Auditory disabilities
Auditory disabilities include:
- Total deafness
- Partial hearing loss
- Differences in auditory processing
Each of these conditions requires different access strategies.
Deafness
A person who is deaf has no functional hearing. They can only understand audio content through visual options, such as captions, transcripts or sign language interpretation.
Example
A deaf person watching a video without captions receives no audio. Dialogue, sound effects and tone of voice are all inaccessible unless provided in text or visual form.
Key point
Many Deaf people (with a capital D) identify with Deaf culture. They may prefer sign language over written text. For some, reading in a written language is a second-language skill, so captions alone may not be enough.
Hard of hearing
A person who is hard of hearing has some degree of hearing loss. They may use residual hearing combined with hearing aids, captions or other strategies.
Example
In a meeting room with poor acoustics, a person with hearing aids may miss critical dialogue. A loop system or real-time captions gives them equal access to the conversation.
Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)
CAPD affects how the brain interprets sound. While the ear works normally, the person struggles to discern speech. This is especially true in noisy environments.
Example
A person with CAPD in a busy café may hear someone talking but be unable to decode what is being said.
Key point
CAPD is easily overlooked because the person "passes" a standard audiological test. Their difficulty is neurological, not peripheral. They are often misunderstood as being inattentive or having a language difficulty.