Tayler
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11:02:12 pm on February 20, 2008 | 641 views
Here’s what I think the 3 biggest issues are facing the deaf
Lack of Interpreters
Notice I didn’t say good interpreters. Sometimes we’re having helluva of a hard time finding interpreters at all. Why, you ask? It’s summed up in 3 words. Video Relay Service. While VRS is godsend, they’re being well-compensated by the government so they can afford to pay interpreters to sit all day–even if they don’t interpret. We are starting to see some clever (and not so legal?) uses for VRS–for situations for which we cannot find interpreters. Desperate times require desperate measures. We need desperate people establishing interpreter programs and jacking up recruitment efforts.
Employers’ Attitudes toward Deaf Applicants
It’s not like much can be done about this. Again and again, deaf applicants are confronted with the question employers present: how can we communicate? And to think, even to be asked that is considered a great fortune. As hard as we might try to prove our willingness to go beyond the job description to make up for the “communication challenges”, there is no time in our lives other than during job searches that we are constantly reminded of our frustrations in the business world.
Captioning on Smaller Devices and Internet
The recent Writers’ strike in Hollywood took place because when the writers last re-negotiated their contract, they failed to foresee the explosion of internet videos. The same could be said of National Association of the Deaf (NAD)–who along with the deaf community is being robbed. When the law was put in stone requiring all televisions 13 inches and larger to embed computer chips that add captions–no one foresaw not only devices would get incredibly smaller, but also videos would start appearing on them. No one foresaw the widespread adoption of internet video. Heck, YouTube has a channel designed specifically for Elections 2008. And what are we deaf viewers to do? Get left behind. Again.
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jjpuorro 11:34 pm on February 20, 2008 | #
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Rough transcript:
Hi Tayler,
Good topic. Of your 3 points, I am in agreement with 2 and 3…as for point 1…the lack of terps…I do not think there is a lack of terps per se…there are enough terps if we can shift the focus from VRS to VRI (video remote terping)..we shld be fine…that’s what I think…
jjpuorro 11:37 pm on February 20, 2008 | #
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Additional thought…why don’t VRS companies offer VRI on the side for free? Sort of like pro bono work that lawyers do now and then? Just a thought…
Tayler 9:19 am on February 21, 2008 | #
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Rather than asking VRS to provide pro bono VRI, why not change FCC policy permitting VRS to provide VRI?
W. David Samuelsen 12:36 pm on February 21, 2008 | #
I beg to differ on #1. The interpreters aren’t sitting around doing noting while in VRS. They’re overworked! They have to rotate every 20 minutes.
That’s why Sorenson is setting up partnerships with more interpreter training programs in several states to try to keep up with the demand for good intepreters.
And I do know there are freelance interpreters who don’t work in VRS at all.
VRI - not good option when there are waiting times for VRS and I don’t like VRI anyway. Many sites don’t have technology necessary to enable VRI anyway.
Tayler 3:58 pm on February 21, 2008 | #
Well, if VRS call centers are short on interpreters, then it would only appear Sorenson is working with interpreter training programs just to fill up their call centers with yet more interpreters. What would be impressible on Sorenson’s part is if they continued their recruitment effort even after their call centers are well-staffed.
Terri Watts 6:32 pm on February 21, 2008 | #
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Tayler 10:04 am on February 22, 2008 | #
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For those that prefer interpreters over VRI, can VRI be used for the time that it takes for the interpreter to show up at the hospital?
Terri Watts 4:19 pm on February 22, 2008 | #
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