Video Relay Services and F.C.C.
By Leonard Hall
Several years ago, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington D.C. approved funding for a new source of telecommunication for deaf and hard of hearing people to use – Video Relay Service (VRS).
Deaf people can call a VRS provider on a web-cam device through Internet, and an interpreter (communication assistant) will appear on screen for the deaf people to sign in his native sign language to make a phone call to a third party.
Instead of using the TTY to type messages to the relay operator through the TTY relay service, the deaf people will communicate by sign language through the interpreter to provide voice communication with a third party on the telephone.
Many deaf people in personal and employment situations use the VRS as a critical communication tool in making phone calls to hearing people.
Due to VRS, many thousands of deaf people have switched from using TTY relay services to VRS causing a major increase in demand for VRS.
One difference between using the TTY on the relay service and interpreter on the VRS is that using VRS is much faster than in typing on the TTY though the relay service. Some deaf people do not have good English or typing skills to communicate well on the TTY.
The higher cost of using a qualified interpreter in the top tier of Level 4 and 5 that can easily run $30 per hour or more for VRS as compared to $12 per hour for a regular operator for TTY relay service.
When FCC approved funding for VRS, VRS providers immediately set up VRS centers across the country causing a major problem with the supply of qualified interpreters. In Kansas City area, two VRS providers set up call center employing a total of 40 to 60 qualified level 4 & 5 interpreters during the week.
There were only 90 or more qualified level 4 & 5 interpreters in the Kansas City area. The hospitals, police departments, local government, and other organizations in the area are having a hard time finding qualified interpreters upon short notice of one or two days for deaf people.
The waiting list for interpreters has grown to one week or several weeks. I went to an Olathe Medical Center walk-in clinic for a ringing ear problem on a Saturday afternoon and was referred to the Olathe Medical Center emergency room because the only available interpreter working was at the hospital.
There is a major need for interpreter training programs to make up for the significant interpreter shortages caused by VRS call centers. FCC is now reviewing proposed reduction in funding for VRS.
VRS providers need more fund to invest in training and development of more qualified interpreters. Deaf people are encouraged to send their comments to Chairman Kevin Martin at the FCC.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Video Relay Services and F.C.C.
By Leonard Hall
Several years ago, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington D.C. approved funding for a new source of telecommunication for deaf and hard of hearing people to use – Video Relay Service (VRS).
Deaf people can call a VRS provider on a web-cam device through Internet, and an interpreter (communication assistant) will appear on screen for the deaf people to sign in his native sign language to make a phone call to a third party.
Instead of using the TTY to type messages to the relay operator through the TTY relay service, the deaf people will communicate by sign language through the interpreter to provide voice communication with a third party on the telephone.
Many deaf people in personal and employment situations use the VRS as a critical communication tool in making phone calls to hearing people.
Due to VRS, many thousands of deaf people have switched from using TTY relay services to VRS causing a major increase in demand for VRS.
One difference between using the TTY on the relay service and interpreter on the VRS is that using VRS is much faster than in typing on the TTY though the relay service. Some deaf people do not have good English or typing skills to communicate well on the TTY.
The higher cost of using a qualified interpreter in the top tier of Level 4 and 5 that can easily run $30 per hour or more for VRS as compared to $12 per hour for a regular operator for TTY relay service.
When FCC approved funding for VRS, VRS providers immediately set up VRS centers across the country causing a major problem with the supply of qualified interpreters. In Kansas City area, two VRS providers set up call center employing a total of 40 to 60 qualified level 4 & 5 interpreters during the week.
There were only 90 or more qualified level 4 & 5 interpreters in the Kansas City area. The hospitals, police departments, local government, and other organizations in the area are having a hard time finding qualified interpreters upon short notice of one or two days for deaf people.
The waiting list for interpreters has grown to one week or several weeks. I went to an Olathe Medical Center walk-in clinic for a ringing ear problem on a Saturday afternoon and was referred to the Olathe Medical Center emergency room because the only available interpreter working was at the hospital.
There is a major need for interpreter training programs to make up for the significant interpreter shortages caused by VRS call centers. FCC is now reviewing proposed reduction in funding for VRS.
VRS providers need more fund to invest in training and development of more qualified interpreters. Deaf people are encouraged to send their comments to Chairman Kevin Martin at the FCC.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
By Leonard Hall
Several years ago, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington D.C. approved funding for a new source of telecommunication for deaf and hard of hearing people to use – Video Relay Service (VRS).
Deaf people can call a VRS provider on a web-cam device through Internet, and an interpreter (communication assistant) will appear on screen for the deaf people to sign in his native sign language to make a phone call to a third party.
Instead of using the TTY to type messages to the relay operator through the TTY relay service, the deaf people will communicate by sign language through the interpreter to provide voice communication with a third party on the telephone.
Many deaf people in personal and employment situations use the VRS as a critical communication tool in making phone calls to hearing people.
Due to VRS, many thousands of deaf people have switched from using TTY relay services to VRS causing a major increase in demand for VRS.
One difference between using the TTY on the relay service and interpreter on the VRS is that using VRS is much faster than in typing on the TTY though the relay service. Some deaf people do not have good English or typing skills to communicate well on the TTY.
The higher cost of using a qualified interpreter in the top tier of Level 4 and 5 that can easily run $30 per hour or more for VRS as compared to $12 per hour for a regular operator for TTY relay service.
When FCC approved funding for VRS, VRS providers immediately set up VRS centers across the country causing a major problem with the supply of qualified interpreters. In Kansas City area, two VRS providers set up call center employing a total of 40 to 60 qualified level 4 & 5 interpreters during the week.
There were only 90 or more qualified level 4 & 5 interpreters in the Kansas City area. The hospitals, police departments, local government, and other organizations in the area are having a hard time finding qualified interpreters upon short notice of one or two days for deaf people.
The waiting list for interpreters has grown to one week or several weeks. I went to an Olathe Medical Center walk-in clinic for a ringing ear problem on a Saturday afternoon and was referred to the Olathe Medical Center emergency room because the only available interpreter working was at the hospital.
There is a major need for interpreter training programs to make up for the significant interpreter shortages caused by VRS call centers. FCC is now reviewing proposed reduction in funding for VRS.
VRS providers need more fund to invest in training and development of more qualified interpreters. Deaf people are encouraged to send their comments to Chairman Kevin Martin at the FCC.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
Gallaudet President Should Change Education
Printed in the Olathe News in May 12, 2007.
Gallaudet President Should Change Education
By Leonard Hall
Gallaudet University, a liberal arts university for deaf and hard of hearing students in Washington D.C., officially installed interim President Dr. Robert Davila as its Ninth President in its nearly 145 years history.
The installation of Davila as President in the open ceremony last week was calm in contrast to the students’ siege of Gallaudet campus, hunger strikes, massive arrests, and national media attention several months ago.
Last year appointment of the previous Gallaudet Provost Jane Fernandes as the university president caused a major rebellion among the students and deaf community across the country. The Gallaudet Board of Trustees withdrew the appointment of Fernandes and appointed Davila as interim President.
The students protest raised a major issue that drew attention of the deaf community, federal agencies, U.S. Congress, and the accreditation agency called Middle States Commission on Higher Education – persistently fewer than 50% of undergraduates graduated.
Davila is a 74-year old veteran in higher deaf education. When the commission announced that Gallaudet did not comply with a number of standards to maintain its accreditation in higher education, its accreditation was at risk.
Davila needs to step outside of the higher education traditional method of teaching and looks for radical ways to improve.
For example, Gallaudet should provide for a 17-week semester instead of the traditional 15-week semester. For the average 3-hour college course, add one hour per week for an overall review of the week courses to ensure that the students understand the lessons taught during the week.
Gallaudet and NTID also should offer courses and requirements for standardized state tests to obtain the necessary certificate or license to work in certain fields. The burden now falls upon the graduates to study for, take, and pass the tests in order to obtain the necessary certificates and licenses.
Some graduates fail to do so.
The list goes on, but Davila needs to make radical changes in education to ensure that more students graduate and obtain the certificate and license needed for successful employment.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
Gallaudet President Should Change Education
By Leonard Hall
Gallaudet University, a liberal arts university for deaf and hard of hearing students in Washington D.C., officially installed interim President Dr. Robert Davila as its Ninth President in its nearly 145 years history.
The installation of Davila as President in the open ceremony last week was calm in contrast to the students’ siege of Gallaudet campus, hunger strikes, massive arrests, and national media attention several months ago.
Last year appointment of the previous Gallaudet Provost Jane Fernandes as the university president caused a major rebellion among the students and deaf community across the country. The Gallaudet Board of Trustees withdrew the appointment of Fernandes and appointed Davila as interim President.
The students protest raised a major issue that drew attention of the deaf community, federal agencies, U.S. Congress, and the accreditation agency called Middle States Commission on Higher Education – persistently fewer than 50% of undergraduates graduated.
Davila is a 74-year old veteran in higher deaf education. When the commission announced that Gallaudet did not comply with a number of standards to maintain its accreditation in higher education, its accreditation was at risk.
Davila needs to step outside of the higher education traditional method of teaching and looks for radical ways to improve.
For example, Gallaudet should provide for a 17-week semester instead of the traditional 15-week semester. For the average 3-hour college course, add one hour per week for an overall review of the week courses to ensure that the students understand the lessons taught during the week.
Gallaudet and NTID also should offer courses and requirements for standardized state tests to obtain the necessary certificate or license to work in certain fields. The burden now falls upon the graduates to study for, take, and pass the tests in order to obtain the necessary certificates and licenses.
Some graduates fail to do so.
The list goes on, but Davila needs to make radical changes in education to ensure that more students graduate and obtain the certificate and license needed for successful employment.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
Luther Taylor Day at the K - Kansas Deaf News May 2007
Please find the newspaper article printed on Thursday, May 17th, 2007.
Leonard Hall
Luther Taylor Day at the K
By Leonard Hall
Saturday, June 30th will be a big day in Olathe for the deaf community and Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD). Kansas City Royals and the Deaf Cultural Center (DCC) will honor Luther “Dummy” Taylor at the Kauffman Stadium before the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals baseball game.
Taylor is a famous alumnus of KSD who played baseball for the New York Giants in the early 1900s. As one of the first deaf baseball players in the major league, he was instrumental in the development of sign language that is currently being used in baseball.
Baseball fans would recognize the popular sign used by umpires in signing “out”, “safe”, “strike”, “ball” and even “you are out of the ball game”.
Taylor became famous when the New York Giants played in the World Series in 1905 and sign language was being used in the World Series. Taylor later returned to KSD as athletic director leading KSD football and basketball teams to many wins.
As part of the Luther Taylor day at the Kaufman stadium, commemorative baseball cards highlighting Taylor will be given to the first 10,000 families entering the gates.
The pre-game ceremony and celebration will begin at 6:10 p.m. at the stadium. The first pitch in honor of Luther Taylor will be thrown at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets for the view level infield are $14 and can be purchased through Chuck Theel at KSD at CTheel@ksd.state.ks.us or Bette Prentice-Rogers at kefdcc0@sbcglobal.net.
Tickets for a special dinner and game seat in the Stadium Club inside the K are being sold for $125. Season box ticket holders have exclusive seating in the Stadium Club and 80 dinner and game seats were provided for DCC.
Only 25 dinner and seat tickets are left. Visit Bette at DCC, 455 E. Park, Street, weekdays or send her an email.
As part of this celebration, Luther Taylor Expo will be held at DCC from noon to 5 p.m. A Barbeque cookout, exhibit booths, children activities, Luther Taylor’s memorabilia/slide show, raffle on 1909 Taylor baseball card, and other activities will be held in the big white tent.
Holiday Inn of Olathe, Allstate Insurance (Protection Solutions, LLC), Olathe Chamber of Commerce Sports Commission, and Kansas City Sports & Fitness sport paper are among the chief sponsors of this event.
All events proceeds will benefit DCC.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
Leonard Hall
Luther Taylor Day at the K
By Leonard Hall
Saturday, June 30th will be a big day in Olathe for the deaf community and Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD). Kansas City Royals and the Deaf Cultural Center (DCC) will honor Luther “Dummy” Taylor at the Kauffman Stadium before the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals baseball game.
Taylor is a famous alumnus of KSD who played baseball for the New York Giants in the early 1900s. As one of the first deaf baseball players in the major league, he was instrumental in the development of sign language that is currently being used in baseball.
Baseball fans would recognize the popular sign used by umpires in signing “out”, “safe”, “strike”, “ball” and even “you are out of the ball game”.
Taylor became famous when the New York Giants played in the World Series in 1905 and sign language was being used in the World Series. Taylor later returned to KSD as athletic director leading KSD football and basketball teams to many wins.
As part of the Luther Taylor day at the Kaufman stadium, commemorative baseball cards highlighting Taylor will be given to the first 10,000 families entering the gates.
The pre-game ceremony and celebration will begin at 6:10 p.m. at the stadium. The first pitch in honor of Luther Taylor will be thrown at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets for the view level infield are $14 and can be purchased through Chuck Theel at KSD at CTheel@ksd.state.ks.us or Bette Prentice-Rogers at kefdcc0@sbcglobal.net.
Tickets for a special dinner and game seat in the Stadium Club inside the K are being sold for $125. Season box ticket holders have exclusive seating in the Stadium Club and 80 dinner and game seats were provided for DCC.
Only 25 dinner and seat tickets are left. Visit Bette at DCC, 455 E. Park, Street, weekdays or send her an email.
As part of this celebration, Luther Taylor Expo will be held at DCC from noon to 5 p.m. A Barbeque cookout, exhibit booths, children activities, Luther Taylor’s memorabilia/slide show, raffle on 1909 Taylor baseball card, and other activities will be held in the big white tent.
Holiday Inn of Olathe, Allstate Insurance (Protection Solutions, LLC), Olathe Chamber of Commerce Sports Commission, and Kansas City Sports & Fitness sport paper are among the chief sponsors of this event.
All events proceeds will benefit DCC.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
Kansas Welcome New Relay Service for the Deaf - KS Deaf News April, 2007
Please find enclosed the newspaper story printed in the Olathe News on May 3rd, 2007.
Leonard
Kansas Welcomes New Relay Service for Deaf
By Leonard Hall
The new Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) provider for Kansas is Hamilton Relay, Inc. out of Aurora, Nebraska. Hamilton Relay will replace AT&T, formerly Southwestern Bell Company, who operated the TRS in Kansas for almost 20 years.
TRS is a free, 24-hour service that enables telephone communication between deaf and hard of hearing people using TTY. An operator answers the call and places another call to the other person who the TTY user wishes to reach.
The operator translates and relays conversations confidentially by converting voice information to typed communication and reading aloud types messages to the hearing person.
Hamilton Relay provides TRS in 15 states and Virgin Islands. It is a division of Hamilton Telecommunications, which has grown to provide local telephone services, Internet service, call center services, long distance, and cable television in addition to relay services.
Hamilton is a family-owned company. The relay services comprise half of Hamilton business.
Hamilton will provide other telecommunication services in Kansas.
CapTel will allow people to view word-for-word captions of their telephone conversation, and that is ideal for individuals who have good speech but cannot hear well over the phone.
Video Relay Service (VRS) allows people who use ASL to make use of video equipment, high speed internet access and interpreters to communicate with standard telephone users. It can be accessed through a computer with a webcam or through a videophone.
Hamilton also provides Internet Relay and Relay Wireless service.
AT&T and Southwestern Bell did a great job of providing TRS for deaf people in Kansas for many years.
The deaf community will miss David Rosenthal at AT&T and his outstanding services.
Rosenthal recently was selected as president of the Kansas Telecommunications Industry Association (KTIA) and is the first deaf president of the association.
The deaf community will be looking forward to see what Hamilton will offer.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
Leonard
Kansas Welcomes New Relay Service for Deaf
By Leonard Hall
The new Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) provider for Kansas is Hamilton Relay, Inc. out of Aurora, Nebraska. Hamilton Relay will replace AT&T, formerly Southwestern Bell Company, who operated the TRS in Kansas for almost 20 years.
TRS is a free, 24-hour service that enables telephone communication between deaf and hard of hearing people using TTY. An operator answers the call and places another call to the other person who the TTY user wishes to reach.
The operator translates and relays conversations confidentially by converting voice information to typed communication and reading aloud types messages to the hearing person.
Hamilton Relay provides TRS in 15 states and Virgin Islands. It is a division of Hamilton Telecommunications, which has grown to provide local telephone services, Internet service, call center services, long distance, and cable television in addition to relay services.
Hamilton is a family-owned company. The relay services comprise half of Hamilton business.
Hamilton will provide other telecommunication services in Kansas.
CapTel will allow people to view word-for-word captions of their telephone conversation, and that is ideal for individuals who have good speech but cannot hear well over the phone.
Video Relay Service (VRS) allows people who use ASL to make use of video equipment, high speed internet access and interpreters to communicate with standard telephone users. It can be accessed through a computer with a webcam or through a videophone.
Hamilton also provides Internet Relay and Relay Wireless service.
AT&T and Southwestern Bell did a great job of providing TRS for deaf people in Kansas for many years.
The deaf community will miss David Rosenthal at AT&T and his outstanding services.
Rosenthal recently was selected as president of the Kansas Telecommunications Industry Association (KTIA) and is the first deaf president of the association.
The deaf community will be looking forward to see what Hamilton will offer.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
No Child Left Behind - Kansas Deaf News
The following newspaper article was printed in the Olathe News on Thursday, April 19th, 2007.
Leonard
No Child Left Behind Works Well
By Leonard Hall
Congressman Dennis Moore has been touring the area school districts and having town hall meetings on the No Child Left Behind law that took effect 5 years ago. Critics of the law were out in force claiming a number of things were wrong with the law.
Since 2002, the No Child Left Behind law has worked well and forced substantial changes in public education across the country, including Olathe schools and Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD).
In the 1980s, candidates running for Olathe School Board twice and for JCCC Board of Trustees campaigned on reports about academic and graduation level in Olathe schools. These reports were based upon tests given by the school district itself.
Private and Catholic schools were playing the public relation game showing how wonderful their students were doing academically. KSD had reports showing how well deaf graduates were doing in college.
Employers were claiming that many hearing and deaf graduates simply did not have the necessary English, math, reading, and writing skills to do well in employment.
At JCCC in the 1980s, the information about the academic skills of the average high school students was shocking. Nearly 20% to 40% of high school graduates from public and private schools had poor academic skills in certain areas and took remedial English, math, reading, or writing courses. There was a high dropout rate in college.
With the state standardized tests required by the No Child Left Behind law, the weakness in public education was exposed. The test results in 2002 revealed that generally 5% of deaf, disabled and minority students were proficient in reading and math. A high percentage of all students test scores were listed as being unsatisfactory in most areas.
The top half of students at the public and private schools did well in these state tests. It is the bottom half who had have major problems in education.
A major transformation in public education occurred over the past 5 years. KSD enacted a number of creative education programs to improve the academic skills of deaf students.
KSD has its accelerated reading program where all students read a total of 22,206,000 words last year! There were math improvement and intervention plans.
The most recent state test results show generally 60% of deaf students (up from 5% in 2002) are now proficient in reading, math, social science, and other areas. Test scores have soared for most students.
Olathe schools made major revisions in their education programs, including revamping their entire math program in elementary and junior high schools.
The No Child Left Behind law works brilliantly for public education and particularly for deaf education.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column. He can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
Leonard
No Child Left Behind Works Well
By Leonard Hall
Congressman Dennis Moore has been touring the area school districts and having town hall meetings on the No Child Left Behind law that took effect 5 years ago. Critics of the law were out in force claiming a number of things were wrong with the law.
Since 2002, the No Child Left Behind law has worked well and forced substantial changes in public education across the country, including Olathe schools and Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD).
In the 1980s, candidates running for Olathe School Board twice and for JCCC Board of Trustees campaigned on reports about academic and graduation level in Olathe schools. These reports were based upon tests given by the school district itself.
Private and Catholic schools were playing the public relation game showing how wonderful their students were doing academically. KSD had reports showing how well deaf graduates were doing in college.
Employers were claiming that many hearing and deaf graduates simply did not have the necessary English, math, reading, and writing skills to do well in employment.
At JCCC in the 1980s, the information about the academic skills of the average high school students was shocking. Nearly 20% to 40% of high school graduates from public and private schools had poor academic skills in certain areas and took remedial English, math, reading, or writing courses. There was a high dropout rate in college.
With the state standardized tests required by the No Child Left Behind law, the weakness in public education was exposed. The test results in 2002 revealed that generally 5% of deaf, disabled and minority students were proficient in reading and math. A high percentage of all students test scores were listed as being unsatisfactory in most areas.
The top half of students at the public and private schools did well in these state tests. It is the bottom half who had have major problems in education.
A major transformation in public education occurred over the past 5 years. KSD enacted a number of creative education programs to improve the academic skills of deaf students.
KSD has its accelerated reading program where all students read a total of 22,206,000 words last year! There were math improvement and intervention plans.
The most recent state test results show generally 60% of deaf students (up from 5% in 2002) are now proficient in reading, math, social science, and other areas. Test scores have soared for most students.
Olathe schools made major revisions in their education programs, including revamping their entire math program in elementary and junior high schools.
The No Child Left Behind law works brilliantly for public education and particularly for deaf education.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column. He can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
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