Final document for the project Preparing a European Deaf Network

Final document for the project
Preparing a European Deaf Network for
Information and Communication
Presentations of the
Klagenfurt Workshop
submitted by:
Research Center for Sign Language and Communication of the
Hearing-Impaired, University of Klagenfurt
Project funded by:
European Commission, Directorate General "Information Society"
according to the Grant Agreement signed on December 30, 1999
within the framework of the program PROMISE
Austrian Government, Ministry for Education, Science and Culture
Contents
Andersson, Ronnie (A):
Mobile Internet Services
[Only Power Point Presentation cf. FZGS-homepage:
http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/fzgs]
Deutscher Gehörlosen-Bund (A):
Kommunikationsdienste und Multimedia in Deutschland [in German].............................1
Eilertsen, Finn (A):
Product Presentation: TegnRom ....................................................................................6
Elton, Frances:
Tutorials Using Video-telephone and Videophones, Videoconferencing and
Deaf people ................................................................................................................. 17
Fédération Européene de Parents d'Enfants Déficients Auditifs (A):
Research Findings from the Questionnaire to Investigate the Needs of Families of
Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Children across Europe, May 2000...................................... 25
Hansson, Ulf:
Making ICT a Reality ................................................................................................. 63
Hellström, Gunnar:
Allan, the Bridge to Total Conversation....................................................................... 66
Karlsson, Henrik:
WinText Pro: Text Conversation for All ...................................................................... 76
Kleeb, Beat:
Telephone Relay Services in the Age of the Internet..................................................... 81
Korhonen, Maarit:
I Sign by Phone .......................................................................................................... 89
Krause, Michael (A):
Progress in Sound Recognition .................................................................................... 91
Laullón, Txema:
Creation and Maintenance of a Working Telematic Space for Spanish, European,
Latin American Deaf People Associations .................................................................... 95
Nielson, Thor:
Envilogg AB...............................................................................................................107
Padden, Tessa:
Access to Signing on Digitial Television - Using Deaf Translators on Screen ............. 110
i
Paulet, John:
Subtitling .................................................................................................................. 114
Pup, Zoltan:
Accessing Information in Sign Language Using Hand Modeling on PC-platform........ 116
Rytkönen, Pirkko (A):
The Finnish Sign Language Virtual School Project 1999-2002 ................................... 118
Sogl, Alexander (A):
Technical Help for Communication with Deaf People - Statistical Evaluation
and New Projects.........................................................................................................124
Verlinden, Margriet:
Computer Applications for Deaf: Information & Communication, developed/under
Development at Ivd/MTW (RDS-Department) .......................................................... 140
Visser, Ruud:
Communication between Deaf and Deaf and Hearing Persons .................................... 143
Wimmer, Franz (A):
Communication with the Cochlear Implant – Limitations and Essential Accessories ... 146
Zicha, Alke (A):
Die Zukunft der Telekommunikation in Deutschland: System Relay Services für
Gehörlose [Protocol - in German].............................................................................. 149
Comment
This volume contains all presentations given during the workshop, those presentations which
had to be omitted for reasons of time, one on relay services (a German protocol of an event
which was organized by the project partner "Munich Deaf Association") as well as paper of the
German Deaf Association. The paper by Pirkko Rytkönen (who did not participate in the
workshop) is also included in this volume. All additional texts deal with issues important to the
overall theme of the workshop and are marked in the table of contents with the letter "A" for
"additional". The work of Ronnie Andersson is only available as a PowerPoint presentation on
our homepage www.uni-klu.ac.at/groups/spw/gs/eu_projekte/2000/. Here, you can also find
Thor Nielsen's presentation and one from Margriet Verlinden and Corrie Tijsseling in
PowerPoint format.
Due to technical problems, there is no page 88. Please note: This concerns numbering only;
there is no information missing.
ii
1
2
3
4
5
Product presentation: TegnRom1
by
Eilertsen Finn (NO)
Department of Research & Development
Møller Resource Centre
Norwegian Support System for Special Education
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: http://www.ks-moller.no
The Norwegian title TegnRom1 could be translated to SignSpace1, SignRoom1 or SignROM1,
as the Norwegian word "rom" also means space, room and ROM like in CD-ROM. The title
reflects the way we look at TegnRom1. In some way, it represents a space where sign language
is the only language used. It could also be perceived as rooms with sign language, so that
TegnRom1 is a sign language space with rooms within it.
As the number 1 indicates, TegnRom1 is the first in a series. TegnRom2 is scheduled to
finish on December 1st, 2000. In total, 5 CD-ROMs is to be made. The last one, TegnRom5, is
supposed to be released early in 2002.
Figure 1: The program menu
6
The objective of TegnRom
TegnRom was made as a support for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. In Norway,
these parents are offered a 40-week sign language course. So the target users of TegnRom is
hearing parents that is not fluent in sign language and their deaf or hard-of-hearing children.
The aim of TegnRom is not only to improve the sign language abilites of the parents
and the children. It is also intended to support communication between parents and children, so
it enhances the sign language communication between them.
The thematic contents of TegnRom is closely tied to a part of the 40-week course, and
is also designed to fit the educational level of 4-year-old children. This means that the TegnRom can be used at a time when the thematic contents of the 40-weeks course fits the contents
of TegnRom. We hope this will make it easier for parents to actively practice what they learn
on the course with their children. We hope they can use TegnRom together and discuss what
they see on the screen. All languages are best learnt through active human-to-human communication, so our application is not a substition for it, but rather an incentive for it.
Contents of TegnRom1
TegnRom1 consists of six parts, which in short can be described as follows:
•
Educational Game: "Winter Landscape"
•
Educational Game: "Village"
•
Educational Game: "Vehicles"
•
Game (3 variants): Catch Objects. Instructions in sign language.
•
Exercises for parents. Sign Language video text with questions from the text.
•
SignPlayer included with three texts.
The thematic issues for TegnRom1 correspond to module 10 in the 40-week sign language
course for parents with deaf children. The thematics like vehicles or winter landscape is therefore not picked arbitrarily, but chosen to be in close correspondance with the course.
These parts can easily be selected from the program menu, as shown in figure 1 on the previous page.
I will give a short description of each part, in a random order.
SignPlayer
This application presents digital video of sign language and a translated text in written language simultaneously. As figure 2 shows, the result enables the users to wath sign language
with subtitles. This part of TegnRom is supposed as a tool for training the parents in percepting sign language. For more information on the SignSmith/SignPlayer companion, look at
http://www.ks-moller.no.
7
In TegnRom, the users can run the SignPlayer application from within the TegnRom root menu. On TegnRom1 three texts is included. The texts are chosen to correspond
with the thematic issues of TegnRom1 which is taken from module 10 in the 40-week sign language course for parents.
Figure 2: SignPlayer
Exercises for parents
Even if the title indicates that this part is aimed at the parents, there is nothing against letting
the children use this part too! As mentioned earlier, we hope that parents and their children
find TegnRom as a good opportunity for communication and cooperation. The exercises contents of eight digital video clips, with a number of questions to each clip. You can browse
through the clips, and you do not have to answer all the questions right to proceed. At the end
of the last video clip, when the last question is answered, a summary of your input will be
given on the screen. This will come as the number of questions answered, percentage of right
answers and so on.
Even if this is mainly aimed at training parents in percepting sign language, it can
also be a good basis for discussion with the children. The parents could ask the children what
the woman on the video clip says, and discuss the contents. The issue in figure 3 is traffics and
the way to school, which is a highly relevant issue for almost all parents and their children.
8
Figure 3: Exercises for parents
Game: Catch Objects
This part is mainly intended for the children. We hope that the children want to run this part
just for fun. Even if it is just for fun, you should look at the instructions before starting the
game, because it tells which objects you should catch. Which object that is the right to catch,
varies randomly each time you start the game. The game comes in three variants.
The screenshot shown in figure 4, shows the variant with an alligator which is to catch
falling balloons. The instruction video tells the children that the small alligator to the right,
locked in the water cylinder, is sad and wants to be free. To help the small alligator free, you
should control the alligator mother and help her catch the right balloons. Each time the right
balloon is catched, the small alligator floats upward. If the wrong balloon is catched, it falls
down one position. When an sufficent amount of balloons are catched, the small alligator
reaches the top and flies down, holding a large collection of the balloons catched.
The two other games follows the same principles. In the alligator game, the children
should learn to distinguish between colors and forms (on the balloons), given in sign language.
In the two other game variants, the objects are related to other themes, like objects typical for
christmas in the Santa Claus game and food in the monkey game.
9
Figure 4: Alligator Game
Educational Game: "Winter Landscape"
As figure 5 shows, a winter landscape is shown on the screen. The digital video shows an actress who describes what we can see on the screen. Then she tells about a certain situation that
can be seen on the screen, for instance: "Look at the polar bear in the igloo! I think it want to
go out! Could you click on the bear?"
When the user clicks on the bear, it pops outside the igloo. It freezes and shakes
by cold, and then goes back to the igloo. When the animation is done, the digital video plays
again, and this time comments what happened like this: "Did you see? An polar bear that
freezes? How odd!" Then a new digital video appears, and tells the user to find another thing
on the screen. Every time the user clicks on the right object, she is rewarded with an animation.
Figure 5 shows the animation of an elephant on a sleigh which is pulled up the hill by a mouse.
Improbable, but it is intended to be fun for the children!
The order in which the objects are presented and selected is also random, you never
know which object to select when you run this game. This is an incentive to actually watch
what is said in sign language on the digital video clip.
10
Figure 5: Winter Landscape
Educational Game: "The Village"
In this game the opening screen, as shown in figure 6, presents a small village. On the playground you see seven grownups. You can see a policeman, a baker, a vicar and so on. In the
background you can see their workplaces. There is a policecar, a bakery, a church among others. They correspond to the grownups. The object of the game is to click and drag the
grownup back to work. The introductory video goes like this: "See! What a cosy little village!
But look! The kids [in front of the policecar] are sad. Why? Yes, because the grownups are
occupying the playground! Could you help them back to work so the children could play on
the playground?"
Then a new video clip describes a grownup. It does not say "Drag the policeman
to the policecar." It only hints, like this: "Can you see a man in a dark uniform... " and leaves it
to the user to figure out where to place the grownup. When the grownup is placed on the right
location, a screen appears with pictures, as shown in figure 7 on next page. Here a new video
clip tells a story accompanied with pictures that shifts during the videoclip. The stories are
small, amusing "rewards". Notice the small image of the baker outside the bakery. He is removed from the playground and back to work. When all grownups are back at work, an animation is shown where the kids are playing on the playground along with a commentatory
video clip.
This game is intended to support communication between parents and children.
The parents are given an oppurtinity to explain why the baker belongs to the particular building
that represent a bakery, or tell the children what a baker normally does, that it exists a bakery
11
where they actually live and so on. In short, we hope this game can function as an incentive to
communication.
Figure 6: Village
12
Figure 7: Village - Reward Story for Baker
Educational Game: "Vehicles"
As figure 8 shows, the opening screen shows a landscape with 15 vehicles. This game is centered around two thematic issues: vehicles and numbers. Every vehicle has a set of wheels.
First you are told to identify all vehicles that has one wheel. This is of course told you in sign
language by the digital video placed on the upper right part of the screen. Next you should find
the ones with two wheels and so on. Every time you find a vehicle with the right number of
wheels, they are moved up on the road on the upper part of the screen.
When all vehicles with a particular number of wheels are found and placed on the road,
they drive into the tunnel and disappears. Every time one vehicle is found, the speedometer at
the bottom of the screen increments by one. Figure 8 shows a screenshot where three vehicles
with four wheels are found.
When all vehicles are found, the speedometer should go to 15. But the speedometer
only goes to 14. So when the last vehicles disappears into the tunnell, the speedometer shakes
and then explodes. A video clip is then played, telling you that to repair the speedometer, you
should help [the actor on the clip] to get the vehicles back, so that the speedometer can be
reset. Here we are concentrating on numbers. She tells you to hit the number "1" on the keyboard when we are going to get back one vehicle, and to hit the number "2" when there are
two vehicles to get back. The numbers refer to how many vehicles with a particular count of
wheels. This also gives the children training in counting from 1 to 5. The speedometer also
13
shows counting from 1 to 14, like the well-known number line widely used as a metaphor in
mathematics education for children.
Figure 8: Vehicles - 3 vehicles with 4 wheels are found
14
The Help Texts
To ease the use of TegnRom for the parents that yet is new to sign language, every screen has
a help text with the contents of the video clips. Figure 9 shows an example of the help text,
taken from the Village part.
Figure 9: Example on help text
A similar help text can be found in all parts of TegnRom. Every paragraph in the help text corresponds to a video clip. It simply tells what is said in the video clip.
15
Translating the TegnRom Series to Other Sign Languages
Developing applications for computers is an expensive and time-consuming task. Reusing
graphics and code provides big savings, as development time is shortened significantly. With
the TegnRom series we have developed a product with a high reusability, also if it is translated
to other languages. The TegnRom series contains of five main components:
•
•
•
•
•
Concepts and design
The application code
The graphics
The digital video files with sign language
Text on the screen and in the help menus
For translating TegnRom to other languages, only the two last components needs to be replaced.
In addition, minor changes to the graphics will be required, like replacing the TegnRom logo
and editing the credits screen, and changing the logo in the upper left part of the screens. But
this requires minimal effort.
A possible solution for translating the TegnRom series to other languages could be that you
produce these components:
•
•
•
New video clips
Text in companion with the video clips
New title replacing "TegnRom"
By sending this to us in an appropriate format, we could produce a complete CD-ROM application for you.
This is only a suggestion. Other solutions are of course possible, please take contact for further
discussion!
Møller Kompetansesenter
Postboks 175 Heimdal
7473 Trondheim
Norway
Norsk Fjernundervisning
Box 8197 Dep.
0034 Oslo
Norway
Tel. +47 72 59 65 00
Fax: +47 72 59 65 01
Tel. +47 22 56 43 10
Fax: +47 22 56 43 11
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
16
Tutorials Using Video-telephone
by
Elton Frances (UK)
Background
As a Lecturer in Sign Language and Deaf Studies in the Department of Language and
Communication science, City University, London one of my jobs as a Lecturer is to teach/train
Deaf Professionals Sign Linguistics in British Sign Language (BSL).
Northern Ireland Deaf Education Access Foundation (NIDEAF) successfully obtained funding
to open a new Deaf Studies Course at Queen’s University in Belfast. I was employed to teach
Sign Linguistics as part of their Deaf Studies Course. Because it is based in Queen’s University
I had to commute from London to Belfast monthly – 2 days at a time. I have been commuting
since September 1999 since it was opened. The first group of 12 students completed their first
year of the course in July 2000.
Another group of students started their first course in August and I still commute.
There was no time allocated for tutorials with students during my visits. To overcome this
problem NIDEAF obtained funding to buy a Video-telephone MM20 to make tutorials
possible. One has been set up in my office at City University in London and another one had
already been set up at the JUDE Centre in Queen’s so that tutorials could be made live using
BSL via this channel instead of having to rely on faxes and minicom calls.
Nearer their examinations or assignments most students were quite anxious and needed
tutorials. We were able to offer tutorials long distance between London and Belfast. They were
allowed to call us as many times as they wished provided they made an appointment. We were
able to discuss a range of topics or concerns over videophone in private at chosen times that
suited us.
I already have a T.V. monitor that I am able to connect to the videophone using a video input.
The picture is big and similar in quality to what can be seen on the videophone’s small screen.
The videophone is placed on top of the TV monitor so that my face and eye level can be as
central as possible in the screen. I can see myself in the smaller screen on the TV monitor and
ensure that I am within the spatial area while signing to the camera.
Despite having an ISDN2e installed in the offices we are still experiencing some technical
difficulties with the picture. Is there a clear picture for signing anywhere? How can we improve
the quality of video telephoning? What do we look for technically?
Frances A. Elton, City University, London.
September 2000
17
Code of Good Practice (British Deaf Association)
Following a Videophones, Videoconferencing and Deaf People Conference in Doncaster in
1998 organised by the British Deaf Association (BDA) which looked into video conferencing
involving Deaf people in Britain, the first draft of a policy of a Code of Good Practice was
drawn up by a “Task Group” to take further action.
The Summary of the paper consists of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Brief
Aims & Objectives
How to use the Videophone
Codes of Conducts & Ethics
Please see separate paper for the rest of the Code of Good Practice.
18
Videophones, Videoconferencing and Deaf people
Code of Good Practice
Summary of paper:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Brief
Aims & Objectives
How to use the Videophone
Codes of Conduct & Ethics
1.
Brief
In 1998, the BDA organised a conference in Doncaster which considered video conferencing
involving deaf people. From that conference, a “Task Group” was set up to take further action. One of the recommendations arising from the conference was to seek and implement
standards for Deaf Videophone users and Hearing/Interpreters to enable them to obtain the
best possible advice and information from Public Service providers.
To achieve that aim we set up a sub task group that includes: Peter Kendall (Sunderland Deaf
Society), Pauline Winder (Social Services), Barry David (National Deaf Services), Martin Colville (Deaf Support Network) and Michael Quinlan (BDA) who are sharing their Videophone
experience and developing the policy. Other people have also contributed to this draft as well.
They are: RNID, Deaf Connections, Pathfinder Mental Health NHS Trust, and Sunderland
Deaf Society.
This is the first draft policy, and we aim to improve it by sharing it with you all and adding
other contributions which are still to arrive. So let's start with the aim and objectives.
2.
Aim and Objectives
Aim
To provide access to legislation, and community information for the wider community including Deaf people. By “Deaf”, we mean people who are Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing, and
Deafblind with or without additional difficulties.
Objectives
•
To increase access points for the Deaf Community to information providers
•
To encourage the Deaf Community to access information from other agencies through
library services
19
•
To provide community information to people via Videophones in libraries and other
suitable locations
•
To provide access to training and education for service providers e.g. local authorities,
education bodies etc. about videophones and their value to the Deaf community and the
wider community
•
To encourage service providers to make videophones available to the general public
•
To inform small businesses of the benefits of videoconferencing
The Guidelines
(General Notes: These notes are meant to be guidelines, not instructions! The guidelines
have come from the practical experience of deaf people and sign language interpreters who
have been using videophones. They are intended to provide helpful information for new users
by raising points you may not have considered. If you try something different and it works,
please let us know so that we can build up our “code of good practice”.
You don't have to be a good signer to use a videophone and you could lipread. The
Videophone allows you to do that. It is much clearer with good lighting on your face. But
remember the cost! You pay for on-line time. The video conferencing system will probably
use an “ISDN line” and the cost could be double or more than the cost of the ordinary
telephone line.
When talking about videophones and videoconferencing, the "Local image" on the screen is a
picture of you. The "Remote Image" is the screen image or picture of the person you are connected to)
3.
How to use the Videophone – some suggested guidelines
3.1
Choose a size for the local image, which is not too intrusive but allows you to monitor
your performance. 1/4 window often works best. Top left is popular but the image
could also be at the bottom.
3.2
Choose the size of the remote image so that it is clear enough to understand. A three
quarters window often works best.
3.3
Check your appearance. Start thinking about buying a mirror and a hairbrush to put into
the Video Conference room! Make sure:
•
•
•
•
you are in good light
your torso is in view
you do not have too much space above your head
your hands are not below the screen, when you fingerspell etc.
20
3.4
Ideally, clothes worn when making a videophone call should be in a contrasting colour to
the hands and should be of plain material
3.5
Be sure that the camera is installed on top of the monitor for correct Eye Contact as it is
important. According to BT research, there is 60% more information received visually
than from voice talk or Text communication. This is because we can interpret the facial
expressions e.g. happy, sad or angry.
3.6
To make eye contact, look into the camera. It may seem that you are making eye
contact when your are looking at the screen but, in fact, you are gazing at each other’s
midriffs
3.7
Remember you are working in a smaller space, adjust your Sign language production
appropriately. Keep the sign within a smaller placement area.
3.8
Be prepared to move yourself to the correct position to make a good frame otherwise
the person at the other end won't be able to see your hands or face. You can check
yourself by looking at your “local image” - the small frame which should show a picture
of you all the time you are talking or signing.
3.9
Be aware that during the Video Call, you need to wait for just one second before you
can start talking or signing to someone at the other end.
3.10 Fingerspell towards the screen, develop your fingerspelling skills in this way, it makes it
easier for the Deaf person to understand on the 2D screen.
3.11 When producing numbers it is often helpful to use both hands for 10 for example. Do
not do numbers on an angle; they are difficult to see on the other side. Face your hands
directly at the screen.
3.12 Be aware of your directional verbs. Think about how you are communicating. You are
not sharing a physical space it is an on-line space, therefore directional signs such as
"behind you" can be confusing for the person watching
Additional notes for Interpreters
4.1
Sign Language Interpreters need to be able to see themselves clearly when working.
Make sure you have good eye contact - you may want to represent something that is
stressed verbally by the hearing person (see 3.4 above)
4.2
If your are an interpreter and a Deaf person contacts you "on-line" to make a phone call
on their behalf, do not use the PC headset. Use the headset on your ordinary phone as
you usually would and communicate with the Deaf person in Sign Language or using the
text sharing facility.
4.3
The maximum amount of people you interpret for via videophone should be 2. If you are
doing a demonstration or there are more than 2 individuals wishing to communicate, you
will experience difficulties in relation to headsets and speakers.
21
4.4
If you are asked to be involved in a demonstration, which could involve more people,
you should be booked via the normal procedure and briefed accordingly.
4.5
If you make an ordinary call on someone's behalf and it is engaged you can place the
video caller on hold. (a blank screen comes up at their end, you can still see them) until
you try again later. If you choose not to do this you do risk becoming involved in a
discussion with the caller, which potentially could lead to mixed messages in relation to
the customer and the interpreting service provider role.
4.6
Equally, if someone does answer the phone at the other end when you make the call on
behalf of the Deaf person and says, that the person they want is not available. You
should not get into situations where you personally are taking messages for Deaf people
by leaving your number.
4.7
Remember to stay calm and assertive and remember that it is not your phone call, it is
between the Deaf person and the Hearing person. Do not become involved in advocacy,
as it will complicate your effectiveness as an "on-line" interpreter.
Setting up the Video Conferencing Work Station
5.1
The videoconferencing work station needs to be set up to provide easy access to an
ordinary phone and minicom in order to make it easy for both Deaf and Hearing people
to set up a call. That number should not be made public as it is important that it does not
ring/flash during the video call.
5.2
Have a clear background behind the person using the videophone. The background stand
should be in a light colour such as blue and it is helpful to have the name of organisation
from which the call is coming
5.3
The videophone should be situated close to a power source Make sure the power point is
near the videophone. Videophones also need an ISDN line so make sure the ISDN line
is not too far away from the power point, or you will need to get an extension lead.
Make sure the leads do not become health & safety hazards
5.1
Good lighting is important. Make sure there are no shadows across your face when you
are in front of the videophone. Make sure there is good light on you for the person at
the other end
5.2
The videophone needs to be situated in a quiet environment; otherwise it is very difficult
to concentrate.
5.3
Note taking – it is helpful to keep a pen and paper handy by the videophone for people to
write notes.
5.4
Sometimes, the caller wants to write something for the receiver to read at the other end.
One easy way is to use a black marker on white paper. We suggest you keep one near
the videophone
22
Privacy and Confidentiality
6.1
If the videophone is in a public place, give people a choice.
partition
They may want to use a
6.2
The workstation should be designated as a private area during "on-line" time. Put a
notice to that effect on the door.
6.3
You need to be aware of your privacy. If someone else comes into the room ask him or
her politely to walk away and in some cases, close the door.
6.4
There should be no Interruptions - people coming through the door could cause
interruptions. Put a “do-not disturb sign” on the door.
6.5
Confidentiality is also important which may mean ensuring that the right person is
answering the call. For example, if you are calling a friend who is in somewhere like a
hospital, someone else might answer your video call. We would advise that you use a
minicom call or voice call first to arrange an appointment with the person you wan to
talk to using the videophone.
Code of Practice and Ethics (The following paragraphs are suggestions for a
code of practice to be followed by all users. Please let us have any comments
and suggested alterations or additions)
7.1
Speaking for hearing people and noise for Deaf People. Interpreters and hearing
people must talk into the microphone to be clearly heard at the other end. But,
remember, that means that other people in the room can be heard at the other end.
Please do not be noisy.
7.2
Behaviour. Remember you can be seen. Rude behaviour may well cause offence to
others.
7.3
Privacy. Make sure you know who else is watching at the receiving end. You have the
right to privacy. Please make sure people respect each other and offer privacy. It is a
good idea to make sure that the video camera is covered with a cap when not in use.
7.4
Timing. On long calls, we recommend that you take a break every 20 minutes. Eyes
should be rested every ten (10) minutes. We suggest that you request that the
videophone call is terminated if it goes on for more than an hour.
7.5
Auto answer Videophones can be set to auto answer. If you use this, point your
videophone camera to a blank wall with a sign showing where you have gone or telling
the caller what to do
7.6
Confidentiality should be adhered to at all times. When video conferencing is being
used for interviews (social services, for example) there may be a second
interpreter/person present during the interview for training or supervision purposes. Both
the Deaf person and/or the social worker or others involved in the call should have the
right to ask for the second interpreter to leave.
23
7.7
Records. If records of interviews are kept for statistical purposes, they must be
maintained in accordance with (a) the wishes of the user and/ or owner of the
videophone and (b) The Data Protection Act
7.8
Interpreting skills. If videoconferencing is being used for “frontline” services, the
interpreter should have appropriate Sign Language skills.
7.9
Complaints. A formal complaints procedure should be followed in the event of any
complaint being made about the use of a videophone.
7.10 Right to terminate an interview. Either party should have the right to cease using the
videophone facility if it is felt inappropriate for the interview. When this happens,
alternative arrangements should be made before the interview terminates.
7.11 The following are examples of when the videophone may be inappropriate:
•
•
•
If the Deaf person feels uncomfortable about using the technology
If the Deaf person is seriously upset or disturbed
If there are gender matters
Michael Quinlan
6 March 2000
[email protected]
Contributors: Peter Kendall (Sunderland Deaf Society), Pauline Winder (Social Services),
Barry David (National Deaf Services), Martin Colville (Deaf Support Network) and Michael
Quinlan (BDA) who are sharing their Videophone experience and are developing the policy.
Other people have also contributed to this draft as well. They are: RNID, Deaf Connections,
Pathfinder Mental Health NHS Trust, and Sunderland Deaf Society.
24
FEPEDA
European Federation of Parents of Hearing Impaired Children
FEPEDA Research Findings from the Questionnaire to Investigate the Needs of Families
of Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Children across Europe, May 2000
This research was sponsored by the Commission of the European Communities but does not in any
way reflect its views or opinions. Copyright for all creative concepts contained herein rests with
FEPEDA. The contents and ideas must not be reproduced by any means whatsoever, without prior
consent of FEPEDA.
Contents
Page
1.
Introduction
3
2.
Results
4
3.
Questionnaire – is
not included
44
25
Introduction
Nearly 1000 parents of deaf children from 14 European countries completed a questionnaire
that examined various issues relating to deafness.
The number of respondents varied between countries, with the highest numbers of respondents
in Spain (20.3% of the total sample), Finland (11.6% of the total sample), Denmark (9.3% of
the total sample), and the United Kingdom (8.8% of the total sample) (Table 1.1). Not
unsurprisingly, given the relative size of population, the countries with the smallest numbers of
participants were Luxembourg (2.2% of the total sample), and the Netherlands (3.6% of the
total sample).
Table 1.1. Numbers and percentages of respondents per country.
Numbers returned
Percentage of total sample
Austria
53
5.4
Belgium
56
5.7
Denmark
91
9.3
Finland
114
11.6
France
57
5.8
Germany
56
5.7
Ireland
61
6.2
Italy
42
4.3
Luxembourg
22
2.2
Portugal
42
4.3
Spain
199
20.3
Sweden
67
6.8
The Netherlands
35
3.6
United Kingdom
86
8.8
TOTAL
981
100
The questionnaire was made up of six sections:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Personal details
Parent support
Early year
Education
Social integration
Areas of concern.
26
Personal Details
The following section will describe the personal and demographic details of the study participants.
Demographic Details
The majority (66%) of respondents lived in an urban area, while 34% lived in a rural area. Parents were asked to specify the age and gender of their deaf child. Slightly over half (56%) of
the children were male and 44% were female. The mean age of the children was 11.83 years.
Just under one fifth (18.1%) of children were less than five years of age, 29.4% were between
six and ten years of age, 25.5% were between eleven and fifteen years of age and 27% were
aged 16 years or older (Table 1.2).
Table 1.2. Numbers and percentages of parents who said their deaf child was aged less than 5
years, 6 to 10 years, 11 to 15 years and 16 years or older.
Age
Numbers
Percentages
Less than 5 yrs
172
18.1
6 - 10 yrs
279
29.4
11 – 15 yrs
242
25.5
16 yrs or older
256
27.0
There were some differences between countries in the mean age of the respondents’ children
(Figure 1.1). The oldest age group was in Germany, followed by France and Belgium, all of
which had mean age of 14 years or over. The youngest age group was in the United Kingdom,
where children had a mean age of 8.73 years. Other countries with a low mean age were
Denmark, the Netherlands, and Italy.
27
Figure 1.1. Mean age of deaf children per country
Parents were asked to specify whether their child’s hearing loss was mild, moderate, severe or
profound. Almost half (49.1%) of the children had a profound hearing loss, while 35.7% had a
severe hearing loss, 13.3% had a moderate hearing loss and only 1.9% had a mild hearing loss
(Table 1.3).
Table 1.3. Numbers and percentages of parents describing their child’s hearing loss as mild,
moderate, severe and profound.
Severity
Loss
of
Hearing Numbers
Percentages
Mild
18
1.9
Moderate
129
13.3
Severe
345
35.7
Profound
475
49.1
Total
967
100.0
Parents were asked at what age their child was fitted with their first hearing aid. Looking at the
total sample, the mean age at first hearing aid was just under 2 ½ years of age (Figure 1.2).
There were some differences between the participating countries. Italy had the lowest mean
age for receipt of first hearing aid (1.84 years), followed by Germany (1.93 years). Four
countries – Sweden, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Luxembourg – had a mean age that was
higher than three years, and the highest mean age of receipt of first hearing aid was reported in
Luxembourg (3.69 years).
28
Figure 1.2. Mean age at first hearing aid per country
Parents were also asked if their child had a hearing aid or cochlear implant. Looking at the
total sample, the vast majority (79.5%) of parents reported that their child had a hearing aid.
While the majority of parents in all countries said that their child had a hearing aid, the
percentage was considerably lower in Sweden, where only 61.2% of parents said their child
had a hearing aid (Figure 1.3). The countries with the highest percentage of children wearing
hearing aids were Denmark (92.2%) and the Netherlands (94.1%).
Figure 1.3. Percentage of children with hearing aid per country
29
Only 12.9% of the total sample of parents reported that their child had a cochlear implant
(Figure 1.4). There were some striking differences between countries in the percentage of
children with cochlear implants. In three counties -Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark five percent or less of parents reported that their child had a cochlear implant. In contrast,
25.0% of parents in Belgium and 30.2% of parents in Austria reported that their child had a
cochlear implant.
Figure 1.4. Percentage of children with cochlear implant in each country
Parents were asked whether their child had any other special needs. The majority (71.3%) of
parents said that their child did not have an additional special need. The most common type of
additional special need was visual impairment, which was reported by 11.6% of parents (Table
1.4). Less than five percent of parents said their child had any of the other listed additional
special needs, although 14.9% of parents said their child had an additional special need other
than those listed (e.g. balance impairment, language disorder).
Table 1.4. Number and percentages of parents whose children had an additional special need.
Type of special need
Number
Percentage
Visual impairment
114
11.6
Cerebral palsy
34
3.5
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
27
2.8
Autism
22
2.2
Dyslexia
21
2.1
Usher syndrome
17
1.7
Downs syndrome
7
.7
30
Treacher Collins syndrome
6
.6
Other
146
14.9
Parents were asked to describe their child’s main means of communication. Many parents listed
two or even three means of communication. Looking at the total sample, just under half
(47.4%) of parents said that their child’s main means of communication was oral language
(Table 1.5). The next most common response was ‘sign language’ which was given by 28.1%
of the respondents. Just under a quarter (23.3%) said their child used total communication and
15.2% said they used sign supported language.
Table 1.5. Numbers and percentages of parents describing their child’s main means of communication.
Means of communication
Numbers
Percentages
Oral
463
47.4
Sign language
275
28.1
Total communication
227
23.3
Sign supported language
148
15.2
Looking at the percentages of parents who said their child’s main means of communication
was oral, considerable differences emerged between participating countries (Figure 1.5). In
three counties – Austria, Italy and the Netherlands – over eighty percent of parents said that
oral language was their child’s main means of communication, while in four other countries –
France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Spain - between fifty and sixty percent of parents
said the same. Countries where a very low percentage (roughly one fifth) of parents said that
their child’s main means of communication was oral were Sweden, Portugal, and Finland.
Looking at the percentage of parents who said that their child’s main means of communication
was sign language, again we see striking differences between countries (Figure 1.6). The
country where the highest percentage of parents mentioned sign language was Finland (61.4%
of parents) while in Sweden and Denmark approximately one half of parents did so. In Italy
and Austria less than five percent of parents mentioned sign language as the mains means of
communication while in the Netherlands none of the parents did so.
The percentage of parents who mentioned total communication as their child’s main means of
communication was particularly high (over forty percent) in Ireland, Germany, and Belgium
and particularly low in Italy (Figure 1.7). In all of the other countries between ten and thirty
percent of parents mentioned total communication as their child’s main means of
communicating.
In almost all of the participating countries between five and fifteen percent of parents
mentioned sign supported language (Figure 1.8). The exception was Portugal where over forty
percent of parents mentioned sign supported language, and Luxembourg and Spain, where
approximately one quarter of parents did so.
31
Figure 1.5. Percentage of children who use oral means of communication per
country
Figure 1.6 Percentage of children who use sign language per country
32
Figure 1.7. Percentage of children who use total communication per country
Figure 1.8. Percentage of children who use sign supported language per country
33
Parent Support
Parents were asked several questions about the support they received in relation to their deaf
or hard-of-hearing child. They were asked to specify where and when they received their first
information, whether they or any member of their family had attended sign language classes,
and whether they had received financial support from the government or from a nongovernmental organisation for a number of services. Parents were also asked to rate their satisfaction with various types of support they received.
Information Received
When asked where they had received their first information, the source most commonly
mentioned was the audiology clinic, which was reported by 35% of the total sample, while
27.2% of all parents said that they received the first information from an ear nose and throat
clinic. A parent’s association and family and friends were mentioned by 13.5% and 12.3% of
parents, respectively, while the rest of the sources mentioned by less than one tenth of parents.
The percentage of responses in each of the participating countries is summarised in Table 2.1,
with modal response (the reponse most commonly given by parents) highlighted. The modal
response in ten countries – Ireland, England, Finland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy,
Sweden and Denmark - was an audiology clinic. The modal response in five countries - Spain,
Portugal, Germany, Luxembourg and Austria - was the ear, nose and throat clinic.
When asked when they had received their first information and guidance, just over half
(51.2%) of parents said that it was after diagnosis, while 37.5% said it was at the time of
diagnosis and 11.2% said that it was before diagnosis. Looking at differences between
countries, the highest percentages of parents reporting that they first received information
either before or at the time of diagnosis were in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal,
Finland and Sweden (Figure 2.1). The countries with the highest percentage of parents
reporting having received their first information after diagnosis were Denmark, Italy, Germany,
Spain and the United Kingdom.
34
Table 2.1. Percentage of parents who received their first information about deafness from various sources, per country.
Source of initial IRL UK
Esp
De
Fin
P
Belg Fr
Lux Nl
It
Sw
Aus
information
Den
Total
Family/friends
6.7
3.6
15.6
23.2
8.8
26.2
8.9
14.0
18.2
11.4
31.0
6.0
17.0
1.1
12.3
Family doctor
20.0
6.0
14.6
5.4
3.5
14.3
7.1
5.3
4.5
0.0
4.8
1.5
3.8
2.2
7.6
Health visitor
21.7
10.7
.5
0.0
0.0
7.1
7.1
0.0
0.0
5.7
0.0
7.5
0.0
14.4
5.1
Social worker
3.3
6.0
6.5
0.0
13.2
2.4
1.8
0.0
9.1
5.7
0.0
4.5
1.9
2.2
4.8
Audiology clinic
43.3
39.3
12.1
19.6
51.8
4.8
35.7
40.4
13.6
68.6
42.9
56.7
30.2
50.0
35.0
Ear, nose and 16.7
throat clinic
13.1
36.2
53.6
26.3
35.7
28.6
28.1
31.8
11.4
28.6
14.9
50.9
6.7
27.2
Community pae- 5.0
diatrician
3.6
8.5
21.4
.9
16.7
8.9
10.5
18.2
5.7
9.5
7.5
5.7
5.6
7.9
Teacher
0.0
.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
.1
Teacher of the 25.0
deaf
28.6
4.5
10.7
.9
7.1
1.8
1.8
9.1
0.0
0.0
3.0
1.9
4.4
7.1
Parents’ associa- 0.0
tion
4.8
27.1
7.1
8.8
14.3
16.1
22.8
0.0
0.0
21.4
3.0
11.3
16.7
13.5
Other
15.5
13.1
14.3
19.3
0.0
19.6
12.3
9.1
17.1
9.5
14.9
18.9
33.3
15.5
0.0
3.3
35
Figure 2.1. Percentage of responses in relation to when first information
was received per country
Sign Language Classes
Parents were asked whether they or a family member had attended sign language
classes. Just over half (54.2%) of the total sample said that they had. There were large
differences between the countries with the percentage of those who have learnt sign
language ranging from none (in Italy) to 93.9% (in Sweden) (Figure 2.2). The countries
where the highest percentage of parents reported having learnt sign were Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium and France. The lowest percentage of parents reporting that
they or a family member had learnt sign language were in Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal,
and the Netherlands.
36
Figure 2.2. Percentage of parents who have attended sign language
courses per country
Financial Support
Parents were asked if they had received financial support from either the government or
a non-governmental organisation for a number of services. Looking at the total sample,
the majority (72.5%) of parents said that they had received financial support from the
government for hearing aids, while 33.7% said they received government support for
other technical aids, and 26.2% said they received government support for sign language classes (Table 2.2). Medical costs and text phones were each mentioned by approximately one fifth of the parents as services for which they received government
support, while 13.9% mentioned sign language interpretation, 11.2% mentioned cochlear implants and 7.7% mentioned some other service.
Much lower percentages of parents reported receiving financial support from nongovernmental organisations. Just over one tenth (11.3%) of parents said they received
such support in relation to courses for parents, while 9.6% mentioned hearing aids,
7.7% mentioned other technical aids and 6.3% mentioned medical costs. Less than five
percent of parents reported receiving support from a non-governmental organisation for
text phones, sign language interpretation, cochlear implants and other services.
Table 2.2. Percentages of parents receiving financial support from the government or a
non-governmental organisation for a number of services.
Type of service
Government
Non-governmental
organisation
Hearing aids
72.5
9.6
Cochlear implants
11.2
1.1
37
Text phones
20.1
3.6
Other technical aids
33.7
7.7
Medical costs
22.2
6.3
Sign language interpreter
13.9
2.6
Courses for parents
26.2
11.3
Other
7.7
2.2
Looking at differences between the countries, over three quarters of parents in
Denmark, Finland, Italy, Austria, and Sweden reported receiving government support
for hearing aids, while this was reported by less than half of parents in Germany,
Portugal, and the Netherlands (Table 2.3). In relation to cochlear implants, the highest
percentage of parents reporting the receipt of government support was in Austria and
Italy, where over one fifth of parents received such aid. The countries with the lowest
percentage of parents reporting having received government support for cochlear
implants were Denmark, the Netherlands and Portugal, where less than five percent of
parents reported receiving such support. The differences between countries in relation
to the receipt of government support for text phones were striking. In two countries –
Finland and Sweden - over half of the parents reported having received government
support for text phones. In contrast, in France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands none
of the parents reported having received government support for text phones and in
Belgium, Italy and Austria less than five percent of parents did so. The highest rate of
government support for other technical aids were in Finland, Denmark, and Sweden,
while less than five percent of parents in Italy, France, Portugal and Luxembourg
reported receiving such aid.
Only small differences were observed in relation to government support for medical
costs. Belgium and Finland had a slightly higher percentage of parents who said that
they had received such support, while Portugal and the Netherlands had a slightly lower
percentage of parents doing so.
38
Table 2.3. Percentage of parents receiving government support for a variety of services per country
Type of financial sup- IRL UK
Esp
De
Fin
P
Belg Fr
Lux Nl
port
It
Sw
Aus
Den
Hearing aids
72.1
64.3
67.3
48.2
95.6
45.2
69.7
52.7
68.2
34.3
92.9
80.6
84.9
97.8
Cochlear implants
11.5
13.1
11.6
10.7
7.9
0.0
16.1
12.3
9.1
2.9
21.4
10.4
26.4
5.6
Text phones
13.1
13.1
9.5
7.1
64.0
16.1
3.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.4
58.2
3.8
32.2
Other technical aids
16.4
25.0
10.0
23.2
87.7
2.4
29.1
3.6
0.0
28.6
4.8
65.7
43.4
74.4
Medical costs
18.0
19.0
14.1
21.4
39.5
9.5
44.6
21.1
22.7
8.6
14.3
26.9
32.1
16.7
Sign language interpreter
3.3
1.2
1.0
1.8
76.3
0.0
14.3
3.5
0.0
0.0
2.4
26.9
0.0
15.6
Courses for parents
4.9
16.7
2.5
8.9
77.2
0.0
3.6
14.1
0.0
8.6
0.0
76.1
9.4
81.1
Other
1.6
3.6
5.5
1.8
11.4
0.0
10.7
3.5
4.5
8.6
7.1
4.5
15.1
22.2
Table 2.4. Percentage of parents receiving support from non-governmental organisations for a variety of services per country
Type of financial sup- IRL UK
Esp
De
Fin
P
Belg Fr
Lux Nl
It
Sw
Aus
port
Den
Hearing aids
4.9
1.2
7.5
37.5
3.5
9.5
21.5
12.3
18.2
54.3
0.0
0.0
5.7
1.1
Cochlear implants
0.0
0.0
0.0
3.6
0.0
0.0
7.2
3.5
4.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.9
1.1
Text phones
4.9
3.6
5.5
19.6
0.0
0.0
3.6
3.5
4.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.9
1.1
Other technical aids
6.8
8.4
6.5
26.8
0.0
4.8
10.9
7.1
9.1
42.9
0.0
1.5
7.6
2.2
Medical costs
1.6
1.2
2.0
26.8
7.0
4.8
19.6
3.5
13.6
37.1
0.0
0.0
1.9
1.1
Sign language interpreter
1.6
2.4
5.5
0.0
0.9
4.8
3.6
5.3
4.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.9
1.1
Courses for parents
1.6
17.9
13.1
3.6
14.9
2.4
17.9
31.6
4.5
13.3
0.0
11.9
3.8
5.5
Other
0.0
1.2
2.0
1.8
3.5
0.0
3.6
0.0
4.5
2.9
16.7
0.0
1.9
0.0
39
Some striking differences emerged between countries in relation to sign language
interpretation and courses for parent. Finland was the only country where a majority of
parents reported receiving government aid for sign language interpretation, while in
Sweden, Denmark and Belgium between ten and thirty percent of parents had done so. In
all other countries less than five percent of parents had received such support from the
government, with none of the parents in Portugal, Luxembourg, and Italy reporting having
received such support. A similar pattern emerged in relation to courses for parents, with
the majority of parents in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden reporting having received
government support for courses but less than one fifth of parents in all other countries
reporting the same. Indeed less than five percent of parents in Ireland, Spain and Belgium
and again none of the parents in Portugal, Luxembourg, and Italy reported having received
government support for courses.
Looking at the overall receipt of government support in the participating countries, it is
clear that a higher percentage of parents in Finland, Sweden and Denmark reported having
received government support across the different types of services. Parents in Portugal,
Luxembourg and the Netherlands reported the lowest overall rates of government support.
Looking at the percentage of parents reporting receipt of support from non-governmental
organisations, the countries where the highest percentage of parents reported having
received such aid were the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium (Table 2.4). In the
Netherlands, for example, over half of parents received such support for hearing aids and
approximately forty percent said that they had received such aid for other technical aids and
for medical costs. In contrast, in Sweden, Italy and Denmark, much lower percentages of
parents reported having received support from a non-governmental organisation across the
different types of services.
Satisfaction with support received
Parents were asked about their level of satisfaction with various types of support they had
received. The responses of the total sample for each of the eight items relating to support
are summarised in Table 2.5.
The majority of parents either agreed or strongly agreed that the information they received
was satisfactory. In contrast just over half of parents either disagreed or strongly disagreed
that they were satisfied with the level of financial support available for technical aids, and
approximately 60% of parents said that they either disagreed or strongly disagreed that
they were satisfied with the level of financial support available for sign language
interpreting services, other communication support services, sign language courses and oral
communication courses. Over half of parents said that they either agreed or strongly agreed
that they were satisfied with the level of emotional support they received from
professionals while over eighty percent of parents either agreed or strongly agreed that they
were satisfied with the level of emotional support they received from other parents.
Table 2.5. Percentage of parents who strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed or strongly disagreed that they were satisfied with a number of supports.
40
Type of support
Strongly Agree
agree
Disagree Strongly
disagree
Information
11.4
56.2
24.2
8.2
Financial support for technical aids
14.1
35.0
32.2
18.7
Financial support for sign language inter- 9.5
pretation
27.7
36.5
26.4
Financial support for other communication 6.0
support services
29.4
40.9
23.7
Financial support for sign language courses
9.0
31.7
31.6
27.7
Financial support for oral communication 4.2
courses
26.0
39.5
30.2
Emotional support from professionals
11.7
45.0
29.0
14.3
Emotional support from other parents
23.3
58.3
13.9
4.5
These items were combined to give a total satisfaction with support score. The
mean score among the total sample was 2.50. This can be translated as meaning that on
average parents neither agreed nor disagreed that they were satisfied with the support they
had received. Looking at differences between countries, the highest mean score and thus
the lowest level of satisfaction with support received were reported by parents in Portugal,
Italy, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain and France (Figure 2.3). The lowest score and
thus the highest level of satisfaction with services received were reported in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
41
Figure 2.3. Total satisfaction with support received per country
Early Years
Parents were asked several questions relating to the early years of their child’s life, including what age the child was when the hearing loss was discovered, where the official diagnosis was made and which preschool services they had used.
Discovery and Diagnosis of Hearing Loss
The mean age of children when their hearing loss was first discovered was 1 year and 10
months. The breakdown of ages can be seen in Table 3.1. The most common age at which
hearing loss was first discovered was between one and two years, mentioned by 28.8% of
parents, and between six months and one years mentioned by 26.8% of parents. Less than
one fifth of parents said their child was younger than six months when their hearing loss
was discovered and just under a quarter said their child was aged between two and six
years. Only a small percentage (2.6%) said their child was aged six years of older when
their hearing loss was discovered.
42
Table 3.1. Numbers and percentages of parents reporting the age of their child when the
hearing loss was first discovered.
Age of child when hearing loss was dis- Number
covered
Percentage
Less than six months
164
17.4
Six months to one year
252
26.8
One to two years
271
28.8
Two to three years
111
11.8
Three to six years
118
12.5
Six years or older
25
2.7
The mean ages at which the hearing loss was first discovered in each of the participating
countries is shown in Figure 3.1. Italy had the lowest mean age (1.38 years) followed by
Germany (1.41 years), Portugal (1.52 years), and Ireland (1.56 years). The countries with
the highest mean age were Belgium (2.25 years), Luxembourg (2.30 years) and the Netherlands (2.45 years).
Figure 3.1. Mean age on discovery of hearing loss per country
43
Parents were asked where the hearing loss was officially diagnosed. Looking at the total
sample, the most common response, given by 40.6% of parents was the audiology clinic
(Table 3.2). Almost one third (29%) of parents said that the first diagnosis took place in an
ear, nose and throat clinic, while 26.4% said that it took place in hospital. Maternity ward,
local doctor, pre-school education and school were each cited by less than five percent of
the parents.
Table 3.2. Percentages of parents reporting the location of the official diagnosis.
Location of official diagnosis
Percentage
Maternity unit
2.8
Local doctor
4.7
Hospital
26.4
Audiology clinic
40.6
ENT clinic
29.0
Pre-school education
2.0
School
1.3
Other
7.3
Looking at the pattern of responses across the fifteen countries (Table 3.3), for all but one
of the countries the modal response for the location of first official diagnosis was either the
audiology clinic or the ear, nose and throat clinic. The exception was France, where the
modal response, given by 43.9% of parents, was that the first official diagnosis took place
in a hospital. Some differences emerged in relation to the other settings. A much higher
percentage of parents in Ireland said that their child’s hearing loss was officially diagnosed
by a local doctor. Similarly, pre-school education and school were each mentioned by a
much higher percentage of parents in Luxembourg as the place where the hearing loss was
first diagnosed.
Parents were asked to specify what pre-school services they had used. Of the total sample,
43.9% of parents had used a non-specialist nursery, while 32.8% had used a specialist
nursery, 19.3% had used a childminder and 16.7% had used some other kind of preschool
service (Table 3.4).
Table 3.4. Percentage of parents reporting that they used a preschool service
Preschool services
Percentage
Child minder
19.3
Specialist nursery
32.8
Non-specialist nursery
43.9
Other
16.7
44
Looking at differences between the countries, specialist nurseries were much more commonly used in Sweden, Germany, Portugal, Denmark and Finland (Table 3.5). In all of
these countries over half of parents reported using a specialist nursery. In contrast less than
one tenth of parents in Belgium and none of the parents in France reported so doing. The
percentage of parents who had used a non-specialist nursery ranged from 11.9% in Italy to
63.3% in Spain. The percentage of parents who used a child minder on the other hand
ranged from 1.5% in Spain to 60% in the Netherlands.
Looking at the percentage of parents who used any pre-school services, parents in Finland,
Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands were most likely to have used some type of preschool service, while parents in France, Ireland and Italy were least likely to have done so.
45
Table 3.3. Percentages of parents reporting the location of official diagnosis, per country.
Location
IRL UK
Esp De
Fin
P
Belg Fr
Lux
Nl
It
Sw
Aus
Den
total
Maternity unit
1.6
1.2
7.0
0.0
3.5
4.9
5.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.4
0.0
1.9
0.0
2.8
Local doctor
14.8
7.0
6.0
0.0
1.8
4.9
1.8
7.0
4.5
0.0
0.0
4.6
5.7
3.3
4.7
Hospital
11.5
31.4
36.2
10.7
32.5
17.1
28.6
43.9
9.1
5.7
21.4
15.4
13.2
34.1
26.4
Audiology clinic
65.6
48.8
15.1
30.4
47.4
19.5
41.1
28.1
13.6
77.1
59.5
78.5
26.4
51.6
40.6
ENT clinic
14.8
9.3
45.2
62.5
21.9
51.2
32.1
12.3
45.5
11.4
26.2
12.3
56.6
8.8
29.0
Pre-school education
0.0
2.3
3.0
3.6
0.0
4.9
3.6
0.0
18.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.2
2.0
School
0.0
3.5
1.0
1.8
0.0
0.0
3.6
5.3
9.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.3
Other
11.5
7.0
3.0
8.9
7.0
7.3
5.4
8.8
27.3
8.6
2.4
4.6
13.2
8.8
7.3
Table 3.5. Percentage of parents using preschool services per country
Preschool services
IRL UK
Esp De
Fin
P
Belg
Fr
Lux
Nl
It
Sw
Aus
Den
total
Child minder
13.1
21.4
1.5
1.8
37.2
19.5
35.7
26.3
13.6
60.0
4.8
16.7
9.4
34.1
19.3
Specialist nursery
13.1
25.0
10.6
64.3
57.5
58.5
8.9
0.0
36.4
17.1
31.0
68.2
32.1
56.0
32.8
Non-specialist nurs- 31.1
ery
50.0
63.3
33.9
46.9
26.8
28.6
21.1
22.7
40.0
11.9
50.0
60.4
45.1
43.9
Other
15.7
23.1
28.6
8.8
7.3
14.3
17.5
18.2
17.1
33.3
1.5
13.2
15.4
16.7
18.0
46
Education
A number of questions were asked about education, including the type of school in
which the child is or was educated, the access to various services at school, and
whether the child had contact with other deaf or hard of hearing children and deaf or
hard of hearing adult role models in school.
Type of School
Looking at the total sample an almost equal percentage of parents said their children
attended mainstream school and a special school for the deaf and hard-of-hearing children (44.5% and 44.1% of parents respectively). One tenth of parents said their child
attended a hearing-impaired unit, 8.2% said their child attended some other special unit
attached to a mainstream school, and 5% said their child attended a special school for
children with additional special needs (Table 4.1).
Some striking differences emerged between countries in relation to the type of school in
which children were educated (Table 4.1). Mainstream school was the modal response
in six countries: Italy (97.5%), Austria (79.5%), the Netherlands (73.5%), Belgium
(65.5%), Spain (62.8%) and France (59.6%). As can be seen from Figure 4.1,
Luxembourg had a particularly small percentage of children attending mainstream
school, with only 4.5% of parents reporting that their children did so. A special school
for the deaf and hard of hearing was the modal response among parents in seven
countries: Germany (90.6%), Luxembourg (81.%), Ireland (70.0%), Portugal (69.0%),
Sweden (68.5%), Finland (55.0%) and Denmark (51.3%). As can be seen from Figure
4.2, Italy was the only country where none of the parents reported that their child
attended a special school for the deaf and hard of hearing.
The majority (88.6%) of parents in the United Kingdom reported that their child
attended a hearing impaired unit and this was the only country where this was the modal
response. In all the other countries less than one tenth of parents reporting that their
child attended a hearing impaired unit, with the exception of Portugal, where 23.8% of
parents did so, and Ireland, where 15.0% of parents did so. Just under one third
(28.9%) of parents in Denmark reported that their child attended a special unit other
than a hearing impaired unit, as did 21.1% of the parents in France. In contrast in four
countries – Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Italy - none of the parents
reported the same. Less than one tenth of parents in all countries reported that their
child attended a special school for children with additional needs, with the exception of
Sweden, where 16.7% of parents did so, and Luxembourg, where 13.6% of parents did
so.
47
Figure 4.1. Percentage of parents reporting that their child attends/attended a mainstream school per country
Figure 4.2. Percentage of parents reporting that their child attends/attended a special school for deaf or hard-of-hearing children per
country
48
Table 4.1. Percentage of parents specifying the type of school their child attends/attended, per country.
Type of school
IRL UK
Esp De
Fin
P
Belg Fr
Lux Nl
It
Sw
Aus
Den
total
Mainstream school
16.7
50.0
62.8
11.5
23.0
11.9
65.5
59.6
4.5
73.5
97.5
22.2
79.5
22.4
44.5
Hearing-impaired unit
15.0
88.6
9.9
3.8
9.0
23.8
9.1
8.8
4.5
2.9
5.0
7.4
4.5
2.6
10.4
Other special unit
11.7
7.1
9.4
0.0
1.0
2.4
5.5
21.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.9
9.1
28.9
8.2
Special school - deaf
70.0
22.6
20.9
90.4
55.0
69.0
38.2
24.6
81.8
41.2
0.0
68.5
15.9
51.3
44.1
9.5
5.8
1.9
0.0
2.4
7.3
8.8
13.6
0.0
0.0
16.7
0.0
3.9
5.0
Table 4.2. Percentage of parents reporting that their child has/had access to a number of services in school, per country.
Service
IRL UK
Esp De
Fin
P
Belg Fr
Lux Nl
It
Sw
Aus
Den
total
Loop system
21.7
11.1
4.2
9.6
40.0
2.4
7.3
5.3
0.0
20.6
0.0
40.7
6.8
38.2
15.9
Radio aid system
41.7
54.3
6.9
19.2
35.0
7.1
34.5
22.8
22.7
70.6
0.0
1.9
36.4
10.5
23.8
Personal computer
43.3
33.3
6.3
50.0
11.0
16.7
7.3
7.0
18.2
32.4
25.0
27.8
38.6
13.2
20.3
Speech and language 56.7
therapy
70.4
72.0
55.8
73.0
45.2
45.5
78.9
40.9
26.5
2.5
38.9
50.0
69.7
58.8
Qualified ToD
81.7
76.5
23.3
82.7
62.0
64.3
29.1
35.1
72.7
55.9
2.5
70.4
29.5
59.2
50.2
Support worker
20.0
46.9
51.3
9.6
18.0
28.6
18.2
33.3
0.0
32.4
77.5
20.4
38.6
1.3
31.1
Sign language
preter
inter- 23.3
9.9
6.9
9.6
24.0
26.2
23.6
14.0
4.5
11.8
2.5
22.2
4.5
11.8
13.8
Special school – addi- 1.7
tional special needs
49
Access to Services in School
Overall 15.9% of parents reported that their child had access to a loop system in school
(Table 4.2). In Finland, Sweden and Denmark approximately forty percent of parents
reported access to a loop system, while in France, Portugal and Spain only five percent
or less of parents did so and in Luxembourg and Italy none of the parents did so. Almost a quarter (23.3%) of the total sample said that their child had access to a radio aid
system in school. Countries where there was a high level of access to radio aids in
school were the Netherlands (70.6%), the United Kingdom (54.3%) and Ireland
(41.7%), while countries where there was a low level of or no access were Sweden
(1.7%), and Italy (0.0%). Just over one fifth (20.3%) of the total sample said that their
child had access to a personal computer in school. In four countries – Germany, Ireland,
Austria and the United Kingdom - a third or more of parents reported access to a personal computer. In contrast, less than one tenth of parents in Spain, Belgium, and
France reported such access.
Over half of the sample had access to a Speech and Language Therapist in school, with
at least half of the parents reporting such access in nine of the 14 countries and
particularly high percentages being reported in France (78.9%), Finland (72.0%), the
United Kingdom (70.4%) and Denmark (69.7%). A particularly low percentage of
parents in Italy (2.5%) reported access to a speech and language therapist. One half of
the total sample reported that their child had access to a qualified Teacher of the Deaf,
with the highest percentages being reported in Germany (82.7%), Ireland (80.7%), the
United Kingdom (76.5%), Luxembourg (72.7%) and Sweden (70.4%). Again Italy
stands out with only 2.5% of parents reporting that their child had access to a teacher of
the deaf at school. Access to a support worker was reported by just under one third
(31.1%) of the total sample, with parents in Italy reporting a much higher rate of access
compared to the other countries. None of the parents in Luxembourg and only 1.3% of
parents in Denmark reported access to a support worker.
Looking at access to a sign language interpreter, 13.8% of parents overall reported that
their child had such access in school. Five countries – Portugal, Finland, Sweden,
Belgium and Ireland – had over one fifth of parents reporting such access. In
Luxembourg, Austria and Italy, on the other hand, less than five percent of parents said
their child had access to a sign language interpreter in school.
Deaf and Hard-Of Hearing Peers and Role Models
In total 71.2% of parents said that their child had contact with other deaf or hard-ofhearing children in school (Figure 4.3). In seven countries - Portugal, Luxembourg,
Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and Denmark - at least three quarters of parents
reported that their child had contact with other deaf or hard-of-hearing children. Less
than half of parents reported that their child had such contact in Italy, the Netherlands
and Austria, with the lowest level of access reported in Italy, where only 18.4% of parents reporting that their children had contact with other deaf or hard-of-hearing children
at school.
50
Figure 4.3. Percentage of parents reporting that their child has/had contact with other deaf or hard-of-hearing children in school per country.
Over one third (39.3%) of the total sample said that their child had a deaf or hard-ofhearing role model in school (Figure 4.4). The highest percentage of parents reporting
that their child had deaf role models in school were in Portugal (82.4%), Sweden
(75.0%), Finland (71.7%) and Ireland (67.3%), while the lowest rates were reported in
Italy (2.8%), the Netherlands (3.0%) and Austria (7.0%).
51
Figure 4.4. Percentage of parents reporting that their child had deaf or
hard of hearing adult role models in school per country.
Satisfaction with Education
Parents were asked about their level of satisfaction with various aspects of their child’s
education and their opinion about various issues relating to education. The responses of
the total sample for each of six items relating to education is summarised in Table 4.3.
The majority of parents (53.9%) either agreed or strongly agreed that they were
satisfied with the choices they had with respect to their child’s education, while 46.1%
either disagreed or strongly disagreed with this statement. A slightly higher percentage
(66.0%) of parents either strongly agreed or agreed that they were satisfied with the
quality of education their child receives. In contrast the majority (52.9%) of parents
either disagreed or strongly disagreed that they were satisfied with the level of access to
after school activities, with 47.2% saying that they either agreed or strongly agreed.
The majority (69.9%) of parents either disagreed or strongly disagreed that deaf and
hard-of-hearing children are educated to the same level as hearing children and a higher
percentage again (80.6%) said that they either disagreed or strongly disagreed that there
are equal opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in further education. The
strongest views were in relation to opportunities in employment. Almost half (48.8) of
parents said that they strongly disagreed that there are equal opportunities for deaf and
hard-of-hearing young people in employment, while 40.8% of parents said they
disagreed with the statement. Only 10.5% of parents said that they either agreed or
strongly agreed that there were equal opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing
children in employment.
52
Table 4.3. Percentage of parents who strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed or strongly
disagreed a) that they were satisfied with various aspects of education, and b) with a
number of statements relating to education and employment.
Strongly Agree
agree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Choices regarding education
15.0
38.9
30.8
15.3
Quality of education
17.3
48.7
24.0
10.0
Access to after school activities
9.3
37.9
32.9
20.0
Same level of education as hearing children
5.9
24.3
41.2
28.7
Equal opportunities in further education
5.9
13.5
42.6
38.0
Equal opportunities in employment
4.6
5.9
40.8
48.8
These items were combined to give a total satisfaction with education and
employment score. The mean score for the total sample was 2.78. This can be translated
as meaning that overall parents were slightly more dissatisfied than satisfied with
education and employment opportunities. Looking at differences between countries, the
highest mean score and thus the lowest level of satisfaction, was reported by parents in
Germany, Spain and Belgium (Figure 4.5). Parents in Italy, Luxembourg and Portugal
reported the lowest scores and thus the highest level of satisfaction.
Figure 4.5. Total satisfaction with education and employment per country
53
Social Integration
Parents were asked several questions about social integration. They were asked to indicate which of a number of technical aids their child had access to at home, and whether
a number of local amenities had subtitles, sign language interpretation and or loop systems.
Technical Aids in the Home
Parents were asked whether their child had access to an amplified phone, text phone,
video phone, alerting system (for the doorbell, telephone or fire alarm) or loop system
at home. Looking at the total sample, 44.6% of parents said that their child had access
to none of the technical aids, while 22.8% said their child had access to one, and 21.1%
said their child had access to two (Table 5.1). Just over one tenth (11.4%) of parents
said their child had access to three or more of the technical aids.
Table 5.1. Numbers and percentages of parents who reported the number of technical
aids to which their child had access in the home.
Number of technical N
%
aids in the home
None
438
44.6
One
224
22.8
Two
207
21.1
Three or more
112
11.4
The most common type of technical aid, which 33.5% of parents said their child had
access to, was an alerting system for the doorbell, telephone or firealarm (Table 5.2).
Just over one quarter (27%) said their child had access to a text phone, while 23% said
their child had access to a home loop system, and 17.5% said their child had access to
an amplified telephone in the home. Less than 1% of parents said their child had access
to a video phone.
Figure 5.1 shows the mean number of technical aids in the home in each of the
participating countries. The country with the highest mean number of technical aids per
home was Finland (2.11) followed by Sweden (2.01), Denmark (1.95) and the
Netherlands (1.48). All other countries had a mean of one or less than one technical aids
in the home. Countries with a particularly low mean number of technical aids in the
home were Luxembourg (0.27), Italy (0.19) and Portugal (0.02).
54
Figure 5.1. Mean number of technical aids in the home per country
Looking at the percentage of parents in each country reporting access to each of the
technical aids some patterns emerge (Table 5.2). The country with the highest
percentage of parents reporting access to an amplified telephone in the home was the
Netherlands (38.2%), while in the United Kingdom, France, Austria and Denmark over
a quarter of parents reported such access. The lowest level of access to amplified
telephones was reported in Portugal where none of the parents reported such access.
The majority of parents in Finland (64.9%) and Sweden (58.2%) reported access to text
phones in the home, while the lowest levels of access were reported in Italy (4.8%) and
the Netherlands (2.9%). Again none of the parents in Portugal reported access to a text
phone in the home. Less than one percent of parents in all countries reported access to
a video phone in the home, with the exception of the Netherlands (2.9%), Sweden
(4.5%) and Germany (5.4%). The majority of parents in Finland (86.8%), Sweden
(74.6%) and Denmark (61.5%) reported access to an alerting system. None of the
parents in Italy reported access to an alerting system, while less than five percent of
parents in Portugal and Luxembourg did so. There were only two countries in which
the majority of parents reported access to a home loop system – the Netherlands
(79.4%) and Denmark (73.6%). None of the parents in Portugal, Luxembourg or
Austria reported having a home loop system, while five percent or less of parents in
Spain, Germany Belgium and Italy reported having one.
55
Table 5.2. Percentage of homes with access to various technical aids per country
Type of technical aid IRL
UK
Esp
De
Fin
P
Belg
Fr
Lux
Nl
It
Sw
Aus
Den
total
Amplified telephone
11.5
27.1
4.5
19.6
21.1
0.0
17.9
28.1
13.6
38.2
11.9
14.9
28.3
27.5
17.5
Text phones
31.1
22.4
13.6
33.9
64.9
0.0
26.8
21.1
9.1
2.9
4.8
58.2
11.3
31.9
27.0
Video phones
0.0
0.0
0.5
5.4
0.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.9
0.0
4.5
0.0
0.0
0.9
Alerting system
13.1
18.8
19.1
37.5
86.8
2.4
25.0
19.3
4.5
26.5
0.0
74.6
7.5
61.5
33.5
Home loop system
1.6
30.6
5.5
5.4
36.8
0.0
5.4
19.3
0.0
79.4
2.4
49.3
0.0
73.6
23.0
Table 5.4. Percentage of parents reporting the number of local amenities with subtitles, sign language and loop system, per country
No
of IRL
amenities
UK
Esp
De
Fin
P
Belg
Fr
Lux
Nl
It
Sw
Aus
Den
total
0
27.9
39.5
53.3
37.5
45.6
71.4
32.1
49.1
72.7
71.4
38.1
68.7
58.5
68.1
51.2
1
70.5
58.1
39.7
48.2
39.5
19.0
33.9
42.1
18.2
14.3
61.9
28.4
39.6
17.6
39.3
2+
1.6
2.3
7.0
14.3
14.9
9.5
33.9
8.8
9.1
14.3
3.0
1.9
14.3
9.5
Sign Language Interpretation
0
93.4
87.2
92.5
76.8
58.8
81.0
85.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
97.6
88.1
98.1
90.1
87.3
1
6.6
10.5
5.0
19.6
14.0
16.7
12.5
2.4
3.0
1.9
5.5
7.4
2.3
2.5
3.6
27.2
2.4
1.8
4.4
5.3
Loop
tem
0
82.0
58.1
96.0
94.6
70.2
100.0
91.1
91.2
1
16.4
25.6
4.0
1.8
22.8
8.9
5.3
2+
1.6
16.3
3.6
7.0
3.5
Subtitles
sys-
2+
56
9.0
100.0
34.3
100.0
52.2
96.2
45.1
78.7
31.4
19.4
3.8
40.7
14.1
34.3
28.4
14.3
7.2
Communication Supports in Local Amenities
Parents were asked whether there was subtitles, sign language interpretation and/or
loop systems on their television programmes at home, their local cinema, theatre, sports
club, or youth club.
Looking at the overall responses, over one third (39.4%) of parents said that there was
no communication support on their television programmes at home (Table 5.3). Almost
one half of parents said there was subtitles on the television, 14.8% said there was a
loop system and only 1.3% said there was sign language interpretation. The majority
(80.5%) of parents said there was no communication support in the local cinema.
Approximately one tenth (9.8%) said there was subtitles in their local cinema, 9.1% said
there was a loop system and only 1.4% said there was sign language interpretation. A
slightly higher percentage of parents (88.0%) said there was no communication support
in their local theatre. Only 6.5% said there was a loop system in their local theatre,
5.5% said there was sign language interpretation and less than one percent said there
was subtitles.
There was an even lower level of communication support in Sports Clubs and Youth
clubs, with the vast majority of parents saying there was no communication support in
either amenity (93.8% and 95.2% of parents, respectively). Approximately 5% of
parents said there was sign language in the local Sports Club and Youth Club, while less
than one percent said there was subtitles or a loop system.
Table 5.3. Percentage of parents reporting the type of communication support available
in various local amenities.
Amenity
None
Subtitles
Sign
guage
Lan- Loop system
T.V.
39.4
48.1
1.3
14.8
Cinema
80.5
9.8
1.4
9.1
Theatre
88.0
0.5
5.5
6.3
Sports Club
93.8
0.6
5.6
0.2
Youth Club
95.2
0.2
4.4
0.3
Differences between countries in relation to the communication support in local
amenities were examined by looking at the number of amenities with subtitling, sign
language interpretation and a loop system per country (Table 5.4). Looking first at
subtitles, over half of the parents in seven countries – Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Sweden, Austria and Denmark – said that none of the listed amenities had
subtitles. Over half of the parents in Ireland (70.5%), the United Kingdom (58.1%), and
Italy (61.9%) said that one amenity had subtitles, while 33.9% of parents in Belgium,
14.9% of parents in Finland and 14.3% of parents in the Netherlands, Denmark and
Germany said that there were two or more amenities with subtitling.
All of the parents in France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands said that none of their
local amenities had sign language interpretation. In all of the other countries at least
three quarters of the parents said that there was no sign language interpretation, with
the exception of Finland, where 14% of parents said there was sign language
57
interpretation in at least one amenity and 27.2% of parents said there was sign language
interpretation in two or more amenities.
In relation to loop systems, all of the parents in Portugal, Luxembourg, and Italy said
that none of their local amenities had a loop system. Over 80% of parents in Ireland,
Spain, Germany, Belgium, France, and Austria said the same. The Netherlands had the
highest percentage of parents reporting loop systems in local amenities, with 31.4%
saying one amenity had a loop system, and 34.3% of parents saying there was at least
two amenities with loop systems. Over half of parents in Denmark said that at least one
amenity had a loop system, while 41.9% of parents in the United Kingdom and 29.8%
of parents in Finland said the same.
Satisfaction with Social Integration
Parents were asked about their level of satisfaction with various aspects of deaf children’s social integration. The responses of the total sample for each of five items related
to social integration are summarised in Table 5.5.
Just over half (53.4%) of parents said they either disagreed or strongly disagreed that
they were satisfied with the level of access to technical aids. The level of satisfaction
with subtitling and sign language on local and national television channels was even
lower, with 85.4% of parents either disagreeing or strongly disagreeing that they were
satisfied with the level of subtitling on television, and 91.6% of parents either
disagreeing or strongly disagreeing that they were satisfied with the level of sign
language on television. The majority (78.4%) of parents said they either disagreed or
strongly disagreed that they were satisfied with the level of access to sign language
interpreters, while 91.0% of parents said they disagreed or strongly disagreed that they
were satisfied with the level of public awareness in relation to deafness.
Table 5.5. Percentages of parents who strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed, or strongly
disagreed that they were satisfied with various aspects of social integration.
Strongly
agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Level of access to technical aids
7.3
39.3
39.8
13.6
Level of subtitling on t.v.
2.3
12.3
44.3
41.1
Level of sign language on t.v.
1.4
7.0
43.6
48.0
Level of access to interpreters
2.5
19.1
47.0
31.4
Level of public awareness
1.8
7.1
45.8
45.2
These items were combined to give a total satisfaction with social integration score.
The mean score for the total sample was 3.10. This can be translated as meaning that
overall parents were dissatisfied with issues relating to the social integration of deaf
children. Looking at differences between countries, the highest mean score and thus the
lowest level of satisfaction, was reported by parents in Spain, Germany and France
(Figure 5.2). Parents in Luxembourg, Portugal and Finland reported the lowest scores
and thus the highest level of satisfaction.
58
Figure 5.2. Total satisfaction with social integration per country
Areas of Concern
Parents were asked to specify which of a list of areas was of greatest concern to them
and responses are summarised in Table 6.1.
Table 6.1. Percentages of parents who mentioned each of 15 areas of concern.
Area of concern
Percentage
Better education for deaf and hard-of-hearing children
41.3
More subtitling and Sign Language interpretation on t.v.
34.7
Better employment opportunities
33.3
Earlier diagnosis of hearing loss
30.9
Better public awareness about deafness in children
30.8
More accessible telecoms
18.7
Support services in the classroom
18.3
Improved hearing aids
18.3
Better statutory provision of good quality equipment
15.1
More social / emotional support for parents
13.7
Improved paediatric audiology service through to adulthood
10.5
More Sign Language interpretation
10.4
59
Better provision of cochlear implants
7.8
More unbiased information
7.6
More technological aids
7.2
Looking at the total sample, the area of concern that was mentioned most frequently by
parents was better education for deaf and hard of hearing children, which was
mentioned by 41.3% of parents (Table 6.1). Just over one third of parents mentioned
more subtitling and sign language interpretation on television, while one third
mentioned better employment opportunities. Early diagnosis of hearing loss and better
public awareness about deafness in children were each mentioned by approximately
thirty percent of parents. All of the other areas of concern were mentioned by less than
one fifth of parents.
The percentage of responses in each of the participating countries are summarised in
Table 6.2, and the top three areas of concern in each country are highlighted. There are
some similarities across countries. Better education, for example, was one of the top
three areas of concern in eleven of the fifteen participating countries. A slightly higher
percentage of parents in Finland and in Spain mentioned better education as an area of
concern while a slightly lower percentage of parents in Portugal, Ireland and
Luxembourg did so.
Public awareness and better employment opportunities were each among the top three
areas of concern in eight countries. In relation to public awareness, over forty percent
of parents in the Netherlands, Ireland and Austria cited it as an area of concern, while in
Sweden and Finland less than one fifth of parents did so. In relation to employment
opportunities, over seventy percent of parents in France cited it as an area of concern,
followed by Portugal and Ireland where approximately one half of parents did so, while
less than one fifth of parents in the Netherlands and Italy mentioned employment as an
area of concern.
There were only slight differences between countries in relation to the percentage of
parents citing early diagnosis as an area of concern, with slightly higher percentages
(over forty percent) reported in the United Kingdom and Spain, and slightly lower
percentages (less than twenty percent) in Finland and Portugal. Differences were
slightly more pronounced in relation to subtitling and sign language interpretation on
the television. Over half of the parents in Finland, Belgium, and Denmark mentioned
this as an area of concern, while less than five percent of parents in the Netherlands and
Italy did so.
60
Table 6.2. Percentage of parents reporting their top three areas of concern, per country.
IRL UK Esp De
Fin P
Belg
Fr
Lux
Nl
It
Sw
Aus
Den
Earlier diagnosis of hearing loss
33.9
42.0
40.1
23.2
16.2
15.0
29.1
31.6
23.8
30.3
31.0
29.5
38.5
28.4
Improved paediatric audiology service
18.6
16.3
14.4
12.5
7.1
10.0
3.6
1.8
23.8
3.0
19.0
1.6
7.7
8.0
Better public awareness about deafness in 44.1
children
38.8
29.4
30.4
13.4
25.0
25.5
35.1
33.3
54.5
31.0
16.4
42.3
36.4
More accessible telecoms
28.8
7.5
13.9
26.8
22.3
37.5
36.4
24.6
14.3
12.1
7.1
21.3
11.5
10.2
More technological aids
5.1
3.8
9.6
5.4
11.6
2.5
7.3
8.8
4.8
0.0
19.0
6.6
3.8
3.4
Improved hearing aids
23.7
31.3
15.5
3.6
17.9
35.0
9.1
15.8
28.6
4.2
14.3
19.7
17.3
15.9
Better provision of cochlear implants
11.9
3.8
12.3
0.0
.9
15.0
3.6
7.0
9.5
18.2
31.0
1.6
7.7
2.3
More subtitling and Sign Language inter- 32.2
pretation on t.v.
18.8
24.1
48.2
58.9
17.5
54.5
38.6
19.0
3.0
2.4
44.3
28.8
54.5
Support services in the classroom
11.9
20.0
26.7
7.1
12.5
25.0
12.7
28.1
0.0
27.3
16.7
14.8
17.3
17.0
Better education for deaf/hoh children
22.0
45.0
49.7
35.7
52.7
17.5
41.8
40.4
28.6
24.2
31.0
45.9
40.4
44.3
More social / emotional support for par- 15.3
ents
15.0
10.7
21.4
10.7
20.0
14.5
14.0
14.3
6.1
11.9
13.1
17.3
14.8
Better statutory provision of equipment
11.9
16.3
22.5
17.9
10.7
15.0
5.5
1.8
19.0
12.1
28.6
21.3
21.2
4.5
More unbiased information
1.7
7.5
3.2
3.6
15.2
0.0
5.5
10.5
4.8
42.4
4.8
4.9
3.8
10.2
More Sign Language interpretation
8.5
10.0
5.3
17.9
20.5
10.0
16.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
16.4
0.0
21.6
Better employment opportunities
45.8
25.0
31.6
39.3
30.4
57.5
34.5
33.3
71.4
15.2
14.3
29.5
38.5
30.7
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More accessible telecoms were one of the three top areas of concern in Portugal and Belgium,
with over one third of parents citing this issue. In contrast less than one tenth of parents in the
United Kingdom and Italy mentioned accessible telecoms as an area of concern. Improved
hearing aids were also among the top three areas of concern for two countries – Portugal and
Luxembourg, while in Germany and the Netherlands less than five percent of parents
mentioned it as an area of concern. Looking at the issue of support services in the classroom,
while it was not among the top three areas of concern for any of the participating countries,
over a quarter of parents in four countries – Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and France –
mentioned it as an area of concern. In contrast, less than one tenth of parents in Germany and
none of the parents in Portugal mentioned support services as one of their areas of concern.
Some differences did emerge between countries in relation to the area of greatest concern.
Almost one third of parents in Italy listed better provision of cochlear implants as one of their
top three areas of concern. This issue was not among the top three areas of concern for any
other country. The same was true of the issue of unbiased information – among the top three
areas of concern for parents in the Netherlands but not in any other country. There were only
small differences between countries in relation to the issue of statutory provision of good
quality equipment, with slightly higher percentage of parents in Italy citing it as an area of
concern, and a slightly lower percentage (less than five percent) of parents in Denmark and
France doing so. Differences were also small in relation to the issue of an improved audiology
service, with over twenty percent of parents in Luxembourg citing this as an area of concern
and the lowest percentages (less than five percent) being reported in Belgium, the Netherlands,
France and Sweden. Differences were even smaller in relation to social and emotional support
from parents. Across the fifteen countries the percentage of parents citing this as an area of
concern ranged from 6% (the Netherlands) to 21% (Germany).
Differences between countries in relation to the issue of sign language
interpretation were striking. Although it was not among the top three areas of concern for any
of the participating countries, over one fifth of parents in Finland and Denmark mentioned it as
an area of concern. In sharp contrast to this none of the parents in France, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, and Austria mentioned it as an area of concern. Differences in relation to cochlear
implants were also striking. Italy was the only country where better provision of cochlear
implants was one of the top three areas of concern, with almost one third of parents
mentioning it. In contrast, in nine of the countries less than one tenth of parents mentioned this
issue. In Finland for example less than one percent of parents mentioned better provision of
cochlear implants as an area of concern, while none of the parents in Germany did so. An unusual pattern also emerged in relation to the issue of unbiased information. The Netherlands
was the only country in which unbiased information was one of the top three areas of concern,
with over forty percent of parents mentioning it. Less than five percent of parents in Spain,
Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, Sweden and Austria saw this as an area of concern, while none
of the parents in Portugal did so. The percentage of parents who mentioned more
technological aids was very similar (between five and ten percent) across the fifteen countries
with the exception of Italy where almost one fifth of parents mentioned this as an area of
concern, and the Netherlands where none of the parents did so.
62
Making ICT a reality
by
Hansson Ulf, döv.nu (SE)
ICT – Information and Communication Technology
Introduction
I would like to begin with a short introduction of myself. For almost ten years I have been
training deaf people, through sign language, how to use computers. I was employed for eight
years at Lernia Hadar which is a large education company for training adult people with disabilities. During this time I have acquired a wide experience of how to train deaf people in use
of computers and I also got involved in several projects including the one I am going to tell
you about here. Today I run my own business as a consultant covering the combination DEAF
and ICT. The name of my company, döv.nu, is Swedish for deaf dot now, which also can be
interpreted as ICT for deaf people now.
Östervång 2000
Three years ago, the Östervång's school in Lund, a special school for deaf children run by the
state, was granted funds for a project named "Östervång 2000".
The idea of the project was based on the fact that information technology, through the possibility to combine written language, images, animations and videoclips, opens up new ways of
communicating that deaf people can take equal part in. The vision is that through ICT deaf
people can see and communicate with each other not only nationally but also, through the
Internet, internationally. The whole world is within reach and people can get in touch with
each other whether they are disabled or not.
The project consisted of five parts that together was to form Östervång 2000, a school where
the use of new communication technology is integrated in the education. These five parts were
named ”Technology”, ”Pedagogics”, ”Staff Training”, ”Social Forum” and ”Library”. What all
five parts had in common was the concept of communication.
In Technology the necessary conditions for using new ways of communication was created. In
Pedagogics a lot of effort was made to put forward possibilities to use the new technology in
the classroom. The responsibility for carrying out the use of new technology was to a great
extent placed on the six so called ”IT-teachers”. Through Staff Training these six, exclusively,
were given extensive training in use of ICT and then had to convey what they learnt to their
colleagues. In Social Forum the pupils were given an opportunity to use the new technology
for communication which was not necessarily connected to schoolwork. The Library is the
information centre of the school. It also contains ”Mediateket”, for training groups with use of
several computers and a projector screen.
I expect we are going to see a lot of demonstrations of different kinds of technology here today. Since we have not developed much technology by ourselves I will focus my presentation
on communication and on our Intranet.
63
Bilingualism
It does not matter how good the new technology is if the users do not understand how to use
it. For learning, it is important to have access to material and adequate exercises. The teachers
will provide the pupils with this to a certain extent, but it is also important to be able to revise,
or learn more about, what has been said during the lesson. This is why we have placed such
importance on developing an intranet on which the pupils as well as the staff, from any computer at the school, can get the information they need for using the technology.
I have earlier mentioned communication as the main thread in every part of the project. In order to communicate freely within the deaf group as well as outside of it, for example through
use of ICT, deaf children have to learn two languages. They need communication in sign language as well as in written Swedish. Apart from the actual languages they also have to learn
basic communication skills - to make themselves understood, understand others and take turns.
Different situations demands different ways of communicating or exchanging information. We
can call them different communication patterns.
Simply through listening to a wide variety of conversations, hearing children are given plenty
of opportunities to learn these different patterns of communication. For deaf children we have
to create these situations, as many as possible, where the starting-point is a conversation. In
the beginning we use sign language but eventually the children can be guided into conversation
through messages in written Swedish.
Making a phone call is a situation that, no matter the language, demands certain communication skills. The videophone gives children the opportunity to practise these skills using their
first language, sign language.
The videophone
The videophone can be used even by children, for example in year one, who has not yet learnt
how to read and write. This means they also need to be able to use the manual for the videophone without reading. When the manual is started the sign language part starts simultaneously. It is important that the child does not have to find the start-button for the video.
As an introduction it is explained how the manual is used. Notice that with a fixed placement
of the video-window the possibilities of localisation in sign language can be used in the manual.
It is important to also include information about where the videophone is placed, how it is
booked and how to adjust lighting, chair and camera for a good picture. Then the manual
shows step by step how to make a phone call. If the user have seen the manual before they can
choose and pick a section from the menu instead.
In Sweden there is an interpreter service for videophone calls, which is very useful when a deaf
person wants to call a hearing person. With use of the videophone and a phone with a headset
the interpreter can translate between sign and spoken language much the same as in any other
interpreting situation. This service can also be used when a deaf and a hearing person who, for
example, works in the same place, need to discuss an issue with the help of an interpreter. In
this case they both sit by the videophone and the deaf person can watch the interpretation on
the screen, instead of having the interpreter come there in person.
Texttelephone
For the pupils to develop bilingualism it is important that they find use of the written language
as early as possible. The texttelephone is a very good way of practising communication and
Swedish at the same time. At the school we are using a system that makes it possible to,
64
through computer network of the school, use every computer as a texttelephone for making
calls within or outside the school.
Since the text telephone is a tool for developing skills in use of Swedish this manual must, like
the manual for the videophone, be in sign language as well as in Swedish. In the sign language
parts the pupils can learn how to use the program before they have full competence in the
written language. For pupils who master both languages, the manual can be used for comparison between them.
Like in the manual for the videophone the sign language part starts automatically, but then you
pick sections from the menu. We have tried to copy some of the graphics from the program
into the signed video-clips to make it even more pronounced which button it is that is mentioned. Many of the pupils learn more easily when they can visually see how something is done,
for example by following what the teacher is doing on the projector screen, and then imitate it.
This is also why we sometimes use animated screenshots to visualise something that would be
difficult to explain in text. It is also possible to place explaining text in the screenshots.
There is also a section in which the teacher can check that the program and the computer is
adequately set before they start the lesson.
As a complement to the manual there is an exercise section. It contains several exercises for
training the functions of the program as well as examples of how the texttelephone can be used
in different subjects. In a teacher’s section the teachers can see how the exercises were worked
out and how they can be varied for use in new subjects or situations.
Netmeeting
Another good program for developing bilingual skills is ”Netmeeting”. This is a mixture of
videophone, chat and a board for drawing pictures. The video is still quite poor for sign language but the principal aim is to encourage the pupil to, with various strategies, maintain a
communication at a distance.
Computer terms
New technology and concepts create a need for new signs. It is important not to just make up
your own signs. Using false friends, for example using signs for a word with equal wording like
the sign ”explode” for ”Explorer” should especially be avoided. Another example is the sign
language abbreviation ”IT” for Internet. By collecting accepted signs for different computer
terms and publish them on the Intranet the teachers and pupils can learn the right signs instead
of making up their own.
Conclusion
The project Östervång 2000 was finished last summer. Before the project started, and in the
very beginning, there was a certain resistance, especially among the teachers, towards integrating ICT in the teaching. Along the way this attitude has changed. The teachers have seen
the usefulness of the technology as well as grown more aware of the importance Internet has
for communication between people all over the world. This is why the school will continue this
concentration on ICT.
The main goal of this workshop is to prepare a European deaf network for information and
communication, and that sort of network would be extremely useful to bring deaf European
pupils and students together.
65
Allan, the bridge to Total Conversation
by
Hellström Gunnar, Omnitor (SE)
Alsnögatan 7, 4 tr, S-116 41 Stockholm, Sweden
Voice Phone: +46 708 204 288
Fax: +46 8 556 002 06
E-mail: [email protected]
Summary
Voice telephony has become an important means of communication, holding our society together, but it can not be used directly by everyone. Deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind and
speech-impaired people need alternative telecommunication services that must be available on
equal terms.
Personal conversation through telecommunications can now take a big step towards accessibility for all by implementing the new Total Conversation concept. Future telecom services can
be based on this standardised concept for multi modal conversation, and allow users to communicate in video, text and voice simultaneously.
Allan is the name of the first Total Conversation product, using the ISDN network.
Use of Total Conversation
Apparent use is for real time text conversation, lip reading, sign language and voice conversation and any mix of these ways to communicate. For interworking with the existing telecom
services, it is defined how all kinds of text telephones, voice telephones and video phones can
communicate with total conversation devices.
Figure: Video, text and voice telephony functions combined
in Total Conversation
Video telephony
Text telephony
Total Conversation for all with
video, text and voice.
Voice telephony
66
Europe has a sad history of a fragmented world of six text telephone systems with no interworking. The Total Conversation standards offers a bridge for smooth communication with
them all.
Total Conversation defined in all telecom environments
The concept is defined in all major telecom network environments; analogue and digital, traditional circuit switched as well as modern packet based. The standards are formed by the international telecom standardisation bodies ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union) and
IETF (International Engineering Task Force). The center of the activities has been the group
for Accessibility to Multimedia for people with disabilities in ITU-T, while the work is done in
diverse groups on different technologies, where experts from many companies have contributed to the result. Work continues with refining specification of interworking and mobile application of the concept.
Emerging implementations
Implementations begin to emerge. Total Conversation has proven to be an excellent tool for
personal conversation for deaf and hard-of hearing people, for speech impaired, for deaf-blind
and for anyone. It is always possible to find a media combination that supports the common
way of communication that is selected for the moment by the users.
Relay services enhance the usability
By adding services for transformation between different media, the accessibility to telecommunications can be even enhanced. One important such service is the video relay service, translating between sign language and spoken language. When that service is invoked, both the sign
language user and the spoken language user can use the language they master best and have a
fluent conversation on equal terms. Also enhanced text relay services can be established between text users and voice users, with the voice channel connected through all the time.
Society support
The need for solutions on the inferior communication situation for people with special needs
has been acknowledged by society. In the resolution on Sign Language B4-0985/98, item no
10, the European Parliament "Calls on the Commission to introduce a proposal for framework
legislation to ensure compatibility of telecommunications text and videophone equipment for
deaf people across Europe;"
Total Conversation can be the technical response on that request.
67
Figure 1: Example of Total Conversation in video, text and voice in the user interface of the “Allan” multifunction terminal.
Text telephony
Text telephony is the traditional form of telecommunication for deaf and speech-impaired people. The written conversation is transmitted one letter at a time so that it can be read by both
parties in a text telephone call. Text telephony has been developed during the last 30 years.
Regrettably, different technical solutions were used in different countries, and not until recently
68
has an international standard been agreed upon, with the possibility of communicating with all
the old text telephony standards. There are severe limitations when communicating with a
written dialogue. It is slower than signing or talking, and text communication is susceptible to
misunderstandings and omissions. For many deaf people, it is an added difficulty to communicate in another language than sign language. Nevertheless, text telephony is a very important
form of communication today, and through relay services it makes contact with voice telephony users possible. In many situations, text communication is the only common medium for
communication between two people. For example, a hearing person that doesn’t know sign
language and a deaf person that uses sign language are confined to text as the only common
ground. After too long, the V.18 standard for text telephony at last increases in use, and the
first users have access to standardised text telephony that can communicate with all the different text telephone methods.
Video telephony
Figure 3: Video telephony for sign language, currently most commonly using the ISDN network.
Video telephony transmits moving images. For deaf people, it is natural to try to use this for
sign language and lip reading. However, sign language is fast paced and places great demands
on the quality of motion reproduction. In many cases, the products developed for video telephony have not had motion reproduction of a quality high enough to be suitable for the
transmission of sign language. In Sweden, many projects have been run testing sign language in
video telephony of various quality levels and cost. We have also examined the quality demands
set by sign language users and created a trial method for measuring the usability of videophones. Currently, the videophone is an established aid with usable quality at reasonable cost.
There is also a relay service from sign language in video telephony and speech in voice telephony. We need to raise quality one step further, to get good quality of sign language transmission over economically reasonable telecom connections.
Multimedia communication with simultaneous video, text and speech.
Through the use of modern technology for multimedia communication, video, text and speech
can be combined in the same call and let users choose the medium most suited to the situation.
The combination of the three media yields a total potential for communication much greater
than the one each medium has by itself. For example, adult deaf people can talk to hearing
people and get the reply via text. Other hearing and deaf people can use text for the conversation with the aid of video to give visual contact as well. Hearing impaired people can use
speech, lip reading and resort to text if something is especially difficult to lip read.
69
Having seen the value of this Total Conversation, we feel it is very important that it receives its
deserved place in the development of the telecommunication of the future. It is a great step
toward equal opportunities to communication.
Text in video calls
In video telephony, a standard for video and voice communication has existed from the beginning. A common standard for text conversation in videophone calls has been created. The
work is now continued to describe how this is to be done in different networks and how the
co-operation between the text conversation systems of different networks is to be done. Most
pieces in this puzzle are in place. Currently the work is concentrated on the gateways between
different networks, and on mobile text conversation. Through this standardisation, video telephony can now be upgraded to ”Total Conversation”. The terminals need to be fully standardised, and capable of communicating with any other product being developed according to
the same concept. That is the case for the Allan product.
In the project ”Framåt-2000”, in Sweden, a multifunction terminal is developed with features
adapted to communication with deaf, hearing impaired and speech impaired people. It consists
of a computer with a camera, a headset, a program and one extra card for the video communication and one for the text telephony. It is connected to the ISDN network.
A computer with this system installed features:
§ Video telephony with quality good enough for sign language.
§ Speech, both in voice telephony and during videophone calls.
§ Text conversation according to new standard during videophone calls.
§ Text telephony with automatic selection of textphone method towards all old textphones.
§ Answering machine functions in video, text and voice.
§ Possibilities for sending and receiving video-e-mail.
§ Alerting system with connections suitable for devices with light, vibration and sound.
§ All regular personal computer functions like word processing, e-mail and web-browsing in
the Internet.
§ A unified user interface for all communication, clear, uniform and easy to use. (Figure 1)
§ A help system in multimedia form with explanations in sign language, text and pictures on
how to use the system
The equipment is currently installed with 30 users, of which 13 are part of the project. Most
are deaf that use it in their work, but some hearing impaired and speech impaired people use it,
too. The users are of the opinion that this system with all forms of communication accessible at
the same time gives them very good possibilities for communication from an easy to use user
interface.
IP-communication
The telecom world is going through a revolution. The technology of IP-communication, that is
the technology that is used for communication on the Internet, is being spread as a technology
for all forms of telecommunications. This can mean lower cost, and a system for communication that can easily be adapted to shifting needs. It is important that communication for the
deaf follows this trend and starts to make use of IP-technology as it is made available and
achieves acceptable quality. Text telephony, voice telephony, video telephony and Total Conversation can all use IP-communication, but several problems need to be solved in the areas of
alerting, video quality and standardisation.
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Figure 5: Connection example for IP multimedia conversation
Mobile communication.
The mobile networks are becoming increasingly important. In the Scandinavian countries,
every other person owns a mobile phone. The needs of deaf people weren’t taken into account
when these networks were created, and efforts are currently being made to at least incorporate
text telephony in them. In Sweden, one of the mobile operators has introduced mobile text
telephony with interworking with the regular textphones. The first mobile videophones have
also been shown, and the standardisation work is now to a large degree concentrated on this
field. As it grows, it is important that the needs of deaf people are taken into account.
Gateways
Different networks demand different technical solutions of the communication. Creation of
different standards has to be allowed. But people have to be able to communicate regardless
what network they are connected to. Gateway systems are installed to handle the translation
from one network to another. For the communication between the up to now predominant
ISDN video telephony and the video telephony that is being developed in the IP networks, a
gateway system is needed. Such systems are now being developed, and it looks as though it
will be possible to create a well working blend of ISDN and IP- based video telephony for deaf
people.
Figure 4: Gateways are needed to enable border-less communication between different networks.
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Text telephony
T.140
Compatib
ility
equalizers
H.324 PSTN
M ultimedia
T.140
Voice
and
video
AL1 H.245
Trans
parent
V .18
H.320 ISDN
M ultimedia
T.140
Voice
and
video
H .224
ID ”02”
H.323 IP
M ultimedia
T.140
Voice
and
video
T C P H.245
/
RTP
H.324 M obile
M ultimedia
T.140
Voice
and
video
AL1 H.245
H.323 M obile
IP Multimedia
T.140
Voice
and
video
T C P H.245
H .223
H .221
H .225.0
H .223
H .225.0
V .34/V.80
N e tw o r k
access
N e tw o r k
access
M o b ile
transm ission
M o b ile
transm ission
T.120 Data
conferencing
T.140
T.134
T.124
GCC
T.123
Figure 5: Environments where text conversation standards are established.
Video quality
Sign language places high demands on video reproduction. Preferably more than 20 frames per
second in high resolution (“CIF”) should be transferred. In product leaflets a frames/second
(fps) number is often mentioned. It usually says ” up to 15 frames per second” or something
similar. A number like that is without value. It can mean that with sign language, the frame rate
will not exceed 6 fps, causing jerky reproduction and difficulties in perception. SDR has developed a measuring method to assess the fulfilment of objective quality demands set by sign language. It is based on a test video with different sections for different values. It is sent through
the videophones. With this method it is easy to determine the important issues of frame rate,
resolution and delay from camera to display.[1]
The following figures 7 and 8 are taken from a test video sequence produced by the project
and now used by video coding researchers. They demonstrate the need for motion reproduction during fingerspelling. The figures clearly illustrate that for fingerspelling, 12 pictures per
second is too low, while 25 is sufficient.
In a similar ways, the need for CIF resolution can be demonstrated because of the need to see
the eye gaze direction, and the need for a delay from camera to display of a maximum of 0.4
sec. for the conversation to flow without problems in taking turns.
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E
E
E
-
D
S
S
S
S
-
V
V
V
-
I
-
-
K
K
K
-
E
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Figure 6: The frames containing the Swedish finger-spelled word “Edsviken” captured at 25
frames per second. All letters are reproduced, demonstrating that 25 fps is sufficient for sign language.
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E
S
-
S
-
V
-
-
K
K
E
N
N
N
Figure 7: The frames containing the Swedish finger-spelled word “Edsviken” captured at 12
frames per second. Only “Esvken” remain – demonstrating that 12 fps is insufficient for good sign
language communication. Many videophones have this, or lower performance.
74
User interface
It is important to have a uniform user interface for the communication functions. This entails
having all the details of the user interface in specific locations, and displaying windows without
overlapping. Thomas Johansson, deaf Master of Science engineer, has described these needs in
his master thesis [2].
Recommendations to get from standards to wide spread use.
Standards for communication are important prerequisits for successful distribution and benefit
of a telecom feature. But standards alone makes no user happy. Implementation of the
standardized Total Conversation concept for video, text and voice communication needs
encouragement, stimulation and support, to ensure equal opportunities to personal
communication for citizens who cannot use voice telephony fully.
Allan, the first Total Conversation product
Allan is the first product that implements the Total Conversation standards. That gives it the
possibilities to connect for text, video and voice, and also text telephony. The combination is
very efficient, and many Allan units now serve deaf people at work in Sweden.
References
[1] [Hellström Delvert Revelius 1996] Quality requirements on Videotelephony for
Sign Language. SDR 1996.
[2] [Johansson Thomas 1998] Användargränssnitt för multifunktionsterminal Framåt 2000 för
teckenspråk, text och tal, Luleå Tekniska Universitet (in Swedish)
75
WinText Pro
Text conversation for all
Textphone software for Windows 3.11/95/98/NT/2000
by
Karlsson Henrik (SE)
WinText Pro is a textphone software that transforms your PC into a textphone! All you need is
a modem and a telephone subscription.
One of our primary goals in creating a textphone software was to transform a PC into a
textphone, not into an adapted terminal. The program has been developed for deaf users as
well as for hard-of-hearing and hearing people that need to use a textphone.
It is a very powerful software that includes a variety of features, making it easy-to-use. You do
not have to be an expert on computers to use WinText Pro.
WinText Pro has full background drive capabilities, which means that the software can be active while the user is working with other programs.
WinText Pro includes the following features:
• A complete textphone program which can also function as a telephone answering machine.
• A background drive – WinText Pro is always active and ready to answer calls.
• Speed buttons for the most common functions.
• Incoming and outgoing messages can be displayed in one common window or two separate
ones, which can be divided horizontally or vertically.
• Phonebooks where the most common numbers can be stored, up to 255 in each.
• Auto Answer – the caller can type in a message.
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• The ability to call one’s own textphone and read incoming messages remotely.
• The ability to call one’s own textphone and change the Auto Answer text remotely.
• Incoming Auto Answer messages are marked with the time and date.
• Calls can be stored in a file for later transfer to a word processor or other program.
• Calls can be printed.
• Calls can be timed
• Phrase memory – frequently used phrases can be stored in the phonebook for quick and easy
retrieval.
• Prepared texts can be sent as text files.
• Texts can be copied from other programs and sent through the Cut and Paste functions.
• Text size and fonts can be varied according to need, such as those for someone who is
visually impaired.
• The program uses the colour choices made in Windows.
• Ability to send messages in Minicall Text for pagers and GSM-SMS( Short Message Service).
• The program can be accessed directly from the keyboard.
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WinText Server / WinText32
Computer-based Textphone Switch
WinText Server is the only computer-based textphone switch that provides full accessibility
for textphone users. Ideal for schools, organisations and companies.
Basic features
•
•
•
Computer based textphone switch for incoming and outgoing textphone calls
WinText Server integrates computer-based textphones into the local area network. All
connected PCs become “textphone extensions”, just as standard telephone switch.
Automated switchboard operator for incoming calls
Incoming calls are greeted by a welcoming message. Just like an automated telephone
switch, WinText Server forwards incoming calls to the desired party or to other information menus that are programmed (office hours, coming events, etc.).
Modem pool for outgoing calls
Individuals connected to the local area network can use the pool for outgoing calls to converse in text with another textphone user. It saves money therefore less telephone lines are
required.
System overview
Each installation of the WinText Server can be adapted to the needs of the individual, to the
technical and financial conditions, and to the number of phone lines involved. The system can
handle up to four external lines and over 100 computers connected into the local area network.
Group telephone numbers can be assigned to the lines so that only one number needs to be
specified for incoming textphone calls. The WinText Server can handle multiple calls simultaneously, no matter which service is being used
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Using WinText Server
When the system administrator starts the WinText Server, he will see a window on the screen,
like the one shown below. The left-hand side displays the tree structure used when the WinText Server functions as a switchboard operator, and is the basis for the services that the WinText Server can offer the textphone user. Initially, this portion is empty and it is the server administrator’s job to build up the tree structure according to individual needs.
WinText32
WinText32 is a text telephone program that works on a telephone network as well as on a
computer network. The program is a further development of WinText Pro. Two WinText32
clients can communicate in writing with one another via a computer network (i.e., chat). The
program also works as client software for the WinText Server which means, among other
things, that its modem pool can be used for out-going calls and to relay in-coming calls, via a
computer network, to a WinText32 client. WinText32 handles in-coming and out-going calls in
three different ways:
via a local modem
via the WinText Server
between two WinText32 clients via a computer network (chat).
Technical Specifications
The system is a client/server solution and it consists of the server program, WinText Server,
and the client program, WinText32. Only one installation of WinText Server is necessary,
whereas each computer connected to the Server will need one installation of WinText32.
The programs are Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) applications and use modern technology to make text conversation available. They are 32-bit applications which require Windows95/98 or WindowsNT. The programs use TAPI in order to communicate with the modem
79
and TCP/IP is used as a protocol for communication between WinText32 and the WinText
Server.
System Requirements
- IBM personal computer, or compatible, Windows 95/98 or NT. We recommend that the
PC be equipped with a Pentium processor and at least 8Mb of RAM.
- Network card and support for TCP/IP
- The WinText Server can handle four lines. If you want to use all the lines, you have to have
four modems, four communication ports and four telephone subscriptions.
A group number is recommended when more than one line is used. If one line is busy, the call
is automatically transferred to the next number in the series. The WinText Server can be configured so that the system can handle up to four textphone calls simultaneously.
80
Telephone Relay Services in the Age of the Internet
by
Kleeb Beat, PROCOM (CH)
1. Todays situation
Alexander Graham Bell tried to help deaf people by developing a hearing aid. Instead he invented the telephone - and laid the fundament for todays age of the internet.
The telephone offered hearing people an instrument for a most natural communication with
almost anybody, anytime, anywhere and at reasonable cost.
Natural communication for hearing people means to speak and to listen – just what deaf people
cannot do well. From Bell’s invention in 1876 it took 88 years until Weitbrecht and Marsters
coupled a teletypewriter with a modem and broke the barrier that hindered deaf people from
using the largest machine of the World – the telephone network.
And during the last 10 years or so, telecommunication and informatics technology have dramatically changed the life of both hearing and deaf people in developed countries.
Today deaf people have a much better access to telecommunication and information than only
a few years ago. There are now several tools to communicate and to obtain actual informations: text telephones, telefax, captioning, internet, small message services, video telephones
and more.
Most of those new technologies are „mainstream technology“ to transmit communication and
information in a visual manner – as readable text. Hearing people are buying and using them in
large numbers, bringing cost down to an affordable level for everyone.
Deaf people are profiting from this change in technology and in the change of communication
behavior of hearing people: More hearing people get used to communicate by writing. Also
many hearing and deaf people believe that the new technologies are better and cheaper than the
„old fashioned“ text telephones. In many countries, text telephones are used less and less- or
worse: there has never been a sizeable number of text telephones.
But there are problems which are not always realized by many deaf people and their organisations: The preference of spoken communication by hearing people.
2. Communication behavior of Hearing People
Hearing people grow into a natural, almost effortless mode of communication: speaking and
listening. They can communicate with almost anyone around them, they can communicate
during work and leisure time without interrupting what they are doing. And through the telephone network, they can extend the range of this natural communication simply around the
whole world. And hearing people love this communication as much as deaf people love to chat
in sign language.
81
When you observe the communication behavior of hearing people, you will see
-
they are running for the telephone as soon as it rings
they will interrupt almost anything else for a telephone call
if they don’t have time for anything else, they always have time for a telephone call
they can explain things on the telephone spontaneously and to the very last details
they don’t mind to spend a lot of money for telephone calls, especially not for expensive mobile phone communications
Hearing people buy fax machines, have pagers, have internet connections and the like.
But have you ever seen a hearing person trowing away its voice telephone after he or she got a
fax or an internet connection? I have never seen one.
Instead they are buying also mobile cellular phones in addition to the telephone at home.
In industrialized countries, already 50 % of hearing people have cellular phones, and the numbers are still growing rapidly.
These simple observations show that instantaneous spoken communication is the most preferred and most normal way of communication for hearing people. It is the major reason for
the success of Bell’s invention. And it cannot be replaced by any communication system using
text.
Do you think hearing people are willing to communicate with deaf people by writing in the
same spontaneous and detailed manner, especially if the don’t know each other? Do you think
they take all the time required for this mode of communication? My experience shows that they
don’t do it or only very, very rarely. Therefore, all the available modern text medias cannot
bring deaf people the equivalent of a natural telephone communication, simply because of the
predominant communication culture of the hearing majority.
3. Telephone Relay Service to Access Hearing Communication Culture
Deaf people cannot expect the hearing world to change their communication culture. Therefore, we need to have systems that can provide equivalent opportunities for communication
with the hearing world. And there is only one real thing that can bring this equivalence: a professional telephone relay service.
A professional telephone relay is a site where Deaf people can call using a text or video communication system and are then relayed to any accessible telephone connection of hearing people.
A communication can be carried out at any time, in real time, without any restrictions regarding duration or content of call. Cost of such calls are equivalent to what hearing people would
have to pay.
With such relay services, Deaf people are able to get immediate feed back to all their everyday
problems and questions, and are able to carry out social chats as they desire.
Such immediate feedback is not possible with fax or e-mail. Also privacy and secrecy is not
assured with printed messages.
82
Just a few real examples from my experience:
- A deaf couple has a child which is very sick. They send a fax to the doctors office, asking for
an immediate appointment. There is no reply. After some time, they repeat the fax. Again – no
answer. Finally, they called through the relay service and learned that an answering machine
informed on the phone, that the doctor was on vacation....
If the child would have really been very sick, and there was no relay service, the child could
have died because of the communication problems.
- In my house, a water pipe broke in the basement. Through the telephone relay, I could call
myself for help, limiting damage considerably. If I had to run for a hearing neighbour, explain
the situation to him, ask him to call for me etc., valuable time would have been lost and damage would have been much higher.
- A woman called to the Swiss telephone relay service and said: „Thank you, my husband is
still alive because I was able to call for immediate help through the relay service.“
The other opportunity a relay service offers is the chance of a direct dialogue.
When you can ask, you will always get more information. And with a dialogue you can solve
problems within minutes which would otherwise require several faxes or e-mails.
Don’t forget: hearing people will provide you with detailed informations as long as they can
use their normal mode of communication: speaking. If forced to write, they will limit the information to a insufficient minimum.
Last but not least: My estimate is, that every second call from a telephone relay center goes to
a hearing person who has never had contacts with Deaf people before. This hearing person will
be confronted with our communication problems and will become aware about the presence of
deaf people in society. Most of those people will never forget this personal experience and will
most probably think different – think positively about the abilities of deaf people.
It’s your choice: hide yourself and your handicap behind faxes or e-mails and get delayed and
limited responses - or reach out, use a telephone relay service, get immediate and detailed informations and at the same time make hearing people aware about the invisible presence of
deaf people in society.
4. Telephone Relay Services in Europe
There is the sad reality, that from 15 countries in the EU - to my knowledge - only 5 do have
professional relay services:
Sweden, Finland, United Kingdom, Danmark, Netherlands
Outside the EU, Norway and Switzerland do have professional telephone relay services, and
several countries are running trials with limited operating hours and limited services.
But text telephones are available in Europe for more than 20 years.
Also the European Conference of Telephone Organisations (CEPT) made a recommendation
already in 1974, stating that everything should be done to make the telephone system accessible for handicapped people [1].
83
Helga Stevens, todays EUD secretary, wrote a paper in 1994 , showing that within the EU, the
legislation is already in place to command telephone relay services in all countries [2].
In Switzerland, a research paper of the University of Berne came to the same conclusion for
Switzerland [3].
The last two papers can be summarized rather simply:
-
In all democratic countries in Europe, all citiziens are equal
EU decrets and national laws on telecommunication require, that basic telephony services must be accessible by all citiziens at comparable conditions
The paper of the University of Berne was so convincing that the new Swiss law on telecommunication (1998) included the following paragraph [4]:
Article 10: Fundamental Services
The required fundamental services must include the following:
.....
Article 10 f: Relay service for the hearing impaired: Provision of a transcription service for the
hearing impaired at no (additional) cost, including emergency calls around the clock at the
lowest possible tarif.
Based on this paragraph, SWISSCOM as the major Swiss telecommunication provider accepted to finance the telephone relay service set up by PROCOM over 10 years and expand its
limited operating hours to a 24 hours service. Cost for users went down from 0.23 per mi nute to 0.04 or less.
It is my opinion, that the example of Switzerland, as well as those from the five EU countries
with professional telephone relay services can serve as models for all countries which do not
yet have professional relay services.
You have the right to access voice communication on the telephone network as the backbone
of telecommunication in today’s society.
Telephone companies, also commercialized organisations, are required to provide such telephone relay services based on national laws and additionally by EU decrets.
But you will not get it, unless you make your needs known to the telephone companies, and –
if required - get political support.
5. Argumentation for Establishing a Telephone Relay Service
I have already provided the two most important arguments :
-
In all democratic countries in Europe, all citiziens are equal
EU decrets and national laws on telecommunication require, that basic telephony services must be accessible by all citiziens at comparable conditions
84
Using those arguments, you must challenge your national telecommmunication providers to
stop discriminating deaf people. They will most probably not like those arguments.
But you must make them aware of their own communication behavior as hearing people – and
the problem deaf people face as a consequence of their behavior.
The telecom’s may try to satisfy you with text based services such as fax, SMS and e-mail.
Make them aware that those instruments are nice things that can solve some communications
problems, but not immediate, urgent personal contacts – especially if half of the hearing society
is running around with mobile cellular phones and can be reached only by voice telephony.
They will argue that telephone relay services are much too expensive. You can counter that
costs become negligible when they are divided by the number of telephones in the country. For
Switzerland with 10'000 calls per month, those costs are about 0.15 per year for each tel ephone connection on the fixed net.
There is also a new „Guideline for Telecommunication Relay Services for Text Telephones“,
issued by the European Telecommunications Standards Insitute (ETSI) in June of this year.
This shows, that there is really a documented standard on such relay services. This could be
another important document towards relay services in all countries.
The ETSI guideline also recommends a parallel service for both text telephones and video
phones. This will be the future standard. Not all deaf people like to use text telephones. Some
will prefer video phones which offers new and unique opportunities for using sign language.
However, there is a serious problems with relay services for video phones: the number of sign
language interpreters required to run such relays.It will take years to train a sufficient number
of proficient sign language interpreters to run a relay with sufficient capacity around the clock.
Therefore, for the time being, text telephones still offer the best possibility to set up a relay
service and they can be used everywhere without problems. Video phones will develop in parallel and relay services can be expanded step by step to include them as a second relay system.
But as long as you cannot convince your telecom today to provide a telephone relay service
with text telephones, you will also not be able to convince them later to offer relay services
with video phones.
For smaller countries, a telephone relay service under control of organisations of the Deaf can
offer additional services like interpreter referal, editing of teletext and internet informations for
the deaf and other services. Thereby deaf people are getting a one source communication center.
To conclude: The age of the internet brings fantastic new opportunities for information and
communication. This enables us to contact people at the other end of the world. But when you
need to contact someone in your own town quickly and urgently, you need to use the good old
voice telephone over the relay service. It can save your life! It can save your job! It can make
you an equal citizien. Go for it – ask for your right.
Literature:
[1]
CEPT : Recommendation T/SF 3 (Puerto de la Cruz 1974, revisée a Stockholm 1977)
relative aux services et facilités pour les personnes handicapées
85
[2]
Helga Stevens: „Telecommunications and Access for Deaf People in the European
Union and the United States“, Master of Laws Paper, University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law (1994)
[3]
Dr. P. Tschannen/Dr. R. Kiener: „Rechtsgleiche Behandlung von Gehörlosen im Telefonverkehr“( „Lawfully equal treatment of the Deaf in Telecommunication“), University
of Berne, 1995: Investigation on behalf of Fondation PROCOM.
[4]
Swiss Law on Telecommunication FMG (30. 4. 1997) and Regulation on the Swiss
Law on Telecommunication FDV. Valid since 1. 1. 1998.
[5]
European Telecommunications Standards Institute: „Guidelines for Telecommunication
Relay Services for Text Telephones“, ETSI TR 101 806, 2000-06
Beat Kleeb (Deaf), President
Fondation PROCOM
Hömelstrasse 17
CH-8636 Wald ZH Switzerland
Text telephone (EDT) office: 0041 1 922 92 24
Home: 0041 1 920 06 54
Telefax
0041 1 790 26 47
E-Mail:
[email protected]
86
PROCOM Telefonvermittlung / Relais téléphonique / Communicazione telefonica
12000
Vermittlungen pro Monat / Appels par mois /
Communicazione per mese
11000
10000
Total 939'615 Vermittlungen / appels / communicazioni
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
Anrufe von Hörgeschädigten
Appels des Sourds
Chiamate di audiolesi
4000
3000
2000
1000
Anrufe von Hörenden
0
Jan 85 Jan 86 Jan 87 Jan 88 Jan 89 Jan 90 Jan 91 Jan 92 Jan 93 Jan 94 Jan 95 Jan 96 Jan 97 Jan 98 Jan 99 Jan 00
87
I sign by phone
by
Korhonen Maarit (FI)
Project Coordinator, The Finnish Association of the Deaf
The multimedia project of the Finnish Association of the Deaf (FAD) applies modern
information technology to create new type of services in Sign Language for Deaf people in
Finland. Within the project, multimedia, more precisely videophone technology, enables Deaf
people who use Finnish Sign Language (FinSL) to maintain contacts in Sign Language and run
their own affairs independently. It creates new ways to link Sign Language users to a network
of services. The project has two pilots Social Network-pilot and Videophone in SL
Interpreting Services-pilot. In northern Finland the project brings social services within the
reach of Deaf people while eastern Finland videophones are used for FinSL distance
interpreting service
experiment.
Within the multimedia project a total of 29 videophones provide a network of 22 households
with Deaf members, two FAD regional offices, FAD headquarters, regional Sign Language
interpreting agency and a business which has Deaf employees.
The project's Social Network-pilot in the northern and eastern part of Finland focuses on
providing counselling type of services in Sign Language. Due to long distances between
destinations in northern Finland, Deaf people often live isolated from services and
environments where Sign Language is
used. Moreover, the pilot provides the videophone users an opportunity to have live Sign
Language contacts with any of the other households of the multimedia project.
The other pilot, Videophone in Interpreting Services-pilot, has contributed greatly to the
development of the SL interpreting services. It has made it easy to organise SL interpreting
because the videophone eliminates the significance of the physical distance. The pilot is carried
out in the eastern part of Finland, in Joensuu region. In addition to the interpreting services,
the households of this pilot can also be in contact with the whole network of the Deaf
videophone users within the project.
Deaf people within the project have found that they have become active videophone users. A
new opportunity to communicate in Sign Language by phone is a big step forward in breaking
the communication barriers. Many video phone users have made new friends by having
videophone contacts or by using the long distance interpreting services. The videophone users
report that the new communication opportunities have in an important way contributed to their
access to information and enlarged their vision and participation to the world around. For the
users the videophone has become an integral part of running their everyday affairs and
maintaining contacts.
Our basic requirement was simplicity of the hardware/programme that suits for people of all
ages, and also for persons who have not used a computer before, and who have difficulties in
reading and writing. Therefore, visuality of the system was considered as an important
requirement.
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Even though the Videophone in Interpreting Services-pilot project is still going on, we can
already now state that by using it, we can increase cost efficiency of the interpreting services.
When the time used in travelling decreases, there will be more time than before for
interpreting.
In comparison with the use of ordinary telephone the videophone equipment, programme,
ISDN instalments and monthly payments are rather expensive meaning that they augment the
total cost. The use of three ISDN connections cause six times higher telephone call charges
than the ordinary phone calls.
The project (1998-2000) is coming to an end by the end of this year. The FAD has drafted new
plans in securing the continuity of services created by the pilots. The FAD aims to involve
municipalities and other partners to take part in developing this modern service structures.
According to the Disability Act Deaf people in Finland have a right to obtain Sign Language
interpreting services. Municipalities also grant a text telephone to their Deaf residents at their
request. The Finnish Association of the Deaf is now sketching out a model in which Sign
Language users have the possibility to use videophone with the same expenses, and as easily as
hearing persons using ordinary telephones, i.e. there are video-phone equipment available in
several places and households. One of our most important challenges is to spread information
on this model as normal way of action in society (Society for all).
The FAD will publish a project report after the conclusion of the project. The report will
comprise information on the results of the both pilots. With regard to Social Network-pilot a
comparison will be drawn between client's starting point and the final situation at the end of
project. In this way we hope to receive information on whether the threat to be marginalized is
diminished after having contacts with other Sign Language users and after obtaining services
by the videophone. In addition, the questions related to network protocols and the
compatibility of the different hardware will be dealt in the final report.
The FAD multimedia project is funded by the Finnish Slot Machine Association (RAY), which
is a government controlled organisation running small scale gambling and casino activities. The
outcome of the RAY is shared by a government approval to support the organisations in the
field of social
welfare and health issues.
The videophone is a device transmitting moving pictures and sound to another similar device.
In its basic form the videophone is a microcomputer (PC) equipped with a video card, ISDN
cards, and a camera for processing the moving picture; and a sound card, a microphone and
loudspeakers. A videophone programme and a digital phone line linked to an ISDN network
terminal are also needed. The videophone experiments are carried out with PC´s equipped with
three ISDN lines. The system transmits information 384kb/s while a basic Internet connection
transmits 28,8-56,6 kb/s depending on the modem used.
90
Progresses in sound recognition
by
Krause Michael (D)
Abstract
Nearly all telecommunication appliances make some kind of acoustical "beep-beep" at the
beginning of the interaction. The very simplest example is a video-telephone, which is
wonderfull suited for sign-language telecommunication, but has no equipment to inform a deaf
about an incoming call. Traditional solutions for that problem are stationary alert-systems with
flash lamps or vibrating cushions and they need a lot of cabels, adaptors and connectors. The
latter often are a source of trouble.
The better solution would be to have portable devices which also flash or vibrate, but don't
need neither cables nor connectors. This will be possible through intelligent sound recognition.
The progress in electronics is now at a point, that in the near future really helpfull and
comfortable
solutions
will
be
available
for
the
deafs.
I present an overview which kind of technology will come up within the very next years.
Progresses in sound recognition
As everybody knows, there is a general trend, in which the new telecommunication and
information systems offer visual channels, which are suited for the deaf and hearing-impaired
people. A certain problem appears, that nearly all telecommunication devices make some kind
of acoustical "beep-beep" signals at the beginning of the interaction.
Sign language communication through a video telephone is wonderfull. Unfortunately the
video telephone has no equipment to inform a deaf about incoming call.
Young deaf people extensivly use SMS through handy cell-phones and the handy usually
notifies an incoming SMS by vibration. That is good. Unfortunately from time to time the
handy must be placed into charging station and then the vibration cannot be felt.
More and more interesting and well-payed workplaces can be found in the offices where e-mail
becomes as important as the telephone. The deaf stand a good chance for this. The problem
again is how to notify of an incoming mail. An e-mail from the outer world can be signalled on
your handy, but most of the e-mails in a company are internal. Provisional solutions have been
made by modifying the PC. But big companies like banks f.i. have good reasons not to allow
anybody to modify their computers.
Due to automatisation, workgroups become smaller and at least one deaf must do his work
alone, f.i. supervising a really big printing machine during the night. It is then necessary that he
recognizes acoustically signalled error states of the machine, as well as the general fire-alarm
signal.
Also for those hearing-impaired people, who can use a telephone, the problem of signalling
increases. The telephones become smaller, the buzzers become smaller and the smaller a buzzer
is, the higher is its acoustical frequency. Probably 90 % of the hearing-impaired have hearing
losses at high frequencies. So they cannot hear the buzzer.
So far the problem or the "bad news", now what happens or the "good news".
91
Nearly 25 years ago I -the author- started to work on the field "technical aids for the deaf"
through a dream of a hand-held speech recognition device which translates acoustical speech
to text or even to sign language on a small screen.
This dream-device would be a job-killing machine for our sign-language translators, but they
must no be afraid now. Computer speech recognition is a very complicated matter. Big
companies like IBM or Philips have been working on it for 30 years and their results are not
very satisfying yet. But there is some progress. Every year the speech recognition programs
become better.
The interesting fact is, that recognition of sounds like fire-alarm signal or the beeps from a
computer is much easier than the recognition of speech. This is because of the much easier
structure of the alert-signals in comparison to speech. The structure of an acoustical signal can
be seen in its so-called fourier-spectrum (Fourier was a famous french mathematician).
The fourier spectrum looks like
a picture of a mountainous
landscape and the picture of the
"beep-beep" signal has a quite
clear and easy structure,
whereas the picture of the
speech sentence "I love you" is
quite complicated.
It is easy to imagine that a
nowadays
computer
can
recognize the picture with the
easy structure.
Early in 1993, Dr. Damper and his student Mike Evans at the Southampton University, UK constructed a
sound recognition device for a blind-deafperson.
It worked, but it did not went to production, because
it was to expensive. In 1996 Stefan Oberle at the
Technical University of Zuerich (Swiss) programmed
a computer, which was able to learn by himself and to
understand nearly all kinds of alert-signals. But this
was made also on an very expensive computer which
required so much power, that it was not possible to
use it with batteries.
This year 2000, the electronic industry brought to the market some new DSPs (digital signal
processor, the heart of a computer), which have all what we need. They are small, fast, cheap
and consume very little power. One of these DSPs was intended to be used in a digital hearing
aid, but it is so powerfull, that it can understand sounds instead of simply amplifying them.
How devices will look like ?
The first commercial device, which uses intelligent sound recognition, was brought to the
market in 1999 by the swedish company Bellman & Symfon. They offer a door-bell signaller
with a microphone. No cable to the door-bell is necessary. The device doesn´t react on music
or speech, just on door-bells. But there are limitations. The device is not portable, the range of
92
sensitivity is perhaps one meter; the device doesn´t show
differences between f.i. the door-bell and a telephone-bell.
in 1999 two german students, Körner and Weber, showed
a prototype of a device called Alarm-Vibrator. In the next
year it will be produced by their company Reha Akustik.
The portable device looks like a pager. It can be worn on
or in your clothes. When it listens the interesting sounds it
vibrates and some LED lamps flash. The device has a
range of sensivity up to 30 meters and is very resistant for
noise, music or speech.
The limitation of the device is, that the manufacturer must
program it individually to the sounds of interest. This
costs some working days of engineers and makes the
device considerably expensive. But this is just a
beginning.
There will come a lot of variations, but in principle in
about 3 years I expect devices of the follwing kind:
•
•
•
•
•
Lamp switched by intelligent microphone
Pager-sized Vibrator
Listening and vibrating wrist worn watch !!!
Speaker which transforms high-frequency alert-signals into a better hearable lowfrequency range
Hearing aids, which transform high-frequency alert-signals into a better hearable
low-frequency range.
These devices will be offered in two quality levels. The low-cost devices will be
preprogrammed to "average" bells. So they will not work on exotic bells but on the other side
they can react on telephone ringing in a televison soap-opera etc.
But in normal conditions they will do what they are supposed to.
The high-cost devices will have the feature to learn the sounds, which the user wants to get
signalled. This will make the devices very reliable. The limitation of such a device is, that only
a hearing person can teach the device. Let´s name the device Alarm-Vibrator, although it will
not be that described above. In practice the procedure of learning/teaching will be:
H.
D.
H.
A.
D.
H.
D.
H.
A.
(the hearing person) takes the Alarm-Vibrator and holds it near to the bell.
(the deaf person) goes to the house door and presses the door-bell button.
When he hears the doorbell presses a button "Learn strong signal" on the AlarmVibrator.
(the Alarm-Vibrator) shows a message "Loud signal learing done" on its LCD display.
stops pressing the door-bell.
Goes to the living room (or similar) where the loudness of the bell is smaller.
again rings the door-bell.
Hears the doorbell and presses a "Learn weak signal" button on the Alarm-Vibrator.
shows a message "Weak signal learing done" in its LCD display.
93
So, as we can see, the procedure is not so easy, but anyhow easier than installing cables on or
inside the walls.
As the general result of this development we can expect, that with the help of such recognizers
deaf people will can use really all telecommunication devices or services, which have a visible
output. So f.i. e-mail, mobile fax, SMS will be usable around the clock.
Author:
Dr. Michael Krause
Heinrich-von-Kleist-Str. 15, 48161 Münster, Germany
Tel.: +(49) 2533-281013 Fax: +(49) 2533-281033
e-mail [email protected]
94
PROJECT
CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A WORKING TELEMATIC
SPACE FOR SPANISH, EUROPEAN AND LATIN AMERICAN DEAF
PEOPLE ASSOCIATIONS
by
Laullón Txema
DEAF NETWORK
Madrid, june, 2000
95
1. ENTITY THAT PRESENTS THE PROJECT.
The Spanish National Confederation of the Deaf, from now on CNSE, is Deaf People most
representative organisation in Spain and agglutinates 10 Territorial Federations and 94 Provincial and/or Local Associations which means the whole Deaf People associative movement of
the state.
The CNSE was established in 1936 and, since then, it has been representing and advocating for
Deaf People and their total integration in Spanish society. It’s registered in the Associations
National Register with registry number F.8 and it was declared of public interest by the Council of Ministers the 25th of April of 1984.
The CNSE objectives are detailed in annex 1.
2. DEAF PEOPLE ASSOCIATIVE MOVEMENT.
Deaf people associative movement in Spain is structured around the CNSE, organism which
agglutinates all the Federations and Associations that exist in Spain.
At present, 11 Territorial Federations (Catalonia, Euskalherría, Andalusia, Galician Country, the
Valencian Community, Castilla – León, Castilla – La Mancha, Community of Madrid, Community of
Murcia, Asturias and the Canary Islands) and 96 provincial and/or local Associations integrate the
CNSE.
Also, the CNSE is member of the European Union of Deaf People (EUD) and of the World
Federation of Deaf People (WFD).
As about the total number of Deaf People in our country, it amounts to 930.125, according to the
statistics of the INE. You can see the distribution according to the different self governing regions in
annex 2.
96
3. COMMUNICATIONS BARRIERS, SIGN LANGUAGE AND DEAF COMMUNITY.
In a society where most people are hearing, we, Deaf people, must face not only the problems
related to our lack or serious reduction of hearing, but also those others imposed by society in the
way of communication barriers, meaning by that: “the obstacles and impediments which hinder or
limit the free access to communication of those people who have their capacity to liase with the
environment through the audition and the oral language, temporary or permanently undermined.”
We’d have to add to this, the difficulty to access to the written information due to reading and
writing understanding problems faced by an important number of Deaf People because of a
inadequate training that systematically ignores Deaf People’s natural language as the language of
education.
Therefore, the communication barriers faced by Deaf People originated mainly from the extreme
difficulty these people have to liase with their environment through the oral language. Nevertheless,
this doesn’t mean that they are unable of liasing and accessing to the information and the communication, for Deaf People can resort to their own natural language: Sign Language.
We could define Deaf Community as a cultural and linguistic minority with its own language: Sign
Language1, and, therefore, with its own culture which is, nevertheless, “immersed” in a hearing
community sharing with it a second language (Spanish, Galician, Catalonian, Euskera) and culture
(hearing) but in part alienated by the communication barriers. On the other hand, it’s a community
scattered all over Spain.
4. THE DEAF COMMUNITY AND THE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT).
The ICT have brought about a real world wide “revolution” at all levels, that is affecting all the
sectors of the population one way or the other.
Even though these technologies have been mainly considered as an “advance” or a “progress” for the
whole of society, reality is still far from this utopian vision. So, while a good part of society has
benefited from these technologies implementation and development, it has already been stated the
risk of accentuating certain “exclusions” that the same technologies are supposed to suppress. The
gulf between “inforich” and “infopoor”, between people who benefit from an instant and massive
access to the information and communication and the ones excluded from these benefits not only
involve the so called first and third worlds but it is also a phenomenon that occurs within more
advanced societies as ours.
In this context, neither Deaf People, historically excluded from the access to the information and
communication in a society mainly hearing, nor that society itself can afford to introduce a new
marginalization, over all with regard to the development of these technologies that are or can be
perfectly accessible to all people whether they can hear or not. The ICT themselves bear the promise
of a “universal communication”.
1
Sing Language is a visual language which uses corporal sings (hands, facial and body expression)
and which doesn’t have written translation.
97
The ICT can mean a historic opportunity for the Deaf Community, as they could bring about a big
step in the removal of the communication barriers which prevent our full and satisfactory integration
in society provide we make the best use of them and integrate them in our every day work. All this,
without renouncing to our own language and culture. At the same time, we must emphasize that, at
present, there are a strong associative trend in the Deaf community which has the CNSE as its core
and which means a guaranty to face successfully the challenges that the NTI involve.
In short, the Deaf people associative trend has a series of features that make it ideal to develop a
telematic working space (internal net, external net) as the one the present project intends to
undertake, since:
ü
It is a community with its own characteristics and differences stemming from total or
partial absence of the hearing sense which involve, apart from the existence of a language of its
own (Sign Language), a deep historic marginalization regarding the access to information.
ü
There are an important and strongly developed associative fabric in the regional level as
well as in the European level and with a long tradition and experience working together as well
as with an infrastructure to undertake the creation of the web: computer equipment, RDSI lines,
access to Internet, etc.
ü
The new information technologies stemming from the development of internet and the
videoconferences (a key element of the direct communication between Deaf People in its own
language), the wap technology mean a crucial opportunity for this community regarding its
personal and social development.
5. THE DEAF NETWORK.
The creation of a DEAF NETWORK, meaning for that a CO-OPERATIVE WORK NET BUT,
ALSO A HORIZONTAL INTERCOMMUNICATION CHANNEL FOR DEAF PEOPLE, THEIR
ORGANISATIONS AS WELL AS OTHER COLECTIVES AND INSTITUTIONS THROUGH
THE POSSIBILITIES PROVIDED BY ICT MATERIALISED IN AN INTERNAL/EXTERNAL
NET, is the global objective of the present project.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
We can distribute the strategic objectives of the Deaf Network in three levels:
a) On one hand, providing the Deaf Community with a tool that allow them to unite their
associative movement, securing at the same time its autonomy and independence through the
self-management of the net and the co-operative work stemming from it.
b) On the other hand, equipping the Deaf Community with the suitable tools which allow them to
access the information (in the sense of accessing to the existing information and publishing their
own information) and make possible and horizontal interaction with the rest of society.
98
c) And Finally, endowing Deaf People with the suitable tools that allow them to overcome the
communication barriers that prevent them to fully integrate in society as free and responsible
individuals through the access to he information and communication made possible by the ICT.
5.2. THE PROJECT GENERAL CONTENTS
The creation and maintenance of a Deaf Network involve two fields.
Physical: setting in motion of a computers network through Internet and with one or several servers
which allow the creation of virtual work spaces shared by all Deaf People organisations.
Logical: Filling the net with contents through the creation of work, discussion, shared recourses
spaces, etc. as well as endowing Deaf People with the adequate training for the use and management
of such space and promoting at the same time the adapted development of new information and
communication technologies through:
a) The design, creation and maintenance of a INTRANET which agglutinates the Deaf
People organisations in a work space (telematic) of their own, based in one or several physical servers and managed through tools adapted to Deaf People specificity.
b) The implementation of a EXTRANET which connect the Deaf organisations with
individuals or organism which collaborate or interact closely with the Deaf community in different strategic areas (Deaf people relatives, educators, Universities
and Training Centres, public and private entities, etc.)
c) The training of Deaf People, the ultimate target of the project, through appropriate
training courses adapted to their specific needs.
d) The establishment of the strategic and adequate alliances to promote the development of technologies that allow mobile phones integration in the web through the
wap technology.
5.3. TERRITORIAL FIELD
Its difficult to speak about the territory issue when we deal with a work telematic net since the cooperative work in such a net allows you to leave the territorial dimension of the users aside.
Nevertheless, it’s obvious that, in a first phase, the Deaf People organisations of the Spanish state
constitute the base of the Deaf Net, to be spread later at a European and Latino American level,
without excluding a total spreading on a world-wide scale where all the organisations that integrate
the WDF will be included.
5.4. ULTIMATE BENEFICIARIES
Obviously, the direct beneficiaries of the project are, in first place the Deaf People integrated in the
different Deaf People organisations of the state and, in second place all the Deaf People2 of the
country, in an interaction which is difficult to specify. It is obvious that when promoting Deaf
People associative movement through the introduction of the possibilities provided by the ICT in the
2
In annex 2, we include a table with the geographical distribution of Deaf People in Spain according
to INE statistics.
99
every day work, we are promoting the struggle for Deaf People involvement in our society that such
associative movement carry out.
Finally, and insofar as the ICT mean, as we have said, an effective tool to overcome the communication barriers, the ultimate beneficiary of the project is the whole Spanish society as the full participation of a group or community in mainstream society means a global benefit for we all.
6. TOOLS AND SERVICES THAT INTEGRATE THE DEAF NETWORK.
We intend to implement the Deaf Network through a basis completely designed with WEB
technology, promoting this way and easy and iconic access to the different services provided. Such
services will be accessible and completely operative through web navigators without discarding the
possibility of accessing to them through other types of client-server programs to access the different
services.
The tools that will integrate the Deaf Web are the usual to any web:
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
ü
WWW surfing
E – mail
News, conferences and debate groups.
IRC (chat) based on text and/or videoconference.
FTP
Access to the web through mobile phones
As for the services provided trough such tools, it’s obvious that we can’t enumerate them nor
making an comprehensive description now, insofar as the Deaf Web will be build according to the
needs of the ultimate users own needs that will determine the services implemented through the web.
Nevertheless, in a first moment and according to the Deaf People organisations structure, activity
fields and needs, the services implemented in the first phase are:
Intranet.
ü general debates areas, open to the users with access to the intranet and debate areas restricted to certain groups such as the Board members, managers, technicians, etc.
ü projects area
ü planing and economic development area
ü documents area (BDs in line)
ü Sign Language area
ü Teletraining and education area
ü ILS area
ü Families area
ü Voluntary workers area
ü Institutions area
ü Internal diffusion area, where internal information and bulletins and communiqués will be
spread
ü Internal agenda
ü Telework area
100
Extranet: generally speaking, the extranet will be based in the same areas than intranet, since we
intend that people and institution alien to the Deaf People associative movement but in close contact
with it, can access to a number of services that allow interaction at all levels although, obviously, the
information delivered through the extranet will be adapted to the its characteristics and aims. In the
extranet external services offered by the CNSE can be also included.
7. THE PROJECT PHASES
It has been planned to implement the present project in three complementary phases to secure the
adaptation to the foreseen targets.
When writing this document, the implementation of the first phase of the project has already been
started and it will finished in June of 2000.
7.1. FIRST PHASE: A PILOT WEB IMPLEMENTATION
In the first phase, a pilot web will be implemented with the objective in mind of assessing the
different possibilities that the creation of a co-operative work net through telematic tools allows, as
well as guarantying that the solution adopted regarding the design of the net meet the needs of the
Deaf Community.
After finishing the implementation of this phase, it will be necessary to carry out an assessment of the
intranet design and implementation process as well as of the training carried out in order to be able
to make the necessary adjustments in the development of the project as a whole.
In this first phase or pilot project, the actions carried out are the following:
ü Selection of six organisations (Federations and Associations integrated in the CNSE) including the CNSE itself to implement the pilot net with them.
ü Carrying out of an audit of the equipment and infrastructures existing in such organisations.
ü Carrying out of an previous analysis of the selected organisations staff’s knowledge and
skills regarding the use of the web.
ü Acquisition of equipment and hiring of the necessary services to implement the pilot net.
ü Training of a minimum number of staff for the managing of the web.
ü Setting up of the equipment (servers) in the different organisations and connection of the
local nets to which such equipment will provide services.
ü Creation of a basic groupwork tool for the management and work on the pilot net.
ü Interconnection of the servers
ü Commencement of the work in the net
ü Assessment
ü Readjustment of the project and searching of funding for the its continuity.
This first phase is supposed to end in June of 2000.
101
7.2. SECOND PHASE: extension of the INTRANET TO ALL CNSE DEAF PEOPLE
ORGANISATIONS
Once the pilot intranet has been implemented and set in motion (this will have been connected the
CNSE with a number of Federations and Associations (6) within a shared telematic space of work)
and after assessing such intranet, in this second phase the rest of Deaf People organisations that
integrate the CNSE will join the intranet. The concrete schedule for the integration of this
organisations to the intranet will be carry out according to the assessment of the pilot project, the
funding obtained and each organisation specificity.
7.3 THIRD PHASE: EXTENSION OF THE INTRANET TO THE EUROPEAN AND
LATINO AMERICAN AREA.
Finally, the strategic objectives presented in this document will be reached with the implementation
of the third phase of the project which involves basically the extension of the net to at an European
as well as Latino American level in order to create an space of our own that includes as many Deaf
People all over the world as possible.
8. SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE TRAINING CONTENTS OF THE PROJECT.
The implementation of a net with the characteristics mentioned involves several deep changes
regarding the organisations management level as well their staff’s ways of working.
In this case, to the generic difficulties brought about by any change, we have to add those related to
the community the action is aimed at.
As we have already mentioned, one of the project strategic objectives is getting that Deaf People
themselves manage the net, which involves endowing all the implementation phases of the project
with strong formative contents.
In this sense, it’s specially important that the formative methodology to implement is perfectly
adapted to Deaf People, which means relying in materials in Sign Language in video or multimedia
format, Sign Language Interpreters, teachers with at least basic knowledge of Deaf Community,
adapted school rooms, etc.
102
9. CONCLUSION:
The present project springs from Deaf People need to access to the information and communication
as the majority of society does.
At the same time, it’s about not lagging behind about accessing from the very beginning to the so
called “information society” through the implementation within the Deaf Community of the
information and communication technologies guarantying this way the removal of the communication barriers and reducing in a big measure the historical marginalization faced by Deaf People.
The consecution of the foreseen objectives will make possible, at the same time, the creation of an
added value to the Deaf People associative movement and will bring about the possibility of
accessing to new forms of work (telework) and training (teletraining), insofar as Deaf People suffer
from a educational deficit caused by the lack or serious decrease of hearing and the didactical
methodology used the last decades. The possibility of offering Deaf People teletraining increases
notably the chance of success since it can be adapted more efficiently and cheaply to their characteristics.
In short, to the undoubtedly improvements that for any community the implementation of the
information and communication technologies means, we have to add, in this case, the multiplying
effect that such advantages will mean for a community such as that of Deaf People.
103
ANNEX 1.
According with the statutes, reformed and approved by the General Meeting of March, the 6th,
1984, the CNSE targets are:
ü
Co-ordinating the Territorial Federations and Deaf People Associations and Deaf People in
general, collaborating with them in their aims on the national and international level, and, to this
end, the above Federations and Associations will have to inform the CNSE of all their projects.
ü
Advocating for the interests and concerns of Deaf people submitting to the public
Authorities as many requests studies and suggestions as appropriate or those being requested for
the above Authorities.
ü
Advocating for the abolition of any laws, precepts and regulations which discriminate Deaf
People as well as fighting for the appropriate rules to be passed in order to avoid that inequality
situations regarding the law that Deaf people face because of their impairment.
ü
Looking after the Spanish Deaf People full education and training
ü
Safeguarding the Territorial Federations, Deaf People Associations and Deaf People in
general, advising them and providing them any information that could be of interest to fulfil their
aims
ü
Promoting, trough the Territorial Federations, the establishment of Deaf people associations in cities and town where, in view of the population and its needs, it may be advisable to
create them.
ü
Representing on a national level the Territorial Federations and Associations which
integrate the CNSE to meet the objectives envisaged by them.
ü
Improving the prestige and the social and professional image as well as the cultural training
of Deaf people through organisation of Congresses, Meetings symposiums and Conferences, as
well as through different kind of publications (newspapers, magazines, dissemination leaflets,
video films, and all means authorised by the legislation currently in force; and the carrying out of
surveys, statistics and the rest of activities leading to that end. Also, it may create as many
working or studies committees as necessary to improve the living conditions of Deaf people.
ü
Informing the public opinion through any available and appropriate means of the needs and
aims of Spanish Deaf People and their Federations and Associations.
ü
Keeping in contact with national and international organisms, whether they are connected
or not with Deaf People in order to interchange experiences and obtain information leading to the
advocacy of Spanish Deaf people concerns.
ü
Promoting the access of Deaf people to the public or private employment as well as the
creation of training and working centres by public or private entities, encouraging the setting up
of co-operatives and employment workshops for Deaf People.
104
ü
Promoting the research regarding social, labour, medical and Spanish Sign Language
(LSE) training issues by individuals and private institutions of all kinds creating, whenever it’s
possible, studies and research grants.
ü
Demanding, in every possible way that the CNSE be represented in the state organisms and
committees caring for Deaf people as well as the Territorial Federations and Associations in the
regional or provincial organisms and committees.
ü
Promoting the access of Spanish Deaf people to high education.
ü
Keeping regular contacts with parliamentary groups of both cambers in order to inform
them on time of Deaf people specific needs, aims and problems so they can introduce them in the
different laws devised.
ü
Advocating for the introduction of Sign Language Interpreters services before the Central
Administration or Self Governing Regions relevant organisms.
ü
ü
Collaborating with Deaf-blind and hard of hearing people organisations.
The CNSE will assume any other functions or duties the general assembly will consider
necessary to fulfil the objectives set.
105
ANNEX 2.
65 AND OLDER
TOTAL
175
285
260
156
252
233
243
AGED
BETWEEN 6
AND 64 YEARS
66,546
14,449
15,218
6,440
13,533
4,121
17,414
79,300
21,799
17,033
7,960
15,477
8,095
32,935
146,021
36,533
32,511
14,556
29,262
12,313
50,592
721
261
----501
-----194
--97
3,378
80,945
50,666
20,156
28,299
75,762
8,395
5,920
26,248
2,927
4,121
462,757
63,860
44,389
12,303
21,641
66,719
6, 882
4,813
23,263
1,940
8,095
463,990
145,526
95,316
32,459
49,840
142,982
15,277
10,733
49,840
4,867
12,313
930,125
SELF-GOVERNING
REGION
AGED TILL 6
YEARS
ANDALUSIA
ARAGÓN
ASTURIAS
BALEARES
CANARIAS
CASTILLA-LEÓN
CASTILLA-LA
MANCHA
CATALONIA
VALENCIA
EXTREMURA
GALICIA
MADRID
MURCIA
NAVARRA
VASK COUNTRY
LA RIOJA
CANTABRIA
TOTAL
106
Envilogg AB
by
Nielsen Thor (SE)
(Text-support for presentation, cf.: http://www.uniklu.ac.at/groups/spw/gs/eu_projekte/2000/)
Introduction:
(Short presentation of myself, what I have been working with during the past 4 years, and the
purpose of my presentation).
In Sweden, we see it as a priority to offer a relay service that can function as a bridge between
written Swedish and spoken Swedish – to accommodate the needs of deaf persons, the hardof-hearing and speech-impaired persons. If a customer of the relay service does not have access to a textphone at a given moment, then he/she should be able to reach/be reached by the
relay service.
The importance of real-time communication has to be taken into consideration as relay services
are implemented – it is a measure that ensures equal rights and equal access to opportunities.
Relay services should include all forms of text communication, such as fax, GSM/SMS, e-mail
and “chat”. That is because deaf and hard-of-hearing persons do not have access to voice telephones.
Relay Services in Sweden:
Relay services have been available in Sweden since 1982. Deaf and hard-of-hearing users profit
largely from the service, which has one of the highest number of incoming and outgoing calls in
the world.
TELIA TEXTTELEFON
The service is financed by the National Post and Telecom Agency
(numbers to dial)
(how it works) A connection is established between a text caller and a hearing person via an
agent (operator) who relays the calls.
(this is how it works) The A caller uses the PSTN to call B. The call is connected to a switch
centrally placed in Stockholm. The agents are located in two call centers, one in Gävle and one
in Stockholm.
(WEB relay) A new service is being discussed in Sweden: WEB access to the relay service.
The technology is already available. A deaf user can connect to the relay service, e.g. from an
Internet Café in Spain. The relay service connects the to the person desired, e.g. the deaf person’s parents. The call is then relayed by the agent.
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(Availability) The service is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
(What is the charge) The person who makes the call only pays for the connection to the person he is calling to. The National Post and Telephone Agency picks up the costs between A,
the agent, and B, and the agent’s working time.
(Secrecy) It is very important for all callers to know that their calls are kept confidential. Deaf
and hard-of-hearing users have been satisfied with the service, and the operators understand
the basic needs for confidentiality.
(Queue time) It is important to offer a high-quality services. The textcaller is always informed
what is going on IF an operator does not answer to his call.
At the same time, it is important to have an effective and fast service, both for the serviceprovider and for the textcaller. The caller can always write his errand and the telephone he
wants to call – while he waits. The information will be forwarded to the agent.
VCO and HCO: equal access to hearing-impaired who speak and speech-impaired who hear.
Voice is transmitted whenever possible, and the text is transmitted via the agent.
Personal services in addition to the basic relay services: all services available to hearing persons
are also available to deaf and hard-of-hearing persons.
Additional Features
- Automated services and unified messaging system: no operator is necessary. This increases privacy and efficiency in the service.
- Text callers can forward their messages to GSM/SMS, e-mail and fax, without the aid
of an agent.
Mail boxes
- Textcallers can use their textphones to send and receive e-mail.
- This increases the flexibility and access to hearing persons who have e-mails at home or
at their job, university, etc.
Agent CTI
- For the agent, the computer is integrated with the telephone functions. The service is
easy-to-use, and calls are handled efficiently.
- For the service provider, this is important so that the costs for running the service are
lower. The relay service can also be combined with other call center services.
- In Sweden, the relay service is provided with the directory assistance service. This is an
advantage because:
• More agents are available to take incoming calls > reduced queuing time.
• The agents time is used more effectively: if they are not assisting calls from the
relay service, they are working with different calls.
• The agents like to vary the services they are providing: text calls are more timeconsuming and can be difficult to handle during an entire working day.
• Again, the service is appreciated by the users, who feel satisfied with the
agent’s attention and availability.
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Facts and Figures:
A comparison with a few relay services around Europe.
Future of the relay service
1. Video relay:
• In Sweden, video relay is already available. A modernisation of the system is
being discussed, as more people gain access to videophones.
• IP telephony (for both text and video) is an important issue being discussed.
2. Mobile telephony
• Mobile videophones are supposed to be available as a 3G of mobile phones is
introduced.
• Developments in this area are being discussed at an European basis.
If you would like to receive updated information about our system and the development of
new modalities of communication, leave your visit card or give me your address, and I will be
happy to add your name to our mailing list.
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ACCESS TO SIGNING ON DIGITAL TELEVISION
Using Deaf translators on screen
by
Tessa Padden, Senior Translator/Trainer (UK)
SignPost, Tyne Tees TV Ltd, Newcastle-upon Tyne, England.
Hello everybody .. I am Deaf and I’m really happy to be here, I was asked at short notice to
replace someone else, so I haven’t had as much time as I’d like to prepare. The title of my
presentation today will be about access to television, Digital television, using Deaf translators
on Screen.
I’m from England and my job is two fold, I work as a Deaf translator and later I’d like to show
you a brief show reel. Do your remember Frances Elton, she lives in the South of England and
I live in the North, perhaps you will know where I’m from? Newcastle!. You’ll know it
perhaps from Football, I’m sure the men will know it but maybe the women won't. We have a
strong relationship with Football. Anyway that’s where I come from, its really cold up north!!
The name of my company is SIGNPOST, it’s a service using Deaf sign language, so we call it
SIGNPOST.
This is a very new service, let me give you some background history. About 5/6 years ago
Deaf people in England campaigned to the Government for access to TV in the same way as
hearing people. Subtitles are fine in England but Deaf people reading these subtitles said that it
wasn’t enough access, so we campaigned saying that we wanted someone on the screen
‘signing’. Back in 1995 the Government passed legislation a policy which stated that there
must be access to Sign language on television, that’s been delayed slightly. The ITC said that
the government must have, on Digital access to Sign language, and so we do the translating on
various programmes for all the ITV. ITV2, Channel 4, FilmFour, C5, UK Gold, UK Play, UK
Style, UK Horizon – all the hearing channels. Deaf people can't access those properly, OK, we
do have access to subtitles, but some deaf don’t want to use subtitles.
Up in Newcastle a company called Tyne Tees Television who used to make Deaf programmes
before, perhaps you have heard of them? ‘Sign On’, do you remember Rachell Bastikar and
Clark Denmark? Anyway another programme was ‘Listening Eye’, again using Deaf people
as translators, so now with the opportunity given to us by the Government, we can approach
the television companies, i.e. BBC ITV Channel 4/5 and we can say to them, give us some of
your programmes, like the weather or news programmes or perhaps some drama, films etc. and
using our Deaf translators we can actually provide that service. They think this is a great idea,
to relieve them of the burden of doing it, so that’s how it began. The Government policy says
that for 2000-2001 - 1% of all programmes must have sign language provision,. At the
moment we’re doing around 15 – 16 hours a week. Next year that will increase to 2% and so
on until 2008, where that percentage will have reached 5%, so it is improving.
I started work back in May. It was very hectic with sorting out the policy getting new people
involved. I have two responsibilities, firstly I work as a translator and secondly as a trainer.
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You remember Frances Elton who was here earlier talking about the hologram? Well she may
be involved in some of our linguistic training. I have one Deaf colleague working with me who
also translates. Everyday we are working extremely hard translating.
We have twelve other people (Deaf) from all over England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and
Wales. They come from a variety of different backgrounds, ethnicity and age groups. We try
to match the programme with the appropriate person. For example if its young and funky then
we’ll match it with a young translator.
They come, as I’ve said, from all over the country. This doesn’t mean that they use the same
signs, I think there is a deviation of 15% of signs This is quite normal and is exactly the same
as the ways in which hearing voices differ. So the translators retain their own regional signs.
You’ll perhaps know Bristol University? They have conducted research involving 200 Deaf
people, In this research, the question “If you had a choice, which would you prefer, a Deaf
interpreter/translator or a hearing interpreter/translator?” was asked. I’ve had 198 responses.
The vast majority said their preferences would be a Deaf person. I’ve also asked people here
in Klagenfurt which would be their preference and the response has been, that people prefer a
Deaf person doing the translating.
Another part of my responsibility involves monitoring BSL production. I am involved in the
training, encouraging people to use appropriate signs and non manual features. We take clips
of our translated programmes and send them off to other people, perhaps Frances Elton, she
views the clips and gives us feed back on the positive and negative aspect of each clip.
Another person to do this for us is Clark Denmark from Bristol University. We also have
someone from Scotland, Wales and someone from the DBC. (Deaf Broadcasting Council) and
lastly one person from Preston University. Altogether this is a group of six people, who
receive our clips and provide us with their feedback. This is also helpful in a political way; we
receive, from our broadcasting companies (ITV, 1, 2 etc.) the programmes for translating,
however some of these programmes contain elements that hearing people relate to as part of
their culture, for example music or singing. When I see on the script, things which do relate to
hearing culture I can't refuse to sign it, I have to wait until our group of six ‘Consultants’
provide me with their feedback which will comment on the Culture issues. This then enables
me to go back to the broadcasters and say we don’t feel these particular parts are relevant to
the Culture of the Deaf audience/community.
An example of this is that sometimes the broadcasters expect us to fingerspell everything!
Sometimes Deaf people say to me, “you don’t have to fingerspell everything, its not necessary”
I tell them that I have to respect what I am told at work but then the consultants, perhaps
Frances or Clark will provide feedback from a clip explaining that fingerspelling is not
culturally appropriate. This empowers me to return to the broadcasters. In this way the six
‘Consultants’ are working to support us and with this support we can produce and provide a
quality service.
Now I’d like to show you a brief video clip!
The presenters on the show reel were all Deaf.
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Do you know the UEFA cup? Well last week GMTV gave us permission to translate that.
Deaf people are really keen to have it. We have one person who is absolutely football crazy,
he signs the pre match ‘talks’, followed by the actual game commentary and then finally the
post match discussion. (like who wins ,, Austria loses!! England wins!!) This is very new, with
the first programme only last week. I think he is probably in studio now translating in order to
broadcast tomorrow. This will now continue until the end of the competition in Feb and will
be shown on digital television in Britain.
Talking about the 1% increase (rising to 2% next year) this means that having two Deaf
translators (my colleague and myself) will no longer be enough, so recently we have been given
the go ahead to recruit seven more Deaf ‘trainees’. They will be given some appropriate
training, like linguistic and vocabulary knowledge. With these seven our team will consist of
nine Deaf members. Hopefully this will continue to expand until 2008 when we could have
perhaps forty Deaf people on screen translating.
This is obviously a very new service and we hope to improve and develop it, so we’ve
approached the Government with the suggestion that they give us some literature, for example;
Hospital brochures, these are often translated into a variety of different languages, French,
German etc. Taking this further the Government could also give us information relating to the
courts or police services and then we can translate this information on to video format to
enable Deaf people to access it, in their first language. Another possible development would
be perhaps accessing the Internet and having a web site.
This brochure (displays) is an old copy, I did request new ones to bring with me however they
were not printed in time. We would also like to access the European market, using European
translators interpreting into their own language. If you are interested please let me know give
me your address and I will send out to you a new brochure and perhaps a video clip. Then you
can put your own thoughts into the future!
One small problem I’ve thought of, which links into what Franz Dotter was saying yesterday
and that is related to how the Deaf always have to pay out for everything, like video subtitles
and now we are paying for Digital television. Never mind!
Thank you for listening to my presentation
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Klagenfurt – Question and Answer
1. Does the Government law relate to every broadcaster?
A. Good question. It relates to 1% of all channels excluding Cable. Possibly SKY!!
However Terrestrial television must have 1%. I forgot to mention that in the future we would
like to create our own Deaf channel.
2. Can hearing people switch it off?
A. This is an important issue. With subtitles we have the 888 system, unfortunately with the
signing it is fixed in place, which is why our programmes are broadcast late at night. The
Internet also have a Deaf forum, I am sure you can access it from here! The feedback from that
is, that initially people don’t like to see the translator on screen as they feel it is spoiling their
viewing, then they become used to it and indeed feel that the Deaf translator is better at signing
some of the songs than the actual hearing person singing, as they are able to incorporate more
facial expression and the body language is beautiful. I do appreciate what you mean though,
Deaf people are very eager to criticise and rarely give praise, which is why our 6 Deaf
Consultants are so vital in their support of us. With respect hearing interpreters can't interpret
with the same empathy as Deaf translators can. In the future with advancing technology
perhaps it will be possible to develop a 777 system to enable the viewer to have a choice.
3. The ‘Signing’ is great but what about ‘Live’ television, like football?
A. If it’s ‘live’, then yes we would have to use a hearing interpreter. For a news flash it may
be possible to use a Deaf person with a high level of knowledge, who would be able to follow
the autocue, but for long, in-depth programmes, then hearing interpreters would need to be
used. So far we have not been asked to translate anything ‘live’. I do think however that a
Deaf translator would be first choice and then again with respect a hearing interpreter as
second choice.
Tessa Padden December 2000 [email protected]
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Subtitling
by
Paulet John (B)
The determined struggle of the deaf community for an official acknowledgement of sign language over the last twenty years is now at last beginning to produce some results in this area in
the more backward countries.
This positive evolution has meant that audiovisual aids - or at least the visual component of
them – could provide valuable help in supplying information for deaf people who had so long
been deprived of it.
In my country, the French speaking part of Belgium, a television magazine programme for
hearing-impaired persons started five years ago. This program called "Tu vois ce que je veux
dire" – "Do you see what I mean ?" - has been produced by a small team of unpaid deaf and
hearing contributors and broadcast on the two channels of the RTBF (French Belgian Radio an
TV).
Today the RTBF takes care of the whole postproduction. The team that did the whole production for the first three years still looks after the shooting and choice of the topics. This choice
is made by deaf people themselves or with their approval.
Both deaf and hearing members of the team keenly wish the programme to remain under deaf
persons' control to prevent it being exclusively produced by a team of hearing persons.
The risk of this happening remains high because of the shortage of the funding.
In any case, this magazine heralded the introduction of sign language into our television programmes together with an evening news bulletin on one of the two channels.
Altogether, these two programmes represent very little and we should be given the means for
increasing the frequency of the magazine and, even better, developing the subtitling of a
greater number of programmes.
All deaf, hard-of-hearing and persons who know French have the right to understand all our
television programmes.
When we compare the amount of subtitling in our French speaking countries with the Englishspeaking ones, we realize the deep gap that remains to be filled.
In fact, the USA have 100 % of their television programmes subtitled via teletext and England
80 %. Quebec, the French speaking country with the highest rate of subtitling, a little more
than 80%.
We are very far from reaching such high scores but already now it seems obvious that in the
process of developing this service, we need to define the precise norms that every European
Union country has to commit itself to applying if we are to offer a better comprehensibility of
programs for all European viewers.
On 30th June last, a meeting in Brussels brought together a number of partners to define subtitling norms both in quantity and quality, that are right for hearing impaired persons.
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After this meeting it was felt to be important to pay a visit to Quebec in order to understand
better all the different problems that crop up when aiming at an optimal level of good subtitles
in Europe.
Moreover, a Belgo-Italian delegation also went to Quebec to present the European project
VOICE (voice recognition by computer), plus a specific project of suitable subtitling for deaf
and hard-of-hearing persons.
It seems essential to me to understand fully the importance of this project of a making a wide
and thorough study of the needs, together with a serious inventory of the existing subtitling
through teletext we have in the European Union.
It is important also to emphasize that whilst good, appropriate subtitling is essential for hearing-impaired persons, it is also important for a wide hearing audience.
In this context, let me cite the current development of literacy programmes for people who can
neither read nor write, and the growing number of immigrants wanting to learn the local language.
The extent of this potential and varied audience will most certainly lead us to rethink the need
for appropriate subtitles with different levels of reading ability. The inventory must also take
into account local norms. Some countries such as French-speaking Belgium, France, Germany
or Italy tend to dub imported films whilst Flemish-speaking Belgium uses subtitling exclusively.
In some Brussels' cinema complexes, some cinemas show a film in a dubbed version whilst
another one shows the same film with subtitles in two different languages. The same differences show up on television programs – though not with subtitles in two languages. Flemish
television subtitles 55 % of its programmes, whilst the French-speaking one does only 5 %. In
Quebec the situation is quite different for a French-speaking country with more than 80 % of
TV programmes being subtitled although the cinemas show only dubbed films. We will have to
try and harmonize these different situations but never forget that our ultimate goal remains
100 % subtitling of television programmes… if we really want to put television within the
reach of many people who can't use it otherwise. We will also have to standardize the codes
for the different colours and their meanings, the position of the various subtitles, the fonts,
etc…
We shall also have to consider the actions to take in each one of our countries and with the
European Institutions. I think this meeting is very important because it can become the basis of
a noticeable evolution in the way we treat people and especially the less favoured ones. Depending on the results, an appreciable amount of our otherwise excluded audience will feel
their needs are being acknowledged. This seems to be a good enough reason to have a serious
go at it.
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Accessing information in sign language using hand modeling on PC-platform
by
Pup Zoltan (HU)
1. Overview
In the EU countries thousands of deaf people live. They use primarily sign language to communicate, which is not an usual and wide-spread thing in everyday life at all. Hearing people cannot realize, how difficult it is to arrange the simplest task, which requires a cooperation of someone, who
do not know the sign language (offices, buying etc.)
The EU countries would like to handle sign language of the deaf as a minority language, but
they have to fulfil some conditions, to which no device is available. To surmount this difficulty
they employ sign interpreters, but it cannot solve the problem in every case. There are too few
sign interpreters, and their salary is very high. A serious problem of the deaf is that in some
cases the availability of essential information is not guaranteed.
There would be an economical way to manage some simpler and usual tasks: machines can be
utilized, which can be accomplished – considering the relatively low PC prices – using a special
software developed for PC platforms. Our project is intended to deal with this problem.
2. Modelling and implementation
The main purpose of our research is to develop a program displaying signs. Our long-range
plan is to implement a sign interpreter program, which would translate text to sign. The primary task was to construct a module describing hand motion and distortion. To carry out this
plan we had to set up a well-considered mathematical model (of course it can provide only a
raw description), and we aligned it to the behavior of human hand in empirical way. After a lot
of purifying we can declare that we constructed a good working model, and it was also proved
by the displaying layer, which uses DirectX and Direct3D resources of Windows operating
systems. Due to the efficient displaying the program provides appropriate speed on commercial
machines. The next step was to develop a module that supports sign editing in an easy way.
One of the main points of view was to enable a general way of composition making it possible
to reuse signs when editing other countries’ signs.
3. State of the project and future plans
In this phase of development we are banking up our sign database. Further task is to make the
series of movements lifelike, and to lead one movement to another.
One of our long-range plans in to design a sign-text translator, which would be able to seek
hand motion in a camera’s picture and interpret it. Of course we need plenty of time and work,
and also material needs must be provided.
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4. Summary
Here are some possible areas, where our program can be utilized:
- Because it runs also on commercial machines, it can be used at home too:
- browsing the Internet
- explaining words
- teaching CD-s
- subtitling videos
- informational terminals
- some areas, where a previously given text is available
During our development it was one of our difficulties that we had no guidebook about the
rules of sign language, this problem was partially surmounted by the help of the Hungarian
SINOSZ institute, we would like to thank to Ms. Szabó Mária Helga, who helped us a lot.
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THE FINNISH SIGN LANGUAGE VIRTUAL SCHOOL
PROJECT 1999-2002
by
Rytkönen Pirkko (FI)
The Finnish Association of the Deaf
email:[email protected]
SUMMARY
Object of the project. The object of the national three-year project is to create a well
functioning Open Learning Environment in Sign Language in Finland, where the Deaf of all
ages can study in Sign Language.
Implementation. The Virtual School Project is a development project that will be realized
through teaching experiments: the pedagogic model for net education in Sign Language will be
based on the acquired experiences and results.
Along with the experiments, digital study material in Sign Language will be produced for the
Sign Language virtual school. A part of the teaching experiments consists of interactive net
courses set in open learning environment, where one can study either in the classroom or
through distance learning. The net courses include on location or distance tutoring and
instruction via e-mail or picture phone. When studying in class the class teacher may serve as
on location tutor. A part of the teaching experiments consists of real time teaching periods,
realized via picture phone or videoconference system in the Internet.
The information retrieval of the Deaf and various services in Sign Language that can be
offered and used via information network are closely connected to the net education. Their
linking into the Sign Language virtual school learning environment will also be studied during
the development phase of the project.
Collaborators. Besides The Finnish Association of the Deaf the project also involves six
comprehensive schools for the hearing impaired and two educational institutions for Deaf
adults. Other collaborators may join in during the teaching experiments or study material
projects. After the experimental phase the Sign Language virtual school is available for all
interested schools for the hearing impaired in Finland, as well as for the non-registered
distance-learning students of various ages.
Expenses. The expenses for the Sign Language Virtual School Project consist of, for example,
the extended pedagogic and technical development, the pedagogic and technical support for
the teaching experiments, the construction of the net connections for the participating schools
and institutions, the learning environment programs and server solutions, the equipment and
programs needed by the schools and institutions (computers, cameras etc.), the production of
the digital study materials, the computer skills training for the students, and further education
for the teachers in information technology and network pedagogy. The estimated expenses for
the year 2000 or the first year of operation for the Sign Language Virtual School Project
amounts to about FIM 3,1 million (USD 480.000).
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Background for the project
The idea for the Sign Language Virtual School Project was started in connection with the
Multimedia Project (1998-2000) of The Finnish Association of the Deaf. The acquired
experiences of, for example, using picture phones in Sign Language interaction via telephone
has been utilized in designing and implementing the net education for the Deaf.
In Finland the information network has been used for years in education as well as the network
pedagogy connected to it. However, there is no available experience or research on education
in Sign Language in the information network.
Besides The Finnish Association of the Deaf, six comprehensive schools for the hearing
impaired and two institutions for the adults joined in developing the Sign Language virtual
school. Half of the comprehensive schools are state boarding schools and the other half
municipal schools. The first project proposal was presented to the Board of Education and to
the Ministry of Education about a year and a half ago. One of the obstacles for receiving the
financing was the fact that last year in Finland only the municipal schools were eligible for the
information society funds. After long negotiations the Board of Education appointed to the
project a small grant for the planning through a participating municipal school. The money was
used for the extended plan for the project. The project plan was finished in April 2000. The
Ministry of Education appropriated money for the technical development, with which the
technical plans for the project were realized in the beginning of this year.
The pedagogic objects for the project
The Virtual School Project aims to develop the quality of the education and the education
opportunities for the Deaf on a large scale. The object of the project is to create a Sign
Language using open learning environment functioning in the information network, using the
new information technology, with visuality, Sign Language, picture and text as its elements.
The Virtual School Project aims to study how the net education suits the teaching of the Deaf,
what the Sign Language is about and what does it require from the net education and studies,
and what kind of technical solutions a Sign Language network learning environment requires in
order to function properly.
One area of the development for the Virtual School Project is creating a pedagogic model for
Sign Language net education. The model would function as a more extensive frame of
reference for network pedagogy in Sign Language. Developing the pedagogic model is based
on the teaching experiments in Sign Language starting in the year 2000 both as net courses and
as real time distance learning periods via picture phone utilizing the Internet.
The Sign Language net education requires a lot of digital study material, which at the moment
is not produced adequately or in a coordinated manner. The makers of study material in Sign
Language are scattered around Finland, and only through combining the scattered resources as
well as possible and cooperating among the educational facilities can the vast need for the
study material for the virtual school be realized. Producing study materials is closely connected
to the development of network pedagogic solutions suited for the Deaf, making it vital to
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produce digital study material in Sign Language and to develop it as an integral part of the
Virtual School Project and its pedagogic experiments.
The pedagogic objects of the Sign Language virtual school can be summed up as follows:
•Development of network pedagogy in Sign Language. The Sign Language Virtual School
Project studies how the net education suits teaching the Deaf and what the Sign Language is
about and what does it require from the net education of the Deaf.
•Development of study material. The Virtual School Project produces material suitable for
Sign Language net education: Sign Language video clips, CD-ROMs and www-pages
including Sign Language, moving images and text. The study material production is closely
connected to the development of network pedagogy in Sign Language.
•Improving the facilities for studies and the information society. The Sign Language virtual
school attempts to improve the facilities for studies and the information society for the Deaf of
all ages. Self-direction, media literacy, information retrieval and critical analysis of information
are essential in studying in the Sign Language virtual school.
•Integrated Sign Language using students utilizing study interpreter services. The project also
studies the need for education in Sign Language for the Deaf children and youth who study in
normal comprehensive schools using study interpreter services. The Sign Language virtual
school can also provide teaching in Sign Language in the theoretical subjects needed.
• Teachers’ facilities. The information technology skills and network pedagogy skills, the
ability to utilize technology in teaching and the motivation for net education are among the
most important factors in the success of the Virtual School Project. That is why the
improvement of the teachers’ facilities is one of the crucial pedagogic objects of the Sign
Language Virtual School Project.
The objects and technical solutions for the project
The technical planning of the Sign Language Virtual School Project takes a stand on the
program selection for the virtual school learning environment, the recording and distribution of
Sign Language video clips connected to the study material production as well as to the virtual
school network solution.
Selecting the learning environment
There exists a rather large number of programs suitable for the virtual school type learning
environments, but in Finland the experience of their use in net education and studies has been
rather limited and mainly concerned with teaching the adults only.
The project has been more closely involved with two learning environment programs. These
programs are:
•Lotus Learning Space (LS)
•Future Learning Environment (FLE), a Finnish learning environment developed by the
University of Art and Design
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The technical studies of the Sign Language virtual school recommend primarily the use of
Lotus Learning Space Anytime program as the learning environment basis for the Sign
Language virtual school. This is based, for example, on the fact that using LS in net education
has been done in Finland for many years. Also, there is a new version of Learning Space
program coming out with built-in videoconference possibilities. Furthermore, the Anytime
program enables studying in real time as well as studying regardless of time and space, etc.
Recording and distributing the study material
When choosing the solution for recording the Sign Language video clips produced and used as
the study material for the virtual school servers one has to take a stand, for example, on the
following issues: video viewing technology, linking the clips as part of the study program,
recording program of the video clip archives and distributing the video clips among the
educational facilities. From the work stations viewing the video clips recorded on the servers
can be realized in two ways:
•Streaming video
•First copying the video clip file on the workstations.
The streaming video technology is generally used when transporting multimedia information in
the Internet. Since the virtual school functions and the uses of video clips will only be formed
once the teaching is becoming established, there is no reliable estimate of the viewing intensity
of the video clips available, as of yet. However, it seems apparent that structuring streaming
video type solutions based on a centralized server could become a limiting factor. Placing the
server on the distance connection end is a realistic option, where the video clips can be viewed
in each school from only one or two computers at a time. If they were being viewed side by
side from the computers of an entire computer class, the distance connection capacity could
prove to be a problem.
Thus, it is recommended in the technical plan that the common videotaped study material be
reproduced for each school to be viewed locally. The material produced for any particular
school should be sensibly placed in another area of the server, not to be reproduced for the
others. The teachers can then view these videos / distribute them to each other for further
development, when making the study material, for example, planning a net course and
preparing it.
Network solution for the virtual school
The virtual school network can be constructed most economically using the Internet for
connecting the educational facilities. The development of Internet standards and routers has
enabled prioritizing the traffic also in the IP networks such as the Internet. However, this
means that all participating schools use the same Internet service supplier.
Structuring the virtual school network starts from the so-called replicated model. (The
common information is reproduced into the server of each school). Fast Ethernet networks and
Lotus Learning Space servers are placed in each school, and the networks are linked to each
other via Internet with 2 Mbit/s speed.
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With this solution both the videoconference connections and the video clip distribution can be
dealt with among the schools. Also connecting the schools outside of the virtual school as well
as the individual distance learning students to the virtual school services should primarily be
done via Internet, since the prices for fast connection solutions are likely to fall drastically
within the next few years.
The Virtual School Project sent an invitation to tender for six Internet service suppliers for a
broadband network solution that meets the quality guarantee. The quality guarantee means that
the service is able to guarantee adequate bands for Sign Language communications in the net
in order to make sure that the Sign Language can be understood. Two Finnish services were
able to give the quality guarantee.
Sign Language Virtual School Project in the year 2000/2001
A joint application for further funding of the virtual school has been presented to the Board of
Education. The decision will be received in the end of May. This year various teaching
experiments will be started both as net courses and as real time teaching experiments.
The first teaching experiment that has started is English through the net, which is meant for
the Deaf Practical Nurse students. The course includes both on location and distance learning.
A study book and a CD-ROM produced with European Union funds are used as study
material, in addition to the net material, which is being constructed. The distance learning is
supported by tutoring via e-mail and/or telephone interpretation. The first phase of the
experiment will end in the end of May 2000, after which the results will be evaluated and there
will be a continuing plan for increasing the net material and dividing it into various levels
according to difficulty.
Besides the English course, also the following teaching experiments will be realized next year:
•Sign Language as mother tongue – a weekly real time series of study periods for classes 3-6
of comprehensive schools (with 3 participating comprehensive schools)
•Information management license for the Deaf as a net course (directed to adult and
comprehensive school upper level students)
•A net course in written Finnish language for the Deaf children and youth is planned to start as
a joint project involving several schools
This autumn 2000, a vast three years experiment called Virtuopo –project will be started,
establishing in the network a study and career-counseling center for the Sign Language
users, for the educational institutions where they study and for the career-counselors in
employment offices.
The teaching experiments and their results will be discussed in the homepages of the Sign
Language virtual school. They can be found in www.kl-deaf.fi/virtual/. The pages will be
translated into both Swedish and English later this year.
122
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Pirkko Rytkonen
email: [email protected]
or tel. +358-40-54 07 446 mobile phone
or tel. +358-9-58 03 423
123
Technical help for communication with deaf people - statistical evaluation
and new projects
by
Sogl Alexander (AU)
1. Introduction
The number of people having grown deaf varies from 8000 to 9000 in Austria, that of those
with their hearing impaired is about 450.000. Among them there are
43 % men
57 % women
One in one thausand is born deaf or going to grow deaf. The deaf are, in terms of history, often
considered to be unable to talk; they are deaf, but not dumb. They have developed a language
of their own, i.e. the language of gestures.
The deaf have ever made themselves clear by using this sign-language. Having been
misinterpreted as inadequate substitute for any spoken languages, the sign-language has turned
out to be a language of its own, showing elements of structure and grammar of its own which
are required by linguistics. But on the other hand it is not a univeral language, there are a lot of
sign-languages, even different local dialects deeply rooted in their respective civilisation.
Those using sign-languages are talking on different levels which depend on the topics and the
person they are talking to (to children or persons with a higher education).
A child who learns the sign-language as its mother tongue is using the similar strategies like a
child who learns the normal-language. So it’s not important – in case of learning this language
– if the gestures themselves do have contents or not. Being associated with something definite
is a further disatvantaged which is peculiar about it. At best one half or one third of the
gestures are like pictures, so abstract conceptions can be expressed as easily as practical ones.
Restrictions in terms of words dealing with the sign-languages can be traced back to lack of
social and cultural areas of development which can be overcome if a deaf person can get access
to new fields of life and knowledge.
Limitations of the sign-language are always socially dependent and they are not at all caused by
the language itself.
Developing a proper knowledge of talking may lead to new level of self-esteem on the side of a
deaf person who can make use of this in a world highly dominated by people who can hear.
In countries accepting the sign-language (e.g. the USA or Scandinavian countries) the people
there don’t consider the learning of the sign-language as something extraordinary. (In the USA
the language of gestures ist ranked fourth on a list of foreign languages.) Deaf people consider
themselves a minority. So it would be quite natural if people who can hear accepted this fact
and tried to develop ways of communicating and building up relationships. Besides, learning
the language of gestures makes fun: This is small wonder because the sign-language as a kind
of visual form of communication is a perfect combination of mind and body offering anyone
the possibility to learn more about his ways of expressing himself and to make more out of
them.
124
A deaf person is basically limited to two ways of making himself understood: Using the signlanguage or the standard language. In addition to that reading the lips is also used. A lot of
deaf people depend on an interpreter’s help who helps passively as well as actively. In Austria
there are about 20 qualified interpreters in the field of the sign-language, who are managed by
local authorities.
The fast development of computerisation has made it possible to feed a computer with the
language of gestures by means of sensors which can transform the gestures digitally. A proper
software could translate the gestures having been transformed into phonetic language. In the
same way the phonetic language could be transformed into the language of gestures and be
shown on a screen. Such a kind of software translating phonetic language automatically into
that of gestures of vice versa hasn’t been developed so far. This is the starting point of my
study.
How big is the demand for automatic translation programs? Would such a system be a serious
alternative to those systems being in use right now? And what about those being concerned?
Would such a system rather appeal to those deaf people who are young or to the older ones?
In which field would a deaf person accept such a system to be installed and where not?
To find an answer to all these questions the methods being used have still to be discussed.
After quite a long consideration I have come to the conclusion that making a proper interview
may be the most efficient way of how to carry out my study.
2. Specimens of the draft and getting them into operation
Translating the language of gestures automatically into phonetic language and vice versa
applies only to a deaf person being familar with a language of gestures or finding himself in
trouble with making himself understood differently. That’s why the term „being absolutely
deaf“ has to be defined. What are the indicators for measuring being deaf? After a series of
interviews with interpreters in the field of sign-language as well as with the managers of
schools for sign-language the indicators for calling someone deaf are as follows: the person
being concerned can understand less than 10 % of that a person without a defect of hearing can
understand.
The indicators mentioned above can’t be applied to those hard of hearing or those who can’t
hear properly because of their age. That’s why those people are no creterion for my study.
How can the data being necessary be collected? After a careful consideration a kind of
interrogative form has turned out to be the most proper way of asking people. (A kind of study
offering those being asked to judge the system may be more efficient. Unfortunately this
method can’t be used because this system can be initiated only then when those being
concerned are interested in it.)
3. System of selection
As mentioned above the number of people being deaf is about 9000 in Austria. They can be
found at any place.
125
Finding a random sample based on the total number of those being concerned impossible to be
carried out I have decided on relying on a snowball system. The place I started with was the
local association for deaf people in Vienna. There I got any information about all the other
associations, schools and homes for deaf people in Austria.
Starting with these addresses I got into contact with some of them, but was not successful in
the way I had expected.
To make a good start I asked all those being concerned to join the study. As you can imagine it
was hard work to convince them to work with me. Finally 40% of them were willing to fill in
the form. I wanted at least 200 people to respond to my questions; luckily I achieved my goal.
4. Results
I analysed 149 forms. 81 men (i.e. 54,4 % of those having been asked) and 68 women (i.e.
45,6 % of those having been asked) joined the analysis. All age groups (from 6 to 80) were
represented – most of all those between 16 and 20, all in all 30,9 % of those being asked
(comes up to 46 people) due to the fact that a lot of vocational schools took part in. The
youngest and the oldest age groups were least represented (2 % each, i.e. 3 of those asked per
age group).
Any level of education or qualification was represented, except university graduates. By far
most dominating were graduates from 9-year Elementary Schools or those with a vocational
training.
Persons with impaired hearing aren’t necessarily children of parents with impaired hearing.
Most of their parents, brothers and sisters as well can hear. Diagram 1 shows you clearly that
this fact goes with people born deaf as well as with those who aren’t. It’s rather surprising that
the parents of deaf people hardly show signs of any kind of suffering from a defect of hearing.
Being asked about the hearing of their partner nearly half of those being concerned
characterised their partner as entirely, little or partly impaired. It may be of great interest that
above all people born deaf do have partners with impaired hearing, completely or partly.
Among those who grew deaf at the age of 6 no one had a partner who was absolutely deaf.
The trend being married to someone being deaf declines steadily with the age deafness showed
off first.
Let’s look at the diagrams 2 to 7 which show the skills of deaf people (in LBG and ÖGS)
actively as well as passively. They were presented a list of questions about their knowledge of
the sign-language, the answers ranging from „very good“ to „not at all“. Believing that the
answers may differ widely I decided to add definite answers to the explanations given before.
The sign-languages of deaf people are independent, visual languages that have been developed
over the centuries and can be differed like other phonetic languages, into national languages
and local dialects. For example in the USA, in France, in Sweden, in China and of course in
Austria (ÖGS). In Austria it is the Austrian Sign Language with regional dialects spoken in
Vorarlberg, in the Tirol and in other areas. Like any other sign-language the Austrian kind of
sign-language uses mimic and, above all, hand signals called gestures.
And these gestures have got a clear structure in themselves; they depend on the form of the
hand, its position and the way the hand is moved, and they are carried out strictly following
126
certain rules. The Austrian Sign Language has got a wide range of gestures (dictionary) and a
precise grammar. So it can achieve quite the same any other phonetic language can.
This is also applicable to using abstract terms that depend mainly on information given by
language. And it is this kind of information which can’t be given to deaf people by means of
phonetic language. On the other hand the visual sign language provides them with a solid basis
for all procedures related to any language. This is especially true for learning the language of
children, for social communication, for someone’s emotional and mental development
including kinds of a learning process, a thinking process and a memorial process.
There is a difference between the Austrian Sign Language and the so called sign-language
combined with phonetic language. The latter can’t be called a language of gestures, only an
artificial way of visualising the sing-language. In this case every spoken word is accompanied
by a gesture with the same meaning. The above mentioned sign-language is using the gestures
of the Austria Sign Language, but without taking into account its grammar. That’s why
gestures taken from the Austrian Sign Language can be used for a lot of expressions. But there
are words (e.g. articles) new gestures have to be invented for because there are no proper
expressions in sign languages. Even for suffixes and a lot of other morphemes gestures being
invented have to be used. So it may sound clear that translating a sentence being presented the
phonetic language is quite a lot more complicated than it would be in case of using the
Austrian Sign Language. The reason is that the individual units of the Sign language combined
with phonetic language are produced one after the other in terms of time whereas sign
languages themselves are using the possibilities of being shown off visually and three
dimensionally, thus creating a lot of elements. On the contrary the sign language combined
with the phonetic language is based on the power of the phonetic language. So the signlanguage combined with the gesture language is mostly used by people who can’t handle
properly the various inflectiones of the sign-language, but it is a great help for deaf people and
those being hard of hearing because it makes it easier for them to decode the small elements of
the spoken language. Additionally the sign-language combined with phonetic language is also
used for educational purposes e.g. in order to learn the written language at school.
Summing up we can say that the Austrian Sign Language is a powerful language of its own,
not only appreciated by the deaf and their fellow associations, but also being very important for
the feeling of belonging together of all people with impaired hearing.
The typical language of communication between those who can’t hear and those who can isn’t
the language of gestures, but a so called mixture of gestures and sounds including a lot of
possibilities depending on the situation and the talent for languages of the interlocutor. The
sign-language and the association of deaf people depend strongly on each other, the roots
going back to the schools for the deaf where children born deaf may start their being integrated
into the civilisation of the deaf.
Being asked how to talk to their relatives who can hear 87,2 % chose the phonetic language as
their answer. Only 9,4 % admitted to talking in terms of using the phonetic language. Being
asked further how they make themselves understood with those who can hear most of them
(66,4 % or 99 persons) frankly answered that they used lip-reading as a means of
communication.
Being asked if born deaf 49 % answered with yes. 34,2 % of those left, grew deaf with in the
first five years of age.
Then they were asked if they could handle the sign-language actively and passively. About 52
% of them said yes. Only seven persons, that is 4,7 % couldn’t handle the sign-language at all.
127
17,4 % of those being asked declared to be able to speak the phonetic language very well. 6,7
% declared not to be able to talk the language at all. 16,8 % confessed to be able to understand
the spoken phonetic language very well diagram 8. The main point of this question was the
proper understanding of the spoken phonetic language. But 70,5 % of those being asked
claimed that it depended on the speaker himself if they could understand the above mentioned
language easily or not.
Talking too fast and not properly enough were considered to be the most frequent reasons by
26,2 % diagram 9.
36,2 % said that they didn’t care about the fact who was working as interpreter for them, 49 %
of them considered their experiences with their interpreters as possible (this was the
formulation of the question). 19,5 % described their experiences to be very good, only 9,4 %
to be negative, or very negative, respectively. 38,9 to 50,3 % confessed to having never asked
an interpreter for help. Most probably an interpreter can be seen working at the court or for
the police. Referring to that 23,5 % said that they actually had had the help of an interpreter.
Shall TV programmes be interpreted? Those being concerned said yes, that is 76,5 % of them. Their
comments on what programmes should primarily be interpreted differed significantly; 75,8 %
didn’t answer this additional question, diagram 10 and diagram 11. 137 of those being asked (i.e.
91,9 %) said yes to using subtitles for TV programmes. 109 of them (i.e. 73,2 %) responded positively to the question if the phonetic language should necessarily be translated into sign-language
and vice versa. 25 of them (i.e. 16,8 %) said no to this question, 15 left it unanswered. 84 % of the
men prefered a simultaneous translation, 78 % of the women.
Focusing on the age groups it turns out that people between 16 and 20 (85 % in favour)
between 31 and 40 (88,2 % in favour), between 41 and 50 (90,9 % in favour) and between 51
and 60 (90,9 % in favour) find such a translation necessary diagram 12. The youngest of them
turned down this simultaneous translation strongly. Only half of them favoured this issue.
Answering with yes or no does not depend on the level of education of those being concerned.
No matter what kind of education they got, 80 % of them were in favour of such a translation
diagram 13.
77,3 % of those born deaf favoured such a simultaneous translation. But 83,9 % of those having
grown deaf later favoured these translations in a greater number.
How to use a computer as an interpreter was the next question being asked.
8,7 % said they would never use it at the court diagrams 14, 15, nor use it as an interpreter for
private or religious matters. In these cases the computer is regarded to be something
impersonal, even leading to a kind of misunderstanding.
On the oder hand 37,8 % would like to use the computer as a translator at the doctor's; with
no third person being involved as a kind of explanation. 55,6 % of the women and 53 % of the
men decided on that. Being available and not being forced to repeat the questions were stated
to be further motives.
14,3 % of the women (i.e. 14 of them) being asked about situations a computer shouldn’t be
used in, referred to the church, which was not mentioned at all by the men.
16,7 % of the men being asked stated religious reasons for their rejecting a simultaneous
translation. On the contrary only 4,2 % of the women claimed religious reasons for their
denying the simultaneous translation.
128
Diagram 16 shows the percentage of deaf people using means of help for communicating with
relatives and friends who can hear.
5. Projects being planned
- difficulty: „Not to invent a wheel again“
- only possible by cooperating with other teams
- a lot of the staff members are spread all over Europe
- to keep up communication => a grand style of organisation is necessary
1) SIMON (FH Hagenberg, Fischerfilm)
Prerecorded animated gestures can only be chosen from a list with therms,
especially developed in Animations-Player (Simon) and then be watched
interactively.
The 3D-model equipped with an intuitive surface can easily be handled so
that you can watch the user explaining his gestures. The user can decide
on the speed of the play back infinitely variably and concentrate on the
animated gestures and any time required. Thus learning gestures is being
made very easy.
2) televirtual (ITC, University of East Anglia)
A TV programme showing subtitles makes it possible for the interpreter to
create automatically the gesture combined with the linguistic language on
TV. No subtitles being available the interpreter equipped with a sensor
and touch-gloves in the studio can transmit the gestures (into Austrian
Gesture Language) thus enabling the virtual figure to reproduce it exactly.
3) “PES“ (Siemens AG Österreich, EU)
This is a kind of software being used for searching in the Internet; i.e. the
user writes any kind of question and on the screen you can see the links to
the proper pages in the Internet, dealing with this topic and the questions
referring to it.
4) “easy-text“ (Siemens AG Österreich)
This is a kind of software being primarily used in schools.
By „clicking“ difficult words should be explained in detail to deaf people.
In addition to that it should be made possible to combine the proper word
with the animated gestures by means of a virtual being. The data can be
modified or extended by the teacher himself.
129
number of deaf people, depending on their parent’s hearing
120
100
80
60
born deaf
having grown deaf later
40
20
0
entirely
deaf
extremely
impaired
partly
impaired
slightly
impaired
can hear
diagram 1
born deaf/ not deaf – handling of language of gestures combined with phonetic languages
actively
40
35
30
25
20
15
having grown deaf later
10
born deaf
diagram 2
130
not at all
bad
intermediate
very good
0
good
5
born deaf/ not deaf – handling of the language of gestures combined with
phonetic languages passively
40
35
30
25
20
15
having grown deaf later
10
born deaf
not at all
bad
intermediate
good
0
very good
5
diagram 3
born deaf/ not deaf – handling of Austrian sign languages actively
80
70
60
50
having grown deaf later
40
born deaf
30
20
10
0
very good
good
intermediate
diagram 4
131
bad
not at all
born deaf/ not deaf – handling of Austrian sign languages passively
80
70
60
50
having grown deaf later
40
born daeaf
30
20
10
0
very good
good
intermediate
bad
not at all
diagram 5
born deaf/ not deaf – handling of phonetic language spoken actively
45
40
35
30
25
20
having grown deaf later
15
born deaf
10
5
diagram 6
132
not at all
bad
intermediate
good
very good
0
born deaf/ not deaf – handling of phonetic language written passively
40
35
30
25
having grown deaf later
20
born deaf
15
10
5
0
very good
good
intermediate
bad
not at all
diagram 7
how well can spoken phonetic language be understood
18%
5%
17%
very good
good
intermediate
24%
bad
not at all
36%
diagram 8
most frequent features effecting negatively the understanding of the spoken phonetical language.
133
134
diagram 9
no proper distance
a voice too low
showing one's backside
a voice to high
over fourty
bad teeth
too slow
strangers
small opening
nervous
thin lips
dialect
beard
bad opening
quick and inarticulare
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
R1
interpreting what kind of TV programmes
60%
56%
50%
40%
30%
20%
12,4%
9%
6,8%
1,9%
1,2%
films
series
discussions
shows
sport
documentaries
news
0%
2,5%
2%
others
10%
cultural events
9,5%
diagram 10
Seit Geburt geh
subtitles what kind of TV programmes
34%
35,00%
30,00%
22,5%
25,00%
20,00%
15,00%
12,7%
10,00%
11,3%
7,4%
6,4%
4,9%
5,00%
diagram 11
135
other
films
series
discussions
shows
sport
documentaries
news
0,00%
cultures events
0,4%
0%
age – simultaneous interpreter
100%
80%
60%
No
Yes
40%
20%
0%
6-10 11-15 16-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80
diagram 12
education – simultaneous interpreter
100,00%
80,00%
60,00%
40,00%
20,00%
No
diagram 13
136
others
special college
academies
vocational schools
apprentice ship
secondary grammar school
secondary modern school
0,00%
elementary school
Yes
Yes
No
0,00%
137
diagram 14
others
informations
dangerous
discussions
telephon
driving school
further education
pursuing your job
application
vocational training
school
doctor
authorities
courte
diagram
14
male / female - situations
that require
the help of an interpreter
12,00%
10,00%
8,00%
6,00%
female
4,00%
male
2,00%
0,00%
diagram 15
138
others
romantical
situations
church
private
driving school
further education
pursuring your
job
vocational training
school
doctor
authorities
courte
male / female - situations that require the help of an interpreter
14,00%
12,00%
10,00%
8,00%
6,00%
female
4,00%
male
2,00%
percentage of those born deaf and those not using means of
help for communicating
diagram 16 with their relatives and friends who
can hear
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
having grown deaf later
30%
born deaf
20%
diagram 16
139
to interprete
point
heari ng aid
mimic
writing
0%
to hang on
somebody's
lips
10%
Computer applications
for Deaf information & communication,
developed/under development at IvD/MTW
(RDS-department)
by
Verlinden Margriet (NL)
Since two years, a collaborative relation exists between Instituut voor Doven (IvD) and the
Mgr.Terwindtstichting (MTW). IvD/MTW is a national and international remedial teaching
and education centre for the diagnosis, education, training and support of children and adults
who are deaf, hearing-impaired, have a learning difficulty combined with a hearing impairment,
are deafblind, have severe speech/language difficulties or have a multiple disability combined
with behavioural difficulties.
At the department called "Research, Development & Support" in Sint-Michielsgestel (the
Netherlands) people working with the Deaf are educated and very diverse research is performed. The research is focussed on five areas, being:
• Speech and language development
• Social and communicative behaviour
• Development and revalidation of hearing and speech
• Multimedia applications
• Telecommunication applications
The research in these areas is organised in projects that take from several months to several
years. Currently over 20 projects are running at RDS. In one project, one or more people of
RDS are working, and possibly also people from a university, a company, or other deaf schools
or institutes, either in the Netherlands or other countries. Money for the projects comes from
IvD/MTW, Dutch external funding, and the European Union.
Recent projects in the two technological research areas are:
• EVIDENT
: bilingual teaching material
• GTBD
: computer assisted testing
• ViSiCAST
: text-to-Sign Language conversion
• Domitel
: Sign Language lessons & video telephony
• UmptiDumpti
: interpreting & mobile video telephony
• a pilot-project
: mobile communication with GSM
Multimedia
EVIDENT
In the EVIDENT-project, bilingual teaching material is being developed. Now that the policy
in many European schools for the Deaf changes from monolingual to bilingual, there is a strong
need for bilingual teaching material. With the software that we develop, both information in
Sign Language and information in text can be presented. The user sees text interspersed with
buttons. A button shows a Sign Language part. An important feature of the application is the
possibility to click on words in the text and get both a textual and a Sign Language explanation
of the word. Furthermore, if a sign is unknown, the user can look it up in the glossary by selecting the hand form and the body position of the sign. Finally, 8 types of questions (or exercises) can be used in this application. The questions are not necessarily textual. In this applica-
140
tion Sign Language is not used in the questions, but the questions might have a graphical form.
For example, an exercise could be to drag and drop cities in the correct location on a map.
Some technical details about this application: The Sign Language videos are recorded with a
small digital video camera and stored as MPEG-movies. All texts of the lessons, glossary and
questions are stored in an Access database. In the same database, references to the MPEGmovies and to any illustration file are stored. The user views the material with an Internet
browser.
This system can be used for many school subjects and many ages, therefore we are also developing a practical interface for schools or Deaf Centres to create and adapt their own material.
This is one example of a multimedia application that can be used to present information in a
more accessible way than written text alone.
GTBD
In this project a method is being developed for deaf people to test their capabilities and interests in order to assist in choosing a job or education that suits them. The regular tests are usually not very accurate because they are in written language, and often conducted by people
who do not know Sign Language. The use of multimedia has the effect of:
• motivating people
• better understanding of the questions because examples in the form of animation are included, and because the instructions and questions can be viewed in the preferred language:
Dutch, Sign Language of the Netherlands, or Sign-supported Dutch
Other tests could be produced in the same format. Not only diagnostic tests, but also for example questionnaires can be created. Nowadays, questionnaires (often by telephone) form a
quite important part of the communication between public and companies or government.
When these questionnaires are not in the modality and language that is accessible to a particular group, such as Sign Language for signing deaf people, the ideas and desires of this group
are far less heard than others.
ViSiCAST
In the ViSiCAST-project several applications are built with semi-automatic translation from
text to Sign Language. With the use of a computer, sentences in a written language will be
analysed and transposed to a sequence of signs. Then the signs are shown by way of a computer animation.
The possible applications of this technology are manifold. Television programs could be broadcast with a Sign Language translation and a user might be able to decide the way in which it is
presented. Since the Sign Language animation can also be switched off for other users, it is no
longer necessary to broadcast Sign Language-accompanied programs twice (once with SL and
once without SL) as happens now in the Netherlands.
Another application is for assistance in a real-life dialogue situation between deaf and hearing
people, for example at the counter in a post office. At this moment, a large set of sentences can
be signed by the animation figure. The sentences are not entirely fixed, they contain variables.
In a sentence with a price, all reasonable prices can be filled in, and the same holds for dates
and weekdays. The instructions in Sign Language can help deaf people with many actions that
take place in UK post offices, such as renewing one's driver's license, or collecting one's social
security allowance.
Finally, our institute is involved in the application of websites. First we create a website that
will present the weather forecast in Sign Language, every day. With a browser plugin, people
will be able to view this weather information in Sign Language on their own PC. Later, it
141
might become possible to add Sign Language information to other webpages, for example to
webpages of Deaf organisations.
A project like this can be a first step to automatic translation of any webpage or other text that
a particular person wants to see in Sign Language.
Telecommunication
IvD/MTW is also involved in several telecommunication projects. Recently, two projects about
video-telephony were finished: Domitel and UmptiDumpti.
Domitel
In the Domitel-project, Sign Language courses were given on distance via PC's with ISDN
connections. Although not more than two students could be taught at the same time in this
way, it turned out that remote teaching is quite well possible this way. Especially for remote
areas were small groups of Deaf might live rather isolated, as in Scotland or Australia, this can
be very useful since every hour that a Sign Language teacher is travelling, he or she can not
teach.
UmptiDumpti
In the UmptiDumpti-project, the possibilities of interpreting with mobile videophones have
been investigated. For example when a deaf person meets a non-signing hearing person that he
wants to communicate with, an interpreter could be called and the conversation could be interpreted immediately. The quality of the video connection is very important for Sign Language.
In the experiments conducted in this project, a bandwidth of 128Kbps was found to be enough
for transmitting understandable Sign Language. At this moment, mobile phones do not have
this bandwidth yet. But this will change with the introduction of UMTS, the new broadband
mobile network.
GSM for Deaf (pilot project)
Finally, last spring and summer, a pilot project was run at IvD/MTW. Five deaf people received a GSM and during a couple of months, their use of the GSM was registered. These
GSM's are mobile phones with mainly three extra communication possibilities: fax, SMS, and
email. The Nokia Communicator that was used has a full alphanumeric keyboard and a screen
of approximately 5x15cm. As it turned out, all participants used regularly, and with pleasure,
satisfaction and confidence, one or more of the communication functions. The participants
were no school teenagers (SMS recently became very popular at the schools of the Institute)
or extremely computer-minded. Even the regular phone-function was used from time to time.
When a deaf person was together with a signing hearing person, he might ask the hearing person to call someone for him and to interpret their conversation. The Communicator is then
opened and put on a "handsfree mode" (loudspeaker on). This way the hearing person can hear
the person on the line, sign to the deaf person, and speak to the person on the line, all without
touching the Communicator. The success of this pilot project might lead to another project that
investigates possible further improvements in the GSM or the service.
There are and have been several other project at the RDS-department of IvD/MTW, but describing all of them is impossible in the scope of this Introductory Report. My colleagues and I
are more than willing to give you more information about the projects, and we are very happy
with any kind of feedback on our projects as well.
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Communication between Deaf and Deaf and Hearing Persons
by
Visser Ruud (NL)
The SCAN foundation would like to thank the organisers of this workshop for their invitation.
This workshop ties in with the goal that our organisation strives towards, namely the further
development of communication opportunities for the deaf and hard of hearing on a European,
and possibly a world-wide level - such that every country will be able to make use of the same
system. After all, hearing people can telephone every country, which is something the deaf and
hard of hearing can’t. They can communicate through special services from telephone
companies, and also faxing and e-mailing worldwide. Direct communication, however, is still
not always possible. At present a number of countries already use a similar system: we know
that the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden do.
In the Netherlands communication aids are reimbursed by health insurers. This means that
every deaf or hard of hearing person has the right to communication assistance. The
disadvantage, however, is that up to now the health insurers determine what assistance will be
supplied, without consulting those affected. On a political level a study is now being carried
out into whether a “personal budget” is achievable. This would allow everyone a free choice of
how to spend a certain amount of money on the product which is most suitable. Service and
the price/quality relationship will become very important to every supplier. To a large extent
the service must focus on instructions. This is very labour-intensive and will therefore swallow
up a large part of the costs. The staff of SCAN supply and install appliances for our customers
and provide a minimum of two hours’ explanation in sign language and if required in fourhanded sign language for deaf/blind people or people with Usher syndrome.
Following this general introduction I now would like to speak about our own products. The
communication aid which we have already supplied to many customers over the past few years
is a computer-based textphone.
The NeW-TeL textphone!
The software for this textphone has been developed by the founder of SCAN, Ruud Visser,
deaf himself, as I mentioned before. Ruud is a specialist in developing communication
techniques. He applied the existing external modem to the requirements of the textphone. By
simple use of the computer this apparatus connects with current technological developments
and the progress of communication opportunities, by which deaf people can be reached from
their isolation. Our NeW-TeL computer textphone offers a broad choice of communication
opportunities such as: text telephoning, sending and receiving faxes, answering speech, sending
SMS messages to mobile phones, telebanking, e-mail and surfing the Internet, plus
straightforward computer use.
The use of a computer makes possible additional modifications for people with visual
handicaps. Colour alterations for people with certain kinds of colour blindness, extra large
fonts, and for the deaf and blind a Braille reading-line can be attached. In this way even people
with a double handicap can stay in communication with the world around them.
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And now to our second product, a new one.
Internet access opens up the world for information and communication.
Studies show that about 43% of the so-called “home users” want to connect to the Internet
without a computer and 39% wish to send and receive e-mail.
More detailed reasons for not owning a PC are:
Too expensive to justify for home, say 7%
Too difficult to use, 8%
Cannot afford right now, 29%
And finally 54% do not have a need.
And also PC users complain about the time spent in maintenance activities.
With all these facts in mind and knowing that relatives too must have an opportunity for lowbudget communication with their loved ones who are deaf and hard of hearing, we asked
ourselves the question: Why not use a more sophisticated telephone set since most people are
familiar with operating telephones?”
That’s why, in addition to the NeW-TeL computer-based textphone, SCAN has this year
developed a new textphone, the….Pronto!!! The Pronto supports all the communication
features mentioned. That means connection to the Internet and e-mail use. Yet it is not a
computer. (We all know that computers are sensitive equipment and that incorrect use can lead
to problems.)
In other words the Pronto is an excellent communication aid for the deaf and hard of hearing.
It is a multi-faceted practical and compact apparatus, just a little bigger than a normal phone. It
consists of a foldaway screen and an extending keyboard. It is an attractive device because of
its simple operation.
The Pronto has been developed in the Netherlands and is manufactured in the Far East.
This provides opportunities for closely controlled further developments, low-priced production
and attractive exports to other countries.
This could mean that together we can take the first steps in a development which will enable
the deaf and hard of hearing to communicate directly with each other in Europe, and even all
over the world.
The goal must be:
One communication system, simple to operate and accessible to everyone!
How can we bring this about?
Closer co-operation, so that existing ideas can be developed even further.
Combining energy and ideas can also lead to lower development costs.
Centralised purchasing means higher production, and thus lower costs.
Lower costs make the device accessible to more people and then we will have finally reached
our aim, namely:
A high-quality communication aid to establish contact with all current developed means of
communication, with people around you, wherever in the world they are.
Current technological developments result in the almost daily launch into space of
communication satellites costing billions of euros. It must nevertheless be common knowledge
that notwithstanding all the technological progress in communications, there are still entire
groups of people who are excluded from any form of communication at all. It is precisely for
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these people that we should dedicate ourselves to establish a pan-European, if not a
worldwide, communication network, specially adapted to their wishes and requirements.
I hope that we have given you an overall picture of our ideas, our working methods and our
goals. If this is a philosophy that you feel able to share with us, please feel free to meet us at
our stand for more information.
I would like to thank the interpreters, and I thank you for your attention.
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Communication with the cochlear implant – limitations and essential
accessories
by
Wimmer K. Franz, Advice Centre for the Hearing Impaired,
Salzburg Regional Clinics (AU)
My name is K. Franz Wimmer. I lost my hearing in 1984 and have lived with a cochlear implant since 1986. I do not want to go into the details of the technology of the implant today,
because I am sure these aspects have already been addressed often enough.
I would like to talk about the difficult situations an implant user always has to cope with, and
the accessories available to help deal with these. Some of the aids are absolutely essential if the
hearing impaired are to be able to enjoy successful communication with normal hearing people
in daily life.
I will try to be as objective as possible. I would like to report on the experience I have gained
over 14 years as a CI user. I am one of the founder-members of the Austrian Cochlear Implant
Society which was set up in 1992 to improve the quality of life of the hearing impaired. Since
then I have served as chairman. In 1996 we founded a European umbrella organisation, the
EURO CIU, which is based in Luxembourg and already includes 15 member nations. In the
course of our voluntary work with this organisation we are involved in numerous workgroups
and meetings which bring us into contact with the manufacturers of cochlear implants and accessories as well as with other experts. These valuable contacts help us to continuously improve conditions for our target group.
After this introduction I would now like to return to my main theme.
The decision about whether to perform cochlear implantation is a difficult one and should be
made by experts on a case-by-case basis. The manufacturers have drawn on their many years of
experience to produce guidelines for determining whether the patient is a suitable candidate for
a CI. Not every deaf person is suitable for cochlear implantation. In order to maximise the
chances of success, key data such as the reason for and duration of hearing loss, social background and number of surviving nerve fibres should be considered, along with the personality
of the candidate.
If the candidate goes on to be successfully implanted, there are special situations in which accessories can make hearing easier.
146
Accessories
•
•
•
•
•
•
implant tester
mains operated appliances
(e.g. TV, stereo system)
battery operated appliances
(e.g. walkman, CD-player,
dictaphone)
conference situations
microphone monitor
earphone monitor
signal check
TV/ hi-fi cable
audio input selector
audio cable
• Sennheiser IR system
• directional microphone
FM stereo system
• mini FM system (Bruckhoff)
• Phonak
• Sennheiser
• Phonic Ear
• Solaris
Induction systems
• Telecoil
• ACS Vienna
• Phonak TC-1
• audio input selector
• Nucleus® telephone
adapter
• Telekom Ergotel2
• Amplifon PA 25
• TA 2
• inductive Nokia adapter
Telephone
mobile phone
•
•
CCMed adapter
GSM microphone
I will be happy to answer any questions you may have. I would also be pleased to help anyone
who wishes to have a private consultation, either here in Austria or elsewhere in Europe. I
would be delighted to hear from you and advise you myself or recommend an advice centre
near where you live. My address is given below.
I would like to close by reminding you that the CI is only a technical aid. It is the firm conviction of both myself and the Austrian Cochlear Implant Society that we should use all the resources at our disposal to facilitate effective communication.
147
Advice Centre for the Hearing Impaired
K. Franz Wimmer
Salzburg Regional Clinics, ENT Department
Müllner Hauptstrasse 48
A-5020 Salzburg
Austria
Tel.
(0043) 0662 / 44 82 – 40 02
Fax.
(0043) 0662 / 44 82 – 40 03
Internet address of the Austrian Cochlear Implant Society:
www.hoerbehinderten-info.de/at/oecig/[email protected]
K. Franz Wimmer
Tel. & Fax (0043) 0 36 22 – 7 10 18
Tel. Mobile (0043) 06 76 – 706 96 71
Fax Mobile (0043) 06 76 – 706 96 72
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Die Zukunft der Telekommunikation in Deutschland:
System Relay Services für Gehörlose
Protocol by
Zicha3 Alke (D)
26. Mai 2000, Gehörlosenzentrum, Muspillistr. 21, München, veranstaltet vom
Gehörlosenverband München und Umland in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Deutschen
Gehörlosen-Bund
Hintergrund der Präsentationsveranstaltung ist, daß es in der letzten Zeit sehr viele Entwicklungsschritte in moderner Kommunikationstechnologie zu verzeichnen gab, was aber stets die
Frage aufwirft, ob Gehörlose diese modernen Techniken auch nutzen können. Selbst wenn die
Entwicklung bereits exzellente Techniken hervorbrachte, ist dennoch im Gehörlosenbereich ein
Vermittlungsdienst vonnöten. Bereits bestehende Vermittlungszentralen gibt es zum Beispiel in
Amerika, in Schweden oder in der Schweiz, warum jedoch noch nicht in Deutschland?
Vor diesem Hintergrund ist der Schwerpunkt der Veranstaltung auf Information über bereits
entwickelte Konzepte von Vermittlungszentralen sowie auf Überlegungen ausgerichtet, wie in
Deutschland ein solcher Vermittlungsdienst aufgebaut und organisiert werden könnte. Mit dem
Ziel, für die Zukunft in Zusammenarbeit von Deutschland, Schweiz und Schweden einen
deutschlandweiten Telekommunikationsdienst für Gehörlose einzurichten, hat der Gehörlosenverband drei Referenten zu diesem Thema eingeladen, die über die Entwicklungen und Erfahrungen mit den errichteten Relay Services4 in ihren jeweiligen Ländern berichten.
”Relay Service in den USA”
Aya Kremp, Hamburg
Frau Kremp ist Gehörlosenpädagogik-Studentin aus Hamburg und befindet sich zur Zeit in
Referendarausbildung. Unter vielen Recherchen schrieb sie ihre Examensarbeit über den Relay
Service in Amerika, für die sie letztes Jahr eine Auszeichnung erhielt. Aya Kremp wurde von
der Förderstiftung für diese Arbeit zur Preisträgerin gewählt und möchte ihre angefertigte
Modellbeschreibung auch auf dieser Veranstaltung präsentieren. Mit dem geäußerten Wunsch,
daß auch Deutschland einen solchen Relay Service aufbaut, richtet sie die Bitte um Unterstützung dieses Vorhabens an den Zuschauer-/hörerkreis.
3
Anmerkung der Schriftführerin: Das Protokoll lehnt sich an die mittels Gebärdensprachdolmetscher in Lautsprache übertragene Übersetzung.
Manche Beiträge, die auf Englisch vorgetragen wurden, auch die Filmbeiträge in ASL und mit englischem Untertitel, wurden von der
Schriftführerin bei ihren Mitschriften selbst übersetzt. Die Schriftführerin bittet daher um Verständnis, daß für eine vollständige inhaltliche
Richtigkeit keine Gewähr übernommen wird.
42
Relay Service: Vermittlungsdienst; relay (englisch) = deutsch: Übertragung
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Telekommunikation und Gehörlose
Der Relay Service in den USA ist ein Telefonvermittlungsdienst für Gehörlose, den es in dieser
Form bislang noch nicht in Deutschland gibt. Gehörlosen stehen noch heute Barrieren entgegen, wenn es um das Telefonieren geht. Unter beispielhafter Erläuterung werden einführend
aus dem Kreise schon bestehender technischer Hilfsmittel einige vorgestellt, die Gehörlose
bereits verwenden:
Faxgerät
So hat das Faxgerät als erstes Beispiel sowohl unter den Gehörlosen als auch bei Hörenden
seinen festen Platz im Alltag eingenommen. Dem Vorteil einer weltweiten Kommunikationsmöglichkeit, auch zwischen Gehörlosen und Hörenden, steht jedoch die längere Wartezeit
auf Rückantwort entgegen. Eine Direktkommunikation bleibt bei dem Faxgerät verwehrt.
E-mail
Als zweites Beispiel bietet das Versenden von E-mails als Novum in der heutigen Zeit eine
weltweite Kontaktmöglichkeit zwischen Hörenden und Gehörlosen. Einer sehr guten
Entwicklung nicht absprechend, ist aber auch hier der Absender einer E-mail nicht gegen
längeres Warten auf Rückmeldung gefeit. Auch hier kann der Kontaktsuchende keine direkte
Verbindung zu seinem Gesprächspartner aufnehmen.
Handy
Eine sich immer weiter verbreitende Technik ist als drittes Beispiel das Handy, das auch von
vielen Gehörlosen benutzt wird. Ein entscheidender Vorteil liegt in der Möglichkeit, einem
anderen Gehörlosen oder Hörenden per SMS auch von unterwegs eine kurze Mitteilung zu
senden. Einschränkung erfährt diese Technik durch die noch hohen Gebühren, so daß der
Kontakt gezwungenermaßen nur auf einen kurzen Dialog beschränkt bleibt und für einen Austausch tieferen Inhalts ungeeignet ist. Diese ”Gespräche” reichen damit nicht auf die Ebene
eines gewöhnlichen Telefonats im Festnetz.
Schreibtelefon
Das am längsten und weitesten verbreitete technische Hilfsmittel unter Gehörlosen ist das
Schreibtelefon. Es findet heute noch großen Zuspruch, da es einen direkten gegenseitigen
Austausch möglich macht und Raum für Diskussion bietet. So vorteilhaft diese Technik ist,
bleibt sie jedoch im Großen und Ganzen auf die Kommunikation unter Gehörlosen und mit nur
wenigen Hörenden beschränkt, da eine regelhafte zusätzliche Anschaffung dieses Gerätes unter
Hörenden nicht gängig ist und die hohen Kosten zudem diese Entscheidung erschweren
würden. Mit dem Schreibtelefon kann daher ein Gehörloser kein Telefonat zu einem beliebigen
Hörenden aufnehmen, wenn er nicht selbst über ein solches Gerät verfügt.
Bildtelefon
Begeisternde Aufnahme bekam das Bildtelefon, mit welchem Gehörlose in ihrer Gebärdensprache kommunizieren können, das umständliche Eintippen am Schreibtelefon entfällt und eine
150
direkte Kontaktaufnahme von Angesicht zu Angesicht gewährleistet ist. Auch mit gebärdensprachkompetenten Hörenden ist via Bildtelefon ein direktes Gespräch möglich. Allerdings
drücken auch hier die hohen Kosten bei Zuhilfenahme von Dolmetschern für Hörende ohne
Gebärdensprachkenntnisse einen bedenkenlosen Gebrauch.
Barrieren aufgrund mangelnder Kommunikationsmöglichkeit ohne Telefon
Die aufgeführten Techniken zeigen Möglichkeiten, aber auch die noch immer bestehenden Barrieren, Gespräche mit beliebigen Hörenden in der beruflichen und privaten Situation aufnehmen
zu können. Weitere schwierige Situationen können beispielsweise sein, wenn hörende Kinder
ihre gehörlosen Eltern anrufen wollen oder umgekehrt, es können verunsichernde Situationen
sein, wenn Gehörlose einen Hörenden bitten, für ihn ein Telefonat zu führen und das ihm mitgeteilte Ergebnis wesentlich knapper ausfällt als das beobachtete lange Gespräch. Auch das
ungewollte Hineindrängen in die Position eines Bittstellers, wenn ein Gehörloser immer wieder
bei einem hörenden Kollegen anfragen muß, für ihn ein Telefonat zu tätigen, läßt die momentane Lage unbefriedigt. Selbst Hörgeschädigte, die Telefonate führen können, müssen sich auf
viele Wiederholungen und Mißverständnisse einlassen.
Gerade der kommunikative Austausch ist in der heutigen Berufswelt, z.B. Stichwort Teamwork, ein entscheidender Faktor. Erfahrungen zeigen, daß Gehörlose kaum Chancen bekommen, in leitende Positionen zu gelangen, eine ebenso untragbare Tatsache wie die, daß ihnen
bereits beim Berufseinstieg Steine in den Weg gelegt werden, da sie aufgrund der vermeintlichen Unfähigkeit, Telefonate führen zu können, bei Bewerbungsgesprächen mit den hörenden,
kommunikativeren Mitbewerbern nicht konkurrieren können. Es kommt gehäuft vor, daß Absagen seitens des Arbeitgebers dem Gehörlosen mit der Begründung gegeben werden, dieser
könne keine Telefonate führen. Dieses Unvermögen wird als ”mangelnde Fähigkeit” abgetan,
was im Grunde jedoch mehr ein Mangel der technischen Ausstattung ist. Besonders kritisch
zeigen sich auch Notfallsituationen, in denen Gehörlose ohne Telefon erschwert Hilfe herbeirufen können. Diese lebensnahen Beispiele sind Zeugnis einer noch auf Barrieren basierenden
Gesprächssituation.
Welche Gefühle haben Gehörlose aufgrund dieser desolaten Gesprächssituation? Sie fühlen
sich abhängig, unselbständig, isoliert und diskriminiert. Sie haben Frust. Ist es nicht möglich,
daß Gehörlose frei von diesen Barrieren sind, gleichberechtigt neben Hörenden stehen können
und nicht in einer abhängigen Bittstellung harren müssen? Gibt es Möglichkeiten, ohne dieser
geschilderten Abhängigkeit selbständig Telefonate führen können, gleiche Karrierechancen zu
bekommen oder verantwortliche Positionen in Firmen einzunehmen? Es wäre wünschenswert,
wenn Gehörlose die Möglichkeit bekämen, ihre Leistung in diesen Positionen mit einbringen zu
können.
Lösungsmöglichkeit: Relay Service
Funktionsweise
Der Relay Service in den USA ist wie eingangs erwähnt ein neues Konzept eines Telefonvermittlungsdienstes für Gehörlose. Der allgemeine Vorgang läßt sich folgendermaßen beschreiben: Ein Gehörloser ruft per Schreibtelefon bei dem Relay Service an. Dieser Anruf geht bei
einer dortigen Vermittlerin (”Operator” oder ”Communictionsassistant” genannt) an ihrem
Schreibtelefon ein. Der Gehörlose gibt die Telefonnummer seines gewünschten hörenden
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Gesprächspartners an die Vermittlerin weiter, die ihrerseits über ein mit Kopfhörer und
Mikrofon ausgestattetem Sprachtelefon die Verbindung zu dem Hörenden herstellt. Über Lautsprache teilt der hörende Gesprächsteilnehmer seine Antwort der Vermittlerin des Relay Service mit, die das Gesprochene über ihr Schreibtelefon an den Gehörlosen weiterleitet. Bei diesem System bleibt stets über den Operator eine Beziehung zwischen den Gesprächspartnern
aufrechterhalten. Dieser Ablauf bleibt jedoch nicht auf das Schreibtelefon beschränkt, sondern
erfolgt genauso mit dem Bildtelefon.
Es gibt zwei grundsätzliche Übertragungswege, Voice Carry Over (VCO) und Hearing Carry
Over (HCO):
·
·
VCO bietet sich für Personen an, die selber ihre Stimme benutzen. Vor allem Schwerhörige
wählen diesen Übertragungsweg, die selbst lautsprachlich telefonieren können. Die
Rückantwort vom Gesprächspartner gibt der Operator jedoch aufgrund der Schwerhörigkeit des Anrufers per Schreibtelefon zurück. Hiermit werden häufigem Nachfragen und
Mißverständnissen vorgebeugt. Daraufhin kann der Schwerhörige wieder in Lautsprache
antworten, so daß diese Kombination eine schnelle und effektive Vermittlung darstellt.
HCO verwenden vor allem Sprachbehinderte. Dieser Übertragungsweg erfolgt genau umgekehrt. Der Sprachbehinderte schreibt per Schreibtelefon seine Nachricht an den Operator, kann jedoch dann hören, was lautsprachlich geantwortet wird.
Bedingungen für einen effektiven Relay Service
·
·
·
·
Bezüglich der Bereitstellung muß der Relay Service das ganze Jahr durchgehend besetzt
sein, 24 Stunden am Tag, sowohl an Werktagen als auch am Wochenende und an Feiertagen. Nur dann entspricht er den Möglichkeiten wie beim Sprachtelefon, jederzeit ein Telefonat führen zu können.
Der Anruf bei der Vermittlungszentrale ist kostenfrei, so daß für Gehörlose ebenfalls nur
die Kosten des Telefonats mit dem Gesprächspartner anfallen.
Neben guter Gebärdensprachkompetenz sind die Operators auch im Vermittlungsverhalten
geschult. Dies bedeutet, daß sie der Verpflichtung einer vollständigen Übertragung unterliegen, d.h. sie übersetzen wortgenau, ohne Weglassung oder Veränderung von Wörtern
der Gesprächsteilnehmer. Die Operators sind damit neutrale Vermittler, die sich weder
einmischen noch am Inhalt des Gesprächs etwas ändern. Zur Neutralität gehört auch, daß
ein Gehörloser den Relay Service so oft er möchte in Anspruch nehmen darf. Die Operators melden sich zudem grundsätzlich nicht mit Namen, sondern mit einer Identifikationsnummer, die ein neutrales Verhalten verstärkt.
Höchste Priorität beim Relay Service ist die Wahrung der Schweigepflicht.
Zielgruppen
Den Relay Service kann eine Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Personengruppen nutzen: Gehörlose,
Ertaubte, Schwerhörige, Sprachbehinderte, Taubblinde, mehrfachbehinderte Gehörlose und
Gehörlose mit anderen Muttersprachen. Mehrfachbehinderte Gehörlose beispielsweise können
über das Bildtelefon ihre Mitteilung an den Operator weitergeben, der den Kontakt zum
Hörenden aufnimmt. Ausländische Gehörlose, die Schwierigkeiten mit der Deutschen Sprache
haben, finden bei dem Relay Service auch Fremdsprachenkorrespondenten, die beispielsweise
der türkischen Sprache mächtig sind und die Mitteilung ins Deutsche übersetzen und umgekehrt. So sind nicht nur Telefonate zwischen Gehörlosen und Hörenden uneingeschränkt
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möglich, sondern selbst zwischen deutschen und fremdsprachigen gehörlosen bzw. hörenden
Gesprächsteilnehmern.
Entstehung und Entwicklung
Beginnend in den 70er Jahren lag der damalige Schwerpunkt des Relay Systems in den USA in
der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit. Der Vermittlungsdienst wurde auf gehaltsfreier Basis nur werktags vier Stunden angeboten, ein professioneller Vermittlungsdienst bestand noch nicht. Erst
mit dem Antidiskriminierungsgesetz 1990, der Verabschiedung des Gesetzes ”Americans with
Disabilities”, wurde auch die offizielle Notwendigkeit geschaffen, einen Vermittlungsdienst für
Gehörlose zu errichten, um ihnen den Zugang zur Telekommunikation zu ermöglichen. Mit
Schaffung einer gesetzlichen Grundlage für einen professionellen Relay Service wurde dieser
ab 1990 in allen Bundesstaaten offiziell eingerichtet. Heute steht dieser Vermittlungsdienst den
Gehörlosen 24 Stunden am Tag zur Verfügung.
Videovorführung
Zur Veranschaulichung wird ein Videofilm gezeigt, wie der Relay Service abläuft.5 Vor Ablauf
des Videobandes werden die dort auftauchenden Abkürzungen erläutert: Jeweils nach
Beendigung der eigenen Nachricht auf Schreibtelefon signalisieren drei eingetippte Sternchen
(***) das Wort ”weiter”, das der Operator in englischer Lautsprache mit ”Go ahead” übersetzt. Damit weiß der Gesprächspartner, daß er nun an der Reihe ist und seine Mitteilung abgeben kann. Vier Sternchen (****) bzw. die lautsprachliche Übersetzung ”Stop keying” dagegen markieren das Ende des ganzen Telefonats.
CA: Communicationsassistent (=Operator)
GA: Go ahead
SK: Stop keying
Inhalt des Videofilmes: Neben dem gefilmten Ablauf zwischen Anrufern und Operator
schildern drei Personen ihre Erfahrungen mit dem Relay Service. Die erste gehörlose Person
tituliert den Vermittlungsdienst als beste Einrichtung die sie kenne. Sie sei nicht mehr gezwungen, zum Nachbarn zu laufen, um ein Telefonat zu führen. Sie könne diesen Dienst völlig
unabhängig jederzeit rund um die Uhr nutzen. Die zweite Person berichtet unter anderem von
den verschiedenen Zahlungsmöglichkeiten. Sie betont, daß der Relay Service keine exklusive
Einrichtung, sondern durch seine mannigfaltigen Nutzungsmöglichkeiten für beide Seiten, für
Hörende und Gehörlose gleichermaßen notwendig ist. Der dritte Erfahrungsbericht setzt die
Leitlinien ”confidentiality” (Vertraulichkeit, Anvertrauen-Können) und ”ethic agreement”
(ethisches Übereinkommen) der Communicationsassistenten als neuheitlicher Vorteil für Gehörlose in den Vordergrund. Der CA teilt nämlich alles mit, was er im Gesprächsverlauf
wahrnimmt. So informiert er den Gehörlosen beispielsweise auch über Hintergrundgeräusche,
die während des Telefonats einsetzen. Es folgt ein Fallbeispiel eines VCO-Telefonats. Als
Fazit dieses Filmes wird angeführt, daß der Relay Service in seiner neutralen Art so
eingerichtet ist, daß die Privatsphäre gewährleistet bleibt. Durch die Einsetzbarkeit sowohl
des Schreibtelefons, des Sprachtelefons und des Bildtelefons ist er als ein sehr variables Instrument anzusehen.
5
Dieser Film wird in englischer Sprache / ASL (American Sign Language) bzw. mit englischem Untertitel gezeigt. Es erfolgt keine
Übersetzung ins Deutsche oder in DGS.
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Nach dem Videofilm greift die Referentin Aya Kremp die Schlußfolgerung des Filmes auf. Sie
hofft, daß der gezeigte Beitrag ein wenig Geschmack gemacht hat, wie der Aufbau eines solchen Vermittlungscenters aussehen könnte. Dieses System ist für Gehörlose, Schwerhörige
und Taubblinde ein Weg in mehr Selbständigkeit.
Finanzierung des Relay Services in den USA
In Amerika gibt es einen Fond, in welchen alle Privatleute, gleich ob hörend oder gehörlos,
jeden Monat über die Telefonrechnung eine Zusatzgebühr zahlen. Auch alle Telefongesellschaften, egal ob sie einen Vermittlungsservice anbieten oder nicht, müssen einen Teil ihres
Gewinns in diesen Fond einführen. Über diesen Fond wird der Relay Service finanziert. Diese
Finanzierung ist auch Konsequenz aus dem Antidiskriminierungsgesetz, in welchem auch der
Vermittlungsdienst seinen Platz ist.
Verbreitung des Relay Services in den USA
In welchem Umfang ist nun der Relay Service vertreten? In den USA, ein Flächenstaat mit
seinen vielen einzelnen Bundesstaaten, ist jedoch nicht in jedem Bundesland jeweils eine Relaystation angesiedelt. Es gibt hier drei Bundesländer, in denen jeweils ein Haupthaus steht, so in
Norddakota, Süddakota und Minnesota. Über diese drei Häuser läuft die Hauptverbindung.
Bei Anrufen in einer Vermittlungszentrale können Verbindungen zu anderen Häusern
hergestellt werden. Dieses System soll auf andere Bundesländer übertragen werden. Haben
Bundesländer keine eigene Zentrale, so läuft die Vermittlung stets über diese drei Haupthäuser.
In manchen Bundesländern übernehmen andere Telefongesellschaften unter hoher Konkurrenz
dieses Monopol. SPRINT deckt hierbei in der Mehrheit den Relay Service ab.
Statistik über Nutzung des Relay Services
Mittels grafikunterstützter Folien wird die Statistik der Anrufe am Beispiel Süddakota in den
Jahren 1993 bis 1994 präsentiert. Zu Beginn des Jahres 1993 waren 30.000 Anrufe in der Zentrale zu verzeichnen, die sich innerhalb des Jahres auf 360.000 erhöhten. In der Zeit von 1995
bis 1996 stieg die Anruferzahl von 230.000 immens auf 2.760.000 an. Diese Zahlen belegen
deutlich den Bedarf von seiten der hörbehinderten Menschen an diesem Service. Nicht zu
vergessen ist jedoch, daß auch die hörende Bevölkerung an diesem Service beteiligt ist und
diesen Dienst in Anspruch nimmt. Die Statistik aus der letzten Zeit kann mit 400.000 Anfragen
aufwarten.
Weltweiter Aufbau des Relay Services
Der Relay Service ist auf der ganzen Erde verteilt. Mittels aufgelegter Folien mit der Weltkarte
zeigen buntschraffierte Markierungen die Staaten auf der Erde, in denen ein 24-StundenVermittlungsdienst bereits eingerichtet ist, desweiteren die Staaten, in denen ein begrenzter
Relay Service mit ca. 5-6 Stunden Vermittlung täglich existiert und zum Schluß Länder, in
denen sich ein Relay Service im Aufbau befindet.
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Standort Deutschland
Wo bleibt hierbei Deutschland? Wo ist auf diesen Karten die Markierung für Deutschland zu
finden? Deutschland schläft, es verschläft die Entwicklung. Auch wir müssen den Aufbau
vorantreiben. Europaweit betrachtet ist es peinlich, daß Deutschland hier hinterherhinkt. Wir
müssen daher viel Motivation aufbauen! Ein amerikanisches Schlußzitat mit den Anfangsworten: ”Es ist Zeit, der Welt zu zeigen, daß wir [die Gehörlosen] alles tun können. ...”
unterstreicht das Anliegen der Referentin, nämlich Deutschland aufzurufen, endlich an der
Entwicklung teilzunehmen und für in Deutschland lebende Gehörlose genauso wie weltweit ein
Stück mehr Lebensqualität zu schaffen. Gehörlose sind Hörenden gleichberechtigt und dies soll
sich auch in den vielen Bereichen und Situationen des Telefonierens zeigen.
Die Referentin betrachtet den Relay Service als Eintrittskarte in die hörende Welt. Gehörlose in
Amerika sind in der Lage, auch eigene Firmen zu gründen. Als Schlußpointe wird als Beispiel
dieser gesteigerten Lebensqualität mittels Folie eine lange Namensliste präsentiert: Es handelt
sich hierbei um eine Aufstellung all derjenigen Gehörlosen, die es in Amerika geschafft haben,
ihre eigene Firma aufzubauen. Dasselbe ist auch in Deutschland möglich, nämlich daß Gehörlose in leitende Positionen aufsteigen und eigene Firmen gründen können, unter anderen Dank
der Möglichkeit des eigenständigen Telefonierens.
Fazit
Ø Das System des Vermittlungsdienstes ist für Gehörlose, Schwerhörige und Taubblinde ein
Weg in mehr Selbständigkeit. Berufs- und Karrierechancen werden steigen.
Ø Der Vermittlungsdienst ist völlig unabhängig und jederzeit rund um die Uhr nutzbar.
Ø Vorteil für Gehörlose: Leitlinien ”confidentiality” (Vertraulichkeit, Anvertrauen-Können)
und ”ethic agreement” (ethisches Übereinkommen) der Vermittler. Der Vermittler teilt
nämlich alles mit, was er im Gesprächsverlauf wahrnimmt. Er informiert auch über Hintergrundgeräusche, die während des Telefonats einsetzen. Zudem bleibt im verstärktem Maße
die Privatsphäre der Gehörlosen gewahrt.
Ø Der Relay Service ist keine ”Institution der Wohlfahrt”, kein ”Helfersyndrom”. Er ist ein
Teil eines Konzeptes des universal service und universal design. Was bedeutet das? Es gibt
Produkte für Behinderte, z.B. Telefonverstärker, von denen auch Hörende einen Vorteil
haben, zum Beispiel bei Telefonaten bei lauter Umgebung. Warum werden dann diese Hilfen nicht auch von Hörenden genutzt? Warum können also nicht auch (Behinderten)Produkte generell zusätzlich eingebaut werden, die für alle gleichzeitig einen Nutzen haben? Wieso gelten Türklingel-Lichtsignalanlagen als Techniken nur für Gehörlose? Wird
unter Hörenden laut gefeiert, kann genauso ein Lichtsignal auf das Läuten an der Tür aufmerksam machen. Hörende registrieren genauso das Blitzlicht wie Gehörlose. Warum werden diese Techniken nicht für alle Menschen ausgedehnter genutzt?
Ø Vor diesem Hintergrund ist auch der Relay Service in seiner Variationsbreite ein multilingualer Service, der nicht nur Gehörlosen, sondern auch Hörenden offensteht. Hörende mit
geringen Deutschsprachkenntnissen können sich ebenso an den Vermittlungsdienst mit
seinen Dolmetschern wenden, die in die gewünschte Sprache übersetzen. Der Relay Service
stellt sich damit als solidarische Einrichtung dar, die nicht nur für Gehörlose, sondern allen
Menschen offensteht.
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Fragen zum Vortrag
Frage:
Was ist die Bedeutung von ”Relay Service”? Was bedeutet das Wort ”Relay”?
Antwort:
”Relay” bedeutet ”Übertragung”, Relay Service bedeutet Übertragungsservice. Es bedeutet
nicht Dolmetscherservice. Dies ist ein Unterschied! Relay Service ist organisiert als Übertragung von Gehörlosen zu Hörenden und umgekehrt.
Frage:
Ich möchte gerne wissen, ob der Service auf das Texttelefon beschränkt ist oder ob daran
gedacht ist, auch andere Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten einzusetzen? Ich erkläre auch,
warum ich diese Frage stelle: Wenn nämlich jemand mit einer geschriebenen Sprache Probleme hat, kann er das System, so wie es vorgestellt wurde, nicht benutzen oder nur schlecht
benutzen.
Antwort:
Der Relay Service kann alles, es gehört das Schreibtelefon dazu, es gehört das Bildtelefon
dazu. Es müssen ja alle Zielgruppen erfaßt sein, dies ist wichtig hierbei. Das Schreibtelefon
können Schwerhörige benutzen, die nicht gebärdensprachkompetent sind. Gehörlose, die
Schwierigkeiten mit Text haben und nicht so gut schreiben können, haben die Möglichkeit, das
Bildtelefon zu nutzen. Auch andere technische Möglichkeiten gibt es dazu. Ich denke, wenn
nachher über das Bildtelefon gesprochen wird, zeigt Schweden einige Beispiele auf. Hier gibt
es sicherlich eine Erweiterung der technischen Möglichkeiten.
Frage:
Gibt es schon Versuche in Deutschland, das aufzubauen? Versuche, sich an öffentliche Stellen zu wenden, auch wegen der Finanzierung?
Anwort:
In Hamburg ist dieser Versuch schon unternommen worden. Hier wurde bereits Kontakt mit
Telekom aufgenommen. Dies läuft dort schon, auch positiv. Im Augenblick gibt es jetzt noch
Überlegungen zur Finanzierung. Das Problem ist, daß es in Deutschland noch kein passendes
Gesetz gibt wie in Amerika das Antidiskriminierungsgesetz. Daher bei uns auch diese Einschränkung. Aber im Großen und Ganzen läuft es in Hamburg positiv. Die Verhandlungen sind
aber bei weitem noch nicht abgeschlossen.
weitere Wortmeldung zur vorhergehenden Frage:
Wir haben hier im Gehörlosenzentrum seit 1990 schon versucht mit unserem Vermittlungsdienst einen kleinen Aufbau zu machen, mit Blick auf die Schweiz, die uns informativ unterstützt
hat. Der Deutsche Gehörlosen Bund nahm ebenfalls schon Kontakte auf, damals noch mit
Bonn. Da gab es aber zu der Zeit sehr große Umwälzungen wegen der Privatisierung, es lag
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die Förderung Ost im Problembereich. Und wir hatten auch noch das Ziel bezüglich der Anerkennung der Gebärdensprache. Dieser Relay Service als Problem ist nicht so tatkräftig angegangen worden. Es ist ein bißchen Ruhe eingekehrt. Aber wir haben hier in unserem Gehörlosenverband diese Schritte aufgenommen. Man kann jetzt nicht von einem ausgereiften Relay
Service sprechen, denn unser Vermittlungsdienst ist noch nicht 24 Stunden rund um die Uhr
besetzt, sondern nur 20 Stunden in der Woche. Aber es ist gut, daß diese Sache nun zu diesem
Zeitpunkt wieder aufgegriffen wird.
Ergänzung zur Wortmeldung:
Man muß nun unbedingt auch wirklich damit anfangen und nicht nur auf politische Lösungen
warten, sondern den Politikern zeigen, was möglich ist. Wenn das Gleichstellungsgesetz
kommt, vielleicht wird es dann besser.
Frage:
Ich habe zum Relay Service technische Fragen. Mir ist folgendes aufgefallen: Der Hörende
telefoniert den Service an, der Vermittler nimmt das Gespräch über Kopfhörer auf und gibt es
über Schreibtelefon an den Gehörlosen weiter. Wie ist das technisch möglich, der Vermittler
ist in der Mitte zwischen beiden? Wie ist diese Situation für den Vermittler technisch aufgebaut?
Anwort:
Was hier gemeint ist, spricht die VCO-Vermittlung an, daß also hörende Personen angesprochen werden, Schwerhörige, Gehörlose beispielsweise, die selbst sprechen können. Diese
sagen, welche Kommunikation sie möchten, hier also VCO. Die Vermittlung schaltet sich auf
Wunsch so ein, daß sie den Kontakt zum Hörenden herstellen. Die Vermittlung weiß zu Anfang durch Eingabe vom Anrufer, welche Vermittlungsform gewünscht wird.
Frage:
Ich habe zwei Fragen. Zum einen: Es gibt ja seit kurzem in Deutschland den Versuch, über
Bildtelefon beispielsweise in der Arbeitswelt einen Vermittlungsdienst aufzubauen. Das wird
auch getragen durch die Bundesregierung. Mir ist hier aufgefallen: Sie sagen, alle Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten sind mit dem System möglich. In dem Video haben wir nur eine gesehen,
nämlich die Benutzung des Schreibtelefons. Zu allen anderen Anlagen habe ich technische
Probleme. Bei einem Schreibtelefon oder einem normalen Telefon kann ich über vielleicht
analoge Anschlüsse sehr schnell eine Dreier-, Vierer- oder Fünferkonferenz aufbauen und
miteinander sprechen. Wenn ich aber in die komplizierte Technik hineingehe, zum Beispiel
Bildtelefon, da steht schon der normale Telefonanschluß vor einem vollen Bildtelefon und hat
keine Möglichkeit mehr eines weiteren Anschlusses. Wie geht das? Wir werden sicherlich
gleich noch etwas über Bildtelefon hören.
Wir haben auch technische Schwierigkeiten bei der Übermittlung von Gebärden mit Technik
des Bildtelefons, weil die Bilder zu langsam sind, die Gebärden nicht richtig ankommen und
ähnliches mehr. Hier haben wir also noch eine ganze Menge von Schwierigkeiten. Welche
Möglichkeiten sehen Sie oder welche Sachen gibt es international im Bereich der neuen
Technik im Internet, Bildinternet mit schnelleren Übertragungsmöglichkeiten und ähnliches
mehr?
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Antwort:
Mit dem Internet sehe ich Möglichkeiten. Ich denke, wir können bei dem Referat meines Kollegen aus Schweden noch mehr in die Tiefe gehen. Ich möchte ihm jetzt auch nichts Inhaltliches vorwegnehmen. Wir haben auch einen Spezialisten zum Internetzugang hier anwesend,
das kommt noch. Aber wichtig ist, überhaupt einmal mit einem Vermittlungsdienst anzufangen,
die technischen Möglichkeiten können wir dann denen überlassen, die das machbar machen.
Ich denke, wir müssen die Anforderungen und unsere Bedürfnisse erst einmal festlegen.
”Relay Service in der Schweiz”
Beat Kleeb, Schweiz
Beat Kleeb ist hörend geboren und später ertaubt. Er ist Präsident von PROCOM, der Stiftung
Kommunikationshilfen für Hörgeschädigte in der Schweiz. Er arbeitet als Chemiker in der
Industrie und beschäftigt sich daneben seit 20 Jahren mit Schreibtelefonen. Aus der Schreibtelefonarbeit ist auch die Telefonvermittlung herangewachsen. Er freut sich, wenn er über
Entwicklungen in der Schweiz berichten und einen Anstoß geben kann, daß auch Deutschland
auf den internationalen Stand kommt, damit den hiesigen Gehörlosen gleiche Lebensqualität
gegeben werden kann.
Telekommunikation in der Schweiz
Schreibtelefon
In Amerika wurden 1964 erstmals Fernschreiber mit einem akustischen Modem in Schreibtelefone umgewandelt. Es wurden dort auch tragbare Geräte mit Batteriebetrieb entworfen.
Diese seit 1964 in Amerika entstandenen ersten Schreibtelefone sind in Europa aus technischen
Gründen nicht akzeptiert worden. Dafür entwickelte ein Sohn von gehörlosen Eltern ein
brauchbares Gerät für die Schweiz, etwa zur gleichen Zeit, als das Schreibtelefon auch in
Deutschland entstand. In einem Vergleich mit dem damaligen Deutschen Schreibtelefon wurde
das Schweizer Gerät besser beurteilt, doch keine Firma war interessiert, dieses Gerät herzustellen. Dies führte 1979 zur Gründung der Genossenschaft Hörgeschädigten Elektronik
(GHE) und zur Eigenproduktion des Schweizer Schreibtelefons TELESCRIT. Herr Kleeb
weist auf die neue deutsche Adresse auf den Broschüren hin, denn die Schweizer GHE-CES
Electronic AG wird MOBILYCOM in München übernehmen und unter dem neuen Namen
Mobily ProCom GmbH ihre Techniken anbieten.
Herr Kleeb zeigt das mitgebrachte Modell eines Schreibtelefons, welches als neueste Generation mit vielen technischen Möglichkeiten heute in der Schweiz benutzt wird. Die ModellNummern der heutigen Schreibtelefone möchte Herr Kleeb durch die bereitgelegten Prospekte
bekanntgeben, die jeder mitnehmen kann. Es gibt Modelle mit drahtlosen Blinkanlagen oder
mit Funk-Vibrator für einen drahtlosen Empfang, so daß der Gehörlose beispielsweise auch im
Freien erreichbar ist. Zu diesen Modellen gehört ein Sender, der in eine beliebige 220-VSteckdose in der Wohnung gesteckt wird. PROCOM hat in der Schweiz auch den Nokia
Communikator so angepaßt, daß er als Schreibtelefon benutzt werden kann, so daß auch Gehörlose unterwegs mobil telefonieren können.
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In der Schweiz wurde 1983 das Schreibtelefon von der Invalidenversicherung und hiermit vom
Staat als Hilfsmittel anerkannt. Diese Entwicklung brachte den Durchbruch, daß Gehörlose
Anspruch auf zwei Schreibtelefone hat; eines für sich selbst und das zweite Gerät für eine enge
Bezugsperson. Der Gehörlose kann bei nachgewiesenem Bedarf für berufliche Einsätze weitere
Geräte beantragen.
Bildtelefon
Das Interesse am Bildtelefon hat vor allem in den letzten Monaten einzelne positive Reaktionen
gezeigt. Zu hoch waren bisher die Hindernisse mit dem hohen Gerätepreis, dem notwendigen
ISDN-Anschluß, den höheren Gebühren, der tiefen Bildfrequenz und vor allem der fehlenden
Telefonvermittlung. PROCOM bemüht um eine breite Einführung der Bildtelefone in der
Schweiz. Wichtig bleiben stets die Bedürfnisse der Betroffenen. Dies ist die Grundlage in der
Schweiz.
Entwicklung des Vermittlungsdienstes in der Schweiz
Entstehung des Vermittlungsdienstes
Sehr bald nach dem Verkauf der ersten TELESCRITs ab 1979 in der Schweiz meldeten sich
Benützer bei der GHE mit der Bitte um Weiterleitung von dringenden Mitteilungen. Die
Nachfrage ist stetig gewachsen und schließlich so groß geworden, daß die GHE die eigene
Arbeit nicht mehr bewältigen konnte. Es folgten Abklärungen für einen eigenen Telefonvermittlungsdienst für Gehörlose und im Oktober 1985 startete ein erster Versuchsbetrieb in der
französichsprachigen Schweiz.
Ein wichtiger Punkt hierbei ist, daß die Schweiz ein deutlich sichtbares Bedürfnis vorzeigen
konnte, denn dieser Aufbau entstand aus den Anfragen der Gehörlosen heraus – und das
bereits nach kurzer Zeit. Mit diesem Bedürfnisnachweis hat PROCOM die Invalidenversicherung (IV) überzeugen können, die Finanzierung zu übernehmen: 80% der Löhne dieses
Vermittlungsdienstes hat die IV getragen, 20% der Löhne (Verwaltung, Telefongebühren)
mußten durch Spendensammlungen aufgebracht werden.
Später wurde der Vermittlungsdienst in der französischen, deutschen und italienischen Schweiz
ausgebaut. Dies bedeutet wahrscheinlich die erste Gehörlosenvermittlung der Welt, die in drei
Sprachen arbeitet! Die Vermittlungstätigkeit ist so groß angewachsen, daß auch aus rechtlichen Gründen eine Abtrennung der Telefonvermittlung von der Herstellung der technischen
Hilfsmittel notwendig wurde. So wurde 1988 die Stiftung PROCOM (”für Kommunikation”)
gegründet, als Dienstleistungsabteilung der GHE.
Die Invalidenversicherung, die bisher die Finanzierung übernahm, erklärte sich nicht mehr
bereit, einen dauernden Ausbau mitzutragen, trotzdem das Bedürfnis nach Vermittlungen noch
lange nicht gedeckt war. PROCOM war dadurch nicht mehr in der Lage, genügend Spenden
einzusammeln. Somit ist PROCOM gezwungen gewesen, von den Gehörlosen Gebühren zu
verlangen, wenn das Angebot bestehen bleiben sollte. Die Gehörlosen mußten zusätzlich zu
den Telefongebühren einen Monatsbeitrag entrichten: 10-15 Schweizer Franken pro Monat,
ganz gleich, wieviele Anrufe wirklich getätigt wurden. Die Gehörlosen reagierten hierüber
sauer. Nach 2 Jahren mußte das System geändert werden: Es wurden Mehrwertdienste mit
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erhöhtem Tarif von 36 Schweizer Rappen pro Minute angeboten; dies entspricht ca. 50 Pf. für
eine Minute. Beide Lösungen wurden von der PROCOM nur widerwillig eingeführt, da sie
eine Diskriminierung der Gehörlosen darstellen. Aber sie waren notwendig für das Überleben
der Telefonvermittlung.
Juristische Abklärung
Diese Situation war keinesfalls zufriedenstellend, eher diskriminierend, aber die Schweiz hat
einen weiteren Weg gesucht, eine Lösung für Gehörlose zu finden: Der Universität Bern wurde
ein Auftrag gegeben für eine juristische Abklärung zum Thema: ”Rechtsgleiche Behandlung
von Gehörlosen im Telefonverkehr”. Herr Kleeb präsentiert die 50-seitige Untersuchung, auch
auf internationalem Gebiet, die folgende klare Schlußfolgerung erbrachte:
I.
II.
Alle Schweizer sind nach dem Grundrecht (Bundesverfassung) gleichgestellt.
Nach dem Fernmeldegesetz muß das Telefonnetz allen Bewohnern der Schweiz zu vergleichbaren Bedingungen zugänglich sein.
Ergebnis: Somit wurden die Gehörlosen in der Schweiz klar benachteiligt, solange nicht eine
Telefonvermittlung sichergestellt war, die rund um die Uhr zu tiefen Tarifen zugänglich ist.
Aufnahme der Telefonvermittlung in das Schweizer Telefongesetz
Zur gleichen Zeit wurde das Schweizer Telefongesetz erneuert als Vorbereitung auf die Liberalisierung, der Freigabe des Telefonverkehrs ab 1998. PROCOM konnte nun die erfolgte Untersuchung der Universität Bern vorweisen und stellte einen Antrag mit der Forderung, daß die
Telefonvermittlung in das Telefongesetz mit aufgenommen werden muß – mit Erfolg. Im
Schweizer Telefongesetz ist als Grundversorgung verankert:
4. Kapitel: Dienste der Grundversorgung:
1. Abschnitt: Umfang
Artikel 10: Dienste der Grundversorgung
Die Grundversorgung beinhaltet folgende Dienste:...
f. Vermittlungsdienst für Hörbehinderte: Unentgeltliches Bereitstellen eines
Transkriptionsdienstes für Hörbehinderte einschließlich des Notrufes rund um
die Uhr zum Tarif der günstigsten Tarifzone.
Dies bedeutet nun eine gesetzliche Vorschrift für die Bereitstellung des Vermittlungsdienstes
für Gehörlose. Mit diesem Gesetz ist die Schweizer Telefongesellschaft SWISSCOM ab 1998
für die Telefonvermittlung für Gehörlose verantwortlich geworden, die ihre Aufgabe auch ernst
genommen hat. Sie hat Vertragsverhandlungen geführt auch bezüglich Beschäftigte und hat
zudem abgeklärt, ob die Gehörlosen-Telefonvermittlung bei der Auskunft angehängt werden
kann. Dagegen hat sich PROCOM jedoch bewußt gewehrt, denn PROCOM war der Meinung:
Die Gehörlosen-Telefonvermittlung ist etwas Besonderes, es braucht Ausbildung, Erfahrung,
Gefühl und ist nicht eine Aufgabe, die nebenher gemacht werden kann. Letztendlich hat die
SWISSCOM die erfolgreiche Aufbauarbeit der PROCOM anerkannt und ihr mittels Vertrag
den Auftrag gegeben. Dies bedeutet, daß heute die PROCOM im Auftrag der Telefongesell-
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schaft SWISSCOM unter den Regeln des Schweizer Fernmeldegesetzes arbeitet und von ihr
finanziert wird. Hieraus folgt auch, daß die Wartezeit bis zur Entgegennahme eines Anrufes
gleich sein muß wie bei einem Auskunftsdienst.
Gleichstellung durch günstigere Tarife
Es erfolgte mit der Sicherstellung der Finanzierung innerhalb von 3 Monaten eine Umstellung
der bisher begrenzten Vermittlungszeiten (07.00 Uhr bis 22.30 Uhr) in einen ganzjährigen 24Stunden-Betrieb, inbegriffen aller Feiertage wie Ostern, Weihnachten, Silvester, Neujahr –
ohne Ausnahme. Gleichzeitig ist der Tarif gesenkt worden. Die Kosten für eine Telefonminute
im Hochtarif betragen heute 0,067 Franken (dies entspricht 8-9 Pf./Minute), die Hälfte davon
im Niedertarif ab 21.00 Uhr, hinzukommt ein Nachttarif nach 23.00 Uhr (ca. 2-3 Pf./Minute).
Durch diesen einfachen und tiefen Tarif wird ein kompliziertes Verrechnungssystem unnötig
und es entsteht ein Ausgleich für die längere Verbindungszeit mit einem Schreibtelefon im
Vergleich zu einem Sprechtelefon. Herr Kleeb macht darauf aufmerksam, daß es in der
Schweiz im Telefonwesen nie einen Sondertarif, keine Gebührenreduktion, keine freien
Gesprächseinheiten für Behinderte gegeben hat. Die Schweiz hat für den Grundsatz gekämpft,
daß jeder für erwartete gleiche Leistung gleich viel bezahlt. Dieses Ziel wurde nun auch für die
Gehörlosen erreicht.
Gesetzliche Grundlagen
Hiermit wurde aufgezeigt, daß in der Schweiz eine gesetzliche Grundlage besteht. Die gleiche
rechtliche Situation herrscht in praktisch allen Ländern, die heute professionell betriebene
Telefonvermittlungen haben. Herr Kleeb präsentiert folgende Untersuchungsarbeit: Eine
Gehörlose aus Belgien hat in Kalifornien Recht studiert und 1994 eine Untersuchung
durchgeführt zum Thema Telefonzugang für Gehörlose in der EU6. Sie hat die Aussage gemacht, daß in der gesamten EU die Voraussetzungen da seien, daß die Telefonvermittlung eine
Leistung für alle Telefongesellschaften sein muß. Es gibt zudem eine europäische Telefongesellschaften-Vereinigung, die bereits 1974 eine wunderbare Erklärung verabschiedet hat, daß
man auf mehreren Ebenen einen Zugang zum Telefon möglich machen muß. Das Papier ist
jedoch 25 Jahre lang nur Papier geblieben.
Es widerspricht der EU-Regel, wenn in Deutschland keine Gehörlosen-Telefonvermittlung
existiert. Deutschland braucht nicht auf das Gleichstellungsgesetz zu warten! Die rechtlichen
Grundlagen sind da! Es ist bundesrechtlich verankert, daß niemand aufgrund seiner Behinderung benachteiligt werden darf. Auch hier muß das Telefon für alle gleichermaßen zugänglich sein, hier sieht Herr Kleeb keinen Unterschied. Er bittet Deutschland, diese bereits
bestehenden gesetzlichen Möglichkeiten zu nutzen!
Erfahrungen im Schweizer Vermittlungsdienst
Die Schweiz kann auf 15 Jahre Erfahrungen in der Entwicklung des Vermittlungsdienstes
zurückblicken. In dieser Zeit gab es stets 3 Grundprobleme: 1) zu wenig Geld, 2) zu wenig
Personal und 3) zu diskriminierend hohe Telefongebühren für Gehörlose. Es kamen Klagen
auf, der Vermittlungsdienst sei immer besetzt und die Vermittlung sei zu teuer. Diese Probleme
6
Masters of Law Paper von Helga Stevens, University of California at Berkley, ”Telekommunications and Access for Deaf People in The European Union and The United States”
161
konnten erst gelöst werden, als die Telefonvermittlung eine gesetzlich vorgeschriebene Grunddienstleistung wurde. Dies zeigt klar, daß es nicht möglich ist, eine Telefonvermittlung dauerhaft auf kommerzieller Basis oder mit Spenden aufrecht zu erhalten. In allen Ländern, in denen
eine professionelle Telefonvermittlung besteht, sind die Telefongesellschaften die finanziellen
Träger.
Verlaufsstatistik in der Schweiz
Eine Folie mit grafischer Darstellung der Nutzung des Vermittlungsdienstes in den letzten 15
Jahren bis heute lassen die einzelnen Entwicklungsstufen erkennen: Beginnend mit der erste
Versuchsphase 1985 auf Französisch (frz. Schweiz), dann folgte eine rasant ansteigende Kurve
mit Hinzunahme der deutschsprachigen Vermittlungen bis kein Geld mehr zur Verfügung
stand. Dies war der Punkt, an dem das Gebührensystem geändert und höhere Gebühren
verlangt werden mußten und die Gehörlosen sauer hierüber waren (leichter
Vermittlungsrückgang). Doch die Alternative zu den hohen Kosten war die Schließung des
Vermittlungsdienstes. Da die Gehörlosen jedoch auf das Telefon angewiesen waren, egal
wieviel es kostete, stieg nach 1988 erneut die Vermittlungskurve an. Dann trat eine flach
verlaufende Entwicklung ein, da die Gehörlosen das Telefonieren auf das Notwendigste
beschränkt hatten. Ein sprunghafter Anstieg erfolgte ab Januar 1998, als das neue Gesetz in
Kraft getreten ist, nämlich ein 24-Stunden-Dienst, viel niedrigere Tarife und mehr Personal. Als
Nebenarbeit hat die PROCOM auch das Schreiben der Informationsseiten für Gehörlose und
Schwerhörige im Schweizer Videotext-System7 übernommen. Die Gehörlosen haben eine neue
Freiheit bekommen, diese haben sie auch genutzt. Gehörlose fühlen sich heute in der Schweiz
gleichgestellt.
Diese Statistik zeigt eine Entwicklungsgeschichte, die für die Schweiz schwierig war. Sie hat
überall ”Feuerwehrübungen” gemacht und Veränderungen herbeigeführt, zum Beispiel auch
beim Personal. Diese ist zwar immer noch zu wenig, aber es mußten ”erste Brände gelöscht
werden”. Umgekehrt kann Herr Kleeb berichten, daß er sich kaum an einen Fall erinnern kann,
in welchem die Gehörlosen die Qualität des Vermittlungsdienstes an sich beanstandet hätten.
Sie haben lediglich beanstandet, daß der Vermittlungsdienst zu häufig besetzt war, also nicht
zugänglich war. Als grundlegender Fakt ist, daß in aller Regel erst einmal eine Kommunikationsmöglichkeit geschaffen werden muß. Dies bedeutet, wenn ein Vermittlungsdienst überhaupt nicht da ist oder nicht zugänglich ist, dann ist die Qualität der Kommunikation gleich
Null! Mit Vorhandensein eines Vermittlungsdienstes ist eine Kommunikationsqualität zwischen
80% und 100% geschaffen. Die Schweiz kämpfte dafür, zu diesen 80% gelangen. Der nächste
Schritt ist eine Verbesserung der restlichen 20%.
Die Verkaufszahlen der Schreibtelefone ist in etwa gleich geblieben. In der Schweiz sind etwa
3.000 Geräte im Umlauf. Dafür hat die Anzahl an Vermittlungen stark zugenommen. Heute
läuft alles über die Telefonvermittlung: von der Liebeserklärung bis zu Selbstmorddramen und
alles, was im menschlichen Leben dazwischen liegt. ”Es gibt nichts, was es nicht gibt” – es gibt
keine Grenzen. Es gibt keine Einschränkungen bezüglich Inhalt oder Dauer einer Vermittlung.
Der Grundsatz ist immer: Der Gehörlose muß alles machen können, was auch ein Hörender
tun kann! Einzige Beschränkung: Es können mit einem Anruf nicht zwei Vermittlungsgespräche geführt werden. Nach jeder Vermittlung muß die PROCOM neu angewählt
werden, so wie es jeder Hörende auch machen muß. Die Benützer der Schreibtelefone werden
7
Internetadresse: http://www.swisstxt.ch/subtitles
162
regelmäßig über Merkblätter und Werbematerial informiert. Jedes Jahr ist ein neues Schreibtelefonverzeichnis mit der Auflistung eingetragener ST-Nummern erhältlich.
Aufklärungsarbeit
Die Statistik zeigt noch ein anderes Problem, nämlich daß nur ca. 20% der Anrufe von Hörenden kommen. PROCOM bemüht sich um Aufklärung und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit. Bisher ist bei
den Medien wenig Interesse vorhanden. PROCOM sieht dies als Diskriminierung an.
PROCOM motiviert die Gehörlosen, selber aktiv zu werden und die Hörenden in der Familie,
im Umkreis, am Arbeitsplatz zu informieren, daß Gehörlose telefonieren können und daß der
Kontakt über den Vermittlungsdienst möglich ist. Möglichkeiten dieser Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
sind zum Beispiel:
- Kleine ”Visitenkarten” der PROCOM Telefonvermittlung mit der Aufschrift: ”Ich bin hörgeschädigt und
telefoniere mit Schreibtelefon. Sie erreichen mich über die PROCOMTelefonvermittlung: 0844 844 071, 24Stunden-Service zum Ortstarif. Mein Name: ... .
Meine Telefonnummer: ... . Geben Sie der Vermittlung meine
Telefonnummer und meinen
Namen. Die Verbindung wird hergestellt, wir können telefonieren.” Jeder
Gehörlose kann eine solche Visitenkarte bei sich tragen und im Kontakt mit einem Hörenden diesen von sich
aus darauf aufmerksam machen, daß er telefonisch erreichbar ist.
·
Aufkleber mit der Nummer des Vermittlungsdienstes, die verteilt werden können und dann
an das Telefon geklebt werden, damit diese Einrichtung bekannt und benutzt wird.
·
Motivierung der Gehörlosen, im öffentlichen Telefonbuch nicht ihre ST-Nummer einzutragen, sondern die Nummer der Vermittlung. So entstehen automatisch mehr Kontakte.
·
Zudem ist es wichtig, daß sowohl Hörende als auch Gehörlose darüber aufgeklärt werden,
daß die Telefonvermittlung keine Wohlfahrtseinrichtung ist, die nur in Notfällen beansprucht werden darf, sondern daß über die Vermittlung mit Gehörlosen auch geplaudert
werden kann. Gehörlose sind Menschen wie alle anderen auch und brauchen genauso den
ungezwungenen zwischenmenschlichen Austausch. Hier wird also auch das ganz normale
Gespräch möglich gemacht.
·
PROCOM macht ebenso die Gehörlosen darauf aufmerksam, daß die Telefonvermittlung
selbst ein ganz wichtiger Bestandteil der Öffentlichkeitsarbeit ist. Die Schweiz macht ca.
10.000 Vermittlungen im Monat, von denen ca. die Hälfte Telefonate mit Hörenden sind,
die nichts von Gehörlosigkeit wissen und nicht über Gehörlose informiert sind. Oft sind
diese dann erstaunt, von einem Gehörlosen ein Telefonat zu empfangen: ”Ein Gehörloser
kann telefonieren???”. Dies ist oft ein Erlebnis für Hörende, das sie nicht so leicht vergessen. Damit macht die Telefonvermittlung auch Aufklärungsarbeit. Jeden Monat informiert
daher die Schreibtelefonvermittlung ca. 5.000 Hörende auf das Neue, daß Gehörlose überhaupt da sind mit ebengleichen Problemen und Bedürfnissen.
·
PROCOM gibt Informationsvorträge bei Gehörlosen, bei Vereinen, bei Schulen, um Gehörlose selbst zu informieren, da sie ohne Telefon aufgewachsen sind und nicht hören und
wissen, was Hörende alles über das Telefon erledigen. Diese Arbeit dient der Bewußtmachung, wozu das Telefon eigentlich benötigt wird und für wieviele Zwecke verwendet
werden kann.
163
·
Umfangreiches Aufklärungsmaterial liegt auch in Form von Broschüren aus, die jeder mitnehmen kann.
·
Es gehört heute auch zur Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, daß in den Berufsschulen für Hörgeschädigte eine Unterrichtseinheit angeboten wird mit Informationen, daß Gehörlose
heute telefonieren können, daß es den Vermittlungsdienst gibt, was dieser anbietet, und wie
junge Gehörlose in der Bewerbungsphase dem Arbeitgeber gegenübertreten sollen. Sie
sollen lernen, selbstbewußt zu zeigen, daß sie selbständig telefonieren können. Ein solch
einziger Punkt kann so entscheidend für die berufliche Zukunft sein!
·
Dies bedeutet, daß die alte Tradition, Gehörlose könnten nicht telefonieren, gebrochen
werden muß und Gehörlose im Hinterkopf über ihre neuen Fähigkeiten und Möglichkeiten
aufgeklärt werden müssen.
·
Aus der Statistik weiß man, daß eine durchschnittliche Gehörlosen-Telefonvermittlung 7
Minuten dauert. Beispielrechnung: 7 Minuten Vermittlung kosten weniger als 50 Rappen.
Ein normaler Brief kostet 90 Rappen. Beim normalen Briefeschreiben kommt zu den
höheren Kosten die längere Zeitspanne durch Versendung über den Postweg hinzu. Somit
kann über den Gehörlosen-Vermittlungsdienst dasselbe Problem zur Hälfte des Preises und
in nur 5 Minuten geklärt werden. Diese schnelle Vermittlung ist effektiv und entscheidend
für die Lebensqualität.
·
Es gibt auch die Ansicht, daß das Versenden von Faxen billiger und einfacher sei. Ein Teil
der Informationsarbeit ist auch Aufklärung hierüber, über Vor- und Nachteile der Telefonvermittlung im Vergleich mit anderen elektronischen Kommunikationsformen.
·
Weiterer Vorteil der Schreibtelefonvermittlung ist Vermittlung in korrektem Deutsch. Vor
allem für Gehörlose, die Schwierigkeiten mit der deutschen Lautsprache, z.B. der Grammatik haben, ist dies von Vorteil, da ungeschickt formulierte Faxe bei unwissenden Hörenden vorschnell einen schlechten ersten Eindruck erwecken. Dies kann mit Hilfe des Vermittlungsdienstes vermieden werden.
Es gibt noch viele Beispiele und Vorteile des Vermittlungsdienstes anzuführen, doch die für
den Vortrag zur Verfügung stehende Zeit drängt. Die Schweiz möchte daher sagen, daß sie
großes Interesse daran hat, daß in Deutschland ein solcher Vermittlungsdienst aufgebaut wird.
Es zeigt sich auch folgendes Problem, nämlich daß bisher die Schweiz die ”Hausaufgaben” für
Deutschland macht, indem Anrufe von Deutschland nach Deutschland über die Schweiz
getätigt werden. Die Schweiz hat all diese Aufgaben zusätzlich übernommen, also auch die
Vermittlungen für Deutschland in ihren eigenen Arbeiten untergebracht. Bisher hat die Schweiz
dies toleriert und akzeptiert, solange sie nicht selber von dem Vermittlungsansturm erdrückt
wird. Doch für die Zukunft gesehen, ist dies keine Lösung, da die generell steigende Nachfrage, auch aus Deutschland, die Schweiz zusammenbrechen läßt. Herr Kleeb bemüht sich
bereits seit Jahren, auch die deutschen gehörlosen Spitzenleute hierüber zu informieren und zu
motivieren, ein eigenes System aufzubauen.
164
Tips aus der Schweiz
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·
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Die Schweiz gibt die positive Erfahrung weiter, eine Arbeitsgruppe zu gründen, die mindestens zur Hälfte aus Gehörlosen besteht. Bei sachlicher, professioneller Aufbauarbeit könne
man sich die Unterstützung der Organisationen im Gehörlosenbereich holen, jedoch außerhalb der Gehörlosenpolitik belassend.
Überlegt werden solle die Bildung einer eigenständigen Organisation nach dem Modell der
PROCOM, welches im Auftragsverhältnis die Telefonvermittlung betreibt und daneben
flexibel weitere Kommunikationsdienstleistungen erbringen kann. Ideal wäre es, wenn die
Serviceclubs dazu einen Startbeitrag leisten würden.
Deutschland solle mit einer bundesweiten zentralen Vermittlungsstelle beginnen. Man
könne später Regionen bilden. In der Anfangsphase ist für die Nachtzeit auch eine Umschaltung in die Schweiz denkbar.
Ein erster wichtiger Punkt wird eine hohe Auslastung sein, damit das Personal viele Vermittlungen machen kann und nicht viel Wartezeit hat. Die Schweiz arbeitet derzeit mit 40
Angestellten im Vermittlungsdienst, die meisten Teilzeitbeschäftigte, die 10.000 Vermittlungen pro Monat bewältigen. Würde man diese Zahlen auf Deutschland hochrechnen,
bräuchte man hier 400 Angestellte für diese Aufgabe. Aber bei einer guten Organisation
sind die Leute durchschnittlich zu 50% ausgelastet. Je höher der Bedarf, desto höher hat
man eine hohe prozentuale Auslastung. Das größte Problem für die Schweiz ist, daß die
Schweiz fast zu klein ist für einen guten Ablauf.
Deutschland solle nicht nach dem perfekten Kommunikationsgerät suchen, denn es wird
immer einen Wandel geben. Es sind in Deutschland einige tausend Schreibtelefone vorhanden, die mit einer Telefonvermittlung schnell wieder zu neuem Leben erweckt werden können. Daneben sollen Bildtelefone eingesetzt werden, soweit dafür qualifizierte Dolmetscher
verfügbar sind. Es kann auch eine Lösung über Internet realisiert werden, sobald
Pauschaltarife für das Internet eingeführt werden. An erster Stelle muß aber der
schnellstmöglichste Aufbau von Vermittlungskapazität stehen. Dies ist mit den vorhandenen Schreibtelefonen und minimaler Ausbildung der Vermittlerinnen in wenigen Monaten
möglich. Danach wird der effektive Bedarf die weitere Entwicklung bestimmen.
Benützt werden sollte der tiefstmögliche Ortstarif für die Telefonvermittlung. Hiermit
kompensiere man die längere Verbindungszeit für Schreibtelefongespräche und erspart sich
ein kompliziertes Abrechnungsmodell. Die Kosten können aus den Grundgebühren gedeckt
werden oder man erhebt auf alle Telefonrechnungen ein ”Gleichstellungsbeitrag” von
wenigen Pfennigen.
Es gibt beim Bildtelefon jedoch eine Grenze, die nicht überwunden werden kann, nämlich
die Personalfrage. Man kann sehr schnell für die Schreibtelefonvermittlung Personal ausbilden, es werden jedoch viele Jahre benötigt, um perfekte Gebärdensprachdolmetscher zu
gewinnen, die alle deutschen Dialekte beherrschen und rund-um-die-Uhr eingesetzt werden
können. Woher bekommt Deutschland 400 Gebärdensprachdolmetscher? Dies bedeutet ein
Scheitern an der menschlichen Grenze.
Vergessen werden darf nicht die begleitende Informationsarbeit und die Benützerschulung.
Gehörlose sind ohne Telefon aufgewachsen und kennen die vielfältigen Möglichkeiten gar
nicht. Sie müssen hierin bewußt geschult werden.
165
Appell an Deutschland
Es werden sich durch das Internet neue Möglichkeiten auftun, die Technik wird sich ändern.
Die Bedürfnisse der Gehörlosen bleiben jedoch gleich. Deutschland solle nicht vergessen, daß
bis zum heutigen Tag 3.000 bis 4.000 Gehörlose in Deutschland nicht telefonieren können.
Jeden Tag sehen sich Gehörlose dieser Situation ausgesetzt. Sie verlieren Zeit und Geld, haben
im Beruf weniger Erfolg, sie müssen ihr Privatleben offenlegen und vieles mehr.
Herr Kleeb bittet die Deutsche Telekom und die anderen Telefongesellschaften in Deutschland
die rechtlichen und moralischen Verpflichtung wahrzunehmen. Wenn alle Menschen in
Deutschland gleichgestellt sind und das Fernmeldenetz allen zu gleichen Bedingungen zugänglich sein soll, so widerspricht diese Benachteiligung der Gehörlosen dem Deutschen
Grundgesetz.
Die PROCOM ist gerne bereit, ihre Erfahrungen weiterzugeben und hat Interesse an einer
Zusammenarbeit mit Deutschland. Schweiz und Deutschland können gerne gemeinsam etwas
aufbauen! Herr Kleeb bittet Deutschland, keine langwierigen Bedürfnisabklärungen zu machen,
keine Projekte zu starten, die schnell wieder absterben, sondern Deutschland solle ganz einfach
und pragmatisch mit der praktischen Arbeit beginnen. Dies bedeutet natürlich eine ständige
Anpassung, genauso wie sie in der Schweiz notwendig war. Es ist ein ständiger Lernprozeß!
Fragen zum Vortrag
Frage:
Ich habe zwei Fragen. Erstens, bei unseren Gesprächen mit der Telekom erhalten wir immer
die Begründung, unser regionaler Gehörlosenverein sei zu klein für eine wirtschaftliche Arbeit / Vermarktung von Schreib- und Bildtelefon. Dies ist immer die Begründung von Telekom. Was ist hierzu zu sagen? Bei einer regionalen Niederlassung wird immer nur darauf
geschaut, wie viele Gehörlose und Hörbehinderte in dieser Region vorhanden sind. Wenn zu
wenige, dann besteht kein Interesse auf dem Markt. Wenn ich sage, es sind 5.000 Menschen in
unserer Region, dann heißt die Antwort: unter 10.000 ist nichts zu machen. Sage ich, es sind
1.000 Menschen hier, dann heißt es vielleicht: unter 2.000 ist nichts zu machen. Welche Argumente muß ich bringen, damit die Telekom begreift???
Anwort:
Es ist sicherlich auch eine Frage des Selbstbewußtseins der Gehörlosen. Wir müssen ganz klar
sagen, welche Möglichkeiten wir sehen.
Frage:
Wie läuft es mit der Telekommunikation ab, wenn ich als gehörloser Beschäftigter mit einem
Hörenden einer anderen Firma telefonieren möchte und der Chef denkt, ich kann nicht telefonieren. Ich möchte aber meinen Arbeitsplatz behalten. Es wurde gesagt, daß durch das
Telefonieren-Können am Arbeitsplatz die Chancen im Beruf steigen. Kann ich mich jeden
Tag, für jedes Gespräch und jederzeit an den Vermittlungsdienst wenden?
Antwort:
Ja, die Vermittlung steht immer zur Verfügung.
166
Frage:
Ich habe eine Frage zum Vertrauensschutz / zur Schweigepflicht der Mitarbeiter. Inwieweit ist
diese Schweigepflicht gesetzlich abgesichert und gilt zum Beispiel auch absolut gegenüber
Gerichten, Strafverfolgungsbehörden und Polizeibehörden und ähnlichem mehr? Beispiel:
Wenn ich als Hörender mit meiner Frau telefoniere und ihr im Streit sage, ich bringe sie um,
dann wird sie mir daraufhin ein paar Worte sagen und der Streit hat sich erledigt. Wenn ich
jedoch über einen Vermittlungsdienst einer anderen Person mitteile, ich bringe diese Person
um, dann ist dies in den Ohren des Vermittlers erstmal eine Ankündigung einer Straftat. Inwiefern ist der Vermittler unter Umständen dazu verpflichtet, die Strafverfolgungsbehörde
hierüber in Kenntnis zu setzen.
Antwort:
Diese Frage wird immer wieder gestellt. Hierzu sind zwei Dinge anzuführen. Erstens ist ein
Bestandteil des Arbeitsvertrages der Vermittler der Dolmetscher-Codex für Gebärdensprachdolmetscher, der die Schweigepflicht beinhaltet. Zum zweiten ist im Schweizer Telefongesetz
ein Paragraph enthalten, der alle Personen im Fernmeldewesen dazu verpflichtet, daß alles, was
sie hören, nicht für sie bestimmt ist und absolut vertraulich zu halten haben. Dies ist in der
Schweiz ein doppelter Schutz, der gesetzlich festgehalten ist. Die Beispiele mit dem Ermorden
kommen immer wieder. Wir haben immer gesagt: Der Gehörlose kann das gleiche machen wie
der Hörende auch. Wenn Sie als Hörender ihrem Nachbar sagen, ich bringe Sie um – ob sie das
dann machen oder nicht ist ihr Problem, nicht das Problem der Vermittlung. Aber umgekehrt,
was mich wundert: Die Leute sprechen immer nur von Mord- und Totschlag! Fragen von
Liebe? – von Gefühlen? – das ist für mich wichtiger und da verliert der Gehörlose. Das ist für
uns der Grund zu sagen, der Gehörlose kann alles machen, was der Hörende tun kann.
Schauen Sie doch bitte mal, was im Privatleben alles gesprochen wird über Gefühle. Und
darum ist bei uns ganz klar die Respektierung der Gefühle, die Respektierung der Kommunikationsbedürfnisse – ohne Grenzen. Wenn der Gehörlose sich an den Vermittler wendet, dann
tut er es im Vertrauen darauf, daß seine Information auch weitergegeben wird.
Frage:
Eine Frage zu den Kosten, was ein Schreibtelefon preislich kostet? Und als zweites: Was
würden Sie zu folgendem Argument sagen, man sollte heute eher auf eine computerbasierte
Lösung schauen, die einfach wesentlich mehr ermöglicht, aber nicht viel höhere Kosten hat?
Anwort:
Die Telefonanschlußgebühren sind dieselben wie für Hörende, hier kein Unterschied. Die
Gesprächsgebühren liegen beim tiefsten Ortstarif in der Schweiz. Die Zukunft liegt sicherlich in
den Möglichkeiten des Internets. Das Problem ist, der Gehörlose muß den Computer immer
eingeschaltet haben, damit er erreicht werden kann. Wenn er einen Anruf bekommt und er den
Computer erst neu starten muß, hätte der hörende schon längst aufgehängt. Es wird in naher
Zukunft technische Möglichkeiten über das Internet geben, was aber auch mit Gebühren
zusammenhängt. Wenn es Pauschalgebühren für den Internetzugang gibt und die Telefongesellschaften dies als Ersatz für das Schreibtelefon akzeptieren, sehe ich kein Problem. Dies
meinte ich auch damit als ich sagte, die Technik wird sich ändern, die Bedürfnisse bleiben
gleich.
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Frage:
Ich habe eine Frage zum Bildtelefon am Arbeitsplatz. Es läuft ja derzeit ein Projekt diesbezüglich, welches mit dem Arbeitsplatz zusammenhängt. Hat die Vermittlungsstelle in der
Schweiz mehr mit beruflichen Vermittlungen zu tun oder wie sieht es dort aus? Wieviel Prozent der eingehenden Anfragen im Monat haben etwas mit dem Arbeitsplatz zu tun?
Anwort:
Zu unserer Schweigepflicht gehört, daß wir keine Analyse über die Art der Eingänge machen.
Die einzige Unterscheidung, die wir registrieren ist, ob ein Anruf von einem Gehörlosen oder
einem Hörenden kommt. Über den Inhalt des Gesprächs brauchen wir keine Aufzeichnungen
zu machen, dies ist Teil der Schweigepflicht. Daher kann über inhaltliche Sachen keine Aussage gemacht werden. Nach Beendigung eines Vermittlungstelefonats, wenn beide Hörer wieder aufgelegt sind, ist dieses Gespräch bei der Vermittlungsstelle ausgelöscht.
”Relay Service in Schweden”
Thor Nielsen, Schweden
Die Gebärdensprache ist in Schweden seit 1978 als Muttersprache der Gehörlosen anerkannt.
Dies führte zu Veränderungen in den Gehörlosenschulen derart, daß gehörlose Kinder in
Schweden zuerst die Gebärdensprache lernen und erst dann Schwedisch, nicht die gesprochene
Sprache, sondern das Schriftschwedisch. Diese Entwicklung erfolgte zeitgleich mit der Errichtung der Schreibtelefone, die von sehr vielen Gehörlosen und Schwerhörigen benutzt werden, um mit Hörenden zu kommunizieren.
Relay Service aus der Sicht des Nutzers und des Anbieters
Organisatorischer Aufbau
Thor Nielsen ist Sales Repräsentative bei ENVILOGG. ENVILOGG ist eine schwedische
Firma, welche die Technologien für Vermittlungsdienste liefert. Mit ENVILOGG zusammenarbeitende Firmen sind beispielsweise TD1, ERICSON oder TELIA.
Anbieter der Vermittlungsdienste in Schweden ist TELIA Texttelefon. Telia Texttelefon entspricht der deutschen Telekom und ist die dortige staatliche Organisation. Es ist sehr wichtig,
sich dieser nationalen Organisation anzuschließen, da der Vermittlungsdienst schon existiert
und gut ausgelastet ist. Die Vermittlungsdienste gehören jedoch nur zum Teil zur nationalen
Telefonorganisation, einige gehören auch privaten Anbietern. TELIA wird angeboten von
TELIA NÄRA AB im Namen der National Post & Telecom Agency. Finanziell unterstützt
werden die Vermittlungsdienste aber durch den Staat. Den Relay Service gibt es in Schweden
seit 1982 und kostet 16,5 Millionen Mark.
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Technischer Aufbau
Sehr wichtig im Zusammenhang mit Computern ist das Vorgehen von ENVILOGG, ein Zentrum (ES/CTI) gebildet zu haben, in welchem sämtliche Technologien vereint sind. In
Schweden gibt es zwei Hauptkontaktzentren dieser integrierenden Technik, eines mit Sitz in
Stockholm, das andere in Gävle. Bei Ausfall einer Zentrale übernimmt die andere die Aufgabe.
Damit ist Verläßlichkeit dieses Systems gegeben.
In diesem Zentrum ES/CTI gehen alle Anrufe ein, von der gesprochenen Sprache über
Schreibtelefon bis zur E-mail. Auf der anderen Seite gehen alle Nachrichten aus diesem Kommunikationszentrum wieder raus. Es ist Anlaufstelle sämtlichen Tele-Verkehrs über PSTN,
dem Public Service Telephone Network. Sämtliche Anrufe können innerhalb der Organisation
durch das lokale Netzwerk auf andere PCs verschickt, dorthin weitergeleitet werden.
Es bestehen unbeschränkte technische Möglichkeiten! Für Schweden ist der Vermittlungsdienst
eine Art Tor zur Kommunikation, und zwar für das Schreiben genauso wie für die Stimme.
Hier werden Text und Stimme miteinander verbunden. Wer nicht mittels Schreibtelefon den
Kontakt sucht, kann mit weiteren Medien eine Verbindung mit dem Relay Service aufnehmen,
wie mit dem Fax, per SMS, über das Internet per E-mail oder auch einfach so zum Unterhalten
per Lautsprache.
In Schweden gibt es Computer mit integriertem Schreibtelefon. Der Gehörlose hat die
Auswahl, ob er einen Computer oder ein separates Schreibtelefon benutzen will. Zudem können Eingänge über das normale Schreibtelefon auf die Computerebene eingespeist werden, in
elektronischer Form gesichert und intern wieder rückübertragen werden z.B. per E-mail.
Ebenso kann man über das Schreibtelefon eine Faxmitteilung erhalten oder verschicken. Dies
alles ist in Schweden möglich!
Funktionsweise des Relay Services
Es gibt zwei anwählbare Nummern. Die Nummer 90 160 wird gewählt, wenn man von einem
Schreibtelefon aus anruft und 90 165, wenn der Anruf von einem Sprachtelefon erfolgt. Vorgehensweise: Eine Person ruft die Nummer des Relay Services z.B. über das Schreibtelefon an.
Dieser Anruf geht in die Zentrale, wo er bei einem Vermittlungsdienst angelangt. Hier erscheint der Anruf ebenfalls via Texttelefon. Der Operator liest die Nachricht und spricht sie
über Mikrofon dem von ihm angerufenen hörenden Partner vor.
Es gibt zwei wählbare Übertragungsformen: VCO (Voice Carry Over) für hörbeeinträchtigte
Anrufer, die lieber mit eigener Stimme sprechen wollen. Hier wird die eigene Stimme übertragen. HCO (Hear Carry Over) ist ein Angebot für sprachbeeinträchtigte Personen, welche aber
die Rückantwort hören können. Das Gesprochene wird zum Anhören übertragen. Auch mittels
Internet kann der Gehörlose auf die Homepage des Vermittlungsdienstes gelangen und auf dem
selben Weg Rückantwort erhalten kann. Bei bestehender Warteschlange wartet zwar der Anrufer, bis er an der Reihe ist, kann aber die Zeit nutzen, indem er sein Anliegen bereits formulieren und niederschreiben kann. Diese Niederschrift wird gespeichert und dem Operator
weitergeleitet. Zu 90% werden jedoch Anrufe innerhalb von 20 Sekunden übertragen.
Telia Texttelefon ist eine neutrale Anlaufstelle: Alle Anfragen werden ohne Berücksichtigung
der Dauer, Häufigkeit oder des Inhalts weitergeleitet. Oberste Leitlinie ist die Wahrung der
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Schweigepflicht. Die Vermittler sind an Verschwiegenheit gebunden und sichern damit Vertraulichkeit.
Angebote des Relay Systems
Umfangreicher allgemeiner Dienstleistungsservice
·
·
·
·
·
·
24-Stunden-Dienst, an 7 Tagen die Woche
In Schweden ist der Relay Service allgemeine Auskunftszentrale für jedermann, an die sich
auch Hörende wie in Deutschland an die allgemeine Auskunft wenden! Es macht keinen
Unterschied, ob ein hörender oder ein gehörloser sich an einen Serviceanbieter wendet. Im
Telefondienst sind sämtliche Servicedienste enthalten, von der üblichen Telefonauskunft
über alle weiteren genannten Medien. Der Gehörlosendienst ist hierbei nur ein Teilbereich
des umfangreichen Services. Ein Anrufer über Schreibtelefon erfährt genau die selben
Menüwahlmöglichkeiten, Bedingungen und den gleichen Service wie ein Hörender. Hiermit
ist Gleichberechtigung von Hörenden und Gehörlosen gegeben.
Zu der Angebotspalette zählen:
Allgemeine Telefonnummernauskunft
Gespräche mit Übernahme der Kosten durch den Angerufenen oder einer Dritten Person
Dreierkonferenzen
Weckservice
Telegramme
Konferenzschaltungen
”Secretarial services”
Internationale Gesprächsverbindungen; Hier findet jedoch keine Übersetzung zwischen den
verschiedenen Sprache statt.
Damit ist auch der Aufgabenbereich der Operators sehr umfangreich. Die Vermittler bekommen ein Spezialtraining zur Anwendung des Schreibtelefons. Mit dieser Spezialausbildung ist gewährleistet, daß zu Stoßzeiten eine Vielzahl von Operators angeboten werden
kann, die jede eingehende Anfrage an die Auskunftszentrale bearbeiten können. Es existieren somit keine nur auf eine Sache spezialisierten Vermittler. Gehen keine Anfragen von
Gehörlosen mittels Schreibtelefon oder anderer Medien ein, so übernehmen sie auch den
gewöhnlichen Vermittlungsservice wie Telefonnummernauskunft etc. Somit ist in
Schweden der Relay Service sehr effektiv aufgebaut.
In Schweden werden die Vermittlungsdienste stets in Englisch, Französisch und Deutsch
angeboten.
Bei vorheriger Anmeldung kann man ebenso einen Operator in Polnisch, Spanisch oder
einer anderen Sprache anfordern.
Zusätzliche ”Extra”angebote von Telia Texttelefon
·
Automatisierte Dienste: In Schweden bestehen seit letztem Jahr automatisierte Dienste.
Dies bedeutet, daß ein persönlicher Operator (Vermittler) nicht mehr benötigt wird. Sämtliche Eingänge können automatisch über die Homepage in einer Nachrichtenbox aufgenommen werden. Hierdurch wird höhere Effektivität und noch größere Sicherung der Privatsphäre für den anrufenden Gehörlosen gewährleistet.
Wie sieht die Funktionsweise dieses Automatisierten Dienstes aus? Mit der Nummer 90160
für das Schreibtelefon kann sich der Anrufer über Menüwahl für die weitere Ver-
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·
·
mittlungsform entscheiden. Wählt er die 1, so entscheidet er sich zunächst für die automatische Schiene, auf der ihm weitere Wahlmöglichkeiten angeboten werden. Wählt er die 9,
so wird er sogleich mit einem persönlichen Vermittler verbunden. Nach der ersten
Menüauswahl mit der Zahl 1 hat der Anrufer die Möglichkeit, sich über eine erneute Eingabe der Ziffer 1 in den automatischen Dienst einzuklinken und seine Nachricht zu hinterlassen. Mit der Ziffer 2 gelangt er ins Internet zur Mailbox. Ziffer 3 bietet eine Vorstufe zur
persönlichen Beratung, denn hier wird seine Anfrage über synthetische Stimme weitergegeben. Mit der 9 kann er jederzeit an den persönlichen Operator gelangen und ihn bei
auftauchenden Schwierigkeiten fragen.
Unified Messaging System: Dieses System vereinigt mehrere Mitteilungsformen und bietet
dem Schreibtelefonnutzer einen umfangreichen Dienst, ohne Hilfe eines persönlichen Vermittlers seine Nachrichten zu versenden. Er kann hier mit der Zahl 1 GSM/SMS wählen,
mit der Zahl 2 das Fax, mit der Zahl 3 den Pager und mit der Zahl 4 die E-mail.
Das Angebot Text-to-speech mit synthetischer Stimme ist eine technische Einrichtung, bei
dem der automatische Relay Service geschriebene Nachrichten einliest und mit künstlicher
Stimme antwortet. Dieser Service wird vor allem von sprechbehinderten Personen verwendet, die hören können.
Mailbox-System: Diese Mailbox integriert Schreibtelefonnachrichten, Faxschreiben,
Sprachtelefonmitteilungen, ”Move your phone”-Meldungen und E-mails. Verfügt ein Gehörloser über eine Mailbox und ruft er über das Schreibtelefon den Relay Service mit der
üblichen Einwahlnummer 90160 an, so markiert ein Stern bei der Option ”Mailbox”, ob für
ihn eine neue Nachricht eingegangen ist oder nicht. Erscheint der Stern, so kann er über die
Zifferneingabe 2, die für die Menüauswahl ”Mailbox” steht, seine eingegangene Mail einlesen oder sonstige an ihn geschriebene Nachrichten empfangen, die von diesem MailboxSystem übermittelt werden.
All diese Angebote können automatisch vom Gehörlosen mittels Schreibtelefon angewählt
werden. Es besteht aber immer die Möglichkeit, sich über die Ziffer 9 mit Fragen an den persönlichen Vermittler zu wenden.
Vorteile des Relay Systems
Der Relay Service ermöglicht flüssige und effiziente Anrufe. Die Erfahrungen sind in der
Schweiz, in den USA und in Schweden gleich. Problembereich ist auch hier der Arbeitsplatz,
der bisher nicht mit ausreichender Technik für Telefonate von Gehörlosen ausgestattet ist. Mit
den Relay Service können nun Gehörlose selbsttätig Telefonate führen, ohne Nachbarn,
Freunde oder Kollegen um Hilfe bitten zu müssen. Dies steigert die Berufschanchen für Gehörlose enorm. Durch Computeranschluß dieses Vermittlungsdienstes, der am LAN (local area
network) angeschlossen ist, stehen alle erdenklichen Daten einer Telefonauskunft zur Verfügung, die von Anrufern erfragt werden können. Diese Kombination von Vermittlungsdienst
für Gehörlose mit normaler Telefonauskunft ist wesentlich effektiver als getrennte Anlaufstellen und spart Arbeitszeit ein.
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Kosten des Relay Services
Bei einem Anruf von Person A zu Person B über TELIA Texttelefon Vermittlungsdienst zahlt
der Anrufer A nur die Kosten für die Verbindung mit B. Damit ist der angebotene Service
kostenfrei, abgesehen von den üblichen Gebühren eines automatisch verbundenen Gesprächs.
Der Staat finanziert die Kosten für Verbindung mit dem Vermittlungsdienst. In Schweden ist
der Telefonmarkt privatisiert reguliert. Es gibt wie in Amerika verschiedene Telefonfirmen,
aber ohne Variation in den Preisen.
Statistische Angaben aus Schweden
In Schweden bekommt ebenso wie in der Schweiz ein Gehörloser zwei Telefonanschlüsse. Es
sind um die 300 Bildtelefone in diesem Land im Gebrauch, etwa 100 Bildtelefone werden pro
Jahr verteilt. An Schreibtelefonen existieren etwa 10.000 bis 12.000. Es wurden 7.500 aktive
Benutzer des Vermittlungsdienstes registriert. In den Stoßzeiten sind 90 Operators mit Vermittlungen beschäftigt. Mit diesen Zahlen ist der Vermittlungsdienst bereits jetzt sehr effizient.
Im Jahr 1999 wurden 1 Mio. Anrufe statistisch erhoben. Eine wichtige Bemerkung ist hierbei,
daß etwa die Hälfte dieser Anfragen von Hörenden getätigt wurden. Dies bedeutet, daß Gehörlose und Hörende den Relay Service gleichermaßen benutzen.
Eine statistische Graphik über die Anzahl der Anrufe im Vergleich zur Tageszeit aus dem
Monat Februar 2000 zeigt, daß der Relay Service auffällig häufig während der regulären Arbeitszeit in Anspruch genommen wurde, mit Spitzenwerten um 10.00 Uhr. Hier liegt die Zahl
zwischen 6.000 und 7.000 Anrufen. Dies ist eine sehr hohe Anruferzahl. Obwohl nicht klar
gesagt werden kann, wie viele Anrufe nun wirklich vom Arbeitsplatz getätigt wurden, verleitet
dies dennoch zu der mutmaßlichen Aussage, daß vor allem auch im Arbeitsbereich das nun
unabhängige Telefonieren Gehörloser eine Aufwertung fand.
Wie gehört, beträgt in der Schweiz die durchschnittliche Vermittlungsdauer 7 Minuten, in
Schweden nur 5 Minuten. Eine weitere Graphik zeigt die Anzahl der Minuten pro Kunde, die
der Relay Services in Anspruch genommen wurde. Im Januar 2000 beträgt diese Zahl 500.000
Minuten pro Anrufer. Aus einer zweiten Graphik ist zu lesen, daß dieses Jahr im Januar 70.000
Telefonate im Relay Service eingingen.
Alte Medien versus neue Medien
Diese hohen Zahlen sind gerade in der Diskussion um neue Medien interessant, gerade in der
Diskussion um das ältere Schreibtelefon und der neuen Computertechnologie. Schweden kann
mit einer repräsentativen Zahl auftreten, ca. 70% der schwedischen Haushalte haben Internetanschluß. Auch die Gehörlosengemeinschaft in Schweden nutzt das Internet sehr rege.
Herr Nielsen unternahm letztes Jahr im November / Dezember eine Datenerhebung über die
meistbenutzten Kommunikationswege junger Menschen zwischen 15 und 30 Jahren in
Schweden. Das Ergebnis war, daß 50% aller Kommunikation von gehörlosen jungen Menschen über das Schreibtelefon läuft. Alle anderen Wege wie E-mail, SMS folgen erst danach.
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Zahlen aus anderen Ländern
Spanien
In Spanien gibt es 10.000 Schreibtelefone. Dort nahm der Relay Service 1995 seinen Anfang.
1998 wurden 150.000 Anrufe vermittelt, 1999 bereits 222.000 Anrufe. In allen Ländern ist
eine steil nach oben ragende Kurve zu verzeichnen, die Zeugnis ablegt über den hohen
Zuspruch aller Beteiligten. Der Relay Service in Spanien läuft über SERTEL, der dortigen Anrufzentrale. Die finanzielle Unterstützung erfährt der Vermittlungsservice von dem Einwanderungsministerium und dem Ministerium für Soziale Angelegenheiten.
England
In England gibt es 50.000 Schreibtelefone. Der dortige Relay Service nennt sich ”Type Talk”.
Dort werden 65.000 Anrufe pro Woche registriert. Über das Jahr verteilt erzielt man eine
Vermittlungszahl von 3.250.000! Wenn man betrachtet, daß die Einwohnerzahl von England
annähernd so groß ist wie die in Deutschland, kann man sich vorstellen, wie viele Anrufe in
Deutschland getätigt würden bzw. wie hoch der geschätzte Bedarf ist. In England wird ”Type
Talk” von der britischen Telekom finanziert. Damals, als die britische Telekom privatisiert
wurde hat der Staat die britische Telekom verpflichtet, die Gehörloseneinrichtung ”Type Talk”
zu finanzieren.
Tschechien
Osteuropa ist schneller als Deutschland. In Tschechien gibt es den Relay Service bereits seit
1998. Es ist zwar noch ein kleiner Dienst, es gehen hier 500 Anrufe im Monat ein. Aber auch
hier ist die Kurve steigend, die Zuwachsrate beträgt ca. 20% bis 30% jeden Monat.
Filmpräsentation
Im Anschluß an das Referat führt Herr Nielsen eine Filmdemonstration über die Arbeit in
einem schwedischen Relaycenter vor, in der gezeigt wird, daß es sich stets um nur ein technisches System handelt, mit dem aber alle erdenklichen Kommunikationswege gewählt werden
können! Themen im Film sind die Verbesserung der Situation am Arbeitsplatz Gehörloser und
Beispiele der einzelnen technischen Übermittlungswege.
Inhalt des Films8: Anliegen des Fallbeispiels ist es, die Situation eines Gehörlosen am Arbeitsplatz zu verbessern. Es wird der Relay Service in Stockholm vorgestellt. Dies ist der Vermittlungsservice und der reguläre Auskunftsdienst zusammen. Die technische Ausstattung des
Relay Systems, die Maschinen und Geräte, sind in einer Zentrale vereint, wohingegen die
Operators im ganzen Land verteilt sind.
Beim ersten Fallbeispiel wird der reguläre Auskunftsdienst in Anspruch genommen. Der Anrufer befindet sich gerade im Auto auf einem Rastplatz und wählt per Handy den Relay Service an. Er möchte eine Telefonnummer erfragen und bekommt die Antwort per SMS auf sein
Handy zurück. Mit gleicher Technik geht die Kombination Schreibtelefon und SMS vonstatten.
8
Ein schwedischer Film mit englischen Untertiteln.
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In der Vermittlungszentrale gehen die Anfragen und Menüwahlen auf dem Bildschirm ein, die
vom Operator gelesen werden (schwedischer Text). Bei einer automatischen Textwahl erscheinen nach Aufnahme der Verbindung automatisch auf dem Bildschirm sämtliche
gewählten Vorgänge, die der Anrufer vorgenommen hat. Es folgt ein Verbindungsbeispiel mit
einem Schreibtelefon mittels VCO. Dann ein Beispiel über den automatisierten Dienst. Über
Schreibtelefon meldet sich eine Person und verschickt ihre SMS-Nachricht, ohne einen persönlichen Operator in Anspruch zu nehmen. Auf dem Bildschirm des Operators werden nach
und nach die einzelnen Vorgänge angezeigt. Der Gehörlose erhält am Beginn seines Anrufes
den Hinweis, daß er 30 Sekunden warten kann, wenn er persönlichen Kontakt mit einem Operator aufnehmen will. Möchte er dies nicht, so wählt er aus dem vorgeschlagenen Menü
seine gewünschten Nachrichtenwege. Im Beispiel wählt der Anrufer per Schreibtelefon den
automatischen Dienst, gibt die Telefonnummer des Handys durch und hinterläßt seine
Nachricht, die er wieder löschen oder gleich abschicken kann. Der Anrufer verschickt seine
Nachricht. Danach wendet er sich an einen Operator, weil er eine Schreibtelefonverbindung
in Anspruch nehmen möchte.
Als Anrufer beim Relay Service kann man alles machen, was man möchte: Man kann den
Vermittlungsdienst anrufen, eine SMS verschicken, wieder zum Vermittler zurückkehren usw.
Fragen zum Vortrag
Frage:
Wird es vielleicht später auch ein Handy mit Bild geben wird?
Antwort:
Diese Technologie existiert derzeit noch nicht, es ist jedoch denkbar, daß es in naher Zukunft
diese Möglichkeit geben wird. Es ist weniger das Problem auf seiten des Relay Services, sondern immer eine Frage der technischen Verbindung.
Frage:
Wenn ich dies alles hier verfolge, die Vorgehensweisen in Amerika, der Schweiz und in
Schweden, die Technik usw. dann sehe ich, daß das Prinzip überall gleich ist, nämlich daß
den Gehörlosen gleiche Chancen im Informationsbereich gegeben werden müssen. Man muß
ja auch an die europäische Entwicklung denken. Wenn nun in Europa verschiedene Arten von
Netzwerken entstehen, verschiedene Techniken eingesetzt werden, ist es denke ich wichtig, zu
einem System in Europa zu kommen, das für alle Gehörlose in Europa gleich sein wird. Man
sollte nicht an verschiedene nationale Systeme denken, sondern dies europäisieren.
Antwort:
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Es ist in der Tat noch ein Problem, die verschiedenen nationalen Techniken miteinander zu
kombinieren. Heute ist es beispielsweise noch nicht möglich, von einem deutschen Schreibtelefon aus ein Telefonat zu einem schwedischen Schreibtelefon zu führen. Ein Hörender kann
zwar z.B. nach Sambia telefonieren, doch im Gehörlosenbereich bestehen hier noch technische
Grenzen.
Frage:
So wie ich mir das heute angeschaut habe über den automatisierten Service funktioniert es so,
daß z.B. eine SMS in eine künstliche Stimme umgewandelt wird, daß man die Nachricht hören
kann. Wie sieht dann die Antwort aus? Wie kann der Dialog dann stattfinden? Wird die Antwort auch wieder in einen Text umgewandelt, in eine SMS oder wie funktioniert das?
Antwort:
Es gibt eine Software, welche die Stimme in Text umwandelt. Das Problem ist nur, daß sie
noch nicht 100% gut ist. Es werden etwa 70% bis 80% korrekt umgewandelt. Die Software
kann nicht alles erfassen, so hat sie beispielsweise Schwierigkeiten, akzent-besetzte Sprachen
richtig zu erfassen. Schweden ist aber an der Entwicklung, daß in ca. 4 bis 5 Jahren diese
Stimme-zu-Text-Umwandlung vollständig automatisiert ist. Dennoch sind persönliche Operator nicht völlig wegzudenken. Denn man kann nicht eine 80-jährige Person vor ein Schreibtelefon setzen und von ihr verlangen, mit dieser modernen Technik eine E-mail an ihr Enkelkind zu verschicken. In diesem Falle benötigt zum Beispiel die ältere Generation Hilfe. Und
daher wird es trotz fortschreitender automatisierter Technik immer parallel einen persönlichen
Operator geben, der um Hilfe gefragt werden kann.
Abschlußdiskussion
Ø Durch einen Vermittlungsdienst für Gehörlose werden die Lebensqualität und die Berufschancen entscheidend steigen.
Ø Aus kleinen Anfängen kann etwas Großes erwachsen.
Ø Flexibilität in der Technik ist sehr wichtig, um allen Generationen (jung und alt) gerecht zu
werden.
Ø Es können heute die verschiedensten Kommunikationsarten in einem System (Relay System) integriert werden und damit unter verschiedenen Kommunikationsmitteln Informationen ausgetauscht werden, ganz egal ob über SMS, E-mails, Fax, Schreibtelefon oder
Bildtelefon.
Ø Die bereits laufenden Dienste in anderen Ländern zeigen, daß diese Kombination der Techniken im Computer bereits existiert. Deutschland brauche nicht auf die Technik zu warten.
Sie besteht bereits!
Ø Bei Fragen der Technischen Möglichkeiten sind MOBILY ProCom als auch ENVILOGG
kompetente Ansprechpartner und stehen Deutschland jederzeit mit Rat und Tat zur Seite.
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