At a glance
This research addresses critical gaps in the availability of real-time, accessible emergency communication for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) individuals, who often cannot reliably receive, interpret or respond to alerts during emergencies. Current emergency communication solutions frequently suffer from poor interface design, limited accessible communication features, and insufficient attention to the linguistic, cultural, and sensory needs of DHH communities, all of which can dimmish their effectiveness and equity.
DHH communities can sometimes be excluded from the co-design processes for emergency communication strategies, resulting in tools and processes misaligned with lived experience. In particular, the research highlights the lack of inclusive emergency messaging and preparedness tools in Queensland, one of Australia’s most disaster-prone regions, where recuring events highlight the urgent need for tailored, equitable communication systems that meet the needs of DHH individuals (Calgaro et al., 2021; Chapman et al., 2025; Cripps et al., 2024).
Organisation, sector and geographical location involved
The project is a university-led initiative based at Griffith University and carried out in close collaboration with DHH organisations, advocacy groups, self-advocates and service providers, who bring specialist expertise and community-driven perspectives to the research. Operating within the disaster management and health sectors in Queensland the study operates at the intersection of public health, emergency management, and disability inclusion, enabling cross-sector insights to inform both policy and practice.
This partnership-based approach ensures that research findings are grounded in real-world operational contexts while remaining responsive to the priorities and lived experiences of DHH communities across Queensland.
Key findings or outcomes of the research
The research has identified a range of experiences and challenges faced by DHH individuals in accessing timely, two-way emergency information, including barriers related to notification channels, message formats, and opportunities for feedback or clarification. Through engaging DHH individuals, service providers, and emergency managers in co-design activities, the study has demonstrated the value of participatory methods in developing prototype digital tools tailored to user needs and preferences, rather than merely modifying mainstream systems.
These co-design processes have also generated targeted recommendations for policy and practice aimed at strengthening resilient and inclusive emergency communication systems. Collectively, the outcomes supports a broader shift towards structurally embedding accessibility and disability inclusion within disaster risk reduction efforts (Benz et al., 2024; Villeneuve et al., 2019).
What this means for the disaster management sector
For the disaster management sector, the research reinforces that inclusion is fundamental, and that emergency communication strategies must be developed in genuine collaboration with at-risk communities. Applying co-design and universal design principles ensures that systems are both usable and meaningful for DHH individuals. Providing information in multiple modalities, such as simple text, video with closed caption, Auslan, and plain English, not only enhances accessibility but also improves safety and resilience by allowing people to select formats that best align with their communication preferences and situational needs.
The findings further highlight the need for disaster management to embed accessibility, cross-sector collaboration, and real user testing into emergency planning frameworks. Doing so helps ensure that policies, procedures, and technologies align with obligations under instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and follow best practice guidance in disaster risk reduction. (Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, 2013; Calgaro et al., 2021; United Nations, 2006)
Key search words
The entities relevant to this research include state and local governments, universities, non-governmental organisations, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), and diverse communities of Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, all of whom play important roles in shaping, delivering, or being impacted by emergency communication systems.
The study spans a wide spectrum of hazards, including cyclone, fire, flood, storm, domestic and household fire, arson, heatwave, hailstorm, pandemic, wildfire, earthquake, tsunami, bush fire, volcano, thunderstorms, extreme heat, cold wave, drought, landslide, tornadoes, hurricane, typhoon, cyclones, and telecommunication failure, reflecting the multi-hazard environment in which DHH communities must navigate risk.
Thematically, the work focuses on community engagement, collaboration and coordination, resilience, planning, operations, risk management, capability integration, accessible communication, and universal design, highlighting the need for systemic approaches that embed accessibility throughout the disaster management cycle.
Introduction
Communication plays a vital role during disasters and emergencies, enabling people to receive warnings, understand evolving risks, and take timely action to protect themselves and others. For DHH individuals, communication barriers are compounded by the fact that they live with an invisible disability and are part of cultural and linguistic minority groups, which shapes how they access, interpret, and respond to information during crises. Globally, more than 5% of the population, approximately 430 million people, experience deafness or hearing loss, highlighting the scale and international relevance of this issue (World Health Organization, 2021).
Although timely action is critical to reducing risk during emergencies, DHH communities often face significant challenges when interacting with first responders and emergency systems. Many are frequently left behind due to the absence of direct, accessible, and two-way communication channels that support interaction in formats they can use (Calgaro et al., 2021; Engelman et al., 2013).
Queensland, as one of Australia’s most disaster-prone states, has experienced over 97 significant events between 2011 and 2021 across diverse urban, regional, and remote areas. This frequency of hazards underscores the urgency of ensuring that DHH populations can reliably access, understand, and act on life-saving information within this high-risk environment. (Johnson et al., 2024).
Problem/question
How can digital solutions be co-designed to ensure accessible, effective emergency communication for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals?
Aim
The aim of the research is to develop and validate digital tools for inclusive emergency communication through a participatory, co-design approach involving DHH individuals and key stakeholders. By grounding tool development in shared design processes and iterative testing, the study seeks to create solutions that are contextually appropriate, user-centred, accessible and capable of enhancing safety and preparedness for DHH communities.
Significance
The significance of this work lies in its response to current disaster communication practices that frequently exclude DHH communities, increasing their exposure to risk, vulnerability, and likelihood of adverse outcomes during emergencies (Calgaro et al., 2021; United Nations, 2006; World Bank, 2022). By demonstrating how accessible, co-designed digital tools can address these gaps, the research advances to both the advancement of disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and the fulfilment of international commitments to protect the rights and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk. (Calgaro et al., 2021; United Nations, 2006; World Bank, 2022)
Methodology
This research employs a qualitative approach, incorporating a phenomenological design to explore events from individuals' perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of their lived experiences. It adopts a mixed methods framework that integrates a scoping review, key informant interviews, and participatory co-design workshops to build a comprehensive understanding of both the problem and potential solutions.
The scoping review maps existing evidence and current practice in accessible emergency communication for DHH communities. Key informant interviews then provide in-depth insights from DHH individuals, service providers, and emergency managers, capturing lived experiences and system-level barriers that shape communication inequities
These insights directly inform the structure and content of co-design workshops, where participants collaboratively generate, refine, and test ideas for digital tools, ensuring that emerging solutions are grounded in real-world needs, practical expertise and the communication preferences of the DHH communities
Data analysis techniques
For the qualitative components of the research, thematic analysis is used to identify patterns, concepts, and relationships within the data, enabling the research team to distil key themes related to accessibility, communication, and co-design. In parallel, iterative prototyping and user feedback cycles within the workshops enable continuous refinement of digital tools, with each workshop cycle informing adjustments to interface design, content, and functionality. Together, this combination of thematic analysis and iterative prototyping supports a rigorous yet flexible approach in which empirical insights directly guide the development, evolution and evaluation of the proposed solutions.
Results and discussion
The emerging interpretation from this research suggests that inclusive, thoroughly tested tools, supported by integrated cross-agency protocols, can significantly improve real-time information access and enhance community safety for DHH individuals, particularly when embedded within broader systems of coordinated response (Chapman et al., 2025; Craig et al., 2019; Villeneuve et al., 2019). Designing tools with and for DHH users, coupled with agencies collaborating to implement consistent, accessible communication practices, helps reduce fragmentation and ensure that critical communication messages reach people in formats they can use. At present, the research is ongoing, with ethical approval recently granted. Subsequent stages of data collection and co-design will continue to refine these emerging insights and inform more detailed recommendations.
Conclusion (implications, impact & insights)
In terms of theoretical implications, the study highlights the value of participatory and universal design approaches within the public health and disaster management, demonstrating their practical relevance in improving emergency communication for marginalised groups. From a practice perspective, the research provides a replicable framework for developing accessible emergency messaging, offering agencies a structured approach to redesigning their systems to better meet the needs of the DHH communities and other at-risk populations.
At the policy level, the findings emphasise the need for the systematic integration of accessibility and disability inclusion into disaster risk reduction policies and emergency operations at all levels. Embedding these principles ensures that inclusive communication becomes the standard practice norm rather than the exception.
What the results mean for disaster management in Queensland
For disaster management in Queensland, the results show that the sector can achieve more equitable outcomes by embedding accessible emergency communication across planning, response, and recovery activities, rather than treating accessibility as an add-on. Doing so will not only benefit DHH communities directly but will also help stakeholders, including government agencies, service providers, and community organisations, to better understand the challenges faced by DHH individuals and to develop more inclusive policy, funding mechanisms, standards, and training programs that address these challenges in a sustained way (Calgaro et al., 2021; Chapman et al., 2022). Over time, such shifts can contribute to a more resilient, inclusive disaster management system that aligns with both human rights obligations and evidence-based best practice (Calgaro et al., 2021; Chapman et al., 2022).
Next steps
The next steps for this research include expanding prototype testing to broader groups of DHH individuals and other stakeholders to assess usability, effectiveness, and acceptability in diverse contexts. The study will also focus on integrating the digital tools with existing emergency agency workflows, ensuring that they can be realistically implemented and maintained within current systems and resource constraints. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation will guide further refinement of the digital solutions over time, enabling continuous improvement and adaptation as technologies, hazards, and community needs evolve.
References
Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. (2013). Communicating with People with a Disability: National Guidelines for Emergency Managers. East Melbourne Vic 3002: The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience
Benz, C., Scott-Jeffs, W., McKercher, K., Welsh, M., Norman, R., Hendrie, D., Locantro, M., & Robinson, S. (2024). Community-based participatory-research through co-design: supporting collaboration from all sides of disability. Research Involvement and Engagement, 10(1), 47.
Calgaro, E., Craig, N., Craig, L., Dominey-Howes, D., & Allen, J. (2021). Silent no more: Identifying and breaking through the barriers that d/Deaf people face in responding to hazards and disasters. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 57, 102156.
Chapman, K., Allen, C., & Kendall, E. (2025). Methods for Co-designing Health Communication Initiatives with People with Disability: A Scoping Review. Journal of Health Communication, 1-13.
Chapman, K., Norwood, M., Shirota, C., Palipana, D., & Kendall, E. (2022). An undignified disaster reality for Australians with disability. Australian health review, 46(6), 710-712.
Craig, L., Craig, N., Calgaro, E., Dominey-Howes, D., & Johnson, K. (2019). People with disabilities: becoming agents of change in disaster risk reduction. In Emerging voices in natural hazards research (pp. 327-356). Elsevier.
Cripps, J. H., Austin, E. N., & Craig, L. (2024). A case study of university mass casualty simulation with high school deaf students who sign [Article]. Journal of Emergency Management, 22(5), 535-558. https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0864
Engelman, A., Ivey, S. L., Tseng, W., Dahrouge, D., Brune, J., & Neuhauser, L. (2013). Responding to the deaf in disasters: establishing the need for systematic training for state-level emergency management agencies and community organizations. BMC health services research, 13, 1-10.
Johnson, L., O’Rourke, S., Mullins, G., Rice, M., & Tidswell, K. (2024). STATE OF QUEENSLAND: DISASTER GROUND ZERO.
United Nations. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). United Nations. https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-crpd
United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol (A/RES/61/106). United Nations Retrieved from https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf
Villeneuve, M., Dwine, B., Moss, M., Abson, L., & Pertiwi, P. (2019). Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) Framework and Toolkit. The Centre for Disability Research and Policy, The University of Sydney
World Bank. (2022). Inclusive Approaches to Disaster Risk Management: A Qualitative Review. World Bank Group.
World Health Organization. (2021). Deafness and Hearing Loss. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss#:~:text=Overview,will%20have%20disabling%20hearing%20loss.
