Last month, we shared a bit about the Deaf community as part of the “Spreading Good Cheer” series on our blog. In our latest addition, let’s see how better accessibility breakthroughs are showing the deaf community respect, and what this means for the broader community.
For members of the deaf community, it comes down to accessibility. While there is debate amongst members of Deaf culture as to whether they consider themselves “disabled,” there is no doubt that accessibility issues have greatly limited deaf and hard-of-hearing people, causing stress and barring the way to rights and opportunities that many of us take for granted.
This is a common complaint within the community, to the point where a trend has emerged: “Designing for Disability.” This posits the idea that what is good for people with disabilities is good for everyone, and highlights issues within the structure of our society.
Accessibility in Travel
For many deaf and hard-of-hearing people, travel can be a nightmare. See how airlines are looking to turn this around in this article:
Airlines Seek to Serve Hearing-Impaired Passengers
Accessibility in Law
Communication issues with law enforcement have often created tense situations. For the deaf and hard-of-hearing, this can be especially worrisome, as basic communication problems have led to misguided arrests and worse. It’s a step in the right direction, then, to see stories like this:
Henderson deputies carry cards to help communication with deaf, hearing-impaired
As what it means to have a disability comes to the forefront of our social discussions through shared stories and experiences, we can have a better understanding of how to make a more accessible world for deaf and hard-of-hearing people, as well as others in the community…and that’s a better world for us all.
To learn more about the kinds of accessibility devices RK Audiology has access to, visit our website or schedule an appointment today.