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January 19, 2006
Technology helps deaf postal employees communicate
The U.S. Postal Service, one of the country’s largest employers of people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, is offering new technology to allow its employees to better communicate with each other. Two types of video interpreting technologies are being installed at postal facilities across the country, allowing nearly 4,000 postal employees who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to communicate with supervisors, co-workers and others in real-time without having to bring in on-site interpreters or rely on text-based telephone systems.
Postmaster General John E. Potter says, "Our goal is to maintain an environment where employees from diverse backgrounds can contribute, assume leadership roles, and help us meet our business objectives and serve our customers."
The new services use two forms of web-based sign language interpreting technology: Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) for communication when participants are in the same location and Sorenson Video Relay Service (VRS) for communication when participants are in different locations.
This is the first and largest deployment of its kind using this technology in the public or private sector.
VRI is a fee-based video remote interpreting service that provides an alternative to bringing in interpreters to postal facilities
VRS is a free video relay service that makes it possible for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers to place calls to hearing individuals through a videophone and TV. Deaf or hard-of-hearing users see a sign-language video interpreter on their TV and signs to the interpreter, who then contacts the hearing user via a standard phone line and relays the conversation between the two parties.
Because employees using VRI and VRS communicate in sign language, they are able to more fully express themselves through facial expressions and other body language.
By Ayinde O. Chase
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7001977123
Posted by 4HL on January 19, 2006 12:19 PM
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