Read on Twitter
: People (like myself) with hearing loss/ auditory processing disorder have been struggling with our hearing issues even more during the pandemic, as face masks make it impossible to read lips/facial cues, lower the volume of speech, and lower the clarity of speech.
Cloth and surgical face masks reduce the clarity of speech and lower it by about 5 decibels, while n95s can lower it by up to 12 decibels, which makes hearing even more challenging for those who already have hearing issues like hearing loss or auditory processing disorder.
Zoom and FaceTime also suck for people with hearing issues because the sound is often slightly out of sync with the video, making lip reading and gathering context clues harder. Also, many folks have bad computer mics, which can muffle speech and lower its volume.
While people like me probably are having trouble hearing you, science has shown that speaking louder leads to more rapid spread of Covid because more potentially infectious particles spread. However, there are still ways to be more accessible, especially on the internet/zoom!
(On Zoom/Video Calls)
- please make your meetings accessible via closed captioning! It is a godsend for those of us who are hard of hearing
-wear headphones w/a plug in mic if you can (makes sound quality clearer)
- try to limit background noise
- speak slightly louder than usual
- please make your meetings accessible via closed captioning! It is a godsend for those of us who are hard of hearing
-wear headphones w/a plug in mic if you can (makes sound quality clearer)
- try to limit background noise
- speak slightly louder than usual
(Zoom/Video calls continued)
-if possible, use ASL interpretation! Many members of the deaf/hard of hearing community rely on ASL interpretation to use Zoom, and accessibility is vital.
-turn off your mic if you’re not speaking (limits background noise, especially on group calls)
-if possible, use ASL interpretation! Many members of the deaf/hard of hearing community rely on ASL interpretation to use Zoom, and accessibility is vital.
-turn off your mic if you’re not speaking (limits background noise, especially on group calls)
(In general)
- limit background noise in any place where you are having a masked conversation in person
- try to use physical cues with your hands, arms, etc to express what you mean
- consider utilizing a voice amplifier app that will raise your volume without raising COVID risk
- limit background noise in any place where you are having a masked conversation in person
- try to use physical cues with your hands, arms, etc to express what you mean
- consider utilizing a voice amplifier app that will raise your volume without raising COVID risk
(In general)
- be willing to repeat what you are saying if a friend who is a member of the deaf/hard of hearing community is struggling to hear your speech
- try to intentionally articulate your words as clearly as you are able to so that clarity of speech is as high as possible
- be willing to repeat what you are saying if a friend who is a member of the deaf/hard of hearing community is struggling to hear your speech
- try to intentionally articulate your words as clearly as you are able to so that clarity of speech is as high as possible
(In general)
- be gentle with deaf/hard of hearing comrades who may be speaking more loudly than usual to compensate for the impact of masks on hearing! If you’re scared of loud speech as a COVID risk, gently ask us to quiet down
- be patient if we ask for things to be repeated
- be gentle with deaf/hard of hearing comrades who may be speaking more loudly than usual to compensate for the impact of masks on hearing! If you’re scared of loud speech as a COVID risk, gently ask us to quiet down
- be patient if we ask for things to be repeated
(also if you've ever thought "damn, that girl is annoyingly loud", 1. You're not wrong and 2. I have mild hearing loss and auditory processing disorder soooo that is why)
