The Rebuttal

Access, now there is a word. I preach it a lot, but I do not always practice it. I really need to improve. Often, for example, I publish Rebuttal’s without an Auslan version. My only excuse is time and impatience. I really need to improve. That also includes me providing descriptive text for any graphics I use. At the end of each paragraph that I type in this article I will stop and translate it to Auslan. Hopefully, in this way I can publish an accessible article, even if my Auslan is a bit crappy.

Why this article? Well, I am witnessing many incidences around lack of phone access for people who are Deaf and hard of hearing from organisations that really should know better. Yesterday a friend posted on Facebook about being contacted by Hearing Australia. As they do, they call by voice to a Deaf or hard of hearing person’s phone to remind them of appointments. If no response, they send a follow up text message asking the receiver to call them to schedule their appointment.

I find the Hearing Australian phone communication system really frustrating. People who are Deaf and hard of hearing can call through the Relay Service or Convo, but why should they? They should have options to text, email or even text chat. Hearing Australia need to do better.

It will surprise no one that one of the worst for phone access for people who are Deaf and hard of hearing is the NDIS. Whether it is a person waiting for contact about their new plan or a person who is going through a review. The NDIS will call them. At first, they will receive a text message saying that the NDIS will call them within 15 minutes and to please answer. You can’t even respond to the message because it is a private number.

What can the person who is Deaf or hard of hearing do? They can’t text, they can’t email, they are stuck. So, the NDIS calls and the person who is Deaf or hard of hearing cannot answer. It is appalling. What is worse is if the person cannot make contact, after three calls the NDIS apparently marks them as non-responsive. Countless people who are Deaf or hard of hearing receive these messages every day and are extremely frustrated. The NDIS have to do better than this.

There are other organistions besides these two that are equally culpable when it comes to phone access. Hospitals, banks, Government departments and so on. However, I have highlighted Hearing Australia and the NDIS because firstly, Hearing Australia are Australia’s oldest and largest service provider for audiology. Secondly, the NDIS are Australia’s largest disability support system with over 700 000 participants on their books. You would think that these two major organisations would be setting an example about what constitutes good access. It is mind boggling that they are so bad.

This is why I encourage people to think universal. I am referring here to Universal Design. It is a simple concept where people think about all of the people that might access a service or structure like a building. You build a building so that parents in prams can access the building through a ramp which in turn provides access for wheelchair users. You have adequate lighting for people that require good lighting but at the same time lighting that will allow access for people who may have sensorineural issues.

Alarm systems are both auditory and visual. Information boards can be in text, audio and provide Auslan translations for things like evacuations and safety. The very concept of Universal Design is that designers of services and infrastructure consider as many scenarios as they possibly can, at the start and not as an afterthought later. They might not be able to cover everything, but Universal Design is a hell of a lot more financially sensible than adding things later after everything is fully rolled out and established.

I think as a minimum, organisations such as Hearing Australia and the NDIS need to be showing how it is done. They have no excuse for being “hearingcentic”. As Australia’s biggest providers of services and supports for people who are Deaf, hard of hearing and who have disabilities they need to be setting an example and demonstrating what accessible supports are.

Do better!