What is Hearing Impairment
A. Basic Information
Rarely is a person completely deaf, and a hearing loss could fall anywhere along the continuum from totally deaf to hearing. The amount of usable (or residual) hearing varies greatly from person to person. Depending upon the type of loss, the person may or may not benefit from the amplification that a hearing aid provides. Hearing aids only amplify sound, they do not make sound clearer. The severity of a person's hearing loss could be different at various frequencies. Therefore, ability to hear different voices will vary depending on a number of factors, including the pitch of the voice. Also, it is important to note that a person's ability to hear a voice is different than the ability to discriminate between sounds and to understand speech.
The life activity most affected by hearing loss is communication. Colleagues and friends must be versatile in finding an effective communication method. Pen and paper are handy communication devices in some situations. Be aware that if you point to an object or area during a conversation with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, that person will most likely turn to look at where you are pointing. Allow their gaze to return to you before continuing with what you are saying. Though not effective for all people who are hearing impaired, knowing some sign language and finger spelling is helpful. Learn some elementary or survival signs from colleagues, coworkers, or managers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
B. Interactions: Communication Considerations
1. Attention Getters
Getting the attention of someone who is deaf or hard of hearing can vary depending on the person and the situation. If the person has enough residual hearing to pick up a verbal cue, calling their name is quite appropriate. When this does not work and the person is within reach, a light tap on the shoulder or lightly placing your hand on their shoulder works well. A heavy touch and rapid tapping is used to indicate urgency, such as during an emergency. For people out of arms reach, you can ask some one closer to the person to tape them on the shoulder, or you can wave your hand and arm in the air. Sometimes hitting your foot on the floor repetitively or light pounding on a table are used. The latter works especially well when the person who is hearing impaired is leaning on the table. For getting the attention of large groups, simply flash the lights in the room on and off several times at a slow and steady pace.Rapidly flashing the lights indicates an emergency.
2. Lip Reading
Not all hearing impaired people are good lip readers and lip reading skill has no correlation to a person¹s intelligence. Even good lip readers may miss many words. Keep in mind that only 25-30% of spoken can be lip read. Not all deaf people know how to speak sign language, or choose to use sign language interpreters. Some prefer to communicate through lip reading and some prefer sign language. When a person is reading your lips, do not yell or over enunciate your words, as you will distort your lip movements and also look very foolish. Remove from your mouth objects such as cigarettes, pipes, gum, chewing tobacco, or food. Keep your hands or any other objects from covering your mouth. A beard or mustache may interfere with a lip reader's ability to read your lips. Try to sit with a light source in front of you, not behind you (such as a window).
3. Speech
Many deaf and hard of hearing people have voices that are easily understood. Others cannot monitor the volume and tone of their speech and may be initially hard to understand. If a person is speaking for themselves and you do not understand their speech, it is appropriate for you to ask them to repeat, or even to write down what is being said. Ask in a respectful, not condescending manner.
4. Communication Links
The need for an interpreter depends on the situation and the people involved. Interpreters can be described as a communication link. A telephone, for example, is a communication link; it does not add information or alter the content of the message.
Do not refer to a deaf person as deaf and dumb. Many deaf people have the ability to speak orally. Deafness does not, in itself, affect intelligence. Some people prefer to voice for themselves, even with a sign language interpreter present interpreter. In addition, in conversation it is not necessary to avoid using the words or phrases like hear or sounds good with a deaf person.
