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Student Access Risks of 'Safety First' Policies

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In 2020, as we rushed to procure PPE for our campuses, the mandate was simple: Mask up. But for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) community, those masks were more than just a filter; they were a wall.

While most of us focused on the muffled sound of a masked lecturer, a critical demographic was suddenly cut off from their primary way of understanding: visual cues. As I navigated procurement, I realized we didn’t all perceive the pandemic the same way. What was safe for some was exclusionary for others.

What the Science Tells Us

Research confirms that this wasn’t just a "niche" accommodation—it was a fundamental communication requirement:

• Visual Cues are Universal: Even before the pandemic, we knew visual information was critical for understanding speech in noise (Mendel, 2013).
• The Transparency Advantage: While all masks muffle sound, the visual access provided by transparent masks significantly improves speech understanding for everyone (Atcherson et al., 2020).
• The Acoustic Trade-off: Different materials filter sound differently; understanding the acoustic "signature" of a mask is key to maintaining a functional classroom (Corey et al., 2020).
• Combating Isolation: Clear communication is a health priority; masking without transparency can lead to social isolation and reduced well-being (Chodosh et al., 2021).
• Reducing Cognitive Load: Modern studies show that clear masks significantly reduce the "listening effort" required by students in dynamic environments (Thibodeau et al., 2022).

Navigating the Complexity: A Critical Perspective

To be clear, solving this wasn't as simple as swapping one mask for another. To speak with rigor, we have to acknowledge the very real hurdles we faced:

• Supply and Certification: In early 2020, few clear masks were FDA-cleared, and many institutions prioritized speed over specialization.
• Safety vs. Visibility: Not all clear masks are equal. Some early designs introduced legitimate safety trade-offs, such as compromised fit or increased leakage (Corey et al., 2020).
• Operational Friction: Critics rightly pointed out that clear masks demand more care—anti-fog treatments and higher replacement frequencies add operational complexity.
• Diversity of Need: It is also vital to recognize that the DHH community is not monolithic; while many rely on speechreading, others prioritize ASL, captioning, or assistive listening. Accessibility is not one-size-fits-all.

What Actually Matters When Procuring Clear Masks

Through this journey, I learned that a "clear window" is only the beginning. For procurement to be effective, it must meet these validated standards:

• Sustained Anti-Fog Performance: A window that fogs after five minutes of lecturing is a failure.
• Acoustic Transparency: The material must allow high-frequency consonants to pass through without extreme muffling.
• Skin-Tone Neutrality: Minimizing glare and ensuring the mouth remains visible across all skin tones.
• Scalability: Identifying vendors who can provide institutional quantities, not just pilot samples.

Proven Solutions: Vendors like ClearMask™ (FDA-cleared) and Safe’N’Clear have set the standard for these requirements, while specialized retailers like Diglo remain essential for accessibility-focused PPE.

The Takeaway: From Insight to Obligation

Crisis response is rarely the moment institutions design inclusively—but it is exactly where the consequences of prior planning become visible.

The core lesson is this: Accessibility must be embedded at the requirements stage, not retrofitted as an afterthought. When accessibility enters the conversation after procurement, we have already failed someone. We must move toward Universal Design as a form of institutional risk mitigation.

Let’s Connect

This project taught me that the best procurement strategies aren't just about spreadsheets—they are about people. I am currently Open to Work and looking for my next challenge.

If your organization is looking for a leader who prioritizes inclusive solutions and strategic problem-solving, I’d love to chat.

Reach out via DM or connect with me here!

Further Reading

• Atcherson, S. R., et al. (2020). The effect of conventional and transparent surgical masks on speech understanding... Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 31(7), 515-521.
• Chodosh, J., et al. (2021). The critical importance of hearing health in the era of COVID-19. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2(3), e121-e122.
• Corey, R. M., et al. (2020). Acoustic effects of medical, cloth, and transparent face masks on speech signals. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 148(4), 2371.
• Mendel, L. L. (2013). The effect of visual cues on speech perception in noise. Journal of the Academy of Audiology, 24(5), 357-366.
• Thibodeau, L., et al. (2022). Communicating during a pandemic: The impact of face masks on speech recognition and communication experience. Ear and Hearing, 43(2), 341-352.