A lipspeaker provides communication support for a hard of hearing person who is a good lipreader.
Lipspeaker: Clearly reproduces speech without voice, supported with gestures or sign language, for deaf or hard of hearing lipreaders.
WHAT IS LIPSPEAKING?
A lipspeaker is a hearing person who has been professionally trained to be easy to lipread.
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The lipspeaker is clearly visible to the lipreader, and silently and accurately repeats the spoken message. There is only one person for the lipreader to lipread.
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The lipspeaker reproduces the rhythm and phrasing of a speaker, with appropriate gesture and facial expression.
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A lipspeaker can fingerspell the initial letters of words that are difficult to lipread.
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Some lipspeakers can support lipspeaking with sign language if requested by the lipreader (when booking).
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A lipspeaker can use their voice if desired by the lipreader, so the lipreader can benefit from any residual hearing.
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Lipspeakers can voice over, i.e. relay a deaf person’s voice if needed
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Lipspeakers can be booked for any setting – workplace, legal, medical, job interviews
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Lipspeakers are qualified as Level 2 (up to 120 words per minute) or Level 3 (over 120 words per minute)
Lipspeakers give deaf and hard of hearing people equal access to information. The requirement for communication support is part of:
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
The Disabled Person’s Act
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE)
The NHS and Community Care Act
The Children Act
Service providers are responsible for the cost of providing lipspeaker support for users of public sector services such as education, health, local authority and the legal system. Under the Disability Discrimination Act, employers should provide lipspeaker support for interviews, appraisals, meetings and training courses. Lipspeakers work in total confidence.
Two lipspeakers may need to be booked for events lasting longer than two hours. All our lipspeakers are members of the Association of Lipspeakers.
Run by deaf people, for deaf people
