Access and Communication
Access to Through Deaf Eyes cannot be an afterthought. Be mindful of your audience’s needs; consider the following access issues as you organize your event:
- Is the space you plan to use accessible to all audiences?
- Will you need to hire qualified* sign language and/or oral interpreters? ProTactile/Tactile/Close-Vision interpreting for DeafBlind?
- Will you need to have real-time captioning?
- Will you need large screen projection so that signing can be seen from a distance?
- Will you need additional lighting?
- Will any members of your audience need amplification? If so, what kind?
- Will any audience members need audio description? If yes, is this service possible with your projection and sound system?
In some areas it may take approximately two to four weeks to reserve interpreters and/or CART services.
Make sure that all participants are able to see each other during the discussion. If possible, make sure that those who want to share a comment come to the front of viewing venue. This way, the audience will be centered on the person who is speaking or signing.
*Qualified interpreters defined as certified and registered by Registry Interpreters for the Deaf and licensed in certain states.