Advocating for Communication Access Using Technological Accommodations
to Enhance Rehabilitation Service Delivery to Persons
who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (R-5)

Abstract
Full Project Description
        National Need and Statement of the Problem
        Objectives
        Methodology
        Sample

Abstract

For all persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, a key component to success in the workplace is communication. Barriers to effective communication pervade the continuum of employment activities, from the initial contact during the job interview to daily interactions with supervisors and co-workers that are critical to job maintenance and advancement. For many deaf, late deaf or hard of hearing persons, successful communication depends upon the availability of appropriate communication accommodations. Recent applications of technology to provide communication accommodations are occurring in the use of remote access technology to provide CART services and interpreting services using American Sign Language. Some states are beginning to investigate the use of this technology. For example, one state is exploring the use of long distance tele-video to facilitate communication in American Sign Language between mental health service providers and consumers who are deaf. Another state is using investigating the use of remote based technology to link persons who prefer written or text-based communication with computer assisted real time translation writers in different geographical locations.

Despite the promises of these new technologies, key barriers remain regarding their implementation. For example, only one state has formally set up policies and programs to coordinate the provision of CART services on a state wide basis. Furthermore, while every state in the country has established policies and programs for coordinating and providing sign language and oral interpreting services, similar policies and programs have yet to be developed for the newer service delivery options that are emerging to provide communication access through tele-video and remote access technology. This project will address the need for rehabilitation service delivery options designed to infuse these technologies. The project will examine exemplary models of service delivery that focus on these technologies, develop guidelines to implement these options, and evaluate the implementation of these efforts.

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Full Project Description

National Need And Statement Of The Problem:

Despite the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, there is little data to document the changes in access to the workplace. For persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, a key component to this access is workplace communication. Barriers to effective communication pervade the continuum of employment activities. They start with the initial contact during the job interview and continue through daily interactions with supervisors and co-workers critical to job maintenance and advancement.

For most persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, the success of communication in the workplace relies to some extent on preferences for communication accommodations. Many persons who are deaf prefer American Sign Language as their primary communication strategy, and thus, rely on interpreting when interacting with persons who are not skilled in this language. Other persons, especially those who are late deafened or hard of hearing frequently do not rely on sign language as their primary communication strategy, and tend to rely on residual hearing, speechreading and visual written language, necessitating such accommodations as Computer Assisted Rapid Translation (CART).

The key to utilizing either approach is the availability of these strategies in the workplace settings. Traditionally, either of these accommodative strategies have been provided on site, hopefully by competent providers (interpreters or real time writers) at considerable cost to the entity. The availability of these persons is severely limited in many situations -- there are simply insufficient numbers available to meet demand, especially outside of large, urban settings. New technologies are currently available to facilitate the provision of these services without the need for on-site, face to face contact. By using electronic means, it is now feasible to have these skilled personnel in locations that are geographically removed from the site of the actual interaction. Establishing such links is technological possible, but only beginning to emerge in the real world.

Persons will need to be able to increasingly exchange information and messages using technology. These changes are already evident. We rely on E-mail or FAX, surf the net for business, expand our world by using relays, conference calls, cellular phones, or video-conferencing; and balance our budgets and pay bills using computer programs. The future promises expanded utilization of the information superhighway and obsolescence of traditional strategies to exchange information and communicate (National Council on Disability, 1996).

Technological approaches to communication accommodation using remote access technology appear to be promising innovations for the future for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. For example, South Carolina is currently using long distance tele-video to facilitate communication in American Sign Language (ASL) between a mental health professional and persons who are deaf (Critchfield, 1996, personal communication; Craft, 1996). Similarly, remote technology is being used to link persons who prefer written communication with Computer Assisted Real Translation writers in different geographically locations (J. Black, personal communication, June 29, 1996). The telephone industry is investigating the use of tele-video to facilitate telephone relay communication in ASL between the deaf caller and the communication assistant at the relay center site (B. Rarus, personal communication, July 3, 1996). In addition, the telephone industry is investigating the applicability of extending this relay service feature to also provide interpreting services, particularly in workplace settings where interpreters may be needed on a short notice (B. Rarus, personal communication, July 3, 1996).

Despite the promise of these technologies, key barriers remain regarding their implementation. For example, only the state of Massachusetts has formally set up policies and programs to coordinate the provision of CART services on a state wide level (Waga & Howe, In Press). Furthermore, while every state in the country has in place policies and programs for coordinating and providing sign language and oral interpreting services, similar policies and programs have yet to be developed for the new service delivery options that are emerging to provide communication access through tele-video and remote access technology.

Furthermore, barriers exist that limit access to products and devices yielded by research and development in a timely and usable manner. The National Council on Disability (1994) notes there is limited dissemination of information about what technology is available, how to locate it, and lack of third party reimbursement or funding to purchase or utilize the technology (National Council on Disability, 1994). Much research is needed to explore and develop new policies and program options to infuse these technologies into existing service delivery systems that provide communication accommodations to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Objectives:

1. To identify the barriers related to the use of communication accommodations delivered through tele-video and remote access technology.
   
2. To identify policies and strategies to promote the use of communication accommodations delivered through tele-video and remote access technology.
   
3. To identify exemplary and state of the art service delivery models and systems for providing communication accommodations using tele-video and remote access technology.
   
4. To demonstrate the utility and replicability of these program models in a variety of service delivery and workplace settings.
   
5. To develop resource documents and technical reports with guidelines for replicating and implementing new program models in other service delivery and workplace settings.
   
6. To disseminate the resource documents and technical reports to key target audiences to promote utilization and program implementation.

Methodology:

This is a working document. The proposed activities are subject to change based on ongoing input from rehabilitation professionals, educators and consumers.

Sample:

The primary sources of data in the project will include service delivery professionals from the 50 state agencies and selected allied service programs previously identified in RT-31 research on community service centers. In addition, users of remote access technology will be included as appropriate.

• Activity One: Identify Technologies and Survey Availability in the Service Delivery Network
• Activity Two: Conduct Case Studies of Model Programs Using Remote Technologies
• Activity Three: Demonstrate the Utility and Replicability of the Model Programs in New Sites
• Activity Four: Develop and Disseminate Guidelines On Policies and Program Models for the Use of Remote Access Technologies to Provide Communication Accommodations

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