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Biophilia is a multimedia exploration of music, nature and technology by Björk: the world's first app album. Comprising a suite of original music and interactive, educational artworks and musical artifacts, Biophilia is released as ten in-app experiences that are accessed as you fly through a three-dimensional galaxy that accompanies the album's theme song Cosmogony. Each in-app experience is inspired by and explores the relationships between musical structures and natural phenomena, from the atomic to the cosmic. You can use Biophilia to make and learn about music, to find out about natural phenomena, or to just enjoy Björk's music.

Biophilia was developed by Björk in collaboration with interactive artist and app developer Scott Snibbe, and Björk's longtime design collaborators M/M Paris. The individual apps were created by Luc Barthelet, Drew Berry, Kodama Studios, Stephen Malinowski, Scott Snibbe Studio, John Simon Jr., Touch Press, and Max Weisel.

© 2011 One Little Indian, Ltd. and Well Hart, Ltd.

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BJÖRK: BIOPHILIA - Scott Snibbe - Interactive Art

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Biophilia is a multimedia exploration of music, nature and technology by Björk: the world's first app album. Comprising a suite of original music and interactive, educational artworks and musical artifacts, Biophilia is released as ten in-app experiences that are accessed as you fly through a three-dimensional galaxy that accompanies the album's theme song Cosmogony.

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Chime - National Charity for Deafness and Hearing Loss

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Chime - National Charity for Deafness and Hearing Loss

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Health Services

New multi-disciplinary team announced by HSE

Mark Byrne, CEO of Chime, said "The new service will address a serious gap in the provision of services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children"

Careers

Join the Chime team

Are you interested in a career with Chime? Take a look at our current vacancies or get in touch today

Programme

Explore - Chime Mentoring Programme

Supporting Deaf and Hard of Hearing young adults in exploring further education and training opportunities

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Chime is a unique organisation in the Deaf sector. Chime provides a range of services to over 32,500 Deaf and Hard of Hearing people and their families annually. It also has a wider impact on the lives of all Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in Ireland through advocacy and campaigning for improved health and education services, and for better access to society for all.

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FAI.ie caught up with both Laura and Joey on their footballing careers with a busy few months of action on the horizon.
Laura Clarke is the current Irish Women's Futsal team captain, having risen up through the footballing ranks from grassroots.
'I have always loved sports like Gaelic, hurling, swimming and basketball but football/futsal has been number one for me. The first club I got involved with was Templeogue United when I was around 12. It came about from watching my older brothers' games and wanting to join in. From there I moved to Tallaght United and Greenhills United before my current club Terenure Rangers.' Clarke said.

Going on to represent her country, Laura doesn't take the honour for granted.

'My favourite moment is when you put on that Ireland jersey for a game. There is such a huge sense of pride when representing your country. My family came to see us play in Russia and Switzerland. Also the Futsal World Cup in Switzerland (2019) was unreal and it was our first ever appearance in the finals and we finished 9th in the world!

'It is an honour to be selected as captain of your team but we all work hard as a collective and my teammates help me to be a better captain.'

With indoor sports restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic, Laura and the team are looking forward to a busy few months ahead.

'We have the European Championships coming up in October in Italy and as one of the more experienced members of the squad, I am really looking forward to the finals.

'After we returned from the Deaf Championships in Milan (2020) we were in lockdown within two weeks. It was hard but we all did some training ourselves at home. When the first lockdown was over, we went back to football and played through the traditional league but then the second lockdown came and the season was halted. Then I got pregnant with my second child and gave birth at end of July 2021 but I was back playing within 4-5 weeks.

'We are all just delighted to be back to normal it is great to see teams competing again with the social aspect also very important.' Clarke added.

As one of the more experienced members, Laura had some words of advice for some of the young deaf footballers.

'Firstly I would encourage them to play. Football is great exercise, enjoyable and a good way of meeting people. You learn key skills such as teamwork, hard work and the need to also listen to your coach.'

Waterford's Joey Watson is one of the leading deaf footballers Ireland has ever produced and is still going strong in a career which has spanned almost three decades.

'I started playing football at a club level quite late. I was 13 when I joined my first club which was Waterford Bohemians (Bohs). My teacher at a boarding school for Deaf pupils in Dublin nudged my family to get me signed up to a club. Then my grandfather contacted Bohs to take me for a trial for a month but the club decided to take me on after one game.

'I was 17 when Waterford United signed me up and this was around the time my international career took off. I got selected for Ireland Deaf soccer team for the European Deaf Soccer Championship in Norway. I'm still playing at international level 23 years later and as a 40-year-old.' Watson added.

Joey has now amassed 85 caps with 63 goals in international football and 20 caps and 41 goals in futsal. The club game has had it's ups and downs with the communication barrier getting easier with time.

'I have played with mostly Waterford clubs (Waterford Crystal, Tramore) and Dublin clubs (St Kevin's, East Wall) and now for Ashbourne Utd in Co. Meath.

'The club experience through the years has been hard as most clubs didn't know what to do with a deaf player and I had to work harder to prove myself. There's always been a communication barrier between me and other players and managers but most of the time we adapt.

'Adapting includes using text messages to share tactics etc. Nowadays, technology makes things much easier and I join in on the banter with the WhatsApp groups with my teammates.'

Watson stepped away to spend time with his young family but got the itch to return to action in 2021.

'I took a break from football just before the pandemic so I could be around more for my young family but I was desperate to get back to it, especially during lockdown. I really missed being part of a team and having something to work towards. I joined Ashbourne United in summer 2021 and I am delighted to say that we won the league this term and I even managed to bag a hat-trick in my golden years.

'It's been fantastic getting to know the players who are a great bunch and mentally, it's been great being part of a winning team again after a couple of years off the pitch.' Watson said.

Watson is now player-manager for the Irish Deaf Futsal team who were tested by the best in the world in recent qualifiers. Despite three defeats, the side were a close match for Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland in a 'group of death'.

'It was an experience for the Ireland squad, 6 of whom got their first caps during the campaign. As player manager, I try to bring my international experience to the squad.'

Echoing women's deaf football star Laura Clarke, Joey had some words of wisdom for the next generation.

'Listen to your coach! And enjoy yourself. Time goes so quickly and life is too short. As a deaf person there's always going to be communication barriers but try to find ways to adapt, be honest about how your manager can communicate with you and remember, the main thing is that you will play better with good players around you so keep striving to play with the best.

'Looking ahead, we are in dire need of new talent. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and interested in futsal/football, please do get in touch with Deaf Sports Ireland about how we can support your involvement at international level. It truly is a great experience with lots of travel and you do not need to know sign language to be eligible!'
To get involved visit www.deafsportsireland.com or email admin@deafsportsireland.com.

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Exciting times for Irish deaf football stars

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FAI.ie caught up with both Laura and Joey on their footballing careers with a busy few months of action on the horizon. Laura Clarke is the current Irish Women's Futsal team captain, having risen up through the footballing ranks from grassroots.

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Deaf in the time of COVID-19 - Barriers and Opportunities - Trinity Long Room Hub Arts & Humanities Research Institute - Trinity College Dublin

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UNTIL recently, many of us may not have paid much attention to press conference interpreters. That's because until Covid-19 hit, they were largely unseen.

In fact, there weren't any Irish sign language interpreters present for the initial pandemic briefings.

"The pandemic has raised so much awareness, but it would never have happened without lobbying from the deaf community," says hearing interpreter Lisa Harvey.

"It took a lot to get us up there [on the daily NPHET bulletin] and while it was sorted in a short space of time, it wasn't a given that interpreters were needed initially."

This may seem surprising, as there are more than 5,000 deaf people in the country communicating through Irish sign language, which has been recognised by the Government as one of our three national languages since 2017.

"We've moved to a point now though where people are starting to notice when there's no interpreter present," Lisa says.

"And by the end of this year, there's going to be legal grounds - the Irish Sign Language Act - coming into effect, for us to be there. We're finally becoming part of the furniture."

Lisa is a hearing interpreter, whom you might recognise from the televised briefings in recent months.

In Ireland, a hearing interpreter is usually someone who has grown up with English as their first language. Later in life, they go on to learn Irish sign language or ISL, and become qualified to become an interpreter.

There are around 120 hearing interpreters in Ireland currently. However, there are only five deaf interpreters.

Teresa Lynch is one of those five. She is also a professor at the Centre for Deaf Studies, the chairperson of the National Deaf Women of Ireland, and a founding member of the Council of Irish Sign Language Teachers. I ask Teresa via Zoom if she ever sleeps.

She squishes her fingers together in front of the screen and laughs.

"A little bit," our interpreter Susan Cave tells me, who is also on our Zoom call.

"The idea of an interpreter seems like such a new phenomenon, but it's not, we've been around since 1646," says Teresa.

"But we have to rely on English to record the history of our language and they're completely different languages."

Teresa travels around the country, working with hearing interpreters to make sure there are no communication barriers for people who have limited sign language.

Susan Cave, co-founder of Bridge Interpreting. Photograph Moya Nolan

"Maybe it's a deaf person who lives in the country and their ISL is diminished because they're isolated, or someone who has just moved to Ireland and might not know our sign language," says Teresa.

"I can relate to that person. I can use facial expressions and my body in different ways to understand what that person is trying to communicate.

"As deaf people, we have a shared life experience, a shared language. We can support deaf people in other ways."

Deaf interpreters are especially important for people who are blind and deaf, says Teresa.

"They may be able to articulate through ISL, but how do they understand me? How will they know that I'm,say, nodding? By doing this," she says as she taps on her shoulder, the sign for nodding.

Susan, who is part-owner of Bridge Interpreting, says that being deaf is a lived experience.

"I've seen deaf interpreters at work and it's beautiful," she says. "I just watch and think 'I could never do that as well'.

Bridge Interpreting is the main sign language interpreting provider in Ireland, with about 70 team members.

"I'm so proud that we're considered to be a part of this community," Susan says.

"How quickly we gravitated towards each other once lockdown began to make sure everything was accessible was amazing. We pulled out all the stops and the response has been great.

"People are getting it, they're seeing how important it is to have interpretation and that's been the positive side of all this."

Teresa Lynch, Centre for Deaf Studies.

I ask Teresa if she can summarise the history of Irish sign language up until the pandemic.

She takes a deep breath.

"In the 1850s there were two deaf schools established in Cabra, boys and girls. They were only a 10-minute walk from each other but weren't allowed to meet. So, they each developed their own ways of signing," she says.

"The grammar, structure, and use of facial expression were similar but there were variations, like the signs for the days of the week.

"Then in the 1950s, signing was banned in schools, and oralism was introduced as the way of teaching.

"I went through that system and it was tough, really tough. It was impossible to lipread what the teachers were saying, 80% of that is guesswork."

To illustrate her point, Teresa asks me to lipread what she's saying, just to experience a morsel of what it feels like.

I can't tell if she's saying mat, math, or bat. I give up within seconds.

"Those in authority felt that deaf people should be able to talk and that they would be better off in society if they could," Teresa says.

"We were encouraged to wear hearing aids, and for hours and hours, they would try to teach me how to say my name, but I couldn't hear it."

According to Teresa, because of the assumption that deaf people could speak, other aspects of her education were cast aside.

"We still couldn't speak, and our confidence just dissipated," Teresa says.

"Finally, it's now being recognised that ISL isn't a tool, it's our language and culture. This is our space in the world where we can communicate. We're very proud of our language and we want to protect it."

After years of campaigning, the Irish Sign Language Act was signed into law in 2017.

The act, which comes into full effect next month, recognises the importance of the language, aiming to preserve it and widen the presence of interpreters.

Yet, even though 40,000 people know the language in Ireland, there are only around 120 hearing interpreters available, compared with Finland's 400 for a similar population.

Lisa Harvey who is a Sign Language Interpreter for the deaf at her home in Co. Meath. Photograph Moya Nolan

Highlighting the importance of interpreters may be one of the few silver linings of the current pandemic, says Teresa. "Imagine if you had 5,000 deaf people in Ireland who didn't know what was going on in the news, wandering around, not following protocols," she says.

"Not everyone can understand the subtitles. With an interpreter present, we're equally informed and that's extremely important."

Soon after the interpreters began to communicate at the NPHET briefings, the Irish Deaf Society set up a group to create signs for all of the new words popping up, such as 'lockdown' and 'coronavirus'.

Lisa says that this committee, which Teresa is a part of, has been a huge resource for her colleagues.

"We're on a screen dealing with very high pressure, fast-flowing information," Lisa says. "We don't have time to explain certain phrases.

"Now, when a phrase keeps coming up we can tell the committee and they'll create a definitive sign for it and get an explainer out."

When Lisa agreed to do her first Covid-19 press conference nine months ago, she had no idea she would still be on TV months later.

"We usually get the press release about five minutes before a briefing, the same as the news outlets," says Lisa. "Most of the time you don't get enough time to read it.

"We try to listen to the news throughout the day and keep each other posted to avoid huge surprises, like the name of a new drug we mightn't recognise."

There are usually two interpreters present for Covid briefings, who switch out every 15 minutes to ensure the quality of the interpreting.

"You're concentrating so hard and it's so fast-moving. It does wane," Lisa says. "It's just the nature of the work right now."

In May, while Lisa was interpreting a speech by the Taoiseach, she learned on live TV that she would have to postpone her wedding.

"I was meant to get married that day," she says. "I had postponed the wedding already and while he made that announcement I was just standing there thinking: 'Not again'.

"But that's the job. You have to put on a professional front because it's not about me, it's about getting the information out there."

Lisa finally got married in October and on her first day back to work, she received a surprise in the post: a congratulations card from Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

"Unexpected card arrived in the post today, thanks @MichealMartinTD for your kind words," Lisa wrote on Twitter after receiving the card. "However I will say #upthedeise"

"It was a lovely touch," Lisa says. "For someone like that to recognise the power of the work we're doing, and that this community is getting access to information that they have every right to, is great."

"There's still circumstances where we're not there though and the community is still fighting, but it's a lot better than it was before."

- this article was first published in November 2020

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organisation: council of irish sign language teachers

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How ISL interpreters became the most familiar faces at pandemic briefings

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UNTIL recently, many of us may not have paid much attention to press conference interpreters. That's because until Covid-19 hit, they were largely unseen. In fact, there weren't any Irish sign language interpreters present for the initial pandemic briefings.

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The electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB) comprises the Acts of the Oireachtas (Parliament), Statutory Instruments, Legislation Directory, Constitution and a limited number of pre-1922 Acts.

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Are Deaf people integrated into Irish Society?

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Are Deaf people integrated into Irish Society?

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Is Irish Society fully accessible to Deaf People?

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Sign Languages for All Deaf Learners by Kevin Dudley

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Inclusive Design: Designing for Deaf People Helps Everyone | Marie van Driessche

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Digital Communications team blog | Updates from the University of St Andrews digital communications team

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Designing for users who are deaf or hard of hearing | Digital Communications team blog

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This guidance is for web and digital professionals who want to make sure that their service is optimised for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.

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Designing for those with disabilities - TedTalk

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Designing for those with disabilities - TedTalk

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When we design for disability, we all benefit | Elise Roy

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Issue № 265

How many times have you been asked this question: if you had to choose, which would you prefer to be: deaf or blind? The question illustrates the misconception that deafness is in some way the opposite of blindness-as though there's some sort of binary representation of disability. When we look at accessible design for the deaf, it's not surprising to see it addressed in a similar fashion: audio captioning is pretty much the equivalent of alt text on images for most designers.

Captioning by itself oversimplifies the matter and fails many Deaf people. To provide better user experiences for the Deaf, we need to stop thinking of deafness as simply the inverse of hearing-we need to understand deafness from both a cultural and linguistic perspective. Moreover, to enhance the online user experience for the deaf, we must understand how deafness influences web accessibility.

Little "d" deaf and big "D" Deaf: the distinction#section2

You might have noticed that I've been interchanging little "d" deaf and big "D" Deaf in this article. It's an important distinction-one that the Deaf community makes regularly.

Little "d" deaf describes anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing (HOH) but does not identify with the Deaf community. The Deaf community uses big "D" Deaf to distinguish themselves as being culturally Deaf.

The Deaf community is considered to be a linguistic and cultural minority group, similar to an ethnic community. Just as we capitalise the names of ethnic communities and cultures (e.g., Italian, Jewish) we capitalise the name of the Deaf community and culture. Since not all people who are physically deaf use Auslan and identify with the Deaf community, the d in deaf is not capitalized when we are referring to all deaf people or the physical condition of not hearing.

The Australian Deaf Community is a network of people who share a language and culture and a history of common experiences.

- Australian Association of the Deaf

Collective deafness#section3

An interesting thing has happened on the web in the last 18 months-the web community has become more aware of deafness and how it influences accessible design practices.

First, Joe Clark launched The Open & Closed Project (OCP) in November, 2006. Second, in early April, The OCP launched the Captioning Sucks! site.

The Open & Closed Project suggests two methods of presenting accessible media for the deaf and hard of hearing:

Captioning is the transcription of speech and important sound effects.

Subtitling is a written translation of dialogue.

Consider Wikipedia's definitions of transcription and translation:

Transcription is the conversion into written, typewritten or printed form, of a spoken language source, such as the proceedings of a court hearing. It can also mean the conversion of a written source into another medium, such as scanning books and making digital versions.

Translation is the action of interpretation of the meaning of a text, and subsequent production of an equivalent text, also called a translation, that communicates the same message in another language.

Captioning and subtitling rely on written language to convey information.

As a transcription, captioning is simply the written form of spoken words and sound effects, including slang, colloquialisms, modifiers, and wordplay-which, as we'll see below, can be very difficult for deaf, HOH, and Deaf people who struggle with English as a second language.

Subtitling, which is a translation, provides an opportunity to use words that are closer to the signs a Deaf person would use. However, it is important to note that typically, native sign languages have no natural written form.

It's great that The OCP and Captioning Sucks! sites have drawn attention to deafness and accessible media, but it is important to understand that there is more we can do-particularly for the Deaf and hard of hearing audience.

Don't get me wrong; research into captioning and subtitling is an important thing that will, no doubt, improve access to information for many people-not just deaf, HOH, and Deaf people. Captioning and subtitling improves the user experience of cinema, television, and the web for all kinds of people: anyone in a noisy environment, office workers in bee hive cubicles, migrants, teens addicted to earbuds, anyone with partial hearing, and even Deaf people.

But the Open & Closed Project doesn't address the needs of the big "D" Deaf community as well as many people think it does. Maybe it isn't supposed to. But it's important to understand why captioning isn't the most ideal method of supporting many Deaf people in accessing online content. Until the web community understands why, we won't be able to address it adequately.

Because of limited awareness around Deafness and accessibility in the web community, it seems plausible to many of us that good captioning will fix it all. It won't. Before we can enhance the user experience for all deaf people, we must understand that the needs of deaf, hard of hearing, and Deaf users are often very different.

It's a visual thing#section4

Native sign languages aren't simply a gestural representation of spoken language; sign language is a visual-spatial language, without a natural written form. Grammar and syntax are very different from that of spoken languages, and rely heavily on facial expression to convey essential meaning and emphasis. While many Australian Deaf people, for example, use English as a second language, Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is their primary language. For this reason it's important to recognize Deafness primarily as a culture, rather than a disability.

During a language class, a Deaf teacher once told me:

We are not disabled and Deafness is not a disability; it's the perception of many hearing (people) that we are disabled, and that is our disability.

Rather than thinking of Deaf users as disabled, simply understand that the dominant language in their country is not necessarily their primary language.

Phonetics, slang, and wordplay present challenges#section5

What does phonetic based language mean to a Deaf person? The word "comfortable" is a great example of this. An old joke often shown to hearing sign language students is the mythical sign "come-for-table." As you can see, pronounced quickly, it sounds like comfortable, but when signed it could literally mean "have you come for the table?" but never "comfortable."

Consider also the phrase once in a blue moon, which means "occasionally" or "every now and then." When taken literally, the meaning becomes ambiguous and even confusing. Think too about the way we use language in e-mails, text messages, and even advertising. Much of our shorthand and many of our colloquialisms are based on phonetics. For example, with CU l8tr, "C" sounds like "see," but it doesn't look like it. Jokes that rely on a play on words can have similar problems. Take, for example, one of my favorites:
Did you hear about the prawn that walked into a bar and pulled a mussel?
In hearing this joke, pulled a mussel could easily mean strained a muscle or dragged a mussel, but what it actually means here is "picked up" or "met." So as you can see, it's not hard for meaning to become confused.

Lost in transcription and translation#section6

Let's suppose we're talking about providing accessible content for an English television sitcom with a Deaf audience.

Captioning is perfect for the post-lingual deaf or hard-of hearing audience; it presents content in an accessible format, in the primary language of the user. However, as captioning is a transcription, for the Deaf audience, content is presented in the user's second language, one with which the user may have little or no fluency. While captioning provides better access to content for the Deaf than if there were none, it's important to remember that there is a big difference in the needs of those who can't hear (deaf) and those who speak another language altogether (Deaf).

In "What Really Matters in the Early Literacy Development of Deaf Children," [1] Connie Mayer cites several studies that address the literacy gap present in the Deaf community:

Yet it remains the case that 50% of deaf students graduate from secondary school with a fourth grade reading level or less, [2] and 30% leave school functionally illiterate. [3]

The frequently reported low literacy levels among students with severe to profound hearing impairment are, in part, due to the discrepancy between their incomplete spoken language system and the demands of reading a speech-based system." [4]

Keep in mind too that English, for example, has the highest number of synonyms of any language. Signed languages have very few in comparison. Sign language relies heavily on facial expressions and body language to provide meaning to language. So where we would say, "careful, the pie is extremely hot," we might sign, "careful, the pie is very hot," with a more pronounced facial expression on "very" to infer extreme heat. What this means is that the user with low to moderate fluency in English has to concentrate a lot harder, particularly when dialogue (captioning) is moving quickly.

Thus, captioning alone, as a transcription of spoken English, complete with its slang, colloquialisms, and wordplay, is not a perfect solution to the problem of creating accessible websites for the Deaf.

Alternatively, if we employ subtitling, we're providing a written translation of a language for which there is no written form. (And therein lies the problem.) So how do we best provide a written translation for a language that has no written form? We provide sign language interpreting instead, as is sometimes seen on news broadcasts and current affairs programs. Where this isn't possible, subtitles for the Deaf and hard of hearing, with notations on sound effects, would be most accessible.

There seems to be a perception by some people that subtitles for the Deaf use dumbed-down language. However, I've always perceived the language to be based on the English equivalent of the signs that would have been used had an interpreter been present. Of course this means that the grammar continues to follow an English pattern, but it seems to me that the subtitles are likely to be more accessible to a wider audience.

So what's the solution?#section7

Like with most things, there isn't a single, fix-all solution to the issue. However, as socially-conscious designers, we've worked to understand the issues. Now, we can make an honest attempt at addressing them.

Writing for the web#section8

Taking heed of all those Writing for the Web 101 tips you've seen is a good place to start and will enhance site readability for a wide range of users, including the deaf. Sign language is a very direct language, where the main point is stated first and then expanded upon-much like the "inverted pyramid" or journalistic style of writing that we so often recommend for writing on the web. Some other considerations are:

Use headings and subheadings.

Write in a journalistic style: make your point and then explain it.

Make one point per paragraph.

Use short line lengths: seven to ten words per line.

Use plain language whenever possible.

Use bulleted lists.

Write with an active voice.

Avoid unnecessary jargon and slang, which can increase the user's cognitive load.

Include a glossary for specialized vocabulary, e.g., medical or legal terminology, and provide definitions in simpler language.

Language learners, or anyone doing the usual page scan for highlights, will benefit-and users with cognitive and learning disabilities will find it helpful too. As with all web documents, the content should be marked up as standards-focused, semantic, and valid HTML.

Where possible, for web-based multimedia, the ideal solution is to incorporate sign language interpretation with the video as picture-in-picture, as this provides a synchronized presentation. However, this can be a very time consuming and costly process. And as sign language is specific to certain regions, it will be more appropriate in some situations than others. As an alternative, sign language interpreting can be recorded and provided in addition to the audio and transcript or captioning.

Alternately, a combination of captioning (to transcribe sound effects) and subtitling (written translation, with a focus on users with sign as a primary language) is most effective. Where this isn't possible, a transcript of the dialogue will suffice; transcripts provide the user with an opportunity to print out the dialogue and read it at a comfortable pace.

Remember that the purpose of subtitling is to convey meaning, not to test the language skills of the audience. It is more important to convey the meaning and sentiment of audio content than to transcribe it verbatim.

Transcribe all conference podcasts and make the content available in an accessible format. Organize an interpreter for your next presentation-record the translation and make it available online. Read one of the books listed below. Most importantly, whenever you have the chance, gain awareness of your local Deaf community. I'll be surprised if that doesn't make you want to learn a few signs yourself.

Nora Ellen Groce- Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha's Vineyard (Harvard University Press, 1985).

Harlan Lane- When the Mind Hears (Vintage, 1989) and The Wild Boy of Aveyron (Harvard University Press, 1979).

Oliver Sacks- Seeing Voices: A Journey into the Land of the Deaf (University of California Press, 1989).

[1] Mayer, C. "What Really Matters in the Early Literacy Development of Deaf Children." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education12.4 (2007): 411-31. ( full text)

[2] Traxler, C. "The Stanford Achievement Test, 9th Edition: National Norming and Performance Standards for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 5.4 (2000): 337-48. ( full text)

[3] Marschark, M., Lang, H., Albertini, J. Educating Deaf Students: From Research to Practice. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

[4] Geers, A. "Spoken Language in Children with Cochlear Implants." Advances in Spoken Language Development of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children -Spencer P, Marschark M, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. 244-270.

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How many times have you been asked this question: if you had to choose, which would you prefer to be: deaf or blind? The question illustrates the misconception that deafness is in some way the opposite of blindness-as though there's some sort of binary representation of disability.

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In my article "The three levels of accessibility", I mention the importance of designing for clarity and inclusivity. Not only to ensure everybody regardless of ability is able to access your site but so that developers can implement accessible code.

I will be discussing the various problems people face, their unique behaviours and needs, the tools they use, and how we can better accommodate them in our digital products. I've broken it into 5 sections across 5 articles:

When talking about users with auditory problems most of us would think of deafness and hearing loss. There are other disabilities and conditions, for example, some frequencies can be difficult or painful to hear. Let's not also forget that certain environments restrict our ability to listen to audio or hear sounds regardless of ability. This can include being on noisy public transport or sitting on a sofa while your family or friends are watching TV.

As UX Designers we need to educate the team during discussions and to consider these conditions when designing interfaces.

Here are a few examples:

Deafness- severe or profound hearing loss

Hard of hearing - mild or moderate hearing loss

High-frequency hearing loss - difficulty in understanding high voices

Hyperacusis - sensitivity to certain frequencies/volumes

Loud environments - can't listen to audio

Low-frequency hearing loss - difficulty in understanding low voices

Tinnitus -a ringing or hissing noise that can be permanent

And more...

Behaviours & needs

Hearing-impaired users require physical or visual communication alternatives to audio. They will look for transcripts, volume controls, subtitles, or sign language while engaging with media content. These will be expected to be in simple language especially for those who aren't fluent. Contacting a business' phone number is their least preferred method and potentially not possible as a means to communicate so these users prefer online chats and email.

Problems

Inaccurate, missing captions and transcripts, low-quality and quiet audio are all barriers for them. A lot of the time sub-titles are not up to scratch, for example, using AI to auto-caption content can be a terrible experience due to speech nuances and slang resulting in its accuracy rating of below the standard 99%. We have all laughed at a caption that doesn't translate correctly or is out of sync with the video. Some users won't be fluent in their respective language either, so can be frustrated with complex subtitle text.

Tools

To help, these users use tools like:

Here is some advice on designing inclusively for anyone with hearing issues:

Audio & video

Provide text-based equivalents for audio files on the same page via transcripts (videos, podcasts, etc.)

Use captions and subtitles on videos, preferably generated by humans, not AI/bots

Convey who is talking in subtitles, transcripts, etc.

If budget and skillset allow, provide sign language on videos (sign language expert, recording it, and video editing)

Use simple plain language for those who may not be fluent (deaf from birth, second language, etc.)

Ensure audio is loud and clear by following these standards (use the correct decibel levels)

Ensure audio is of high quality by avoiding poor mics, unclear or explosive sounds, floor/desk vibrations, wind noise, and more...

Clearly distinguish foreground noise by removing or reducing any background noises

Make sure content has volume controls including the ability to mute/unmute etc.

Notification sounds

Provide alternatives to audio-only notifications/alerts (using physical or visual alternatives)

Contact methods / Communication

Provide multiple forms of communication (not just phone!)

This list scratches the surface on designing inclusively for auditory disabilities. This course on LinkedIn learning is well worth watching:

As are these articles:

Up next

I'll be discussing how to design inclusively for visual disabilities. The problems they face, their behaviours and needs, the tools they use, and how we can design to include them. If you found this article helpful and are interested in the next 3 on the various disabilities, press Follow and stay tuned.

What design tips do you have when designing for auditory/hearing disabilities? Let's all share our knowledge and help each other out in the comments!

The UX Collective donates US$1 for each article published on our platform. This story contributed to Bay Area Black Designers: a professional development community for Black people who are digital designers and researchers in the San Francisco Bay Area. By joining together in community, members share inspiration, connection, peer mentorship, professional development, resources, feedback, support, and resilience. Silence against systemic racism is not an option. Build the design community you believe in.

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Tips on designing inclusively for auditory/hearing disabilities

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In my article "The three levels of accessibility", I mention the importance of designing for clarity and inclusivity. Not only to ensure everybody regardless of ability is able to access your site but so that developers can implement accessible code.

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ISL Everywhere - Limited and unfinished app

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ISL Everywhere - Limited and unfinished app

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Irish Sign Language App | 🤔Have you ever thought about learning Irish Sign Language and improve your communication skills? This is your chance! 💪🏻😉 Join us in the Tech for Good... | By Inboarding | Facebook

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114 views, 5 likes, 2 loves, 0 comments, 3 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Inboarding: 🤔Have you ever thought about learning Irish Sign Language and improve your communication skills? This is your...

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Inboarding Irish Sign Language App - Incredibly limited app

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Inboarding Irish Sign Language App - Incredibly limited app

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Deaf Studies - School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences - Trinity College Dublin

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You are here Undergraduate > Deaf Studies

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Irish Sign Language (ISL) Online Course for the beginners. These online courses offer you a flexible and accessible way of learning from the comfort of your own home.

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The certificates from the accreditations above are only for exams taken with the ISL tutor.
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Irish Sign Language (ISL) Online Course for the beginners. These online courses offer you a flexible and accessible way of learning from the comfort of your own home. First time in using online course? Please visit User's Guide to Online ISL Course Please visit our FAQ page regarding online ISL courses.

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How sense of community is changing for deaf people in Ireland - Trinity Research Stories

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