Hi Everyone:
Found this on another list and thought it is worth sharing:
DB NL Jan-Feb 2008.pdf
Deafblind Newsletter - Jan-Feb 2008
DeafBlind Communicator - Field Testing Fun
Hopefully, you have been reading our DB Newsletters over
the past few months. (If not, check them out on our website
at
www.humanware.com/en-usa/products/deafblind).
You
should know by now that HumanWare is working with
Washington State ODHH to develop a new DeafBlind
Communicator (DBC). One aspect of the development
process that becomes particularly exciting is when the
product faces the real world for the first time. Will the
concept work? Does product do what it's supposed to do?
Is it usable? What needs to be improved? This is a scary
time, but it's also a fun time. We call it "field testing."
Our first field test involved analyzing the DBC's face-to-face
communication capability. (The DBC consists of a
BrailleNote mPower with the addition of special DB software
connected wirelessly, via Bluetooth, to a cell phone with a
QWERTY keyboard and visual display that also contains
special DB software). We asked Marlaina Lieberg, a blind
BrailleNote user in the Seattle area, to help us out. Her job
was to assume the role of a deafblind person and to try to
communicate with sighted people in numerous settings using
a DBC prototype. A third party, who remained totally
uninvolved in the process, observed the interaction to
assess any problems that might arise.
Marlaina's award-winning efforts gave our third party
observer an extremely accurate look at the strengths and
weaknesses of the simulated DeafBlind Communicator.
With each new venue, Marlaina would activate the special
DB-Phone from her DB BrailleNote. The DB-Phone would
show on its visual display and also speak "Hi, I'm deafblind.
Please use this device to communicate with me." Marlaina
would then hold the unit out and wait for the sighted person
to take the unit. She did this on buses, in shops, at
Starbucks and Burger King, in restaurants and a number of
other venues. The person behind the counter was often
confused by the situation, but when this happened, another
employee or another customer would inevitably jump in to
help. Despite a couple of technical glitches with the
prototype, Marlaina was able to successfully communicate in
every situation. Some venues took longer than others, but
each test ended with smiles and a sense of accomplishment
on all sides. Even in its semi-prototype state, the DeafBlind
Communicator did its job with the added benefit of revealing
the inherent goodness in people.
One interesting discovery we made was that sighted people
don't immediately grasp what "deafblind" means, so in later
development models, we have changed the initial greeting to
"Hi, I'm blind and I can't hear." This simple change seems
to give the average sighted person more time to process the
situation. This and other discoveries allowed us to go back
and rework a number of prompts and functions so that the
product was more intuitive and ready for our deafblind focus
group.
With the aid of some fabulous interpreters, Marlaina then
trained four members of our focus group on an alpha version
of the DBC. This training again revealed more ways to make
the DBC more usable and intuitive. After each member of
the focus group had
received some basic
training, we asked these
folks to sit down with
over a dozen deafblind
people who visited the
Lighthouse for the Blind
in Seattle. You'll be
interested in the results
of this first exposure of
the DBC to the broader
DB community. Deborah
Schow, the Communications Consultant for DSHS did a
great job of
capturing the day in
the article I have
attached, with
Deborah's
permission, to the
bottom of this
newsletter. Enjoy!
648
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Text Box:
Text Box: For more information about HumanWare and its other fine products
visit our website at Uwww.humanware.comU
Text Box:
Text Box: Marlaina Conversing with Janie
Text Box:
Text Box: Marlaina Training RJS
DSHS Article:
Promises kept and voices heard -
ODHH leads the nation with life-
changing technology
By Deborah Schow, Communications Consultant
Department of Social & Health Services
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
360-902-7891
DSHS, OB2, 1115 Washington Street, SE
(Mailing address) PO Box 45100
Olympia, WA 98504-5100
The DSHS Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) is at
the forefront of a communication technology upgrade that
could make a profound impact on the lives of all DeafBlind
people.
At about half the size of a laptop computer,, the "DeafBlind
Communicator" (DBC) is considered by its prototype users to
be the first truly portable and user-friendly Braille technology
system for communication with the larger public.
The new device offers the DeafBlind immediate access to
engage people in the mainstream public in direct two-way
conversation, whether in person, over the telephone or via
the Internet.
The approximately 200 ODHH clients in Washington who are
DeafBlind will be the first to use the DBC when it is released
this spring, but other states and agencies are expected to
follow the ODHH lead.
"Life-changing" innovation
The result of a partnership between the ODHH and New
Zealand assistive technology manufacturer, HumanWare,
the DBC is a much-needed evolution from the original Tele-
Braille systems, launched in the '80s.
Focus group users who are DeafBlind confirmed that this
new assistive technology will allow them greater
independence when accessing services and in daily
interactions with their hearing and sighted peers. Several
said through a sign language interpreter that having the DBC
would be "life-changing."
Tele-Braille "
Tele-Braille" was the first product that could incorporate
Braille text from Text Telephone (TTY) phone calls, or
Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) phone calls. It
was a major breakthrough in telephone access for the
DeafBlind and offered new possibilities for interaction and
inclusion.
Tele-Braille systems were cutting edge technology when first
put on the market more than 25 years ago. But with few
major upgrades since its initial impact, it became outdated in
this century. The devices had a short life span as technology
was quickly changing and, at a price of $6,500 for most
models, they were beyond the reach of most DeafBlind
without financial assistance.
As manufacturers deemed the market too small to be
profitable for the additional research and development, they
stopped making the older Tele-Braille systems. Cost for
maintenance and parts skyrocketed.
Subhead: Quality of life issue
Like an old computer or car, the cost of upkeep became
impractical or impossible as parts wore out and machines
were quickly failing beyond repair. Still, the Tele-Braille
system remained a vital door to communication for its
DeafBlind clients, and the ODHH continued to patch up the
much-needed machines while an alternative was sought.
The Research Laboratory of the Helen Keller National
Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults developed the first
Tele-Braille devices. The research laboratory has since been
disbanded, leaving a void in assistive technology research
for the DeafBlind. When no agency or organization was
willing or able to conduct the research to develop a new
product, DSHS and ODHH worked to find a manufacturer to
partner with to produce a more compact and lightweight
device that fit the specific needs of DSHS's DeafBlind
clients. It is part of the ODHH's core mission to provide
resources that enable its clients to have equal access and
effective communication.
Born out of necessity and with direct input and consultations
with DeafBlind individuals, the ODHH and HumanWare
created the unique technology and software design used in
the DeafBlind Communicator.
Demonstrations of delight
In focus groups with DeafBlind users at the Lighthouse for
the Blind last month in Seattle the device was a hit. Users
wanted to take the prototype home with them right then as
demonstrations of delight filled the room as DeafBlind clients
tried it out.
All who participated in last month's trials confirmed that the
DBC can open new lines of communication and give them
added confidence and independence, especially when
traveling or doing errands without an American Sign
Language (ASL) interpreter. During the Seattle trials,
DeafBlind product testers broke into broad smiles, shared
laughter, and exchanged hugs with their instructors and
HumanWare and ODHH staff.
American Sign Language
For many people who are DeafBlind, ASL is their first
language. Those who are completely without sight
understand ASL by touching letters and words in the hands
of another person who knows ASL. They need an interpreter
who can sign ASL to have conversations with hearing
people.
It is financially and otherwise impractical for most to have the
much-in-demand services of a qualified interpreter around
the clock. The designers at HumanWare noted that while the
DBC cannot take the place of an interpreter, it does open
doors to direct accessibility to banking, restaurants, and
other amenities that hearing-sighted people enjoy. It can
strengthen family bonds and friendships as communication
opportunities widen with those not proficient in ASL.
How it works
In phone communications the device converts calls relayed
through an operator into Braille characters.
In face-to-face meetings, a recorded spoken greeting
explains that the user is DeafBlind. It gives the sighted
person instructions to type on a standard keyboard. Their
words will appear on a screen in Braille for the blind user to
read. The DeafBlind reply using their choice of Braille or
standard keyboard and the message is displayed in words
on a screen for the hearing-sighted person to read.
When interviewed after test-run encounters where a
DeafBlind person approached hearing-sighted people with
the device seeking directions, some people said they were
startled at first by the device, but all said they understood
how to use it immediately.
Would you like fries with that?
With no buttons to press and widespread familiarity with
keyboards in random tests, most people said they had no
difficulty operating the device. All who participated said they
"felt good" about the interaction. None had had any kind of
contact with a DeafBlind person before and all reported that
they would stop again if approached by a person with a
DBC.
At one fast food restaurant the employee taking orders was
confused when the device was put on the counter. He
quickly called co-workers over and soon all wanted to take a
turn at "talking" to the woman and wanted to take her order.
This is a marked difference with other situations where the
DeafBlind person only has a card with written words to
present to a counter person and little possibility of
interaction.
Essential to independence, employment
The cost of the equipment to DSHS clients is, as with other
telecommunication devices, on a sliding scale based on
income. Access to assistive technology for those who
require it is far more than a convenience; it can be an
essential to independence and employment opportunities for
our clients.
Funding of the project stems from a telephone tax placed on
telephone land-lines. The price per device has not been
finalized. It is estimated that most low-income DeafBlind
clients will not have to pay anything out of pocket to obtain a
DBC and all will get training to use the technology.
A voice heard and a promise kept
The delivery of the new telecommunication device when it is
released in the spring will fulfill a promise kept by the DSHS
Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) to their
DeafBlind clients.
For people who are DeafBlind, a device that allows for
outreach with the entire community adds to a better quality
of life. For the sighted-hearing population, it offers the
opportunity to interact with a vital group of people who have
been isolated from the greater world far too long. With the
aid of fresh technology and communities that embrace
diversity, the DeafBlind will be a tool that will give them a
voice in the mainstream.
Sincerely,
Olusegun
Denver, Colorado
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