Audio engineering by people who are deaf and hard of hearing: balancing confidence and limitations
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
5-11-2024
Abstract
With technological advancements, audio engineering has evolved from a domain exclusive to professionals to one open to amateurs. However, research is limited on the accessibility of audio engineering, particularly for deaf, Deaf, and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals. To bridge this gap, we interviewed eight deaf and hard of hearing (dHH) audio engineers in music to understand accessibility in audio engineering. We found that their hearing magnified challenges in audio engineering: insecurities in sound perception undermined their confidence, and the required extra “hearing work” added complexity. As workarounds, participants employed various technologies and techniques, relied on the support of hearing peers, and developed strategies for learning and growth. Through these practices, they navigate audio engineering while balancing confidence and limitations. For future directions, we recommend exploring technologies that reduce insecurities and “hearing work” to empower DHH audio engineers and working toward a DHH-community-driven approach to accessible audio engineering.
Identifier
85194840771 (Scopus)
ISBN
[9798400703300]
Publication Title
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
External Full Text Location
https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642454
Recommended Citation
Ohshiro, Keita and Cartwright, Mark, "Audio engineering by people who are deaf and hard of hearing: balancing confidence and limitations" (2024). Faculty Publications. 431.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/fac_pubs/431
