The mission of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Technology Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (DHH-RERC) is to address critical needs in immersive technology and artificial intelligence (AI). These two areas are undergoing explosive and unchecked growth, and Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) people need access to them. This will allow them to maintain and increase participation in many aspects of their daily lives, including education, employment, and community living. Both immersive technologies and AI also offer unprecedented opportunities to custom-tailor accessibility needs to the DHH individual.
The DHH-RERC will, through its research and development projects, investigate solutions for immersive technologies and AI that are directly tied to the stated needs and wishes of the DHH communities. The RERC findings are expected to directly inform mainstream technology companies and educational technology providers.
Immersive technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are evolving rapidly and reshaping how Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals engage with the world. These innovations offer powerful opportunities to custom-tailor accessibility to individual needs, supporting greater participation in education, employment, and community living.
At the same time, the unchecked growth of these technologies presents new challenges. Many emerging platforms rely heavily on voice-based interfaces or immersive environments that exclude DHH users. Without intentional design, traditional access methods, such as visual, tactile, and text-based interaction risk being sidelined.
The DHH-RERC is committed to ensuring that DHH individuals are not left behind in this transition. Through research and development projects grounded in the lived experiences and stated needs of DHH communities, the center investigates solutions that promote functional equivalence, usability, and autonomy. Findings are expected to inform technology companies and educational platforms, helping shape future innovations that reflect inclusive design.
The DHH-RERC mission is to support consumers in adopting twenty-first century technologies, changing how they use technology and services, taking control of their communication, and ultimately achieving greater access to all aspects of their lives, through the research, development and knowledge translation activities of six projects. The center is led by the Technology Access Program at Gallaudet University and has been funded since 2019. The current center succeeded the previous RERC on Improving the Accessibility, Usability, and Performance of Technology for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, which was led by Gallaudet University’s Technology Access Program from 2014-2019.
About Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, under the Administration for Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. RERCs conduct advanced engineering and technical research programs that apply technology, scientific achievement, and psychological and social knowledge to solve rehabilitation problems and remove environmental barriers.