Caption frustrations at work

So my company, who shall remain nameless, rolled out a mandatory training video about respect in the workplace, discrimination, and harassment. The video had no captions, and no DVD with captions was available to borrow. I asked for a transcript and was told one was not available.

I watched the video at my desk, which must have annoyed my coworkers (high volume), and then sent another email to my HR people chastising them for presenting a video that dealt with discrimination against protected classes of people that was entirely inaccessible to hearing impaired (yes, I intentionally used this term in my email even though I find it mildly offensive). Gee, I'm glad we don't employ anyone who is more deaf than I...

Yet another example of Deaf issues being ignored by a company large enough to know better.

Comments

Liz said…
I experienced the same problem at my workplace. I politely informed my supervisor that I absolutely refuse to watch videos without captions and that they must find captioned videos, transcripts, or alternative ways to train me. My supervisor immediately ordered a transcript for videos and I began my training within a week. From then on, everything went perfectly fine :)
July 16, 2007 at 6:44 PM
Aaron said…
I dealt with it perhaps too politely this time, but my letter assures them I find this completely inexcusable and will certainly assert my rights in the future.
July 16, 2007 at 7:16 PM
Cindy said…
I took a class called, "Disability and Society" for my Sociology degree years ago. Wouldn't you know it, it was NOT captioned! The entire class found that ironic.

Cindy

http://beethovensears.com
August 23, 2007 at 9:55 PM
Anonymous said…
I was already HOH before I started where I currently work and they know this. My needs have changed in the last 2 years now. If I need to contact a Supervisor from where I'm working I have to go up to them, as I can't hear no longer on their phones like I use to. Even though some are ideal for hearing aid wearers with the same deafness as me. After I realised I could use a Lipspeaker as an interpretur last year, I decided I was going to ask for one everytime I'm in a training session that lasts an hour or more and I've been fobbed off. Alternative arrangements were done, but they still broke the DDA. But I was fine with it, although annoyed, as I could hear this person well and lipread if I need to. But next year I shall have to make a stand for myself. Because if I'm expected to go on a Fire Lecture, then I will need an interpretur as the bloke doing it is not the same one as before, so I won't know if I will be able to hear or lipread him.If I don't get one. I won't attend, and will probablly have to take the matter further.
November 21, 2008 at 7:17 AM
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