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Modern messaging a godsend for deaf - Winnipeg Free Press
To interview Sheila Montney 15 years ago, we might have needed an interpreter, or a pen and paper.
Today, all we needed was our BlackBerrys.
Montney, executive director of Manitoba's Deaf Resource Centre, was born deaf into a family of hearing people. More than a decade ago, she settled into a career working with and for Manitoba's deaf community. Because it truly is a community, one that has long flourished out of the view of the hearing mainstream.
The only problem: Deaf people still had to live in a world largely built by and for people who can hear.
That's changing. At the turn of the millennium, the sudden flood of mobile technology shifted how the world communicates. We phone less and text more; we gab on our webcams and videophones. For deaf people, this means that instead of stilted TTY (a device that sends text-based messages through traditional phone lines), they can and do talk to each other on the go or from afar with all the nuance of American Sign Language or the convenience of text messaging.
And things are getting even better: On Tuesday, a new Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission rule made it mandatory for Canadian phone providers to offer IP Relay service, where an operator translates a conversation between a hearing person on the phone and a deaf person typing messages on their laptop or smartphone. Video relay service, where operators translate sign language into spoken English, is due out by the end of 2012.
Now, days before international Deaf Awareness Week closes on Saturday, we talked tech with Montney -- via BlackBerry text messaging, no less.
Q: (Cellphones and videophones) have changed the world, but I imagine they've made a big impact in the deaf community.
Yes, it is a big impact. Without it, we will feel lost and have to depend on TTY only to communicate. TTY doesn't show any emotion, but BlackBerrys have symbols to show emotions like happy or angry. (Also) for example, iPhone 4 has a big advantage for deaf mothers, like Baby Cry Identify, which I learned that tells hungry, or attention, or tired... Right now, Canada doesn't have video relay services, so deaf community now relies on BlackBerry / iPhone 4 or emails on computer. Recently, Rogers set up IP relay. That thrills us so we can use IP relay through websites to place order like pizza.
Q: You remember life before this stuff. How does it compare to now?
My past and now are very different!! I think right now we are lucky to have wonderful technology. I'm sure hearing ppl feel the same -- earphone while driving. Also in the past we use TTY to make an arrangement to meet friend in some place, but now using BB we communicate via pager then meet in person.
Q: It seems like eventually there will be very little difference in how deaf and hearing ppl interact with world at large -- everything will be text, IM, video.
Yes that's true. For example, I go to McDonalds through drive thru. I use my BlackBerry to show my text of what I want. It's easier than have paper and pen. Or use BB to communicate like "where are u exactly in mall" to find that person. In the past, I have to find a TTY somewhere in mall to make a phone call for cab. With BB, it's easier as I can ask someone to make a call for me. Quicker way than find TTY.
When I was on the Canadian Association for the Deaf board, 10 yrs ago, the board was wondering what happened to me as I missed the flight. I had to ask someone to call the hotel to pass the msg. Now I can use BB to inform the board if I'm running late, it's very handy!!
Q: (And videophone) allows for much more nuanced conversation with ASL than TTY I imagine... better human connection.
A: Yes that's correct! Deaf community's first language is ASL so it's easier to express in sign language with each other.
Q: Does tech change career opportunities? 20 years ago it would be very hard to be deaf and a journalist, all phone... now it could be done, for instance.
A: That's true. For example, at Deaf Centre Manitoba, the building manager want to talk with me about serious issue right away. I can't get interpreter on short notice, so we can communicate via BlackBerry or through videophone (with voice-recognition software). At Boeing, there were many deafies in the past without BB but now everyone at Boeing has BB to communicate between hearing and deafies. It's a lot different in past and now.
To interview Sheila Montney 15 years ago, we might have needed an interpreter, or a pen and paper.
Today, all we needed was our BlackBerrys.
Montney, executive director of Manitoba's Deaf Resource Centre, was born deaf into a family of hearing people. More than a decade ago, she settled into a career working with and for Manitoba's deaf community. Because it truly is a community, one that has long flourished out of the view of the hearing mainstream.
The only problem: Deaf people still had to live in a world largely built by and for people who can hear.
That's changing. At the turn of the millennium, the sudden flood of mobile technology shifted how the world communicates. We phone less and text more; we gab on our webcams and videophones. For deaf people, this means that instead of stilted TTY (a device that sends text-based messages through traditional phone lines), they can and do talk to each other on the go or from afar with all the nuance of American Sign Language or the convenience of text messaging.
And things are getting even better: On Tuesday, a new Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission rule made it mandatory for Canadian phone providers to offer IP Relay service, where an operator translates a conversation between a hearing person on the phone and a deaf person typing messages on their laptop or smartphone. Video relay service, where operators translate sign language into spoken English, is due out by the end of 2012.
Now, days before international Deaf Awareness Week closes on Saturday, we talked tech with Montney -- via BlackBerry text messaging, no less.
Q: (Cellphones and videophones) have changed the world, but I imagine they've made a big impact in the deaf community.
Yes, it is a big impact. Without it, we will feel lost and have to depend on TTY only to communicate. TTY doesn't show any emotion, but BlackBerrys have symbols to show emotions like happy or angry. (Also) for example, iPhone 4 has a big advantage for deaf mothers, like Baby Cry Identify, which I learned that tells hungry, or attention, or tired... Right now, Canada doesn't have video relay services, so deaf community now relies on BlackBerry / iPhone 4 or emails on computer. Recently, Rogers set up IP relay. That thrills us so we can use IP relay through websites to place order like pizza.
Q: You remember life before this stuff. How does it compare to now?
My past and now are very different!! I think right now we are lucky to have wonderful technology. I'm sure hearing ppl feel the same -- earphone while driving. Also in the past we use TTY to make an arrangement to meet friend in some place, but now using BB we communicate via pager then meet in person.
Q: It seems like eventually there will be very little difference in how deaf and hearing ppl interact with world at large -- everything will be text, IM, video.
Yes that's true. For example, I go to McDonalds through drive thru. I use my BlackBerry to show my text of what I want. It's easier than have paper and pen. Or use BB to communicate like "where are u exactly in mall" to find that person. In the past, I have to find a TTY somewhere in mall to make a phone call for cab. With BB, it's easier as I can ask someone to make a call for me. Quicker way than find TTY.
When I was on the Canadian Association for the Deaf board, 10 yrs ago, the board was wondering what happened to me as I missed the flight. I had to ask someone to call the hotel to pass the msg. Now I can use BB to inform the board if I'm running late, it's very handy!!
Q: (And videophone) allows for much more nuanced conversation with ASL than TTY I imagine... better human connection.
A: Yes that's correct! Deaf community's first language is ASL so it's easier to express in sign language with each other.
Q: Does tech change career opportunities? 20 years ago it would be very hard to be deaf and a journalist, all phone... now it could be done, for instance.
A: That's true. For example, at Deaf Centre Manitoba, the building manager want to talk with me about serious issue right away. I can't get interpreter on short notice, so we can communicate via BlackBerry or through videophone (with voice-recognition software). At Boeing, there were many deafies in the past without BB but now everyone at Boeing has BB to communicate between hearing and deafies. It's a lot different in past and now.
