“Communication technologies [for] people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing are just as much for the general hearing public… in that they foster communication between both groups.” ** Think of SMS texting on mobile phones, web-chat (via text, video or voice), and Facebook or Twitter posts as everyday solutions for universal access. Real-time captioning (CART) and
Gallaudet University in Washington DC is the world’s only campus where all programs and services are designed for deaf and hard of hearing students. This is no easy feat, as the university offers over 40 major degree courses toward Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science awards. Undergraduate students can self-direct their majors and choose
For deaf students, employees and innovators in large gatherings or training environments, captioning is a lifeline. That’s the only way to put it. This point was clear to me after a recent conference at which eight hours of lipreading was required, because the organisers did not have a budget for captioning. On the bus home,
A question that comes my way is, “where are all the deaf people?”. It’s mainly people over forty who ask this question. Many, never having met a deaf person, are full of questions about the daily challenges, peoples’ attitudes, technology and so on. Others, not wanting to cause offence, don’t voice their questions but stumble along with any