An Augmented Reality Based Approach for Optimization of Language Access Services in Healthcare for Deaf Patients

Deaf adults often rely on sign language interpreters and real-time captioners for language access during healthcare consultations. While deaf adults generally prefer that these access services be offered in person, previous studies have described that many healthcare providers frequently resort to employing video remote interpreting (VRI) or remote captioning services because of the lack of locally available qualified interpreters or captioners and because of a shorter turnaround time for availing these services. VRI equipment typically consists of a tablet mounted on a utility cart, whereas captions are usually displayed on handheld tablets. These approaches present visibility and cognitive challenges for deaf adults who then need to divide their attention between the interpreting or captioning display and the healthcare provider, thereby affecting their ability to thoroughly access health information shared during consultations. This study proposes augmented reality (AR) smart glasses as an alternative to traditional VRI and remote captioning services for optimizing communication access in healthcare settings. A descriptive study about the perspectives of deaf adults (N = 62), interpreters (N = 25), and captioners (N = 22) on using a smart glasses application for language access in healthcare and biomedical settings are discussed. Results showed that deaf adults who primarily use sign language interpreting and interpreters prefer onsite language access services but identified the benefits of implementing a smart glasses application whenever onsite access services are unavailable or not feasible. Additionally, deaf adults who rely primarily on captioning and captioners prefer the smart glasses application over traditional captioning methods.