Hearing Loss, the Forgotten Disability

In a thought-provoking article Hearing Loss, the Forgotten Disability, posted in the Huffington Post by author and global hearing loss consultant Janice Lintz, the topic of hearing loss was paid due respect and brought to the forefront of the disability conversation.

The article dives into the existing perception of the term “disability” as having morphed into just meaning physical disability and physical access rather than standing for all disability. As an example of the limited scope implied, Lintz uses the ADA symbol for people with disabilities as a person using a wheelchair rather than a symbol showing multiple disabilities.

The article outlines that part of the problem is that hearing loss isn’t perceived as a “real” disability. Hearing aids, unlike wheelchairs, are not obvious to the eye, so hearing loss is an invisible disability. Providing equal access to the hearing impaired is part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In Hearing Loss, the Forgotten Disability, Lintz urges that the aspirations of  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act will remain aspirations rather than becoming a reality if we do not include all disabilities into the disability conversation. For more information,  read through the full article, Hearing Loss, the Forgotten Disability.

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Caption Accessibility Links:

1. National Association of the Deaf
2. National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
3. Section 508 Compliance Overview
4. Summary of 508 Compliance Standards
5. Section 508 Guide for E-learning and Multimedia Technology
6. GSA Tutorials, Guidance and Checklists for multimedia
7. Alliance for Technology Access 
8. ADA, Title III Regulations
9. Equal Access: Design of Distance Education Learning Programs