Description

Hear With Me is an empathy-driven web-based virtual reality experience that provides viewers/listeners an opportunity to fully experience the challenges of navigating the healthcare system as a deaf or hard of hearing (HoH) patient. This transformational learning experience allows viewers to choose their level of hearing loss (e.g. deaf in left ear), and participate in a number of Virtual Reality healthcare scenes as that patient. The goal of this innovative learning tool is to encourage health professional students, through first-hand experiences, to adopt empathetic practices towards the deaf and HoH.

Hear With Me will be easily accessible through a website, providing individuals across B.C. equal opportunities to learn how to improve their service to the deaf and HoH population. The web-VR experience is not an “app”, thus not as vulnerable to OS updates within the app store, and therefore potentially more sustainable and universal. The creation and interactive programming of the experience, incorporating elements of sound design, frequency modulation and physical location within the scene is exciting to us. No two experiences will be the same, but each will leave the audience in a better position to understand and connect with D/HoH individuals.

Faculty/Staff

Zachary Rothman
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Project Partners

The Western Alliance for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
UBC Educational Technology

Student Team

Dante Cerron
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