Workplace accommodations and unmet needs specific to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the workplace accommodations used by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, to report the perceived impact of the accommodations and to identify unmet needs with respect to workplace accommodations. Method: Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing participated in an online survey. Respondents identified with one of four levels of functional hearing ability and selected from descriptions of workplace accommodations. Each selection was ranked according to perceived importance, satisfaction and frequency of use. Respondents also commented on unmet needs. Results: The most common accommodations were telephone aids (55%), co-worker helps (34%) and electronic communication (31%). Importance and frequency of use ranked high among most respondents (76% and 87%, respectively). However, perceived satisfaction ranked high among only 50% of respondents. The most common unmet needs were effective communication in groups and lack of co-worker support. Conclusions: Workplace accommodations are viewed as important and frequently used by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, satisfaction with the accommodations is marginal at best. Unmet needs remain in the areas of communication in meetings, support of co-workers and the development of a more universally accessible workplace environment.Implications for RehabilitationIndividuals who are deaf or hard of hearing consider their workplace accommodations to be important and frequently used.Satisfaction with workplace accommodations among individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing is relatively low, indicating room for improvement in the design and application of such accommodations.Unmet needs for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing remain in the area of effective communication in meetings with multiple participants.Universal (or Inclusive) Design principles should be used to help reduce barriers in workplace environments and with respect to common-use tools in the workplace.