CSD 269- L7
Accommodations for the Deaf
How are employers supposed to comply with these regulations? Let's look as some accommodations and technologies that exist to allow employees who are deaf to succeed in the workplace. Although not the only resource for employers, *The National Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology* has a department devoted to the enhancement of employment of deaf individuals often work with companies to help them provide open communication and access for their employees. *They have many suggestions for use of technologies* to enhance the workplace. We will look at several of these accommodations and suggestions, including: *Telecommunication Technologies Interpreters Assistive Devices*
Daily Communication with Coworkers who are Deaf
In work environments, *employees can assist their deaf co-workers* through being aware of their communication styles. We will look at two different work scenarios, general communication with a deaf co-worker and group interactions with a deaf co-worker, and a few suggestions to make working with a Deaf colleague successful. First, *in daily communication in the workplace, the following guidelines are suggested*: —Determine how the deaf or hard-of-hearing individual would prefer to communicate. This could include but is not limited to speechreading, writing, e-mail, instant messaging, etc. —Maintain eye contact with the employee while speaking. —Note topic changes. This can be done both at the beginning of a topic and upon conclusion of the topic. —Clarify the conversation. Allow the deaf employee to ask questions for clarification if the conversation becomes unclear. The hearing employee also needs to ask questions when the communication becomes unclear. Pretending to understand each other when misunderstandings occur does not benefit either person. —*Repeat and rephrase*. Be prepared to repeat and rephrase information that is not clear. —Be ready with a *pen or pencil and paper* in case writing becomes necessary. —*Check for understanding*. Both the hearing and deaf individual participating in the conversation should check for key points of understanding by highlighting important information or repeating key points. —*Make sure the lighting works*. Lighting is very important in conversations with deaf individuals. The face of each of the people participating in the conversations should be well lit and without shadows. Bright lights should not be shining in the eyes, i.e. do not stand in front of a window that has the sun shining through or in front of an overhead projector. —During new employee orientation provide *name tags and job titles* for everyone. Since deaf individuals are visually oriented they will be able to make the connection with a name and a face right from the beginning. —*Cultural and communication training* for hearing employees can be beneficial. Many hearing people may not have met or worked with a deaf person before.
Additional Workplace Accommodations
*Additional workplace accommodations for employees may include*: —Meeting face to face with a deaf employee after meetings and other presentations will allow the employee to ask any questions about the presentation or ask for clarification on topics from the presentation. This will allow everyone to know that all the information is clear and understood. —Captioning of video and audio presentations. This is done through a process of converting the audio portion (dialog and sounds) of a video or voiced production into text. This text can be displayed on the screen over a black background. —The use of computers will allow communication in a variety of ways, which are summarized in the table below. —Use of Computer for Accommodation *Application/Program* —*Instant messaging and E-mail* Allow users to exchange messages online. These can be used for all different levels of conversation and work productivity. —*C-print* A computer-assisted system for transcribing speech to print. It involves a hearing captionist typing words as they are being spoken and provides a real-time text display that the deaf person can read. —*Automatic speech recognition programs* Can transcribe a single person's spoken message, when spoken into a microphone, into text displayed on a computer screen. —*Computer assisted note-taking* Allows notes and graphics to be typed almost simultaneously and displayed with overhead projectors for all to view.
Group Interactions with Coworkers who are Deaf
*For group interactions, the following guidelines are suggested*: *Before the meeting begins*: —Check the Room layout. The room needs to provide good communication. Using a round or oval table will allow everyone to see each other and know who is speaking. Good lighting is important. Remember no shadows or background light. —Check to make sure listening devices such as a loop system or FM system are installed and available for use and are in working order. *During the Meeting:* —If the deaf or hard-of-hearing person prefers an interpreter, a qualified interpreter should be hired. —Let the deaf or hard-of-hearing person choose their seat. They know where they can best access the information being presented from the speaker and/or interpreter. *Speaking * —Indicate who is speaking. By naming the individual in the room who is speaking or pointing to them, this will give the deaf or hard-of-hearing person an opportunity to look to the person before they begin to speak instead of searching for the speaker. The deaf or hard-of-hearing employee will not miss the beginning of the speaker's comments. —Watch for signs that the deaf or hard-of-hearing person would like to contribute to the conversation or discussion. —Ensure that only one person speaks at a time. —Speak clearly and at a normal pace. —Do not turn your back to the audience while speaking. No talking into the blackboard. *Equipment* —Consider incorporating some of the following into presentations for visual understanding: —Visual aids —Demonstrations —Flip chats —Handouts about the presentation —Written agenda If employers and coworkers utilize the suggestions above, a deaf employee can contribute to the company while enhancing the diversity of the workforce.
Telecommunications Technologies
*Telecommunications* is a range of communication technologies that involve the use of phone lines. Let's look at four examples that *D/deaf employees would use*. *Communication Technologies for the Deaf* *Pager or cell phone* D/deaf and hard-of-hearing people are as dependent on their Blackberry or iPhone as any hearing person. They use these devices to instant message, text, and contact relay operators to place phone calls to hearing friends, family and colleagues. *Videophone* A videophone allows for direct one to one communication by the deaf individual to another person, hearing or deaf, who knows sign language. Think of the use of Google chat and Skype. *Video Remote Interpreting* VRI allows deaf and hearing individuals who are in the same place, a conference room for example, to conduct conversations using a live video interpreter who is contracted from an interpreting agency. *Relay Services* Relay services include telephone relay systems that can help deaf and hearing colleagues who are not in the same place communicate over the telephone by providing a simultaneous, three-way communication among a deaf person, a communication operator and another person. There is *online relay*, video relay services (VRS) such as Sorenson VRS and the telecommunication relay service that is provided by each state.
Assistive Listening Devices
An *Assistive Listening Device* is any type of device that can help the deaf employee function better in their day-to-day communication situations. ALD can be used with or without hearing aids and enables the listener to overcome negative effects of distance, back ground noise, or poor room acoustics. Assistive listening devices are helpful for *people who have difficulty hearing in large groups, at a distance or in noisy environments*. The *different types of assistive listening devices* are described below. *Types of Assistive Listening Devices* —*Telephone Amplifier* Enables some deaf and hard-of-hearing people to use the telephone Increasing the volume of the phone —*Induction loop* A wire that is permanently installed and connects to a microphone used by a speaker The person talking into the microphone creates a current in the wire which makes an electromagnetic field in the room A hearing aid is switched to "T" (telecoil/telephone) setting The hearing aid telecoil picks up the electromagnetic signal Volume can be adjusted through the hearing aid Most common in large group areas —*Personal Frequency Modulation (FM) System* Operates like a personal radio station with a microphone, transmitter, and receiver and allows spoken words to be sent directly to the hearing aid worn by the listener The speaker speaks into the microphone and then information is sent via radio waves to the receiver worn by the individual with hearing loss. The information is then sent directly into the persons listening device (hearing aid or cochlear implant). Other considerations for individuals are visual Alerting Equipment and environmental accommodation that can be made. Visual alerting equipment may include flashing lights that are connected to fire alarms or other emergency alerting equipment. This will enable the deaf employee to see when the alarms are being sounded and can then take the appropriate action. Some *environmental accommodations* that employers may consider include adjustments that *improve the visibility for the employees, reduction of distracting noises, and other improved safety changes*. Some of these adjustments may include *changing or adding lighting to increase the visibility for the employees, elimination or damping of loud or distracting noises, adding vision panels to doors and walls to improve lines of sight and using round or oval tables for group discussions so that everyone can see each other*.
Interpreters
For face-to-face conversations and depending on the deaf employee's preference, an interpreter can be hired for *occasions when workplace communication is critical or lengthy*. Instances when an interpreter may be needed include *interviews, staff meetings, performance evaluations, and training*. When working with an interpreter, *employers should be aware of the following*: —It is helpful to meet with the interpreter before the meeting or gathering to explain what will be covered. —Interpreters work a few words behind the speaker, sometimes up to a 2 sentence delay, and need time to finish sentences. —The speaker should talk normally while using a steady pace and enunciation. —The speaker should speak directly to deaf employee, not to the interpreter, because a professional interpreter will not respond More specifically, according to the Code of Ethics for interpreters, the interpreter is not permitted to answer questions for the deaf individual, to voice personal opinions, or enter into the conversation.
Workplace Laws for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Several laws have been enacted to establish equal rights for deaf/Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the work place. We will briefly explore two of those laws. *Rehabilitation Act of 1973* Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on a disability in the federal sector and includes any employer who receives federal funding. The act requires employers to provide "reasonable accommodations" to their disabled employees. This law has seven titles and 741 sections with the best-known section being 504, which is the nondiscrimination section. Section 504 forbids discrimination against qualified people with disabilities by entities receiving Federal financial assistance. Section 504 requires employers with Federal contracts to take affirmative action in the employment and promotion of qualified people with disabilities. *American's With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)* The second law is the American's With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The key to this act is equal accessibility. It improves upon the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and requires all buildings, programs, services, and employment, both public and private, to be equally accessible to persons with disabilities as it would be for individuals without disabilities. The ADA also requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide qualified employees with disabilities equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment opportunities offered to people without disabilities. In addition, the ADA prohibits discrimination in recruitment, hiring, pay, promotions, training, social activities, and other privileges of employment. It restricts questions an applicant may be asked about his or her disability before a job offer is made and requires that employers make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, unless undue hardship is incurred. With the legislation enacted and enforced in the professional world we would like to believe that we have leveled the playing field for all individuals who are qualified for the jobs in which they are applying, but that is not the case.
