Table 4 Advanced communication methods for people with sensory loss
From: Dental management of patients with sensory impairments
Communication methods for sensory loss | Explanation |
|---|---|
Clear speech and lip reading | Also known as speechreading, is a technique of understanding speech by visually interpreting the movements of the lips, face and tongue |
Tadoma | Tactile lip reading where fingers are placed on the lips/jawline to feel vibrations of speech |
Deafblind manual alphabet | A method of spelling out words onto a hand, with each letter denoted by a particular pattern and location on the hand |
Block alphabet | Tracing block letters onto the palm of the hand |
Braille | A system of raised dots that can be read with the fingers |
Moon | Similar to braille but with raised curves and lines |
BSL with/without adaptations: Visual frame signing Close-up signing Tactile signing Hand under hand signing Sign Supported English (SSE) | Sign language with adaptations: Making signs in a smaller area for people with smaller fields of vision In close proximity to the person Signing using touch, such as finger spelling onto a person's palm Where the receiver's hands are lightly placed upon the hands of the signer to read signs through touch and movement SSE is a form of Manually Coded English (MCE), also known as conceptually accurate signed English. Unlike BSL, this type of sign language follows the spoken and reading English language and follows its structure |
Haptic communication | Non-verbal communication by touch |
Makaton | Trimodal language using signs, symbols and speech |
Symbol systems | Using symbols or pictures to communicate |
Objects of reference | An object that can be held or touched and is used to represent an activity, a person, a place or even a concept, for example, a person may hold up their favourite cup to indicate they would like a drink |
Pictorial communication systems eg Widgit | A symbol-based language using pictorial symbols, either as an alternative to text, or to accompany it |
Note taking | Writing words down |
Electronic communication (with braille output or large font on screen) | Using technology such as tablets to display large text, or with braille or audio outputs |
Technology to aid communication | Apps such as transcribing apps, or using symbols alongside words or text, such as MyChoicePad |
Individuals' own personal signs | Signs individual to the person that do not follow an official sign language |
Large print (font size 16 or above) | Text in larger typeface |
Low vision aids (magnifiers, task lighting) | Illumination or magnification aids |
Other technology systems | Speech recognition systems, speech synthesisers |
