Audio Engineering by People Who Are deaf and Hard of Hearing: Balancing Confidence and Limitations

With technological advancements, audio engineering has evolved from a domain exclusive to professionals to one open to amateurs. However, research is limited on the accessibility of audio engineering, particularly for deaf, Deaf, and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals. To bridge this gap, we interviewed eight deaf and hard of hearing (dHH) audio engineers in music to understand accessibility in audio engineering. We found that their hearing magnified challenges in audio engineering: insecurities in sound perception undermined their confidence, and the required extra “hearing work” added complexity. As workarounds, participants employed various technologies and techniques, relied on the support of hearing peers, and developed strategies for learning and growth. Through these practices, they navigate audio engineering while balancing confidence and limitations. For future directions, we recommend exploring technologies that reduce insecurities and “hearing work” to empower DHH audio engineers and working toward a DHH-community-driven approach to accessible audio engineering.