NAD lacks technology coverage for deaf people

Interesting conversation I had with my wife and it made me think. So, I went over to NAD's website and looked over their technology page section "Making communication and information accessible."  There it is. "Making communication accessible." NAD pride itself as the

"...nation's premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America."

One major civil rights issue among deaf people is to have equal communication access with their hearing peers. How can NAD be an "informed consumer advocate" if they refuse to cover easy to use face to face communication devices such as the UbiDuo, the only device that use real time typing communication via a split screen? NAD covers only assistive listening technology, hearing aids, cochlear implants, Captioning for Access, Internet Access and Broadband, movie captioning, telephones and relay services, television and closed captioning, and Video Remote Interpreting.

NAD explains that

"....people who are deaf or hard of hearing were early and eager adopters of accessible text-based communication and information systems, such as pagers, e-mail, instant messaging, and the Internet, as well as early adopters of videophones."

There are thousands of early adopters of UbiDuo users who covet the real time nature  and ease of communication (there is no"typing a response" notification where you wait for a typed response) with hearing people who do not know sign language. These deaf people who are UbiDuo users are the bulwark on paving the way helping the hearing public on recognizing their need to have immediate communication access using a communication device that allow real time typed conversation on a standard sized keyboard using common, every day language such as English.

But on the NAD technology page there is no where to be found that discusses face to face communication devices. Using NAD's search feature I typed in "UbiDuo" and found no results.   The same for "communication device" but it came up with one search result but it's not the same thing on what I'm discussing here. 

Both culturally deaf and non-culturally deaf people use the UbiDuo. It's not like no culturally deaf people use the UbiDuo. They do. And, boy, do they ever use it. But that's beside the point here. The point is that NAD claim to represent and help deaf and hard of hearing people but do not even cover a very important communication accessible technology devices such as the UbiDuo. A simple communication concept that ensures leveling the playing field using the English language, for example. NAD does not have to tote the brand name but by the mere mentioning of a "typed face to face communication device" would be sufficient enough to let deaf (and hearing) people know those types of communication devices do exist out there.

Face to face communication concerns is a Civil Rights issue (See Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division - Disability Rights Section page).  NAD needs to understand that text to text (typed) communication via a communication device is a Civil Rights issue under the ADA. Not covering it on their website, touted as the "...nation's premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America," would be a sin.

NAD, do the right thing and help deaf people become more aware of other kinds of communication technologies that exist in the United States.

Global Microbrand

There is a new concept in the business world called "global microbrand" that was coined several years back. For those not familiar with the phrase it basically means in a niche market you have a brand that sells all over the world but not yet at the tipping point on being able to produce in massive quantity the product being sold. There are some deaf-owned businesses that does this on their own designing, making and selling their own technology products. sComm is one of those very few businesses that does that. And by saying "very few" it's a true statement around here. sComm has a global microbrand called the "UbiDuo" which has been sold worldwide and it continues to grow. No matter how small or big this niche market is as long as there is big enough interest in a product there's money to be made and profited. In this case the UbiDuo has been proven to be a money maker ever since the first year it debuted.

sComm began as a company in 2002 and debut the UbiDuo communication device on April 22, 2006 at DeafNation. Jason Curry, who is deaf and the CEO of sComm, never looked back once his product took off that year and saw sales rise each year. It has been 5 years since the opening day when the UbiDuo was made available to the public. Most new businesses do not survive past 5 years and go out of business. But sComm is nothing but normal as a business in an economy that has been suffering for the last few years. In fact, in a depressed economy sComm is actually thriving because people are quickly finding out the value of 100% accessible communication of the English language. 

Looking back 5 years ago the year when UbiDuo first exploded into the conscious minds of many deaf people you had your naysayers and detractors on this new technology, a soon to be global microbrand. You had your deaf techno geeks and so called "experts" who derided and made fun of the Ubiduo and the CEO of sComm for making that communication device seeing it as "worthless" and not "doable."  This was a product I recognized several years back seeing it as potentially a valuable communication device for deaf people. A niche market I knew that Jason Curry, the CEO, could easily help fill not just in the United States but worldwide for deaf users who know English. And that's a lot of people my friends. Not really so "niche-y" if you think about it.

I first heard about the upcoming communication device back in 2004 from Jason Curry, CEO of sComm. Even the people at NIH was impressed with Jason's vision that his company was awarded a $1.3 million dollar grant in February of 2005 to help fund the Phase II of sComm's product that would enable face-to-face communication betweeen deaf and hearing people, and between people in other communication-challenged situations.

Again, you had those deaf self-appointed techno-geeks and so called "experts" on technology and communication laugh at Jason's vision and product only to be proven wrong year after year after year.  Jason easily made fools of those so called "experts" in the world of micro branding. The superb quality that goes behind every Ubiduo stands on its own. I've seen it with my own eyes which validated my strong belief that Jason's vision was right on the mark that this communication device can help deaf people communicate effortlessly with hearing people. And that alone could potentially help a deaf person's own career as well with the ability to effortlessly interact with hearing people.

But in a world of deaf people who rely on sign language to communicate where some have been resistant and one-minded that they must have interpreters  24/7 available to them in order to communicate with their hearing peers, friends, co-workers, supervisors or bosses, that idea simply will not work in all cases. Not everybody can have the luxury on having a personal interpreter shadow you all day long like Marlee Matlin's own personal interpreter.  Don't get me wrong, having an interpreter is quite important in many cases but having or demanding an interpreter in nearly every single situation doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the world of business where English is king. Most of your co-workers, supervisors, clients and customers are hearing people who use English to communicate on a daily basis whether on paper or by voice. It makes good business sense to interact with hearing people using English on a daily basis.

Let me ask you this question.

What would you say about a deaf worker who worked as a greeter at Sam's Club for 12 years without having any other responsibilities or promotion? What would you say upon learning about a deaf worker who obtained a piece of communication technology called the "UbiDuo" that allowed him access to hearing customers and because of that technology he was promoted three times and now supervises 20 hearing people in a space of a few years? How much would you pay for that piece of technology that would allow you to interact and communicate with hearing people where signing isn't involved nor required?

Before you answer that there's a sobering reality what many culturally deaf people do not realize in the world of business.  In the United States in one federal agency with 37 deaf employees it had to spend $2.7 million dollars a year on interpreting fees alone.  On average that turns out to be $73,000 per year for each deaf person. In a time of budget cuts, downsizing and rising unemployment rates the bottom line has become quite apparent for all federal agencies, state government agencies and companies in lean times all over the world, and not just in the United States. There are efforts underway by companies and such to find ways to help control their cost , especially among those who are not so "English-impaired" and can communicate using English instead of acting like helpless people who don't know a lick of English and demand sign language interpreters in every possible or impossible scenarios.

Deaf people have a choice. Either they take the reign and show what they're capable of by showing their independence on their capability to interact with hearing people. Or become overly dependent on interpreters when their English is sufficient to communicate in the first place in face to face scenarios. If you can chat online, use the email, use the TTY, go on discussion forums over the internet and type everything in English, then certainly you have the capability to use the UbiDuo instead of using interpreters as a crutch.  Either you can stand up and speak for yourself in your own words or have a third person do the speaking for you all the time. The choice is really yours to make.

Newly revamped UbiDuo Website

If you're curious go and check out sComm's newly revamped UbiDuo website. Lots of new features, information, videos and news to check out. If you refresh the main page you'll see a different picture each time with people using the UbiDuo.

The wholly deaf-owned and run company has certainly grown ever since they opened their doors in 2006 to begin selling their award winning patented UbiDuo communication device to the public. Ever since that day the company has grown to 15 employees in lock step with the growing demand for the UbiDuo communication device. This is a company to watch out as they continue to build upon their successes with the mission to be the premier provider of innovative technology solutions that shatter communication barriers and empower people with the freedom to communication with anyone, anywhere and at any time.

Go and check it out!

A Video Interview with Greg Gunderson

Check out this video (ASL, SEE and subtitle) of Greg Gunderson being interviewed by Jason Curry (CEO and President of sComm, Inc, maker of the widely popular UbiDuo communication device) about the advantages of having UbiDuo to communicate with hearing people. Greg Gunderson is the nationally known and popular professional sprint car driver who happen to be....Deaf!

When Technology Produces a Shift in Communication Model Thinking

How interesting it is to watch people react to a certain technology being used and how it changes people’s perception for the better when it comes to communication access issues.

For example, some Deaf people are sometimes vexed on trying to be completely loyal by adhering to an “ASL-only world” in all situations versus wanting total independence when it comes to communication (i.e. ability to freely communicate with anybody even those who do not sign) and the feeling of inclusion. But they are faced with a reality that living in an “ASL-only world” is not always possible (unless you happened to live on the campus of Gallaudet University) due to numerous reasons (e.g. interpreter shortages, lack of quality interpreters, unavailable interpreter nearby, timeliness of interpreters showing up, scheduling conflicts, 3rd party “independence” or your “shadow,” hiring costs, and so on). Not all Deaf people have this access to this “ASL-only world” in every situation. One good example of how one piece of technology continues to help solve one communication situation between deaf and hearing people and that is the UbiDuo communication device. But over the last year or so there has been some fear and backlash about the UbiDuo thinking it is meant to permanently replace ASL interpreters, must have good English skills or that the device “threatens” Deaf culture.

“This is not about replacing interpreters,” Curry said. “This is about the power of face-to-face communication and the ability to strike up a conversation on the spot.”

"There is a lot of misperception that deaf people with strong (American Sign Language skills) can’t use it, 95 percent of our (UbiDuo) customers are ASL users. It doesn’t matter if your English is good or bad.” - Jason Curry (co-founder and CEO of sComm, Inc).

Now, if several hundred UbiDuo devices were sold since beginning of last year mostly to customers who are ASL users then shouldn’t that fact alone be enough to dispel the notion that using such a technology cannot destroy Deaf culture? Or that user is required to be proficient or “perfect” in the English language to use the UbiDuo? Facing the unknown can produce irrational fear. Jason reiterates his point again in his latest UbiDuo newsletter about English skills.

Some people (hearing and deaf/hard of hearing) think that ASL users can’t use the UbiDuo because of their English skills. I want to emphasize that ASL users with low level English can and do use the UbiDuo. So many clients who use ASL have made it clear to us that they are thrilled to have the ability to communicate independently and freely for themselves with hearing people. Don Garretson, a strong ASL user, made this statement: “It is not about my English, it is about me being able to talk to anyone I want on my own.” sComm is committed to giving those who are deaf or hard of hearing the power to converse independently and freely no matter what their grammar skill levels are.

Also, another shift in communication model thinking involves several hospitals, such as hospitals under the Baptist Health System Beaches in Florida, which purchased several UbiDuo devices last year to help address their “special needs communication” area. But it’s not what you think if you’re thinking about “special needs” part of it. Rather, the UbiDuo is mostly geared toward hearing patients. At first, people assumed that the device will receive little support but the reaction was the opposite. There was lots of overwhelming support for this device in the clinical area.

For example, in one hospital in Florida a staff took the UbiDuo communication device around to various in-patient and out-patient units where various staff members worked and simply placed the UbiDuo on the counter without saying a word and began typing. Every staff member from various hospital units that came into contact with the machine figured out how to operate it within a few seconds. And opened up a conversation using the communication device and showed how easy it is to use such a communication system.

Hospitals like the ones under the Baptist Health Systems Beaches are now exploring additional applications for the UbiDuo for vented patients (intubated patients for breathing but talking is impossible), closed head injury patients (loss of control of vocal cords, stuttering, brain injury affecting speech, etc), Autistic patients and even patients with post-cancer laryngeal surgery. Any patient without the ability to utter speech could benefit from the communication device along with the added feature of wireless portability and the ability to save, print and post transcripts for their records.

Again, the UbiDuo is not in the business of replacing interpreters but rather in the business of providing greater communication freedom and choice in face-to-face situations. Over time this communication freedom will simply get better for us all.

Can you name other technology that has helped produce a shift in communication model thinking from deaf and hard of hearing people?