From the Washington State
Department of Social and Health Services:
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- A telecommunication device is making a profound impact on the lives of deaf-blind people, thanks largely to the efforts of the Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, part of the Department of Social and Health Services.
The agency teamed with manufacturer HumanWare to design and manufacture the device trademarked as the DeafBlind Communicator (pictured) to enable Washington residents who are legally both deaf and blind to communicate with greater independence.The device offers users unprecedented access to make telephone calls as well as engage people in two-way face-to-face conversations, anywhere they go.
Internationally, the disability community heralds the DeafBlind Communicator for its unprecedented portability and ease of use. Users say it's the first truly portable and user-friendly telecommunication equipment for the deaf-blind.
In a unique collaboration of government and business, the Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Human Ware developed the technology with direct input from the consumers. "Input from deaf-blind users who tested prototypes of the product had a direct impact at every stage of development. Instead of presenting a device to clients and saying 'now you have to make it work' we designed this around their ideas and needs," said Eric Raff, director of the Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Now other states, governments, businesses and agencies internationally who serve the deaf-blind are following Washington's lead and making the life-changing telecommunication equipment available for their clients.
For face-to-face conversations, the deaf-blind person hands the separate smaller device with a text display and keyboard to the person they want to communicate with.
A retractable tether is attached. With one click, the deaf- blind person who is operating the other half of the device sends the following opening message; "Hi, I’m blind and I can’t hear. To communicate with me, type a message on this keyboard and press (the return arrow)."
This message is both spoken through speakers and displayed on the text screen. The person who is deaf-blind can read the response via a display with Braille characters. Both parties can then communicate back and forth.
At one fast food restaurant the employee taking orders looked momentarily puzzled when the DeafBlind Communicator was put on the counter. He quickly called co-workers over and soon all wanted to take a turn at communicating with the deaf-blind woman and wanted to take her order. This is a marked difference with other situations where the deaf-blind person only has a card with written words to present to a counter person and little possibility of interaction. A person who is deaf-blind would often be ignored in these situations only because there was no clear option for communication.
People who were approached randomly in tests all reported that they had never had any kind of contact with a deaf-blind person before and all reported that they would stop again if approached by a person with the device. With widespread familiarity with keyboards and text messaging, most said they had no difficulty operating the face-to-face device. All who participated said they "felt good" about the interaction.
The DeafBlind Communicator can receive incoming telephone calls and make outgoing calls. In telephone communications the device converts text into Braille characters. People who are deaf-blind can make or receive calls with other deaf or deaf-blind people directly, as well as with hearing people through the Telecommunication Relay Service, also known in our state as Washington Relay. Deaf-blind users confirmed that the device gives them added confidence and independence, especially when traveling, working or doing errands without a tactile American Sign Language interpreter.
The DeafBlind Communicator is available free or on a sliding fee scale based on income to eligible people in our state. As a result of the Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing’s major role in the research and design of the product the agency is getting a reduction of two thousand dollars below the usual $8,000 retail cost per device.
At focus group sessions, prototype users said that having the Deaf-Blind Communicator would be "life-changing." Deaf-blind product testers broke into broad smiles, shared laughter, and exchanged hugs with their peers and social services staff during trial runs of the device.
When Director Raff and Program Manager Colleen Rozmaryn of the Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing saw the expressions of delight and immediate sense of empowerment that filled the room during test and training sessions they knew it was worth the years of effort to complete the project to benefit their clients. "Access to assistive technology for those who require it is not a convenience; it is essential to independence and employment for our clients," Raff said.
For most people who are deaf-blind in North America, tactile American Sign Language is their first language. They communicate by touching letters and words in the hands of another person who knows tactile American Sign Language. An interpreter is needed for deaf-blind individuals to have conversations with hearing people who cannot sign.
It is financially and otherwise impractical for most people who are both deaf and blind to have the services of a qualified interpreter around the clock. While the DeafBlind Communicator cannot replace an interpreter, it does open doors to direct communications in employment, business and social situations that the majority population take for granted.
The Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing expect to distribute the first order of 35 devices this month. Free training will be provided for all deaf-blind users.
From the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services: