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Our November 5th meeting will be at the
Natalie Ivey, President and CEO of Results Performance
Consulting, who will share what it takes to be a contemporary leader, and what
you need to do to improve your leadership skills--and the skills of your
leadership team. |
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The
Job Connection Page has many NEW
job listings! |
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Many individuals may
be deaf or hard of hearing and be able to speak clearly. Employers may
place them in almost any type of position, except those for which acute
hearing is a legitimate safety requirement. Even in those
circumstances, employers should perform an individualized assessment.
Such persons may need extra time in settings where there is a lot of
oral communication, such as interviews and meetings.
Communication difficulties should not be regarded as
indicative of more extensive impairments and should not be allowed to
obscure an applicant’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. In many
situations, it may be necessary to obtain the services of a qualified
sign language interpreter to provide effective communication if the
person who is deaf or hard of hearing uses sign language as his or her
primary means of communication.
Other accommodations that may be necessary include the use of
assistive listening systems and devices for persons who are hard of
hearing, or computer-assisted real-time transcription (CART).
Consider the following suggestions when interacting with
individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing:
When speaking with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, face the person directly. Attract his or her visual attention before starting a conversation. For insistence, if you are entering his or her office and the person’s back is to you, flicker the lights.
When speaking to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, use meaningful facial expressions and gestures to emphasize your intent and attitude. This helps to substitute for your tone of voice. Try to find a quiet place away from computers, telephones, and other sources of noise that has adequate lighting.
Not all people who are deaf or hard of hearing know or use sign language. Do not assume they need interpreters.
If using a sing language or oral interpreter, speak directly to the person with the hearing impairment, not the interpreter. Speak clearly, in a normal tone of voice, and keep your hands away from your face.
If you cannot understand the person with a hearing impairment, do not be afraid to ask him or her to repeat the message. If this approach does not work, you can ask if it would be helpful to communicate by writing or using a computer terminal.
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