How language services and developing technology help people with disabilities communicate better

The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people globally live with a disability. That’s around 16% of the world’s total population. Having a disability can mean that everyday activities become more difficult and participating fully in all areas of society is tough. People who are disabled face exclusion because the environments we live in – both physically and digitally – are not adapted to a wide enough variety of needs.

More effective communication is a key element in fostering inclusion. If the ways we communicate with each other are improved, people with disabilities will have better access and more opportunities. Fortunately, today’s sophisticated technology is making human interaction easier than ever. Rapidly advancing language technology and greater awareness of the issues faced by those who have a disability, mean communication barriers are falling.

Language providers and accessibility

Language companies, as suppliers of communication solutions, have a significant role in encouraging more adapted information exchange. Language services providers (LSPs) find themselves at the junction of multilingual services and language accessibility.

Here are just a few of the services provided by LSPs that can help support accessibility.

Producing materials in more languages improves access for people who don’t speak the mainstream languages where they live or who aren’t fluent in the handful of languages that dominate global digital communication. The more multilingual our digital content becomes, the more people can access it. Providing multilingual alternatives in all areas of life is better for everyone in our steadily more multicultural societies. (We look at multilingual language access and its benefits in more detail here.)

Multimedia localisation also helps broaden access to digital resources. On-screen captioning brings the spoken word to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Voiceover or audio description help people who are blind or visually impaired get the full picture of what’s happening in videos or on film.

Transcription also falls into the language services remit and involves transforming audio files into text. It might be used to offer the transcript of a podcast or to turn the audio file from an important meeting into a written format. Transcription is increasingly recommended for pre-recorded content and enables people with hearing disabilities or conditions like Auditory Processing Disorder and ADHD to participate to a much greater extent in more events.

Technology is boosting accessibility

Communication beyond traditional boundaries is becoming more easily achievable through advancing technology and the introduction of generative artificial intelligence. The ways we can talk to each other are more intuitive than ever.

Assistive language technology is nothing new. Devices to help people with hearing or sight loss or who experience barriers to communication are now widely used. Voice recognition, onscreen captioning and speech synthesis have become quite familiar to us all. What is changing is the speed of the advances in these types of assistive technologies. The arrival of generative AI is having a significant impact.

GenAI is good at switching between different channels. It recognises and produces content in various formats like video, audio and text and converts information between these modalities. Its ability to switch between formats helps people who need to modify the way they receive information so they can process and understand it. GenAI is also trained on enormous amounts of human data, meaning it learns fast and can access real-world information.

Tech companies are integrating generative AI into their accessibility tools quickly and funding research to propel development even further. As AI becomes better at recognising a wider range of speech patterns, accents and languages, the more valuable it becomes for people who need communicative assistance.

Understanding sign language

Sign language is a powerful communication tool that enables people who are deaf or hard of hearing to connect, not only with each other but with people who don’t have hearing difficulties. There are over 300 sign languages in the world today, all unique natural languages and all distinct from their spoken counterparts.

Despite their individual nature, national sign languages struggle to receive legal recognition in many places, meaning that the Deaf community faces widespread discrimination and inequitable access to everyday services. Protecting and promoting the use of sign language is vital.

Sign language interpreters are skilled linguists who offer invaluable assistance to the millions of people worldwide who are deaf or hard of hearing. Using sign language interpreters helps avoid misunderstandings and mistakes and can nurture better business relationships and outcomes. Offering sign language interpretation shouldn’t be overlooked.

The problem of ableist language

Just as sign languages come under the language services umbrella, so does the use of non-discriminatory language and the quest to eliminate ableism.

When we talk about people with disabilities, it’s important to avoid language that isn’t harmful or condescending. Choosing language that celebrates disability has a positive impact and helps foster more respect in workplaces and public services.

Often, people don’t use ableist language on purpose. They simply repeat what they have heard from others and don’t realise that the words they’re saying no longer have a place in today’s world. Examples in English might be phrases like ‘He’s so OCD’ or ‘That’s lame’. Even expressions like ‘The blind leading the blind’ widely used for hundreds of years, shouldn’t now be part of people’s vocabulary as they trivialise or belittle the challenges that people with disability face.

There are many words and phrases we can use instead of those that cause harm. All it takes is a little effort and a shift in mindset.

Language professionals have the world’s dictionaries at their fingertips and therefore a responsibility to use positive and accurate language. They can make sure their output champions disability inclusion in all languages and, when appropriate, favours simple and readable texts. They are also in a position to start the dialogue around any ableist terminology found in materials sent for translation. LSPs and translators can work with clients to produce better source material that eliminates ableism and elevates people with disabilities.

We can all communicate better

The broad scope of language services means that companies within the sector have the potential to assist communication for people with disabilities. Providing multilingual services links to more general communication objectives and language professionals are well placed to integrate new, innovative technologies.

Ultimately, this is about everyone and how we communicate with each other. Better communication enriches all our lives, encouraging cultural exchange, more effective public services and better business.

Here at t’works, we’re always happy to chat about your language projects and advise you on the best way to get your message across. In any language.

Get in touch with us below.