Video relay lets hearing-impaired speak for themselves on phone
When Brad Holt was just 6 years old, he was helping his mother communicate with the outside world.
His mom is deaf, and to communicate with doctors and others on the phone, she would sign to Holt and then he would tell the person over the phone what she said. Holt remembers his mom finger-spelling different words to him he hadn't learned yet — like "mortgage" — and not knowing how to pronounce them.
"You learned quickly how to live in an adult world," said Holt, whose father also is deaf.
Because of recent technology, deaf individuals who speak American Sign Language can now call anyone they want by themselves and do it comfortably using a Video Relay Service — a system that allows the deaf to sign to a voice interpreter though video equipment and then the interpreter to relay the conversation to the designated person over the phone.
Salt Lake City's Sorenson Communications, the leading VRS provider in the country with more than 100 relay centers nationwide, held a conference Saturday about the history and future of ASL interpreting.
Top ASL interpreters from around the nation explained how technology has changed the way the deaf communicate. Each speaker signed while two people, including Holt, took turns interpreting the signs into English.
The keynote speaker, MJ Bienvenu, was born deaf. She is a professor at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., one of the leading colleges in the nation for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Bienvenu remembers when there were no certified deaf interpreters and when she had to use a telephone typewriter, or TTY, to try to communicate with people from her home. ASL is predominantly about body language, so typing doesn't have the same effect as signing in person.
She said VRS has helped her relationships with her family members grow stronger.
"VRS has changed our lives," said Bienvenu. "Deaf people now feel part of the world and part of American culture. We can contact anyone without feeling reliant on others."
Bienvenu stressed the importance, though, of quality interpreters. She said sometimes people leave college as ASL interpreters but struggle and even give up trying to make the jump into the profession.
Sorenson Communications is working on making that jump easier through a 15-week program it will be implementing in June called School-to-Work. Carolyn Ball, executive director of VRS Interpreting Institute, said this will be the first program of its kind.
Ball became interested in ASL while as a student at BYU a deaf person asked her out on a date. She ended up making ASL her emphasis and recently did a dissertation on how there has never been a set curriculum for ASL interpreters.
Recent comments
I resent the word train the interpreters . It osunds like we train...
Sandra Goldstein | Nov. 20, 2009 at 12:36 p.m.
- Haws playing like a veteran 11:29 p.m.
- Cougars use depth to beat ASU 11:26 p.m.
- Household tips for frigid weather 11:14 p.m.
- Snow brings big chill 11:11 p.m.
- Many seek to wipe clean misdeeds 11:11 p.m.
- Santa clout? There's an app for that 11:09 p.m.
- Hatch's Hanukkah tune 11:06 p.m.
- Jazz go up against 'the best' 10:51 p.m.
- Red Devils dismantle another team 10:51 p.m.
- Heath care reform advocates rally 10:50 p.m.
- BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
- Yet again, we learn BCS is a big joke
- Snow brings big chill
- Cougars in better mood about bowl
- Williams' late jumper tops Spurs
- Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
- Ranking the bowl games
- $2M error could mean layoffs
- Witness: Mitchell stalked victims
- Expert calls Mitchell delusional
- Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
278 - Letters: Global warming a lie
213 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
205 - BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
164 - Cougars going back to Vegas
148 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
143 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
119 - Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
108 - Harpring's NBA career is over
99 - Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
99
For the latest news in the health care debate and how it affects you...
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Joyce Gannon offers the following advice...
KM | 8:16 a.m. Dec. 8, 2009 I did listen to Beck's show from last night....
Lucky I live in Hawaii. No global warming debate here! Every day the...
Hall finished 2-1 against ur Utes and you have to live with that fact. Oh and...
102 pts in a highschool game?? are you kidding me?? third highest score in...
pour salt down them and follow with enough water to get it down the drain but...
To "Anonymous" at 946pm: Nice job at contradicting yourself there. You go...
GO South Sevier! We love you guys!!
Sorry your wrong, Utes beat a then ranked Illinois team a week ago. Best win...
I think each mother should be free to choose what she feels is best for...


