UK Council on Deafness

Access to Communication in English

Promoting Language and Communication Access Services for deaf people whose preferred language is English

Introduction

The Access to Communication in English (ACE) Campaign aims to increase the provision of Language and Communication Access Services for deaf people whose preferred language is English. Co-ordination of the campaign is provided by the UK Council on Deafness, the national umbrella body for organisations working with deaf people. The campaign is supported by many national and regional organisations and complements, but is distinct from, the campaign to increase the supply of BSL/English Interpreters for those deaf people whose preferred language is British Sign Language (BSL).

There are an estimated 9 million deaf people in the UK and most of them would require the provision of Language and Communication Access Services at some point in their lives; at work, in education, accessing public services and at social events. For some deaf people this could be virtually every day, in meetings, using a telephone, at conferences. For others it may be an occasional requirement at large public events.

Deaf people who use English require a wide range of communication access services depending on the setting and their communication access preference. For example a deaf person who uses a Lipspeaker in a one to one situation may prefer to use a Speech to Text Reporter in a large meeting. Deaf people with a knowledge of sign language may prefer lipspeaking augmented by some signs taken from BSL, this form of communication is often referred to as Sign Supported English, a term used to cover a wide range of combinations of speech and sign.

Because of the extreme shortage of provision, indeed in some areas there is no provision at all, many deaf people are not aware that Language and Communication Access Services could be of great benefit to them if they were available.

Communication methods used by deafblind people vary greatly depending on the amount of residual sight and/or hearing. Some will be able to hear speech or lipread or use signing. Many of those who cannot hear speech or see sufficiently to follow visual communication will use some form of tactile communication.

The demand for the professionals employed to provide Language and Communication Access Services, previously referred to as Human Aids to Communication (HACs), greatly exceeds supply. Many have to be booked months in advance and cannot be arranged for short notice emergencies.

Little progress has been made since the publication of Communication is Your Responsibility, a report of the Commission of Enquiry into Human Aids to Communication, in March 1992. It is essential that this is addressed in a way that does not compromise the standards of language and communication access required in different settings.

Types of Language and Communication Access Service

A. Speech based systems

1. Lipspeakers

Lipspeakers convey a speaker's message without using their voice. They normally work one-to-one with a deaf person in meetings, conferences, training courses and in Courts. They produce the shape of the words with exceptional clarity, reproduce the rhythm and phrasing of natural speech and repeat the stress used by the speaker to enable the message to be passed to the deaf person. Facial expression, natural gesture and fingerspelling (if the deaf person requests it) are also used to aid understanding.

There are two levels of Lipspeaker, Level 2 and Level 3.

Level 2 Lipspeakers are trained to work in informal settings such as club meetings, routine hospital appointments and MPs surgeries.

Level 3 Lipspeakers are trained to work in Courts and other legal settings, and in workplace settings such as conferences, formal meetings and training courses. They may also be able to relay the message of a deaf person to a hearing person, and may use their voice, if it is required, in certain circumstances.

Note: Lipspeakers are increasingly being asked to provide additional visual access in the form of sign or Sign Supported English. The role of the professional who provides this form of access has yet to be agreed or defined.

2. Cued Speech Transliterators

A Cued Speech Transliterator is an experienced user of Cued Speech who cues the speech of a third person (using clear lip-patterns silently) at the rate of normal speech. It enables a deaf user to see a full visual representation of spoken language sound-for-sound in any situation including classrooms, conferences, medical examinations, courtroom settings etc.

Note: Cued Speech is a simple sound-based system which uses eight handshapes in four positions near the mouth, in conjunction with the lip patterns of normal speech, so as to make all the sounds of spoken language fully comprehensible, both individually and in their combined forms in the real-time of speech.

B. Text Based Systems

1. Speech to Text Reporters

Speech to Text Reporters use a system in which the speaker's message is keyed into a special keyboard. This is then processed by a computer, converted into English and can be viewed on the screen of the computer or projected onto a large screen. It provides verbatim access to meetings and conferences for a deaf person. The main systems in use are Palantype and Stenograph. Speech to Text Reporters work with speech speeds beginning at a minimum of 180 words per minute (wpm) but most reporters are able to operate at speeds over 200 wpm with an accuracy level of 97% and above.

2. Manual Notetakers

Manual Notetakers work with mainly with deaf students in education and also with deaf people at work, in meetings and conferences. They take handwritten notes, providing a précis of what is said rather than a verbatim record, that the deaf person can use for revision or information after a lecture or meeting. A deaf person using a Lipspeaker or BSL/English Interpreter to access communication may not be able to take notes at the same time and would then need a Manual Notetaker.

3. Electronic Notetakers

Electronic Notetakers use a QWERTY computer keyboard and type a condensed version of a speaker's message, generally operating at about 60 words per minute. This appears on the screen of the computer for a deaf person to read. There are two systems currently in use, SpeedText and Stereotype. Both use two computers, one for the deaf person and one for the operator. The linked computers make it possible for the deaf person to type messages direct to the operator, who can relay any comments, questions or responses the deaf person may have, or to edit the text as it appears on the screen.

4. Other related systems

There are also specialist forms of text based communication access used in specific settings.

STAGETEXT provides captioning services in theatres. The text is inputted by an operator from a pre-formatted script and displayed on an LED screen as the performers speak or sing.

Instant Captioning relays the speaker's message by telephone to a remote centre where the operator repeats what is said and uses voice recognition software to convert it to text which is then relayed back to the deaf person's computer.

Note: Some text based systems referred to are not generic systems but are unique to a single operating organisation.

5. Deafblind Interpreter (Manual) & Deafblind Communicator-Guide

Professionals providing communication access for deafblind people who require tactile text based communication provide a high level of support. The methods used will vary from person to person and include:

The Deafblind Manual is based on the two-handed fingerspelling alphabet from BSL. Each word is spelt onto the deafblind person's hand.

The Block Alphabet is each word spelt out on the deafblind person's hand using the outline of capital letters.

How many Language and Communication Access Professionals are there?

Registered Level 3 Lipspeakers 27

Listed Level 2 Lipspeakers 42

Registered Speech to Text Reporters 12

Listed Electronic and Manual Notetakers 54

Registered Deafblind Interpreters (Manual) 17

Source: CACDP October 2003

Increasing the supply of Language and Communication Access Professionals

Increasing the supply of Language and Communication Access Professionals will require a combination of

• raising awareness amongst deaf people of the benefits
• raising awareness amongst service providers of the need to provide alternative forms of access
• strengthening the infrastructure
• improving the availability and quality of training opportunities
• improving the career structure of qualified professionals

The challenges are also to

• ensure that services are developed in response to the needs of the user
• develop provision for deaf people who prefer to use Sign Supported English
• ensure that increased provision based on new technology is adequately regulated

Appendix

Organisations represented at the 1st Campaign Meeting on 4th November 2003

Association of Lipspeakers
British Institute of Verbatim Reporters
CACDP
Cued Speech Association UK
Deafblind UK
DeafPLUS
Hearing Concern
The LINK Centre for Deafened People
National Association of Deafened People
RNID
Sense
UK Council on Deafness

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