I understand reading someone with a beard wouldn't work. You say lip readers only get about 80%? That's a high number. You also say that it is not reasonable for hearing people to expect deaf people to communicate on the hearing persons terms. Sure but in the real world a lot of people don't understand or accommodate the deaf and why should they it's not their problem. You also say that what is more reasonable is for hearing people to communicate with deaf people in a way that is effective. For most that would be sign language. In an ideal world I would agree but unless a hearing person is surrounded by deaf people then why would they learn that. I wouldn't learn another language unless I intended to move to that country and I'd only learn it because it would benefit me, not them. So again here's my scenario, I walk into work knowing sign language but no one else does. Pointless unless my life revolves around coffee mornings for the deaf and I'm not ready for that yet but I will be honest with you. My wife is attending one of these coffee mornings on my behalf next week before I do. I hate to say this but I don't want to sit amongst a room full of deaf old people. I hope and it's a big hope that I might meet people of my own age or younger that I can relate to and I'm not afraid to say pardon or what a hundred times if they have to do the same. Then and only then might I find inspiration if someone tells me that that is ok. If I become surrounded by deaf people that sign then I'll learn it but you can't expect the world to learn something that doesn't benefit themselves because that's reality in the masses I'm afraid. I love this debate so please tell me something I don't know