Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

A young woman is looking sideways to the camera

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

 

Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of these categories there’s actually a whole range of hearing impairments. This means that people don’t have the same needs in terms of accessibility.

What’s a hearing impairment exactly? Knowing what this type of disability englobes will help you address the needs of hearing impaired people to best meet them. Whether you manage a shopping mall and welcome customers from the deaf community or you have a new colleague who’s hard of hearing, you’ll see that you can implement or do simple actions to communicate effectively with them. 

What does it mean to be hearing impaired exactly?

“Hearing impaired” is often used to describe people with hearing loss, from mild to profound, that is to say deaf and hard of hearing people.

It may surprise you to know that a deaf person can actually discern certain sounds. But they may not exploit them. It turns out that completely deaf people only represent a minority. Most hearing impaired people can perceive sounds or can experience difficulties in following a conversation like those who are hard of hearing.

Another noteworthy fact: a deaf person isn’t necessarily non-speaking just as a non-speaking person isn’t necessarily deaf! 

Seeing that some hearing impaired people cannot properly hear their own voice, their speech may be difficult to understand for others. In fact, all deaf people have the physiological ability to speak but some never use their voice. They may prefer to use sign language, a way of communication entirely based on manual articulations, to express themselves. Some may remain silent while using sign language while others may articulate sounds.

Other deaf people can use their voice to communicate with a hearing person but it doesn’t mean they can hear. 

As you can see, there’s a whole range of abilities and/or preferences related to hearing impaired people. By remaining open-minded, you’ll make the hearing impaired person you’re interacting with more comfortable and at ease. That’s the first step in establishing trusting communication.

If you want to break down clichés on people with a hearing impairment, read our article:

8 Clichés About Deaf People

What solutions enhance accessibility for the hearing impaired?

Whether you’re dealing with deaf or hard of hearing people, you can make sure your venue or your transit network is accessible to them so that they can have access to information, find their bearings and communicate with your staff:

Message boards, captioned videos if there are any, pictograms at points of interest to provide visual and textual information.

Audio induction loops or amplification systems at your information desk so that people wearing hearing aids can properly hear your staff.

An instant transcription app such as Ava to transcribe conversations between hearing people and the hearing impaired.

American Sign Language interpret: for example if you run a museum, an ASL interpreter is perfect to make culture accessible to the deaf community.

Transparent face masks for all your staff members: they protect them and your customers from COVID-19 and enable your deaf customers to lip-read. That way, they can understand your personnel. 

Indoor wayfinding apps such as Evelity so that deaf and hard of hearing users can get their bearings in any complex venues. Evelity, developed by Okeenea, is the perfect solution for maze-like venues such as shopping malls, hospitals or transit networks. The app provides textual information and is currently installed at the JaySt-MetroTech subway station in New York City!

Always keep in mind that a well-trained staff is extremely valuable to your venue. We’ve come up with 12 tips to welcome a deaf or hard of hearing person!

Your staff needs to know about people with disabilities, their profiles, their capabilities and difficulties in order to best assist them. And for each type of disability, there’s a multitude of different profiles! By being aware of their profiles and by acknowledging their differences, more or less subtle, we’ll favor inclusion.

Very various profiles of hearing impairment

For the deaf and hearing impaired community, you’ll see that according to their profile, they don’t all have the same needs. Let’s dive into their specificities! 

People who were born deaf or hard of hearing

Due to genetic factors or complications during pregnancy, a baby can be born with a partial or complete hearing loss. Usually, people who were born completely deaf learned to communicate with sign language. It’s what they have always known.

People who became deaf on a later age

The terms “deafened” and “late-deafened” can be used to describe people who became deaf as adults. Their hearing loss may have been caused by a chronic illness or an ear infection. Seeing that their hearing impairment occurred later in life, they had to adapt. As you can imagine, this could prove to be more or less difficult. 

Although around 48 million people have a hearing impairment in the United States, less than 500,000 of them know and use sign language. This means that most of the deaf and hearing impaired community relies on another way to communicate with others.

Hard of hearing people

They have a mild or moderate hearing loss. But this term can also be employed as a way for hard of hearing people to dissociate themselves from the deaf community. Some of them don’t want to and/or don’t belong to the deaf community’s culture.

People with cochlear implants

Cochlear implants are surgically implanted to people with severe or profound hearing loss. These devices give the receiver a modified perception of sound which means that people with cochlear implants need to have an auditory training to feel comfortable with them.

Once again, we see that adaptation is key for those who choose to have cochlear implants. However, we need to be aware that most of the deaf community is against them. They consider they shouldn’t have to adapt to fit with society’s standards and norms. For them, cochlear implants stand against their language and culture. 

People with hearing aids

Unfortunately, there is still a lot of stigma attached to hearing aids. A lot of people feel ashamed to have some. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), among the adults aged 70 and older who could benefit from using hearing aids, fewer than one in three has ever used them. And it’s even less for adults aged 20 to 69.

Even though hearing aids make environmental sound audible for its users, people with hearing loss are afraid of what others might think of them.

Hearing impaired people with additional disabilities

Tackling accessibility, we often discuss disabilities per family type meaning that we divide them in categories to focus on one disability type at a time. But people may also have multiple disabilities. Indeed, they may combine two disability types.

A deaf or hard of hearing person can also have a motor, a visual or a cognitive impairment.

Let’s focus here on deaf-blind people that is to say people with a combination of hearing and visual losses. Contrary to what the name could suggest, deaf-blindness isn’t a total inability to see or hear.

Even for this rare case, there are different profiles:

People who are profoundly deaf and totally blind and who can only experience the world through touch,

People who are totally blind but have some usable hearing,

People who are profoundly deaf but have some usable vision,

People with both usable vision and hearing.

Depending on their capabilities, accessibility and communication can be more or less challenging. But the thing with visually and/or hearing impaired people is that their disability may not be obvious for others. 

From an exterior point of view, they may first appear as “valid” people. It’s only when they’re in a difficult situation that their impairment can be visible. For example, you may be standing in a queue at a café and once it’s up to the person in front of you to order then they may have difficulties to read the menu or to communicate with the staff. Actually, 80% of people with disabilities have invisible disabilities!

Knowing and understanding disabilities, whatever their types are, actually represents the first step towards inclusion! We’re all different but our differences mustn’t stand in the way of accessing and enjoying everything the world has to offer. We all need to keep an open mind to make sure inclusion for all is everywhere. For the hearing impaired, that means being aware of their difficulties in order to break them down.

Plus, as we saw, how deaf and hard of hearing people identify themselves is important. The best way is to let them tell you what best describes them and what they identify with.

Sources:

Deafness and Hearing Loss (WHO)

National Association of the Deaf

Would you like to know more about the hearing impaired and their everyday challenges? Check out these articles:

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Deaf People at Public Venues

Public Transport Information: 5 Solutions for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users 

Published on 12th November, 2021

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A hearing impaired man uses sign language to communicate

Knowing and understanding disabilities, whatever their types are, actually represents the first step towards inclusion! (..) For the hearing impaired, that means being aware of their difficulties in order to break them down.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

Accessibility for All: Why Removing Barriers Benefits Us All

Accessibility for All: Why Removing Barriers Benefits Us All

View on a rotunda, a great example of accessibility for all

Accessibility for All: Why Removing Barriers Benefits Us All

For sure, accessibility for all isn’t something to take lightly. And neither is it something that can easily be discarded considering that over 1 billion people in the world have disabilities. We, as world’s citizens, all have a part to play in creating a safe and comfortable place for everybody.

Because that’s what accessibility for all aims at: improving everybody’s lives, starting with some of the most vulnerable populations. People with disabilities face a whole different world than the one “able” people live in.

But we share common points and situations where accessibility for all takes its full meaning and truly improves our lives whether we are shopping, commuting, using our phone, wandering in a museum or the streets…

Let’s see what accessibility can do for us all! And how we can design it to suit us! You’ll discover that some technologies we use every day come from accessible solutions!

What’s accessibility for all?

Accessibility for all suggests that we are all concerned about this concept, regardless of our profile. Thus, whether some of us are visually impaired or have motor issues or are simply older or have none of the above, accessibility represents a goal for all of us to reach.

A reminder of what accessibility entails: enabling everyone to have access to everything. It occurs when obstacles are removed. For example, when an elevator is installed instead or in addition to stairs in a building for wheelchair users or when adapted equipment is provided such as screen readers for visually impaired people to use their smartphones. 

Consequently, the goal of accessibility is to find accommodations so that people with disabilities can have the same experiences as any other person, whether they’re in a public venue or at home. 

Taking into account that accessibility is about making sure people with disabilities have the same chances and access as anybody else, can there be one solution to suit everybody? Especially since there are a lot of different disabilities and types. 

Well, that’s universal design’s take: one solution that meets everyone’s needs. Let’s take the example of a video. If it both has audio and captions, it can be as accessible for visually impaired people as it is for those with a hearing impairment. Plus, if the language used in the video is clear and easily understandable, people with an intellectual disability can also enjoy it. As for users with no disabilities, they can watch the video on the subway without bothering other riders simply by muting it and reading the subtitles.

Considering that in 2019, there were 3.97 billion Internet users in the World, a number constantly on the rise, digital accessibility for all is more than necessary. 

And it’s also mandatory as stated in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Making sure a video is captioned is just one task among others. Another useful tip we can all follow is providing alt text for online images. In that way, blind or visually impaired users aren’t excluded. They can easily access the same content as any other user.

For those who would like to know more on this field, check out our article: 

Digital Accessibility: Why? For Whom? How?

How to design for all?

Now that we all acknowledge that there are indeed solutions that can be accessible to everyone, only one question remains: how can we design for all?

What’s to keep in mind is that accessibility for all concerns and impacts all aspects of our lives: the college we study to, the shopping mall we do our Christmas shopping in, our place of work, the restaurant that serves our favourite meal, the museum that enlightens us, the public transit we use to commute every day… To sum up, the very city we live in.

For people with disabilities to get around freely and in complete autonomy, how can designers, architects and city makers conceive a city that’s accessible to them and ultimately to all?

By applying one simple rule: when it comes to designing a venue, a park or a subway station, always put yourselves at the shoes of users with disabilities. Show empathy and open mindedness to understand their needs and meet them. And also, think of accessibility at the earliest stage of your design process.

This means asking directly to those involved: associations representing people with disabilities. What are their needs? What can you do to make them heard? You’ll be sure to implement solutions that are truly useful and helpful for all. 

Focusing on a user-centered approach is one of the key components of inclusive design. A concept that provides accessibility for different groups of people. Inclusive design acts as in between accessibility and universal design. But what matters here is that there’s constant research and feedback from users with disabilities to make sure that the solution perfectly meets their needs.

And for the urban planners among you, designing for all can be a simple thing such as lowered sidewalks. They’re essential for wheelchair users and pedestrians with reduced mobility who use a walker or a cane to get around in the city without any difficulties. But lowered sidewalks are also useful for people carrying luggage or pushing a stroller or even for children.

Every little thing implemented counts, especially regarding accessibility for all. If you take the example of the European Union, since 2010 they’ve been rewarding the most accessible European cities with an access city award.

This award represents the perfect opportunity for candidate cities to shine and show how they’ve enhanced equal access and inclusion for all their inhabitants. From ensuring barrier-free accessibility in buildings, streets and natural spaces to providing accessible buses and metro networks and easy-to-understand information. 

Check out this year’s initiatives with this downloadable report on Examples of best practices in making EU cities more accessible!

It’s true that cities from all over the world are renewing themselves and are rethinking what they can provide their citizens with. New York City is living proof: the Big Apple happens to be a trailblazer in the latest innovations regarding inclusive mobility!

Indeed, New York City’s bold take on mobility issues has permitted it to implement an indoor navigation app designed especially for people with disabilities. The app Evelity, installed at Jay St-MetroTech subway station, provides step-by-step instructions according to the user profile. For blind and visually impaired users, Evelity gives audio instructions but for deaf and hearing impaired users, the app gives textual information. The optimized routes it offers enable wheelchair users to avoid being confronted to stairs. As for users with a mental impairment, Evelity gives easy-to-understand information to help them get around without having to depend on someone else.

This type of solution demonstrates exactly what accessibility for all means: a one-size-fits-all solution! Because if Evelity guides users with disabilities in a complex venue, it can also help any other type of users find their bearings in an unknown and maze-like facility.

Examples of solutions that were first invented to help disabled people but are now commonly used today

If the app Evelity isn’t currently being used in every major public transportation system of every large city, other solutions which were first designed for people with disabilities are now part of everyday lives. You’ll be surprised by some of them!

The remote control: we use it without even thinking. Can’t move because your cat is taking a nap on your knees but you want to change channels? That’s simple: just use your remote control. Thanks to it, we barely need to lift a finger to watch TV. And that’s what its sole purpose has been!

Indeed, the wireless remote control was first invented in 1955 for people with limited mobility by American engineer Eugene J. Polley! An invention that also improved the lives of the elderly and is now a convenience for all of us.

The typewriter: well, alright, we may not use it anymore but we can sure look at it as the computer’s ancestor. Francesco Rampazatto, an Italian inventor, created a typing instrument in 1575. The device was composed of cubic wooden embossed characters to help blind people communicate with others.

The telephone: we all know it was invented by Scottish engineer Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 (of course we all knew that). But what may be less known is that Alexander Graham Bell was strongly involved with the deaf community having a wife and a mother that were both deaf. He taught people with a hearing impairment and that’s his work with them that gave him the idea of “electronic speech” that turned into the telephone.  

The office scanner: another invention that emerged from meeting the needs of disabled people. In 1976, American engineer Ray Kurzweil invented a reading machine to transcribe written text to blind people after meeting a blind man who told me he’d like books to tell their stories. To do so, Ray Kurzweil had to conceive a flatbed scanner and a text-to-speech synthesizer, two technologies that were unheard of at the time. His invention evolved to turn into the office scanner many of us use every day. 

SMS text messages: even though the first SMS was sent in 1992 by one of the engineers who worked on developing this type of communication, British Neil Papworth, the idea of text messages actually emerged in 1984. Finnish engineer Matti Makkonen came up with it as a way to communicate with deaf people. Thanks to the work of both engineers, now billions of texts are sent each day worldwide!

For sure, without these groundbreaking innovations, our lives wouldn’t be what they are today. We use them on a daily basis and yet we probably take them for granted. But what an eye-opening experience to realize that these innovations emerged thanks to engineers who first focused on improving the lives of disabled people! 

We can only but wonder what other innovative solutions will see the day, solutions that benefit us all. Because it seems that inclusion was what guaranteed the success and the longevity of these major innovations from the two last centuries.

Why does accessibility for all matter?

Now, you’re starting to understand why accessibility for all is so important. And the key role of thinking in terms of inclusive solutions. 

As we’ve mentioned at the beginning of this article, over 1 billion people in the world have disabilities. That represents roughly the whole population of India! We need to remove accessibility barriers now!

Especially since there’s a growing aging population. According to the United Nations, by 2050 one in six people in the world will be over the age of 65. In 2019, it amounted to one in eleven. As you’ve realized, this type of population is concerned with accessibility issues and ultimately, accessible equipment: easy-grip handrails, contrasting and non-slippery stair nosing, universal pictograms… Seeing that we’re all getting older, we may need accessible solutions later on in our lives.

But it’s true that when we think of disabilities, wheelchair users are usually the ones that first come to mind. It’s simply due to the fact that people with motor disabilities have the most “obvious” disabilities, as in the most visible ones. The thing is that there is a whole range of disabilities and that most of them are invisible. It means that at first glance you can’t know if someone has a disability. It’s only when you see this person struggling at a task that you realize they might have a disability. For example, deafness doesn’t appear obvious when you pass strangers in the streets. 

Invisible Disabilities: 80% of Disabled People Are Concerned!

Disabled people and the elderly aren’t the only ones to be concerned by accessibility issues. Indeed, we can all at some point be in an incapacitating situation. How can you use the subway with a broken leg? How can you find your bearings in a venue when you can’t speak the language of the country you’re visiting? Or what does it happen when one of your relatives is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s? You may need to act as caregiver so what can you do to make the living conditions of your relative more suited to their needs?

That’s why accessibility for all matters… You never know what life has planned for you. Besides, it’s unfathomable to enjoy all the opportunities the world has to offer knowing that over 1 billion people experience difficulties accessing them! This way of thinking makes us grow, feel stronger as empaths and act to make the world accessible to all! We all benefit from accessible solutions, regardless of our profile. 

As Neil Armstrong would have put it, accessibility for all represents one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind. So are you ready to aim for the moon with us? Inclusion is within our reach!

Check out another area where disabilities inspire change and improvement:

Disability as an Innovation Driver for the Smart City

Published on October 15th, 2021

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A wheelchair user and a woman using a cane side by side

When it comes to designing a venue, a park or a subway station, always put yourselves at the shoes of users with disabilities. Show empathy and open mindedness to understand their needs and meet them. And also, think of accessibility at the earliest stage of your design process.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

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Get the latest news about accessibility and the Smart City.

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share our article!

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Unsubscribe in one click. The information collected is confidential and kept safe.

powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Intellectual Disabilities at Your Venue

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Intellectual Disabilities at Your Venue

A crowded café that welcomes customers with intellectual disabilities

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Intellectual Disabilities at Your Venue

La déficience intellectuelle est probablement la déficience la moins connue. Qu’implique-t-elle exactement ? Quels sont les besoins des personnes présentant une déficience intellectuelle ? En répondant à ces questions, vous pourrez mieux comprendre vos clients présentant une déficience intellectuelle. Ce sera la première étape pour leur offrir la meilleure expérience possible.

Bien sûr, nous savons tous que le bouche-à-oreille reste l’un des moyens les plus efficaces pour attirer les clients, mais un service de qualité reste essentiel pour les fidéliser. Et pour les clients en situation de handicap intellectuel, l’accessibilité rime véritablement avec attractivité ! Cela va au-delà du respect de l’ADA. En effet, l’accessibilité est l’occasion idéale pour vous d’améliorer votre performance et de favoriser l’inclusion pour tous.

Prêt à ouvrir vos portes à tous ? Voyons ce que vous devez mettre en œuvre pour accueillir les clients en situation de handicap intellectuel !

Qu’est-ce qu’une déficience intellectuelle ?

Tout d’abord, il est important de comprendre précisément de quoi on parle. Être atteint d’une déficience intellectuelle signifie avoir des difficultés d’apprentissage et un manque de comportements adaptatifs. Les personnes atteintes d’une déficience intellectuelle peuvent éprouver des difficultés à résoudre des problèmes, à raisonner, à communiquer et à réaliser des tâches pratiques au quotidien.

Certaines maladies génétiques entraînent des déficiences intellectuelles , comme la trisomie 21 et le syndrome de l’X fragile. La trisomie 21, également appelée trisomie 21, est la déficience intellectuelle la plus connue. En général, les personnes atteintes de trisomie 21 ont les capacités mentales d’un enfant de huit ans, mais cela dépend bien sûr de la personne. 

Mais la déficience intellectuelle ne doit pas être confondue avec la déficience cognitive ni avec la déficience psychiatrique. 

Déficience cognitive  : elle diminue les fonctions intellectuelles, mais moins sévèrement qu’une déficience intellectuelle. Les personnes atteintes de déficience cognitive, lésions cérébrales ou de maladies neurodégénératives telles que la démence et la maladie d’Alzheimer. En réalité, de nombreux troubles cognitifs dérivent de la mémoire.

Handicap psychiatrique  : il s’agit des personnes schizophrènes, bipolaires ou anxieuses. Cependant, le handicap psychiatrique n’affecte pas leurs capacités intellectuelles ; il les rend simplement plus difficiles à utiliser dans certaines circonstances ou états émotionnels. 

Gardez à l’esprit qu’il n’est pas toujours évident de déceler une déficience intellectuelle. En effet, 80 % des handicaps sont invisibles ! C’est pourquoi il est préférable d’éviter tout jugement. On ne sait jamais ce qu’une personne peut traverser…

Comment votre lieu peut-il être accessible aux clients ayant une déficience intellectuelle ?

Maintenant que nous savons ce qui se cache derrière les mots « déficience intellectuelle », nous pouvons nous concentrer sur l’aide à apporter à vos clients vivant avec une déficience intellectuelle pour qu’ils vivent la meilleure expérience possible dans votre établissement.

Demande de l’ADA

Si votre entreprise est ouverte depuis un certain temps, vous connaissez peut-être déjà l’ ADA . L’Americans with Disabilities Act de 1990 protège les personnes handicapées contre toute forme de discrimination. 

Cela signifie que les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel doivent bénéficier du même accueil et avoir accès aux mêmes lieux et services que les autres. Tous les types de lieux publics sont concernés et doivent être conformes aux normes ADA : les nouveaux lieux comme les lieux existants. Rendre accessibles les lieux existants peut évidemment s’avérer complexe en raison de travaux de rénovation importants, de l’historicité du bâtiment ou de sa topographie.

Ce qui est sûr, c’est qu’offrir à tous vos clients un accès facile à votre établissement n’est qu’une première étape. La tâche se complique lorsque vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel doivent accéder à un service ou s’orienter dans votre établissement… Il est essentiel de créer un environnement sûr et rassurant pour qu’ils se sentent à l’aise.

Fournir des informations faciles à lire et à comprendre

Étant donné que les personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle peuvent avoir du mal à réfléchir, à conceptualiser et à prendre des décisions, la meilleure façon de les aider à comprendre ce que votre lieu et vos services ont à leur offrir est de rendre vos informations les plus claires et les plus simples possibles. 

Comment pouvez-vous le faire exactement ? 

Utilisez des mots facilement compréhensibles,

Donnez des exemples pour expliquer votre proposition,

Faites des phrases courtes,

Utilisez des mots complets au lieu de leurs initiales,

Utilisez des phrases actives plutôt que passives.

Gardez à l’esprit que vos phrases doivent être exemptées d’idiomes ou d’expressions particulières susceptibles de dérouter vos clients. Cela concerne non seulement les personnes handicapées mentales, mais aussi les personnes analphabètes et les personnes âgées. Certaines figures de style, comme les métaphores, peuvent aggraver la situation.

Il en va de même si vous comptez sur des vidéos ou d’autres types de supports pour accueillir vos clients. 

Si votre lieu est particulièrement complexe, un plan à votre bureau d’information peut s’avérer très utile. Petit conseil : pensez à prendre des photos des différents espaces et à les aménager. Ainsi, vos clients pourront mieux visualiser les lieux et les reconnaître à leur arrivée. 

Des informations faciles à lire et à comprendre sont essentielles pour que les clients en situation de handicap intellectuel puissent explorer en toute autonomie votre lieu. 

Établir un système de navigation clair au sein de votre lieu

Une autre difficulté à laquelle vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel peuvent être confrontés est de se déplacer et de trouver leur repère, notamment dans un lieu complexe et vaste comme un hôpital, un musée ou un centre commercial .

Heureusement, vous pouvez mettre en place des solutions simples qui les aideront à naviguer seuls, à leur rythme. De plus, vous constaterez que tous vos clients en bénéficieront !

Pictogrammes universels

Ils représentent peut-être la solution la plus simple et la plus facile : les pictogrammes. Inutile d’expliquer quoi que ce soit en détail, une icône colorée fera l’affaire. 

Un moyen idéal d’indiquer à vos clients où trouver tel ou tel service. Grâce aux pictogrammes, ils seront moins susceptibles de se sentir anxieux, stressés ou perdus. 

De plus, l’utilisation de pictogrammes universels aidera non seulement les clients ayant une déficience intellectuelle à trouver l’ascenseur ou les toilettes, mais ils seront également utiles à ceux qui ne parlent pas la langue ou aux personnes sourdes qui dépendent des informations visuelles pour se déplacer.

Nous sommes tous habitués aux pictogrammes universels. Ils parlent le même langage, c’est là tout leur intérêt. En quelques secondes, chacun peut comprendre leur signification et adapter son orientation en conséquence. Vos clients et vos employés gagnent ainsi du temps.

Application de navigation pour guider vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel

Vous pouvez compter sur des technologies innovantes pour aider vos clients en situation de handicap mental à s’orienter dans votre établissement. De plus en plus d’applications proposent des solutions de navigation intérieure pour les personnes handicapées. Après tout, 84 % d’entre elles utilisent un smartphone au quotidien. C’est devenu un outil essentiel pour préserver leur autonomie.

Concentrons-nous sur une excellente application de navigation que vous pouvez facilement mettre en œuvre sur votre lieu de réception :

Evelity : cette application a été conçue pour guider les personnes en situation de handicap, quels que soient leur profil et leurs capacités, dans des lieux complexes. Pour les utilisateurs malvoyants, l’application propose des instructions audio. Pour les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel, l’application propose des instructions faciles à lire. Créée par Okeenea Digital, une start-up française, Evelity équipe désormais l’ensemble du métro marseillais et la Fondation Luma , un musée d’Arles, tous deux situés dans le sud de la France. Mais cette solution d’orientation intérieure dépasse les frontières puisqu’elle est actuellement déployée à la station JaySt-MetroTech de New York ! 

Grâce à une simple application, vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel peuvent se déplacer librement et en toute autonomie. Ils n’ont pas besoin de votre personnel pour trouver un service.

L’installation d’une application de navigation dans votre établissement peut être une excellente solution si vous ne pouvez pas entreprendre de travaux de rénovation importants pour le rendre accessible. Cela peut véritablement compléter votre équipement actuel.

Escaliers sécurisés

Selon votre lieu, vous avez peut-être installé des ascenseurs ou même des escaliers mécaniques. Mais êtes-vous sûr que vos escaliers sont accessibles et sûrs ? Vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel peuvent-ils monter et descendre vos escaliers sans difficulté ?

Voici un récapitulatif de ce dont vos escaliers doivent être équipés :

Mains courantes faciles à saisir et continue,

Surfaces d’avertissement détectables au sommet de chaque volée,

Nez de marche contrasté et antidérapant,

Contremarches contrastées sur la première et la dernière marche de chaque volée,

Un éclairage adéquat.

Encore une fois, ce type d’équipement ne se limite pas à aider les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel à se déplacer en toute sécurité dans votre établissement. Il s’adresse également à différents profils d’utilisateurs, comme les personnes aveugles ou malvoyantes, ou encore les personnes âgées… L’accessibilité nous a permis de nous concentrer sur la sécurité de tous.

Améliorer la communication entre votre personnel et vos clients ayant une déficience intellectuelle

Pour les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel, exprimer leurs pensées et comprendre les autres peuvent être difficiles. Que pouvez-vous faire pour faciliter la communication avec elles ?

Ici, votre personnel joue un rôle clé : il doit tout mettre en œuvre pour offrir le meilleur service possible. Et cela est d’ailleurs valable pour toute interaction avec les clients. 

En formant votre personnel pour accompagner au mieux les clients en situation de handicap intellectuel, vous créez un environnement sûr et de confiance pour eux. Ils seront plus enclins à revenir dans un endroit où leurs besoins sont entendus, compris et satisfaits, sans être jugés. 

Découvrez nos 9 conseils pour accueillir au mieux les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel ! Vous verrez que sourire, rester calme et rassurer peuvent faire la différence. 

De plus, comme nous l’avons vu précédemment concernant l’accès à l’information, veillez à utiliser un langage clair et simplifié, sans idiomes ni métaphores. Cela vous aidera, vous et vos employés, à mieux communiquer avec eux.

Vous pouvez également utiliser différents supports pour faire passer votre message : assurez-vous d’avoir toujours du papier et un crayon à portée de main au cas où vous auriez besoin de dessiner. Inutile de vous transformer en Léonard de Vinci ; réalisez simplement un dessin clair et simple si nécessaire.

En faisant preuve de patience et de respect, vos clients en situation de handicap intellectuel se sentiront plus à l’aise. Ils pourraient vous poser de nombreuses questions, à vous ou à votre personnel, et même être francs. Mais il s’agit d’une conversation informelle, alors restez vous-même. 

Vous connaissez désormais les défis auxquels sont confrontées les personnes en situation de handicap intellectuel et les solutions que vous pouvez mettre en œuvre pour les aider à profiter pleinement de votre lieu ! À vous de jouer !

Vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur la déficience intellectuelle ? Lisez ces articles :

8 clichés sur le handicap intellectuel

Transports publics : des solutions d’accessibilité, également pour les personnes handicapées mentales ! 

7 clichés sur le handicap psychiatrique

Mis à jour le 1er mars 2022 / Publié le 1er octobre 2021

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An employee ready to welcome customers with intellectual disabilities

Providing your staff with the proper training to best assist customers with intellectual disabilities will enable you to create a safe and trustworthy environment for your customers.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

8 Key Points to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Vision Disabilities at Public Venues

8 Key Points to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Vision Disabilities at Public Venues

A coffee shop with staff serving customers

8 Key Points to Ensure Accessibility for Customers with Vision Disabilities at Public Venues

Are you sure that your facility meets all the conditions to properly accommodate blind or visually impaired people? The standards for accessibility set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 apply to all forms of disabilities. Behind the technical constraints that are sometimes obscure and off-putting for non-specialists, regulatory obligations meet the specific needs of certain categories of users. To help you see more clearly, we have detailed in this article all the fundamental principles to know so that your public accommodations or commercial facilities offer a high-quality welcome to all visitors who are blind or have low vision.

Follow this checklist, you will then have an exhaustive vision of the improvements you can make!

What are the needs of blind or visually impaired people in a public venue in terms of accessibility?

Like any visitor, blind or visually impaired people go to public venues to benefit from the services offered there. To access the building and services, the main difficulties experienced are as follows:

Orientation: knowing in which direction to go,

Location: finding their bearings and being able to identify them,

Access to written information,

Risks of falling or bumping into obstacles.

Take a notepad and a pen, exit your facility, and walk the route from the outdoor access, putting yourself in the shoes of a blind or visually impaired person. Write down anything that could be problematic, we guide you through each step of the travel chain.

Accessible tools to prepare the trip before your visit

Do your customers or users have access to all the information about your facility before their visit? Do you have a website? Does it meet digital accessibility standards? Can you find all the information on access to your facility?

Service areas: public transport stops, location of the parking area, drop-off point,

Description of the surroundings if the main entrance is not accessible directly from the street,

Location of the reception point, description of the route to get there,

Instructions for use of the access control device, if applicable.

Are your reception staff able to provide all this information over the phone? Here’s a tip: make a summary sheet that you will leave permanently near the switchboard.

Make the outdoor walking path detectable and safe

Is the entrance to your facility directly accessible from the street? 

If not, people with blindness or vision loss may find it difficult to reach it, especially if the space is large and devoid of cues such as a parking lot for example.

The path from the access to the outdoor area to the main entrance to the building must be easily detectable and recognizable thanks to a visual and tactile contrast. We can then play on the differences in floor coverings: asphalt, exposed aggregate concrete, resin, cobblestones, lawns, etc. In the absence of natural tactile contrast, it is possible to add directional or guidance tactile paving.

Regarding safety, several points must be checked:

If there are stairways on the outdoor walking path, they should be fitted with raised warning stripes at the top of each flight, contrasting and non-slip stair nosing, but also high-contrasting risers at the top and bottom.

If the walking path crosses a lane used by vehicles, it must include a textured surface such as truncated domes upstream and downstream of the pedestrian crossing.

If glass walls are located near the pedestrian path, they must be marked with high-contrasting elements to avoid the risk of bumping into them.

If there is a step of more than 15 inches close to the walking path, this drop should be protected with a guardrail.

Keep in mind that a person with a visual impairment cannot walk upright if they do not have a guidance path to orientate themselves. The notion of “walking path” must therefore be considered in the broad sense, namely all the space accessible to pedestrians and not just a virtual strip of 36 to 56 inches wide.

Make the main entrance easy to reach and to recognize

Is the entrance to your facility recognizable by a visual contrast or a particular architectural treatment? Is it equipped with an audio beacon? Is the name of your business clearly visible?

If the walking path leading to the main entrance is well defined and clearly identifiable, you have already done a good part of the work. However, people who are blind or have low vision need to confirm their position. For those who retain visual abilities, signage in large characters, using high-contrasting colors. And for people who cannot read, an audio beacon allows them to trigger a verbal message announcing the name of the business, using their standardized remote control or their smartphone.

Make sure your access control system is accessible

Does an intercom or a call button restrict access to your facility? If so, is it usable by a blind or visually impaired person?

So that the access control systems are not an obstacle for the visually impaired, it should above all be of a contrasting color compared to its support and have keys with writing in large characters, numbers and of raised symbols. So that your blind or visually impaired visitors are aware of the presence of this device before their visit, it is important that its existence be mentioned on your communication media. As we said before, this typology of visitors is used to prepare for their trips.

Finally, be aware that intercoms with name scrolling cannot be used by blind people. It is therefore necessary to provide an alternative if necessary: ​​communicate an access code, offer a welcome at the door, the possibility of contacting a person on arrival, etc.

Make your reception easy-to-access and detectable

Is your reception desk easy to find for your visually impaired visitors?

Blind or visually impaired people rely a lot on reception and human support to find their way around a building and benefit from the services offered there. To facilitate access, your reception desk must therefore be located as close as possible to the main entrance. It should be easily identifiable by visual contrast and suitable lighting. If it is necessary to cross a large area to get there, we recommend installing a guidance path that will make it easier for everyone to orientate themselves.

We draw your attention to the use of queue management systems. It is difficult for a blind or partially sighted person to stand in a queue and know when their turn is. Note that the systems cannot be used by this audience unless the person in charge of the distribution speaks aloud the number appearing on the ticket and the same applies to the order of passage. It is therefore recommended that visually impaired people be given priority access, on the same basis as people with standing problems.

Make indoor navigation easy and safe

Is it possible for a blind or visually impaired person to move around safely in your facility? Can they easily orientate themselves there?

It is likely that a person with a visual impairment coming to your facility for the first time will need human assistance to find their way there. However, there are certain arrangements to be made.

First and foremost, indoor hallways should offer the best possible security. Thus, the lighting must be sufficiently intense and homogeneous, that it must not create shadows. Floor lighting should be avoided due to glare.

Indoor paths must be free of any obstacle. Be sure to remove overhead obstacles or, if this is not possible, to force them to be bypassed by a piece of furniture. The glass walls located along the path must have contrasting elements to avoid the risk of bumping into them.

To facilitate the orientation of visually impaired people in complex spaces, the installation of guidance paths or directional paving is recommended, possibly associated with audio beacons. The Evelity indoor navigation application tailored for all types of disabilities is also specially designed to allow visitors with disabilities to move around independently within a complex building such as an administrative center, museum, university, or hospital.

Finally, all stairs must be secured with:

Easy-grip and continuous handrails on both sides,

Detectable warning surfaces at the top of each flight,

Contrasting and non-slippery stair nosing,

Contrasting risers on the first and last step of each flight and

Adequate lighting.

If your facility has one or more elevators, for them to be usable by visually impaired people, they should have:

Visually and tactile contrasted call buttons,

Visually contrasted numbers, raised and in Braille,

A vocalization system for floor numbers and cabin movements.

Make your signage visible and readable to visually impaired people

Do the doors to rooms, bedrooms or offices in your facility have signage that can be read by blind or visually impaired people?

After crossing a hall, walking through mazes of corridors and stairs, what could be more natural than wanting to confirm your destination. Am I in front of room 212? For the visually impaired to be able to do this independently, the door signs must include the name or number of the room in large letters. These must be of a contrasting color compared to the support and be raised by 1 to 2 millimeters for tactile reading. The inscription must also be in Braille.

Similar signage must be found at the restrooms to distinguish the male toilets from the female toilets.

Specific provisions for equipment and materials accessible to the public

Can all the equipment made available to the public in your facility be used independently by a blind or visually impaired person?

ATMs, vending machines, drink machines, photocopiers…, anyone should be able to use them. To achieve this objective with visually impaired people, it is above all necessary to provide written instructions in large, contrasting characters. An operation vocalization system is also desirable for anyone unable to read.

If you have followed our journey, you now know everything there is to do to make your business accessible to blind or visually impaired people. To prioritize the work and investments that will allow you to reach your goal, we recommend that you turn to qualified accessibility professionals. Better than anyone, they will know how to support you in the implementation.

Would you like to know more about visual impairment? Dive in with:

6 Tips to Communicate with a Blind or Visually Impaired Person

The Smartphone: a Revolution for the Blind and Visually Impaired!

How Do the Blind Safely Cross the Road?

Published on September 17th, 2021

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An audio beacon at Okeenea's entrance

To facilitate the orientation of visually impaired people in complex spaces, the installation of guidance paths or directional paving is recommended, possibly associated with audio beacons.

writer

Lise Wagner

Lise Wagner

Accessibility Expert

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Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?July celebrates Disability Pride Month! A month to support and raise awareness on disability. It gives people with disabilities an opportunity to be seen and heard. Obviously, everybody has their own...

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

6 Tips to Communicate with a Blind or Visually Impaired Person

6 Tips to Communicate with a Blind or Visually Impaired Person

Two people sitting face to face and chatting

6 Tips to Communicate with a Blind or Visually Impaired Person

Do you feel uncomfortable, distraught, clumsy… when you see a blind person? No need to worry, we’ve made up a quick survival guide with 6 key points to make sure everything goes well. Before all, stay natural and relaxed, simply start the conversation naturally and the rest will follow!

1. Speak first

It’s the easiest way to break the ice. If you speak first, the visually impaired person will be able to locate where you are thanks to the sound of your voice and will know who to speak to. Say hi to them as soon as they arrive and ask them if they need anything.

2. Introduce yourself

Even if you’re clearly speaking to them and that you’re wearing a name tag or a uniform, a blind or visually impaired person will struggle to spontaneously know if you’re a staff member or not. Simply say who you are so that they’ll know what they can ask from you.

If you’ve met them before, they may spontaneously recognize you with the sound of your voice. But recognizing a voice isn’t as reliable as recognizing someone’s facial features. The context, the intonation, and some circumstances like a cold can make your voice unrecognizable. So don’t hesitate to say your name, you’ll save time!

3. Make sure the person you’re talking to has understood you’re speaking to them

If several people are present in the same place at the same time, like in a line for example, it’s difficult for those who can’t see or see poorly to know when someone is speaking to them.

When a visually impaired person enters a room, call them by their name if you know it. Or you can try by getting closer to them and speaking facing them, calling their Sir or Madam. And if that still isn’t enough, get their attention by slightly touching their arm. If you’re not standing by them, you can ask their neighbor to do it.

4. Describe the situation

If you’re not available right now, say it. The visually impaired person will know their presence has been noticed and that they just need to wait patiently.

For example: “I’ll be right with you after finishing to take care of the three people who have been waiting”, “I’m on the phone, I’ll be right with you as soon as I’m finished”. 

5. Offer to help but don’t impose it

Nothing is more unbearable for a visually impaired person than being grabbed by the arm by a person they haven’t seen coming, being led to an unknown destination without being spoken to at any given moment. Unfortunately, this type of situation happens all the time and yet, the intentions of the unknown person are generally laudable.

The missing step can be summed up in one sentence: “Hi, can I help you?”

The person you’re talking to will be free to accept or not, according to the situation and their autonomy level. Then, they’ll tell you what they need. They’re the ones who can best tell! Just listen to them!

6. Be specific

Avoid giving indications that depend on sight: “over here”, “no, not there”, “here”…

Use landmarks: right, left, in front of, behind, and don’t hesitate to describe situations.

For example: “You’re facing a staircase going down”, “You should walk around the chair to come up to me”, “There’s a pole in front of you, you can get around it on your right”. 

If you want to know more about how to best assist people with disabilities, you can follow the course At Your Service: Welcoming Customers with Disabilities provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). You’ll be able to better understand the needs of people with disabilities.

Be more familiar with blind and visually impaired people with these articles:

8 Clichés About Blind People

The Smartphone: a Revolution for the Blind and Visually Impaired!

Everything You Have Always Wanted to Know on Braille Mysterious Writing

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A white arrow pointing left on a green wall

Avoid giving indications that depend on sight: “over here”, “no, not there”, “here”…

writer

Lise Wagner

Lise Wagner

Accessibility Expert

stay updated

Get the latest news about accessibility and the Smart City.

other articles for you

share our article!

more articles

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?July celebrates Disability Pride Month! A month to support and raise awareness on disability. It gives people with disabilities an opportunity to be seen and heard. Obviously, everybody has their own...

NEVER miss the latest news about the Smart City.

Sign up now for our newsletter.

Unsubscribe in one click. The information collected is confidential and kept safe.

powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Deaf People at Public Venues

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Deaf People at Public Venues

People having lunch in a restaurant

What You Need to Do to Ensure Accessibility for Deaf People at Public Venues

Si votre établissement accueille du public, l’accessibilité aux personnes sourdes n’est pas à prendre à la légère ! Comment rendre votre établissement accessible aux personnes malentendantes ? Que devez-vous mettre en œuvre pour être conforme à l’ADA ?

Les personnes sourdes sont confrontées à trois types de difficultés lorsqu’elles fréquentent un lieu, qu’il s’agisse d’un restaurant, d’un magasin ou d’un musée : accéder à l’information par les moyens appropriés, se déplacer dans le lieu et communiquer avec le personnel. Les obstacles à l’accessibilité doivent être supprimés pour qu’elles puissent profiter pleinement de votre lieu. Considérez cela comme une opportunité de toucher d’autres clients. N’oubliez pas que des clients satisfaits sont plus susceptibles de revenir et de faire connaître un lieu qui répond à leurs besoins !

Voyons comment répondre aux besoins de vos clients sourds et malentendants ! Nous avons répertorié tous les équipements et équipements nécessaires pour les accueillir au mieux !

Accessibilité pour les personnes sourdes : que dit la loi ?

Vous connaissez peut-être déjà l’Americans with Disabilities Act, également appelé ADA . Établie en 1990, cette loi interdit toute discrimination fondée sur les capacités ou les handicaps. Son objectif est de garantir que les personnes handicapées aient accès aux mêmes droits et services que toute autre personne.

S’appliquant spécifiquement aux lieux publics, l’ADA exige que les bâtiments et les services soient accessibles aux personnes handicapées. Si votre lieu figure dans la liste ci-dessous, vous êtes concerné :

Commerces et centres commerciaux ,

Hôtels,

Bars et restaurants,

Hôpitaux,

Banques

Collèges et universités,

Les services publics tels que les mairies,

Parcs d’attractions,

Lieux de culte,

Installations sportives comme les stades

Lieux culturels tels que musées , cinémas…

Qu’il s’agisse d’un bâtiment existant ou d’un nouveau bâtiment, il existe des solutions simples pour que votre lieu soit conforme à l’ADA.

Comment rendre votre lieu accessible à la communauté sourde ?

Pour mieux comprendre l’accessibilité, imaginez-vous au volant d’une autoroute : vous profitez d’un trajet fluide et parfait, sans obstacles ni nids-de-poule. Chaque sortie est signalée et facilement accessible pour poursuivre votre trajet.

Ou, pour une approche plus sobre, vous pouvez appeler ce concept par son nom habituel : une chaîne de mobilité fluide . Cela s’applique à toutes vos catégories de clients, qu’ils soient handicapés ou non. Ils doivent pouvoir se déplacer facilement du point A au point C.

Cela implique que le point B relie correctement les points A et C. En gardant cela à l’esprit, vous pourrez facilement visualiser les obstacles à l’accessibilité à supprimer dans votre établissement. 

Voyons plus précisément les trois points de rupture où vous devez prêter attention ! 

Fournir des informations accessibles aux clients sourds et malentendants

Dans un monde où l’audio est le moyen le plus courant de diffuser l’information, la communauté sourde est exclue. Heureusement, il existe d’autres moyens d’améliorer l’accessibilité pour les personnes sourdes !

Accessibilité du Web

Vos visiteurs sourds n’ont peut-être jamais visité votre établissement et ont besoin de se familiariser avec celui-ci au préalable. Ils peuvent effectuer des recherches directement sur votre site web. Vous pouvez les aider à appréhender votre établissement en mettant l’accent sur l’ accessibilité web .

C’est d’ailleurs une exigence de l’ADA. Pour la communauté sourde, cela signifie fournir des vidéos sous-titrées ou avec une transcription, ainsi que plusieurs moyens de contact si les utilisateurs sourds ont besoin de parler à quelqu’un.

Le téléphone est la méthode habituelle, mais vous pouvez également inclure d’autres options comme l’e-mail, le chat en direct ou les SMS. Ainsi, si une personne sourde a besoin de plus d’informations, elle peut facilement vous contacter et communiquer avec vous.

Informations visuelles et textuelles 

Comme il est impossible d’utiliser l’audio pour informer les personnes sourdes ou malentendantes, privilégiez les informations visuelles et textuelles.

Assurez-vous que toutes les informations nécessaires, telles que les horaires d’ouverture et les points d’intérêt de votre établissement (réception, toilettes…), soient facilement lisibles et identifiables grâce à une signalétique adaptée.

Vous pouvez combiner des informations textuelles et des pictogrammes. C’est le meilleur moyen pour vos clients sourds d’accéder au service adéquat.

Toute vidéo que vous pouvez afficher doit être sous-titrée ou accompagnée de sous-titres.

Améliorer la navigation au sein de votre établissement

Bien sûr, grâce à une signalétique claire et des pictogrammes, vos clients sourds peuvent s’orienter dans votre établissement en toute autonomie. Être autonome et indépendant permet à vos clients d’appréhender votre établissement librement, à leur rythme, sans avoir à solliciter constamment un membre du personnel. 

Si vous gérez un centre commercial ou un grand espace labyrinthique, n’oubliez pas qu’il peut être difficile pour vos clients malentendants de s’orienter. Ils peuvent se sentir dépassés et frustrés. Vous pouvez les aider à découvrir une application de navigation intérieure comme Evelity . Elle a été spécialement conçue pour répondre aux besoins des personnes en situation de handicap, quel que soit leur profil. Ainsi, pour les personnes malentendantes, l’application se concentre uniquement sur des instructions textuelles et des icônes pour les guider. 

Evelity s’adapte aux transports en commun : elle est déjà pleinement déployée dans le métro de Marseille et équipe même la station Jay St-MetroTech à New York. Mais l’application d’orientation peut également s’appliquer aux musées où, en plus des instructions de navigation, elle fournit du contenu culturel sur les œuvres exposées. La Fondation Luma d’Arles, en France, a choisi Evelity pour guider ses visiteurs en situation de handicap, prouvant ainsi que la culture peut être accessible à tous. 

Communiquer efficacement avec les personnes malentendantes

C’est probablement le problème le plus complexe en matière d’accessibilité pour les personnes sourdes. Examinons toutes les solutions possibles !

Personnel qualifié

Votre personnel a un rôle essentiel à jouer pour accueillir les personnes malentendantes et leur offrir la meilleure expérience possible. C’est pourquoi il doit être formé à l’accueil des personnes en situation de handicap. Consultez notre article «  12 conseils pour accueillir une personne sourde ou malentendante »  ! Même un geste simple, comme faire porter à vos employés un badge avec leur titre de poste, peut s’avérer utile !

Un bon conseil est de parler clairement et distinctement pour les personnes sourdes qui savent lire sur les lèvres. Utilisez également un vocabulaire courant, sans jeux de mots, afin que l’interprète en langue des signes américaine (ASL) puisse facilement traduire ce que dit votre équipe à la personne sourde avec laquelle il travaille.

Équipement pour les personnes malentendantes

Les boucles d’induction audio ou systèmes d’amplification améliorent la qualité auditive des personnes portant des appareils auditifs. Ils sont faciles à installer et à utiliser. Assurez-vous toujours que votre réception ou votre point d’information en soit équipé. 

La technologie pour améliorer l’accessibilité

La technologie peut assurément être un outil puissant pour l’accessibilité des personnes sourdes, notamment grâce aux smartphones. De nombreuses applications fournissent la communauté sourde à comprendre et à être comprise par les personnes entendantes grâce à l’intelligence artificielle . L’IA est devenue un véritable atout pour améliorer l’accessibilité et l’inclusion ! Vous pouvez faciliter la communication entre votre personnel et vos clients sourds en équipant vos employés de smartphones professionnels équipés d’applications de transcription instantanée comme Ava. Cette application permet de transcrire les conversations entre personnes entendantes et malentendantes. Grâce à Ava, vos employés n’ont pas besoin d’apprendre la langue des signes américains pour comprendre les clients sourds, et ces derniers n’ont pas besoin de lire sur les lèvres ce que disent vos employés.

Les deux parties peuvent suivre une conversation sans se sentir frustrée. 

Vous demandez probablement comment communiquer avec eux par téléphone. Pas d’inquiétude, vos clients sourds ou malentendants ont probablement installé RogerVoice sur leur smartphone. Cette application sous-titre directement toutes leurs conversations.

Vous savez maintenant tout ce qu’il faut faire pour améliorer l’accessibilité de votre établissement aux personnes sourdes ! Comme vous le constatez, des solutions existantes pour lever les obstacles à l’accessibilité. Faites la différence et assurez à vos clients sourds la meilleure expérience possible !

Vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur la déficience auditive ? Plongez au cœur de l’actualité :

8 clichés sur les personnes sourdes

Accessibilité à l’information dans les transports publics : 5 solutions pour les usagers sourds et malentendants

media

Staff members from a coffee shop

In a world where audio is the most common way to provide information, then the deaf community is excluded. Luckily, there are other ways for you to enhance accessibility for deaf people!

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

stay updated

Get the latest news about accessibility and the Smart City.

other articles for you

share our article!

more articles

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Disability Pride Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important?July celebrates Disability Pride Month! A month to support and raise awareness on disability. It gives people with disabilities an opportunity to be seen and heard. Obviously, everybody has their own...

NEVER miss the latest news about the Smart City.

Sign up now for our newsletter.

Unsubscribe in one click. The information collected is confidential and kept safe.

powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.