Shared Visual Attention

A core feature of Deaf-centred interaction in which all participants coordinate their gaze, body orientation, and signing space so everyone can see the current signer, referenced content, and each other. Shared visual attention is foundational to Deaf pedagogy and DeafSpace design: horseshoe seating, coordinated turn-taking, pausing before communication begins, and deliberate visual anchoring within the signing space all support it. For accessibility designers of classrooms, video calls, and XR environments, supporting shared visual attention means respecting sightlines, synchronising shared views, signalling when a signer or object change disrupts visual access, and resisting the temptation to fragment signer and content across separate screens.