While everyone has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in one way or another, the deafblind community has been affected in a detrimental way that most people may not have considered. With the already existing communication challenges, wearing masks has added yet another complicated barrier to communication between hearing and hearing impaired, hard of hearing, deaf and deafblind people. The word “deaf” can have different meanings depending on whether or not the D is capitalized. The word “deaf” with a lowercase d is a general term that includes all people with significantly reduced hearing. A person who is capital-D “Deaf” considers themselves part of the Deaf community and identifies with Deaf culture, which has its roots in American Sign Language (ASL)1. For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on the Deaf community. Approximately 53% of deaf people ages 25-64 are employed2. Since June is National Safety Month, we felt it was important to bring attention to the Deaf community in particular, as they are struggling with the current situation, perhaps more than most. The Deaf Community in the United States Here are some quick facts about the Deaf community in America from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)3:
- About two to three out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears.
- More than 90 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents.
- One in eight people in the United States (13 percent, or 30 million) aged 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations.
- If a Deaf person is not looking directly at you, get their attention first by waving your hand in their line of sight (this is how Deaf people get the attention of one another). If they’re not facing you, move yourself into their line of sight. If that’s not possible, lightly tap them on the shoulder.
- Deaf people are very visual so be mindful of your body language. Use gesturing and clear facial expressions when speaking. “Acting out” what you’re saying can also be a useful tool.
- Thinking that Deaf people will understand 100% of what is being said because they are lipreading is a myth. The most skilled lipreaders still only understand about 25% of what is being said. It’s more of a supplement in conversation than the only tool used.
- Be mindful of communicating in groups when a Deaf person is involved. The back-and-forth nature of a group conversation can be difficult to follow and mentally exhausting. Speak one at a time. Try raising your hand and wait to be acknowledged before you start speaking to cut down on the confusion.
- Communicate in writing. However, don’t judge a Deaf person’s ability to use proper English and grammar. Most Deaf people haven’t received the same education as hearing children and English is a second language for many Deaf people, with ASL being their first.
- As stated before, don’t forget the importance of body language when speaking.
- Keep your mouth and eyes visible and avoid chewing while you talk. Make sure there is proper lighting on your face.
- Maintain eye contact with the person by facing them and not turning your back when you speak.
- Speak clearly and enunciate, but don’t shout or speak extremely slow. Changing the way you speak can actually make it harder to understand.
- For men who have a thick moustache or beard, keep in mind, your lips are much harder to see and therefore lipread.