International Week of the Deaf [curated content]

Based on feedback from the accessibility community,  we've collected our most popular posts from social media on digital accessibility best practices, news, thought leadership, and insights and gathered them together in one blog post. 

Last week was International Week of the Deaf. International Week of the Deaf is a week in September devoted to learning about the deaf community and how we can create a more inclusive space for them. We curated content from UsableNet's archives and around the web on how to make the web more inclusive for deaf people and people with hearing impairments.

Continue reading to learn more about how we've increased inclusivity with the deaf community and what we can do to accommodate those with hearing impairments better.

Social Posts on Progress for the Deaf Community 

‘The Simpsons’ Makes History With First Deaf Voice Actor and Use of American Sign Language

"Next week is International Week of the Deaf, a week to celebrate the #Deaf community and create a more #inclusive space for this community. One way to do this is through representation."

White House Hires Full-Time ASL Interpreters for the First Time: "I'm Here for the Deaf Community"

"Next week is the International week of deaf people - a week to inspire and have meaningful discussions on how we can accommodate those with hearing impairments. Read about the White House hiring two #ASL interpreters and the importance of these positions."

World's Largest Human Resource Association Agrees to Drastically Increase the Accessibility of Their Services for Deaf HR Professionals

"Going forward, our colleagues who are Deaf and hard of hearing will have a more level playing field. The end goal was to obtain access and accommodations for ourselves and future generations who have a passion for HR.” Earlier this year, the Society for Human Resource Management came to an agreement to increase the accessibility of their content for those who are deaf or hard of hearing."

Blog on the Lived Experience of People with DISABILITIES 

HOW TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES INCLUSION (AND WHERE WORK IS STILL NEEDED)

Photo of Mariella Paulino-Peralta

This post features four members of the disability community including Mariella Paulino who is deaf. Mariella shares a story of how assistive technology, Google Captions, helped her stay close to her family during the pandemic. 

"We had to rely on a global pandemic to push the accessibility needle forward."

Social Posts on Accommodation Awareness 

Over 80 Percent of Deaf People Say Their Accessibility Needs are Unmet

"This week is the international week of deaf people, a week to learn, inspire, and create meaningful conversations with the deaf community. A recent survey from Signhealth found that over 80% of deaf people said their accessibility needs are not met. Learn more about this statistic and ways we can accommodate deaf users."

Design Recommendations for the Deaf Community

Happy #IWDP! What are some recommendations to design for those in the #Deaf community? Watch our video to learn the different aspects of being deaf or hard of hearing, and how your designs can meet their needs."

"Many of you are familiar with discrimination based on race, age and sex, but there are other types of discrimination. One is audism." Next week is the international week of deaf people, a week to learn, inspire, and create meaningful conversations with the deaf community. Read this article on American Sign Language (ASL) and the importance of having discussions with the deaf community"

Documentary Highlights Lack of Accessibility for Deaf and Disabled People in Florida Justice System

"Her story highlights gaps in accessibility for deaf and disabled people in the justice system."

Additional reading on how to make content more accessible to deaf people

1. A SIMPLE GUIDE TO MAKING YOUR VIDEOS ACCESSIBLE
   
   
2. 3 CRITICAL WCAG 2.1 VIDEO BEST PRACTICES AND HOW TO APPLY THEM
   
   
3. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY & USABILITY IN DESIGN
   
   

These insights help you better understand the experiences of the hearing impaired and how you can make the digital world more inclusive. Testing with people with disabilities is an important part of your accessibility testing program.

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