Video calls and conferences have become a lot more common as more people rely on technology to stay connected with others.
Here are some suggestions to make your next video call more hearing accessible for yourself and others:
Video Call Etiquette
It's a good idea to discuss video call etiquette at the beginning of every discussion - whether for work or with family & friends. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to what is expected.
Your etiquette tips can also be shared in writing prior to the call.
Some examples of video call etiquette that promote better hearing and communication for everyone.
1. Mute Yourself When Not Speaking: All participants should mute their microphone when not speaking to minimize background noise.
2. Face The Camera: Ensure that others can see your face to allow for speech (lip) reading as needed.
3. Speak Loudly and Clearly: Speak loudly and clearly, without mumbling, to ensure that everyone will be able to understand what has been said.
4. Raise Your Hand or Signal to Speak: Raising your hand or having a mutually understood signal for when you would like to start speaking will avoid interruptions and help the call run smoothly.
Location
Although this is something that can be often overlooked, try to locate yourself in a good area before the start of your call.
Here are three tips to help you find that perfect location for your next video call.
5. Places With As Little Background Noise As Possible: Attend your video call in a quiet area with as little background noise as possible. If you are in a shared space, like a kitchen or living room make sure that any televisions or radios are turned off.
6. Places With Good Internet Connection: Try to sit in a place where your device has good internet access to minimize the risk of disconnecting from the video calling service.
7. Ensure your face is well lit: Sit in front of a window for natural light or ensure that there is good lighting on your face. Good lighting, such as a lamp or bright overhead lighting, will ensure that others are able to see your expressions and can lip (speech) read as needed.
Technology
There are many technology options to help make video calls and conferences more hearing accessible. These can include:
8. Use Headphones With A Built-In Microphone: Headphones with a built in microphone will improve your sound quality and reduce the chance of echoing.
9. Use Video Calling Services With Automatic Captioning: Some video calling services, such as Google Meet, offer free automatic captioning.
10. Transcribing: If video conferencing services with automatic captioning is not available to you, there are apps and websites which are able to transcribe audio to text, such as Otter.ai or Live Transcribe, allowing you to follow along with the call by reading what has been said.
11. Explore Options for Connectivity: For those with hearing loss, there are many options to improve connectivity, including using BlueTooth listening devices, Pocketalkers, FM systems, and other devices you can connect with your hearing aids or hearing technology. Talk to your audiologist or a local hearing resource group about options available to you.
Learn to Speech (Lip) Read
If you, or someone you know, struggle to follow along with video meetings, or when there's background noise, learning how to speech (lip) read is a great way to improve communication and understanding.
Read Our Lips is a self-paced online program to help you learn and practice lipreading skills at your own pace from the comfort of your own home. Video instructions and practice sessions help you learn.