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Video Phone Benefits the Deaf Community - YNN, Your News Now
Sorenson Communications came to RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf Tuesday to unveil its latest technology in video phones.
The "ntouch" replaces the old VP 200 that's been in use for the last five years. The ntouch makes it easier for the deaf community to communicate with one another, as well as those who are able to hear.
"It's really empowered deaf individuals and they're better able to communicate with their hearing peers through interpreters, and that's the important part of it. We have skilled interpreters who can both read the sign language and can sign for the hearing people," said Ron Burdett, Sorenson Communications vice president.
The system pretty much works like a regular telephone only with video features, including sign-mail, where a caller can leave a message in sign language.
Sign-mail is a popular feature among students at NTID and Sorenson is making these video phones available to deaf students on campus.
"Students can use them in the dorm; staff who work here can have them installed in their offices. We have like a public phone booth, a public video phone booth, we have five of them on campus. It's really wonderful that RIT has allowed us this level of access for students so if there is an emergency they can call 911, we do a 911 service, we do wonderful 911 services," said Peter Artinian, Sorenson Communications district manager for Western New York.
Artinian says more than 3,000 deaf individuals and families are now using the ntouch video phone in the Rochester area.
NTID fourth year student Monica Wilmot is one of them. Her hearing abled family has one in their home and Monica has it with her at all times on her laptop.
"Most of the time when I use an interpreter my family knows who I am and that I’ll be calling through an interpreter so they're very familiar with me using a video phone. I now have much more of an understanding and a connection so having it in college really helped me out a lot. With life having barriers and such, having the interpreter I’m now open and I have more opportunities because of it and I’m able to learn a lot more because I have my video phone," explained Wilmot.
Sorenson Communications ntouch video phone is free for those in the deaf community. The only cost is that of an internet connection.
Sorenson Communications came to RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf Tuesday to unveil its latest technology in video phones.
The "ntouch" replaces the old VP 200 that's been in use for the last five years. The ntouch makes it easier for the deaf community to communicate with one another, as well as those who are able to hear.
"It's really empowered deaf individuals and they're better able to communicate with their hearing peers through interpreters, and that's the important part of it. We have skilled interpreters who can both read the sign language and can sign for the hearing people," said Ron Burdett, Sorenson Communications vice president.
The system pretty much works like a regular telephone only with video features, including sign-mail, where a caller can leave a message in sign language.
Sign-mail is a popular feature among students at NTID and Sorenson is making these video phones available to deaf students on campus.
"Students can use them in the dorm; staff who work here can have them installed in their offices. We have like a public phone booth, a public video phone booth, we have five of them on campus. It's really wonderful that RIT has allowed us this level of access for students so if there is an emergency they can call 911, we do a 911 service, we do wonderful 911 services," said Peter Artinian, Sorenson Communications district manager for Western New York.
Artinian says more than 3,000 deaf individuals and families are now using the ntouch video phone in the Rochester area.
NTID fourth year student Monica Wilmot is one of them. Her hearing abled family has one in their home and Monica has it with her at all times on her laptop.
"Most of the time when I use an interpreter my family knows who I am and that I’ll be calling through an interpreter so they're very familiar with me using a video phone. I now have much more of an understanding and a connection so having it in college really helped me out a lot. With life having barriers and such, having the interpreter I’m now open and I have more opportunities because of it and I’m able to learn a lot more because I have my video phone," explained Wilmot.
Sorenson Communications ntouch video phone is free for those in the deaf community. The only cost is that of an internet connection.