Determined Design: Faculty Partner to Create Masks With Windows, Improving Communication

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Communication Sciences and Disorders and Apparel Merchandising and Product Development faculty worked together to brainstorm a mask design that makes communicating with speech and hearing clients easier.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the spring, students, faculty and staff had to get creative and innovative to identify ways academic standards could be maintained.

This became a particularly interesting task for faculty and students in health-related fields who are often required to complete significant time in clinical practicums or internships.

For students in the University of Arkansas' Communication Sciences and Disorders program in the College of Education and Health Professions, it meant quickly switching all clinical experience to be exclusively via telepractice from March through the end of June. In July, students were allowed to start attending clinical placements with strict CDC guidelines for physical distancing followed.

CDC guidelines include preventative measures such as physical distancing and the use of personal protective equipment, including masks.

"In the spring, nearly all the masks on the market covered the lower half of the face. This is a significant barrier to communication, especially for children and adults with a communication disorder or hearing loss," said Rachel Glade, director of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program.

Glade reached out to Stephanie Hubert, an instructor in the Apparel Merchandising and Product Development program in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, in late spring to brainstorm a mask design that would be less inhibitive of communication. Hubert and Glade quickly agreed on a design that included a large window of clear vinyl that would allow for lip reading (which is often imperative for individuals with hearing loss as well as teaching children speech and literacy skills) and non-verbal communication cues like smiles.

"Although physically distanced, this project gave us the opportunity to come together and serve our students and work collaboratively," Hubert said.

Hubert quickly utilized resources and created a design. The communication disorders program received 60 new masks by July 1, just in time for graduate students to go out to their clinical placements this summer.

"Stephanie went above and beyond to support our students and our community this summer," Glade said. "We had an opportunity and an idea and she ran with it. I could not be more proud of this collaboration for the community."

Hubert and Glade are now brainstorming next steps for this project which may include opportunities for undergraduate honors projects as well as service-learning opportunities.

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