Deploying Hearing Assistive Technology as Part of an Accessibility Strategy: The Importance of Community Education and Engagement

Hearing Assistive Technology (or HAT) is a key component when creating an accessible environment for individuals with hearing loss or auditory impairments. Making the decision to invest and install such technology to assist those with hearing loss as part of an accessibility strategy is a great starting point. For the deployment to be truly effective, it must be accompanied by an inclusive approach focused on community education and engagement.

Installing HAT, such as a hearing loop, FM or Infrared solution is wonderful; but ensuring that the awareness exists among those who require it is equally as important. Community engagement and awareness regarding the availability of this technology are critical to the overall process as people need to be aware of its existence or it may not be leveraged.

Successful community engagement includes sharing the addition of the specified technology with community members. These discussions provide insight into the challenges that those with hearing loss face when in public settings and should include a focus on how the addition of technology creates an inclusive environment for those with this invisible disability. This can be done through a variety of channels, including:

• Community meetings and presentations
• Flyers and brochures
• Websites and social media
• Awareness campaigns with resources

It is important to note that community education and engagements are not just about informing individuals about the technology but also educating them on how to use it. This includes providing training on how to properly set up and use the technology, as well as providing ongoing support and assistance to ensure that individuals can fully utilize the technology to its fullest potential.

Social media can be a powerful tool for reaching a broad audience and engaging individuals in conversation about accessibility. This can include creating social media accounts and posting regular updates about the use of the technology, as well as hosting online webinar sessions and forums for individuals to address questions and share their experiences.

Creating an inclusive culture that values and embraces diversity means providing ongoing training for staff and employees on how to interact with individuals with disabilities and encouraging feedback from individuals with disabilities to identify any areas of improvement. By communicating the addition of the technology to community members, providing education on how to use it, and encouraging the use of social media to share why HAT it is important, we can create truly inclusive and accessible environments for those that struggle to hear in public spaces.