Videoconferencing Videoconferencing AccessibilityAccessibility

Michelle Swaney Heidi Lefebure Michelle Swaney Heidi Lefebure mswaney@utk.edumswaney@utk.edu halefebure@ualr.eduhalefebure@ualr.edu

ViDe ConferenceViDe ConferenceIndianapolis, INIndianapolis, INMarch 24, 2004March 24, 2004

Accessibility forAccessibility forPeople Who arePeople Who areDeaf or Hard of Deaf or Hard of

HearingHearing

BEGINNINGS!BEGINNINGS!

1999 - The Center on Deafness through 1999 - The Center on Deafness through the Postsecondary Education Consortium the Postsecondary Education Consortium and it’s national organization the and it’s national organization the Postsecondary Education Programs Postsecondary Education Programs Network – PEPNet (funded by the U.S. Network – PEPNet (funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs) began Special Education Programs) began exploring the use of technology to exploring the use of technology to enhance classroom instruction, meeting enhance classroom instruction, meeting accessibility, and the provision of accessibility, and the provision of outreach technical assistance.outreach technical assistance.

VC Issues and Barriers VC Issues and Barriers

VC is not currently 100% accessible VC is not currently 100% accessible to Deaf and Hard of Hearing to Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. Why?individuals. Why? Network Connections – inadequate or Network Connections – inadequate or

nonexistent at certain sitesnonexistent at certain sites CaptioningCaptioning Interpreter(s) (placement and # of)Interpreter(s) (placement and # of) Lack of technical expertise in the area Lack of technical expertise in the area

of deafness at some sites (CURRENTLY)of deafness at some sites (CURRENTLY)

VC ChallengesVC Challenges Network connectivity to guarantee Network connectivity to guarantee

minimum of 384k rateminimum of 384k rate Chair control or video switching within Chair control or video switching within

the MCUthe MCU Placement of interpreter in a continuous Placement of interpreter in a continuous

presence multi-point conferencepresence multi-point conference Rate of signing in correlation with VC Rate of signing in correlation with VC

system and network connectionssystem and network connections Need for technical expertiseNeed for technical expertise Room environment (lighting, set-up, Room environment (lighting, set-up,

audio)audio)

VC SuccessesVC Successes

MCU, Gatekeeper, Room and desktop systems MCU, Gatekeeper, Room and desktop systems in place.in place.

Successful conferences (point-to-point and Successful conferences (point-to-point and multi-point)multi-point)

Continuous learning process of the capabilitiesContinuous learning process of the capabilities PEPNet has made a commitment to continue PEPNet has made a commitment to continue

onward to resolve access solutions in relation onward to resolve access solutions in relation to captioning and interpreter placement in to captioning and interpreter placement in continuous presence. Work is ongoing with continuous presence. Work is ongoing with the Technology Evaluation group at The the Technology Evaluation group at The University of Tennessee. University of Tennessee.

VC Uses for the Center on VC Uses for the Center on DeafnessDeafness

PEPNet Directors & Coordinators PEPNet Directors & Coordinators (Postsecondary Education Programs (Postsecondary Education Programs Network – 4 Regional Centers)Network – 4 Regional Centers)

Demand-Control Course – Practicum Demand-Control Course – Practicum supervisionsupervision

Sign Communication Proficiency Sign Communication Proficiency Interviews within RSA Region IVInterviews within RSA Region IV

Meetings and trainingsMeetings and trainings Collaboration with vendors regarding Collaboration with vendors regarding

communications accesscommunications access

Accessibility forAccessibility forPeople Who arePeople Who are

Blind or Have Low Blind or Have Low VisionVision

VC Issues and Barriers VC Issues and Barriers

VC is not currently 100% accessible to VC is not currently 100% accessible to individuals who are blind or have low individuals who are blind or have low vision. Why?vision. Why? Software incompatibility (VC and Software incompatibility (VC and

Accessibility)Accessibility) Most chat clients are inaccessible Most chat clients are inaccessible Inadequate or nonexistent network Inadequate or nonexistent network

connectionsconnections CaptioningCaptioning Lack of technical expertiseLack of technical expertise

VC ChallengesVC Challenges Network connectivity to guarantee Network connectivity to guarantee

minimum of 384k rateminimum of 384k rate Resistance to change and a fear of Resistance to change and a fear of

the unknownthe unknown Need for technical expertiseNeed for technical expertise Room environment (lighting, set-up, Room environment (lighting, set-up,

audio)audio)

Impact on AwarenessImpact on Awareness

5%

100%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Before session After session

Needed Needed EnhancementEnhancement

ofofAccessibility Accessibility

FeaturesFeatures

Multi-point videoconferenc

e

5/22/03

*Highlighted box denotes speaker

4 Site Connection

• 4th site audio & video is muted for chair control

• 2 sites connected on an OC12 pipe, I2 institution

• 1 site connected on a T1

• 1 site connected on OC3 pipe

Impact of AccessibilityImpact of Accessibility

Who gets the bigger piece of the pie?Who gets the bigger piece of the pie? Companies already getting into the Companies already getting into the

business of video over IP within the Deaf business of video over IP within the Deaf CommunityCommunity

Sprint Relay Sprint Relay http://www.sprintvrs.comhttp://www.sprintvrs.com Sorenson VRS Sorenson VRS http://www.sorensonvrs.comhttp://www.sorensonvrs.com

Sorenson videophone Sorenson videophone http://www.sorenson.comhttp://www.sorenson.com Communication Srvcs for the Deaf Communication Srvcs for the Deaf

http://www.c-s-d.orghttp://www.c-s-d.org How big is the audience anyway?How big is the audience anyway?

Secondary, postsecondary, businesses, etc.Secondary, postsecondary, businesses, etc.