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Beth Wilson |
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SHHH Atlanta Convention 2003 |
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Identify communication challenges in the
workplace |
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ADA and employment |
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Effective strategies |
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Technology solutions |
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The Problem |
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Myths and Assumptions |
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Letting People Know |
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The Office |
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The Meeting |
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Coping Strategies |
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Americans with Disabilities Act |
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Facilities |
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Technology |
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Deaf |
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Part of Deaf culture/community |
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Deafness is an identity |
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deaf |
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Cannot hear well even with hearing aid |
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Culturally hearing (translation: isolated) |
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Hard of hearing |
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May hear better with a hearing aid |
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Not hearing and not Deaf |
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My spouse thinks I can’t hear |
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Lipreading is critical to understanding |
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Lipreading is a tool that helps |
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Lipreading cannot be the only accommodation |
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Need “8” to understand |
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Need “3” to ignore |
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Everything in between is useless |
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Hearing aids do not “fix” hearing loss |
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not like glasses |
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external amplifier has to go through “bad” ear |
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Problems with hearing aids |
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amplify background noise |
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can have interference from equipment |
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Describe Your Hearing Loss Sooner Not Later |
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One-on-one:
“before we get started” |
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Large group:
“my name is … and you should know …” |
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Include Specifics |
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“I hear low tones” |
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“I do okay if I can lipread the speaker” |
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Offer Suggestions |
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“Things are easier if we leave the lights on” |
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“I need people to face me when they speak” |
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“I can’t lipread someone facing the screen” |
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Office |
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Co-workers |
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Visitors |
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Telephone |
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Meetings |
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Discussion |
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Lectures |
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Virtual |
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Emergencies (fire alarm) |
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My loss is different |
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Variations within the same setting |
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I can do that for an hour, but not all day |
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I can understand familiar voices |
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I have trouble with accents |
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One-on-One: Hearing aid |
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Less than 7 People I Know: Hearing aid with “rules” |
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Less than 7 New People: Loop |
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Large Group, 1 Speaker: FM System |
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Large Group, Discussion: Interpreter |
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Move Your Furniture if You Can |
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Work without distraction |
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Don’t be startled when a visitor arrives |
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Able to hear visitors that stop in |
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Let Them Know You are HOH |
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“Face me” button |
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Communication tips poster |
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Knock loudly sign on the door |
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Phone Flasher |
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Amplifier |
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TTY |
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Caller ID |
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“Hi,
this is Beth Wilson. I can’t take your call right now but please leave a
message for me after the tone.
Because I am hard of hearing, I need you to speak clearly and state
your name and number slowly. If I
am not familiar with your name, and it is more complicated than my name, it
would also be helpful if you would spell it for me. Thank you.” |
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You can use a loop in the headphone jack |
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Sound applications muted |
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Play as loud as you want! |
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Directly to your hearing aid |
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IP Relay available |
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Use email to clarify understanding |
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Speak up About the Seating Arrangements |
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“I need to have my back to the window so I can
lipread” |
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“I can’t sit near the projector, it is all I
hear on my hearing aid” |
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“That beard needs to be directly across |
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from me” |
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Speak Up About Your Needs |
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Some lights during a presentation |
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“Who is speaking?” |
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Use Humor to Ease the Situation |
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“My answers will be more entertaining than I
intended if we don’t turn the lights back on.” |
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“Unless you’re going to give that wall my action
items you need to turn around.” |
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Suggested Seating Arrangements |
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Back to the window |
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Away from a projector |
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People difficult to hear closer |
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Main speaker closer |
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Rules of Conduct |
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Lights up during a presentation |
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Speakers talk one at a time |
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Speakers identified |
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How many people will be speaking? |
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How close will I be able to sit? |
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Will there be videos? |
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What is the format? |
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Lecture |
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Discussion |
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Companies with 15 or more employees |
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Employment agencies |
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Unions |
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July 26, 1994 |
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(15 or more employees) |
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July 1992 |
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(25 or more employees) |
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ADA focuses on job performance, not marginal
duties |
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applying for a job or promotion |
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maintaining current job |
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Answering telephone not necessarily “part of the
job” |
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answering a telephone is often a marginal duty |
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Illinois case (1989) time and attendance clerk
position |
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can this responsibility be transferred to
another employee? |
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can modifications to telephone equipment help? |
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Reasonable Accommodation Definition Includes |
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making existing workplace accessible |
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job restructuring |
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acquisition of equipment |
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modification of equipment |
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Equipment Includes |
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telecommunication devices |
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assistive listening devices |
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Find out who in HR can help you before you need
help |
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Brainstorm potential settings |
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Mandatory trainings |
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Virtual meetings |
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Fire alarms and other emergencies |
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Develop an action plan |
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HR to identify existing solutions |
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You can identify technology options |
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Phone Flashers |
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Volume Control |
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TTY |
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Will You Be Able to Hear: |
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the fire alarm |
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a page over the PA system |
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a plant closing over the radio |
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a speaker at a security gate |
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intercom |
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a warning signal (ex. truck backing up) |
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the mandatory ethics video |
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Talk to Your ADA Coordinator |
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bring up issues when you think of them |
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offer solutions or resources to find them |
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Offer Alternatives for Short Term |
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transcript of mandatory training video |
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person responsible for notifying you until
visual fire alarm installed |
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Reward Good Behavior |
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“I noticed that video was captioned” |
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“I saw the note about special needs on the class
announcement” |
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award or citation for “model behavior” |
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FM coupled with hearing aid |
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Phonak Microlink |
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Phonic Ear Lexis |
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Directional Microphones |
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Link-It |
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D-Hear |
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Description |
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Handheld directional microphone |
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Connect with earpiece or loop |
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Advantages |
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Portable |
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Easy solution |
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Can be quickly moved to another speaker |
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Disadvantages |
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Close to speaker |
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Can’t be shy |
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Description |
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Use FM radio signals |
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Microphone near speaker |
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Wireless receiver (earpiece or loop) |
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Advantages |
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Distance from speaker |
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Direct link to speaker |
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Can use outside |
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Portable |
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Disadvantages |
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Can only hear speaker |
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Must arrange for speaker to wear |
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Cannot use in closed setting |
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Description |
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Use infrared light signals |
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Microphone near speaker, connected to IR
transmitter |
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Wireless receiver (earpiece or loop) |
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Advantages |
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Line of sight |
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Cannot bleed into next room |
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Can use in “closed” setting |
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Distance from speaker |
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Disadvantages |
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More setup than FM |
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Cannot use outside |
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Interference when light blocked |
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Description |
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Magnetic field established to transmit signal |
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Receive with T-switch on hearing aid |
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Personal loops now available |
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Advantages |
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Convenient for hearing aid user |
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No need to self-identify |
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After initial setup, easy to use |
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Disadvantages |
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Must be installed or set up |
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For permanent or portable loop, must conceal
loop |
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Install in ceiling |
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Tape down loop on floor |
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Description |
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Specialist trained to translate spoken English |
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Real-time translation in sign or text |
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Advantages |
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No hearing required |
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Can handle multiple speakers |
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No individual receivers required |
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Disadvantages |
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Have to arrange in advance |
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Human -- breaks needed |
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Recurring cost |
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Need clearance for classified setting |
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Relay |
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Telephone calls with single speaker |
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Typist at 50 wpm (speakers talk over 200 wpm) |
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Wait for operator to be available |
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Video Relay Service |
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Video for sign instead of text |
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Cannot arrange in advance |
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CapTel |
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Revoicing instead of typing |
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Text with less delay |
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Remote Captioning/Interpreting |
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Arrange in advance |
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Pay for service (same as captioner/interpreter) |
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Good accommodation for virtual meetings |
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Don’t try to hide your hearing loss |
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Initiate discussions |
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Meeting a person |
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New situation |
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Offer strategies |
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You have the best ideas |
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Be firm about your communication |
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Creativity is a tool |
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Offer alternatives |
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BethJWilson@compuserve.com |
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