Preface: Almost every time I go out on a job, I am told that people do not know the service (CART or realtime captioning) exists. I just came back from a highly rewarding and successful assignment where the same thing happened. "I had no idea this was out there." "This could be so useful! Rather than someone just choosing not to attend a conference because they figured they couldn't hear most of it, if they knew this was available, maybe more people would come."
Etcetera and so forth. Over and over again. People can and should be able to see the value in it, but still there are large hurdles to jump and impediments to overcome:
I run into the argument about budgets not being able to support it. Well, pishposh. I provided CART recently at an ADA conference at which this very question was put to one of the presenters who represented the New England ADA Center. Her answer was along these lines: The ADA was passed 20 years ago. This is 2011. Everyone has had 20 years to get with the program. There should be a budget in place by now. There is no excuse for not "getting" that fact by now.
It really IS about time.
The event I just provided CART for is a great example of how it can work. This was a very low budget event. My deaf CART consumer learned about my business somehow. He was sent the link to my website, I think. He was savvy enough to ask for CART to be provided at this conference he needed to attend, and he printed out a page of my website to submit to the event planners with a request, basically, "I want this."
The meeting planner had never heard of CART service before, and yet she called me. We talked about it. We discussed my fees and my estimate for her event. I gave her my price quote, which took into account the fact that I realized their event had a very small budget. And while she acknowledged that they had no budget for it, she immediately thought outside the box. She said, "We have no budget for it, but he is entitled to it. We'll figure out a way to get it done. Maybe we can find a sponsor."
I did not hear anything more from her about the budget specifically, but she contacted me within a couple of days to book me to provide CART for the conference. When I arrived on site this week, there was a listing of sponsors for various parts of the event on the program guide: "Coffee Break Sponsor, Lunch Sponsor, Sponsor of Keynote Presenter, Sponsor of Conference Brochure, Sponsor of Interpreter Services." Boom. Done and done.
The sponsor of my services was acknowledged on the pamphlet, and given thanks verbally by the association during the opening session. During a coffee break, I made a point of visiting that company's representatives in their booth at the conference to say thank you, and I will send them a formal letter of thanks, as well. They provided a great service, and I think they already knew that -- but it never hurts to say thanks a few extra times. I know that the two gentlemen I visited were pleased that I had done so, and I know that a couple of the organizers of this event were pleased that I had made that gesture. They said so.
As an aside, please take a moment to go and "Like" the New England ADA Center on Facebook. I'll wait. They only have 64 "likes" at the time I am writing this. It'll be like my little 20th anniversary present to them.
Anyway.... one of the biggest challenges in my business, and one that I have now decided to take up head-on, is to educate the public that not only does CART exist, but that at the very least*, people with hearing loss are entitled to the accommodation, and they should start asking for it. People need to stop thinking they can "get along without it," and stop thinking that they just won't go to events because they can't hear things. And people need to find their voice and get accustomed to asking for it.
Perhaps we should pen a new rallying cry:
WE'RE HERE.
WE CAN'T HEAR.
GET USED TO IT!
(Should we dress up in pink bikinis and have parades and stuff? Nah, I guess that's already been done.)
So...........
I'm reprinting here the blog post of Lauren, who volunteers hours and hours of her time and energy to run CCAC -- The Collaborative for Communication Access via Captioning, giving her thoughts about:
Why Captioning & CART Universally? Option for Deaf, Vital for Deafened & People with Hearing Loss
Posted on June 21, 2011 by ls
CCAC values collaboration in good ways that “build bridges” among all individuals and groups who need communication access. Our sole focus is advocacy for captioning inclusion universally. There are several other groups to educate and advocate for sign language and for other resources. CCAC uses the word “collaborative” in it’s name – an invitation to all with overlapping interests to join us.
Accurate and timely (“real time”) speech-to-text translation is a powerful and effective way to communicate for millions of people. Captioning is an option for some, and a necessity for millions of others. Perhaps “captioning” has not been a powerful word, until now!
CCAC does not say that captioning is the only communication choice, nor that it replaces anyone’s other languages. We welcome all who support the CCAC mission which is to advocate for more inclusion of captioning universally, and to have it always an option for those who do require it for inclusion, participation, and giving back to society too.
In brief, inclusion of captioning universally, serves millions who are deaf, deafened, and have a hearing loss, as well as benefiting millions of others who are learning to read (for literacy), need translations from other languages, or have important different learning or business needs. Captioning inclusion is not only the goal for entertainments (movies, theaters, television, Internet broadcasting, and sports arenas), it is the goal for all public events and much more.
CCAC recognizes and validates the need for sign language also, and applauds (and learns from) advocacy efforts by other groups. CCAC was created because so many deaf, deafened, and people with hearing loss do not even know they can request captioning and have that right under law where needed for effective communication. CCAC was created because captioning is still lacking in so many places of everyday life, and CCAC argues that it is past time for more understanding and support of captioning, a language (or translation) that is vital for many.
For the above reasons, it’s time to outline why captioning and CART are beneficial for so many, and share the following thoughts from sign language users, and also from Deaf members of the CCAC.
From CCAC members’ themselves (paraphrased and anonymous quotes):
Person 1: “For years I used sign language interpreters, and they are still my backup when all else fails. But I didn’t always get interpreters that provided the full flavor or details of what was said, particularly when I was with another deaf individual who used ASL….it was often challenging and mentally taxing…I began to realize that I craved access to the full conversation, word for word.With CART, I was also able to express my own points of view for others, in a language all could understand, especially important for complex policies and important agency work that needed to move forward.”
Person 2: :”In school, when there is any detailed intellectual or mathematical discussions or teaching, I must have CART – to follow, to ask questions, and to have the transcript as a needed resource.”
Person 3: “For important meetings, especially with lots of numbers, finances, and the like, I need CART, no question about it.”
Person 4: “Without CART, I am wiped out trying to pay full attention, even with an ASL interpreter. It’s not a healthy situation for me.”
Person 5: “Captionfish is a service that is loved by my Deaf friends. To know where and when we can go out, and enjoy a movie with friends, like others, is fantastic.”
CCAC says: Whether our first language is English or ASL (or your language in other countries, or sign language in other countries), we want to advocate together for more inclusion of quality captioning.
CART is real time full verbatim speech-to-text translation, called by various names – real time captioning is a good shorthand. Traditionally, it stands for Communication Access Real time Translation, and also Computer Assisted Real time Transcription. In some countries, it’s called interpretating as well.
In sum, for many, captioning is actually a primary (receptive) language – another required format for one’s first language. It’s required for communication, bringing us back to life, reducing strain and exhaustion. For others, it’s another language that benefits them in some situations, not all, since using sign language is preferred for many good reasons in some other situations (e.g. video relay call with a friend). For Deaf friends, inclusion of captioning and being able to use CART is valuable also, as described above, even though sign language is primary.
May good collaborations continue! We have a lot to share and to learn from each other.
Source: http://ccacblog.wordpress.com
www.ccacaptioning.org
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*I assert that also people with other auditory processing limits, and attention deficits, as well as people who are learning the English language, are entitled to CART as well. The ADA is about civil rights and equal access for all. The amendments to the ADA passed into law in 2008, which make equal access even more clearly and emphatically defined, will go into effect in 2012.
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