Library of Congress Installs Videophones for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Staff
By Hearing Review - The Insider,Publication Date: March 6, 2008
News feature describes a new videophone communication system implemented at the Library of Congress. Sorenson Communications, a provider of Video Relay Services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, has licensed 16 of its VP-200 videophones to the Library of Congress and is providing training and ongoing support free of charge for deaf and hard-of-hearing staff members. The videophones and Sorenson Video Relay Service (SVRS) will enable these staff members to conduct calls with hearing individuals via a high-speed Internet connection, television screen, and a qualified ASL interpreter. Using SVRS, deaf callers connect to a nationwide network of ASL interpreters. Callers sign a message to an ASL interpreter who then contacts the hearing recipient on a standard phone line and relays the conversation between the two parties. The Library of Congress has developed a secure internal network to link the videophones. The network serves all 20 deaf staff members who work in a variety of positions throughout the library.
Published by: Ascend Media LLC (Website:http://www.ascendmedia.com)
Link to text: http://www.hearingreview.com/insider/2008-03-06_04.asp
