Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
Sorenson Communications Honored by Helen Keller National Center at Kickoff Ceremony for 2007 Deaf-Blind Awareness Week
On Friday, Sorenson Communications™, the nation’s leading provider of Video Relay Services (VRS) for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, was honored by the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC). The VRS provider was recognized for its generosity in providing technology and support to the facility, which serves deaf-blind adults and young people. A plaque of appreciation was presented to Sorenson Communications during a ceremony at HKNC’s Leona Helmsley Conference Center, in Sands Point, on Long Island, New York, as a kickoff to the 2007 Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week, June 24-30.
In recent years, Sorenson Communications has donated 33 of its VP-100™ and VP-200™ videophones, along with accompanying televisions, to the HKNC for use by deaf students and staff. The videophones, when connected to a broadband Internet service and a television, allow deaf and hard-of-hearing people who use ASL to converse with any hearing person in the United States and its territories through Sorenson’s network of ASL interpreters who relay the conversation between the deaf person on the videophone and the hearing person on a standard telephone line. There is no cost for VRS calls.
“The use of Sorenson Communications’ videophones and video relay service has been very beneficial for us,” said Susan Ruzenski, director of direct services for the center. “For their work on behalf of individuals who are deaf-blind, it is appropriate that we honor Sorenson Communications as our kickoff to 2007 Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week.”
The term deaf-blind refers to individuals with varying degrees of hearing and vision loss. Some, like the center’s namesake, Helen Keller, are profoundly deaf and totally blind. The mission of the HKNC is to enable each person who is deaf-blind to live and work in a community of their choice. An Act of Congress authorized the residential and training facility in 1967.
“We are grateful for this thoughtful acknowledgement from the people at the Helen Keller National Center,” said Chris Wakeland, vice president of interpreting for Sorenson Communications. “The center is a valued partner for us. We appreciate their willingness to help us understand the unique needs of the deaf-blind and low-vision community.” On hand to accept the plaque for Sorenson Communications were David Gardner, director of product management; Kian-Guan Au, market specialist, product management; Cameron Tingey, regional sales director; Peter Artinian, New York/New Jersey area specialist; and Laurie Nash, Manhattan VRS Interpreting Center director.
On Friday, Sorenson Communications™, the nation’s leading provider of Video Relay Services (VRS) for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, was honored by the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC). The VRS provider was recognized for its generosity in providing technology and support to the facility, which serves deaf-blind adults and young people. A plaque of appreciation was presented to Sorenson Communications during a ceremony at HKNC’s Leona Helmsley Conference Center, in Sands Point, on Long Island, New York, as a kickoff to the 2007 Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week, June 24-30.
In recent years, Sorenson Communications has donated 33 of its VP-100™ and VP-200™ videophones, along with accompanying televisions, to the HKNC for use by deaf students and staff. The videophones, when connected to a broadband Internet service and a television, allow deaf and hard-of-hearing people who use ASL to converse with any hearing person in the United States and its territories through Sorenson’s network of ASL interpreters who relay the conversation between the deaf person on the videophone and the hearing person on a standard telephone line. There is no cost for VRS calls.
“The use of Sorenson Communications’ videophones and video relay service has been very beneficial for us,” said Susan Ruzenski, director of direct services for the center. “For their work on behalf of individuals who are deaf-blind, it is appropriate that we honor Sorenson Communications as our kickoff to 2007 Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week.”
The term deaf-blind refers to individuals with varying degrees of hearing and vision loss. Some, like the center’s namesake, Helen Keller, are profoundly deaf and totally blind. The mission of the HKNC is to enable each person who is deaf-blind to live and work in a community of their choice. An Act of Congress authorized the residential and training facility in 1967.
“We are grateful for this thoughtful acknowledgement from the people at the Helen Keller National Center,” said Chris Wakeland, vice president of interpreting for Sorenson Communications. “The center is a valued partner for us. We appreciate their willingness to help us understand the unique needs of the deaf-blind and low-vision community.” On hand to accept the plaque for Sorenson Communications were David Gardner, director of product management; Kian-Guan Au, market specialist, product management; Cameron Tingey, regional sales director; Peter Artinian, New York/New Jersey area specialist; and Laurie Nash, Manhattan VRS Interpreting Center director.