Transcript Document
Deafness and Hearing Loss Karen Aguilar, Executive Director Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf Outline • • • • • • Deafness/Hearing loss ADA Accommodations – Interpreters, ALDs and CART Relay Tips Resources Deafness/Hearing Loss • Causes of deafness/hearing loss • Syndromes (Ushers, CHARGE, Connexin 26) • Late onset Home Environment • • • • • Hearing parents Primary language of the house Communication options Pre-lingually deaf Language base? Education • Residential • Mainstream – hearing class/deaf class • Change in placement/personal technology Personal Technology • Hearing Aids • Cochlear Implants (bypasses damaged part of the ear and directs sound to auditory nerve) *Does not mean that the person can now “hear” Language Base • Language base vs. Ability to Talk • American Sign Language – French • 2010 United States Census, the population of the State of Illinois is 12,830,632 people and individuals with hearing loss: 1,103,434 (8.6% of the population) • Semi-Lingually Deaf and functionally illiterate – 30% (reading at 2.8 grade level) Writing Samples • Be honest with you, I really like this report because it remind me of my current job that we doing this kind of the report and it is easier to read and easy to oversea each categories. • Please review it. We are not includes their spouse or family…If you think that it should be includes, please let me know. Then it will be finalize... More Writing Samples • i never call her mortgage. i want cancel. maybe she keep work ppaper.. i think you have any lawyer investigattion paper?. cancel finish sure? i pay fee lawyer with interprter best idea safe ? And More Writing Samples • i wait for processing ada. 1 month too long. he know ada. i think any person work job. maybe deny. bored afford sericve interpreter. what doing complaine waste time wait 2 months . any guestion ada accpt order ? I hear soon. i will be happy. Issues Deaf People Face No language base or solid education Not being understood (if voice for themselves) Misunderstood by families (especially if “Deaf”) Lack of knowledge of their rights (and habit of giving in) • Legal profession’s suspicion of person’s deafness (attorneys don’t believe that a deaf person knows more about the law than they do) • Lack of understanding of the legal system • • • • ADA • • • • Title II and III Physical access and Communication access Accommodation Sign language interpreters, ALDs and CART Federal Courts • 1995 Judicial Conference of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts adopted a policy that all federal courts will provide accommodations • Language mirrors ADA • Does not include spectators – but court could decide to include spectator is chooses to do so Qualified Interpreter • Receptively and expressively skilled • Unbiased • Effective and accurate * Do not ask the deaf client to bring a family member to interpret CDI: Certified Deaf Interpreter • • • • Minimal Language Accent International Gestures/Home signs Licensed Interpreter The Interpreter for the Deaf Licensure Act of 2007 was effective on September 12, 2007. The law requires interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing to have a license to provide interpreting services - effective January 1, 2009. ALDs • Assistive Listening Devices (www.alda.org) • Infrared - http://www.harriscomm.com/lt-ls80-sirgy.html • FM http://www.comfortaudio.com/int/Product.asp?Pa geNumber=34&Product_Id=22 CART Communication Access Realtime Translation • http://efficiencyreporting.com • http://www.captionfirst.com • http://www.acscaptions.com Relay – TTY and Video • Established by Title IV of the ADA • How will a deaf person contact you? • Talk directly to the person who is deaf Tips • Believe a deaf/hard of hearing person when they ask for an accommodation • Put adequate funds in your budget for “accommodations” • Scripting – for front office staff • Don’t talk to a family member, he/she is not your client • Confirm an appointment with a deaf client if you also have an interpreter scheduled • Don’t automatically refer a deaf client to MCLD (I might have referred him/her to you!) More Tips • If a deaf person shows up at your office, find someone to take a minute to talk with him/her • If you don’t have time for a relay call, find someone who does • Better yet, designate a person for relay calls & interpreter requests • This makes the deaf person feel more comfortable • The result is an “expert” in your office • This makes my job easier/collaboration smoother MCLD • • • • • • • Attorney referral, no attorneys on staff Information about state and federal laws Simple advocacy Provide complaint information Explain legal terms Educational workshops Explain deafness to attorneys/legal professionals www.mcld.org • “Your Day in Court” video • Legal terms in ASL Resources • IDHHC – http://www2.illinois.gov/idhhc/Pages/interpreterlice nsuredirectory.aspx (interpreter directory) • http://nad.org/issues/justice/courts/communication -access-state-and-local-courts (ADA summary sheets) • http://www.graciasvrs.com/video-relayservices.html (Spanish video relay) Interpreter Agencies • CAIRS: http://cairs.net/ - 312.895.4300 • CHS: http://chicagohearingsociety.org/ 773.248.9121 • Purple: http://purple.us/Pages/CommunityInterpreting.php - 877.885.3172 • DCI: http://www.deafcomm.net/ - 773.857.7709 Articles • The Bill of Rights, Due Process and the Deaf Suspect/Defendant Jean F. Andrews, Ph.D., McCay Vernon, Ph.D. & Michele LaVigne, J.D. http://dept.lamar.edu/cofac/deptdeaf/jandrews/43._Bill_of_Rights.pdf • Breakdown in the Language Zone: The Prevalence of Language Impairments Among Juvenile and Adult Offenders and Why It Matters, Michele LaVigne, J.D. http://law.wisc.edu/profiles/extrafiles.php?iEmployeeID=161 • An Interpreter Isn’t Enough: Deafness, Language and Due Process, Michele LaVigne, J.D. http://law.wisc.edu/profiles/extrafiles.php?iEmployeeID=161 Contact Information PO Box 804297 Chicago, IL 60680-4104 800.894.3653 (voice) 312.873.3813 (fax) [email protected] (e-mail) www.mcld.org (web) VP by appointment only