Covid & How it Affects the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community

Even though the disabled community is one of the largest minority groups it is often the most overlooked, and covid-19 has not made it any easier. The deaf and hard of hearing community has had significant problems with this pandemic and has had to make changes to adapt to the challenges that arose.

Masks pose a major problem for them. In, The pandemic's impact on kids in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community — and how parents and educators are creating their new normal, Osborne Crook says that masks have negatively impacted her kids since they cover the mouth, which is an important part of ASL (American sign language). "Adverbs and adjectives are indicated through mouth morphemes...A mask covering the mouth obstructs language. The mouth is also a discourse marker — an important feature in a conversation or discourse."

Non-transparent masks such as cloth ones also make it hard to see facial expressions. Since most masks go around the ear it also makes hearing aids uncomfortable if not impossible.

There have been many solutions to these problems, but many have had problems in and of themselves. A clear face mask and face shield can help with reading but they do tend to fog up and face masks that tie in the back of the head can help with those with hearing aids. Interpreters are a great solution because they can explain what the other person is saying in real-time, but many people don't want to put others and their families at risk of getting the virus.

Many deaf and hard of hearing people have been doing things virtually since most of the time they can easily see the person's face. Captioning apps and communication boards, “any device that helps a person with hearing loss or a voice, speech, or language disorder to communicate...refer to devices that help a person...understand what is being said more clearly or to express thoughts more easily,” Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders can also be very helpful.

The deaf and hard of hearing communities have had many difficulties to deal with before the pandemic started, and since then they have only gotten worse. If they need something to be repeated or need time to get their communication board and open their captioning app, they should be given it and not be rushed. It's important to be patient with them, as well as others with disabilities not only now but when things go back to “normal.”