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From: John Walker [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 06 June 2000 05:47
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [GKD] Internet, E-mail Opening Job Doors for Deaf
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Internet, e-mail opening job doors for deaf (Canada)
New kinds of work, links to mainstream world are multiplying but
discrimination is still a problem
By Brent Lawson
Torstar News Service
http://www.thestar.com/editorial/technology2/20000605BUS06_DEAFWEB.htm
l
The Internet is helping to break down barriers and open up more of
the world to the deaf and hard of hearing.
Still, the benefits are not as widespread as they could be among
those who share the sound of silence.
For Steve Michaluk, the Internet is a passport to new friends, new
skills and a successful home-based business designing Web pages.
``All the communication disadvantages in the common workplace are
thrown out the window.''
The Dundas resident has profound bilateral hearing loss.
Two hearing aids provide some hearing, but he is more comfortable
with e-mail and online communication.
The Internet first attracted Michaluk back in 1992.
He honed his technical skills as the Internet blossomed, and
eventually progressed to the point where he could turn it into a
career.
But Michaluk's success story is the exception in Ontario, where
people with hearing loss face a bleak employment picture and
discrimination by some potential employers.
`The location barrier, the age barrier, the gender barrier, the race
barrier, the disability barrier have been thrown out the window.
Everyone is equal'
Only about 14 per cent of the deaf in Ontario are considered fully
employed, to the level of their abilities. Some 43 per cent are
under-employed and close to 43 per cent are unemployed.
Chris Kenopic, executive director of the Ontario Association for the
Deaf, said people are being denied employment opportunities because
of deafness and regardless of skills, education and training - or
Internet technology.
``I'm personally working with about 30 deaf individuals through the
Ontario Human Rights Commission, making complaints that they were
not accepted for interviews because the employer found out the person
applying is deaf.''
Technology can help deaf people get a foot in the door - even if
only for a short time - because they can apply for work through fax
and e-mails, with no personal contact.
Kenopic said deaf people are also accepted for possible employment
and interviews if no mention is made of the Bell Canada Relay Service
phone number. The service provides communication between a deaf and
hearing person.
When the interview is being set up, however, and the deaf person
notes an interpreter is needed, the atmosphere often turns chilly,
Kenopic said. Some employers respond by suddenly deciding the
position has been filled, or that deaf people cannot be hired due to
safety issues.
E-mail and Internet technology, however, is a boon to the deaf and
hard of hearing in their personal lives, and also for those who have
found employment.
In the workplace, e-mail means both deaf and hearing employees can
keep each other updated on matters such as policy changes and staff
meetings. A deaf person is able to provide feedback and suggestions.
``I believe this also brings deaf and hearing people closer
together,'' Kenopic said, adding that before e-mail some individuals
had worked in the same place for 20 years and never chatted with the
person at the next desk. Why?
``Because the hearing person may have some fear of communicating
with the deaf person, or thinks the deaf person is not smart enough
to talk to.''
Michaluk, 22, is testament to the effectiveness and versatility of
cyberspace communication, where the Web page design process is done
very efficiently through e-mail.
Clients contact him via e-mail to give him a sense of the kind of
page they want. He sends back samples and eventually links to a
testing site.
``Then the client approves it, sends payment and I put the site
online. All done without meeting in person.''
He expects the trend to cyberspace to grow: more home offices, less
commuting, fewer in-person meetings.
It's already happening with education and schools, with some courses
being taught only through the Internet.
"It's these kind of changes in our daily society that hard of
hearing or deaf people can really benefit from. All thanks to the
Internet."
The potential provided by the Net is exemplified by Michaluk's Web
site dedicated to Peter Bondra, star forward with the Washington
Capitals.
Bondra loved the page and it is in contention to become the official
site.
"This just proves that no matter where you are in the world, you
can do anything on the Internet."
"I could have a job as a Webmaster for a professional hockey player
who plays in Washington, D.C., and lives in Maryland, and I live all
the way up here in Dundas, Ont."
Michaluk has also noted how the Internet has served to bring people
together in new ways.
"It's just totally fascinating to me how society and culture have
changed as the Internet evolved."
There is a strong sense that, at least online, everyone has
something in common, no matter what their background, he says.
"The location barrier, the age barrier, the gender barrier, the
race barrier, the disability barrier - all thrown out the window.
Everyone is equal."
HAMILTON SPECTATOR
Links:
http://www.bestnet.org/~jwalker/dis.htm
http://www.deafontario.org
http://http://welcher.cjb.net
mailto:[log in to unmask]
Brent Lawson is an Internet and technology reporter with The Hamilton
Spectator, a daily newspaper in Ontario, Canada. He has been an
editor and reporter for more than 20 years. As an editor, Lawson
directed his newspaper's award-winning coverage of the Paul Bernardo
case. As a reporter, he is helping to chronicle the impact of the
Internet on our daily lives.
-------------
Also in this issue:
- Teach the Reporters Well
In Japan a decade ago, I found a great coffee cup. It looked like it
was misshapen, and had "misteaks misteaks misteaks" imprinted on it.
It also stood on a row of shelves with 1,000 identical cups.
- Online Learning Excels
Business of Web-Based Education Poised to Grow
Although e-education is still in its infancy, investments are
pouring in, according to Eduventures.com, a Boston-based
education-industry resarch firm.
- Internet, e-mail opening job doors for deaf (Canada)
New kinds of work, links to mainstream world are multiplying but
discrimination is still a problem
- Net 'used to build nailbombs' (UK)
The Admiral Duncan bomb claimed three lives
The man accused of murdering three people in a central London pub
bombing learned how to make the explosive on the internet, a court
has heard.
- E-mail anonymity tempts mischief, but law could catch up (US)
The e-mail I received was as blunt as it was disturbing: "I have been
trying to 'unsubscribe' from this e-mail list. They haven't taken me
off. Now I will spam everyone who e-mails me with porno. Tell them to
take me off this #&%@ list."
- Cyber rebels go surfing in Sealand
`Soon it will be impossible to trace where money is and who has
money '
In the annals of Internet history, June 5, 2000, may be remembered
as the date that a hardy band of true believers tried to establish
the first independent colony in cyberspace.
- AltaVista free access comes to the Mac
Today AltaVista and Lycos expanded their free Internet access
program to include support for Macs. This is the first free quality
dial-up Internet service for Mac users offered by a leading Internet
brand, claims Katherine Eagleton, AltaVista spokesperson.
- Internet.com Says Domain Names 'Hijacked' (Canada)
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Online trade magazine Internet.com Corp.
(INTM.O) said Monday its Internet domain name was "hijacked" when
someone illegally transferred ownership on several of its domain
addresses, Chief Executive Alan Meckler told Reuters.
- Firm makes big business off small Web sites (US)
The electronic commerce boom has taken small businesses across the
country by surprise. Big corporations spend thousands on creating
their Web sites. But many mom-and-pop shops don't have the resources
to capitalize on electronic commerce.
- New technology to bring wider searches on the Net
When you use a search service on the Web, you'll comb through only a
fraction of the data that's stored on computers connected to the
Internet. It's like panning for gold in just one branch of the
stream.
- New Lists and Journals
* CHANGE: Useful Things, The purpose of this list is to share a
freeware program that I have found useful. Every weekend I will
send an email that contains a description about, and a link to, a
useful program. This list is primarily for Windows 95/98 users.
* CHANGE: Trollope, The Trollope list, the original forum for group
discusion of the works of Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope, has
moved.
* NEW: Ahorsetip4you, Recieve a free horse tip once a week in your
email
- Hardware/Software
antisp1c.zip - Protect against unsolicited e-mail. Free
craft105.zip - HTML Crafter: HTML Editor & web browser. Free
d2kf5101.zip - Dictionary 2000 v5.101full (13 languages)
diskdb16.zip - Disk and file catalog, browse offline volume
ftp2mail.zip - Ftp2Mail: Order files by e-mail. Freeware
hce105.zip - HTML Crafter Express v1.05: HTML Editor. Free
mc95_222.zip - MsgCore: SMTP+POP3 mail server + mailing lists
nteme171.zip - NoteMe v1.17: Scratch pad to take notes. Free
qtrk114.zip - QuoTracker: Track stock, mutuals online.Adware
secagt40.zip - Security Administrator For Windows 95/98
shcmbbox.zip - ActiveX Control mimics Explorer's combobox
t2web160.zip - Text-to-Web: Text to HTML converter. Free
viewpr60.zip - Print preview OCX, dynamic report generator
wrbp_257.zip - WinRAM-Booster Pro 2000 v2.51.07: RAM Optimize
- Week in Review
- School's plan to bridge digital divide raises new issues (SJM)
- Clinton: Internet Can fight poverty (SJM)
- Database Legislation Spurs Fierce Lobbying (NYT)
- The Internet, Privacy and the Open Source Movement (EPIC)
- Internet Privacy Hearing (Senate)
- As Ratings Dip, Ted Turner and CNN Uneasily Face Milestone (NYT)
- Telephone Customer Service Public Forum (FCC)
- Old Regulations Stifle The New Economy (WSJ)
- China Phone Service Scraps Plan With U.S. Firm (NYT)
- The E-Writing Is On The Wall (WP)
- Digital Distribution of Movie Is Planned by Fox and Cisco (NYT)
- Ethernet Finds a New Level (NYT)
- The FCC's Ownership Rules (NYT)
- FCC Is Poised to Approve AT&T-MediaOne Deal (WSJ)
- In Fight Over Anonymity, John Doe Starts Slugging (NYT)
- Television Site Says It Has Solutions to Copyright Problems (NYT)
- AOL and Hughes to Test Satellite Service in 16 Cities (NYT)
- Prodigy to serve SBC's high-speed Internet customers (SJM)
- Unintended Consequences (WSJ)
- Now Showing: TV on Your Own Time (WP)
- FCC May Open Airwave Sales to Larger Firms (WP)
- The FCC's Ownership Rules (NYT)
- FCC Is Poised to Approve AT&T-MediaOne Deal (WSJ)
- In Fight Over Anonymity, John Doe Starts Slugging (NYT)
- Television Site Says It Has Solutions to Copyright Problems (NYT)
- AOL and Hughes to Test Satellite Service in 16 Cities (NYT)
- Prodigy to serve SBC's high-speed Internet customers (SJM)
- Unintended Consequences (WSJ)
- Now Showing: TV on Your Own Time (WP)
- FCC May Open Airwave Sales to Larger Firms (WP)
- Path Is Cleared For Cuts In Rates For Long Distance (NYT)
- FCC Issues Broadcast Ownership Biennial Review Report (FCC)
- Internet Body Finds Problems Collecting Funds From Nations (WSJ)
- AOL's Self-Interest Blocks Communication On Web (USA)
- E-Mail Messages To The Press Have Made The Gore-Bush Race A Cyberwar(NYT)
- U.S., EU Agree on Privacy Standard (WP)
- Excite To Operate Its High-Speed Network As `Fast-Lane Toll Road'(SJM)
- Heading North To The Wireless Future (NYT)
- FCC Chairman Kennard Urges Three-Pronged Strategy To Promote Wireless
Web (FCC)
- Bell Atlantic Vows to Wire Rest of Metro for Cell Calls (USA)
- U.S. Seeks to Ease Some Restrictions on Broadcasters (NYT)
- Phone Firms Lose Bid to Change Access Plan (WP)
- New Deal Is Shaping European Telecommunications (NYT)
- N.T.T. of Japan Urged to Cut Connection Fee to Competitors (NYT)
- WorldCom, Sprint Present Deal to EU (WP)
- High Schools Discourage Use of Free E-Mail Sites (CyberTimes)
- FCC to Discuss Trading Airwaves (WP)
- Public Forum on Secondary Markets in Radio Spectrum (FCC)
- Technology Will Solve Web Privacy Problems (WSJ)
- Firetalk Lets Site Visitors Speak To Each Other (USA)
- Move Over, Dan Rather (WP)
- Federal Tide May Be Turning Against Media Mega-Mergers (USA)
- France Telecom Approves Deal To Buy Orange from Vodafone (WSJ)
- Worldcom's Bottom Line on Sprint Is Wireless (NYT)
- Service Puts More Government Online, for a Price (NYT)
- Physicians Now Face a Wealth of Clinical Information Online (NYT)
- Web Bookseller Plans to Offer Array of Courses (WSJ)
- Pay Phones in the Net Era (NYT)
- Low Power FM Filing Window Instructions (FCC)
- Thomson Gets Bids for Pieces of News Group (WSJ)
NOTE:
A second class starting 15th June has been added to the Creating
Effective Web Sites course. Information and registration available at:
http://www.bestnet.org/~jwalker/wp.htm
On-line Learning Series of Courses
http://www.bestnet.org/~jwalker/course.htm
Member: Association for International Business
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