Last time I shared ways in which I am making my content more accessible to people who are blind. This week I want to focus on how I am trying to make my content more inclusive of the people from the deaf community and those living with hearing loss.
I am having to think more deeply about how to do this. As a blind person all I need to do is to think about what I would like other creators to do to make their offerings more accessible for me. Since I have only second-hand experience of what products might be like for people who are Deaf or experience hearing loss, I need to think about how I use audio in my work and then find techniques to present that audio in other formats. My hope is that these measures will at least be inclusive of some members of those communities.
Here is what I’m doing so far:
1 Adding video to my podcast
A podcast, by its nature, is an audio format. Essentially this means that someone who is unable to hear the audio is likely to be excluded from the content I share. I have begun recording the interviews on video as well and placing those videos on YouTube. YouTube has an in-built live transcription option that will convert the spoken word into a text format that can be read. A second way in which the video content may be used is that it can be accessible to those who are able to read lips as a way of engaging with my content.
2 Adding transcriptions to my podcast
I have many interviews that I didn’t create videos for, and I can’t go back and create visual versions for those episodes. At least, I don’t know of a way to do so. Perhaps some clever person might. In the meantime, for those shows, I have started creating transcriptions myself, using a voice to text app on my phone. It is a time-consuming process and the accuracy isn’t great, but at least the transcription gives me a starting point. I am trying to find time to check the quality of the transcriptions before I begin to share them, but this is proving to be something of a challenge. There are simply not sufficient hours in a day for me to do all I wish to. Still, I’m doing what I can and will share as soon as I have started making those transcriptions available.
3 Making my presentations more accessible
Whenever I speak at events, be they in-person or online, I am trying to be mindful of the needs of Deaf people and those with hearing loss. My first step is to discover if anyone from my audience is part of this community. Where possible I ask if sign language interpreters will be present. In my actual presentations I make sure I am facing forwards at all times to facilitate those who read lips. I also ensure that my face is well lit and there are no obstacles blocking my face, that my voice is amplified and that I speak slowly and clearly.
My greatest challenge is how to incorporate the needs of people who are both deaf and blind. My hope is that they will be included by a combination of the techniques I’ve shared over the last two articles through braille displays and other assistive technology. I will continue to explore this facet of accessibility and communicate with people who are deaf/blind to check my assumptions and correct any oversights.
I freely admit that this is a journey in which I am continuously learning. I will happily make adjustments if I receive feedback that will better serve people’s needs. Because this is work that is important to me.
If you’d like to join me on this journey and think I might be able to advise you on ways to make your content more inclusive of persons with disabilities, reach out to me on https://www.loisstrachan.com/contact-lois/
