How to be accessible - UK Deaf Sport

How to be accessible

Find resources and tips on how to be inclusive in sport and during physical activity below.

At UK Deaf Sport we want every deaf person to be active and inspired by sport and physical activity, and a lot of the activities out there can require some form of communication.

Having a deaf participant in your sport or activity session is not a barrier but an opportunity to adapt the delivery of your session to support them effectively. It can also indirectly benefit others as well.

To help you meet the communication needs of a deaf participant, we have developed a whole resource you can browse about deaf people experiences in sport, their advice in communicating with a deaf person and some useful signs for you learn.

Below are some simple tips and guidance from Uk Deaf Sport to remember, when delivering your next sporting or activity session.

UK Deaf Sport top tips:

Talk slowly and directly to people’s faces. Don’t turn your back when giving out instructions. If they lip-read, make sure your lips are easy to see and try not to mumble.
Use visual aids to help explain exercises and activities.
It can help if drills and techniques are demonstrated first, so that deaf participants are visually aware of what you are asking them to do.
Check for understanding – if they don’t understand, try re-phrasing the instruction/information before moving on.
Before the session starts, encourage deaf participants to position themselves in the group that best supports their communication needs and makes them feel most comfortable.
Before the session starts, encourage deaf participants to position themselves in the group that best supports their communication needs and makes them feel most comfortable.

Resource Library

Experiences

Watch videos of deaf and hard of hearing people experiences of the barriers they have faced when participating in sport or physical activity.

Advice

Advice and tips directly from deaf and hard of hearing trainers on how you can better communicate with a deaf person.

Sport Resources

A selection of different sport resources for your own use.

BSL Compilation

Gathered here is a list useful words and phrases in British Sign Language that

Other Deaf Friendly Resources

UK Council on Deafness – Things to remember factsheet
Action on Hearing Loss – includes communication and fingerspelling cards
Deaf children and young people – NDCS Deaf Awareness information and resources
Sense charity arts, sports and wellbeing opportunities for deaf people
Deaf inclusion
Deaf Awareness Week

Official Partners:

UK Deaf Sport also works with the following partners:

the_fa

spot_england

england_cricket

british_gymnastics

eng_athletics

eng_netball

london_sport

disability_bowls

british_blind_sport

badminton_england

lta_tennis

sense

activity_alliance

eng_golf

eng_cricket_association_deaf

swim_england

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UK Deaf Sport works in partnership with key organisations to ensure that deaf children, young people and adults have equal opportunities to participate and excel in sport and physical activity as their hearing counterparts from grassroots to elite level.

As the National Governing Body for Deaf Sport, UK Deaf Sport are responsible for ensuring good governance including the administration and coordination of deaf sport teams competing abroad at both a British and Home Nation level. UK Deaf Sport is also responsible for the selection and management of the DeaflympicsGB Team, the official team that represents Great Britain at the Summer and Winter Deaflympics.

UK Deaf Sport receives funding from: