Re: Accessibility for Deaf/Dumb

I know there are no 'rules' but this is the one that started the whole 
pc revolution in terms of disability.
There are several preferred terms:- personally I prefer "deaf and 
silent" but "deaf and speech impaired" has a big following.
"Deaf and dumb" is pretty much universally shunned carrying as it does, 
intimations about intelligence.

If a person is seriously impaired in speech and hearing, it is not 
neccessarily true that they will be able to read... think about how that 
works... think about what you need to learn to read. You have to 
remember that if you're going to make the effort to accomodate 
disability, you must go the whole way and accomodate profound  from 
birth disability.
With literacy rates among the unimpaired as they are, I think it's a 
little unfair to assume that people who have disability in hearing AND 
speech will necessarily be able to read.

How far is too far?
I think this is a question of the able bodied. It may be 'a hassle' to 
add avitars and signing but I bet that's nothing on being profoundly 
deaf & silent, being able to enjoy and understand visual & braille 
enhanced media but not being able to access it because you can't read or 
are dyslexic.
If a facility exists (such as braille phones or signing avitars) then it 
is only fair to tell as many people about it in as many ways as possible.
Laine

Julian Voelcker wrote:

>Morning All,
>
>A client of ours has suggested putting some sign language images on 
>their site that tells visitors to call a special phone line kitted out 
>for braille based phones.
>
>My gut feeling is that this is taking things too far and anybody that 
>is deaf or dumb would be able to read normal text so the sign language 
>would be unnecessary.
>
>Am I wrong?
>
>Any feedback would be appreciated.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Julian Voelcker
>Cirencester, United Kingdom
>
>
>
>
>  
>

Received on Thursday, 6 October 2005 08:24:46 UTC