Exploring the impact of face masks on communication for individuals with hearing loss

<middle dot> Face masks have been used for a long time as a sanitary measure, and the communication challenges they pose are nothing new. During the global COVID-19 pandemic face masks became ubiquitous, unveiling their impact on communication to everyone. These challenges were particularly pronounced for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals. For DHH individuals using vocal languages, obscuring lip-reading, facial expressions and nonverbal cues with face masks can seriously hinder their linguistic, communicative and social interactions. A similar problematics emerged also forDHH individuals who rely on sign language to communicate, because covering the mouth and lips subtracts information from the sign. Since face masks are still used in many contexts (e.g., medical care) and potentially represent a threat for wellbeing and health, in this special issue we will delve into the multifaceted impact of face masks on the communication abilities of DHH individuals, using either vocal o...

Face masks have been used for a long time as a sanitary measure, and the communication challenges they pose are nothing new. During the global COVID-19 pandemic face masks became ubiquitous, unveiling their impact on communication to everyone. These challenges were particularly pronounced for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals. For DHH individuals using vocal languages, obscuring lip-reading, facial expressions and nonverbal cues with face masks can seriously hinder their linguistic, communicative and social interactions. A similar problematics emerged also for DHH individuals who rely on sign language to communicate, because covering the mouth and lips subtracts information from the sign. Since face masks are still used in many contexts (e.g., medical care) and potentially represent a threat for wellbeing and health, in this special issue we will delve into the multifaceted impact of face masks on the communication abilities of DHH individuals, using either vocal or sign languages.