Blog: Calm after the Storm, Bring in the Tide

Only if some people out there could understand that I am not “attacking” them for their passion for ASL and vlogging, rather, showing that the frustration is coming to surface from a variety of groups in the Deaf community that share the very same passion and feel left out.

In my last post, I brought up Carl’s vlog, not to analyze his ASL skills, rather to point out the condition that most people have – Cross Cultural Blindness – especially when the Deaf community has no clue what the needs by the DeafBlind community are.

Instead of attacking me or Carl for our outspoken views (which I respect but disagree with), let’s come up with several ideas how to solve this dilemma.

I’ll throw around a few ideas and see what you all have to put in, too – and if you’re willing to take action thats great!

1. The National Association for the Deaf could establish a branch in their offices to hire CDIs to type transcriptions and subititles to those who submit their ASL vlogs. This is almost like Project Read-On. NAD could write a grant proposal to fund the program.

2. Vloggers can choose video streaming programs that offer full-screen options for the low-vision. One of them is Youtube.

3. Vloggers can establish a network of people who are willing to transcript their vlogs from ASL into English. I have several on hand who have been very helpful. I edit the transcriptions to make sure it’s what I intended to express.

4. Seek out a program that allows viewers to choose to view subtitles or turn them off – like any DVD with voice.  Then viewers can watch ASL without subtitles, others who desire to get the message can read subtitles.

Any ideas?

I would call this productive than going on the offensive. I have tried to point out the REASONS why DeafBlind people are frustrated with sighted people who simply do not understand. I used Carl’s examples to show you that an intelligent scholar like him is like any one else, like you, like them, and could be like me and experience cross cultural blindness.

My belief that in NO way will subtitling or transcribing turn ASL into a violated language, rather be all inclusive and educate others. I also believe that NO ONE should be forced to do subtitling HOWEVER it is encouraged for equal access and if there are people who agree with my ideas, then equal access will sooner become a reality once these people take action.

tactile love,  Coco

B/Vlog: Carl, CCB & Culture Shock

Just as I was ready to log off and get in my warm cozy bed, I had to check out a few things on Google.com – and I was amused when I came across a vlog made by Carl Schroeder, the man that I currently had the pleasure of debating with over the issue of DeafBlind and vlogging.

In his vlog, Carl discusses CCB – “cross culture blindness” and culture shock, which are two different things which I agree. I’ve experienced both situations as I’ve travelled and in any situation here in America. However, I found it ironic that he made the cultural vlog and then later spoke of “keeping ASL pure” and wanting to keep transcribing and subtitling to a minimum in his latest vlog “Stop Exploiting the DeafBlind People!”. Reeks of cross cultural blindness, anyone?

This is not to offend Carl, but to bring fore what he had discussed in both vlogs and to note the irony – he, along with many others, are “blind” to the needs and inclusion of DeafBlind people and ASL. They simply do not “understand” how we feel exactly because they go through a visually different experience. I am hoping that Carl, along with others, will see that even if they don’t see the same way we do they will work on their CCB in order to develop solutions that will make everyone happy.

Just my 2 cents, feel free to bite, however, I think I’m right on the money.

tactile love, Coco

Blog: What Does Inclusive Mean To Me?

The comments on my previous blog, “Us, Exploited? You, Ignorant!” and the response towards the term “inclusiveness” has rocked the Deaf v/blogsphere and DeafRead. This has shown that this is an important time to shed light on accessibility and inclusiveness of the Deaf communities.

Previously, Carl Schroeder, a frequent v/blogger had submitted a vlog about how vlogging should remain a sub-title free and transcripts made up in short summaries. It created an outcry, especially from me, when Carl mentioned that DeafBlind people should retrieve someone to copy the ASL vlogs if we wanted to know more through summaries, as well as pointing out that the people on other blogs were “exploiting” the DeafBlind by using us an excuse to force others to subtitle or transcript.

My temper flared, I don’t deny that. I’m a passionate woman who feels strongly when the DeafBlind community has their name thrown around by people who simply JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND. That includes SIGHTED vbloggers, people out there, hearing people, stereotypes and Deaf people (as much as it pains me).

 

I try not to “speak” for everyone in my DB community, after all, I believe strongly that they ALL have a voice of their own… yet, there are few DBies out there who are pushing against the tired old Helen Keller stereotype compared to roughly 80% of the DB community that is either hidden, scared, passive, isolated, unindependent, or raised orally. I have met these people throughout the last 4 years of my membership in the DB community – a variety of people who range by their vision loss, education, ability to be independent, active in organizations, homemakers, factory workers, the sick and the isolated.

 

Did you know that a high percent of the DB community in the States do not own a computer? They still own a Braille-TTY made by Supercom but gee whiz the number of Deaf people with VPs are soaring in popularity and very few have the common sense to keep their TTYs regardless (911 anyone?). Too many states do not have to comply with the ADA to hand over money to DB services because the 1990 ADA does not focus primarily on deaf-blind – mostly focusing on DEAF AND THE HEARING BLIND. So, from Coco’s guess, a very large percent of DeafBlind visitors to your websites have Usher’s & some vision left and highly active/involved in the Deaf community. Make sense?

 

Usher Syndrome people usually range in vision – from a good field to being only able to read font size 75. We want the same thing: to be able to get “in tune” with our first and foremost community and appreciate Deafhood through ASL. Vlogs have become entertainment for us, believe it. It is such a WONDERFUL thing to happen to our Deaf community. That’s the Deaf pride in me. I vlog and want to vlog a thousand more times. Documenting the beauty of ASL through convenience and worldwide is so much more impacting (AGBell is pissin’ in their pants now).

 

But you see… vlogging has no rules, no holds barred. Vloggers can wear striped shirts and allow “eye-noise” backgrounds to be seen on the vlog. Some webcams have low quality, making signs blurry. A person with good sight could attempt to understand 80 percent of it – while for us with low vision could experience frustration so early on and give up. That happened to me sometimes and I feel so sad. I feel further away from my first and foremost community.

 

Carl mentioned summaries, brief ones of the vlog, no matter how long it was. It reminds me of holiday dinners at my aunt’s home in Casselman, Ontario. There’d be 60 relatives sitting around a long, rectangular table and yammering away. My aunt and my Dad are the only ones in my family to know sign language. If I wanted to talk to my Uncle Greg on the end of the table, I would tell something funny to my Dad and he’d shout out , “Tina says…”. Whenever I see a large group of relatives laughing about something, I ask Dad or Auntie L. what they were saying.

“Oh… (two sentences), so funny”.

Don’t you hate summaries from hearing people who tire of repeating every word, sentence? ASL does not have to be repeated word for word but come on, ASL does not equate to three words for a 2 minute story.

Vlogging can be accommodated with transcripts. If people prefer, they can subtitle too. Notice I said too?

Subtitles can be a choice – no one should “force” the other vloggers to subtitle their vlogs, however, it takes a few minutes to do it yourself or find someone who can. Someone mentioned that video screens also have the option to get subtitles on or off. That’s a good option for people who simply want to watch the whole ASL thing without “noises”.

Transcripts, or “long summaries” can be read in Braille format, meaning fully blind people could have a gist of what is going on in the vlog. People who do not sign and have this desire to see into our world can have the accessibility to understand. Two birds with one stone.

 

This issue of accessibility through the v/blogsphere is becoming radical – and I hope that this has provoked people to really discuss the topic at heart – how can we involve our blind brothers and sisters?

 

Right now, I am working on a guideline for v/blogging, and asking my blind bros n’ sisters to help me out…. Ella Mae Lentz, you still interested in this partnership?

 

The dream that one day we will be at par with our sighted bros and sisters shall become reality… it just has to.

 

Tactile love,

Coco xoxo

Blog: Us, Exploited? You, Ignorant!

Today when I ventured onto DeafRead for my daily dose, I came across Carl Schroeder’s vlog, “Stop Exploiting the DeafBlind!” and I was genuinely surprised at Carl for making such accusations towards v/bloggers who in turn wanted to provide ACCESSIBILITY to DeafRead’s DeafBlind patrons.

 

First of all, Carl, you are NOT DeafBlind. You’ll never have the misfortune to become one. You simply have NO idea what the DeafBlind community has gone through in the past millennium, with advancing technologies and ignorance that puts us further behind with our DEAF peers.

 

I grew up Deaf. I went to a Deaf school for 15 years before going to Gallaudet and completing my Bachelor’s. I have hundreds of Deaf friends. I was involved in the Unity for Gallaudet protest, and I embrace my Deafhood foremost before my blindhood. Yet, with shifting changes in the scope of Deaf telecommunications and social standards, the DeafBlind are not being considered for their upbringing as a Deaf person, rather, for their blindness. That’s the problem many people in general have with us – they think of us as BLIND people rather than DEAF people. Forget that we grace ASL skills, forget that we support activism to up the educational standards for the Deaf, forget that we have this thirst for knowledge that circulates through the sighted Deaf community. Forget me, whom had dedicated 28 years of my life being part of the Deaf community. The same goes to thousands of near-sighted, blurry-sighted, full-blind, or those with Usher Syndrome.

 

Carl, instead of accusing the others of pitifully exploiting us, see through that mindset that ASL needn’t be ruined for anyone else – the hearing, the oral, the parents, the ASL-deprived, the DeafBlind, you should think about how to provide accessibility for us other than “summaries” and removing subtitles. Think of logical solutions, rather than going against the v/bloggers who are attempting to call into foray the “forgotten” – the DeafBlind v/bloggers who matter. That, my friend, is deficit thinking. It wasn’t expanded nor logical, rather a unjustified rash of emotions surging from your passion of ASL. You forgot that people like me who are blind have the same passion for ASL and are being left out of the increasing number of vlogs made.

 

I have a number of vlogs with transcripts, and am working on a “library” of transcripts. I have gotten comments and emails from the legally blind and the hearing that they appreciate the transcripts, because it helps them have an idea of what I am talking about – even if the transcriber did not translate 100% from what I had signed of. But it is also my responsibility to EDIT the transcript to my preference.

As for subtitling, it does NOT have to happen, but transcripts are a wonderful alternative…. Yet, we have to practice what we preach with subtitling – if we demand to the hearing majority that we want accessibility through captions, we should do the same thing for them so they can SEE that the Deaf community has issues and pride and passion.

You forget that the Deaf community is “forgotten” to the hearing majority – and right now, the DeafBlind people feel forgotten to their own Deaf community.

 

Please stop pointing fingers and in turn, be creative with ideas how we all can be involved. It would be a sad day when I become blind completely and am completely shut out of everything ASL.

 

Unite, not divide.

Tactile love, Coco Roschaert

 

To v iew Carl’s vlog:

http://carl-schroeder.blogspot.com/2008/02/stop-exploiting-deafblind-people.html

Blog: How I Came to Learn Tactile

Just a few days ago I had the chance to meet up with an old college buddy of mine from Gallaudet in Boston, what a relief it was to find him after a lot of dead-end searches. Alex is a Deaf sighted guy whom I had met through my sophomore-year roommate and we hit it off, became close friends – even had several road trips and hockey games together. Needless to say, I had developed a cute, little crush on him. Continued our friendship after he left Gallaudet… but it didn’t fare well soon after for me and Alex. Main reason?  Communication barrier where I had difficulty understanding his signing due to Usher Syndrome. Whenever he would sign, as cool as he may be, his signing was stretched out, spelling sloppy, and to add to that, he was over 6 feet tall! 

In 2003, my vision had deteroriated to the point where I could only understand fragments of a signed conversation from a distance, and even if I didn’t understand 80% of the conversation I would hide my shame and say I understood everything just fine. I had no idea, no clue how to improve my receptive communication and in turn, friends like Alex and others were frustrated with having to repeat excessively or having topics drop off the face of the earth because I had no basis to continue the discussions due to missing large sections of the topic.

I was going through a very difficult time with trying to cope with my blindness, trying to maintain my “Deaf sighted” identity. My main worry was that if I conceded and told the world that I was indeed Deaf and Blind, I would be shunned by the Deaf community, left alone in isolation, demoted or laid off from jobs in the future. I had NO role model growing up, whom had Usher’s and would guide me to the DeafBlind community and teach me how to be more confident, more comfortable with my blindness. After visiting Alex in Boston in 2003, I was left with more questions unanswered and building frustration from not being able to understand Alex’s signing. So, soon after, I researched methods of communication for the Deaf Blind and found that tactile was not only for the fully blind who use sign language, but for the legally blind who were struggling to see at night or in such close person to person proximity.

I applied for a six week course at the Helen Keller Center in Toronto, Canada the following summer of 2004, registered for tactile instruction, cooking with a blindfold, touring the city with a cane, advancing my Braille readability and introducing myself to the DeafBlind community there. It was a turning point in my life, and I am forever grateful to the CHKC for giving me the chance to live again. 

I remember several times when I was at dimmed bars in DC pre-tactile *before 2004* and I would just stand by the bar while people would come and say hello and sign something in the context of six or ten sentences, and I would only be able to catch two or three letters. They would give me funny looks, and ask me if I understood. Signs that were in front of the face were easier to catch, but not the ones below the perimeter below the face. I would nod my head, and say “That’s cool. Umm. Enjoy yourself?”. These people would roll their eyes, pat me on the back and leave. I would down more and more drinks out of boredom and hopefully time would pass. Life was getting more lonelier. No one ever told me I should learn tactile. They just didn’t know. I stopped getting invitations to parties and camping trips – and that broke my heart. “You can be a burden, we’d have to guide you and watch out for you” was their excuse. True that – I had no cane, no tactile skills or the ability to be independent. I understood the dangers of bringing someone blind to camp without these necessary skills – but it still hurt. 

Now, I find it a blessing to be able to have conversations with more and more people through tactile. People who use ASL or international signs would be able to communicate with me. I can go to dark, dim-lit places and still be able to understand conversations 100%, although participating in group conversations can be a challenge when people keep grabbing for my hand out of turn!I’ve gone to several camping trips post-CHKC and it’s been fun! I’ve found savvy ways to be more independent around campgrounds (tying a rope from my tent to the bathroom, follow it in the dark), putting an ice cooler next to my seat 5 feet away from the fire, planting “landmarks” around the place so I know where I am. It’s become more pleasurable. 

I often wonder if I knew how to tactile or participated in the DB community when I entered Gallaudet, that my social and educational life would have been easier? Of course it would have been – but at the same time, the struggles I went through the first few years of my Gallaudet years were the years I learned more about myself and how people can view you so differently as a Deaf sighted/Deaf Blind person.I also often wonder if I knew how to tactile before I met Alex or other guys – would it have turned romantic? Or lasted longer because of equal ability to communicate? I’ll never know… but it’s best that way because right now, I’m content that I discovered tactile, the DB community and most importantly, my DB identity at 24 instead of too late.  

But at the same time… I yearn to see more DB leaders being role models to many teenagers who have Usher Syndrome or some kind of blindness – because guidance is what they really need instead of feeling lonely, hopeless and angry. I thank God every day I have had the support from several friends, from the time I had no tactile skills to today.To these friends: Thank you for being there for me.

Alex, thank you for the push, even if it was unintentional nor obvious. After not seeing him for five years after my last visit in Boston in 2003, it was a great thing to be able to talk to Alex again – through tactile – and for maybe the first time in our 7 year friendship – I was able to understand him 100%. And that felt damn good. 

For those 9-0 (Usher’s) out there… it may be hard for you to give up visualizing ASL, but when it gets to the point where you realize you cannot understand more than 40% of the conversation, you should learn how to tactile. It’ll make your social life easier… I promise you that.  

Buenos dias and tactile love,Coco