As part of the event, students had the opportunity to experience and closely observe the communication barriers that individuals with hearing impairments encounter in their daily lives. In this silent and immersive environment, they attempted to communicate using sign language and body language, gaining deeper insight into the challenges faced by individuals with hearing loss.
Following this unique experience, the students directly interacted with hearing-impaired employees working at the café inside the museum and asked them various questions. The cafe staff sincerely shared their everyday experiences, the support they need, and how the use of sign language facilitates communication.
In response to the question, “What challenges do you face in daily life as a hearing-impaired individual?”, one staff member stated: “When I go to hospitals, I struggle to explain my problem, and this makes me very upset. Not being able to express myself creates a major barrier. For this reason, I want sign language interpreters to be present especially in hospitals.”
Another employee answered the question, “What would make communication easier for you?”, as follows: “I work as a waiter in the cafe. I often have difficulty communicating at work and understanding others. I want sign language to become more widespread so that I can communicate more comfortably with everyone.”
Aimed at enhancing the professional awareness of audiology students and strengthening social sensitivity, the event attracted significant interest from participants and concluded successfully.
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