Welcome

Need an accessible mask now?

We're no longer updating our directory—this page serves as an archive of our work and if you need an accessible mask today, please consider Safe 'N' Clear, BendShape, or Optrel's clear N95 respirator.

Hello, we're Jacob deHahn and Patrick deHahn, two deaf siblings, and we built AccessibleMasks in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020:

AccessibleMasks.org was an online resource we created to address the challenge solid face masks presented to deaf and hard of hearing communities, as well as for elderly people or those speaking other languages and needing facial cues. We experienced the difficulties ourselves and saw a pandemic-era gap that needed to be filled.

The ultimate goal was to make it easier for people to do their part in making the masked pandemic accessible.

And thousands visited our website, hundreds shared our resources through word-of-mouth and on social media, and many donned such masks out and about.

Let's take a look

AccessibleMasks.org was set up to be an online directory and educational resource.

We designed a directory of verified, established, and creative vendors which sold face masks that included a transparent, see-through window. It hosted filters where visitors could toggle results for whatever wants and needs they sought in a mask. We collaborated with the vendors as part of featuring them at AccesibleMasks.org.

We crafted the website in mind to serve as an online resource for people to learn and understand why accessibility is important in a public health emergency—and their role in doing so. Deaf and hard of hearing people also utilized the platform, sharing it with others to comprehend their challenges in a masked world.

Visitors could read through a detailed feature on the need for accessible masks with situational examples and researched facts to back up our assertions. Linked were sources in several articles, research, and studies on impacted communities and accessibility concerns during the pandemic.

There was also an interactive FAQs page answering common questions, including—yes—tricks on how to make a clear mask not fog up!

Outreach

We accompanied our website with shareable social media content through @accessiblemasks on Instagram and on Facebook, along with our online personal profiles, resulting in hundreds of shares and building greater awareness.

Additionally, we were both featured in several articles by global news organizations, widely-read newsletters, and university publications. We were part of podcasts and video interviews discussing the accessibility challenge in the pandemic.

View all our press features and mentions here.