Pontiac Provides Access

Editor: Last year about this time we published a story about the lack of accessibility of Pontiac's auto shows. We commended them for providing interpreters, but we also informed them that the vast majority of the hearing loss population doesn't know sign language and uses other communications methods. Our offers to work with them were ignored, but they DID go off and work on access.

I know many of you contacted Pontiac to express your displeasure at their lack of access and their seeming lack of interest in doing something about it. Kathy McLaughlin (csrs@earthlink.net), a San Diego CART provider, was far more successful than I in establishing a dialog with them. Thanks to Kathy and everyone else who took the time to communicate with the folks at GM.

I called Kim Willett, the Pontiac Outreach Coordinator and got some information beyond that provided in the press release. Everything is not completely set up yet, but they plan to provide captioned videos, captioned presentations, and possibly an FM system at their shows this year.

So... all of you folks who wrote to yell at them last year, please make nice this year and thank them for making these shows accessible. And check the schedule below. I'm sure you'll want to attend the show when it comes to your town. Heck, you might even want to buy a Pontiac!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greetings, The Pontiac-GMC Divisions of General Motors will be providing Sign Language Interpreters at their Auto Show exhibits, again this season. We are also making our displays accessible for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Consumers who don't sign. Below is a list of the cities that will provide these services. If you would like more information or would like to arrange a group tour of the whole auto show in your city, contact Kim Willett - Outreach Coordinator @ 877 674-5018 V/TTY or email: Carshowsfordeaf@aol.com.
Hope to see you there.

2001-2002 Interpreted Auto Shows