When we design eLearning for hearing loss, we often focus on severe to profound cases – captioning, transcripts, sign language. All absolutely essential.
But there’s a quieter majority we’re overlooking.
The silent majority
Globally, 1.5 billion people – nearly 20% of the world’s population – live with some degree of hearing loss. They don’t hear nothing. They hear some things. But not everything.
In South Africa alone, over 11 million people has mild to moderate hearing loss – 9.2 million with mild loss and 2.1 million with moderate loss.
Many haven’t been diagnosed or disclosed their challenges to their employer.
Who’s affected?
- A teammate struggling to keep pace in fast-moving Zoom calls
- A learner missing key points in training videos because of background music or robotic voiceovers
- An employee deciphering unfamiliar accents in multilingual work environments
- Someone whose hearing has slipped gradually – and who hasn’t asked for help
These quiet challenges lead to missed details, lower confidence, and disengagement from learning opportunities.
Small tweaks for half-muted learners
…that results in big impact for all.
Inclusive design isn’t just about checking boxes. It’s about making learning work especially for the many who hear some of the message, but not all of it.
Here are simple, actionable strategies:
- Chunk audio into 15–30 second segments with clear visual cues
- Start modules with a “preview” and end with a “recap” to reinforce key points
- Prioritise clarity over cinematic production—learners may be multitasking or in noisy environments
- Offer playback speed controls so narration can be slowed down without distortion
- Use subtle animations, color shifts, or icons to highlight crucial phrases
- Normalise captions as a productivity tool, not a “disability aid”
- Provide “listening modes”: full audio, audio + captions, or visual-only summaries
Ready to make your eLearning half-muted no more? Email us at sales@signify.co.za to consult on inclusive design that benefits everyone.
