Seven months into the global pandemic, most of us have grown accustomed to wearing cloth or surgical face masks to help prevent the spread of a COVID-19, but for individuals who are deaf or hearing impaired and rely on lipreading to understand what's being said to them, masks pose a serious communication barrier. At least there is a clear solution, experts say.
Masks Compromise Communication for Individuals Who Are Hearing Impaired
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Tillian Jones, who collects antique regalia, poses for a recent photo.
Courtesy / Tillian Jones
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Speech Language Pathologist Rachel Glade is program director of communication sciences & disorders at the University of Arkansas.
Courtesy / Rachel Glade
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A cloth mask with a window allows individuals with hearing impairments to read lips.
Courtesy / Rachel Glade
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Joy Hapeman, who began to lose her hearing in her early 20s, is profoundly deaf.
Courtesy / Joy Hapeman
