Home › Center on Employment › Employers › Working with a Deaf Person ›

One-to-One Communication

Employers

Employers say...

"He was a phenomenal intern for us. To be honest, at first I was a bit nervous about how we would communicate and relate to each other, but it was really a non-issue throughout his whole internship.  Not only did he have a fantastic work ethic but his designs were great—the communication was really not an issue at all.  We used instant message and e-mail and we would use whiteboards and it was just very smooth."
Walt Disney Company Consumer Products
  • Ask deaf or hard-of-hearing employees how they prefer to communicate (e-mail, instant messaging, speechreading, writing, demonstration, etc.).
  • Maintain eye contact.
  • Clearly explain the topic of the conversation and do so again when the topic changes.
  • Encourage deaf or hard-of-hearing employees to ask questions if communication is unclear.
  • Make sure that you ask questions if communication is unclear.
  • Be prepared to repeat and rephrase information.
  • Have pencil and paper available and use them if necessary.
  • Ask deaf or hard-of-hearing employees to review key points of the conversation to ensure understanding.
  • Reduce environmental distractions, such as background noise and movement.
  • Position yourself in appropriate lighting so that your speaking and/or signs can be seen.