Common misconceptions about deaf individuals often involve stereotypes, such as portraying them as “disabled” older adults relying on hearing aids. This inaccurate perception can lead to flawed design choices and ineffective products.
This article explores the various aspects of hearing loss and offers insights into creating more effective experiences for people with hearing loss.
Sign language is a four-dimensional language, incorporating 3D space, time, and often facial expressions. This point was highlighted in a compelling talk by
.
Deafness Is A Spectrum
Hearing loss exists on a broad continuum, ranging from minor to profound. A significant majority, approximately 90–95% of deaf individuals, come from hearing families. Deafness is not always congenital; it can also result from exposure to loud noises, age, disease, or accidents.
This chart illustrates sound frequencies and decibel levels, categorizing types of hearing loss and common everyday sounds.
Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB). Everyone falls somewhere on the spectrum of hearing, from normal hearing (up to 15 dB) to profound hearing loss (91+ dB):
- Slight Hearing Loss, 16–25 dB: Individuals with 16 dB hearing loss might miss up to 10% of speech when a speaker is more than 3 feet away.
- Mild hearing loss, 26–40 dB: Soft sounds, including whispers (around 40 dB), become difficult to perceive. Normal-volume soft speech sounds are also harder to hear. At 40 dB hearing loss, an individual might miss 50% of meeting discussions.
- Moderate hearing loss, 41–55 dB: A person may hear almost no speech at normal volumes. At 50 dB hearing loss, up to 80% of speech might be missed.
- Moderately Severe Hearing Loss, 56–70 dB: Sounds like a dishwasher (60 dB) can be problematic to hear. At 70 dB, nearly all speech might be missed.
- Severe Hearing Loss, 71–90 dB: No speech is heard at normal levels. Only some very loud noises, such as a vacuum (70 dB), blender (78 dB), or hair dryer (90 dB), may be audible.
- Profound Hearing Loss, 91+ dB: No speech is heard, and only extremely loud sounds, like a music player at full volume (100 dB) or a car horn (110 dB), may be perceived. Such volumes are damaging for individuals with normal hearing.
It is important to note that hearing loss can also be situational and temporary. Even individuals with “normal” hearing (0 to 25 dB hearing loss) will encounter situations where they cannot hear, for example, due to noisy environments.
Useful Things To Know About Deafness
Making assumptions can be problematic, especially concerning deafness, where many common beliefs are inaccurate. For instance, most deaf individuals do not know sign language; in the US, this figure is only around 1%.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no universal sign language. British signers, for example, often cannot understand American signers. Globally, approximately 300 different sign languages are actively used.
“We never question making content available in different written or spoken languages, and the same should apply to signed languages.”
The Heardio concept aims to make podcasts accessible for deaf people through live transcription and sign language avatars.
Sign languages are
. These are 4D spatial languages with distinct grammar and syntax, separate from spoken languages, and they lack a written form. They rely heavily on facial expressions to convey meaning and emphasis. Furthermore, they are not universal; each country often has its own sign language and dialects.
- Only about 30% of words can be understood through lip-reading.
- Most deaf individuals do not know any sign language.
- Many sign languages have local dialects that can be challenging to interpret.
- Not all deaf people are fluent signers and frequently depend on visual clues.
- For many deaf individuals, a spoken language is their second language.
-
, which incorporates 3D space, time, and facial expressions.
How To Communicate Respectfully
It is important to remember that for many deaf individuals, the spoken language of their country is their second language. When communicating with a deaf person, it is often best to ask in writing how they prefer to communicate. Avoid asking about their level of understanding or if they can lip-read.
However, as Rachel Edwards pointed out, one should not assume comfort with written language simply because someone is deaf. Literacy levels can vary, so providing information solely as text may not adequately serve all deaf users.
Additionally, do not assume that all deaf individuals can lip-read. Only about 30% of words can be understood by observing mouth movements. This is why many deaf people require additional visual cues, such as text or cued speech.
These are universal signs for hearing loss, representing 7 accessibility symbols.
Using respectful language is also crucial. Deaf individuals do not always identify as disabled; many consider themselves a cultural linguistic minority with a distinct identity. Others, as Meryl Evan observed, may prefer terms like “hearing impaired” over “deaf” or “hard of hearing.” Ultimately, an individual’s preference for identification should be respected.
- Deaf (Capital ‘D’): Refers to culturally Deaf individuals who have been deaf since birth or before acquiring spoken language. Sign language is often their primary language, with written language as a secondary one.
- deaf (Lowercase ‘d’): Describes individuals who developed hearing loss later in life. This term is used by those who feel more connected to the hearing or hard-of-hearing community and prefer written and/or oral communication.
- Hard of Hearing: Applies to individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss who typically communicate orally and use hearing aids.
Generally, it is advisable to avoid the term “hearing impairment”. Instead, use Deaf (for those deaf for most of their lives), deaf (for those who became deaf later), or hard of hearing (HoH) for partial hearing loss. Always politely inquire about an individual’s preferences and respect their chosen identification.
Practical UX Guidelines
When creating user interfaces and content, the following accessibility guidelines are essential for deaf and hard-of-hearing users:
This Gov.uk-inspired poster by Prospect.org.uk offers guidance on designing for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. A printable PDF is available.
- Do not make the phone the sole or required method of contact.
- Provide text alternatives for all audible alerts or notifications.
- Incorporate haptic feedback on mobile devices, such as distinct vibration patterns.
- Ensure adequate lighting to assist individuals in seeing facial expressions.
- Arrange seating in a circular manner to allow everyone to see each other’s faces.
- Always include descriptions of non-spoken sounds (e.g., rain, laughter) within content.
- Provide transcripts and closed captions for all audio and video materials.
- Clearly identify each speaker in all audio and video content.
- Offer multiple communication methods for every interaction (both online and in-person).
- Encourage video participants to keep their cameras on to aid lip-reading and the interpretation of facial expressions, which convey tone.
- Always test products with the target community to avoid making assumptions.
Wrapping Up
Enhanced accessibility consistently benefits everyone. Improvements made for specific user groups often lead to better experiences for a wider range of users.
As Marie Van Driessche correctly observed, creating truly accessible experiences requires designing with people, rather than merely for them. This necessitates involving individuals with lived experiences of exclusion in the design process, as they are the genuine experts.
Accessibility never happens by accident — it’s a deliberate decision and a commitment.
No digital product is inherently neutral. A deliberate effort is required to make products and services more accessible. This not only benefits all users but also reflects a company’s values and principles.
Once a commitment to accessibility is established, it becomes significantly easier to maintain accessibility from the outset, rather than attempting to integrate it as a last-minute fix when it is often too late or too costly to implement effectively.
