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Broadcasting and Creative Industries Disability Network

Access for Disabled People to Participate in Programmes as Actors, Interviewees, Experts, Studio Guests, Game Show Participants and Audiences

Portrayal

Stereotypes and Getting it Right

Do you remember the last time you saw or heard a disabled person on television or radio? If you can think of someone at all, the chances are they were on a programme about disability. It is difficult to calculate exactly how many disabled people feature in our mainstream programmes, particularly when the disability is invisible. However, many producers would acknowledge that they have never even considered casting a disabled actor, looking out for a disabled "expert" or contributor, filming an interview in the street with a disabled member of the public, or deliberately widening the composition of a studio audience. Broadcasters are now very conscious of the importance of ensuring a mix of gender and race on-air and on-screen. So why not ensure that your programme adequately reflects society as a whole?

It's easy to pigeonhole people to save time and explanation in your programmes. But this puts you at risk of reinforcing existing stereotypes, so that disabled people, when they feature at all, continue to be all too often portrayed as either remarkable and heroic, or dependent victims. In the early 1990s, a researcher surveyed the portrayal of disabled people on television and found that they fell into one of 11 different categories, 10 of which were negative. These included the disabled person as "pitiable and pathetic", as "incapable", as "a burden". Disabled men aged between 25 and 40 were much more likely to be represented than other disabled people, despite the fact that disabled women out number disabled men.

Some disabilities receive particularly poor representation. Mental illness has all too frequently (and disproportionately) been linked in programmes with violent crime, even though there is no evidence to support this mis-portrayal.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation asks its producers to ask themselves four questions about the portrayal of disabled people on-screen

Does the portrayal patronise the disabled person?
Does the portrayal victimise the disabled person?
Does the portrayal demonise the disabled person?

Or, instead,

Does the portrayal normalise the disabled person, that is, does it regard disabled people in the same way as everyone else?

Many lifestyle / features and daytime series feature members of the public as contributors. Consider including more disabled people in order that your programme features a good cross-section of society. However in order to do this it is often necessary to actively seek out disabled people. Don't forget that men and women, people of different races, religions, ages and sexual orientation will also be disabled.

Don't be too precious or too politically correct – being super-sensitive to the right and wrong language in depictions of disabled people will stop you doing anything. All images can play an important role is raising visibility – even so-called negative ones.
Consider disabled characters in scenarios that might be commonplace for a non-disabled person. For example, showing a disabled person being fired for negligence or incompetence would be a positive depiction precisely because it would challenge an employer's often quoted reason for not hiring disabled people in the first place – the assumption that you can't fire disabled people without getting into legal trouble for discrimination.
Consider disabled characters as rounded individuals, with good and bad qualities. Showing a disabled person as being mean, or nasty might be a challenge, but how many non-disabled people are "nice" all the time? A disabled character might get angry, bitter, depressed at times but could also be witty, sexy and the life of the party. Maybe a disabled mother gets angry with her child for refusing to brush its teeth, but this is about motherhood, not disability. Framing the context clearly enables you to do this. Often it is non-disabled people who are more sensitive about these issues than people with disabilities.
Walk-on roles offer a huge opportunity to feature disabled people in better roles. You may feel it is inappropriate to cast a disabled character in your lead role, but don't automatically rule out a disabled person in a role where they are featured as a secondary or passing character. This would be better than just an "extra" role and may provide an opportunity to feature a disabled person in a situation or role that has nothing to do with disability. Showing disabled people in walk-on parts as competent fellow managers and work colleagues, for example, would indicate real inclusion.
Don't just think of wheelchair users when you think disability. It is convenient, because it is a known and visible disability, but it becomes a cliché. Less than 8% of disabled people use wheelchairs, so consider featuring another disability.
Be wary of depicting disabled people in disempowered or "victim" roles. While it is true that some people are disabled by accidents, acts of terrorism or war, there are many more disabled people who do not consider themselves victims at all. They want the same respect that is given to anybody, not pity.
Similarly avoid the other extreme of the "hero" – constantly showing disabled high achievers. A gold medal disabled athlete is no more representative of disabled people than footballer David Beckham is of non-disabled people. Extraordinary people exist in all walks of life, but heroic achievement can mask the everyday reality for disabled people, allowing the viewer to see the achievement as compensating for the disability. It evokes the idea that the person has "conquered" their impairment and has no need of further consideration.
It is also patronising to consider disabled people to be heroes because they are disabled, so avoid references to disabled people being "brave" in coping with their impairments.
Consider showing everyday situations that include disabled people, rather than situations associated with disability. It gives a more positive image of integration to show disabled people interacting with non-disabled people. Showing disabled people on their own or isolated can imply they are separated from the rest of society.
There is no need to be afraid of showing disabled people doing things differently to non-disabled people, but show disabled people as equals. Let them speak for themselves, give them good lines and let them demonstrate their empowerment.

Consulting Disability Organisations

When seeking disabled programme contributors you may decide to consult a specialist disability organisation for help. Consultation is important, and it is always advisable to talk to more than one organisation if you can in order to get a broad picture. A wide range of disability organisations have grown up over the years. Usually these specialise in a specific impairment and cater for different viewpoints. They may have different aims. Such organisations can include those which provide charitable support, advice and information, and those that are politically involved, and who actively lobby to change the status quo. It is also worth noting that some organisations representing disabled people are managed by non-disabled people, and may not always accurately reflect the views of disabled people themselves.

When consulting with different groups, you might have to tease out some of the conflicting messages or information as well as the external and internal politics. You'll miss useful people, interesting stories and surprising viewpoints if you only work with the biggest and best known organisations, and if you limit yourself to working only through such agencies.

Some groups may be more interested in promoting their cause than fitting into the editorial specification of your programme. Be clear to them about what you are trying to achieve from the beginning. Try to bring organisations in at an early stage, carry them with you and don't forget them when the programme is delivered. Make sure they know the transmission dates, and encourage feedback from their members or beneficiaries after the programme has been broadcast.

Respect for human dignity and treatment of minorities

Viewers have a right to expect that broadcasters and programme-makers will reflect their responsibility to preserve human dignity, as far as possible, in respect of both individuals, and individuals as members of groups. Individuals should not be patronized, or exploited needlessly or caused unnecessary distress, nor should the audience be made to feel mere voyeurs of others' distress. In particular, consideration should be given to the treatment of vulnerable minorities, bearing in mind the likely effects of both misrepresentation and under-representation.

Humour

Humour is an area which has been hotly debated, but it can be very powerful at normalizing issues. Whereas once any humourous reference to disability might have caused offence to either disabled or non-disabled people, there are now more comedians who are keen to actively exploit the comic potential of disability in their acts. This has been largely made possible by an increase in the number of disabled comedians who themselves have presented ground-breaking work that challenges traditional attitudes using sharp, satirical and sometimes deliberately shocking material. There is a long tradition of humour based on oppression and inequality. It should be possible for people with disabilities to be included in programmes of all kinds, particularly where the humour means laughing with people, rather than laughing at them.

Casting Actors

There are two key issues for producers of drama to consider. The first concerns the use of disabled people for roles that have a disability, rather than using non-disabled actors. Casting directors and producers should always consider performers with disabilities first for all parts specially written as disabled. (After all it is no longer considered acceptable to use "blacked-up" actors to play black characters such as Shakespeare's Othello.) Having said that, the best actor for the part should be the one to get the job.

Frances Higson, Producer, Antonine Films, UK

"One of our lead characters in our feature film Orphans had cerebral palsy. We decided to find someone with the condition to play the role rather than get an actress to pretend… we contacted disability groups and community centres throughout Scotland… it was an extremely rewarding experience and what ended up on the screen was credible. I think that if producers have a character with a disability they should explore the option of working with a disabled person. The benefits can certainly outweigh the difficulties."

The second issue is about integrated casting, that is, using disabled actors for roles that have no mention of a disability. In its policy statement on the under-representation of disabled performers in the entertainment industry, Equity (the UK actors' union) advocates that the casting of artists should be on the basis of their individual abilities as artists, regardless of their disability. This standpoint, which has also been applied to casting irrespective of race, has not yet received much attention.

Not all of this, of course, is the responsibility of the script writer. When casting a part why assume that every part has to be played by a non-disabled actor? Why not consider giving a character a disability without worrying about integrating the disability into the script? Why not make sure that your extras sometimes include people with visible impairments?

Increasing Visibility

In broadcasting, visibly disabled people generally make up less than 1% of the on-screen total television population. In drama, real disabled actors (especially playing a part which does not call for a disability) are rarely seen. Light Entertainment does even less well, despite the fashion for 'reality' television.

Commissioning Editors and Producers have a vital role to play in changing this picture and finding and hiring disabled talent, whether this be professional performers such as actors or other contributors such as game show participants or routine interviewees.

In the UK there have been several pieces of research that shows that audiences want to see more disabled people on screen, and in a wider variety of roles, for example, newsreader. This section gives some ideas on how you can achieve this.

Ways of Increasing Opportunities for Disabled Actors

Look at your criteria for developing series and include disability.
Include disability criteria in selecting writers for writing development schemes.
Encourage writers to include disability in a drama or soap, especially parts for disabled actors.
Create a character with a disability in a soap, or allow an existing character to acquire a disability, then play the story for realism. Include all types of disability. Did you know that fewer than 8% of disabled people are permanent wheelchair users?
Consider casting at all levels – principals, walk-ons and extras. Why not choose somebody of short stature to play the lead in a new situation comedy? Would not the streets of a period drama have been populated with blind beggars, amputees from a recent war etc? Disabled people have always been around!
Set up, or lobby for, a disabled performers database in your company.
Actively look out for disabled actors and then try to develop a part for them. Try to find a disabled actor to play a disabled character, but also consider disabled actors for all parts, whether written as disabled or not.
Encourage agents to represent disabled as well as non-disabled artists and extras.
Tell agents that you are keen to include disabled talent in your programmes.
Make sure your audition and rehearsal spaces and studios are accessible. Include in any advertisement for a casting session such wording as: 'if you have access requirements, please contact us first'. In most cases special arrangements will not be necessary or can be easily provided. If in doubt, ask the actor!

Where to find disabled actors

It may not be easy initially to find disabled actors. You may choose to set up your own databases of actors and other talent in order to make it easier for production staff to find suitable people for their programmes. Contact local theatre groups and disabled organisations.

For a list of international actors unions and organisations see www.theactingwebsite.com

Casting Sessions

Casting sessions should be accessible. So, to avoid discrimination, do not

Refuse to see or consider an actor on the basis of their disability,
Reject an actor or encourage the rejection of an actor on the grounds of their disability,
Fail to make reasonable physical and communication adjustments during the casting process:

Reasonable Adjustments for Casting

Give an actor with dyslexia more time to read a script and provide the script in a sans serif font on coloured paper.
Provide a script for a visually impaired actor in a larger font (say 18 point) or in the font size and type requested.
Arrange a ground floor audition space for an actor with a mobility impairment.
Be prepared for a personal assistant to accompany an actor to an audition or for a visually impaired actor to bring a guide dog.
Book an audition room with an induction loop for an actor who uses a hearing aid.

Game show and lifestyle programme participants

People with visible disabilities aren't often seen in light entertainment shows or lifestyle programmes. If you're producing a game show, or normally invite people to take part in a programme, and are willing to include more disabled people, try to take steps to encourage disabled people to participate.

Say in an on-screen caption or voice-over to your audience at home that you are especially keen to hear from disabled people who want to take part.
Advertise a text-phone number so that deaf people can use a textphone or minicom to get in touch.
Use a questionnaire asking "Do you have a disability?" so that you can identify disabled applicants when you take decisions. You would need to explain that the purpose is for positive rather than negative discrimination.
Place an advertisement in a specialist disability publication saying that you particularly welcome applications to participate from disabled people.
Get in touch with some local disability organizations, either for a personal recommendation or to advertise to members.
If you are working for a broadcaster with a community liaison team then talk to them. They will probably have details of local organisations and may know particular individuals worth contacting.

Advertising Commercials

It is not just in broadcast programmes that disabled people are absent. Although most people know, or know of, someone with a disability, they are missing from the vast majority of advertising campaigns too.

Disabled people are ordinary consumers, just as non-disabled people are. By portraying disabled people and representing them fairly in advertising, hopefully everyone will come to recognise that they are not an invisible minority but a substantial part of our community.

In the past few years the Images of Disability Steering Group in the UK has been encouraging advertising agencies to go beyond the usual stereotypes and be creative in disability portrayal. Images of disability shouldn't rely on the obvious depictions of wheelchair users and partially sighted people with white sticks. Advertising has so much more creativity and scope than this.

An "image" of disability can be anything from a photo, a graphic or a character in a storyline, to a visual association or an aural clue – disabled people can be heard as well as seen.

Using a little thought and some effective characterisation, images of disability can positively reflect how disabled people are part of our society, not separate from it. They can show how disabled people have the same likes and dislikes, views and ideas, talents and weaknesses as everybody else.

The way disabled people are viewed by society is heavily influenced by the way they are portrayed in the media. Advertisers and advertising personnel have the power to change things for the better.

Using disabled people in advertising campaigns can also help others to understand the range of impairments that exist, from those affecting mobility to learning difficulties.

The Central Office of Information (COI), and the Department for Work and Pensions lead an initiative that aims to increase the disability representation in mainstream government advertising. The COI also has a policy of casting only disabled actors for disabled roles.

What You Can Do

Think about disability early in your campaign planning, so you can integrate it into your message rather than try to fit around it.
Incorporate images of disability as the norm, in the same way you would reflect gender and ethnicity.
If you're concerned that an image of disability may overwhelm your ad, remember it can actually amplify your message.
Make sure you let your colleagues know how they can incorporate images of disability into their marketing proposals and campaign pitches.
Try not to worry about offending anyone by using an image of disability. Research shows disabled people would prefer to see some portrayal of disability rather than none at all.
Remember, it's often attitudes towards disabled people that create barriers for them rather than the impairment itself. So try to think of ways you can help promote the benefits of social diversity.
Get support from disabled people and their organisations. Discuss your issues and creative ideas with them.
Use disabled actors in your campaigns.

Specialist Disability Programmes

In many cases production teams do include disabled people when making specialist programmes on disability issues. This can be a good place to develop people with disabilities as programme makers. Specialist disability programmes also have a role to play, for example, in keeping disabled people connected to the world around them. Such programmes also inform (and entertain) other non- disabled listeners or viewers. The BBC radio programme "In Touch", aimed at visually impaired audiences, is extremely popular because of the way its stories fulfil this function. Similarly, a drama aimed at deaf people where every character uses sign language, may prove popular with deaf audiences.

However the more integrated disability can be in mainstream programming, the more accurately it reflects our society. Most disabled programme-makers would not want to be limited solely to working on specialist disability programmes, but would welcome the opportunity to work in other genres. The more disabled people are employed in mainstream programming, the greater the chance of accurate portrayal.

Accessible Studios and Venues

Choosing the Studio or Venue

Studios and venues need to be accessible to disabled people. The amount of planning and work you are going to have to do to ensure accessibility depends on the decision you make about the venue you use for the show.

If you can choose a professionally run, purpose-built studio, it should make life easier. A modern building is more likely to be basically accessible.
You need to ensure that staff involved with audience handling (for example, stewarding, hospitality, toilets, security etc) have been trained in good practice in dealing with audience members who are disabled. (See the section Communicating with Disabled People).
If the venue you use is a publicly-funded venue (such as an art gallery or concert hall), it is more likely there will be an adequate level of access.
If you do need another type of venue, for example, a village hall, a jazz club or a bar, you may not find it so straightforward. You will need to do an access audit as part of your reconnaissance in any venue with which you are unfamiliar (there is a basic checklist below).
A producer needs to get into the habit of asking for what is needed. You are the person with the overview of what is required and, as with the production process generally, communicating and working with people should get you good results.

Physical Access Checklist

You cannot assume that it is the responsibility of the managers or owners of hired premises to ensure that it is accessible to disabled people. A part of your planning, when a venue is used for an audience of any kind (including an outside broadcast), you should appoint a designated person on the production team to deal with access requirements, conduct an access audit and ensure any required changes are put in place.

Some spot checks to consider include

Parking – Is there plenty of parking near the main door and are there allocated spaces for disabled people who cannot walk any great distance?
Transport – If you are booking a taxi for a guest, find out whether there is a taxi firm they use regularly (some private cars and mini cabs may not be suitable).
Building entrance – Is it up a flight of stairs? If it is then how will people with mobility difficulties or wheelchair users be able to get in? You may need to open up another entrance, or provide a temporary ramp, or hire a portable lift.
Doorways – Do doors open automatically? Are they wide enough to accommodate an electric wheelchair? Is there sufficient room in the lobby?
Waiting area/refreshments – How would a person get from the main entrance to the waiting area, bar or canteen? Would someone with a learning disability be able to find it or would you have an assistant on hand to show him or her the way? Would someone with mobility difficulties be able to make their way there? If this is not possible, what alternative arrangements are you going to make to ensure a disabled audience member can wait in comfort and receive refreshment? Are important signs clearly visible?
Reception and other staff – Are they welcoming and disability-aware?
Toilets – Do you have accessible toilets? Are they clearly signposted? Are they clean and clear of clutter? If no accessible toilets are available, can one be hired?
Seating – What kind of studio seats do you use? Are they easy to get in and out of (for example, are they of standard height, do they have arms?) Are there easily accessible aisles? Is there room for wheelchair users? Will you allow someone an extra seat for an assistant/carer? What physical barriers might prevent a disabled person from sitting alongside others in the venue? Can you avoid putting all wheelchair users together?
Hearing Aids – does the venue have a functional induction loop (hearing enhancement system)? If not, hire or buy a portable system.
Health and safety – Will everyone be able to know that a fire alarm has gone off, or be able to get out of the building quickly? Can you arrange for a visible alarm signal as well as an audible one?

If you are forced to use an inaccessible venue, make sure that this is clear on publicity material and tickets.

Your Studio Design

Layout

Obviously a studio needs to have flat access and enough space for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre through it. A set designed entirely within a lowered floor, for example, is unlikely to be accessible unless it can include some sort of shallow ramping. The lay out of the recording space is crucial to the inclusion of disabled people. It is perfectly possible to turn what is, in essence, a fully accessible empty space into an inaccessible one with an ill thought-out set design, or thoughtless placing of cables and equipment. This applies to all studios including the purpose-built professional type. Remember to ask your designer to make access a criterion and that there is flat path through to the seating area.

Seating

Every set design must take into consideration the issue of wheelchair spaces. The best arrangement is to have removable seats, so that as many wheelchairs as necessary can be accommodated. Tiered seating usually means wheelchair users are consigned to the front row, but in a small studio with two rows it is possible, in the interests of variety, to ramp the elevated back row as well. A good designer may be able to think of many innovative places for wheelchair users to sit and still provide good sightlines. People who wish to transfer from their chairs, and people with walking difficulties are also going to find it difficult or impossible to use seats that are positioned on a slope, and may also need seats in the front row. You need to keep this in mind on your seating plan.

On the Day

Put signs in entrance area indicating if an induction loop (hearing enhancement system) is available. Ideally use a sans serif font and make sure the font size is large enough.
Check that portable loops (hearing enhancement systems) are clean and that the batteries are charged (remember to do this the day before).
Remember to welcome and brief the sign language interpreter or speech to text typist.
Check that stair lifts are working and that the whereabouts of keys is known if necessary.
For those with partial vision you need to ensure that signage is clear. Black text on a white or on a pale yellow background is recommended, as is a sans serif font and large print.
Steps should be marked with different coloured tape along the edges to distinguish them from the rest of the walkway.
Remember to have seats available for those that need them in queues and to make it clear this facility is available.
Check there is a person available to provide water for guide dogs.

Outside Locations

You may be shooting or recording your programme at an outside location. Some locations can be difficult even for non-disabled people (for example, working at heights, or in cramped, dark places or in extreme weather conditions, or dangerous areas of conflict), but even a less demanding location might throw up additional challenges to some disabled people. Obviously if you can do a reconnaissance visit in advance it will be helpful, but in these days of tight budgets this is not always possible, especially on documentaries. If you do have a disabled member in your production team or crew, or disabled performers or participants with you, remember to ask them in advance if they have any particular requirements. Some general points to consider include:

Some disabled people feel the cold badly, so if there is a lot of waiting around outside, try to have warm clothing or rugs available.
Some disabled people (for example, with diabetes) may need to eat at regular intervals, so try to have some snacks available. Most people who need special diets are willing to bring food with them if it is difficult for you to provide it, so long as this is discussed in advance.
Some disabled people may need to use the toilet more frequently than others, so try to ensure facilities are available and nearby.
Do not assume disabled people are necessarily weak or unfit. In fact many disabled people make a deliberate point of maintaining their health and fitness. But scheduling regular rest breaks is a good idea, even if they are of short duration.

Health and Safety

Health and Safety issues should not be used unreasonably to exclude disabled people. Disabled people should be able, as far as possible, to sit where they like in an auditorium and to attend shows unaccompanied by a non-disabled person. However, some venues have a requirement that disabled people must be accompanied by a non-disabled attendant. If you find the fire regulations in a specific venue do have this requirement, provide someone who can be designated as the 'companion' if necessary.

Interviews

Adjustments for Interviews

Examples of adjustments you might make at an interview include:

Changing the venue to a more accessible interview room for a wheelchair user. You will also want to ensure that the interviewer is seated at the same level as the wheelchair user.
Re-arranging the seating or lighting so that a deaf person can lip-read more easily.
Arranging for an appropriate person to help you communicate, such as a sign language interpreter. If you are interviewing a deaf person through a sign language interpreter, you need to sort out the way everyone is positioned and try a few practice questions to get a feel for how things will work.
Allowing the individual to bring an assistant or companion to the interview. They might not want them to come in, so a waiting place nearly may be needed.
Help someone who is visually impaired to establish where the microphones are.

Meeting and Greeting Interviewees

With any interviewee, the priority is to make sure they are on time, relaxed about the situation, and well briefed about the purpose of the interview, who will be interviewing them, and how it will work.

It is important that someone is there to meet any interviewee. For disabled interviewees, you might also consider:

Studios can be located a long way from Reception. Someone may have walking difficulties but not be a wheelchair user. Is there a closer entrance they could use? Or can a seat be provided at intervals on route?
Some disabled people use assistance dogs; ask if the dog will need comfort arrangements such as water.
If your guest is visually impaired and you are showing them to a guest area or into the studio, ask if you can be their guide. If they agree, invite your guest to hold your arm and walk slightly in front. Advise them of stairs, slopes or hazards ahead. When you reach a chair, put their hand on the arm or back of the chair. That's all you need to do; you don't need to sit your guest down!

Introducing Interviewees

Is the person being interviewed because of their experience of disability? Or because he or she has links with a disability organisation? In either case perhaps it is relevant to refer to the disability. However, the interviewee may be there because they are a strong, effective contributor irrespective of disability, due to the views they hold or the job they do. Ask your interviewee how they would prefer to be described. Disability is an everyday phenomenon, though it may not always be apparent. People with disabilities should be able to take part in programmes without, of course, our needing to make reference to the fact on air. People should be described in terms of their disability only when it is relevant.

The Interview Style

There should be no need to modify the content of the interview with a disabled person in any way. There's no value in being soft if the brief is to be tough and enquiring; this would be patronising and unsatisfactory for everyone. This applies to the entire range of interview situations – hard news, soft feature, gritty documentary or gentle profile. Treat the questions and responses as in any interview; the only differences are practical.

Interviews in the Street and Phone-ins

Interviews in the street should be accessible to everyone. Many disabilities are invisible so you probably already include disabled people in street interviews without even knowing it. If you want to actively seek out disabled people to take part in your street interviews you could approach local disability organisations. Why not make a point of stopping disabled passers-by – something that producers and directors rarely do?

With television, if the disability is obvious then you don't need to stress the point. If it is an invisible disability, or if your piece is for radio, ask the interviewee if they wish to identify their disability as part of their comment. It's all down to the content of the piece, and your judgment on how relevant it is to include such information.

Phone-ins must be accessible to disabled people. You need to make arrangements for deaf and hearing-impaired people to contact you, e.g. by text-phone, email or fax, and announce this in an accessible way. If someone with a severe speech impediment calls in and you make an editorial decision that they cannot be broadcast then your presenter needs to be able to relay that person's comments on air verbatim. Ask the person to use an interpreter if necessary to ensure their views are communicated.

Visually impaired and Deaf Interviewees

With a visually impaired interviewee, decide before the interview how you or your interviewer will use body language as a cue. In radio, a hand on the shoulder is an effective way to signal the need to finish an answer.
If you are interviewing a deaf person, find out in advance which type of communication they prefer (sign language, lipreading, normal speech with the use of a hearing aid etc).
If you are interviewing a deaf person through a sign language interpreter, speak to the person as you would to anyone else. The interpreter will then use sign language to put your question to the deaf person. The deaf person will respond directly to you and the interpreter will offer a simultaneous voice over (so ensure the interpreter has a microphone too).
When interviewing a deaf person who lip-reads, address them directly and they will reply to you. Speak in a clear and steady manner and don't look away. It is also important that your back isn't against a bright light or window. Lip-reading is tiring so schedule regular breaks if possible.
If you are interviewing a hearing aid user, a radio system is the answer in a one-to-one situation. Radio systems are also good for people with cochlear implants. A radio system sends sound on a set regulated frequency via a radio transmitter to a special radio receiver worn discretely by the user, who is able to hear his/her own voice as well as the voice of the other person.

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