Abstract

Various assistive technologies have been developed to support communication between deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) individuals and hearing people. However, in mixed-hearing families (i.e., hearing parents with DHH children or DHH parents with hearing children), communication occurs more frequently and significantly impacts children's language development, well-being, self-identity, and family relationships. To explore this, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eleven parents from mixed-hearing families, examining their current use of technology, as well as their perceptions, challenges, and expectations. Our findings show that spoken language is the primary communication method, with parents prioritizing spoken language education over sign language. Additionally, challenges in conveying and understanding information, along with potential consequences of current technology use, were identified. This study contributes empirical insights and design implications to enhance communication technologies for mixed-hearing families.