Ensuring Access and Effective Communication for Deaf, DeafBlind and HardofHearing Customers or Clien

1
Ensuring Access and Effective Communication for
Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard-of-Hearing Customers
or Clients
2
Demographics

• 28 million (1 in 10) Americans
• By 2030 people who experience hearing loss will
  almost double
• 3rd leading disability among seniors
• 5 can be treated through medication or surgery
• 30 cannot afford hearing aids
• 33 deny or hide their hearing loss
• 7 Unaware of their hearing loss

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Demographics

• State of Washington
• Over 650,000 citizens have hearing loss
• Over 14,000 are profoundly Deaf
• Over Deaf-Blind citizens - 2nd largest population
  after Louisiana

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Causes

• Congenital
• Birth
• Accident
• Injury
• Illness
• Age
• Environment

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Hearing Loss

• People tend to fall into 4 key categories
• of hearing loss
• Sensori-neural
• Conductive
• Mixed
• Central

6
Hearing Loss

• Hearing loss differs from person to person
• Each person has his/her own communication needs
• Most do not know sign language
• Most prefer to remain in their communities
• Most will have normal speech ability

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Providing Amplification

• 25 use hearing aids to amplify sound
• 30 of hearing aids used are equipped with
  directional sound links called t-coils
• T-coils are devices that enable a hearing aid,
  telephone, or assisitve listening devices to
  operate or link together
• T-coils allow the user to discriminate words said
  by others and articulate information in noisy or
  poor acoustical environments.
• Over 25,000 people in USA have Cochlear Implants
  (CI)

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Deaf-Blindness
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Misperceptions

• All Deaf people have excellent speech and
  lip-reading
• All Deaf people complete 4th grade education
  level
• All hard of hearing people know sign language
• Deaf people cannot function in the hearing world
• Deaf-Blind people lead very isolated lives

10
Deaf Awareness

• Each person has his/her own communication needs
• Many use American Sign Language (ASL) while
  others use spoken or signed English
• Some learn sign language at early age while
  others learn to sign later in life
• Some learn how to talk via speech development and
  learning to lip-read
• Some learn to sign first, then learn to talk
• All of the above depend on each degree and type
  of hearing loss

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Deaf-Blind Awareness

• Deaf-Blind refers to a person who has a
  combination of both hearing and vision loss
• Deaf-Blind people have varying degrees of hearing
  and vision losses
• Deaf-Blind people encounter both visual and
  communication barriers
• Most Deaf-Blind people receive mobility and
  independent living skills training
• Most Deaf-Blind people lead independent lives
  with support services available to them
  (interpreters, support service providers)

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Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Participation by
People w/ Disabilities

• Obligation under State and Federal Laws
• Scope-of-obligation covers all programs, services
  and activities
• Goal 1 Ensure physical access
• getting from point A to point B
• Goal 2 Ensure effective communication
• for people whose conditions impact communication
• Auxiliary aids and services

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Accessible Meeting Considerations

• Attendee notice of the right to request public
  accommodations, due to disability
• Path of travel to meeting site
• Room size/layout
• Seating arrangements
• Assistive Listening Devices set-up
• Interpreter set-up
• Lighting
• Room acoustics (vaulted ceilings, soda pop
  machines, air conditioners, etc.)
• Written materials
• Logistical difficulties

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Effective Communication Methods

• American Sign Language
• Oral Speech / Lip-reading
• Pidgen Sign Linage (mixed ASL and English)
• Signed Exact English (in word order)
• Tactile Sign Language
• Print on Palm
• Typing
• Captioning
• Fingerspelling
• Cued Speech
• Writing

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Auxiliary Aids and Services

• Sign Language Interpreters
• Oral Interpreters
• Deaf-Blind Interpreters
• Support Service Providers for Deaf-Blind
  Participants
• Regular Print / Large Print Materials
• Braille Materials
• Audio Materials
• Captioned CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes

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Assistive Listening Devices

• FM System
• Pocket Talker
• Infrared System
• Induction Loop
• Computer Assisted Real-Time Transcription (CART)

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Telecommunications

• TTY
• Amplified Phones
• Telecommunication Relay Service (TRS)
• Voice Carry Over (VCO)
• Video Relay Service (VRS)
• Videophone (VP)
• Captel (Captioned Telephone)

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What is a Qualified Interpreter?

• can be either certified or non-certified
• able to translate from one language to another
  language effectively and accurately
• ASL to English, English to ASL or English to oral
  English, English to any sign systems
• able to receptively and expressively interpret
  everything impartially
• able to interpret without jeopardizing health and
  safety of customer or self
• for DSHS related business, must be listed with
  ODHH (see handout for Interpreter Management)

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Who pays for disability related accommodations?

• Government agencies and contractors are
  responsible for ensuring access effective
  communication in all of their programs services
  and activities
• Government agencies and contractors cannot charge
  individuals with disabilities for public
  accommodation expenses

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Preparations for Providing Public Accommodations

• Post Notification of
• the right of a customer with disability to
  request a public accommodation
• the procedures the individual needs to follow to
  make the request for a public accommodation
• Have resources available to contact interpreter
  referral agencies/contracted interpreters
• Have resource available to provide Assistive
  Listening Devices
• Contact ODHH for technical assistance and
  obtaining additional resources such as CART
  providers, FM systems, etc.

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DSHS Resources

• Deafness
• http//www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs3.pdf
• http//deafness.about.com
• ODHH Sign Language Interpreter Management
  http//www1.dshs.wa.gov/hrsa/odhh/interp.shtml
• Administrative Policy 7.02 Equal Access to
  Services for Individuals with Disabilities
• Administrative Policy 7.20 Communication Access
  for Persons who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of
  Hearing
• Administrative Policy 7.21 Access to Services
  for Clients who are Limited English Proficient
• Administrative Policy 14.10 Accessible Meetings
• Administrative Policy 18.81 Nondiscrimination in
  Direct Client Services
• http//asd.dshs.wa.gov/rpau/rpau-adminpolicy.htmc
  hapter7

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ADA Resources

• Disability Business Technical Assistance Center
• www.dbtacnorthwest.org
• ADA Title II Technical Assistance
• http//www.ada.gov/taman2.html
• ADA Title II Highlights
• http//ada.gov/t2hlt95.htm