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Breaking down barriers for disabled people
Deaf-Specific Glossary
This glossary is for anyone who falls under the umbrella of deafness.
That includes—but is not limited to—people who identify as deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, or deafblind. We don’t gatekeep. This resource is for anyone who finds these terms useful, regardless of communication preferences, devices used, access needs, when or how they became deaf, or how connected they feel to the Deaf community as a whole.
It includes terms and examples to help explain how communication barriers, sensory experiences, and the need for things like interpreters or visual access affect daily life and benefit eligibility. This glossary isn’t exhaustive—so if there’s a term you feel is outdated or missing, please let us know!
Types of Deafness and Communication
Conductive Deafness
Nonspeaking
Oral
Residual Hearing
Sensorineural Deafness
Communication Methods
British Sign Language (BSL)
Fingerspelling
Lipreading
Sign Supported English (SSE)
Hearing Assistive and Other Technology Devices
Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA)
Cochlear Implant
Earhook
FM System
Hearing Aids
Induction Loop (Hearing Loop)
Neckloop TV System
Radio Aid
Sound Therapy Machine
Speech Banana
A pad that vibrates in response to alarms or alerts—often used under pillows at night.
Vibrating Pad
Video Doorbell
Doorbells that provide visual alerts and video feed via an app, offering increased access and safety.
Hearing Dogs
A fully qualified and registered assistance dog. Trained to alert severely or profoundly deaf people to specific sounds (e.g., alarm, doorbell, baby crying), as well as companionship and outdoors.
Hearing Dog
Sound Support Dog
A dog trained to alert any deaf person to important everyday sounds but don't have the same rights or recognition as a fully accredited assistance dog.
Training that enables hearing dogs to recognise and respond to household or emergency sounds.
Sound Work
Personal Instructor (PI)
A trainer from hearing dogs for deaf people UK charity who supports the deaf person and hearing dog during their training and matching process.
Language Support Professionals
A trained professional who facilitates communication between a deaf BSL user and a hearing English speaker.
BSL/English Interpreter
Communication Support Worker (CSW)
Provides communication access in education and work settings using BSL, SSE, notes, or captions.
Uses a phonetic keyboard to provide verbatim live captions, often in formal or academic environments.
Palantypist
Lipspeaker
Repeats spoken words silently using clear lip movements for lipreaders.
Uses lipspeaking plus key BSL signs to support understanding.
Lipspeaker with Additional Sign
Communication Solutions
999BSL
Free emergency video relay service that connects BSL users to emergency services via a live remote BSL/English interpreter.
A service that allows registered deaf users to text 999 in emergencies.
Emergency SMS
Live Captions
Real-time text of spoken words displayed on screen, often used for video or events.
An app that displays real-time captions of nearby speech, as well as picking up and notifying about certain sounds, such as the doorbell or baby crying.
Live Transcribe
OtterAI
Speech-to-text app that provides live transcription and stores transcripts for later use, giving summary and action points.
Apps or services converting spoken language into text in real time for accessibility.
Speech-to-Text
Text Relay
(Relay UK)
Allows deaf users to type or read messages during phone calls via a relay assistant.
A written version of spoken content, useful for reviewing after meetings, calls, or recordings.
Transcript
Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)
A BSL/English interpreter joins a face-to-face meeting or appointment remotely via video to facilitate communication.
A digital service providing remote interpreters to relay phone conversations between BSL users and hearing people.
Example providers:
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SignVideo
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SignLive
Video Relay Services (VRS)
Social, Education, Health and Work
Communication Passport
A personalised document that outlines someone’s preferred communication methods, strengths, and access needs particularly for healthcare settings.
Cognitive fatigue from sustained attention needed to understand speech or signing.
Concentration Fatigue
Dinner Table Syndrome
Exclusion from group conversations due to communication barriers or informal, rapid speech.
Funding for UK students in higher education to cover disability-related study support needs, including BSL interpreters or technology.
Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)
Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
A legal plan in England for young people with additional needs, outlining education, health, and care support.
Lack of early access to a full language (spoken or signed), affecting communication development.
Language Deprivation
Listening Fatigue
Mental exhaustion from prolonged effort to hear or lipread.
A flexible support plan outlining reasonable adjustments for a learner’s access needs in college, university, or training.
Personal Learning Support Plan (PLSP)
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