Is lip-reading (currently the term is speech reading) an effective form of communicating with deaf and hard of hearing individuals?
A. Not often. Some deaf and hard of hearing individuals do rely on speech reading for communication. For these individuals, an oral interpreter may be the best means of ensuring effective communication. Very few deaf people rely on speech reading alone for exchanges of important information. Forty to sixty percent of English sounds look alike when spoken. Thirty percent of what is said is actually discernable or visible on the lips, and the other seventy percent is guesswork. This sets up the perfect situation for miscommunication and misunderstanding.
Not often. Some deaf and hard of hearing individuals do rely on speech reading for communication. For these individuals, an oral interpreter may be the best means of ensuring effective communication. Very few deaf people rely on speech reading alone for exchanges of important information. Forty to sixty percent of English sounds look alike when spoken. Thirty percent of what is said is actually discernable or visible on the lips, and the other seventy percent is guesswork. This sets up the perfect situation for miscommunication and misunderstanding.
