ADA Rant from a newbie

Codger

Codger

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I attended a ZT Diciplinary "Hearing" for my 13 y.o. daughter yeasterday and I am still fuming. I notified the School Board 48 hours ahead that I was HOH and suggested that they have someone set up a keyboard and monitor so that I could participate or at least witness the proceedings. My wife reminded the presiding board member of this as we went into the meeting. He gave me "the grin." The "hearing" proceeded and each person spoke. Charges were read, questions were asked and answered. I tried to watch the lips of the speakers to get word cues and occasionally caught one or two. I do not lip read, and most folks were expressionless, and looked to me like they were pulling an "Edgar Bergan". Asking my wife (she has an 8th grade education) helped a little, but not much. At the end, she told me they were asking me if I had understood what was said. I told them that I had caught a word here and there but NO. They asked through my wife if I had any questions. I asked a couple and through my wife they were answered. The "Hearing" (don't you love it?) was adjourned and we walked out. First out were my wife and daughter. My daughter's councelor and I left last. About ten feet down the hall I stopped the councelor and told her "There are federal laws against this! I might as well have stayed home!" She tried for a moment to calm me, then my wife appeared and grabbed me by my arm and they took me outside where she and the councelor tried to explain what had been said. Later, my wife told me that I could be heard all the way down in the reception room and the receptionist had sent her back to get me. I was livid. I was hot. I was redfaced and fired up. And for some reason (?) I did not realize that I was speaking so loud. That ever happened to anyone else?
Well, the board could not help but overhear my rant, and they have promised to get me transcripts, supposedly unedited, of the "Hearing". My daughter got relatively lenient terms from the board. Do you suppose the board was afraid of spending the next years budget on settling an ADA suit?
 
Hmm... good question. I don't know. Maybe, they just wanted you to be sure you got everything. :dunno:
 
hmm....

Do you know any sign language, I'm not quite sure why you would need a keyboard and a monitor to understand what is being said...

Edit: Do you think if you would have learn some sign language and having them to get an interpreter for you, would you think it would have been much easlier for you instead of having to get angry at those people for not having a keyboard and a monitor set up for you?....and you could have told them, talk to me not my wife....
 
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Angel - My take on the situation is that Codger is late deafened and doesn't know Sign. But this is a guess, hopefully Codger will let us know. But, in this instance, some one typing what was said on a computer while he watched would be a quick and easy solution. It would take a while to learn enough Sign to get the same level of info he could from the transcription.
 
Yeah, that's very true, I've know serveral of them who became deaf in the late years and don't know any signs , that could be it...

Thanks ;)
 
You guys pretty well nailed it. I posted an introduction today, so maybe the info there will fill you in on my current situation. I have just enough hearing that if a person speaks loudly and distinctly facing me, between what I hear and what I see, I can understand most of what is said. When there is no background noise. I started today trying to learn some basic signs, but even if I were fluent, I speak and think in English. I don't have to tell you folks what that means to an interpreter using ASL. I am 50 now, but my first grade teacher, Mrs. Gullie will still rise from her grave and smack my knuckles with a ruler if I leave out any part of accepted sentence structure! I was five then, and she made quite a lasting impression on me. I requested that the board provide a transcriptionist and a monitor for me. Two days ahead. Schools are not in short suppy of computers and secretaries.

I probably would not have reacted so strongly this time if this had not been my second attempt to make a simple ADA request with nearly the same result. The first time was in a court. The plaintiff, come to find out, was a client of the judge and they had discussed this very case before the "hearing". My reminding the judge of the need for assistance met with the same grin from the judge and downright snickers from the plaintiff. Wanna guess who won the case?

I thank you for your interest and quick replies.
 
I hope that you and your family don't have to go to a doctor or hospital soon. If you are HoH and don't know Sign, communicating with admitting clerks and other jerks at hospital will be BIG challenge. Writing back and forth could be used, but its too slow. There has to be a better way. Awful if you AND wife get hurt.
 
Deaf patients sue hospital

ITPjohn said:
I hope that you and your family don't have to go to a doctor or hospital soon. If you are HoH and don't know Sign, communicating with admitting clerks and other jerks at hospital will be BIG challenge. Writing back and forth could be used, but its too slow. There has to be a better way. Awful if you AND wife get hurt.
Click to expand...

Your situation is different, but I just saw a thread under 'General Health' that talks about comm problems at hospital. I hear about same problem in Texas. ADA passed almost 20 years ago, but hospitals still want to ignore. Someone need to use 2 x 4 to wake up idiots. Lawyers are expensive!!
 
You would think that hospitals and doctors would be among the first to comply! My wife does my admission communication. Sometimes that gets a bit hairy because, bless her heart I love her dearly, but she has an eighth grade Tennessee education. She is lost on any multi sylable words. I.e, she relayed to me that I has a disfragmented disc in my lower back! I am going to get myself a pair of small text display devices that I can carry around with me. Linked. Then I can I.M. with the person I am trying to communicate with. Is there such a thing? If so, does anyone use it? If not, I will invent it and make a living selling them to ADA courtrooms, schools, hospitals, doctors, and McDONALDS!!!! AUUUUUUGGGGHHH!!!!
 
^Angel^ said:
Do you think if you would have learn some sign language and having them to get an interpreter for you, would you think it would have been much easlier for you instead of having to get angry at those people for not having a keyboard and a monitor set up for you?....and you could have told them, talk to me not my wife....
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I am guessing that if the school was not willing to set up a keyboard/monitor for Codger, then they probably would not bother hiring a terp either. :(
 
Codger said:
... I have just enough hearing that if a person speaks loudly and distinctly facing me, between what I hear and what I see, I can understand most of what is said. When there is no background noise. I started today trying to learn some basic signs, but even if I were fluent, I speak and think in English. ..
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In your situation, Signed English might be beneficial, or even cued speech. You can also check into using oral speech facilitators.

Whichever you way you chose, the problem is enforcing the ADA, and getting cooperation from the people who are supposed to provide you with these services.

I requested that the board provide a transcriptionist and a monitor for me. Two days ahead. Schools are not in short suppy of computers and secretaries.
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Have you ever used CART? This is probably what you should use instead of a school secretary.
CART:
http://www.visualvoicecaptions.com/
 
CART might be an option. I had never heard of it before you mentioned it. I am very new to all this, thus frustrated. Are there any portable text machines that can be physically linked....like a pair of palm pilots hooked together? For less than the price of a new car? And it is THEIR responsibility to comply with ADA, not mine, right?

Reba, they made NO attempt to comply. I will go armed with copies of the ADA to pass out next time. And perhaps an ADA attorney's cards.

But back to the original rant theme for a moment, what do you do when reasonable requests for accomodation are refused or ignored? Do you refuse to participate and walk out until the do accomodate? I feel like buying a case of really good shooters hearing protectors, postit notes and pencils to take with me next time and passing them out to everyone present then signaling them in sign to proceed! :lol:
 
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Codger said:
... I feel like buying a case of really good shooters hearing protectors, postit notes and pencils to take with me next time and passing them out to everyone present then signaling them in sign to proceed! :lol:
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That would certainly be an educational event!

Actually, during some of my terp training, we did practice "silent" events with ear plugs and voice off. :)

Codger, are you a member of NAD or SHHH? They may have some suggestions for you.

I don't know where you live, but each state has a state chapter of NAD, and it might be beneficial to network with your state's members.
http://www.nad.org/site/pp.asp?c=foINKQMBF&b=91587
 
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Codger said:
Are there any portable text machines that can be physically linked....like a pair of palm pilots hooked together? For less than the price of a new car? And it is THEIR responsibility to comply with ADA, not mine, right?
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Here is one good resource for communications equipment:
http://www.harriscomm.com/
 
Thank you for all the information Reba. You are being very helpful. Love is indeed the only house big enough! :grouphug:

Harris devices are more complicated than the basics I need, now anyway.

I am not a member of anything right now except this and a few other forums. I am in Southwest Tennessee, about halfway between Memphis and Nashville, and my closest professional services are in Jackson Tennessee, about an hour away. Hopefully after my visit with the specialist there next Friday, I will know better just what direction to turn. Meanwhile, I will look into the nearest chapter of the orgs you mentioned. Right now my dizzyness precludes me from working at my winter job as a CNC operator at a machine shop. Can't risk reaching into a 7,500 rpm blade! My wife and I have two kids at home and she is carrying the full financial load right now, trying to keep the wolves away from the door and the kids fed. Spring is coming and I will return to my main occupation as a pool contractor so things will be easier. If I am unable to do that, I am a master patent draftsman and have a degree in CAD, so maybe I will have to return to a sit-down indoor job if one can be found without having to move. OOPS! too wordy again! :ty:
 
codger no its not wordy to me, u needed to vent out and express ur concerns and it involved ur 13 yr old u should have had full acess and they will try and do anything to avoid that its the nature of the laws RME ( roll my eyes) my dad's deaf in one ear and has had the issue plms with any loudness and has found ways to have poeple get his attention, and he fully apperticates MY own dilemema as a Deaf woman here, however for ur situation, its not easy and i think u shld file a complaint as to the fact you were not fully accessed for ur daughter's hearing. therefore, they should have found a way in any aspect to reschudle and find a CART or a CDI who can gesture to you what is being said, so you will not lose any valuable information or better yet a real time captioner who can do this on live Captioned information so you can get all the benfits, like reba said.

As far as im concerned u had every right to vent and i belive u ll succeed in anything u need to do in yr heart's desire,

i also am wordy to wouldnt you agree>?

and by the way

yes love's the only house big enough for all of us ( and that came from martina mcbride song)
 
Thanks javapride. McBride? Really? Did I mention memory loss along with my other symptoms? Lol! Still a good song though. And no, you are not too wordy. I am, as I said, hungry for communication and input. Any idea of a formal way to file an ADA request, and a formal complaint after the fact? Can I like have them thrown in chains or confined to an alternative office, or maybe give them novacaine eardrops for a week? Lol! Gotta keep your sense of humor, or you'll spend your life crying. :tears: :)
 
yr from Tenn, OK what u need to od is find the deaf advocay of tenn. OR contact the NAD for information they have a chapter in Tenn, u can also go over to Tenn School for the Deaf and get information from them, and the other thing is, u can also check out the ADA website if someone had already given it to you, and find out where the nearest ADA attny is and file a formal complaint against the Tenn board of education for failure to comply with the ADA ( it results normally in settling out of court to avoid embarrassment and one other issue is monentary damgages so to speak) they try to buy poeple out of it but u can take it all the way to supereme court of Tenn to ensure the board of education will Look in to serving ALL sorts of Deaf Community, such as late deafen adults, and Deaf community themselves. I used to live in Tenn for 2 and 1/2 weeks and i would strongly advice u to get all this info the better u are armed with info the better it ll look for you, record everything have your wife submit affifvidats as well, and yr daughter too, tell them u were treated unfairly for not getting all the information as you were very concerned for yr daughters right and u felt that u did not get adqueate services to be provided the nesscary means, and i wish u all the luck in the world cod, its not easy but u can do it :)
 
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