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Texas is home to almost 4 million people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Most people will experience some sort of hearing loss during their lifetime.
September 19-25, 2022, is International Week of Deaf People, a time to recognize the achievements of the deaf community, promote their rights, and focus on making our communities accessible to them. Here are a few things you can do:
#1: Provide information in ASL
Whenever possible, make information available in American Sign Language (ASL). For many people who are deaf, ASL is their first language. They may be able to read English but may understand ASL better. If you publish a video or host a live event, include ASL interpretation. And if your audience is primarily Spanish speaking, consider providing information in Mexican Sign Language (MSL).
#2: Captions and transcripts
If you publish video or audio content (e.g., a podcast), provide a text version of the information that is shared. You can include captions on screen so a person can watch the video and follow along in real-time, or you can provide a transcript of what is said. Captions and transcripts are reasonably priced from many online vendors and easily uploaded to many social media platforms. There are even smart phone apps that can help you create these text options.
#3: Contact alternatives
Offer more than just a phone number to contact you or your organization. You can provide an email address, a contact form, or a text message (SMS) option for people to get in touch with you. If you do get contacted by someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, take advantage of the opportunity to ask them if the contact methods you provide work for them.
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