Sign language interpreters are having another moment in the spotlight as high profile public officials across the country are using in-screen interpreters for online press briefings, raising the visibility of sign language access for deaf and hard of hearing consumers on a never-seen-before scale. Even the current administration at the White House [...]
Feeling accessibility-stuck? Don’t have time for a full-blown American Sign Language course, but want to better serve deaf and hard of hearing people? Skill up on seamless communication with deaf and hard of hearing customers, in just one hour or less. Launching February 1st, deaffriendly Consulting’s on-line course, “Deaf-Friendly BASICS” is a [...]
Let's face it, it’s tough getting negative feedback. No one likes it, whether you’re an individual or a business. While eighty percent of reviews written by deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing people on deaffriendly.com are positive, the deaf-challenged experiences deaf customers face lead to twenty percent of reviews that are three [...]
With in-person events a distant memory and no end to Zoom fatigue, people are turning to a fast-growing medium: Podcasts. With so many of us stuck at home, podcasting is becoming an easy-to-consume, “snackable” form of content. According to data on 12,000 podcasts, downloads by U.S. listeners in September 2020 increased 150% [...]
“Curbside pickup” is one of the many buzzwords 2020 has given us. But unlike roller skate soda fountains and drive-through cinemas, it is likely to stay. Once both major businesses and mom-and-pop retailers implemented this service to curb (pun intended) the spread of COVID-19, it became clear: curbside pickup is an example [...]
From Python coding to engine assembly, the corporate world banks on hard skills. Job descriptions are seemingly 90 percent hard skills, tossing in a vague soft skill (“motivated self-starter,” anyone?). But soft skills are the secret sauce for retaining consumer loyalty, great user experiences, and being a deaf-friendly business. In fact, as [...]
George Floyd’s killing in June set off massive protests and demonstrations across the globe. A month later, our nation celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Part of celebrating is recognizing why it’s vital to have peaceful and accessible assembly: Overnight, social justice advocates, and community organizers had [...]
One of the keys to understanding the Deaf community is to examine how the Deaf community is unique. The things that set deaf and hard of hearing consumers apart from their hearing counterparts go well beyond language and communication differences; there are several different social norms and values that make Deaf consumers [...]
The world in normal times is fraught with communication obstacles for deaf and hard of hearing people. Communication obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic are even more challenging to navigate. The results of these compounded barriers can range from frustration and misunderstandings to life and death situations. One thing is clear, trying to [...]