ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses interface technologies as they relate to the needs of users unable to hear auditory information. It deals with a discussion of hearing loss, followed by issues of language acquisition as they relate to hearing loss and provides a brief overview of technologies that have been developed to assist with communication. The extent to which an individual makes use of the hearing for communication and whether the individual can hear computer sounds, however, varies greatly. Perhaps more surprising may be the fact that many deaf and hard of hearing individuals have difficulty with reading. In many ways, computers and other technologies have proven to be of great benefit to deaf and hard of hearing users. The largely visual nature of information on the Internet makes this information accessible to deaf and hard of hearing users. A number of considerations can help provide the necessary visual support for a user who is deaf or hard of hearing.
