Inclusive Language
How Do We Support Deaf and Hearing Impaired People in the Workplace?
Deaf and hearing impaired people can face discrimination and bias in the workplace as well as difficulty in building relationships at work due to communication differences. In some cases this can begin even as early as the recruitment process. NEXT fully embraces the talent that our deaf community can bring and as such are constantly looking at ways to raise awareness and educate for all to learn more about the challenges that Deaf and Hearing Impaired people face. This page looks at what deafness is, and why language is so important when describing people from the community.
What Is Deafness?
It is important to understand that there are different types of deafness and different ways that d/Deaf people describe themselves. Deafness occurs when one or more parts of the ear are not working properly. This can impact the two main functions of the ear which are
receiving and converting sound into signals for the brain to comprehend
Support physical balance
Understanding The Different Types Of Deafness
There are 2 main types of deafness. Its possible to have both types, and this is known as mixed hearing loss.
Sensorineural hearing loss - is caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, or damage to the hearing nerve or both. It makes it more difficult to hear quiet sounds and reduces the quality of sound that you can hear. Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent, but can often be treated with hearing aids.
Conductive hearing loss - this happens when a blockage such as ear wax stops sound passing from your outer ear to your inner ear. Sounds will become quieter and things might sound muffled. It can be temporary or permanent. Conductive hearing loss is usually caused by ear problems.
Describing People Who Are Deaf
When describing people who are d/Deaf, you may have noticed the change in the title case. Below looks at the different terms, what they mean and how they differ.
Deaf (Using upper case D)
Deaf with a capital D describes people who were born Deaf or were Deaf before they began to talk. It is likely that Deaf people will use sign language as their first language. Their spoken language is their second language. People who are Deaf are also likely to be highly engaged with the Deaf community (although this can vary depending on the individuals environment and access to resources) and if their Deafness forms an important part of their culture and identity.
deaf (using lower case d)
Using a lowercase d to describe deafness refers to the physical condition of hearing loss. Those who refer to themselves as deaf may not feel as strongly connected to the Deaf Community and may not use sign language as their primary communication method.
Hard of Hearing
People who identify as hard of hearing may have mild to moderate hearing loss. Theya re unlikely to use sign language as their preferred method of communication. It will depend on the individuals experiences and choices as to whether or not they identify as Deaf and engage with the Deaf community. Someone can be hard of hearing and identify as Deaf.
d/Deaf
Using the lower and uppercase d/D is a way to include everyone within the d/Deaf community when anyone talks about deafness. People who are d/Deaf may be able to communicate through a variety of methods such as speech, Sign Language, written word, lip reading, hearing aids and hearing loops or a combination.