Mixed DHH-Hearing Communication

Communication that occurs between Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals and hearing individuals, particularly in settings where spoken language is the primary mode. These interactions present unique accessibility challenges because hearing speakers may not be aware of how their speech rate, volume, and articulation affect a DHH person's ability to follow the conversation, whether through lip reading, residual hearing, or captioning. Mixed DHH-hearing communication often occurs in workplaces, classrooms, and social settings where interpreters may not be available, making technology-mediated solutions such as ASR captioning and speaker behavior notifications increasingly important for equitable participation.