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Published on Leave a comment on Can you be hearing but have sign language as your first language?

A review of CODA – available on Apple TV and winner of 2022, Best Picture, Oscar:


CODA Trailer - YouTube video player

A CODA is a hearing Child of Deaf Adults. Hearing children are born into Deaf families and sign language (any of over 300 hundred national sign languages) is their first language. Effectively they are culturally ‘Deaf.’ Albeit without hearing loss. ...continue reading "Can you be hearing but have sign language as your first language?"

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Published on 2 Comments on Inclusion and deafness – finding a space that works

Turning down invitations

So, you have a deaf or hard of hearing friend or colleague and often when you invite them out they are busy or they cancel at the last minute. What’s going on? ...continue reading "Inclusion and deafness – finding a space that works"

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Published on 1 Comment on Everyone with hearing loss should learn fingerspelling


British Sign Language (BSL) alphabet - YouTube video player

If you are already convinced you can go straight to my 7 minute fingerspelling video, otherwise read on.

You might think. I’ve been hearing all my life. Why should I start signing now? ...continue reading "Everyone with hearing loss should learn fingerspelling"

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Published on 2 Comments on Autistic spectrum, captions and audio description

First posted on August 29, 2011 on Mindful Research


BSL version of Autistic spectrum, captions and audio description - YouTube video player

You may be thinking what have captions and audio description (AD) got to do with autistic spectrum. Aren’t captions for D/deaf and hard of hearing people and audio description for visually impaired people? In this last couple of years research I’ve conducted has revealed that audio description and captions can be of benefit and are used by people on the autistic spectrum. ...continue reading "Autistic spectrum, captions and audio description"

Published on Leave a comment on User research inclusion secrets

In July I did a presentation for the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC) on accessible content. Persuading stakeholders about the importance of inclusion was a key theme and challenge.

I talked about:

    • Some of my approaches as a user researcher and trainer to promoting inclusion and accessible content
    • Specific persuasive tactics to win over stakeholders
    • And some of my responses to the old myths like ‘We don’t have any disabled users’

...continue reading "User research inclusion secrets"