Scientific Articles

Atcherson, S. R., Mendel, L. L., Baltimore, W. J., Patro, C., Lee, S., Pousson, M., & Spann, M. J. (2017). The Effect of Conventional and Transparent Surgical Masks on Speech Understanding in Individuals with and without Hearing Loss. Journal Of The American Academy Of Audiology, 28(01), 058-067. https://doi.org/10.3766/jaaa.15151

Nobrega, M., Opice, R., Lauletta, M. M., & Nobrega, C. A. (2020). How face masks can affect school performance. International Journal Of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 138, 110328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2020.110328

Homans, N. C., & Vroegop, J. L. (2024). The beneficial effect of transparent surgical masks on the communication of adults with hearing loss within clinical settings. Disability And Rehabilitation Assistive Technology, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2376171

Explanation of the Post

During the COVID-19 pandemic, where facemasks were mandatory in classrooms, the academic performance of hearing-impaired students was significantly affected. This was because the masks created a visual barrier that interfered with lip-reading, which is essential for deaf people’s speech perception. However, thanks to studies conducted before and during the pandemic on the impact of facemasks on this population, the efficacy of clear masks versus conventional masks was demonstrated in all types of settings. The benefits of using this type of mask in the classroom allowed them to access the teacher’s articulation movements, which facilitated speech perception and, therefore, learning.

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