Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: ADA Guide for Law Enforcement Officers

Communicating with People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Officers may find a variety of communication aids and services useful in different situations.

• Speech supplemented by gestures and visual aids can be used in some cases.

• A pad and pencil, a word processor, or a typewriter can be used to exchange written notes.

• A teletypewriter (TTY, also known as a TDD) can be used to exchange written messages over the telephone.

• An assistive listening system or device to amplify sound can be used when speaking with a person who is hard of hearing.

• A sign language interpreter can be used when speaking with a person who knows sign language.

• An oral interpreter can be used when speaking with a person who has been trained to speech read (read lips). Note: Do not assume that speech reading will be effective in most situations. On average, only about one third of spoken words can be understood by speech reading.

The type of situation, as well as the individual’s abilities, will determine which aid or service is needed to communicate effectively.