It's International Week of Deaf People - let's talk about the importance of accessibility for the deaf community.
As an accessibility consultant, I often work with organisations to help create better working environments for everyone.
When you think about accessibility, whether that's in a cafe, a shop, an office or any other place of work, you wouldn't be the only person to immediately jump to wheelchair accessibility.
As both a deaf person and a regular wheelchair user, I know all too well the struggles that many people experience when visiting businesses.
Accessibility isn't just about automatic doors, lifts and ramps - although those are, of course, a big part of it for many people.
What about making spaces more accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing?
No two deaf people are the same. Some people use hearing aids, voice-to-text devices, sign language, lip reading... or, like me, a combination of several methods of communication.
So, the first step towards becoming a more accessible business (other than reading my blog below!) is to ask your deaf and hard of hearing staff, visitors and customers how you can better serve them.
All too often, disabled people have decisions made for them. It's time to put the people affected at the forefront of your decisions and create better environments for everyone.
New Blog Article: How to Make Sure Your Business is Accessible to the Deaf Community
Does your business prioritise deaf accessibility? Learn more about how you can ensure your business is accessible to everyone on this week's blog.
What I’ve read this month
Some articles that have caught my eye this month...
Snapchat releases new lenses and stickers encouraging users to fingerspell (AdWeek)
Paralympians bring home gold medals, but we’re failing them on web accessibility (Tech Crunch)