Monday, August 27, 2007

HELPFUL TIPS FOR USE OF VRS

What do you think of this video message from the VRS industry regarding the do's and don'ts of helpful tips on the use of VRS?

http://www.aslclips.com/aug2007/tip_vrs01.html

ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog

18 comments:

  1. Isn't that lovely lady the Iammine??

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  2. Interesting. I didn't like all the "VRS says..." and they missed a few points, such as when deafies give phone numbers too fast or when the setting is too dark. And I've seen a few VRS terps rock back and forth in their chairs too!

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  3. I agree with what anonymous said about a few VRS terps rock and forth in theri chairs. That is Sorenson VRS terps!!!!!!!

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  4. judge u 'tard, Iammine cannot asl like that. Lady is way more prettier too.

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  5. I have to agree with VRS about men answering VP calls with no shirts on. I hate it when they do that.

    EYES SORE. BIG TIME!

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  6. Great tips. I will share with others. I agree with Anonymous about a few more missing tips.

    Lighting is important - not too dark, not too bright.

    Slow down when you give the phone number and the spelling or your name or other contact information.

    Solid colored shirts help terps see your signs and fingerspelling better.

    Visually noisy backgrounds should also be avoided. I'm guilty of this at work as my VP currently faces my bulletin board. Eeek! It's practically a collage and hard to see me in front of it. Need to change that.

    People in the background. I'm guilty of this too and in need of a change. My VP at home faces my husband's work area. If he is there while I'm on the VP, he is in the picture. People walking past or sitting in the view of the TV screen can be distracting for terps or other VP users.

    I know there are more tips we could all learn and use. I enjoyed seeing this little clip. You can also see my v/blog post on another VRS Tip called: Alpha-Bravo-Charlie. Go to: http://www.earofmyheart.com/wordpress/?p=148

    Thanks.

    ~ LaRonda
    www.earofmyheart.com

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  7. I think the VRS was out of line in asking the men to wear shirts. They are in their houses and it's not illegal to be bare-chested, for heavens sake. If they are naked or wear underwear, oh that would be a different story.

    The other three requests seem reasonable.. but overall, I don't feel comfy with this vrs guideline.. it just rubs me off the wrong way. Too paternalistic. We don't have hearing operators instructing hearing callers how to conduct themselves, do we? So why are we seeing this different approach with the deaf consumers? We are supposed to be treated equally as our hearing peers.

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  8. Judge, no, that is not Iammine. Iammine signs more fluently and her mane is much thicker.

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  9. I think that clip is REALLY embarrassing to the deaf community. What the heck? Whose idea was to do this? Like MZ, I find this to smack of paternalism. And I have a hard time believing that most of us lack common sense in dealing with the VRS.

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  10. And by the way, that is NOT IamMine. She is far more hot than that woman on the clip. IamMine has vivid blue eyes, and her hair is thicker and darker. Her teeth isn't horsey like that lady in the clip as well. :)

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  11. Heh.

    No, that wasn't me! :P

    Want me to prove by copying her tips?

    I'm kidding... thanks for the laughs, though. ;)

    I'm with others - I don't see how deaf people would need "guides" like that - being naked and so forth? Heh.

    We're smarter than that - other than the viewing adjustments.

    Sometimes it depends on the lighting where the terp would ask me to come closer or farther in order for clear viewing.

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  12. Many restaurants and other establishments have signs at the door: "No shirt, no shoes, no service."

    I agree. In the matter of Video relay, shoes are not an issue, but shirtless callers are.

    I wonder why no mention was made about distracting jewelry?

    All in all, the tips are good but I did feel it was presented in a rather patronizing way.

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  13. If the men were in the restaurants or other establishments, I can see why this would be an issue. ;) However, the men are in their personal residences.

    The big question is whether it is an official VRS vlog or not? There is no identifying VRS logo.

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  14. Yeah... I love how they say "VRS told us..." HUH? Since when is there a VRS-God? It's bull.

    BUT... as a VRS interpreter, I have to say that I think that some of these points are very helpful.

    Of course we can't force you to put on a shirt.. but think about it, interpreters have to wear dark colored shirts. Then add in video phones!? Video quality is never 100% perfect all the time. More contrast, the better!

    BUT... I disagree with Mishkazena. I am constantly teaching hearing people how to use VRS, and correcting them when they use VRS incorrectly. For example "Tell her that I said I would be there later!" Instead, I tell them to talk first person. Or even worse, when they use "Go ahead" or even funnier, "Over" at the end of every sentence. There are plenty of times that I have had to become almost-confrontational when a hearing caller denied a VRS call.

    Don't get so upset because someone decided to offer a couple of hints to make your communication more fluid and effective.

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  15. Uh.. umm....

    Let's see, to be honest I don't like this video at all. Of course, we all agree "tips" is always best thing to give us ideas to make some improvement. However, the way I see it, she was more of lecturing us.

    But, this video where the woman kept saying "VRS says..." I wonder if it's really VRS' words or was it only from THAT woman (her name is Sarah, right?).

    I agreed with some comments that a few interpreters did exact the same thing, of course except shirtless... yet! ;-)

    But anyway, terps did sign too fast, they did rock back and forth, I ran into two terps like that. And, I'd list a few more so it's not just customers, but terps are doing the same.

    I could understand about shirtless because in some cases, it's hard to see hands with no shirt on like pale hands along with pale chest, ya know?

    Anyway, it's the worse so-called tip video I have seen. Need better one for BOTH customers AND interpreters.

    Thanks for sharing this with us.

    -SG

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  16. Was there any mention not to fart in front of the VRS terp? Hmm...

    LOL Judge, about that lady looking like IamMine.

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  17. One of the regular blogger on Deafread pointed out such a loophole within the list of do's and don't by private email message.

    Why didn't the VRS industry cover the issue about female naked boobs? What about the deaf VRS female user accidently expose her breast from feeding the baby in front of VRS screen?

    I somewhat agree about no shirtless guy using the VRS service. The presence of male nipples and torso could arouse sexual libdos with gay and female VRS interpreters.

    Handful of guys definitely have their chests with boob-like. That would resembles female naked boobs. Don't you agree?

    I wonder why not the VRS companies post the do's and don't list on their VRS website as gentle reminder.

    Most of you have an excellent point about this video message to be kinda patronizing toward deaf VRS users. That's what I previously thought after seeing the video message for very first time. I asked myself - "Who the hell the VRS industry think?"

    Robert L. Mason (RLM)

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  18. MZ,

    Is it OK for Dr. Davila to be barechested when calling VRS interpreter. He'd have put the interpreter in a very awkward position. If the light blinks, I'd immediately put on a tee-shirt! You don't have to be a VIP person. Respect is respect! Think twice!

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