Sorenson Claims that ASL is Native Language of HOH
Folks
Editor: There they go again! Sorenson is still spreading the word that
their Video Relay Service enable hard of hearing folks to communicate in
their native language, ASL. Had enough? Frankly, I can't believe that more
of you aren't outraged that a company that claims to serve you is actively
contributing to your oppression. Are you willing to take some action to
encourage Sorenson to tell the truth? If so, please
email me.
I think the time has come. Here's their recent press release.
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Library of Congress Installs Sorenson Communications Videophones
Agency-Wide for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Staff
Sorenson Communications(tm), the nation's leading provider of Video
Relay Services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use American
Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, today announced that the U.S. Library
of Congress has implemented an agency-wide videophone communication
system. Sorenson Communications has licensed 16 of its VP-200(r)
videophones and is providing training and ongoing support free of charge
to the Library of Congress, one of the first federal agencies to set up a
videophone network agency-wide for the benefit of staff members who are
deaf or hard-of-hearing.
The VP-200 videophones and Sorenson Video Relay Service (SVRS) will
enable deaf and hard-of-hearing Library of Congress staff members to
conduct calls with hearing individuals via a high-speed Internet
connection, television screen, and a qualified ASL interpreter. Using SVRS,
deaf callers connect to a nationwide network of ASL interpreters. Callers
see an interpreter on their TV screen and sign a message to the
interpreter, who then contacts the hearing recipient on a standard phone
line and relays the conversation between the two parties. SVRS is
revolutionizing communication for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals as
it enables them to communicate in their native language [emphasis
added], which relies
heavily on body language, facial expressions, and quick hand movements.
"This technology greatly improves the ability of our deaf colleagues to
conduct their daily business and it underscores our commitment to the
provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act," said Doug Meick,
program manager for the library's Assistive Technology Demonstration
Center. "We hope other federal agencies will see our partnership with
private industry and follow our example."
The Library of Congress developed a secure internal network to link the
Sorenson Communications videophones. The network serves all 20 deaf staff
members who work in a variety of positions throughout the library. The
Library of Congress, the research arm of the U.S. Congress, is the world's
largest library and offers 30 million books and 134 million catalogued
items representing more than 450 languages.
"We are very pleas ed that the Library of Congress has taken these
steps to provide Video Relay Service and video phones for their deaf and
hard-of-hearing staff," said Pat Nola, president and CEO of Sorenson
Communications. "The Library of Congress is leading the way for other
federal agencies to offer the most effective communication solution
available to their deaf and hard-of-hearing employees."
About Sorenson Communications
Sorenson Communications(tm) (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of
industry-leading communications services and products. The company's
offerings include Sorenson Video Relay Service (Sorenson VRS(r)), the
highest-quality video interpreting service; the Sorenson (VP-100(r) and
VP-200(r)) videophones; Sorenson IP Relay(tm) (SIPRelay), enabling
text-to-speech relay communication; and Sorenson Video Remote
Interpreting(tm) (VRI), a fee-based remote interpreting service.
