Communication Strategies

Hearing-impaired learners

Gain attention - call the person by name and/or gently touch their arm or shoulder if they can't hear you.
Face the person - hearing impaired and deaf people need to see your face clearly to gain help from facial expressions and to speech read.
Avoid background noise - televisions, radios and people talking in the background may interfere with the person's ability to understand, particularly if they use a hearing aid.
Reduce the distance - the level of voice decreases over distance. Standing within one metre of the person is recommended.
Optimise lighting - good lighting assists speech reading ability.
Speak clearly - speak at a normal or slightly slower pace and nudge your volume up, but natural. Do not shout or exaggerate words as speech and lip movements are distorted. Be aware that beards and moustaches may impede speech reading.
Check for understanding - ask for feedback to check for understanding of what has been said. Use open-ended questions rather than yes or no questions, but avoid being patronising.
Repeat, rephrase or write down key messages to assist communication. Make use of diagrams and handouts.
Use facial expressions and body language appropriately - don't use exaggerated mime actions.

Vision impaired learners

Introducing yourself:

Use the name of the person who is vision impaired and touch them on the hand or shoulder to make contact. Always give your name.
Speak clearly and directly in a normal voice. There is no need to yell or speak via a third person.
Talk naturally and say exactly what you mean. A vision-impaired person uses words such as "see", "sight" and "look" so you can too.
Remember that gestures and facial expressions such as nodding, pointing and waving may not be seen.
Always announce when entering and leaving the room or moving away from the person.

Offering and providing assistance:

If you are unsure, just ask if how you can help.
Asking how much the person can see could be helpful. Very few people who are vision impaired are totally blind.
If you are acting as a guide, offer your arm and lead the way. Remember to give directions and describe the way ahead. Look up as well as down. If possible, describe the surroundings to the person. Tell them who and what is there.
Be aware of the way your learning environment is set up - try to reduce obstacles that the person may not be able to see.
Be aware of consistent lighting, some patients with vision impairment may find harsh lighting or glare from windows difficult.
Always ensure any paperwork is read to the person and that they understand before signing.