![]() VRS is a telecommunication service that allows those who use sign language to communicate over video telephones in real-time with hearing parties on the other end, via a sign language interpreter. The transcript should also include all aural background information and audio descriptions of the video environment so that the DeafBlind employee can access the same information as others. Videos should be accompanied with a transcript for DeafBlind employees. Another example is captioning all videos sent to employees. Examples include Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) captioning services, Video Relay Services (VRS), Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Services (IP-CTS) and other relay services. Types of AccommodationsĪnywhere an employer’s new remote work approach requires verbal communication or listening in to aural content, it is critical that the employer consider how to make it accessible for deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind employees.įor verbal communication, such as phone calls or video-conferences, an employer must provide a way for an employee who is deaf, hard of hearing, or DeafBlind to access what is being aurally said. The responsibility still remains with the employer to pay for the necessary accessibility measures. It is critical for employers to make the necessary logistical and financial preparations to ensure the ongoing success of their deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind employees, and consult with the affected employees in advance of remote meetings. ![]() Employers must determine necessary accessibility measures in consultation with their employees. In addition to providing equipment and accessibility services, employers can utilize already available supplemental tools such as chat rooms on video-conferencing platforms. This shift to remote communications means that employers need to ensure that their employees have access to both the necessary equipment, such as laptops, tablets, and assistive technology, and the necessary services, such as remote interpreting and captioning for video-conferencing. The form of communication must comport with the specific needs of each deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind employee, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every employee.Ī switch to remote services may shift the ordinary modes of workplace communications that employers rely upon, from in-person meetings to remote platforms such as videoconferencing services. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability laws, employers must typically provide traditional communications for in-person meetings, such as on-site interpreters, captioning (also referred to as Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART)), and so forth. This document is intended to help employers understand and meet their obligations to deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind employees during the crisis, including types of necessary accommodations, strategies for video conferencing, and communication etiquette. Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind people employed during the COVID-19 crisis may encounter significant barriers to communication as their work shifts from physical offices to working from home and other remote contexts. ![]() This obligation continues through the COVID-19 crisis and employers must ensure that their remote communications tools, including video conferencing platforms, are fully accessible to these employees. Employers have a legal obligation under disability rights laws to accommodate employees and prospective employees who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind and deaf with other disabilities. ![]()
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