Hearing ability is important to language and speech development because it causes a delay that further forms communication barriers. In recent years, certain policies and innovations have provided solutions to many problems making the life of deaf people easier.
Internet Welcomes Deaf with Open Arms
The web is abolishing the barrier between hearing entertainment and the deaf. It is becoming easy for deaf video creators to share blogs, their lives, and art with the audience because adding captioning is easy now. Videos are accessible to a large number of people and now deaf people can use creativity and share experiences themselves without the interference of hearing producers and editors. Sites like DeafNation host and create sign language videos. YouTube and Facebook are also effective mediums connecting deaf people with the world.
Deaf Consumers and Retail
In the current scenario, brands are striving to facilitate deaf consumers. Many companies like Lloyds Bank, Sainsbury’s, Barclays, BT, and NSPCC have introduced services that include sign language interpreting. Three, a mobile network provider launched an in-store BSL service free of cost at stores in Burnley, London, Liverpool, and Cardiff. Three new services are tied up with BSL Interpreters Sign Solutions. With these services, deaf customers can communicate through a video connection with in-store staff which enhances the in-store experience.
The Hospitality Industry is Thinking About the Deaf
In Washington D.C, Starbucks launched its new Signing Store where baristas use ASL (American Sign Language) to communicate with the customers. This makes it easy for deaf people to communicate and tell their requirements. Baristas take orders with the ordering technology and digital displays that make use of two-way keyboards. Moreover, this store also offers employment opportunities for deaf people. Deaf culture celebration also takes place in the store.
In this league, a café in Pakistan also facilitates deaf people. The hearing-impaired family owns a café and welcomes deaf customers. Here people can order using sign language and relish delicious foods.
A Deaf Person Can Be An Uber Driver
National Association of the Deaf and Uber created an application that helps deaf drivers. The old application was not suitable for hearing-impaired people because the notifications were audible and deaf drivers were unable to listen to beeps. Now the latest app uses flashing lights and notifies deaf drivers about the messages so they can easily respond. The rider also gets informed that the driver is hearing impaired. As soon as the driver is on the way, the rider has to enter the journey information.
Technology is a Boon to the Deaf Community
A Kenyan engineer named Roy Allela twenty-five years has made a remarkable innovation to make the life of deaf people easy. He created gloves that have the ability to turn sign language into speech. This makes communication easy between people who do not know sign language or are hearing impaired. The sensors present on each finger work altogether to translate hand movements into speech.
