Background

• Deaf people are not all the same. Some have no hearing at all, while others will have different degrees of hearing loss.
  
  
• Most deaf people you are likely to meet will be older hard of hearing people who may or may not use hearing aids, but rely largely on lip-reading and residual hearing.
  
  
• Many deaf people rely on lip-reading, if only unconsciously, but the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) figures state that in excess of 3,000 people in Northern Ireland use British Sign Language (BSL) and up to 1,000 people use Irish Sign Language (ISL) as their first or preferred language. Deaf people whose first language is BSL/ISL may have difficulties with speech or written language skills.
  
  
• People who are severely deafened through accident or illness may rely on a combination of communication techniques, including written information.
  
  
• In all cases, the important thing is to ask the deaf person about their communication requirements and to respect their choice.

For example:

• A hearing aid does not restore normal hearing. It amplifies all available sounds, so it can often be difficult to distinguish conversation from background noise, particularly in areas where there is a lot of human or mechanical activity.
  
  
• An Induction Loop is an electronic device to assist hearing aid users. When used in conjunction with the 'T' switch on the user's hearing aid, it cuts out background noise and amplifies sound via microphone. To protect confidentiality in reception areas, the loop should only be installed at the desk. Portable mini loops are also available and can readily be moved between locations by the user. Meeting and conference rooms can have a room loop that is accessible to all hearing aid users in the vicinity.
  
  
• Text Phones are sometimes referred to as Minicoms, which is a trade name. The text phone is an electronic keyboard that enables deaf people to access the telephone system. Text phones can communicate directly with one another, but in order to communicate with voice telephones, it is necessary to relay through Typetalk, the national text phone relay service. The access number for hearing people using voice telephones is 0800 515152. A operator transfers the call, typing the spoken message and relaying the response back to the hearing caller. Typetalk operators undergo training and abide by a code of conduct covering confidentiality.

Source: Less Disabling Equality for Disabled People in the HPSS. Access to Services. A Good Practice Guide DHSS

DEAFBLIND PEOPLE

A deafblind person is somebody who can neither see nor hear to the extent that their communication, mobility and access to information about the world around them is significantly impaired.

• It is estimated there are in the region of 3000 deafblind people in Northern Ireland.
  
  
• A deafblind person may carry a red and white cane, or wear a red and white arm band, as an indicator of their disability