Chapter Six: Working with People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Although people who are deaf or hard of hearing may not be able to hear you, it is important that you speak clearly and face them when you are speaking with them.

People who are deaf often communicate through American Sign Language (ASL). ASL is a unique language, just like Spanish or Russian. You will not be able to intuitively translate because ASL has a unique syntax (the ordering of words is not the same as in English). You may have to work with an interpreter. When you speak, the interpreter will translate what you say to the person who is deaf. Therefore, you should expect your interactions to take twice as long.

Social Etiquette

Ask people who are deaf or hard of hearing what their preferred method of communication is, if they do not tell you. There are three methods by which people who are deaf or hard of hearing may want to communicate: lip reading, sign language, and written language. People who are deaf or hard of hearing should decide which communication method to use and should reserve the right to change communication methods during your visit. Lip reading is fatiguing for those who are deaf or hard of hearing so you should keep the conversation short and concise. Remember, a person who is lip reading may only get 30 to 50% of what you say. Be patient and understanding.

Make eye contact and hold up your hand to get the attention of the person before speaking. This alerts them that you wish to speak with them.

Remember, literacy is not a good gauge of intelligence. English is the second language of people with hearing impairments. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may have difficulty reading and writing in English because American Sign Language has a different structure and set of rules .

Do not write in the air. No one, hearing or otherwise, can remember air-written letters and words. Use paper and pencil in such cases.

Do not stand between people who are deaf or hard of hearing and the interpreter. If you do this, you are interrupting the conversation, which is rude. If you must pass through, do so quickly.

If people who are deaf or hard of hearing use a hearing aid, ask them if there are any background noise distractions. They may request that you minimize these noises. For example, if you are wearing a radio, the static noise may create too much background noise.

Try to give people who are deaf or hard of hearing options. Rather than telling them what to do, you should try to give them options.

Avoid showing impatience because less assertive people who are deaf or hard of hearing may indicate they understand concepts that they do not understand. Why? They say they understand to avoid conflict.

Explain any interruption before attending to it. For example, if your cell phone rings, excuse yourself first.

Avoid saying ¿Never mind¿ or ¿It¿s not important¿ when people who are deaf or hard of hearing do not understand. This is insulting because it is often seen as an indication that people who are deaf or hard of hearing do not deserve the patience involved in repeated communication processes.

Greetings

Speak clearly in a normal tone of voice. Do not exaggerate your lip movements.

Remember not all people who are deaf or hard of hearing can read lips. If people who are deaf or hard of hearing do read lips, they will struggle to understand how you articulate your words. Still, do not exaggerate or change the way you speak.

Do not chew gum or tobacco. Remove your sunglasses so people who are deaf or hard of hearing can see your eyes.

Avoid touching your face while speaking. This prevents people who are deaf or hard of hearing from seeing your mouth.

Requesting Information

Use short simple sentences.

Do not fluctuate the volume of your speech.

When you seek a lot of information, ask for feedback to make sure you are understood. You may have to repeat your request verbatim several times. When you request something complex, give people who are deaf or hard of hearing examples.

Giving directions

Use short simple sentences.

Do not fluctuate the volume of your speech.

When you have a lot of information to convey, ask people who are deaf or hard of hearing for feedback to make sure they understand. You may have to repeat information verbatim several times. When you talk about something complex, give examples.

Try to give the person who is deaf or hard of hearing options. Rather than telling people who are deaf or hard of hearing what to do, you should try to give them options.

Working with an Interpreter

Speak directly to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, not the interpreter. Remember, the people who are deaf or hard of hearing are the people with whom you are speaking.

Do not fluctuate the volume of your speech.

When you have a lot of information to convey, ask people who are deaf or hard of hearing for feedback to make sure they understand. Sometimes information is lost during the interpretation process. You may have to repeat information verbatim several times. When you talk about something complex, give them examples.

Plan for frequent breaks. Interpreting is physically and mentally demanding. The interpreter translates the information into another language.