The generalization of the wearing of the mask prevents many deaf and hard of hearing people from communicating since they essentially use lip reading. To allow them to regain a social life, a special mask has been designed.
- A mask with a transparent lip window has been designed to allow deaf and hard of hearing people to communicate.
- This mask is not marketed but the association “Hand in hand” has put a tutorial online.
To effectively fight against the spread of the coronavirus, wearing a mask has been generalized across France. If it offers effective protection, it cuts some people off from social life, in particular the deaf and hard of hearing who rely mainly on lip reading to communicate. To remedy, association “Together” has developed a special mask that restores balance through a transparent window at the mouth.
A standard, washable and reusable mask
After almost two months of confinement, people suffering from deafness and the hard of hearing are struggling to regain a social life. “Like many hard of hearing people, I practice lip reading (on the lips) so impossible with a normal masktestified Jean, hard of hearing, to France 3. When someone talks to me, despite my devices, I manage to catch a few snippets but the whole conversation is impossible..” A disability that cuts all social ties. “When I see people I know who are likely to say a few words to me, I prefer to avoid them because I’m too afraid of misunderstanding and answering badly”he continues.
To remedy this, the Hand in Hand association has made a mask with a transparent window at the mouth. “We looked in different tutorials to find the mask that would be best while respecting Afnor standards, so that they can be reusable, washable at 60°C but also so that the transparent part can be removed.specifies Kelly Morellon, president of the association. Our other problem is that when talking with the mask, there is a lot of fogging that is created. So we put a little soap that we rub on the plastic and it works pretty well.”
On the way to the accessibility of masks from mother to daughter.
Posted by Hand in Hand Association on Friday, May 15, 2020
Not commercially available but a tutorial exists
The mask is not yet commercially available, but the association has put a tutorial online. It could be widely used, especially in shops. “For example, the checkout reserved for people with disabilities in a supermarket, why not offer the cashier a transparent mask?”, asks Kelly Morellon. France 3 also gave the floor to Nathalie, a hard of hearing cashier. For her, it is impossible to communicate with customers through the mask and the imagined solution of the mask with a transparent window could change everything. “I made a sign that said, ‘I’m deaf, can’t read your lips. Mime instead of talking, with all my thanks’.”
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