. Respondents who were deaf (n=77) and those who were hard of hearing (n=109) both experienced communication problems. Respondents who were deaf considered themselves to be a language minority, depended on sign language, preferred to associate with people who were deaf, and used an interpreter with the hearing society. Individuals who were hard of hearing tried to integrate with the hearing majority and had significant communication problems in noisy situations and in groups; very few learned sign language. In collecting data, personal contacts with signing provided the most information. Signed videos were effective with persons who were deaf, while written questionnaires were the least effective. Background information for the study considers: oral and manual communication methods; special schools and mainstreaming; speech, reading, and writing; and viewing deafness as being a cultural minority. Study questionnaires are appended, as are five published articles describing study results. (Separate sections contain references; 15 figures and 13 tables are included.) (SW)