Two women in Seychelles have produced a transparent face mask for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to facilitate the combination of lip-reading and sign language.
“As the news came out that the use of face masks on public transport is mandatory, the association knew this would be a significant problem for the deaf community and people who work with them.” said Anita Gardner, Chairperson of the Association of People with Hearing Impairment (APHI).
“People with hearing disabilities use sign language to communicate and learn. People who are deaf read lips, thus wearing face mask cuts off some important aspects of sign language; hence, they cannot gain full access to information or be able to express themselves fully,” said Gardner.
“Together, we bought materials to design see-through masks to adapt to sign language users. We are encouraging all deaf persons to buy one and also give their feedback,” said Gardner.
There are 1,000 people with hearing disabilities in Seychelles, and they rely heavily on the movement of lips to understand what is being said. For this reason, the mask designed is fitted with a clear window over the mouth, the Seychelles News Agency reported.
At the moment, Gardner distributes these masks at the school for people with hearing disabilities. It is also available at the Association of People with Hearing Impairment, located at the former maritime school in the central district of Mont Fleuri.
