Medical providers continue to struggle with meeting the needs of patients who are deaf and hard of hearing. A recently-settled lawsuit brought by the Florida Association of the Deaf against a major hospital highlights the importance of providing quality care to those without hearing. Here are three issues raised in the lawsuit regarding video interpretation, as … Continued
Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDIs) are interpreters who, while being deaf themselves, have been trained to interpret for deaf patients who may have a limited knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL). If a patient is not fluent in ASL and uses a mixture of gesture/home signs or have a psychological or physical challenge preventing them from using ASL, a CDI … Continued
MYTH 1: SIGN LANGUAGE IS UNIVERSAL. ONCE YOU KNOW IT, YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE DEAF ALL OVER THE WORLD It’s easy to watch someone signing and assume that those signs would work anywhere. But that’s not the case like spoken languages, sign language varies from place to place, and most countries have their own unique … Continued
Melanie is one of our RID-certified American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters and an ASL-VRI supervisor who works in our video interpretation queue in Arizona. She’s also a CODA – a Child of Deaf Adults. Melanie’s mother is deaf and her father is hard of hearing, and they communicate with her primarily in American Sign Language. … Continued
Approximately one million people in the US are functionally deaf, and 6 million people report that they are hard of hearing. How they prefer to communicate depends on their education, the age they became Deaf, and the severity of their deafness. We’ll cover some of the ways the DHOH would prefer to use to communicate: American Sign … Continued
In its short, 200-year history, American Sign Language (ASL) has seen both incredible advancements and survived intense controversies. To share why, we’ve compiled some of the most significant events that have impacted the development and use of ASL today. Early Sign Language in the United States In the early 1700’s, Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts had … Continued
Members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHOH) community sometimes feel misunderstood or overlooked when receiving healthcare and other vital services. It’s crucial to provide appropriate accommodations and abide by federal protections—but we can’t stop there. Embracing differences, learning more about other cultures, and going beyond basic obligations is the first step toward a … Continued
A Brief History of the Americans with Disabilities Act The National Council on the Handicapped (now National Council on Disability, or NCD) issued its report Toward Independence in 1986. The report’s legislative recommendation encouraged Congress to enact a comprehensive equal opportunity law. Two years later, the Congressional Task Force on the Rights and Empowerment of Americans with Disabilities … Continued
If you rarely work with members of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHOH) community, you may wonder how to accommodate your client, customer, or patient. For example, are best practices for working with an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter different from interpreters for spoken languages? Don’t worry – here are a few tips to … Continued
Providing high-quality healthcare to patients who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHOH) requires your staff to communicate effectively. Beyond providing federally mandated interpretation services, your staff should understand the nuances of DHOH culture and learn how to avoid rude or inappropriate behavior. Use these “dos and don’ts” to help your team deliver superior care to your DHOH … Continued
