Learning from people with lived experience 

Creating an inclusive environment 

People accessing an Auracast service through their own hearing device will normally control it using a smartphone.

Other audience members may assume someone looking at their phone is being distracted rather than using an accessibility service.

You can help create a more inclusive environment by raising awareness of Auracast with all audience members. This could be through foyer signage, digital screens, QR codes or a pre-show announcement.

And rather than trying to faff around with settings and all that kind of thing once the show’s started. I’ve now learned to warn the theatre staff about [it], because I think they were all worried that when I’m messing around on my phone that I’m recording the show.

“So, I tell them, if you see me faffing on my phone during the show, I’m not recording it, I’m adjusting settings and trying to optimize my hearing, and they’re very understanding then.”

– Deaf person with cochlear implant

We could have it so that depending on which theatre you’re near, the QR code you scan takes you to the right place, even on the screens which go everywhere. And as part of that, you could put something on that same slide that says please be respectful of people who are using their phones to connect to the system.”

– Head of Access, National Theatre