5 ways to host a successful hearing friendly event

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ‘HEARING FRIENDLY’?

Being Hearing Friendly isn’t about knowing everything there is to know about helping your conversation partner to hear. It’s more of a willingness to connect and collaborate, to ask, listen, and to support each other, by working together to ensure timely, accurate, and inclusive communication. Being open to discovering how to communicate best, is the ultimate goal of those who work towards making communication Hearing Friendly.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LEARN TO HOST A HEARING FRIENDLY EVENT?

1. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Deaf, deafened, hard of hearing. Some of your audience will need to see what is said -via captioning or a signed language such as ASL. However, some persons who have hearing loss, or audio processing needs, may be able to make use of their remaining hearing in order to listen as well. An appropriate support in this case would be a sound system which brings the sound directly to them, and which allows them to adjust for volume.

Knowing and providing for personal preferences for listening apparatus – wanting to use either a headset, earbuds, or neckloop – which can deliver sound directly to one’s hearing aid and/or cochlear implant – will determine which supports are successful for your audience.

Whenever possible, research and ask those who will use your Hearing Friendly system, what their preferences are in advance, so that options and strategies for success are available.

2. KNOW WHICH ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES ARE AVAILABLE

Some possible assistive listening sound systems which support a Hearing Friendly event include:

1. FM Wireless Assistive Listening: with volume control, and a variety of headset options, such as earbuds, headphones, and neckloops.

2. Wi-Fi Audio Streaming: sending sound to the listener’s cell phone. Users must download an app. No data plan or internet is needed – this system is self-contained and reaches 150+ listeners.

3. FM / Hearing loop hybrid systems – where persons who have hearing aids and/or cochlear implants can send sound directly to these and customize their listening experience.

3. PLAN AHEAD

Create a timeline for booking vendors who provide ASL, live captioning, and/or assistive listening systems. Their teams may require up to a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice to book.

Depending on the types and number of Hearing Friendly supports your event offers, it is prudent to set aside between 7-10% of your overall budget for hearing accessibility. If there were only funds to provide one support, the default hearing access option should be live, large-screen captioning, which serves over 90% of listeners who have hearing loss. Note that while ASL is commonly offered, a signed language is used by less than 5% of people who have any significant degree of hearing loss

Live captioning service providers have a challenging work environment. Event organizers can help these team members provide the most accurate transcript, by sharing information in advance on the event format, videos being used, videos’ transcript, order of speakers, breaks, specialized terms, correct spelling of presenter names, etc.

4. CONSIDER THE LOGISTICS

Providing live, large-screen captioning and/or assistive listening sound systems adds more to the mix in your AV / IT setup. As the liaison between the Hearing Friendly service provider and the venue AV teams, there is much you can do to help facilitate the integration of these two groups, including:

• Providing a diagram to the service provider of where the dedicated live captioning screen will be, relative to the stage. It is recommended this screen not be shared with the presenters’ screen, and that it be located beside or behind and overhead of the speakers.

• Reserve 10% of the front row area or seats to provide a clear line of sight for persons needing to lip-read or view the transcription screen.

5. COMMUNICATION

Advertise your event – and your desire to make it inclusive – well in advance, to arrange for access.

Consider including the following statement in all of your pre-event announcements:

“The __________________________________ [insert business name] is committed to making this event inclusive. We will be offering ________________________________________________ [list all services, listening devices, and headset apparatus]. Please contact us if you have any additional accessibility requirements”

In addition to – but not as a replacement for – the written notice above, the event may choose to use the universal symbol of hearing accessibility in their online ads and/or posters, as well as near the set-up table where assistive listening devices are distributed at the event.

With POW Hearing Solutions, it is easy to reach your audience who want to hear and be heard. To learn more, email us at info@powhearing.com