Not Only Deaf and Hard of Hearing Have a Desire to Communicate But Hearing Do Too
By Jason Curry, CEO
As some of you may, or may not, know I was born profoundly deaf. Despite it, or because of it, I learn something new every day. I meet many people all over the country, and one thing I continually hear – people who are deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing are frustrated because that they can’t interact with each other face-to-face during the day. That’s right – hearing people also complain about their inability to communicate with their deaf or hard of hearing co-workers.
In one case, the Federal government had an UbiDuo available for an employee who is deaf, but that employee refused to use it, instead preferring an interpreter. Unfortunately, the interpreter was only available once a week for one hour for that deaf employee. What about the other 39 hours in the week? What happens with the hearing co-workers and managers who want to communicate with that deaf employee?
What the deaf person doesn’t understand that he is putting the work of everyone else in the office on hold for 39 hours. By doing that, that employee is also taking away the hearing employees’ desire to communicate.
Why do I bring this issue up? Because in the deaf and hard of hearing world, it has always been about our rights wherever we go. Sometimes, however, we forget that hearing people have the same rights, and often want, to communicate with us.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing might need the interpreters in certain situations such as group meetings or workshops. In those situations, an interpreter is needed because multiple people are talking at once. Interpreters will always be needed.
However, it is a fact of life that an interpreter is not available for everyday interaction between deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing. Depending entirely on an interpreter to communicate with a deaf, hard of hearing, or hearing co-worker, is neither practical nor productive. Nor is it necessary. The UbiDuo changes all of that.
If a person who is deaf or hard of hearing refuses to use the UbiDuo because they prefer an interpreter, then they are holding up workplace interactions. If the hearing person is willing to communicate on the UbiDuo and the deaf person is not, then the hearing person’s right to communicate is also being denied. To ensure that the rights of deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing users are being met, everyone has to be willing to use the UbiDuo to communicate. Everyone can use the UbiDuo.
The UbiDuo empowers 100% Communication Equality with zero bluffing, zero frustration, and zero Communiphobia.
