DEAFNATION WORLD EXPO IN LAS VEGAS A SMASHING SUCCESS

The Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas was buzzing with activity and hands were flying everywhere you turned during the week of July 18-23, 2010. More than 23,400 unique visitors from 73 different countries came to Las Vegas for the DeafNation World Conference and Expo (DNWE). With special thanks to the Platinum sponsors, Sorenson Communications and Purple, DNWE was a smashing success.

DNWE welcomed signing crowds from every corner of the world, communicating in a blend of native sign languages and International Sign Language. The week saw over 300 booths ranging from fashion to sign language dictionaries to Video Relay Services to deaf films, and over 70 workshops including topics like the future of deaf telephony, environmentally-conscious living, and cultural exchanges.

The week-long celebration of Deaf culture kicked off on Sunday, July 18 at the Fremont Street Experience with a canopy video created by DeafNation. Live entertainment previews included the Finnish band Signmark and contestants in the Miss Deaf International pageant, which had its finale on Friday, July 22 crowning Miss Deaf France as the new Miss Deaf International.

During the week at Sands Center, special appearances were made by deaf Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin, and deaf UFC fighter and the person the movie “Hamill” is based on, Matt Hamill. Thousands upon thousands lined up to buy books, T-shirts, pictures, and to have them signed by Marlee and Matt, before taking a picture with the stars.

The main stage was the center of all the activity. Three distinguished keynote speakers were invited to DNWE to present in front of thousands. The first speaker, Mark Wheatley, is the current Executive Director of the European Union of the Deaf, and he presented “The European Perspective of the Deaf Community in EU Member States.”

Donalda Ammons, an international sports leader and former president of Deaflympics, discussed “Deaf World Sports: The Power of Internet-based Media.” Bernard Bragg, an international deaf entertainer and the founder of the National Theatre of the Deaf, presented “We’re the World.”

Also on the main stage was the wedding of Robert McClay and Katrina Green, both Americans, who wished to hold their wedding ceremony on Wednesday, July 21. Deaf rapper Sean Forbes from D-PAN performed to cheering crowds, and Signmark gave a preview of what they would play on Monday and Tuesday nights at the Treasure Island pool party. For cinema-goers, DNWE had two surprises for them: screenings of films from two different deaf production companies, ASL Films from the United States, and Awi Film from the Czech Republic.

During the week, DeafNation received honors from two different organizations – the International Service Award from the Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf, and an award in honor of DeafNation’s 10-year-long partnership with Deaflympics, Inc. as its media partner. Many other countries honored DeafNation with various paintings, fabrics, and trinkets that are culturally priceless.

The World Deaf Art Gallery had over 20 pieces from international deaf artists, including the famous Chuck Baird, and a series of beautiful batiks created by deaf students from Ghana. Mannequins were donned with pieces by deaf fashion designers. Next to the art gallery was one of the main attractions at Sands that drew crowds – the Deaf Wax Museum.

Deaf wax sculptor Don Baer is well known for his series of historical deaf figures, and it was a honor for DeafNation to have his latest piece unveiled at DNWE – a sculpture of Bernard Bragg in his heydays, as a mime. Bragg was extremely touched, and the first words he said were, “That’s me!” amid flashes from the crowd.

DNWE had something for everyone. For those who were itching for some sports action, a corner of Sands Expo Center was reserved for the World Deaf Darts Tournament. Teams and singles participated in the tournament, with Curtis Cote coming out on top in the 301 singles, and Curtis Cote and Mike Cope winning the 501 double slot. Sean Byrum and Gary Burke won the cricket double, while Mike Cope, Curtis Cote and Jason Hurt sweeped the team-of-3 slot.

DeafNation partnered with Deaf Sports Academy to provide flag football and basketball games for children and teenagers, and the Las Vegas Charter School of the Deaf had childcare activities that included the popular moon bounce.

After the week at Sands Expo Center and DNWE wrapped up, DeafNation hosted a World Deaf Golf Classic at three different courses over three days, for $15,000 total prizes. After playing at the Arroyo Golf Club, the Siena Golf Club, and the Red Rock Golf Club, John Ramirez III came out as the winner of the 2010 DeafNation Golf Classic.

The success of DNWE would not have been made possible without the hard work of our committee, volunteers, and the sponsorship of our Platinum-level sponsors: Sorenson Communications and Purple. Special thanks also go to our Bronze-level sponsors: Deaf Missions, Sprint Relay, The Z, Gracias VRS, ASL Pre-Paid Legal, and ASL Dream Team.

DeafNation’s philosophy is that free admission brings a diversity of attendees who can share our culture, needs, language, and information. Overall, our goal is to give everyone the chance to meet new people from all the corners of the world, ranging anywhere from historical regions like Europe, the Americas and Africa to exotic regions like Asia and Australia, and learn new languages, new cultures and new traditions, which was all done under one great roof!

VIDEOS AND PHOTOS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER ON WWW.DEAFNATION.COM
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Do we want another DeafNation World Expo? If yes, then when and where??? Any suggestions?

(courtesy of DeafNation through email subscription)

VP3D: The videophone of the future?

I thought this was a well done video clip. You can tell they (and Lance Pickett) did put a lot of thoughts into this clip. Check it out. Enjoy! :).

Snappy Interview with SnapVRS

Interview with Allison Polk, Marketing Communications Manager of Snap Telecommunications, Inc. 

1) How did Snap!VRS get started?
Snap Telecommunications, Inc. is a CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier) that was acquired by a privately-held technology company whose mission is to improve the lives of people with disabilities through new technologies and services.  Snap!VRS received FCC certification for VRS in 2006 and launched the VRS offering in 2007.

2) Does Snap!VRS own Viable?
No. Viable is still up and running. Snap!VRS basically provides operational support for Viable. Snap!VRS wants to ensure that Viable customers can continue using VRS with their VPAD's with confidence.

3) Is Snap!VRS Deaf-owned? How many Deaf employees are working for the company and what percentage do they make up of your workforce?
(See above answer – Snap!VRS was begun by a technology company.)  We have a good number of deaf employees working in strategic positions.

4) Is Viable Deaf-owned? How many Deaf employees are working for the company and what percentage do they make up of your workforce?
Viable was founded by a deaf man, John Yeh, and for the first several years of its existence, the majority of its leadership was also deaf. Now it is run operated by Snap!VRS. Of the current employees working for Viable, excluding the Video interpreters, more than half of the staff is deaf.

5) What are the products you currently provide for free?
Snap!VRS provides both OJO models (PVP-900 and PVP-1000) for free to Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. The biggest difference between both models is with PVP-1000, you can pick the remote control off the videophone and talk on it. The benefit of the two models is that it provides options, especially for those who want to make VCO calls.

Additionally, we have the VPAD and VPAD+.  VPAD's have a large touch screen built-in, which means there is no need for a TV. I’ve always thought that was pretty cool. There are a bunch of other neat features, like the built-in flasher and Video Mail.  Furthermore, the difference between VPAD and VPAD+ is VPAD+ has wireless capabilities. That means you can access  our VRS services at a coffee shop, hotel, or any other place that offers wifi.

We do give deaf customers a VPAD at no cost.  If any deaf customers read your blog and are interested in the VPAD, please contact Customer Service (e-mail help@viable.net or call help.viablevrs.tv from any videophone).  With the support of Snap’s nationwide field service team, we’ll be able to set you up.

6) Can a Hearing customer purchase VPAD and the VPAD+?
No.  Our priority right now is to our deaf customers.  Because the VPADs are in such high demand, we want to make sure our customers have the VRS access they need.

7) May I ask why is there a subscription fee for Hearing people?
This is no longer true. Feel free to refer to the comment (Snap OJO) I left on your Snap blog for an answer to this one.

8) If a Deaf customer wants to make any kind of feedback including comments about your interpreters, how can they contact you?
Each interpreter discloses their ID # at the beginning and the end of every VRS call. If you want to provide any kind of feedback, about an interpreter or any other part of your call, you can contact our Customer Service through either the website (http://snapvrs.com/contact/information/) or videophone (from an Ojo, dial 711-SNAP (7627) or from any other phone: 866-WHY-SNAP (866-949-7627 or ask.snapvrs.com.) Customer Service can also be reached by e-mailing: info@snapvrs.com or Instant Message: AskSnap (AIM, Yahoo!, MSN).
We do take customer feedback seriously.  The specificity of the information determines our approach.  We always coach our employees when we have the opportunity.

9) For the Deaf community's peace of mind, are the interpreters certified? Are they pre-screened?
We have a  very specific and thorough hiring process that helps us establish a specific level of quality in skill before we train.  Our training is very thorough and entails a number of classroom and hands-on time with support from seasoned Snap!VRS Video Interpreters.  We do conduct a Quality Assurance program regularly. Currently, all interpreters are certified and SNAP!VRS are always constantly reviewing the interpreters' performance. Training and workshops are provided on a constant basis. We have a mentorship program where interpreters mentor other interpreters. Also we have call managers that provide on site support for interpreters.

10) What are the biggest challenges facing your company and also for the VRS industry?
The biggest challenges facing the VRS industry is to receive the capacity and support from the FCC to continue to grow to provide relay customers with better technologies and VRS to bring us closer to the ADA's mandate for functional equivalency in telecommunications, and at same time, allow us to reach out and provide services to those who are not yet fully experience their right to relay services - for example, those who are deaf blind, those who live in rural areas, those who are low income and cannot afford internet, those with limited English proficiency and require deaf interpreters, and those who have minimal signing skills and need simultaneous captions for their video interpreting - which they are entitled to under the ADA. Unfortunately the bad acts of a few in our industry has shifted the focus from the ADA to decreasing the amount paid out from the TRS Fund. As a result, millions of dollars have been withheld and still have not been paid for VRS calls while they are being reviewed in some unknown process with unknown timelines. The lack of a stable and predictable compensation process has caused a chilling effect in the industry, and in some cases, customers who would like to make calls are being declined service based on the fear that the provider will not be compensated for the call. Recent FCC decisions - such as their Order that VRS employees' VRS calls are not compensable - seem more focused on the issue of the TRS Fund rather than individuals' ADA rights. We must get back on track in the ADA being our guiding principle.

11) Who do you wish knew about your services that currently are not aware of what you provide?
I wish people would try and see how cool the VPADs are. You can receive video mails on your VPAD / VPAD+ anywhere and anytime. Also, I wish everyone would take advantage of all the different choices that we offer. We have our field help representatives all over the country and they are ready to help customers anytime.

I want to thank Ms. Polk for taking the time to do the interview with me. It certainly has been an enlightening experience. It is nice to know Deaf people still have jobs working for Viable or Snap!VRS. Thank you again.

Updated: A new video is made. Check it out on http://www.snapvrs.com/

One on One Exclusive Interview with PAH Relay (VRS)

This week, I had the opportunity to chat with the CEO of PAH Relay, Brian Collins.

http://pahrelay.com/

1. Is the company Deaf-owned (meaning is the CEO, founder, or such Deaf)?
To answer this first question, I the CEO, am not Deaf. However, I would like to also share that I am very much a stakeholder in the Deaf community, as is our COO, due to the fact that we are both CODA’s who have grown up and continue to be active in the Deaf community.
Additionally, our Board of Managers consists of six individuals, the CEO, CFO, COO and three of our largest investors who are Deaf. More specifically the Board of Managers is made up of three Deaf individuals, two CODA’s and one hearing individual. With that said, I would consider PAH Relay Deaf owned/managed.

2. How many Deaf employees are working for the company and what percentage do they make up of your work force?
At this point in time we have only three employees on the Operations side of our organization, the CEO, CFO and COO. Although it is our intention to employ Deaf individuals when the opportunity presents itself, we simply are still in the start up phases of our organization. We want to ensure that once we do expand our team that we are doing so for the right reasons and are able to sustain those positions for the long term.

3. Why did you come up with the idea to set up your own VRS?
I think it'll help both of us if I give you a quick background about myself. First of all, both of my parents are Deaf, so I am a CODA. I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and have always been involved in the Deaf world including Deaf organizations and Deaf clubs. In fact, I was the first Hearing student to attend Indianapolis School for the Deaf (ISD) in 1987. I loved the Deaf world so much that I convinced the superintendant of the Indiana School for the Deaf to allow me to attend ISD for one semester of my senior year. I completely immersed myself and chose to also stay in the dorm. After attending College for a few years I began working as a freelance interpreter and continued doing that for about 15 years. In addition to community work I also did some VRS work as well.

In my VRS work, I noticed that there was too much focus being placed on the technology side of the VRS industry and far too little focus on the consumers and interpreters that serve them. So I decided to do something about that and this led to the creation of PAH Relay.

4. When was PAH Relay established?
We started in February of 2008 and we processed our first call on October 31st, 2009. Trick or Treat!

5. What other services do PAH Relay offer?
We offer VCO, IP-relay (AIM or iChat), 10-digit number and 911, and of course VRS. We also recently released a new video softphone (video software) we call PAH MAX, you can download it for free through our website.

6. What about VRI?
At this time we do not provide VRI services. We want to ensure our energy is focused on providing the best Services possible and we will accomplish that by focusing on one thing at a time. We want to ensure we provide our consumers the best interpreters available all the while ensuring all of our Deaf consumers including you are happy with our interpreters before anything else. VRI may come later, we will have to wait and see for now.

7. Is PAH Relay certified by FCC?
Currently we are not, although we submitted our application to the FCC back in November of 2008. As most of us are aware the FCC has been extremely busy with investigations and reviewing petitions and the like, but they have shared with us that they do not have any further questions regarding our application. So that's good, at this point we will continue to be patient, while the FCC works through the other tasks on their plate. I'm not worried and believe it is just a matter of a little more time before we become an approved provider.

8. You did mention about wanting to focus on the Service instead of the technology. How are you doing that? Could you expand on that a little more please?
Absolutely! First of all, my philosophy is that a good rapport must be established between the interpreter and the consumer, this is the key to success. If the Deaf consumer and the Interpreter have established a rapport, the interpreter is better able to match terminology, register and personality while processing calls, which results in a much more effective call and in a much happier Deaf consumer.  It doesn't matter if it is a VRS call, an assignment at a doctor's office, or interpreting at a wedding. As long as a rapport between the interpreter and the Deaf consumer can be established, everything else falls in to place. Let's use my mother as an example. When my mother makes a VRS call and is put on hold, typically the interpreter will let her know they need to put up the privacy screen. As result, my mother feels disconnected from the interpreter and is unable to establish a rapport with them. This leads to her being unsure of whether or not her call is being processed well and she is ultimately left not knowing. To her this also feels cold and not Deaf friendly, it is as if she is once again talking through a machine, and who likes that? From the feedback we have, the Deaf community does not like this and I can tell you that interpreters do not like it either. That's not how interpreting has been or should be done. Instead, the Deaf consumer and interpreter should be able to take the time to acknowledge each other and build up a rapport. This ultimately makes interpreting and processing calls so much easier and much quicker resulting in a cost savings to the TRS Fund. All in all, it’s what the Deaf community and interpreters are already accustomed to and therefore a more natural process for everyone involved. So again, in my example with the video privacy screens being over used, if the Deaf consumer is put on hold by the interpreter, who is in control of the call? Shouldn’t it be the Deaf consumer who decides whether or not the interpreter uses the "Video Privacy" screen? It is also the Deaf consumer who can initiate small talk, within reason, and establish a rapport with the interpreter. Again our focus is on giving that control to our Deaf consumers, thereby making our Deaf consumers feel more comfortable while placing their calls. Rapport is the key; after all, we need to remember that VRS stands for Video Relay SERVICES. PAH Relay is providing those Services today, if the sole focus is Technology then we need to refer to this industry as the Video Relay Technology (VRT) industry... make sense? For PAH Relay, Customer Service is a high priority focus and will not be over-shadowed by technology.

9. Would there be any concerns among the interpreters working for PAH Relay and possible breaches with the Code of Ethics after establishing a rapport with a Deaf consumer?
Our interpreters are professionals who work in the Deaf community as interpreters as well as in VRS. All abide by a strict Code of Ethics and regard those with the highest of integrity. Interaction prior to, or after interpreting a VRS call is no different than what you would experience while in the community. For example, when you go to a doctor for an appointment you may find yourself asking the interpreter things like “Where are you from?” or “How did you learn ASL?” These are things that help to begin establishing a rapport between the Deaf consumer and the interpreter. You’ll notice answers are not as specific as giving an exact home address, rather the answers may be something like “I’m from Indiana”. General answers such as these are sufficient and go a long way in establishing a rapport between the Deaf consumer and interpreter. It is very easy to be friendly with each other while maintaining a sense of professionalism, all the while providing the best Service you can.

10. Can you explain the process of hiring interpreters to work for PAH Relay?
We pre-screen every interpreter by looking at resumes, credentials, experience and conducting background checks. We are looking for interpreters who are not only highly qualified to interpret, but also interpreters who are and continue to be involved within the Deaf community. We are not interested in interpreters who look at this as just a job or are only in it for the money. PAH Relay encourages all of our interpreters to remain involved with the Deaf communities whether that is in interpreting outside of VRS or participating in various Deaf organizations. Since there is always room for improvement, we also expect our interpreters to participate in interpreting workshops annually. The interpreting industry is always changing and we want our interpreters to be at the top of their game regardless of those changes.

Lastly, we encourage as much Deaf community feedback as possible. At the top of every page on our website you will find a button called “Meet your Interpreters!” If you click that button you will see we have a picture and a profile for nearly all of our interpreters. On each interpreter's profile, you can submit your feedback. This feedback may focus on strengths or weaknesses, yet we view it as constructive, and a way for us to improve the Service we provide to our Deaf consumers. All feedback comes to me and I will personally see to it that every interpreter gets their feedback, and together we will do whatever is necessary and appropriate to continue providing the very best VRS services possible.

11. Providing feedback and Posting the interpreter's bio and picture, aren't there any privacy or legal issues relating to that?
The way we see it is, if an interpreter is not comfortable, then why is he/she an interpreter in the first place? Being an interpreter requires not only great communications skills, but skills in interacting among people. When an interpreter meets you for the first time they understand you will want to know more about them, this comes natural to them, since they already do this when interpreting in the community. Human interaction greatly improves the rapport between a Deaf consumer and the interpreter and is something we strive for. Additionally, this is how feedback is more openly shared among each other. Constructive feedback is how all interpreters understand what improvements or adjustments need to be made, and is very important to every PAH Relay video interpreter.

To date not one of our interpreters has had an issue with this, in fact they are excited to share who they are and what they are about and that is Serving the Deaf community well!

12. What do you want the Deaf community to know about VRS that they do not already?

It is vitally important that all Deaf consumers know that they own their calls. Their calls are not ours; the interpreter's job is to simply interpret your message to the Hearing caller with expertise. Being satisfied your call was interpreted well is no longer enough, confidence knowing your call was handled professionally and knowing you were represented well is what you should come to expect. It all comes down to being Served well and this is the ultimate goal at PAH Relay.

13. What is the biggest challenge for PAH Relay?
Probably, the competition, there are so many providers focusing on technology that it has become a challenge getting the SERVICE message out there. It seems we have been conditioned that in order to use a particular provider that you must first have their technology. At PAH Relay we do not see it that way, in fact we believe Technology and Service provision are two very different things and should be handled as such. We have chosen to focus on the Service aspect of this industry because interpreting and highly qualified interpreters are what we know best! PAH Relay is in the Video Relay SERVICES business.

14. What is the biggest challenge you foresee between the VRS industry and the FCC?
I believe that we, the Deaf community and providers, need quicker responses from the FCC on regulation and rule making. It can be very difficult to try and provide unique services that go above and beyond current expectations while waiting for the FCC to make decisions on various petitions.

Additionally, it would seem that separating what we currently call “VRS” in to two categories namely; VRS (Video Relay Service) and VRT (Video Relay Technology) would make sense. By separating VRS from VRT, the interoperability of all technology with all Service providers could be established. A great example of how this is already being done is with mobile phone devices and services. If you decided to buy a new phone (i.e. Blackberry, Samsung or Nokia), you can buy it and choose which service provider (i.e. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint) you want to use with that phone. It should be the same with the Video Relay industry. You should not lose basic service needs such as your contacts or missed calls when you decide to change technology. Again, VRS is Video Relay SERVICES... Not Technology. I don't know about you, but I believe the “S” in VRS revolves more around the interpreting services provided and not so much the technology that we use to provide those interpreting services.

15. Do you have any plans to expand PAH Relay even more?
Well, I think we are doing very well actually. It's been only a year and a half and we already have 12 call centers in 8 states. There is at least one in Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Illinois, California, Oregon, Indiana, and Georgia. We want to grow organically and that is done through Deaf customers placing their calls using our services. The only way we can expand is for our Deaf consumers to be so happy with our interpreters, and they way they are served, that they spread the good news of PAH Relay!

On behalf of the Deaf communities and myself, we would like to thank you for taking the time to explain your business and your philosophy. We truly appreciate it.

The Mystery of the X in X Video Relay Services...

Tonight's interpreter was very interesting, She was friendly and very competent. She worked for XVRS. 

I googled XVRS and the first result was www.cacvrs.org/CAC_Relay/Home.html ??? That really threw me off. The website is still down. I even wrote a blog about CACVRS a while ago. http://www.cacvrs.org/ did not work and according to myvrs.org, CACVRS filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. So I did some more googling and I found this http://cacrelay.com/xvrs/.

http://cacrelay.com/

I noticed the main domain is http://cacrelay.com/ I clicked on it and what do you know!?
"CAC Relay Services provide you choices in how to communicate. Whether you do it through Video Relay Service (XVRS.TV)..."

I am utterly baffled. Why does CAC Relay call their Video Relay Services XVRS ??? What does X stand for?  Nevertheless, CAC Relay (or XVRS) provides the following:

• 24 / 7 VRS
• VP: XVRS.TV
• Hearing can call @ (866) 500-9662
• 10 digit number and 911
• Text Relay through AIM (XVRSRelay)
• VRI (competitive rates)
• Spanish VRS 24 / 7
• VP: SpanishVRS.TV
• Hearing can call @ V: (866) 448-8398

There is one particular thing I did like about their website, they list their public booths. A public booth is where you can go and make a VRS call without having to pay for anything. http://173.201.120.209/cacrelay/CAC_Relay/Booth_Locations.html. That is nice to know.

So can anyone clarify what's the relationship between XVRS and CACRelay? Thank you in ahead.

Has Viable Returned from the Dead?

Well, what do you know??? Viable is still up and running. I thought it was either taken over and replaced by another VRS company or had filed for bankruptcy and was shut down. Neither seems to be the case. Sometime last year, Viable was on its last breath and the doctors were ready to call it quits, but Snap!VRS came in and rescued Viable.

So the question is did Snap!VRS acquire Viable?
From a legal standpoint, no, Snap!VRS has not acquired Viable. However, that technicality does not affect your user experience. Snap!VRS is operating Viable and providing all the service support you need for your VRS calls.

http://www.viable.net/

Viable is still offering 24/7 VRS, VCO, 911, 10-digit number, VideoMail, and Viable Vision.

• VideoMail will allow you to personalize your video answer message, receive notifications through your pager and/or email, and finally you can view your video messages on your pager,  Mac / PC, VPAD, or on Viable Vision.
• Viable Vision is a software you can download for free onto your PC (not Mac). It'll allow you to record yourself or save conversations. Another cool thing about it is you can do text chat which means you can type down anything you want such as your SSN or phone numbers without having to sign it to the interpreter or another customer. That's neat.
• Also it looks like they are in the process of adding VRI services. That would be great; being able to go into a hospital and talk to your doctor with an interpreter all ready to go on your VPAD.

However, bad news... According to the website, the VPAD+ is currently unavailable. What a shame! Additionally, the website also says
'There's no reason to leave your friends and family in the dark when you upgrade to Viable Vision! The software operates on standard technologies that are compatible with most videophones, so you can continue to call the same people you love talking with.' (https://www.viable.net/product/vv)  I wonder which videophone in particular does not work with VPAD?

I made a test call and got an interpreter with an androgynous look, but nevertheless, the interpreter was great. The interpreter was a master with body language. I would recommend the interpreter to anyone. My hearing friend could tell it was a female based on the voice, but also did onfirmed that the interpreter did an excellent job with the call.

I'm in the process of contacting Snap!VRS / Viable to ask them some questions. Do you have any particular questions you would like me to ask? Thanks!

Next VRS Provider : XVRS

SnapVRS, the Eye or Ojo, as we say in Spanish, of VRS

Finally, I found another Video Relay Provider (VRS) that will provide a free videophone to Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. The name of the videophone is called "PVP-900 Ojo" The Ojo is a stand-alone desktop appliance that affords the highest quality video transmission and blends industry-standard technology with unique patented enhancements to achieve jitter-free two-way video calls. A fun fact is the word, "Ojo" is a Spanish word that translates to "Eye". It is distributed by Snap!VRS. Snap!VRS is owned by Snap Telecommunications, Inc and is certified by the FCC.

Naturally, I was curious to find out more information! I went to their website (http://snapvrs.com/) and their facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/snapvrs). I see they do offer 24/7 interpreters, VCO, 10-digit number, and VRI. Although, it is not handled by Snap!VRS. Instead, "Snap!VRS has partnered with Communication Access Network of America, Inc...Please visit www.caninterpreting.com to find out more about rates and reservations for VRI services." Anyhow, they also do two things that I think are cool. 1) You do not need to sign out your SSN, your credit card #s, or anything like that to the VR interpreter. Instead, you can type it in using your free Ojo. That's nice. It'll give some people a better sense of security. 2) You can make your own video greetings for other people to view. I do wonder if the interpreters can view this also during any calls made by Hearing callers?

Deaf can call @ "call.snapvrs.com"
Hearing can call @ 888-711-SNAP (7627).
(A bonus for the Hearing callers, the Ojo can be purchased for $299.99 with a monthly subscription fee.)

**FYI, it seems there is another OJO model called "Ojo PVP-1000". I'll have to contact Snap!VRS and check on that a bit more.**

Lastly, I made a call to my mother to say hello. The conversation went very smoothly. There were no video delays. The interpreter did a great job translating my American Sign Language into English. My mother agrees. The only suggestion I have is if I sign out something in the middle of a conversation, I would like the interpreter to either appropriately interrupt my mother or add my question or comment to the end of the conversation rather than make me sign things twice. Again, it's not a big deal. I'm just thinking about a perfect world with 100% equal and fair communication.

I'm looking forward to the next VRS blog. Apparently Snap!VRS also bought or took over ViableVRS? I'll have to investigate  that too. Will follow up soon.

Next VRS Provider : ViableVRS

Why is Federal Video Relay Service (VRS) closed on the weekends???

Interestingly enough, I tried to make a call using myfedvrs.tv yesterday (on Sunday). Much to my surprise, it was closed! I am a little bit confused. If the government is supposed to be accessible 24/7, then why is their Video Relay Services only open from 7am to 11pm ET M-F (excluding Federal holidays)? Isn't that sending a misleading message to America?

http://www.fedvrs.us/session/new

Nevertheless, I tried again today (Monday) and made the call to myfedvrs.tv. I got a middle aged female who looked quite professional. She gave me the impression that she was a high-caliber interpreter. As the conversation began, she had her mouth closed and signed pure ASL. Now that was a first!  Very few people can sign pure ASL with their mouth closed. That was neat to see. However, I cannot say the same about her voicing skills. She kept missing my fingerspelling and  also a few of my signs. She never bothered to double check with me. Instead, she just apologized to the friend that I called, and said "Interpreter error" and continued interpreting. Now I thought that was unprofessional. I think every interpreter should ALWAYS double check with the clients regardless. My hearing friend agreed, the conversation was confusing at times.

Anyhow, they have a clean and simple website. Easy to navigate.  They offer a 10-digit number, Spanish VRS, a  software you can download to your PC or MAC, and VCO. They do not do VRI, IP-relay, or captel.

• ASL Video users : myfedvrs.tv
• Spanish Videophone users: espanol.myfedvrs.tv
• Videophone users : vco.myfedvrs.tv

Additionally, they do offer something special that I do not know any other VRS  provider has and that is ISDN. You can use your ISDN to call their VRS.

• Non-emergency: 877.709.5798
• 911/Emergency: 877.646.7441
• (NEW) Hearing Callers: 877.709.5801

Lastly, it seems myFedVRS is owned by Sprint??? In fact, when I called yesterday, a message appeared, "Sorry, we are closed. Please call Sprint"... Isn't that misleading? I emailed them a few times and never got a response.

Next VRS Provider: Snap!VRS

iPhone may be the first to have Video Relay Services (VRS)!!!!!

"As they do with any major new iPhone OS release, people have been tearing apart the iPhone OS 4.0 SDK from the very second it was available. Almost immediately, someone noticed that bits and pieces of iChat had found their way into the new software." (Link).

The reason why this is a big deal is because 4g is coming out. Technically, it is already here. Sprint have started implementing it across USA and Tmobile, Verizon, and ATT is likely to start in 2011. 

Currently our phones and smartphones are using 3g standards. It allows simultaneous use of speech and data services and offers data rates of about 10 mbps download and 5 mbps upload. In other words, it'll take an hour to download a DVD movie. 4G will be 10x faster. That means it'll take less than 10 minutes to download a DVD movie. That's fast. Fast enough to do videoconferencing. :)

Anyway, it looks like the people from Apple may be preparing for the new technology. But then I do wonder about Sprint's HTC EVO 4G coming out this summer. It is supposed to be the best of all smartphones. Not only the specs are far beyond any other smartphones and it'll work with 4g, but it'll also come with a camera on each side. That'll make videoconferencing very possible. 

Is iPhone gonna be the first? Will Sprint be the first? What do you think? 

An exclusive Interview with SorensonVRS

Ann Bardsley, the Director of Public Relations @ SorensonVRS was kind enough to respond to our questions.

1) Is SorensonVRS Deaf-owned (meaning is the CEO, founder, or owner Deaf)?
"The founder of Sorenson Communications, who was not deaf, worked closely with a family member (who was deaf) to create the first videophone designed especially for the deaf.  The award-winning technology delivered fast video with crisp graphics that transmitted images from even the fastest of finger spellers! Today, Sorenson Communications is led by Pat Nola, President and CEO of the company. He is not deaf. Sorenson Communications employs many deaf individuals. Sorenson Communications Vice President of Community Relations, Ron Burdett, is deaf and is on Sorenson's executive team. "

2) How many Deaf employees are working for the company and what percentage do they make up of your workforce?
"Because Sorenson Communications is a privately-held company, we do not share specific numbers on our employees. We can say, however, that Sorenson has hundreds of deaf employees. In fact, 42% of Sorenson employees are deaf, excluding interpreters who cannot be deaf. Including all Sorenson employees, 84% are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL)."

3) There are rumors that SorensonVRS is planning to release the next generation Videophone (VP-300). Would it be possible for you to share some details about this new Videophone?
" We understand there is always much consumer anticipation of new technologies. Because Sorenson technologies are proprietary—that is, exclusive to Sorenson, I am unable to release information on products and services before our company officially announces or launches them.  Be assured, however, that Sorenson is continually exploring additional solutions to bring more functional equivalency to the deaf and hard-of-hearing."

Thank you, Ann Bardsley, for bringing a sense of clarity to our curiosity! It is probably safe to assume SorensonvRS is currently the largest Video Relay Service / Provider and nearly half of their workforce is Deaf. That is, indeed, impressive!

If you have any more questions, I'll be more than happy to deliver your questions to Ms. Bardsley...

The SorensonVRS Rumor... What's Coming Next???

The following is a rumor that has yet to be confirmed. SorensonVRS is planning to release the next generation videophone sometimes this year. I am sure many of you are familiar with SorensonVRS and their products, but for those of you who aren't familiar, here is a description of their services.

SorensonVRS is an independent, certified (approved by FCC) Video Relay Service Provider. It's headquarters is located in Salt Lake City. There are supposedly 100 call centers all over the USA, and also a few in Canada, Puerto  Rico and Mexico.

They do not offer Captel or any software to download onto your PC or MAC.

However, if you choose SorensonVRS as your default provider, you will get their "Gold Services" which consists of:

• Free Videophone => currently VP-200
• E911 => When calling 911 through VRS, you do not need to provide your address or name. (But it makes it quicker)
• 10-digit number
• Contact Lists (up to 500)
• Free Tech Support
• Extensive Outreach and Customer Training Programs
• SignMail => Hearing people can leave a message on your videophone, computer, or iphone.
• Call Waiting => You can put your caller on hold while accepting another incoming call.
• Automatic updates
• VP Moving Program => If you move to another location, SorensonVRS can assist you rehooking your videophone again.
• SorensonVideo center => You can watch SignMail, personalized education and tech support,as well as entertaining videos on your videophone.

They also offer their own version of IP-Relay called "SIPRelay".You can get your own 10-digit number for the SIPRelay as well. They do have their own specialized software for Blackberry, but you can still use SIPRelay from any other cellphones that support AIM.

You can call SorensonVRS at svrs.tv or call.svrs.tv

Hearing people can call SorensonVRS at (866) FAST-VRS or (801) 287-9403.
They do offer Trilingual services. Rapidovrs.tv for Deaf and Hearings living in USA can call at 1-866-9 VRSLATINO (only for US) or for those who are living in Mexico they can call  001-877-510-7655.

To test the system, I made a call to my friend using a SorensonVRS interpreter. The conversation was about a mishap with a  flight schedule and the notorious plane delays that were involved.

The first interpreter I got was a male interpreter who I thought was very unprofessional. He displayed a depressed personality, he didn't show any enthusiasm whatsoever. In addition he was careless. This made understanding the interpreter more difficult.Finally, I had enough and I asked the interpreter to transfer me to another interpreter. He did respect my wishes and transferred me to another male interpreter. What a huge difference. He was full of energy and warmth. I could tell right away he was going to be a good interpreter. Anyway, the conversation went smoothly. I understood the interpreter with ease. My hearing friend's comments were "The first interpreter was lousy. I barely could hear him and he had an accent that was difficult to understand. He totally confused my story about flying to New York and having to change planes in Philadelphia." My friend was happy that I switched interpreters, it made all the differences in the world.

Next VRS Provider : FedVRS

An exclusive Interview with ZVRS

Chris Wagner, the Vice President of Marketing at ZVRS was kind enough to answer my questions.

1) Is it Deaf-owned (meaning is the CEO, founder, or such Deaf)?
The company was founded by Communication Service of the Deaf (CSD), a premier organization serving Deaf individuals by Deaf individuals, whose founder is Ben Soukup (Deaf).  Dr. Soukup is currently the Chairman of the Board for ZVRS.  Sean Belanger (Hearing) is the CEO of ZVRS and reports to Ben Soukup.  We have two senior Vice Presidents who are Deaf (Tim Rarus and Chris Wagner).

2) How many Deaf employees are working for the company and what percentage do they make up of your workforce?
71 Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals are currently employed by ZVRS and makes up 63% of the workforce.

According to my calculation, ZVRS employs a total of about 115 and the majority consists of Deaf and Hard of Hearing. And that does not include their interpreters. ... That is impressive! I wonder if we can call it Florida's Martha's Vineyard?

Thank you Chris Wagner.

Videophone Superstore at ZVRS

Wow. ZVRS not only offers a lot of different services, but also 4 different products designed to fit with each person's needs. Here we go!

http://www.zvrs.com/uploads/Image/QuickStartGuides/QuickStart_Online_Z150.pdf

• Microphone
• Video Camera
• 8.4" LCD
• Speakerphone
• Keypad
• Offers ZVRS, HolaVRS, VCO Plus, My Mail, Z Alert, My Contacts, Z Connect,  and Dual Tone. (A dual tone allows you to enter your PIN, bank account, or other numerical automated menu options without having to sign the numbers to the interpreter)

http://www.zvrs.com/uploads/Image/QuickStartGuides/QuickStart_Online_Z340.pdf

• 7" screen
• Can do broadband or WIFI
• Remote Control
• Offers My Mail, Z Alert, My Contacts, VCO Plus

http://www.zvrs.com/uploads/Image/QuickStartGuides/QuickStart_Online_ZOjo.pdf

• 15.5" tall
• Lens Cover
• Cmaer aLens / Microphone
• Numeric Keypad
• Speaker
• Volume Control
• Offers ZVRS, HolaVRS, VCO Plus, My Mail, My Contacts, Z Alert

You can get a flasher for $27.99, a tripod for $15.99 or both for $39.99. (http://www.zvrs.com/z-series/z-340/flasher-tripod-pricing)

Additionally, a hearing person can buy 

• a Z-340 at $349.95 (http://www.zstoreonline.com/VP_Z340_p/vp-z340.htm)
• a Z-OJO at $249.95 at http://www.zstoreonline.com/Z_Ojo_Videophone_p/vp-zojo.htm

**However, there is a monthly or annual subscription fee.** I am not sure why???

http://www.zvrs.com/uploads/Image/QuickStartGuides/Z4_UserGuide.pdf

• Work with Mac or PC.
• H.264 video quality. ((H.264 is a standard for video compression, and is equivalent to MPEG-4. Mobile phones support this.)
• VRS
• Video call recording 
• 10-dight number pre-installed for you.

**Keep in mind, this will consume a lot of memory. At least 1 gb of RAM. Some of you don't have that capacity. As result, the video quality may suffer.**

Finally, you can contact them at

help.zvrs.tv
email at help@zvrs.com
phone @ 800 296 3808

Wowiee.I wonder is that too many choices for us? 

I Zee Video Relay Service in Clearwater, Florida!

If I remember my history correctly, CSDVRS by CSD was the first company to provide Video Relay Service in South Dakota around the 2000s. Then it eventually became ZVRS and moved its headquarters to Clearwater, Florida about 2 years ago. I am curious to see what are they up to now.

Whoa, ZVRS offers an intensive list of services!

• HolaVRS => Spanish VRS Relay
• My 800 Number => Hearing people can call your 800 number from anywhere with no long distance charges.
• My Contacts => Your address book can be accessed from any videophone
• My Mail => Will leave you a video message. You can view it on your Z videophone, Internet, or Email.
• My Phone Number => Your own 10-digit number
• Switch My Number => You can transfer your phone number to another VRS provider with no penalty.
• VCO Plus => You are able to talk directly into the Z videophone using their single-line VCO technology. NO need for a second phone
• Video Communication Solutions Group => Offer solutions to both those who do and don't have firewall.
• Video Interpreters => All their interpreters are all certified and screened to be qualified.
• http://www.zvrs.com/z-services/video-interpreters
• Video Relay Service (VRS) 
• Can be contacted at ZVRS.tv or 888.888.1116
• FYI, I could not find "zvrs.tv" anywhere on the website. I only found this through a friend of mine. Weird.
• Z Alert => You can receive a text message notification when your call is about to come through.
• Z™ Partner Program => Provide VRS to various organizations and Deaf clubs.
• http://www.zvrs.com/z-services/zpartnerprogram

Of course, a review post cannot be complete without a call to their VRS. I called at zvrs.tv and I got a male interpreter. He looked like he was 7 feet tall. His hands were huge and his body was thin and lanky. He could be a NBA basketball player. Anyhow, I talked about the news today about Obama signing the Overhaul of the Student Loan Program. The interpreter was pretty good.  My hearing friend thought the interpreter was thorough and very understandable. He did a very good job.


Coming Next: More of ZVRS and their Z products

LifeLinks : Are all the interpreters certified?

Several people have either left responses or contacted me directly and asked me several good questions about LifeLinks.

Ash Kalb, the VP of Business Development & Legal @ LifeLinks and David Rhodes, the Director of Operations @ Lifelinks was generous enough to follow through and answer our questions.

1) Is LifeLinks Deaf-owned (meaning is the CEO, founder, or owner Deaf)?
"LifeLinks is not deaf owned, but works with many deaf owned partner companies and is always focused on engaging with and being responsive to the deaf community."

2) How many Deaf employees are working for the company and what percentage do they make up of your workforce?
"Currently, approximately 30% of our team is deaf, and over 50 of our interpreters are children of deaf adults."

3) Is LifeLinks a certified Video Relay Service / Provider?
"Healinc, the parent company of LifeLinks is a certified provider."

4) Are all the interpreters certified or do they hire a non-certified interpreter with the ability to speak several languages?
"Because the company provides VRI services in addition to VRS services, we can’t simply hire “good” interpreters. At this point, certification alone is not enough to get a job with LifeLinks. We look for professionals who’ve honed their skills, and become experts in a particular area. As a result, our interpreters have an average of 11 years experience of professional interpreting. As a result of this focus we have RNs, SC:Ls, LPNs, EMTs, officers of RID on the team! This is the case for about 98% of our interpreters. We do have some non-certified interpreters. And yes, speaking foreign languages are among the qualities that would get an applicant past the certification hurdle."

5) Anything you would like to comment on?
"We will welcome any opportunity to communicate with the deaf community, and let people know more about our company, which we believe is one of the best in the business."

Thank you for providing such detailed answers to each question. Your commitment to offering a quality service for each language is evident. We wish you the best in your efforts in translating all the world's languages.

Pah! Learn who your interpreter is!

Personal.....Accessible....Honest.... PAH!

My favorite thing about PAHrelay.tv is that you can give feedback on any Video Relay (VR) interpreters on their website. If you don't like an interpreter, you can let PAHRelay know about it. If you loved the interpreter, you also can let them know that as well. Feedback is welcome on their website.

Another thing I love about their website is that they allow you to check each interpreter's biography. You can find out what are their specialties, credentials (certifications), and more. That's awesome.

In my case, I made a VRS call and I picked a random subject; the difference between a regular toothbrush and an electric toothbrush. I felt she interpreted my signs and my gestures very well. I was pleased. I checked the website to find out who she was.

Ahh ha! I got Vada as my interpreter. I found out her id number and that she has been interpreting for over 30 years. Her certifications include CI and CT, IIC and her specialties are religious, mental health, and educational. That's great to know! By the way, the friend that I called thought the intrepreter did a very competent job!

PAH Relay's philosophy is "our interpreters are partners, not employees. All are highly qualified and have a strong desire to serve the Deaf Community. In fact, our partners don’t just take VRS calls – they continue to work in the Community,"

You can call them @ PAHrelay.tv or Hang people can call @ 866-351-0975. A 10-digit number may be obtained. The website doesn't mention if it offers VCO, VRI, or any other kinds of services. PAH Relay is not certified and have not replied to my request for an interview yet.

Next VRS Provider : SorensonVRS

I am seeing stars with this Video Relay Services: NationwideVRS

NationwideVRS offer NationwideVRS.tv, 10-dight number, and a 911 services. Also you can add NationWideVRS  onto your Instant Messenger (IM) such as AIM and others. Lastly, you can do ip-relay on their website directly. That's nice for those people at work who can't do IM. I am not sure if NationwideVRS offers any other services. The information on the website was very minimal and simple.

Additionally, I didn't really like the logo. The stripes, stars, and letters hurt my eyes a bit. I didn't like having to type in a long name "NationwideVRS.tv" (13 letters) in order to call VRS. It would be a lot easier to type in "NWVRS.tv" or something similar to that.

I tested their NationwideVRS.tv. I was connected within 2 seconds. I didn't have to wait at all. That was awesome. But then as I signed, I noticed the interpreter kept blinking her eyes every 5 seconds and did ask me to repeat things a  few times. She did have her glasses on. My friend noticed that she paused often during our conversation, she would say, please wait a minute. My friend assumed that she couldn't keep up with the conversation. The interpreter was polite and eventually got the message across properly. Maybe she just needs to buy a new pair of glasses so she can keep up better!

Nevertheless, I must applaud NationwideVRS because it is is a Relay Service Provider owned by the Deaf. I sent an email to CustomerService@NationWideVRS.com a while ago to try to set up an interview with the company via email or VP. I haven't received a response yet. Hopefully, he or she will respond soon. I'll keep you posted of any further updates.

Next VRS Provider: Pah Relay

Have the hawks flown away with HawkRelay.tv?

I visited http://www.hawkrelay.com/ and I saw  personal pictures of different people, couples, and families. I was touched. It encouraged me to explore their website even further. It looks like they were the first to set up DeafBlind Relay Service (DBRS) and Internet Protocol Speech-to-Speech (IP STS).

The way DBRS works is a DeafBlind will call the center and ask for a Communication Assistant (CA). The CA will come over to your house and sit down with you. The DeafBlind will tell the CA who to call. The CA will interpret the call for you. It is a pretty cool idea.

And for IP STS, it allows people with speech disabilities to make telephone calls using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to connect to a CA. Another cool idea.

They also offer Instant Messenger (IM). Just add HawkRelay to your list.

I became quite anxious to call @ hawkrelay.tv. (There seems to be no number for the Hearing to call). As I proceeded to call, a message appeared telling me it was not accepting any calls.  I wondered why?

I googled it up and just my luck, it filed bankruptcy. I wonder why the website is still up?? I even emailed them a few days ago to find out if they have any plans to bounce back. I haven't heard a thing from them since. I hope to get a response from them eventually.

Next VRS Provider : NationwideVRS

Hola Amigos Gracias Relay Services (GraciasVRS)

Hola! ¿Cómo estás? Estoy fantástico. Me encanta usar Gracias VRS.Es tan fácil de traducir al español de ASL y viceversa!
translates into:
Hello! How are you? I'm doing fantastic. I love using Gracias VRS. It's so easy to translate from ASL to Spanish and vice versa!

That's just what I said to my friend from Puetro Rico. I haven't talked to her for a year and I thought this was a perfect opportunity for me to try out GraciasVRS. We ended up chatting for an hour and it was very easy and smooth. The female Latina interpreter had strange blond dyed hair, but it was easy for me to overlook that because she was very professional and smooth. I understood her perfectly. My Puerto Rican friend enjoyed the conversation a great deal. She told me that "the interpreter was fast and very effective in translating ASL into Spanish, and then from Spanish back into ASL. The  conversation went perfectly and just as normal as if she were translating English into ASL. Great fun!"

You can contact GraciasVRS @ GraciasVRS.tv and Hearing people can call @ (877) 326-387. You may sign up with them and get a 10-digit number, software, and videomail. I am not sure if it is safe to assume that if you do have a 10-digit number, then you can do 911? Their website doesn't say.

Speaking of their website, I thought it was done professionally. It was appealing and easy to navigate. Nice colors, but I don't recommend putting light colors fonts on light backgrounds. You can follow them on Twitter or Facebook. The future looks bright for them especially for the Spanish-Speaking population.

Next VRS Provider : HawkRelay

Link your life with LifeLinks Video Relay Services

"Real-time, cost-effective online solutions for your interpreting needs in over 180 languages, including American Sign language."

http://www.lifelinks.net/

Sure enough, I had to look at their list of languages. Amharici? Fulani? Mien? Quiche (is that a food lol)? Urdu? It made me wonder how many languages do have in the world? Well, according to the Linguistic Society of America, there are over 6,000 languages. (http://www.lsadc.org/info/pdf_files/howmany.pdf) Absolutely mind-boggling! But I digress.

Lifelinkes currently offer VRS, VRI, and 10-digit number. They do also offer 911, but make sure you do check their disclaimers (http://www.lifelinks.net/vrs_911.html). .

Deaf VRS users – LLVRS.TV or LLSPANISH.TV for spoken Spanish
Hearing VRS users – 888-SIGN-LANGUAGE (888-744-6526)

Additionally, Lifelinks' speciality seems to be in Medical. "LifeLinks brings to the medical community the value of a rare blend of substantial medical experience and expertise in Interpreting technology and methodology. In addition, the Company provides VRI services to corporations and judicial bodies."

So I decided to call their VRS and test an interpreter's medical jargon and signs. (Yes, I do realize it shows how much of a nerd I am. Sad eh? Smile).I chose an easy topic; "Whipple's disease". Well, it would be an easy topic for anyone who watched House on FOX. It is a rare disease that makes you unable to break down your food properly, eventually causing damages to your other organs.

To my shock, the interpreter caught it all. GI Tract, lesions, anemia, pericaditis, and so forth. I'm impressed. Lifelink's VRI services may be a good Choice for any hospital. I wonder if they did train the interpreters in these area?

Next VRS Provider : GraciasVRS