American Sign Language: Understanding what it is like to be Deaf/hh:
What does it mean to be "Deaf/hh?"
A person "hears" a variety of "tones." I don’t hear well in the range of tones where you hear typical voiced conversation. Whether I can understand what a person is saying depends on a variety of communication factors:
I am Deaf in these situations:
I am Hard of Hearing in these situations:
• background noise
• light behind speaker
• mustache
• speaker has accent
• speaker has speech impediment
• Air Conditioner is running
• Small child’s voice
• Hearing Aid battery is dead• Person on TV is “off camera or not facing the camera.” Also if the TV is more than a few feet away.
• Person is more than a few feet away or speaks at below 60 decibels
• Person covers his mouth or turns to write on the blackboard.
• You are standing on my right (85 decibel loss)• It’s time to take out the garbage
• Quiet environment
• Appropriate lighting
• Clear view of mouth
• Amplifier on phone
• I have my hearing aid on
• Standard American English articulation
• Person is within a few feet and speaks at 60 decibels or above.
• Person isn’t chewing gum, smoking, or eating.
• Person on TV is facing the camera, his mouth movements can be seen, and the volume is at 70 decibels
• Some song lyrics if they are dominant and the graphic equalizer is set at a reverse “cookie bite.”
• you are standing on my left (55 decibel loss)
• It’s time to eat.
It has to do with a “cookie bite” audiogram:
