Inclusive Environment
How do you make deaf/hard of hearing people feel included?
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Be aware and considerate
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Always face a deaf person. Make eye contact and keep it while you are talking
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Use technology or pen and paper to get your points across
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Consider being in a quieter environment; Check noise and lighting. Turn off or move away from background noise
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Learn the principles of communicating to deaf or hard of hearing people; repeat and re-phrase if necessary
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Just ask – ask that person as well because every deaf person is different and they require different things
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If possible use sign language, fingerspelling or gesture when necessary if unable to remember the signs
Link: National Deaf Center: Communicating with Deaf Individuals