Deaf People Experiencing 'Communication Barriers' Due to Masks... "We Will Solve It"

Dongseo University Fashion Design Department Breaks 'Mask Barrier' with Sign Language Design
Meeting Held to Produce 'Barrier-Free Masks' Reflecting Needs of Disabled People

Practical Meeting on Consumer-Centered Barrier-Free Cultural Product Production Organized by Dongseo University.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Will a great work emerge to solve another ‘disability’ imposed by COVID-19?

The essential protective mask in the COVID-19 era is the biggest obstacle suppressing the lives of the hearing impaired. Because masks cover the mouth shape, they suffer a double hardship of ‘communication disability.’

Movements to prepare for ‘With Corona’ by removing this unexpected obstacle are also underway.

The Dongseo University LINC+ Project Group Regional Cooperation Center held a ‘Working Meeting for the Production of Barrier-Free Cultural Products Centered on Users’ on the 22nd.

About 10 people attended the meeting, including Dongseo University center officials, city hall, provincial office, physically disabled persons, sign language interpreters, Professor Yang Seong-won and students from Dongseo University College of Design’s Fashion Design Department, and officials from the Busan Viewer Media Center, brainstorming together.

The meeting aimed to solve the social issue of the ‘mask barrier’ faced by hearing-impaired people who communicate through lip reading and sign language.

Reflecting the difficulties collected from hearing-impaired people that day, professors and students from Dongseo University College of Design are set to engage in producing barrier-free masks.

This meeting was essentially a demand survey for ‘barrier-free product production,’ one of the 2020 Busan City Community Win-Win Cooperation Support Program projects.

It intends to produce more complete works through the process of gathering opinions from producers and users.

The completed barrier-free masks can be seen at the 2020 Disabled Media Festival (Jangmi Festival). The 2020 Jangmi Festival, enjoyed by both disabled and non-disabled people, will be held from November 25 to 27.

Kim Hyung-woo, head of the Dongseo University LINC+ Project Group Regional Cooperation Center, said, “The barrier-free program of the community win-win cooperation support project includes barrier-free musicals, independent films, plays, and works. Among them, the demand-based design mask for the disabled due to the COVID-19 situation is receiving attention. We hope a good work that will alleviate the suffering of the disabled caused by the mask barrier will be produced.”

The ‘2020 Disabled Media Festival and Centum City Barrier-Free Zone Operation’ project is part of the Busan City Community Win-Win Cooperation Support Project supported by the Busan Talent Lifelong Education Promotion Institute, hosted by Dongseo University, and jointly promoted by the Busan Viewer Media Center and the Busan Disabled Persons’ Federation.

Dongseo University has been holding the event together with the Viewer Media Center for three consecutive years under the support of the community win-win cooperation project and the LINC+ Project Group mega project.