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Are you a risk taker? Do you have high apathy? Do you really know how the Deaf Blind live, think, eat, communicate?
Then you should see what kind of challenge I have for you. Click on this and see if this easy, 5-minute challenge will open your mind a little more. Or rather, open your eyes.
Coco’s Challenge
July 4, 2007
I’ll be out of town this weekend. When I return, I want to see more than 40 comments here. I want to hear details. Stories, even.
I don’t really think a lot of people will do this. Not when history has proven over and over again.
Prove me wrong.
Tactile love,
Coco
Transcript done by Kate – many, many thanks!
TRANSCRIPT
Coco here. I have a challenge for you sighted people who have good vision – no eye disease, perfect 20/20 vision, or around that. It doesn’t really matter. Also the deafblind group – people with Usher’s Syndrome, full blindness, unclear vision, spots of vision, up-close vision – both groups are included in the challenge. Deaf blind who already know tactile sign, deafblind who don’t know tactile sign, sighted people who don’t know tactile sign, please get involved.
This is a challenge you can’t back out of. Once you commit to it you have to see ith through. Do it, okay? Ready? Are you ready for the challenge? Okay. It’s simple. Just five minutes, five little minutes of your time – that’s it, five minutes. Find a partner that can sign really well, get together with them and ask if they want to do the challenge. Go ahead and get two blindfolds, put them over your eyes, get close to each other, and TRY tactile signing. Tactile with sign language, ASL, for Americans, or BSL (British Sign Language), or GSL (German Sign Language), Hungarian [???]….ANY international sign language. Just sign language period. Take turns signing tactily.
If you don’t understand the signs, go ahead and fingerspell the alphabet. Slowly, patiently, take your time, don’t rush. Try to understand through touch. Take turns. Or you can do it in the dark without any light. That’s fine, it’s up to you. I challenge you because many many people see that I am an expert. “Coco, you are an expert! How?” they say. I just tell them that it only took me 2-3 weeks to learn the basics. It’s quite a challenge! Learn how to feel the alphabet plus signs. Now I can use one hand, but it used to be that I needed two hands to even struggle to figure out what was being signed. Like D-O-G, short, sits on the lap, and I still wouldn’t understand. They would sign again D-O-G, and by carefully feeling their fingers I was able to understand – dog. It was a struggle, but finally I could do it. Like YOU, now saying “But I don’t know tactile sign!” Just try.
It’s good for emergency situations too. What if the world’s electricity suddenly went out and the lights were out. Everything would be dark and you couldn’t wait until sunrise…everything’s dark. Where do you find the candles? How do you get by? You’d need a divverent mode of communication if you had no candles or light whatsoever. You need to communicate in such an emergency to know where to go. Think about it. You can talk and say “Coco, that sounds good, that challenge!” Go ahead and continue, or mock me. I can take it. Just do it right now, do it tonight, do it soon, and please let me know if you’ve done the challenge. Leave your stories in the comments on my blog. Come on! Good luck. Goodnight wherever you are around the world. Love ya!
In my vlog, I thank the transcribers of “Pet Peeves” dated June 20th. Ever since that Vlog, I have now officially received 8 offers to be my transcriber for future vlogs. The power of suggestion lies in being brutally honest and straightforward. I also mention how much I miss my Deaf Blind family, being in the same world as them and feeling “normal”. Look below for a transcript if you’re not able to see the video or understand my ASL. Click on the Youtube link, and comment here or there. Enjoy.
tactile love, Coco
June 22, 2007
Transcript below by Billy Kekua. Merci beaucoup.
Hi! Coco’s here! I am surprised that I got feedbacks, responses, and comments on the recent vlog, “pet peeves” and “how much I will miss seeing”. I didn’t expect that much responses and thanks for the good feeling and giving my self-esteem a boost. At same time, it made me realize that there are many issues that we need to cover. That’s something I can do everyday. I don’t mind. THREE, I mean THREE, people offered to transcribe my ASL vlogs. I am thrilled! Will contact those people to assist. There’s one positive comment that the person noticed that my vlogs tend to be around from 7 to 10 minutes and makes it difficult to transcribe. It can take up about an hour to finish it. Why not 2 to 4 minutes? Wow, I will try. Two people already transcribed my vlog, “pet peeves”, and I want to thank laRonda and Carrie Gellibrand. *Hand Applause* Good job. Both of them said its tough- it took them 1 to 2 hours to finish it. Wow, it impressed me. My heart is touched. I also want to make a comment- I know that my last vlog, I was mad. But I just want you to know that it’s not my intentions to be bitchy and insulti the people with Usher’s for being in denial, put them down, and push them away. No, I only focus on those people who go around telling people that they are Deaf Blind, Ushers’ and that they are “out of the closet” . BUT use cane rarely. heavily involved with Deaf-Blind community (ironic). Those same people who pointed to me that I am in denial. That’s who I am talking about. But for those other group of people who are in denial because it’s not easy being a person with Usher’s, involved with Deaf community or hearing community. And for those people who suddenly became blind – those people out there who’s starting to treat them differently and feeling awkward and not feeling normal. I understand completely. Now, I feel strange because here in Ottawa where I live right now… do we have a Deaf-Blind community here? Not really. Probably 3 or 4 Deaf-Blind people who are “out of the closet” or very open about their identity. They are not aggressive – just more of laid-back kind of people. There are many people with Usher’s still in denial and their walls are still up, and not ready to move on. That’s a strange feeling because it’s lonely and there’s a large Deaf community but I am not interested right now. I am interested in Deaf-Blind community. Where’s my family? Where are the people that I can connect with and understand each other? Where’s the feeling of comfort? So I don’t have to feel being judged. We have the same understanding about the levels of blindness. We share the same frustration; we fiind comfort in each other…that’s what I miss right now. That’s what I really need the Deaf-Blind fix! I have the desires to tactile with Deaf-Blind… I have the desires to have two canes hitting the ground at same time and walk together… I have the desire to be around them, bumping into each other and our eyes staring at each other awkwardly and full of giggles – knowing that it’s our Usher’s condition and talk about it. We talk about how much we can see, what the plans are for our future when we become fully blind. That’s what I miss about! Seattle, Washington is the CHAMP for Deaf-Blind communities. Washington D.C. is growing. We have several Deaf-Blind gatherings there. There’s AADB (American Association for Deaf and Blind) close by. Louisiana has the biggest community of Deaf-Blind people there. The three places are that I feel “at home”. My heart belongs to three places because we all are in the same world. I hope I will meet more Deaf-Blind people soon. So I think I made it short, I hope. LOL. Good night wherever you are in the world. I love you. (winks and smiles)
Hello folks – back from a long hiatus! I was so busy the past few weeks organizing the Deaf Education Rally in Ottawa, Ontario for May 11. It was such a beautiful day and the event went well. Let’s hope that the Ontario and Canadian governments listen to us.
Anyway, I had to post about a Deaf Blind guy I consider a dear friend and role model. I met Anindya “Bapin” Bhattacharyya during Seabeck Retreat for the Deaf Blind in Seattle, WA in 2005 and I’ve been blessed to have this intelligent and charming guy in my life. Bapin immigrated from India when he was a young teenager, already Deaf from birth and became blind at a young age from a nasty incident with a jealous fellow soccer player and burnt ash. Bapin was educated at the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston and then later received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock.
Bapin now works as a technology expert with the Helen Keller National Center in Long Island, NY and makes his rounds by travelling worldwide and nationwide to educate the blind and the sighted of advancements made in Deaf Blind technology.
As a Director of the Higgins/Hogue administration, I had the fortune of having Bapin come to Gallaudet and give an inspiring presentation about varied technologies that benefitted the Deaf Blind and showed us an array of extensive, intelligent and expensive equipment. Around 200 people attended the presentation, which beat other Directors of SBG’s presentations.
His presence has taught me so much about independence, moving on with life, optimism, humour, patience and opening your mind to what’s unseen.
I want to show you a video clip of Bapin by CBS TV. I apologize if this is not closed caption, but still wanted to show this to you. There doesn’t seem to be any transcript.
*EDIT* see transcript below, thanks to the same friend!
To view the video, click on the link:
http://us.video.aol.com/player/launcher?ar=us_en_video_748×541_full&mode=1&pmmsid=1667784
Thanks to a friend for the heads up!
To view Bapin’s website, which is full of information on his life and his business:
Bapin is one of my role models and heroes. I hope to see him soon in the city that never sleeps, just 2 of us, with his Leader Dog Dinah and his trusty GPS. (Yes, he gets around New York City with his braille-to-text gizmo and a GPS in Braille.. amazing, isn’t it?)
tactile love.
and yes, more blogs coming soon. 
TRANSCRIPT OF CBS VIDEO:
MICHELLE MILLER (CBS NEWS CORRESPONDENT): Anindya Bhattacharyya has one clear vision and one mission: to live life as independently as possible, and change the lives of hundreds of thousands of deaf-blind people like himself, throughout the world.
MILLER: Nice… to… meet… you.
MILLER (continued): and it’s what brought Bapin, as he is better known, to the Helen Keller National Center in New York.
(BAPIN) (VOICE OF INTERPRETER): Didn’t know that I’d be a techie in the tech world.
MILLER: This tech whiz not only teaches students, but has help technology companies develop new gadgets, allowing the blind and deaf to navigate the same hearing world, as he told us through an interpreter:
ANINDYA “BAPIN” BHATTACHARYYA–DEAF BLIND TECHNOLOGY SUPERVISOR: I like to empower them to be successful in whatever they attempt. I feel like it’s a good thing that I do.
MILLER: It’s a long way from the dirt poor village of his native India where he was born deaf 35 years ago. Bapin came to America after a troubled childhood and fell in love with the field of high tech. [Brief clip: BAPIN: It's a wonderful communication tool...] His contribution: Research and development. He’s done field tests on the Braille-modified laptop phone used by the blind-deaf to talk to the rest of the world via a speaking operator. [Voice of computer: To view an alphabetical listing...] … helped develop a tactile talking tablet, which allows people like him explore street grids of cities they plan to visit. Then there’s the SBC, or “Screen Braille Communicator,” which the deaf-blind can use to do their shopping, order meals in restaurants, or communicate with an airline cabin crew. Bapin travels the world using using this equipment.
MILLER (typing on an SBC): I bet…. this is great…. on a date….
MILLER (cont.): And there’s the portable, global satellite positioning system. It helps Bapin navigate while his interpreter drives.
(Woman driving car): Bapin told me to take a right on Shore Road.
MILLER: So you’re better equipped than they are.
BAPIN: Yeah, the sighted person depends on me!
MILLER: That’s right. That must be a good feeling.
BAPIN: Yeah, it is.
JANE HECKER-CAIN–INTERPRETER (laughing): He found my husband’s place of employment. I told him the address, which we just passed, and he just named the name of the company. That’s pretty cool!
(Man): Bapin is clearly one of the brightest deaf-blind people I’ve ever met.
MILLER: More than anything, Bapin’s boss says he’s a role model for the students he instructs.
JOE McNULTY–EXEC. DIRECTOR, HELEN KELLER NAT’L CENTER: We have people working for major companies now, where they’ll be handling a client or a customer’s account through the Internet, and the person has no idea they’re communicating with an employee who happens to be deaf-blind.
MILLER: Ironically, Bapin says he would have never found his calling, if he hadn’t been blinded at the age of nine by a jealous kid who threw ashes in his eyes.
MILLER (cont.): Would you say that becoming blind was a blessing in disguise?
BAPIN: Exactly, exactly. I would say that.
MILLER: Bapin plans to spend the rest of his life passing on his knowledge and enthusiasm to his students, a case quite literally of the blind…. leading the blind. Michelle Miller, CBS News, New York.
For many of you out there, you’ve asked me this question over and over again in the span of my life. How much can I see with Usher Syndrome at different stages?
So I present to you a vlog about my CURRENT state of vision.
In the past, I was mortified to answer this question. Not anymore. I’m more confident and willing to announce to the world how much sight I’ve lost and educate others about the ranging levels of Deaf Blindness.
I am currently working on a transcript for this vlog… but too impatient to hold the video so here it is on YouTube!
YouTube Link: How Much Can I See?
tactile love!
There was a recent episode on Dr. Phil that featured three deaf-blind triplets and their frustrated parents. I haven’t seen it yet – but from what I hear, I’m not gonna like it.
Anyone know where I can view the episode???? Help!!!
When I pah see the episode, then for sure I’ll jump into the debate that is simmering over the choices that the show made in order to freudize the parents on how to deal with their three 6-year old triplets who are fully deaf & blind.
tactile luv.
Is it just me or is the Deaf Blind community even further from the other half of our communities than ever before?
With the amazing speed of advancement in technology that enables Deaf people to grow as a community and be propelled out in the forefront, it’s becoming more and more difficult for the Deaf Blind community to catch up or even stay on the same track.
By advancements in Deaf technology, I mean pagers (Sidekicks and Blackberries), Videophone devices, hard-to-read blogs that are also undecipherable on computer Braille displays, and even innovative inventions to bring the world into the classroom is more restricting than ever.
Now there is a heated debate going on. Should Vlogs by the signing community be captioned or transcribed? This debate had been between the Deaf and the Hearing communities for some time now, but as read on www.ridorlive.com in his recent article featuring Ella Mae Lentz’s latest vlog that basically declared that signing vlogs should NOT be captioned, therein jumps the Deaf Blind community in the debating pool.
Should we caption our vlogs? Should we incite a laborous journey in the vlogging world by writing a word-by-word transcription of our signed rants? Documenting every word we sign in ASL into English is indeed laborous but do people realize how many others this would benefit?
First of all, the debate would be steered towards how Hearing people have oppressed the Deaf community for so long, especially with the latest decision not to enforce captioning by companies who feel they are financially tight. YouTube and scores of other web-based video-storing sites do not enforce their customers to caption their vlogs, since there’s no policy in the FCC that exists. So Deaf people fump it and be like the Hearing population and react in an ignorant manner that reflects years and years of oppression by the other dominant group.
Deaf Blind people are now affected by this debate. There are roughly 800,000 Deaf Blind children & adults living in the United States and extending to over 2 million worldwide, and a large percentage of the American Deaf Blind population has grown up in a Deaf community. I grew up in a Deaf institution for 15 years, contributed to the Deaf communities in several states & provinces and especially several countries worldwide, attended Gallaudet for several years and now am employed as a teacher for Deaf immigrants as well as an employer for the local Deaf centre in Ottawa. I’m all things Deaf, including my robust pride in the signing community that has literally raised me to be this leader many know to be today. I even gave my heart & soul to the Gallaudet protests in May & October. This is just to tell you what a big part I am of the Deaf community. Yet… I find myself further and further apart from this community and joined with me are thousands of Deaf Blind people who have grown up in the same background as I have.
Just to mention one thing that is keeping our communities farther apart: Deaf people are buying videophones like crazy and in the process they decide to throw out their TTYs. But little do we realize that the Deaf Blind community relies heavily on the TTY to communicate with the world outside of their homes. The Ultratec TTY models also come in refreshable braille displays, meaning that a fully blind DB person could call a sighted Deaf person directly without any problem. But more and more Deaf households don’t have TTYs and TTY relay services on the decline, who are we to call? States are not forced to cover costs of expensive Braille computers for the DB because the ADA does not cover this area, only for the sighted Deaf and Hearing Blind. In this wake, we are more lonely than ever.
It just gets easier for the Deaf person to forget that there is an attached minority community in theirs and often in the process of technology evolution the DB are not invited to share their opinions or ideas. Strangely enough, the Hearing Sighted are more considerate of Hearing Blind. For instance…. I came across a site maybe a year ago that capitalized on a new idea: pictures online could be sent to this site and its thousands of members could “describe” the picture for fun and the end result would be screened by the site’s human editors, then sent back to the owner of the picture. Point: The description can be read in refreshable Braille displays. Some pictures aren’t described in writing, but rather voiced. For the tactile of me, I cannot remember this site???
More instances: Walmart just introduced speakers on debit-card machines by the cashier so that the hearing blind could listen and do their own checkouts. The same goes for millions of ATMs – there is Braille but no popup braille displays to replace the voice so that the Deaf Blind could read. To cross the street is a challenge for the Deaf Blind as there’s no vibrator visibly everywhere where it should be, but there’s of course the voiced warnings when the hand flashes or the white man’s flashing. Walk! Walk! Stop! Stop!
Now…. it really, really, really bothers me as much as it excites me that the vlogging world is fast expanding. How would the Deaf Blind (the low-vision, the near-sighted, the far-sighted, the legally blind, the fully blind….) be able to remain in tune with the very community we grew up in? Most of us don’t have pagers. Most of us don’t have videophones. Some of us don’t have Braille computers because we cannot afford it. Many of us stay at home because we are out of tune with the bustling Deaf community that’s right next door – and because states know they aren’t breaking any laws when they choose not to fund support service provider programs. But that’s for another blog.
I know some of you may hint at the irony of posting it on a hard-to-read blogsite in gray, small font – do me a favor, go to your browser’s View > Text Size> Largest and hopefully it’ll be large enough. My new blogsite is in construction… (my other website has much better reading accessibility but nonmembers of Xanga cannot comment… www.xanga.com/tactilejunkie)
Although I feel this blog would have been better signed out in a vlog, I thought I would probably start by “transcribing” it.. the old fashioned way. I want the DB community to read this and tell the Deaf community just exactly how they feel.
I want the Deaf community to do the same thing. Do you think vlog captioning and/or transcribing can be a reality? Do you think it should happen or not? Do you agree or disagree with the gap between the Deaf and DeafBlind communities being more further apart than ever?
Tactile love.
p.s.: as a friend just harshly said recently: i make a habit out of bitching and whining without bringing solutions to the table.
well, with that said, i agree/disagree. in the past, i’ve always took the initative of bringing solutions and ideas… sometimes vent without offering anything to solve it. this is a venting session, in the hopes someone out there would read this and offer ideas/solutions. i am no web genius so my ideas are far from html development!
but in the meanwhile i’ve been thinking about transcriptions and how it would work.. also how deaf and deafblind vloggers can make the vlogs easy to see and understand.
in the meanwhile, do post comments/ideas/solutions. much appreciated.
merci beaucoup.
