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Date:         Fri, 4 Sep 1992 10:53:35 EDT
From:         Alan Goldschen <ajg@SEAS.GWU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: question re speechreading tonal languages
              Paris" at Sep 4, 92 8:58 am

Esther's comments ...
>
> On another note... I work with someone who is hard of hearing.  It
> seems to me that I have to shout to be heard.  (I hate this when the
> conversation turns to something not work-related because my boss sits
> right in the next office and sound really carries in this building.
> Sometimes my boss comments to me later about these non work-related
> discussions and I get really upset and embarrassed.)  This person
> really has a difficult time understanding me and I have a difficult
> time carrying on a conversation because I have to shout.  (I have a
> really tiny voice.)  I end up avoiding conversations altogether because
> I run out of breath trying to talk loudly enough and have an asthma
> attack.

I would recommend getting something like an (wireless) system. You need a
device that amplifies your voice.  You should NOT need to shout, especially
at work.  When you want to talk to the hard of hearing person, you speak
into a mike.  With ADA, I would imagine that the hard of hearing person can
request the company purchase some assistive devices for communicating with
other people.

Of course, for non-work related stuff ... you are one your own ;)

>
> I see that, like Ron Mitchell, this co-worker sometimes doesn't know
> information about others in the group that is common knowledge among
> the hearing people (Aurelia's son is back from Italy, Terry has
> information to add to our conversation from over the wall in the other
> next office...)  I already turn and face this co-worker directly during
> any conversation.  I speak normally, that is I don't exaggerate any
> words as far as I can tell.  I just try to speak more loudly until I am
> heard.  It's hard to enunciate normally when you're shouting.  (Also, I
> become monotone when I speak loudly. Ugh.)
>
> How can I be more helpful to this person?  Are there any tricks for making
> oneself more easily heard?
>
> How can I be more helpful in department meetings?  Should I be informing
> this co-worker as the day goes on of things I've heard over the wall?  I
> have access to all kinds of (useful and useless) information that this
> co-worker is missing.
>
> Our department manager shaved off his big moustache.  That was a help.
>
> Well, any other information you can give me will be much appreciated!
>
> Best regards for a nice long holiday weekend for all the USA folks!
> Best regards to everyone else for a nice weekend.
>
> Esther Paris, Raytheon EDL, Marlborough, MA USA.
>

Esther it sounds like some of your comments are very general and pertain to
how other people communicate with hard of hearing people.  Keep in mind,
the hard of hearing person must make an effort as well as the speaker.  I
learned a bunch of tricks to communicating with people by studying
audological rehabilitation.  Communcation is two-way.  The speaker should
not have to shout.  The hard of hearing listener should be assertation and
have a bag of tricks.

Now .. I would like to hear some tricks that people use.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Alan Goldschen                       e-mail: ajg@seas.gwu.edu
Department of EE and CS              Graduate Student
George Washington University
801 22nd Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20052
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU