Teachers, faculty, and staff should utilize transparent, see-through masks if they regularly interact with students who are deaf or hard of hearing, students learning to read, students with disabilities, and those who rely on lip reading as a part of learning, such as students who are English Language Learners.

Please refer to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on providing transparent masks for use in K-12 schools and colleges and universities. Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), deaf/hard of hearing students and parents are entitled to “effective communication,” and participants in an education setting can request a reasonable modification to existing mask policies, including alternative face coverings such as the ClearMask™ brand.