Effective Communication Techniques

Communicating with People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Things to know:

• Deaf and hearing-impaired persons are entering the workplace in record numbers.
• Not all persons who are deaf cannot speak.
• Not all persons who are deaf lip-read.
• Sign language is not another form of English; it is an official language with its own grammar, syntax and rules.
• Not all persons who are deaf use sign language.
• Lip-reading, while helpful without sound clues, is only 30%-50% effective, and sometimes less.
• More persons who are deaf or hearing impaired have some hearing rather than no hearing at all.
• Not all persons who are deaf write and read well.
• Long conversations with persons who lip-read can be very fatiguing to the person who has the impairment.

Things to do:

• Find out how the person communicates best.
• If the person reads lips, speak in a normal, not exaggerated way. Short, simple sentences are best.
• Be aware of situations where a person may be waiting for a service (transportation, a table, the start of an activity) where the common way to communicate is an announcement or the calling of the person’s name. Make sure you take notes when someone cannot hear you and develop an alternative way of notifying them.
• Gain their attention before starting a conversation.
• If the person lip-reads, avoid blocking their view of your face. Make sure the lighting is good.
• If there is some doubt in your mind whether they understood you correctly, rephrase your statement and ask them if you have been understood.
• If the person uses an interpreter, address the person, not the interpreter.

Things to consider:

• When someone asks, “What did you say?” the answers, “Never mind,” “Nothing,” or “It’s not important,” are very common replies. These are insulting and demeaning, because they communicate that the person is not worth the effort of repeating yourself.
• Persons who deal very well one-on-one in communication may have a hard time with two or more speakers, especially if there are many interruptions and interjections.
• Showing impatience to someone who is deaf or hearing impaired may cause someone who is less assertive to back off from telling you of his/her needs.

Things to avoid:

• Make sure there are no physical barriers between you and the person while in conversation.
• If the person is using hearing aids, avoid conversations in large, open and noisy surroundings.
• Do not become impatient or exasperated with the person if it takes longer to communicate.

Communicating with People who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Things to know:

• While many persons who are blind can use Braille, the majority of persons who are blind do not.
• The definition of legally blind is 20/200 vision with best correction. Many more persons who are considered blind have some sight, rather than no sight at all.
• Many persons who are blind are quite mobile and independent. Some people who are blind view blindness not as a disability as much as an inconvenience.

Things to do:

• Introduce yourself. Identify who you are and what your job or role is. Give the person verbal information that is visually obvious to those who can see.
• Tell them when you have brought new items into their environment, describing what they are and, most importantly, where you have put them.
• Lead someone who is blind only after they have accepted your offer to do so. Allow them to hold your arm rather than you holding their arm. It is important to let them control their own movements.
• Be descriptive when giving directions. Saying “Over there” has little meaning to someone who cannot see you point. “Four doors after turning right from the elevator” would be much more helpful.
• Describe things from their perspective, not yours. Some persons who are blind use a “clock” reference for things directly in front of them such as a meal. For example, something could be positioned at three o’clock (directly in front and close). Before using this strategy, ask the person if this is useful to them.

Things to consider:

• Persons who are blind have a long history of being patronized and talked to as if they were children. They have been told more often what to do rather than asked what they would prefer doing. This attitude is not acceptable towards any person.
• Persons who are blind and/or visually impaired are by and large much more independent than most people realize. Many times negotiating the physical environment is less frustrating than trying to communicate with persons who are not sensitive to their needs.

Things to avoid:

• Do not interact with a guide dog while it is working (in harness).
• Do not move items (furniture, personal items) after the person has learned their position. This can be frustrating and, in some cases, dangerous for the person.
• Do not use references that are visually oriented like, “Over there near the green plant.”

Communicating with People who have Speech Impairments

Things to know:

• There are many reasons for having difficulty with speech. Deafness, cerebral palsy, stroke, head injury, physical malformation of speech mechanisms and general speech impairments are just a few.
• It is not unusual in stressful situations for someone’s speech to become harder to understand.

Things to do:

• Consider writing as an alternative means of communication. Use a computer terminal, or a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), or plain paper and pencil.
• If you do not understand what the person is saying, bring it to his/her attention immediately and ask how the two of you may better communicate.
• If no solution to the communication problem can be worked out with you and the person, consider asking if there is someone who could translate or interpret what is being said.
• If it is a stressful situation, try to stay calm. If you are in a public area with many distractions, consider moving to a quiet or private location.

Things to consider:

• Many persons with difficulty in speech find themselves in situations where people treat them as if they are drunk, retarded or mentally ill. They are accustomed to being avoided, ignored and even hung up on by phone.
• Accessibility for persons with difficulty in speech lies within your power. Your understanding, patience and communication skills are as important to someone with a speech impairment as a ramp or grab bar is to someone who uses a wheelchair.

Things to avoid:

• Do not become impatient or exasperated with the communication.
• Do not finish peoples’ sentences for them.
• Do not pretend to understand them when you really do not.

The Electronic Industries Foundation

The Electronic Industries Foundation (EIF) is the not-for-profit foundation of the Electronic Industries Association, the national trade organization representing electronics manufacturers in the United States. EIF works to bring credit to the industry by performing projects in the social and economic interest of both the electronics industry and the public. The Foundation is not a grant-making organization – but rather initiates and operates its own programs. Projects and activities are developed by and operated through EIF programs to address emerging concerns of the electronics industry. Activities are conducted under a number of programmatic areas including employment and placement, technology applications, advancements in education, technology transfer and youth training. As a not-for-profit organization under 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, contributions to EIF are tax deductible as allowed by law.

For more information on EIF and its programs, contact:
The Electronic Industries Foundation
919 18th Street, NW
Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-955-5810 (Phone)
202-955-5836 (TDD)
202-955-5837 (Fax)