Daily etiquette for the deaf?

1. Always make eye contact with a Deaf person and always use facial expressions and body language.

2. Tap a Deaf person on the shoulder or arm, or wave your hands, or flicker the lights, or stomp your feet in the Deaf person's line of vision in order to get a Deaf person's attention.

3. You can use notepad and pencil/pen to write back and forth to each other.

4. NEVER use the phrase “Hearing Impaired” in reference to a Deaf person.

"Deaf" and "Deafness" when written with an upper case D is referring to Deaf Culture AND "deaf" and "deafness" when written with a lower case d is referring to a physical auditory condition.

I have relatives that are deaf and we seem to get along better then some of my others,I almost moved near them because I love them so much. I have to tell you this,I speak with a lot of slang and they do not judge me and that is so cool. One will look at me the other will sign and they understand gestures and like if you have to go somewhere and you need to hurry you make faster motions I love them so very much,also they can feel better then us,I did this in a church I was at,I put the speakers on the floor and the could feel the sound and keep up and enjoy the music,I love them.

Well, you can certainly ask him the next time you talk online about how best to handle this. If he has verbal abilities, perhaps he could talk and you could write or type a response.

As Edo said, SSA gave you a great answer and here's some more:

If you don't use sign language, make sure you don't mumble, cover up your lips while talking and don't over annunciate. Like others suggested, bring paper and pen and or a white board with an eraser and marker, that would be more quick and efficient I think.

Do you have any experience with Deaf people? Just wondering if there is any knowledge basis to work with.

Here is a page with general information for people with "disabilities" though not everyone will think they are disable by these things but it's good info all around

http://www.crinet.org/education/Independent%20Livi...

http://www.empowermentzone.com/etiquet.txt

9.To get the attention of a person who is deaf, tap the person on

the shoulder or wave your hand. Look directly at the person and

speak clearly, slowly, and expressively to determine if the

person can read your lips. Not all people who are deaf can read

lips. For those who do lip read, be sensitive to their needs by

placing yourself so that you face the light source and keep

hands, cigarettes and food away from your mouth when speaking.

10.Relax. Don't be embarrassed if you happen to use accepted,

common expressions such as "Did you hear

about that?" that seems to relate to a person's disability. Don't

be afraid to ask questions when you're unsure of what to do.

and some more: http://www.unitedspinal.org/disability-etiquette/#...

There is a range of communication preferences and styles among people with hearing loss that cannot be explained in this brief space. It is helpful to note that the majority of late deafened adults do not communicate with sign language, do use English and may be candidates for writing and assistive listening devices to help improve communication. People with cochlear implants, like other people with hearing loss, will usually inform you what works best for them.

When the exchange of information is complex—such as during a job interview or doctor’s visit or when reporting a crime—the most effective way to communicate with a native signer is through a qualified sign language interpreter. For a simple interaction—such as ordering in a restaurant or registering for a hotel room—writing back and forth is usually okay.

Follow the person’s cues to find out if she prefers sign language, gesturing, writing or speaking. If you have trouble understanding the speech of a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, let her know.

When using a sign-language interpreter, look directly at the person who is deaf, and maintain eye contact to be polite. Talk directly to the person (‘What would you like?’), rather than to the interpreter (‘Ask her what she’d like.’).

People who are deaf need to be included in the decision-making process for issues that affect them; don’t decide for them.

Before speaking to a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, make sure that you get her attention. Depending on the situation, you can extend your arm and wave your hand, tap her on the shoulder or flicker the lights.

Rephrase, rather than repeat, sentences that the person doesn’t understand.

When talking, face the person. A quiet, well-lit room is most conducive to effective communication. If you are in front of the light source—such as a window—with your back to it, the glare may obscure your face and make it difficult for the person who is hard of hearing to speech read.

Speak clearly. Most people who are hard of hearing count on watching people’s lips as they speak to help them understand. Avoid chewing gum, smoking or obscuring your mouth with your hand while speaking.

There is no need to shout at a person who is deaf or hard of hearing. If the person uses a hearing aid, it will be calibrated to normal voice levels; your shout will just sound distorted.

People who are deaf (and some who are hard of hearing or have speech disabilities) make and receive telephone calls with the assistance of a device called a TTY (short for teletypewriter; also called a TDD). A TTY is a small device with a keyboard, a paper printer or a visual display screen and acoustic couplers (for the telephone receiver).

When a TTY user calls a business that does not have a TTY, she places the call through her stateâ€â„¢s relay service. Likewise, a business that does not have a TTY can reach a customer who is a TTY user through the relay service. If you receive a relay call, the operator will identify it as such. Please do not hang up; this is the way that people who are deaf are able to place an order at your pizza parlor, call your store to find out what hours you are open, or make a reservation at your restaurant.

Hope this helps and if you need more specific info, let me know. I have many friends that are Deaf/HOH and DeafBlind so feel free to ask any questions.

smile

I would bring a small marker board for more detailed communication, or you could both bring your phones and use texts to communicate.