Working With Nabeel.

A quick guide to communicating with me effectively.

The TL;DR

I'm deaf and communicate best in this order: Written/Email → Video with captions → In-person 1:1

When working with me, here's what I find the most helpful and supportive:

  • Putting important items in writing (email or in a doc) so nothing gets missed
  • Having an ASL interpreter for any in-person meeting, conference, or interview
  • Speaking slowly and clearly in meetings and in-person one-on-one

Please ask me anything about my hearing and how I communicate. I'm always happy to explain, and it makes working together easier for both of us.

How I Communicate

As you may or may not know, I am deaf. I was born this way. While I use hearing aids to amplify my residual hearing, I rely mostly on lipreading, captioning, and ASL interpreters to communicate.

However, I can also speak for myself, albeit with a slight accent. Many people have little or no difficulty in understanding my speech (though I'll admit I do mispronounce a few words here and there).

It has always been the case that I retain written information better than verbal. Writing down important items for me is always helpful.

Finally, here are some of the ways I communicate with my colleagues and stakeholders in a professional setting:

📞 Phone Calls

To make and receive phone calls, I use a Purple P3 Video Relay Service, where an ASL interpreter facilitates the phone call between me and the other end. When you call the number listed on my resume, you connect with an ASL interpreter who interprets what you say. In turn, the interpreter interprets what I say back to you.

Honestly, I prefer video meetings over phone calls, even with the video interpreting relay service. Which brings me to the next item:

💻 Virtual / Video Meetings

Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and other video meeting software have built-in captions that I use to follow our conversations with or without an interpreter. I also use Otter.ai, which doubles as both a real-time captioner and a notetaker.

I also rely on visual cues and facial expressions, so please turn your video on when in a virtual meeting with me (especially when we first meet).

🤝 One-on-One (In Person)

If we meet in person and we communicate one-on-one, I will usually rely on lipreading to understand you and respond to you.

However, if I have difficulty understanding you in person one-on-one, I use the Live Transcribe mobile app to help me follow what you're saying. The phone's microphone picks up your voice, and the app provides real-time captions as you speak.

👥 Group Conversations (In Person)

Group conversations are the hardest for me. Since I can only lip-read one person at a time, it's almost impossible for me to follow group conversations, especially in fast-paced, noisy social environments.

I also use the Live Transcribe app to follow group conversations. It's not perfect; it picks up maybe 60-80% of what was said as long as connectivity is good and there isn't too much background noise. Better than nothing.

But if there's a lot of background noise, all bets are off. At that point, I probably wouldn't (and can't be expected to) be an active participant in the group conversation in these situations.

This is one reason I prefer working from home. Group conversations in virtual meetings are easier than group conversations in person, unless an interpreter is present.

Requesting ASL Interpreters

For any in-person meetings, conferences, or seminars, I need an ASL interpreter. Ideally, interpreter requests would be made 1-2 weeks in advance when possible.

If your company has an existing relationship with an interpreting agency, it is generally much easier to request through them. Otherwise, you can use these agencies serving the DMV area, including:

Information needed for each request

  • Event date, start and end times
  • Format (in-person or virtual, and which platform)
  • Location or video call link
  • Type of event (interview, meeting, conference, etc.)
  • Subject matter or agenda, if available
  • Approximate number of participants
  • Requestor name, company, and preferred contact for confirmation

If you have any questions about workplace accommodations, please feel free to email and ask.

Email Me