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Category: Blog

The Benefits of Language Services for Neurodivergent Individuals and People with Aphasia

Communication, the cornerstone of inclusion, can pose distinct hurdles for neurodivergent individuals and people with aphasia, a language disorder that results from a stroke or brain injury1. In fact, neurodiverse individuals comprise 15-20% of the population2, meaning many employees lack the language and communication support they need to do their jobs well whether they are diagnosed as neurodivergent or not. Left unaddressed, this lack of support can result in exclusion, misinterpretation, and missed opportunities.

However, with the use of language services, neurodiverse individuals and those with aphasia can connect, express themselves, and flourish in work environments, communities, and personal relationships. Organizations can foster inclusion, boost employee satisfaction, and enhance their brand’s reputation. In today’s competitive market offering language accessibility tools is not just about inclusion—it’s a strategic move that can unlock innovative ideas and groundbreaking business insights.

Let’s delve into the transformative advantages of language services and how they cater to the unique communication needs of these individuals.

Impacting neurodivergent individuals

Neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism, ADHD, or dyslexia, may encounter specific communication challenges. For example, certain people with autism may find verbal communication overwhelming and benefit from visual support or simplified text. Some individuals with ADHD may struggle with processing lengthy instructions and thrive with concise, visually structured communication. 


How language services provide support

  • Speech-to-Text Technology: Popular tools like Otter.ai, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet provide live transcription and real-time captions to help employees stay engaged during meetings without missing crucial details. Devices like Google Pixel phones and platforms like Sorenson Forum offer advanced speech-to-text capabilities, ensuring accessibility for users across various platforms and workflows.
  • Visual Communication Aids: Tools like Canva and Visme make creating charts, infographics, and diagrams easy, helping to simplify complex ideas. For example, a project timeline can be presented in a Gantt chart using Microsoft Excel or Smartsheet, while tools like Piktochart can transform data into engaging infographics. These aids make information more digestible and visually appealing, ensuring clear communication across diverse audiences. 
  • Digital Platforms with Accessible Features: Digital platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams enhance accessibility with features like live captions, spotlighting of sign language interpreters, real-time transcription, and screen reader support. Slack excels in asynchronous communication with customizable notifications and threads, while WhatsApp combines voice, video, and text messaging for flexibility. These tools empower neurodiverse individuals and those with aphasia to connect and collaborate on their own terms.3

Supporting people with aphasia 

Aphasia, a language disorder often resulting from strokes or brain injuries, affects over two million Americans. It can make speaking, reading, and writing difficult, leading to frustration and isolation. Many individuals with aphasia feel misunderstood or excluded, especially in fast-paced or text-heavy environments. 

How language services provide support: 

  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices: Tools like touch-to-speak tablets or communication boards empower individuals to express their thoughts effectively. 
  • Simplified Visual Materials: Using images or symbols instead of text aids comprehension and engagement. 
  • Accessible Meeting Tools: Video calls with captioning and transcription options allow employees with aphasia to participate fully without pressure to speak fluently.4

Building confidence and autonomy 

Communication challenges can affect self-esteem and daily life for neurodivergent individuals and people with aphasia. Language services are a game-changer, providing tools that support independence and autonomy. For example, voice recognition apps and text-to-speech tools make navigating public spaces, completing forms, or sending messages easier. Implementing simplified workflows and visual resources empowers employees to handle tasks confidently, reducing stress and anxiety. 

By enabling clear and effective communication, language services allow individuals to rely less on others for assistance, fostering a greater sense of self-sufficiency. This sense of autonomy fosters confidence and opens doors to personal and professional growth.  

Further, employers who prioritize supporting diverse teams, including providing language accessibility tools, reap significant benefits from the fresh perspectives and creative solutions such teams bring. Research shows that companies with inclusive practices tend to outperform their peers, as diversity fosters a richer exchange of ideas, innovation, and healthier workplace competition.5

The Harvard Business Review highlights that the challenges of working in diverse teams often lead to better outcomes because navigating differing perspectives pushes teams to optimize processes and achieve their best. Additionally, inclusive workplaces attract globally minded professionals, enhancing creativity and growth opportunities for everyone involved. Businesses investing in accessibility and diversity are not just leveling the playing field—they are gaining a competitive edge by accessing untapped potential and fostering an environment where innovation thrives.6 

Reducing cognitive overload 

Cognitive overload — feeling overwhelmed by too much information — can make communication difficult for anyone, and it’s a common experience for neurodivergent individuals and those with aphasia. High-pressure environments like medical appointments, meetings, or customer interactions amplify this challenge.  

Utilizing solutions like clear, jargon-free language ensures better understanding. Tools like flowcharts and step-by-step diagrams can reduce ambiguity, and real-time captions in meetings or presentations can help users process information at their own pace. These tools reduce stress and increase clarity in critical situations, enabling better decision-making and engagement.7

Driving workplace inclusion 

An inclusive workplace is not just ethical—it’s a strategic advantage. Research shows that businesses that invest in language and communication services foster environments where employees feel valued and empowered, directly enhancing satisfaction and productivity. For instance, Deloitte’s 2023 Global Human Capital Trends report highlights that inclusive workplaces are eight times more likely to have better business outcomes and innovation rates than their peers.8

Accessible communication tools, such as live transcription or multi-language support, also improve collaboration by allowing teams to leverage diverse perspectives, which McKinsey & Company links to a 35% increase in the likelihood of financial outperformance in companies with higher diversity.9 Beyond internal benefits, businesses prioritizing accessibility build stronger brand reputations and earn customer loyalty. A study by Accenture reveals that consumers are more likely to trust and support brands committed to inclusivity, with 62% of shoppers preferring businesses known for ethical practices.10 By committing to accessibility, companies position themselves as forward-thinking and inclusive, attracting top talent and loyal customers—a win-win for business growth and societal impact. 

Steps your organization can take 

Implementing language services doesn’t require an overhaul — just a commitment to inclusion. Here’s how to get started: 

  • Simplify Communication: Use plain language in emails, instructions, and presentations to ensure accessibility. 
  • Leverage Technology: Integrate tools like real-time transcription, speech-to-text apps, and AAC devices into workflows. 
  • Provide Staff Training: Equip employees with the skills to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including neurodivergent individuals and those with aphasia. 
  • Offer Content in Multiple Formats: Provide written, visual, and audio formats to match different communication needs. 

Ready to create a more inclusive future? 

Language services do more than enhance communication—they unlock your business’s potential to create a meaningful impact. When you invest in these tools, you transform your workplace into a hub where innovation flourishes, and every employee contributes their voice to drive success. 

Reach out to learn how Sorenson can support your business in driving engagement through language access: contact us our about business solutions.

Sources

  1. What is Aphasia?
  2. National cancer institute
  3. What Does It Mean to Provide Reasonable Workplace Accommodations for Your Neurodiverse Employees?
  4. Diverse Teams Feel Less Comfortable — and That’s Why They Perform Better
  5. Technology and Aphasia: Talk Tools
  6. It’s time to prioritize assistive technology for neurodiversity 
  7. How to Support Neurodiversity in the Workplace
  8. Deloitte 2023 Global Human Capital Trends
  9. Diversity wins: How inclusion matters
  10. Majority of Consumers Buying From Companies That Take A Stand on Issues They Care About and Ditching Those That Don’t, Accenture Study Finds

Social Isolation Among Seniors with Hearing Loss

As the U.S. senior population climbs, so does hearing loss. More than 30% of seniors 65 and older experience hearing loss, reaching 40% for those 75 and older.1 A sudden or gradual hearing loss can be a jarring experience for seniors already dealing with health or community issues.

Social isolation is a lack of contact or meaningful interaction with friends, family, and the larger community. As one gets older, social isolation can occur due to health issues, the deaths of loved ones, and especially hearing loss. Add this to the fact that 27% of adults aged 60 and older live alone.2 Older adults may already be coping with social isolation when they begin losing their hearing.3 Since communication is the root of social interaction, hearing loss can sap enjoyment of social activity. Conversations become muffled and faded, forcing a retreat into solitude. Seniors with hearing loss use tools to support their communication and independence. These solutions include:

  • Captioned phone service4
  • Mobile apps5
  • Hearing aids

With assistive technology becoming more accessible, social isolation among seniors with hearing loss can be alleviated.6

Understanding social isolation in the context of hearing loss

Social isolation is a significant challenge for seniors with hearing loss. It concerns not only the physical aspect of being unable to hear but also the social and psychological effects. The psychological impact of hearing loss can be profound, leading to emotional distress, frustration, and cognitive overload. I am reminded of my grandmother, who began losing her hearing in her 70s. Before that, she was talkative and loved sharing stories, but she became withdrawn when she realized she couldn’t follow conversations at the family table. One-on-one conversations became the norm for her. She loved shopping if only one person went with her, but she was not the same person she had been before the hearing loss. For Paul, 82, the impact of social isolation alleviated when he got his first pair of hearing aids. They help him feel included in conversations, and he doesn’t say “What?” as often anymore. Living alone affords him the solitude he craves, surrounded by books and art, and he has regular social engagements. Seniors who crave social interaction often find hearing loss robs them of this joy. Consequences can include:

  • Decreased social activity
  • Miscommunication and misunderstandings
  • Strained family relationships
  • Stigma7

Challenges for seniors with hearing loss

Hearing loss can make everyday interactions discouraging. Some common frustrations can include:

  • Phone conversations
  • Group conversations
  • TV and film viewing
  • Discerning speech and sounds
  • Living independently
  • Social misunderstandings

Hearing loss also affects quality of life in many ways:

  • Limited access to treatment: The stigma of hearing loss can prevent seniors from accessing hearing aids and assistive technologies8 when needed. Lack of awareness and access are also factors.
  • Increased health risks: Studies show links between hearing loss and cognitive decline, falls, and depression.9
  • Insufficient healthcare communication: Hearing loss can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication between seniors and healthcare professionals, which can have serious health consequences.
  • Poor communication: Communication challenges can lead to low interest in social activity, frustration, and detachment.

While these challenges can be overwhelming, solutions such as assistive listening devices10 and family support can help seniors regain their independence.

Benefits of staying socially connected

Maintaining social connections is good for everyone, not only seniors. Here’s how being socially engaged yields benefits for seniors with hearing loss:

  1. Better mental health: Daily social interactions stave off depression and anxiety.11
  2. Improved cognition: Social activity keeps the brain active and sharp.12
  3. A longer life: Studies show that strong social connections can improve lifespan.13
  4. Improved emotional health: Sharing life experiences with others boosts quality of life. Having confidants is invaluable during tough times.
  5. Sense of belonging: Being part of a community helps seniors feel valued.
  6. Promotes physical activity: Social activities involving group exercises and daily walks encourage movement.
  7. Improved well-being: Socially active seniors report being happier and more content.

A crucial aspect of supporting social connections for a senior with hearing loss is using hearing aids. However, only 1 in 6 people with hearing loss uses this technology.14 Despite more seniors experiencing hearing loss yearly, hearing aid use is seeing slow growth.

Technology’s role in combating social isolation

Assistive technology’s continued advancements are a boon for seniors with hearing loss, giving them ways to combat social isolation and protect themselves. Here’s how this technology plays a vital role in allaying social isolation:

  • Video calls: Services like Skype and FaceTime enable seniors to converse face-to-face with friends and family.
  • Mobile apps: Many apps, including CaptionCall Mobile and Sound Amplifier for iPhone, are available to seniors with hearing loss.15
  • Telehealth services: Telehealth became more available during the COVID-19 pandemic and enables easier access to healthcare services.16
  • Smart home devices: These devices connect to the internet and can help seniors live more independently without relying on others. Some examples are Google Home, ecobee Smart Thermostat, and SimpliSafe Home Security System.
  • Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS): These come in wearable devices that seniors can use to contact emergency services and family members.17

Seniors today overall are growing more comfortable with technology, with 81% of adults 60 to 69 years of age owning a smartphone.18 However, there’s high interest among seniors to make smart technology more user friendly.19

CaptionCall: A key tool to stay connected

Sorenson, the leading language services provider for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing worldwide, provides no-cost captioned phone services for seniors with hearing loss who need captions to use the phone effectively20 through CaptionCall and CaptionCall Mobile.21 CaptionCall benefits include:

  • Live captions in time with conversation
  • Adjustable amplification settings
  • Saved transcripts
  • Stored contacts
  • Real-time captions for 911 calls
  • Captioned voicemails

A leader in the industry, Sorenson is paving the way for seniors to maintain solid social connections through captioned phone services. CaptionCall is part of a federally funded program, so Sorenson doesn’t charge users for the service or equipment.

Practical tips to alleviate social isolation among seniors with hearing Loss

We know social isolation can affect a senior’s health and well-being. People with hearing loss who need captions to use the phone the same way a hearing person does can stay connected through captioned phone calls:

  • CaptionCall: Sorenson’s CaptionCall service for landline phones converts speech to text, which helps seniors easily follow conversations and creates a gratifying experience.
  • CaptionCall Mobile: The mobile caption app is useful away from home and for those who prefer using a smartphone or tablet. This has the same features and benefits as CaptionCall.

CaptionCall by Sorenson provides user-friendly guides and customer support, as well as complimentary delivery, installation, and training.22

In addition to getting CaptionCall for captioned phone calls, these tips can extend your social connections beyond friends and family:

  • Join a local community group: Explore the local senior center or church. Many of them have a range of activities, from cooking to exercise classes. Search Facebook groups, Meetup | Find Local Groups, Events, and Activities Near You , and AARP.
  • Volunteer: Volunteering can provide a sense of purpose. Check out VolunteerMatch and Create the Good.23 You can also contact local organizations.
  • Maintain connections online: With assistive technologies and social media, staying in touch with family and friends is easier than ever.
  • Explore online learning: Signing up for online courses and workshops is a way to meet others while exploring interests.
  • Join a support group: This provides a safe space for sharing your experiences and getting emotional support.24
  • Find a community garden: Being outside in nature is therapy for many people, and this is a wonderful way to connect with neighbors.25
  • Engage in daily physical activity: Look for exercise groups tailored for seniors.
  • Adopt a pet: There are many health benefits to owning a pet.26
  • Engage with younger people: Young people and seniors can both learn from the other generation.Learn something new: Exploring a new hobby or interest can lead to new friends and more fulfilling experiences.

Conclusion

Social isolation among seniors with hearing loss is a grave issue but with assistive technology — including CaptionCall by Sorenson — it is possible to break down communication barriers and stay connected.

Maintaining social connections for seniors contributes to increased health, well-being, and longevity. Embracing modern technology can grant seniors newfound confidence and a higher quality of life.

Sorenson is here to help you take advantage of CaptionCall’s features and benefits. We encourage you to reach out and connect with us to build stronger ties with your family and community. Sign up for CaptionCall today.

Sources

  1. Hearing Loss Statistics 2024: More Common Than You Might Think
  2. Older people are more likely to live alone in the U.S. than elsewhere in the world
  3. NCBI - WWW Error Blocked Diagnostic
  4. Captioned Phones for Seniors
  5. The Best Hearing Loss Apps of 2023 - Sorenson
  6. A Longitudinal Framework to Describe the Relation Between Age-Related Hearing Loss and Social Isolation - Aysha Motala, Ingrid S. Johnsrude, Björn Herrmann, 2024
  7. The Stigma of Hearing Loss
  8. Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders
  9. Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults
  10. Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders
  11. Social Connection
  12. 3 ways to build brain-boosting social connections - Harvard Health .
  13. Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review
  14. Reasons for Low Hearing Loss Treatment
  15. The Best Hearing Loss Apps of 2023 - Sorenson
  16. The State of Telehealth Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
  17. Best Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS)
  18. 2020 Tech Trends of the 50+
  19. 2023 Tech Trends: No End in Sight for Age 50+ Market Growth
  20. Senior Living Residents - Sorenson
  21. Captioned Phones for Seniors
  22. Captioned Phones for Seniors
  23. Create the Good: Find Volunteer Opportunities Near You
  24. Joining a Hearing Loss Support Group
  25. What is a Community Garden?
  26. How Having a Pet Can Benefit Your Health

Signs You Might Be Losing Your Hearing

Worried your hearing might going? You’re not alone! Hearing loss impacts almost one-third (30.9%) of Americans over the age of 65 and around 60.7 million Americans as young as 12 years old.1,2

On top of that, there has been a dramatic rise in the global rates of hearing loss over the past few years, with the World Health Organization estimating the number of people with hearing loss to double by 2050.3

Much of that growth is among younger people. According to a recent national study, about 12% of children between ages 6 and 9 have permanent hearing damage from exposure to excessive noise, often related to listening to music at high volumes with earbuds.4,5

Why it’s important to address hearing loss  

When it comes to our bodies, an absence of sensation is often more difficult to notice than a new ache or pain. That’s why losing hearing in one ear may be easier to notice than gradual loss on both sides. Add social stigma around hearing loss, and it’s no surprise that it often goes undiagnosed and unaddressed. 

According to one estimate, as much as 80% of hearing loss goes undiagnosed.6 This may not seem like a big deal. After all, many people who were born deaf or have adapted to limited hearing over the course of their lifetimes don’t see it as a problem. However, when hearing individuals start to lose that sense and don’t make necessary adjustments, it can contribute to serious issues.  

Untreated/undiagnosed hearing loss can have considerable negative impacts on quality of life. 

  • Linked to an increased risk of depression, especially in older adults7
  • Linked to increased social isolation
  • Linked to reduced income/job opportunities8
  • Linked to an increased risk of falling or other accidents9
  • Linked to increased risk for dementia10

What causes hearing loss? 

You may think of hearing loss as one of those things that just happens as you age — like back pain or getting really into WWII documentaries. However, there are certain risk factors that may contribute to hearing loss, as well as precautions you can take to protect your ears as you age.  

Risk factors for hearing loss 

  • Aging — The parts of your ears responsible for detecting sounds break down with time.
  • Genetics — Some types of hearing loss can be inherited through your DNA.
  • Noisy work environments — If you spend your entire workday around loud equipment, you’re at a higher risk of noise-induced hearing loss, though wearing ear protection can help mitigate that risk. Headphones playing music do not count as ear protection — in fact, they can make it worse!
  • Loud hobbies — Spending your free time in noisy environments like concerts or around explosive sounds like guns can be dangerous for your hearing. Again, wearing proper ear protection can reduce the risk of these activities.
  • Certain medications — Some medications, including some antibiotics, some chemotherapy drugs, and even some over-the-counter painkillers can increase the chances of someone losing their hearing.11 Consult a physician or look for warning labels about “ototoxicity,” which is the term for this kind of damage if you’re concerned about any medications you may be taking.
  • Certain illnesses — Meningitis and other diseases that cause high fever can damage your hearing. 

Types of hearing loss 

There are three distinct types of hearing loss:  

Sensorineural hearing loss: occurs when a part of the inner ear or the actual hearing nerve itself gets damaged. This is the most common type of hearing loss and can be caused by any of the factors listed above. While this often happens over a long period of time, loud noises can sometimes cause sudden hearing loss, which should be treated quickly. 

Conductive hearing loss: occurs when an obstruction of some kind prevents sound from passing through the outer or middle ear. This could be related to a buildup of earwax or some other object blocking the ear canal. However, infections, abnormal bone growths, or even damage to the eardrum or ossicles (the three bones attached to the eardrum) can also be the source. 

Mixed hearing loss: is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss impacting the middle or outer ear as well as the inner ear. 

Signs of hearing loss in children 

Young children are especially unlikely to be able to recognize when their hearing is going or know how to effectively communicate their situation. 

It’s common to mistake the signs that a child may be experiencing hearing loss for other issues, which is why it’s important for parents, teachers, and other guardians to be alert for a combination of these potential signs:

  • Poor enunciation
  • Not following instructions
  • Confusion or lack of attention in conversation with others
  • Setting volume on TVs and other devices very high
  • Trouble in school

Many schools administer a free hearing screening to all students at regular intervals, usually every other year beginning in kindergarten or first grade. However, if there is ever a concern about a child’s hearing, or if a child fails a screening at school, the next step is to get a full hearing loss test from an Audiologist. 

Signs of hearing loss in adults 

Even for grown-ups, it can sometimes be difficult to recognize. It can be tempting to write off potential warning signs or chalk it up to something else. 

Below is a list of common signs to watch out for. Read through the list and check those that apply to help you determine whether you or a loved one might be experiencing hearing loss. 

Do you: 

  • Have difficulty understanding conversations in noisy environments
  • Have difficulty hearing consonants
  • Frequently ask people to speak slower
  • Frequently ask people to speak louder
  • Frequently ask people to speak more clearly
  • Hear better in one ear
  • Feel exhausted after social gatherings, possibly due to listening fatigue
  • Look at people’s mouths when they speak instead of their eyes
  • Hear a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears
  • Frequently turn up the volume when watching TV or listening to music
  • Have difficulty understanding people on the phone
  • Experience dizziness or loss of balance
  • Feel pressure within the ear canal
  • Speak too loudly 

If you or someone you know checked off a majority of these boxes, it’s time to speak with a doctor about getting your hearing checked. You can ask your primary care physician to or work with your insurance provider to find a hearing specialist or audiologist for further diagnosis and to develop a treatment plan. 

A person with undiagnosed hearing loss may also come across as clumsy or nonsocial. An outside observer may even mistake hearing loss symptoms for age-related cognitive decline.  

Test your hearing at home

Looking for further proof before you set up an appointment with an audiologist? There are plenty of online options for a quick, self-administered hearing check. These are not meant to replace professional hearing screenings, but they can be useful to gauge your current hearing loss. 

Here are a couple of good options to check out:

  • AARP’s National Hearing Test — A free phone-based hearing test available to all AARP members. This member benefit can be used once a year.
  • Audicus Online Hearing Test — This free online test takes about 20 minutes and requires headphones.
  • CheckHearing.org — A 3-step test that doesn’t require any membership and provides results in the form of an audiogram similar to those produced by professional screenings.
  • Hear.com — While primarily focused on providing hearing aids, Hear.com also offers a convenient online hearing test that provides a simple score on a scale of 1-10. 

There are also a number of smartphone apps designed to help you test your hearing.

  • Mimi Hearing Technologies — This app allows you to test and track your hearing over time, and can even link with certain headphones to personalize your device’s audio output.
  • MindEar — With a specific focus on tinnitus relief, MindEar also offers a convenient hearing test for your smartphone. 

Degrees of hearing loss 

Losing your hearing isn’t an all-or-nothing situation. In some circumstances it is possible that it goes all at once, but much more common is a gradual loss of hearing in one or both ears. Most experts organize hearing loss into four commonly used categories based on severity.

Mild

The hearing threshold for mild hearing loss is between 26 and 40 dB in the sound frequencies related to human speech. It may feel like trying to listen through earmuffs. Many people with mild hearing loss are able to manage without treatment, though some may opt for hearing aids, especially in noisy environments. 

Sounds that are difficult to hear with mild hearing loss might include:

  • Soft voices or children
  • Vowel sounds
  • Low-volume notifications or alerts, like car turn signals
  • Chirping birds
  • A person walking behind you

Moderate 

Moderate hearing loss means you can’t hear 41-70 dB sounds in the speech frequency range. Conversations involve a lot of asking people to repeat themselves. At this level of hearing loss, most people are more comfortable with hearing aids. 

Sounds that are difficult to hear with moderate hearing loss include:

  • Most normal conversational speech
  • Voices on the phone
  • Consonant and vowel sounds
  • Light traffic

Severe 

A person with severe hearing loss cannot hear sounds lower than 71-90 dB. At this level of hearing loss, amplification or hearing aids are necessary for comprehension.  

Sounds that are difficult to hear with severe hearing loss include:

  • All normal speech
  • Some loud noises
  • Alarm clocks
  • Loud traffic

Profound 

When you can’t hear sounds below 90 dB, you’re suffering from profound hearing loss. At this level, even loud noises aren’t audible without hearing aids or a cochlear implant. Without assistive technology, someone with profound hearing loss relies on reading lips or communicating via sign language. 

Sounds that are difficult to hear with profound hearing loss include:

  • Fire alarms
  • Power tools
  • Food processors
  • Lawn mowers 

What to do next 

Just like any health-related issue, don’t simply rely on what you read online. If you’re worried that you or a loved one are experiencing hearing loss, it may be time to set an appointment with an audiologist.  

They will run some hearing loss tests which will produce a unique audiogram, which is a visual representation of your hearing loss. This will show not only the degree of hearing loss in both ears but give you a clear depiction of which frequencies you’re having the most trouble hearing. 

Your audiologist specialist will work with you to develop a treatment plan based on your unique hearing loss profile.

Sources

  1. Hearing difficulties among adults: United States, 2019
  2. Hearing loss statistics 2025: more common than you might think
  3. Deafness and hearing loss
  4. Young people wearing earbuds or headphones?Listen up
  5. How to prevent hearing loss in young people
  6. Deafness and hearing loss statistics
  7. Depression and hearing loss
  8. Hearing loss and employment: a systematic review of the association between hearing loss and employment among adults
  9. Hearing Health Collaborative
  10. Hearing loss and the dementia connection
  11. 7 Medications that can cause hearing loss

Accessibility in Sports: Building Economic Power and Innovation for Enterprise

The love of sports transcends cultures and countries. Chances are you know a sports fanatic, or you are one yourself. The collective experience of enjoying a sporting event is palpable, and we revel in the athletic competition and the spectacle.

However, the universal love of sports doesn’t equate to universal design. Attending and enjoying sporting events comes with challenges for diverse sports lovers. Take, for instance, deaf and hard-of-hearing communities and multilingual audiences where language barriers blunt the full joy of watching sports, leading to an exclusive environment rather than an inclusive one.

Given the incredible diversity that sporting events attract, providing accessibility in sports can create the ultimate inclusive experience for sports fans, increasing the potential for audience expansion and attendance.

We’ll look at the benefits of inclusivity in sports, both for fans and the sports industry, and address:

  • The revenue potential for improved accessibility at sporting events
  • The current accessibility gaps in sports
  • The benefits of making sporting events more accessible

The goal of language accessibility for sports and sports entertainment is to increase business and boost the enjoyment of these events for the global audience. The ability to fully enjoy the spectacle that plays out before us amps up the thrill and energy of the experience.

Current state of language accessibility in sports

It’s been more than 40 years since the first closed captioning during a live sports event on New Year’s Day 1981, when the Georgia Bulldogs and Notre Dame played at the New Orleans Superdome. Yet even today, accessibility for diverse sports audiences remains a novelty — exciting and well-received — rather than the standard.

  • Deaf rappers Sean Forbes and Warren Snipe made history at the 2022 Super Bowl as the first deaf halftime show performers in the game’s history.
  • In 2023, Justina Miles, a hard-of-hearing American Sign Language (ASL) performer, gained positive attention after her ASL performance for Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show.

However, the world’s largest international sporting events offer a glimpse at the inclusivity that’s possible with language accessibility:

At FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, most of the one million attendees came from Saudi Arabia, India, U.S., UK, and Mexico. However, translation services for sports fans from around the world meant volunteers didn’t need to speak multiple languages, and broadcasters could provide commentary in multiple languages through real-time translation services.  The use of translation technology and real-time interpreting and translation services achieved the goal of making the game accessible and enjoyable for diverse fans.

For the 2024 Olympic Games, athletes from more than 200 countries competed in Paris with an estimated three billion people watching from around the world. Organizers translated all signage and provided live interpreting at the Games as well as captions and/or subtitles for broadcasts.

Sports viewership

An undeniable aspect of language accessibility for these events is demand. Global sporting events attract billions of fans around the world. Here’s a brief rundown of the number of viewers or attendees for international competitions :

  • 2022 FIFA World Cup: 1.5 billion
  • 2023 Tour de France: 42.5 million French viewers
  • 2023 Women’s World Cup: 2 billion (a record) 
  • 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics: 3 billion
  • 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics: 2 billion

Improved technology has both increased sports viewership through real-time availability and contributed to making sports more accessible for the diverse audiences watching around the world.

Language accessibility at U.S. sporting events

Though more sports venues have become proactive in integrating accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing live sports attendees, a national ESPN study shows that organizations have lots of room for improvement to accommodate sports fans with “invisible” disabilities (which includes Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals) who come to the games expecting a thrilling and seamless experience.

ESPN conducted a survey of 136 sports teams (NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB and NHL) and received responses from 120 teams. The top concerns of fans with invisible disabilities in this study include:

  • Dedicated accessible entrances
  • Drop-off zones
  • Elevator access
  • Printed menus
  • Training for stadium staff

Less than half of the teams said they provide dedicated entrances for people with disabilities. About the same number said they provide printed menus that customers can point to.

That’s not to say that venues aren’t moving the needle at all on accessibility. Many upgrades that improve the experience for fans with disabilities are part of innovations that benefit everyone at the event.

Smart stadiums elevating accessibility in sports

Take “smart stadiums” for example. This digital age innovation emphasizes connectivity with 5G and Wi-fi and optimizes fan engagement through assistive tools and beacon technology. With ticketing, concession sales, and seat assistance right on their mobile devices, language barriers pose less of a hurdle for fans to navigate their game day experience.

Smart stadiums are not explicitly for the benefit of sports attendees with disabilities, and many of the intelligent features are beneficial for fans and stadium staff alike:

  • Faster and more personalized purchases
  • Responsive to changes throughout the stadium grounds (parking, concession stands, weather)
  • Monitor bathroom traffic
  • Wi-fi availability
  • Mobile app that enables attendees to interact personally with stadium staff
  • Ability to enjoy the game wherever fans are

These, and other features, improve profitability and the fan experience by saving time and boosting sales.

Additionally, reliable connectivity throughout the venue enables fans to use internet-based assistive technology like speech-to-text captioning and translation apps or on-demand interpreting services.

Accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals

Wider availability of tools like sign language interpreting, closed captioning, and assistive listening devices (ALDs) at some sports arenas are a big step in improving information and language access for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals attending sports events. They are improving language accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees with sign language interpreting, closed captioning, assistive listening devices (ALDs), and upgrading their sports venues to “smart stadiums.” Smart stadiums optimize fan engagement through assistive tools, 5G and Wi-fi connectivity, and beacon technology.

Slowly but surely, these kinds of considerations for deaf fans are permeating major league sports. Just this year, the National Hockey League debuted “NHL in ASL” for the Stanley Cup Finals, a broadcast of the games with complete commentary in ASL with Deaf broadcasters for Deaf and hard-of-hearing fans watching at home. The broadcast also includes visual features to depict fan noise at the game so viewers can see when the crowd goes wild.

Experts expect the rate of hearing loss to double by the year 2060. With the average age of a baseball fan being 57, stadiums ought to take heed of these changing demographics and lean into accessibility for a growing demographic. 

Multilingual accessibility 

Multilingual accessibility in sports is a complex issue: while linguistically diverse fans don’t have the same legal protections that people with disabilities do to compel the sports industry to adapt, they have something else in their favor: numbers. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey reports more than 22% of people living in the U.S. speak a language other than English.

And it’s not only fans bringing linguistic diversity to sports. Twenty eight percent (28%) of MLB players are non-U.S. born. Most of those players are from the Dominican Republic, followed by Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.

In 2015, Major League Baseball (MLB) instituted a rule requiring each of its 30 teams to have at least two full-time Spanish-language interpreters.

The Los Angeles Dodgers go a step further to cater to its Hispanic fans with a Spanish version of its website and broadcasts of its games in Spanish (live radio and TV).

Major sporting events (Super Bowl, World Series), global competitions (Olympics, FIFA World Cup), and US sports venues (MetLife, Levi’s) offer on-site multilingual interpreting services. The international diversity of players and fans obliges stadiums to adopt these inclusive language practices.

Examples of venues offering language accessibility in sports  

Several major sports arenas in the U.S. provide accessibility services for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and multilingual fans. Here are some successful examples of language accessibility in sports.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

This Atlanta, GA stadium provides:

  • Assistive listening devices
  • Closed captioning handheld devices you can check out from guest services. Closed captioning is viewable on all boards within the stadium
  • Obtain accessible seats by contacting Ticketmaster

Madison Square Garden

This New York stadium provides comprehensive accessibility services:

  • Assistive listening devices
  • Open and closed captions

For hockey and basketball games, open and closed captions are available on a ribbon board for sports commentary.

What’s the difference between open captions and closed captions?

Open captions are burned into the video and are always visible. They cannot be turned off. You can turn closed captions on or off.

Sign language interpreting or closed captions are available for other sports events for fans who request them with two weeks’ notice. 

Crypto.com Arena  

Formerly the Staples Center, this Los Angeles stadium follows ADA mandates for effective communication:

AT&T Stadium

This Arlington, TX, sports venue provides:

  • Assistive listening devices
  • Handheld captioning devices that provide real-time captions for all public announcements
  • Choose English or Spanish as your preferred language for audio
  • Sign language interpreters available for select concerts with 30 days’ advance notice.
  • Casino.com recognizes AT&T Stadium as the country's most accessible sports stadium.

Fenway Park  

Home to the Boston Red Sox, this historic ballpark offers:

Benefits of language accessibility in sports

Although accessibility planning is not part of every sports venue’s operations, there are benefits to making accessibility in sports standard for diverse attendees:

  • Higher attendance: Accessibility features help stadiums attract a broader audience. When Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and multilingual fans come away with a positive experience, they help spread the word about the thrilling experience they had at a game, which gets more people interested.
  • Greater participation: Accessibility can boost fan excitement during live games and help everyone cheer and celebrate game wins and boo the losses together. Ever see “the wave” at sports events?
  • Positive brand reputation: Stadiums that prioritize accessibility demonstrate inclusivity, encouraging fans to return to relive the same fan experience.
  • Robust communication: Captioning, sign language interpreting and spoken language interpreting, and translation services contribute to positive experiences and effective communication for fans and staff.
  • Increased revenue: A larger fan base, sponsorships, concession and merchandise sales, and accessible online platforms all contribute to higher revenue.

Financial incentives

The sports industry is wildly profitable. A 2023 study from Statista showed tickets for major sporting events yielded more than 14 billion dollars in 2022, with that number on track to reach 15 billion in 2024. Even with more fans watching their favorite pro sports at home, experts expect the demand for live sporting event tickets to exceed two billion by 2028.Including diverse fans can bring increased attendance at stadiums, considering — as we mentioned above — there are more than 22 million people in the U.S. alone who speak languages other than English, not to mention international visitors. And more than a quarter of American adults have a disability. If sports venues committed to offering those fans the same quality of experience as other fans, how much more likely do you think they’d be to buy tickets? Add in concessions and merchandise sales on top of that.

With the advent of AI tools for real-time captioning and translation and the adoption of universal design, sports attendance will only increase when Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and multilingual fans learn there are language services that directly cater to their communication needs.

The benefits for diverse sports fans are clear, but language accessibility can also benefit sports venues and athletic organizations through increased partnerships and sponsorships. 

Case study: 2024 US Open Tennis Championships

Sorenson sponsored the 2024 US Open, and a multilingual Sorenson team attended the tournament with two Sorenson products — Sorenson Forum and Sorenson Express — to facilitate communication with staff and fellow fans. How did it go? We asked them about the experience.

An unexpected experience for deaf fans

  • The US Open website states, “The US Open is fully accessible for guests with disabilities.” Our team said many of the accessibility services appear to focus on patrons with physical disabilities and less so on sensory disabilities. Without the invaluable support of Sorenson Express for on-demand ASL interpreting and Sorenson Forum for live captioning, our Deaf team members noted that language accessibility at the tournament would have been a challenge: On the first day, the team visited guest services to request captioning. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a misunderstanding as the stadium staff believed that captions should be available once they found their seats.
  • When the captioning was not available, the team returned to guest services. The staff then offered assistive listening devices. Despite the team explaining they were Deaf and unable to use the devices, the staff struggled to understand the device’s limitations.
  • “They were really pushing me to try it,” says Jessie Adner, Sorenson Director of Design Consulting. “I was saying over and over again that I can’t hear. I use sign language interpreters.” Finally, the stadium staff understood and they put the device away. “I could see their wheels turning,” Ms. Adner says. “I gave them my business card and told them I’d be happy to consult with them.” 
  • When they were seated in the stadium, the Sorenson team happily used the captions on the video board, but said captions cut in and out throughout the game and primarily focused on the referee speaking rather than announcements, the players, the coaches, or introductions.
  • Then they had an idea. They connected a small radio that was available for hearing patrons to a smartphone with the Sorenson Express app to get an ASL interpreter on demand to interpret the game.

Something as simple as interpreting available in a mobile app fulfilled the basic desire to enjoy the game along with other fans.

“People can cheer for their favorite players or talk with the person sitting next to them,” Ms. Adner says. “We were really emphasizing the game day experience that Deaf people often lack.”

Ms. Adner says she’d love to go back to the US Open next year. “It was so fun with my colleagues, with the food and the experience, and just being in the same area as all of the players,” Ms. Adner says. “I’m addicted to tennis now.”

This year’s US Open did have a sign language interpreter for the national anthem as the result of deaf fans’ recommendations in 2023.

Using Sorenson Forum for seamless communication

The U.S. Open attracts not only athletes from around the world, but also fans spanning languages and cultures. A highlight of the game experience for the Sorenson team was being able to talk to those diverse fans using Sorenson Forum’s on-demand translation and spoken language interpreting.

“We had the opportunity to use Sorenson Forum with foreign language speakers,” says Sorenson Director of Corporate Events Britnee Hursin. “We were able to have a conversation which was really cool.”

A Spanish-speaking Sorenson team member carried on a full conversation with a Chinese couple who spoke Mandarin, using Sorenson Forum to translate in real time between their respective languages.

The last word

The Sorenson team said they saw for themselves a significant accessibility gap in sports, even at events that aim to provide accessibility for diverse fans.

The team emphasized that captions benefit not only Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences but also multilingual speakers, provided they can access captions in their preferred language. They met many non-English speaking fans and say multilingual captioning would make the sporting events “inclusive for a broader audience,” rather than just a tool for deaf communities.

“We’re not just accepting [the] status quo,” Ms. Hursin says. “We want to work in partnership with them .”

A vision for accessibility in sports

The vision for sports is accessible. By integrating language accessibility, the sports entertainment industry can offer multilingual, Deaf and hard-of-hearing fans a prime seat for the thrill and camaraderie of sporting events — and watch inclusion pay off.

Catering to a multilingual audience reaps economic benefits through increased attendance: higher ticket and merchandise sales (including concessions).

Language accessibility benefits also extend to staff, players, and officials through clear communication with customers and teammates.

We encourage sports venues and organizations to prioritize accessibility in their operations. Reach out to accessibility professionals, invest in staff training and technology, and, most of all, listen to audience feedback.

Ready to start implementing language accessibility for your sports events? Request a meeting with Sorenson’s consultant team today to discuss your needs to make your sports events accessible and inclusive.

Deaf Entrepreneurship: What Enterprises Can Learn from Deaf Businesses About Accessibility and Innovation

Deaf-owned businesses have been at the forefront of implementing communication technologies and inclusive practices, often out of necessity. These adaptations have not only allowed them to thrive as successful business owners but they have also created accessibility models that can benefit other enterprises.

In this article, we’ll share valuable insights from deaf businesses that enterprises can use to replicate accessible and inclusive environments:

A deaf entrepreneur’s journey

When Robert Dunn, the Deaf owner of Dunn Rite Optical in St. Augustine, FL, graduated from RIT, he said he knew he wanted to become a business owner.

“I loved the idea of setting up my own business,” Dunn says, “and not having to work for somebody else. This was in 1992, when I started thinking about how I could make this happen.”

After an optical trade show, he researched the costs of building the machines to manufacture the frames and lenses. But he needed to complete a 4,500-hour apprenticeship to take the state exam for an optician license.

Optical stores turned him down because opticians feared their businesses would suffer if customers couldn’t communicate with Dunn. So he was relegated to the back room of an optical store.

Altogether, the journey took 30 years for Dunn to become a licensed optician.

Today, Dunn Rite Optical serves Deaf and hearing customers on the East Coast and Florida.

Why so many deaf people start their own businesses

Deaf people often face barriers in the job market, including discrimination and lack of accommodation. Even with a slight increase in deaf employment (53.5% in 2021 to 55.8% in 2022)1, unemployment remains a chronic problem in deaf communities.

The chart illustrates the contrast in employment rates between deaf and hearing individuals (55.8% and 72.9%, respectively) along with another notable statistic: the rate at which deaf people take employment into their own hands.

Challenges finding jobs led many to start up their own businesses where they can control the work environment and ensure inclusivity and accessibility. An estimated 10.8% of deaf people are self-employed, compared to 9.2% for hearing people, taking on freelance or contracting work. Deaf people also edge out hearing people in business ownership (4.1% and 3.8%, respectively)2.

Accessibility paved the way for deaf entrepreneurs

Several developments made going into business a viable option for ambitious deaf individuals:

  • In 2015, in a bid to become more accessible, the Small Business Administration (SBA) created a videophone service to enable ASL users to connect with an ASL-fluent SBA representative for resources and business support3.
  • The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) launched a resource hub4 with information for aspiring Deaf business owners to start a business or become a government contractor.
  • Communication Service for the Deaf’s Social Venture Fund (CSD SVF) became the first social investment fund focusing on supporting Deaf-owned businesses5.
  • The availability of Video Relay Service (VRS) provided significant support for the surge in deaf business ownership6. This federally funded service has made Deaf and hearing communication by phone seamless for individuals and enterprises. Sorenson has provided major improvements — from the initial video compression technology to the highest quality videophones for the deaf.

With the right resources, deaf business owners are achieving success on their own terms and giving deaf employees the same opportunities with accessible workplaces. Many deaf-owned businesses, including Dunn Rite Optical, employ deaf people, thus creating a “deaf economy”7 that provides inclusive employee and customer experiences that mainstream enterprises can learn from and imitate.

Serving diverse customers

Deaf-owned businesses don’t just cater to deaf communities. Many serve both deaf and hearing customers.

By implementing communication technologies — including on-demand real-time interpreting (like Sorenson Express), Video Relay Service (VRS), and captioned phone service — deaf business owners bridge the communication gap with hearing customers. These solutions make the business accessible across languages and create a positive customer experience with seamless communication while expanding their customer base.

Communication technologies

The same tools deaf business owners use to welcome hearing customers can work for all enterprises to be more accessible to diverse customers. The advantage deaf entrepreneurs have is:

  • Familiarity with industry leaders like Sorenson because they use language technology every day in their personal lives
  • A finger on the pulse of the latest innovations, like on-demand spoken and sign language interpreting
  • Insight into the communication needs and preferences of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, based on their own experience and others in those communities

Enterprise leaders can tap into that knowledge and learn valuable lessons from deaf entrepreneurs on how to use communication technologies.

  • Scheduled interpreting: This option is available for on-site and Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services. Scheduled on-site interpreting or VRI may be appropriate for a business that involves predictable interactions such as conferences, meetings, or tours. It’s ideal for interpreting needs with specialized vocabulary, and scheduling guarantees interpreter availability.
  • On-demand ASL interpreting: Sorenson Express ASL provides real-time ASL interpreting without scheduling for effective deaf and hearing communication during impromptu meetings or conversations with colleagues and customers.
  • Closed captioning: Businesses can provide captioning for any video, audio, or TV, on the premises or online. Captioning improves access for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers to multimedia content, and people of all abilities now prefer and expect captions.
  • Video Relay Service (VRS): Businesses can handle phone calls between deaf and hearing callers through an ASL interpreter at no cost if the deaf individual is registered for this federally funded service.
  • Captioned telephone service: Businesses can provide federally funded Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Services (IP CTS) for hard-of-hearing employees who speak but need captions to understand phone conversations.
Enterprises prioritizing accessibility are more likely to attract a broader customer base, especially those that value inclusivity and accessibility.

And it’s not only customer relations that improve when an enterprise leans into becoming accessible and inclusive. A U.S. Department of Defense report8, based on data from Gallup Workplace Studies, notes that these businesses have:

  • 22% lower employee turnover
  • 22% higher productivity
  • 39% higher customer satisfaction
  • 27% higher profitability

Now let’s look at how to implement inclusive solutions to achieve those results.

Implementing communication technologies for enterprises

To create an accessible environment for employees and customers, enterprises can follow these steps to get started:

  1. Engage with employees and customers: Run an audit of current communication practices and identify areas that need improvement.
    Use our Communication Accessibility Checklist as a guide.
  2. Integrate enterprise solutions: As you introduce interpreting, translation, and captioning services, spread the word throughout the business about their availability and how to access them for everyday accessibility.
    When you work with Sorenson’s accessibility design consultants, they can help you determine not only which solutions will best meet your specific communication needs, but also how to weave them into your enterprise operations to drive the most impact for your teams and customers.
  3. Tap into federally funded services: Telecommunications Relay Services, including VRS and captioned phone service, allow deaf and hard-of-hearing employees and customers to communicate by phone at no cost to enterprises.

For guidance on getting started, or if your accessibility efforts aren’t yielding the results you expected, Sorenson’s in-house team of expert accessibility designers can advise on tailoring a strategy to your needs and goals.

Request a consultation

How communication accessibility affects work culture

A Job Accommodation Network (JAN) 2024 report9 suggests that employers understand the value of providing accommodations to individuals with disabilities. The most common benefits of accessibility employers reported are:

  • Retaining a valued employee (85%)
  • Increased employee productivity (53%)
  • Increased attendance (48%)
  • Increased company diversity (33%)

Access to communication tools such as ASL and spoken language interpreting, translation, and captioning allows full employee participation and optimal productivity. A diverse and accessible work environment fosters a sense of belonging, boosting employee morale and collaboration efforts.

Moreover, over half of the 1,049 employers in the survey reported “no cost or low cost” when providing accommodations10.

Those accommodations for diverse communities contribute to an inclusive environment and show dedication to eradicating communication barriers. The result: positive customer experiences and expanded reach and appeal.

Lessons from deaf entrepreneurs

The rising number of deaf-owned businesses is a testament to the determination and resilience of the deaf community, but also to the viability of accessible communication solutions for enterprise.

Businesses like Dunn Rite Optical not only provide career opportunities for deaf employees but also draw deaf communities throughout the U.S. to turn out to support and provide positive word-of-mouth marketing.

By implementing communication technologies, all business owners can tap into that kind of customer and employee loyalty by creating a welcoming environment across communication needs with interpreting and multilingual captioning.

To learn more about leveraging accessibility and inclusion for better customer and employee experience, and a competitive edge, download our ebook, “Unlocking the Potential of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Communities.”

Download the eBook

Sources

  1. A New Look at 2022 Census Data about Deaf People – National Deaf Center
  2. Deaf People and Employment in the United Stated: 2019
  3. VIDEO: Small Business Administration Boosts Access to Services for Deaf and Hard Of Hearing Entrepreneurs
  4. NAD – Start Your Own Business
  5. A Win-Win for the Deaf Community: Deaf-Owned Businesses Create Opportunities, Change Perceptions
  6. What is Video Relay Service (VRS)?
  7. The emergence of a deaf economy
  8. Business Case for Diversity with Inclusion
  9. Costs and Benefits of Accommodation
  10. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Hearing Loss in the Workplace

Hearing loss in the workplace is more prevalent than most people realize. More than one out of every seven Americans acknowledge they have some trouble hearing. The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) says hearing loss is the third most common physical condition, with heart disease and arthritis as the top two. And of the 15% of people who report having hearing loss, the HLAA says 60% are either working or in school. 

That means there’s a good chance some of the people working with you have hearing loss, and they may not disclose it to coworkers or employers. It also means most workplaces would benefit from measures to be more accessible and inclusive of the tens of millions of people in the workforce with hearing loss.  

Why your workplace needs to be inclusive of hearing loss

Given the vast number of people who experience hearing loss, it’s not plausible to exclude them from the workplace.

Jump to see numbers on hearing loss rates

The good news is that many steps toward an accessible work environment cost you nothing, nearly all of them will provide benefits to your entire workforce, and making your workplace more inclusive of people with hearing loss could make it more attractive to valuable hard-of-hearing employees…like Katie: 

A day in the work life of a hard-of-hearing professional 

by Katie Werner  

Every day, five to ten times per day: that’s how often I think about my disability at work. And the more I fear people will be weirded out by it, the more distracting it becomes. 

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month in the US, which is in part about building inclusion in the workplace. 

Here’s my story: 

I have two hearing aids. In layman’s terms, I have a genetic 40% loss that prevents me from catching little sounds. Was that pat, cat or… gat? 🤦 (Hence the shirt in my photo that cracks me up. 😁 #MisheardLyrics) 

You could say this only impacted my ears, unless you also consider these types of experiences: 

😳  The ear bud phone at my desk…that I can’t wear. *deeply missing speakerphone* 

😳  The group meeting… where I try to wedge myself in the middle to make sure I can hear everyone. *just hoping there’s space* 

😳  The awkward plant tour…where I have to shove my aids in my pocket to wear hearing protection then stay awkwardly close to the speaker. *don’t bump my expensive pocket!* 

😳  The all-employee meeting…where I can only understand certain presenters even if there’s a mic *pretending to engage…ick* 

😳  The cell phone call, when I have to press the button on my hearing aid to change the program and prevent squealing. *again missing speakerphone!* 

😳  Talking to my neighbor…and realizing I didn’t push the button to reprogram back to normal, so her voice is distorted. *wondering if they’ll wonder why I keep poking my ears* 

😳  Learning new names: can you please spell that, so I have even the slightest chance of saying all the sounds? *who the heck did I just meet?* 

😳  Sitting in office space…where everyone tries to speak so quietly to avoid bothering others. *100x harder* 

😳  The four-day-battery-life, which is just long enough to be in an important meeting and have the hearing aid yell “battery!” into my ear, promptly making itself into an ear plug. *panic* 

😳  The realization that very few people at my new company know…and I have to keep sharing because otherwise I can’t get what I need. *yes, I am other* 

And even though the stigma reduces as I get older, I sometimes still feel like that little kid trying with all her might to hide her disability (which gave me so many abilities over my life that I feel guilty being ashamed of it!). 

Hiding…is emotionally exhausting and terribly distracting. But how distracting it is may depend on you. It makes all the world of difference how people react to my needs and quirks (I’m human after all!). 

✖️ If it seems an awkward “why the heck did she say that” moment, I’ll have a hard time refocusing on why we’re here. 

❤️ If someone recognizes the situation and says just about anything with a smile, that goes a ridiculously long way to calming the anxious distraction. 

Hearing-loss statistics 

Katie’s story hits home for a lot of people, in the U.S. and in all corners of the world.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports more than 1.5 billion people — or roughly 19 percent of the world population — with hearing loss in at least one ear. By 2050, the organization estimates that number will rise to 2.5 billion. Using world population projections from the United Nations that the global population will hover around 9.8 billion in 2050, that would mean more than one out of every four people would have hearing loss by mid-century. 

In fairness, those statistics cover the full range of hearing loss, and people with slight to mild hearing loss may consider it an inconvenience or annoyance and not something that interferes significantly with daily activities or communication. However, the WHO currently reports 430 million people worldwide with hearing loss that requires intervention to address the impacts, and the organization projects 700 million people will be in that situation by 2050.  

Are rates of hearing loss increasing? 

What do these numbers mean? Is hearing loss becoming more common? In short, yes. When the WHO first reported sensorineural hearing loss statistics in 1985, it estimated 42 million people worldwide had moderate to profound hearing loss out of a global population just shy of 4.9 billion. In the four decades since, the world population has grown by 63%, but the WHO’s latest hearing loss estimate of 466 million people with disabling hearing loss is a 1109% increase. 

Moreover, while the rate of hearing loss increases with age, it’s increasingly impacting young people, largely due to increased noise exposure. In a 2022 study, researchers concluded that up to 1.35 billion teens and young adults globally are at risk of permanent hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices.

Hiring Veterans with hearing loss 

Hearing loss disproportionately affects Veterans. It is the most common military service-related condition, affecting at least 3.6 million Americans. The most recent available numbers from the Department of Veterans Affairs show more than 1.3 million Veterans qualified for disability compensation for hearing loss in 2020, and another 2.3 million claimed compensation for tinnitus.

Those numbers only cover individuals with hearing difficulty significant enough to qualify for benefits, not those who experience mild to moderate hearing loss. A 2016 study from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests 27% of Veterans have at least some trouble hearing.

For employers who pride themselves on hiring Veterans, hearing loss inclusion in the workplace is a must. 

Accessibility measures for hearing loss in the workplace 

Making your workplace more inclusive for people with hearing loss doesn’t have to break the bank, and as part of a robust accessibility strategy it can boost productivity and performance for your whole team. Several of the solutions below have no additional associated costs:

Employees whose hearing loss makes captions necessary to use the phone qualify for call captioning at no cost — to them or to their employer — through an FCC-funded program.

Eligible individuals may already use call captioning services like CaptionCall by Sorenson at home, and they can get the same service for work. The service creates live captions of phone conversations and displays them on the large, interactive screen of a specialized phone, which CaptionCall also provides at no cost as part of the service. When qualified individuals request call captioning for work, the CaptionCall team will follow up with the employer about installation.

Hard-of-hearing workers who aren’t at a desk all day can qualify for captioning on the go if they need captions for their phone calls. CaptionCall Mobile is a mobile app that generates instant, accurate captions of cell phone calls and displays them on screen like a text messaging thread. The no-cost app has the same eligibility standards as CaptionCall, and users can download it, self-certify their need directly through the app, and start using the call captioning service within minutes.

Both CaptionCall for desk phone-based captioning and CaptionCall Mobile’s mobile app-based call captioning include two additional benefits to real-time captioning:

  • Saved transcripts of calls that users can review for details they may have missed, which is particularly useful for verifying details, including numbers, dates, and names.
  • Compatibility with Bluetooth hearing aids to not only avoid interference but allow users to pair hearing aids with their device for better audio delivery.

Put it in writing: agendas, notes, follow-up

Your entire team — regardless of hearing ability — can benefit from written summaries of key information. Making a habit of sharing expectations, action items, presentations, and notes in writing provides insurance against team members mishearing or forgetting important details. It’s doubly beneficial to document project progress and timelines for your records.

Captioning 

The same benefits we mentioned above for phone call captioning apply to situations outside of phone calls. For meetings, media, training, or conferences, captioning audio increases accessibility for people with hearing loss, visual learners, and non-native language users. 

CART Captioning 

Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) captioning produces live captions of spoken and unspoken audio so users can follow along in real time. The majority of live captioning services — including built-in captioning on smartphones and video conferencing software — use Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) software to produce low-cost captions.   

Closed Captions, Open Captions, and Transcription 

Many people use closed captions to consume media, even if they have perfect hearing. It’s become a staple of how we view television, movies, and online videos because it’s helpful for hearing loss, noisy environments, and listening comprehension. Open captions serve the same purpose. The only difference between them is that users can turn closed captions on or off, while open captions are a permanent addition to your media that appear for everyone. 

Transcription services create a full text version of your live or recorded audio as a document to accompany your media, distribute as a supplement or substitute for note-taking, and save for your records. 

Assistive-listening systems

Assistive-listening systems (or assistive listening devices) use one of several technologies to amplify sound through a receiver, which could be a hearing aid, cochlear implant, or headset. The most popular are hearing loops, or induction loops, that pair with telecoils built into most hearing aids and allow wearers to tap directly into a sound system for clearer audio by bypassing background noise.

Providing hearing loops or other assistive listening systems in the workplace can make meetings and presentations easier to follow for hard-of-hearing employees. Even if they wear hearing aids, crowded and busy spaces may make it difficult to hear clearly. In one study, 13% of adults reported some trouble hearing while using hearing aids, so assistive listening devices can offer a helpful boost.

Keep in mind, though, that the majority of people who could benefit from hearing aids don’t wear them. Only about 14% of Americans with hearing loss use hearing aids, but they can still make use of assistive listening systems through a receiver and headphones.

Additional benefits of accessibility for hearing loss

Embracing solutions to make your workplace welcoming and accessible for employees with hearing loss will set it apart as a desirable work environment for hard-of-hearing talent and increase the efficiency of your team. But there are also downstream impacts of inclusion:

Attracting top candidates

In-demand talent — with or without hearing loss — can be selective about which employer to lend its skills, and companies that commit to inclusivity have an edge, with 76% of job seekers saying that’s an important factor in evaluating job offers.

Appealing to values-driven customers and partners

Decision-makers care about the values they’re buying into, including accessibility. Partners and investors weigh Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policy, as do a growing number of consumers and job candidates; 59% of consumers prioritize choosing businesses that actively promote equity and inclusion. 

Reduce employee turnover

While solutions to welcome people with hearing loss in the workplace offer broad benefits, they’re not yet standard for many employers. Inclusive environments that set employees up for success and reinforce a sense of belonging encourage internal growth rather than leaving for positions at less accessible companies.

Communication Accessibility Checklist for Your Business

Business accessibility elements

Ensuring your company provides inclusion and accessibility as a business can pose a challenge, especially in understanding where to begin implementing these systems for the employees and customers who need them to work to their full potential. That’s why we are sharing some actionable tips on how you can become more inclusive and accessible as a business to support employees and reach more customers. 

Workplace communication

  • Physical accessibility: Add flashing-light sensors to your smoke detectors, fire alarms, and doorbells. Ensure that there is signage in braille. It can also be effective to have information about what accessibility services your business has available such as ASL interpreters or screen readers.
  • Clear communication guidelines: Develop clear guidelines for written and verbal communication to ensure clarity and inclusivity among leadership and employees. Practices such as introducing yourself before speaking can support with access for participants utilizing an interpreter to know who is speaking. Encourage the use of plain language in written communication to enhance clarity and understanding, especially in remote settings where visual cues may be limited.
  • Assistive technologies: Invest in screen readers, speech-to-text software, visual interpreting and sign language interpreting services to support employees and customers with visual or hearing disabilities. You can also take advantage of no-cost Video Relay Service (VRS) and call captioning service for employees’ phone calls. Ensure remote meetings, presentations, and events are captioned and provide transcripts afterwards to support comprehension and engagement with participants who are neurodiverse, limited English proficient (LEP), Deaf, or hard-of-hearing.
  • Training programs: Conduct regular training sessions to educate employees on creating accessible content and communication practices. Research1 from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) indicates that companies with disability-inclusive cultures are more likely to outperform their peers financially.
  • Language support: Provide interpreting and translation services or multilingual resources to accommodate employees and customers who speak other languages. This fosters inclusivity and facilitates effective communication in diverse teams.


Accessible content

  • Captioning multimedia content: Caption all multimedia content to ensure accessibility for neurodiverse, LEP, Deaf, and hard-of-hearing participants.
  • Accessible presentation materials: Provide accessible presentation materials in advance and in alternative formats if needed, accommodating diverse learning preferences and accessibility needs.
  • Physical meeting accessibility: Ensure meeting rooms and gathering spaces are accessible for individuals with mobile disabilities, complying with accessibility standards such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Inclusive participation: Encourage inclusive participation in discussions and provide opportunities for feedback to ensure all backgrounds and abilities are heard and valued.
  • Designated accessibility point person: Designate a point person to address accessibility concerns during meetings, presentations, or with the public demonstrating the organization’s commitment to inclusivity.

Digital communication

  • Website accessibility: Ensure company website and digital content are accessible to individuals with disabilities by following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
  • Proper HTML markup: Use proper HTML markup and provide alternative text for images to enhance accessibility for screen readers and other assistive technologies.
  • Accessible digital documents: Design digital documents with accessibility in mind, including proper headings, formatting, and descriptive links.
  • Testing for accessibility: Test digital communication platforms for accessibility and usability, ensuring they meet the needs of all users.
  • Training on digital accessibility: Provide training on creating accessible digital content for all employees to promote awareness and compliance with accessibility standards for colleagues and customers.

Feedback and collaboration

  • Open feedback environment: Foster an environment where employees and customers feel comfortable providing feedback on accessibility issues, encouraging transparency and continuous improvement.
  • Collaborative problem-solving: Encourage collaboration among employees to identify barriers to communication and implement effective solutions.
  • Leadership commitment: Lead by example and prioritize accessibility in all communications and decision-making processes, demonstrating organizational values and fostering a culture of inclusivity.
  • Policy integration: Incorporate accessibility considerations into company policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with legal requirements and industry best practices.
  • Regular review and update: Regularly review and update accessibility practices to ensure ongoing improvement and compliance with evolving standards and technologies.

Are you ready to start creating a more inclusive and accessible business? Sorenson is committed to providing a suite of solutions to ensure your business is as inclusive and accessible as possible. Sign up for a trial of Sorenson Express on-demand Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) or speak with our accessibility consultants about how to improve your DEIA strategy.

Who Can Use CaptionCall? Understanding Eligibility for No-Cost Caption Phone Service

CaptionCall is a life-changing service for people with hearing loss who struggle to hear and understand their phone calls. Having captions of what people are saying as they say it means being able to talk to family and friends, handle your affairs independently, or call for help in an emergency.

One of the biggest benefits of CaptionCall is that there’s no cost to use it. That’s critical for many people who need captioned phone calls but can’t afford another bill. There’s no cost for CaptionCall because it’s federally funded as an Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS). IP CTS has rules about who’s eligible to use the service, and we’re going to explain all of that:

What is Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS)?

IP CTS is a form of telecommunications relay service (TRS) that enables an individual who can speak, but who has difficulty hearing, to use a phone. When you use caption phone service, a trained captioning agent or speech recognition technology connects to the call audio and transcribes the conversation just for you.

What is the difference between IP relay and IP CTS?

Captioned phone service, like CaptionCall and CaptionCall Mobile, isn’t the only form of telecommunications relay service.

  • With IP CTS, the user receives captions of their phone conversation as they and the other party speak to each other. It’s a good option for people who are hard of hearing or deaf, but comfortable voicing what they want to say.
  • In the case of IP Relay, the user types what they want to say and the service provider reads the statement to the hearing person on the other end of the line, then sends that person’s reply back to the user as a caption. It’s for deaf, DeafBlind, and hard-of-hearing people who do not speak and either do not use sign language (or use tactile signing) or simply prefer text-based communication.

The federal government covers the cost of these services to provide equal access to communication by phone for people who are hard of hearing, deaf, or DeafBlind. The funding comes from fees for telecommunications providers — which they often pass on to their customers; you might have noticed the small charge on your itemized phone bills — and goes into the TRS Fund, which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) manages.

How do you qualify for caption phone service?

Because IP CTS uses federal funds, only people who qualify can use the service. To qualify, you must have hearing loss that makes captions necessary to use the phone effectively. That’s not our rule; it’s an FCC requirement, and that’s why captioned telephone service providers all must display a disclaimer about IP CTS eligibility.

Why do caption phone service providers warn about a federal offense?

When you sign up for IP CTS — or just research it — you’ll see this as part of the fine print:
FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS ANYONE BUT REGISTERED USERS WITH HEARING LOSS FROM USING INTERNET PROTOCOL (IP) CAPTIONED TELEPHONES WITH THE CAPTIONS TURNED ON.

All caps is a little aggressive, we know, but it’s just to get your attention and make sure everyone understands only people who need IP CTS are allowed to use it.

Misuse of caption phone service amounts to stealing from the federal TRS Fund that allows people who need it to get the service at no cost.

Ask yourself three questions to determine whether you qualify for IP CTS:

  1. Do you have hearing loss?
  2. When talking on the phone, does your hearing loss make it difficult or impossible to understand what the other person is saying?
  3. Would having captions of your phone calls allow you to use the phone as well as someone without hearing loss?

If you answered yes to all three questions, you’re probably a great candidate for CaptionCall.

Request CaptionCall for home or work

Download the CaptionCall Mobile app

How to know for sure if you qualify for CaptionCall

So you think you qualify for CaptionCall, but you want reassurance. Or the mere mention of federal law (in all caps) makes you nervous. Understandable.

If you want guidance about whether your hearing loss warrants phone call captioning, you can make an appointment with a hearing health provider. That’s actually how many people find out about caption phone service; more than 17,000 hearing health professionals in the U.S. refer their patients to use CaptionCall.

If you’re a hearing health professional and think some of your patients would benefit from CaptionCall, you’re right, and you can sign up to connect eligible patients with CaptionCall:

Become a CaptionCall provider

If your hearing test shows you have hearing loss, in addition to phone call captioning, your provider may also recommend you try hearing aids, which could improve your ability to hear on and off the phone.

CaptionCall with hearing aids

Good news: if you get hearing aids (or upgrade old hearing aids to an option with Bluetooth technology), you can pair them to your CaptionCall phone or CaptionCall Mobile app and get the audio from your calls directly through your hearing aids.

CaptionCall phones also have TIA-1083 Certification, which means they don’t interfere with hearing aids, so you won’t hear as much static or buzzing as you would on a traditional phone.

What do you need to use CaptionCall?

We’ve covered the main thing you need to use CaptionCall: hearing loss that makes captions necessary on the phone. Once you’ve determined you’re eligible for IP CTS, there are a couple things you need to use the service, depending on whether you want captioning for calls on a landline phone or a mobile phone.

For CaptionCall at home or work:

  • You need a special phone with a screen to display your captions. In addition to caption phone service being no-cost, CaptionCall also provides the phone at no cost (along with delivery, setup, and training to use it).
  • You need either landline phone service, high-speed internet, or a smartphone with data service. If you have at least one of these, our team can connect you with CaptionCall at home or work.

You can read more here about caption phone service without internet: Can You Get Closed Captioned Phone Service without Internet Access?

Request CaptionCall for home or work

For CaptionCall on the go

  • You need a smartphone or tablet with data service. That’s it. CaptionCall Mobile works on both Android and iOS.

Download CaptionCall Mobile from your app store

Have questions about CaptionCall or CaptionCall Mobile? Review our FAQs.

The DeafBlind Community and Telecommunications Access

Communication is fundamental to human interaction and belonging. Without it, we would end up confused, frustrated, and lonely.

In the U.S., there are approximately 50,000 people who are DeafBlind. The DeafBlind community represents a distinct group that, due to combined hearing and vision loss, presents with a unique set of challenges and experiences when it comes to communication.

Causes of DeafBlindness

causes of deafblindness

Although DeafBlindness is a combination of hearing and vision loss, each DeafBlind person’s experience varies. These depend on the cause and severity of hearing and vision loss. In many cases, other disabilities accompany DeafBlindness.

One of the main causes of DeafBlindness is Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes hearing and vision disabilities. There is no cure.

Some common causes of DeafBlindness include:

  • Hereditary disorders: Usher syndrome, CHARGE syndrome, Down syndrome
  • Prenatal complications: hydrocephaly, microcephaly, cytomegalovirus
  • Postnatal complications: meningitis, brain injury

A tenuous social connection

Like the Deaf and Blind communities, communication with DeafBlind people can require flexibility and creativity. This can stunt the development of strong social skills and the ability to interact with others who are not DeafBlind.

Some ways that poor social connections can affect a DeafBlind person’s livelihood:

  • Higher rates of anxiety and depression
  • Avoiding people outside of their family
  • Social isolation
  • Low self-confidence
  • Non-DeafBlind peers often overlook and ignore them

The desire for human connection and independence remains. DeafBlind people want to be involved in activities and be part of society, and also have relationships with their peers.

Understanding the DeafBlind community

understanding the deafblind community

It’s important to remember that one DeafBlind person does not represent the entire DeafBlind community, just as one Deaf or Blind person does not represent their respective community. Each DeafBlind person has their own unique experience related to communication.

DeafBlind people usually have residual sight or hearing. It’s rare to have total loss of both sensory disabilities. Both disabilities can occur at the same time, or separately, and the severity can differ from person to person. The severity of hearing and vision loss determines their communication and accessibility needs.

Want to know a DeafBlind person’s specific communication needs? Ask them. (But first, ask them how they prefer to communicate. That’s the best way to start a conversation.)

Unique needs of the DeafBlind community

The DeafBlind community uses assistive technology in a way that intersects with the needs of both the Deaf and Blind communities. Let’s look at the assistive technologies that both the Deaf and Blind communities use.

Assistive technology for Deaf people to make telephone calls:

Assistive technology for Blind people to make phone calls:

  • Screen readers
  • Magnification software
  • Optical readers
  • Captioned phones

For mobile:

  • VoiceOver and Siri (iOS)
  • TalkBack (Android)
  • Google Assistant

A DeafBlind person may use a combination of these assistive technologies, but some, like Robert Hawbaker and Catarina Rivera, don’t use VRS.

DeafBlind consumers who don’t use VRS

Robert Hawbaker, a work-from-home systems engineer who’s been DeafBlind since birth due to Usher syndrome, says he doesn’t use VRS but uses VRI for in-person appointments. He has near-total deafness and cataract surgery mostly restored his eyesight in January 2023.

“If calling is a must, I use IP Relay,” Mr. Hawbaker says. He doesn’t use VRS as he’s more English-based than ASL. (For context, ASL is a visual language with its own grammar, vocabulary, and word order, a language that Deaf people created.)

“My original reason [for] not using VRS was, I knew exactly what I wanted to say in English,” Hawbaker says. “Using ASL, sometimes there may be several ways to say a single ASL ‘statement’ in multiple English statements.”

These days, Hawbaker doesn’t use VRS because of his deafness and vision. The delays in receiving information from the ASL interpreter and the need to repeat himself make it difficult to use VRS (since he can’t see everything the interpreter signs).

VRI, on the other hand, is easier to use because Mr. Hawbaker is in the same room as the doctor with whom he’s communicating via a sign language interpreter over video. He feels comfortable asking the interpreter to repeat information when needed.

deafblind customers and vrs

On the other hand, Catarina Rivera, a self-described “light-skinned Latiné woman with dark brown hair,” doesn’t communicate in ASL. Therefore, she does not use VRS. Instead, she relies on other free telecommunication tools to make and receive phone calls.

“I make all my calls with Google Meet if it’s a meeting,” she says. For the occasional audio call, she uses a mobile captioning app similar to CaptionCall. Ms. Rivera relies most on her hearing aids, which have Bluetooth capability, enabling her to understand speech more clearly with high-quality audio.

Ms. Rivera began wearing hearing aids at a young age and was diagnosed with progressive vision disability due to Usher Syndrome at age 17. As a DEI consultant, speaker, and founder of Blindish Latina, her goal is to help create a more inclusive and accessible world. She uses her Instagram page to share her various experiences navigating the world as a DeafBlind person.

VRS for important phone calls

Joshua Jones, a DeafBlind owner of an interior design business, says he prefers using email and text over VRS because phone calls can be time consuming. He will, however, use VRS when email or text is not practical.

When using VRS, he has encountered comprehension challenges such as poor contrast between the interpreter’s hands and background and low or bright lighting. Since a large part of understanding ASL is about reading facial expressions, even beards on male interpreters can be frustrating.

“Since I rely on facial expressions for better comprehension, a few male interpreters have had beards covering most of their faces, making it hard for me to interpret their expressions,” Mr. Jones says.

Furthermore, he says, “As a result, I’ve had to request a different interpreter in such cases.” For DeafBlind users who may not have the access to assistive technology that these three DeafBlind users have, the FCC created a program to provide no-cost telecommunication tools for eligible DeafBlind consumers.

The National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP)

Every U.S. state has a program that helps DeafBlind consumers obtain no-cost communications equipment and training for making and receiving phone calls. Before a DeafBlind person can get this equipment through NDBEDP (including internet access), they must meet specific disability and income qualifications.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), also known as iCanConnect (iCC), in 2012, so DeafBlind people could have full communication access to others who are not DeafBlind.

The products available through iCC include:

  • Accessories
  • Braille devices
  • Computers
  • Mobile devices
  • Phones
  • Signalers (alerts)
  • Software

VRS and Braille readers

Sorenson now provides VRS services compatible with Braille readers for DeafBlind customers — a service it took over when original provider GlobalVRS suspended its VRS operations — to accompany the further expansion of telecommunication accessibility for both the Deaf and DeafBlind communities.

When signing up for a VRS account, you are prompted to indicate if you use a Braille reader for VRS calls. If you do use a Braille reader, the system directs and connects you to VRS services explicitly designed for Braille readers.

When a DeafBlind person calls VRS, the interpreter will respond by typing to the DeafBlind person’s Braille reader. To indicate the message has ended, the interpreter will type “GA,” to mean “go ahead.” This tells the DeafBlind person it is their turn to respond. The DeafBlind person will then use ASL in front of the camera so the interpreter can see them, and the interpreter will voice their message to the recipient of the call. The DeafBlind person will type “GA” to let the interpreter know it is the recipient’s turn to speak. The interpreter will then type what the recipient is saying, and so forth.

A revolutionary videophone

In October 2023, when Sorenson took over GlobalVRS’s video relay functions, part of this acquisition included a promising telecommunications app for DeafBlind people.

The app is myMMX db, “the world’s only accessible videophone for DeafBlind customers,” which gives DeafBlind consumers the ability to independently place and receive phone calls without an interpreter or intermediary. Bryen Yunashko, a DeafBlind advocate with Usher syndrome, is the official distributor of myMMX.

Yunashko says he’s proud that myMMX meets a wide range of communication needs and preferences. Whether a DeafBlind person is an ASL user, has low vision, or uses Braille, myMMX works for all.

Sorenson provides its own line of videophones for VRS and direct phone calls for the Deaf community. By adding myMMX db to the company’s services and products, Sorenson expands its offerings to include DeafBlind customers.

Conclusion

What can we learn from Mr. Hawbaker, Ms. Rivera, and Mr. Jones’s use of VRS? How can we improve VRS services for the DeafBlind community?

Hire high-quality, certified ASL interpreters. Then give them the tools they need. Make sure they always wear dark clothing. Encourage them to use an appropriate setup, with a high-contrast background and high-resolution camera.

  • Improve the assistive technology interface: For DeafBlind users who have some sight, an interface with color contrast and larger images can go a long way toward creating a pleasant “larger” viewing experience.
  • Solicit feedback from DeafBlind users: To promote the benefits of VRS, conduct market research to learn how to improve VRS features.
  • Incorporate haptic technology: Enable the DeafBlind user to feel vibrations during the conversation. Much like a Deaf person with total hearing loss, the DeafBlind user can feel the vibrations even if they may not be able to hear as well. This could enhance the overall VRS experience.
  • Integrate closed captioning: This could provide another way to make the conversation more accessible, especially for a DeafBlind user with some vision. For example, you can use a Braille reader with closed captioning.

By following these recommendations, we can make it easier for DeafBlind people to use VRS.

The goal of assistive technology is to help people with disabilities lead independent lives.

Despite advancements in telecommunication services, gaps remain that leave out the DeafBlind community. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work when we have users with sensory disabilities who experience the world differently, as we’ve seen through Hawbaker’s, Rivera’s, and Jones’s stories.

Let’s start prioritizing innovations that involve DeafBlind people’s communication needs when developing assistive technologies. We should also actively engage the DeafBlind community in the design and testing process of these technologies. Their firsthand experiences can inform more inclusive telecommunication technology.

Beyond Telecommunications Relay Service: Creating Meaningful Accessibility for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Communities

Which aspects of daily life do you want to have access to? Is it important that you be able to have a career and financial independence? Get an education? Shop? Go out to eat? 

For Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, effective communication is vital for full participation in professional and social life. While telecommunications relay services (TRS) were a groundbreaking step for communication accessibility, phone calls alone are not enough for full inclusion and job opportunities for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. 

It’s imperative that businesses and organizations embrace broader accessibility solutions, and innovative technology has made it realistic to implement them in situations where full inclusion seemed implausible even a few years ago. 

Generations of Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) people made their way in the world prior to assistive technologies, but the creation of federally funded telecommunications relay services (TRS) in the early 1990s aimed to spark a fundamental change: to ensure access to tools for millions of Americans with hearing loss to not merely get by, but to thrive.

Interpreting and captioning services remain powerful tools for DHH people to claim their social and financial independence and excel where they learn and work.

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) currently counts more than 1.5 billion people worldwide with hearing loss.
  • It estimates that by 2050 that number will rise to 2.5 billion.1

That projection includes more than 700 million people with disabling hearing loss — 10 percent of the world’s population — who will need assistive technology to maintain their independence and fully participate in education, work, and community.

That means interpreting and captioning need to be widely available beyond phone calls. We’re going to discuss how and why businesses and organizations should start adapting their DEIA measures to provide:

The role of federally funded Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)  

Accessible communications technologies for the Deaf and hard of hearing have come a long way from the early days of teletypewriters (TTY). 

It’s been more than 20 years since Video Relay Service (VRS) first became available in the U.S., with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) introducing regulations for the service in 2002.  

At the time, it was groundbreaking — for the first time, a way for Deaf and hearing people to talk over the phone, each in their primary language. The response was overwhelming: 

Sorenson, the world’s leading provider of communication solutions for the Deaf and hard of hearing, made its mark in VRS, and that’s still what most people associate with the company.

Federally funded captioned phone service followed in 2007, with IP CTS providing access to real-time text of phone conversations for people with hearing loss who needed captions to use the phone. It made phone calls accessible to hundreds of thousands of Americans who couldn’t hear well enough to understand their conversations otherwise. 

America’s leading captioned phone service, CaptionCall by Sorenson, launched in 2008 and became a lifeline for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and their families, restoring confidence and independence for people who, for years, hadn’t been able to communicate by phone.

Both VRS and IP CTS remain essential tools for DHH individuals to connect on the phone at home, on-the-go, and even in the office. Sorenson routinely provides Lumina videophones and CaptionCall phones for employees at their workplace.  

Employers can also install the CaptionCall Mobile app on company-issued mobile devices so employees who qualify for the service can simply complete the in-app registration process to get captioned work calls. 

However, Americans’ phone use has changed: over the past 20 years, phone calls have declined as people rely more heavily on text messaging, social media, and email to communicate for personal and professional purposes. 

Think about it: how much of your day-to-day interaction happens over phone calls? 

TRS accessibility services

Deaf and hard-of-hearing accessibility in the workplace 

Hiring Deaf and hard-of-hearing employees is a win-win, but both parties can only get the most out of their partnership if the work environment supports teams’ success.  

Expanding opportunities for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and underserved communities is part of Sorenson’s mission, so we’ve written several in-depth guides to creating accessible and inclusive workplaces: 

Simplified, creating accessibility in your workplace is a two-pronged process:  

  1. Offer jobs for Deaf and hard-of-hearing talent. 
  2. Provide the logistical and cultural framework to set them up for success. 

Job opportunities for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people 

Integrating accessibility into work culture is the equivalent of a neon sign announcing a company’s commitment to providing Deaf employment opportunities.

You already have hard-of-hearing employees in your workplace, even if you don’t know it. While many people with hearing loss don’t disclose it to their employer or coworkers, 15% of Americans have some level of hearing loss, and the majority of them are in the workforce.

Deaf workers, on the other hand, can’t conceal their disability as much as those with mild to moderate hearing loss, and a lack of accommodations is more likely to impede their ability to thrive in their jobs. 

Wait…is hearing loss a disability under the ADA? 

Yes, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with hearing loss from discrimination and requires that certain government, businesses, and non-profits provide them the same opportunities as hearing people, including effective communication. 

Despite federal law prohibiting many entities from discrimination in hiring because of hearing loss, Deaf people are unemployed and underemployed at a higher rate than their hearing peers. Results of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey showed 50% of deaf or hard-of-hearing American adults were employed, compared to 71% of hearing adults.

job opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing

Table 1: Deaf/hard of hearing vs hearing employment data (2022 American Community Survey).

The disparity in employment rates for DHH and hearing talent isn’t a matter of interest; the same survey found a higher percentage of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community actively seeking work than their hearing counterparts.

It’s also not an issue of education or qualifications. DHH college enrollment and degree attainment has shot up over the past generation, with many focusing their studies on in-demand fields like healthcare and education. We’ll get into more detail about DHH education trends below.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing employment over the years 

The striking difference in employment among hearing and DHH adults hasn’t always been the case. 50 years ago, Deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans were working at same rate as hearing people. Data from 1974 showed DHH men’s workforce participation was 83 percent (compared to 80% for men as a whole) and 49% of DHH women in the workforce (compared to 44% of women as a whole).2

So what happened? Largely, a change in the job market: fewer of the manufacturing jobs that presented opportunities for workers with hearing loss and a surge of service industries — including retail and hospitality that largely do not have the accessibility measures to fully embrace DHH customers or employees.

Jump to accessibility in retail and hospitality

The lag in workplace accessibility for DHH talent to match the transition of job opportunities is no doubt a factor in the large percentage of that community absent from the workforce altogether. The 2022 American Community Survey found 44% of Deaf and hard-of-hearing American adults were not in the labor force, nearly double the rate of hearing adults (23%).

How to make the workplace more deaf inclusive  

It’s easier than you might imagine to create an inclusive workplace for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing colleagues to effectively collaborate and succeed.  

Providing the tools to support any employee to excel benefits entire teams and promotes job satisfaction for greater productivity and lower turnover. Those tools may range from simple team training to assistive technologies.

  • Communication training: Brief teams on communication best practices that will benefit DHH employees and hearing employees alike:
    • Making eye contact while speaking
    • Taking turns rather than talking over each other 
    • Providing written meeting agendas and summary notes for the whole team 
    • Putting key communication in writing via email or messaging software 
    • Enabling captions in virtual meetings 
  • Assistive-listening systems: Also known as assistive-listening devices, these amplify sound through a receiver — typically a hearing aid or cochlear implant, but also work with headsets. 
  • Captioning services: Both real-time and post-production captions can provide clarity and greater comprehension for employees of all hearing levels, particularly those working outside of their primary language. 
  • Phone call captioning: Federally funded IP CTS is available at no cost to individuals who need captions for their phone calls because of hearing loss. Eligible users can get a CaptionCall phone for their desk and use the CaptionCall Mobile app on the go to read every word of their phone calls and voicemail.
  • Real-time captioning: Providing live captions for meetings, presentations, and training sessions may be an essential consideration for DHH employees, but it can enhance comprehension for hearing employees as well. Particularly in distracting situations with background noise, both hearing and DHH employees may rely on captioning to follow along and maintain focus. 
  • Post-production captioning: Add captions to recorded video and audio content to make training videos, recorded events, and announcements accessible to Deaf and hard-of-hearing employees along with the majority of people who prefer captioned content. 
  • American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting services: Sign language interpreting is an invaluable service for communication between Deaf employees who use sign language and their hearing coworkers, allowing both to use their primary language. Skilled interpreters are able to convey the content and context of statements in signed and spoken languages for full understanding. You have several interpreting options, including:

Which interpreting service to choose? That depends on your specific situation and needs. We created a guide specifically to help make decisions about interpreting services: American Sign Language Interpreting Options.

Sorenson also offers complimentary consultation with accessibility experts on selecting the right services for your particular needs: 

Request more information about services

  • Video Relay Service: Deaf individuals who use ASL may also use federally funded video relay service (VRS) for phone calls with hearing people. Those individuals may already have a VRS account for personal use, and with their employer’s authorization they can get a separate account for work use along with a videophone for their desk.As the leading VRS provider in the U.S., Sorenson provides service and videophones at work for thousands of Deaf employees, including its own.  
  • Employee involvement: A critical element of workplace inclusion is including the perspectives of Deaf and hard-of-hearing employees, especially in accessibility considerations. No two DHH individuals have identical experiences or preferences; ask employees about what arrangements will best support them to excel in their work.

    You may want to include DHH employees in a conversation with Sorenson’s design consultants to better understand how different solutions would suit your workplace.

You can reach out to start that conversation here

deaf inclusive workplace

Accessibility in education

In many ways, educators are ahead of the curve in accessibility, broadly providing interpreting and captioning services for hard-of-hearing and Deaf education for decades. They’ve had to be; since 1990, with the enactment of the ADA, many public educational institutions have been under federal mandate to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access for students with disabilities.

The impact of giving DHH students accessible educational opportunities? They’re seizing them.

  • Between the mid 1970s and 2010, the rate of DHH students attending college increased 360% (compared to a 37% increase for all students who finished high school).3
  • While college enrollment among students with disabilities has grown by more than double the pace of enrollment among students of all abilities since the ADA took effect (19% vs 9% from 1990 to 2005), students with hearing loss experienced the most significant boost in participation of any disability category.4

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students in higher education 

While Deaf and hard-of-hearing students are increasingly pursuing education beyond high school, their paths do not exactly mirror those of their hearing peers.  

Data from the 2020 National Center for Education Statistics survey shows DHH students are more likely to enroll in associate’s degree programs than hearing students. (41% vs 37%) and are more likely to take online courses for some or all of their program, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic

hard of hearing in higher education

Table 2: Online learning among Deaf/hard-of-hearing and hearing undergraduate students in the U.S. (National Center for Education Statistics).

The pandemic escalated the trend of online learning that was already presenting a challenge to a cornerstone of traditional accommodations for DHH students: onsite interpreting alone will not cut it in the age of virtual classrooms.

With remote learning models seemingly here to stay, educational institutions must embrace a diversity of accessibility tools. Assistive technology for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students makes it easier to adapt to evolving educational environments:

  • Closed captions and real-time captioning services compatible with video conferencing platforms is essential for DHH students and a valuable tool for hearing students as well.

While video editing software and video conferencing apps may have their own integrated captioning, the technology that auto-generates those captions doesn’t offer high enough accuracy for educational use, particularly for names, jargon, and speakers with accents.

  • Video remote interpreting (VRI) is a flexible resource for virtual learning, streaming events and presentations, group discussions, or student-faculty conversations outside of classes.
  • Scheduled VRI can accommodate nearly any video conferencing software, allows for interpreter selection and preparation for background and subject matter, and is appropriate for needs ranging from less than an hour to all-day events.
  • On-demand VRI is a new option in the communication accessibility realm, capable of filling many of the gaps between anticipated interpreting needs.

Sorenson Express on-demand interpreting is available on a tablet or integrations with Zoom and Microsoft Teams for fast access to ASL interpreters in impromptu meetings, conversations outside regular class times, or quick questions on campus when an onsite interpreter isn’t around.

Despite significant progress following accessibility mandates, DHH students continue to lag behind hearing peers in both high school and college graduation rates. Expanding measures to provide educational equity is critical to closing the gap, particularly with the increase in these students attending mainstream schools.

Educational settings for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students 

There are roughly 50 residential schools for Deaf children across the U.S. and two dozen day schools that provide instruction in ASL so DHH students who sign can learn in their primary language alongside peers with similar educational needs and experiences. 

However, parents of children with disabilities have steadily been shifting them in growing numbers into mainstream schools for decades. While DHH students are still enrolled in specialty schools at a higher rate than children with disabilities as a whole, that number is also on the decline. 

Between 1989 and 2018, data from the National Center for Education Statistics tracked enrollment of students with disabilities collectively — not by specific type of disability — and shows enrollment in residential schools dropped by 80% while the number of students getting the majority of their educational instruction in a mainstream classroom more than doubled.

hard of hearing student statistics

Table 3: Learning environments of U.S. students with any type of disability (National Center for Education Statistics).

Among Deaf and hard-of-hearing students specifically, numbers from the 2019 – 2021 academic years paints a less dramatic picture of the same trend of residential school enrollment dropping off as full-time education in mainstream classrooms grows. 

It’s worth noting that the rate of DHH enrollment in separate, non-residential schools for students with disabilities increased for the 2020 and 2021 academic years, coinciding with the pandemic when many mainstream schools transitioned to remote learning. Those virtual learning scenarios demand innovative approaches to accessibility.  

deaf student statistics

Table 4: Learning environments of Deaf and hard-of-hearing U.S. students (National Center for Education Statistics). 

While mainstream schools do, by federal mandate, provide interpreters and/or captioning solutions for DHH students, greater numbers of Deaf students in the classroom is driving up demand for accessibility solutions at the same time that remote and hybrid learning models necessitate new approaches to providing equitable experiences. 

Educators raise the bar on an innovative attitude toward inclusion, blending a variety of tools to provide accommodation for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students, using on-site ASL interpreters, captioning services, and adaptive teaching techniques like Visual Phonics for Deaf students to present the curriculum accessibly. For many schools, VRI is a missing piece of assistive technology for Deaf students. 

VRI as an asset for inclusive education 

For DHH students in traditional classrooms who use sign language, on-site interpreting remains an invaluable tool. But the teams who manage accessibility accommodations at schools across the country are experiencing the strain every day of coordinating daily onsite interpreting for an expanding DHH student body: 

  • Varying availability of interpreters across the country, particularly in rural areas 
  • Covering for interpreter absences 
  • Maintaining state certification requirements 
  • Rise of remote learning/working 

In addition to the challenges of meeting interpreting needs for students and staff during school hours, schools trying to provide student support after hours, special events, and communication with DHH family and community members can stretch their resources with video remote interpreting. 

  • Scheduled VRI  is an ideal option for virtual learning, remote parent-teacher conferences and meetings, and after hours events. VRI also offers the flexibility to cover for interpreter absences or staffing shortages. 
  • On-demand VRI provides a quick, convenient solution for unplanned interpreting needs. Sorenson Express is perfect for a tablet or mobile device for impromptu conversations with DHH students or family in administrative offices, in the hallways, or on the bus.  

Sorenson’s education team specializes in helping schools support students, faculty, and staff with effective accessibility solutions and interpreter training.

Reach out to discuss how to tailor services for your institution

inclusive VRI

Accessibility in retail and hospitality 

As federal mandates jump-started accessibility measures in government, education, and health care over the past 30 years, retail and hospitality have been slower to adopt inclusive communication solutions.  

This is due, at least in part, to the spontaneous nature of most interactions in these settings: customers don’t pre-arrange their fast food restaurant trips, making on-site or even scheduled VRI impractical for those situations. Instead, when there’s a need to communicate in retail and hospitality settings, many times DHH customers and staff make do with gesturing or writing notes back and forth. It suffices, but it’s hardly ideal for either party. 

We dive into the demand, benefits, and options for retailers to up their game in another post about Deaf inclusion in retail you can read here. 

Looking for a quick summary? We’ve got you covered. 

How do I make my business more deaf accessible? 

One of the big takeaways of our article on how we can be more inclusive to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community is that customers — Deaf and hearing alike — are more willing to patronize businesses that make an effort to provide an inclusive experience. If you don’t provide one, they’ll find a competitor that does. 

The good news is that technology is making it feasible to provide accessible communication anytime, anywhere. On-demand video remote interpreting, specifically, addresses the most common challenge to providing Deaf and hard-of-hearing accessibility in retail and hospitality: it’s a mobile solution available on an as-needed basis. 

Sorenson Express on-demand VRI: 

  • With the press of a button, get on-demand interpreting for ASL-English or ASL-Spanish. 
  • Use on a tablet (Android and iOS) for an accessible communication solution staff can carry with them. 
  • Subscription-based service customizable to the interpreting demands of a single small business up to a national chain with hundreds of locations. 
  • Integrations for Zoom and Microsoft Teams for Deaf customer service for ecommerce and internal meetings with Deaf employees. 

Want to test drive on-demand interpreting to see if it’s right for your business? You can get a one-month trial of Sorenson Express to see the impact for your customers. 

deaf accessible business

Why invest in accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing

It’s easier to maintain the status quo than to rethink the way we do things. So why change now? Because the status quo isn’t cutting it.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing people want and need full access to every aspect of society, and we need their participation. People with hearing loss make up 15% of the U.S. population, and that percentage is rising. Neglecting accessibility for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing means hobbling our workforce, undercutting academic potential, and overlooking a consumer base with upwards of $9 billion in spending power.5

Creating inclusive, accessible environments for the DHH community to thrive in everyday life is the path forward. Sorenson’s accessibility consultants can help businesses and organizations get started.

Take the first steps in improving accessibility by requesting information

Sources

  1. Deafness and hearing loss
  2. The Effect of Education on the Occupational Status of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing 26-64 Year Olds
  3. The Effect of Education on the Occupational Status of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing 26-64 Year Olds
  4. Comparisons Across Time of the Outcomes of Youth With Disabilities up to 4 Years After High School
  5. A Hidden Market: The Purchasing Power of Working-Age Adults With Disabilities
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