Yes, we need forget about discriminating hearing people. I believe both Deaf and Hearing people should have equal opportunity. If we show attitude toward Hearing people that we demand Deaf owned, it is showing that we think it is ok to discriminate Hearing but not Deaf.
The whole perspective I have between hearing people and deaf people owning a VRS business should be treated equally, because VRS is about connection between Deaf and hearing people.
Here is the truth, I bet you ass that other Deaf technical support agents and Deaf customer service agents would tell you that often when hearing people, especially from business PREFERS talk with Hearing employee not Deaf employee! I think it has to do with trust, and they generally think Deaf person can't handle cases. If we have discriminate hearing people and not allowing hearing people work as front end, VRS company will be struggling.
It is great to have Convo as Deaf owned, but still we need hearing owner, for one reason… public relations showing Hearing people that Deaf can do same thing but hear. As we know who John Yeh is, he had done damages the reputation of Deaf people and we have to fix it, we can't afford ignoring hearing people. So in order to fix that problem, we need to change attitude and quit demanding that we get Deaf owners and let business takes its own course.
Bottom line, Sorenson is not going out of business, they have to make changes, including decrease quality of service is possible.
I was very disappointed that FCC wanted Sorenson close TEP (Tele-Education Program), thinking it is waste of money. Also thinks it was Sorenson's intention to rack up the minutes. The truth is there is large number of Deaf people have no clue how VRS works, have no clue what they can do. Generally they think they are limited and can't use VRS much and afraid they will be charge for, and so on. Yes, I heard from customers directly too many times while work for Sorenson for almost 6 years.
Also, Sorenson used to have Interpreter training program which trains new VRS interpreter, that program was closed due to command from FCC. Now we are seeing increase difficulty in finding decent and high quality Interpreters.
I could go on list more, but the point is, what new VRS reform is going is going to hurt Deaf community, not VRS providers.
So, if nothing is done to prevent decline in quality of VRS though out VRS industry, please please don't come to me and ask me why I have not warn anyone sooner… Your be warned!
We should thank Sorenson for being thoughtful about our needs, even though they are hearing people originally. They provide free VPs/VRS service to deaf communities since it first started. If they haven't invented it, we would not have VPs and VRS service right now. I think that's what DHB tried to say.
