Technology as Enablers – Vlogs by People with Hearing-impairment

[UPDATE 31 Dec 06: I've since learned that "Hearing Impaired" is not a preferred term. I should use "Deaf" or "Hard of Hearing". Thanks.]

Learnt about this blog — DeafRead.com/blog — via lenois.com, via Alvan’s post.

Thoughts:
1) The Vlogs are an excellent example of how technology/ social medium has been utilised to enable the Deaf to communicate with others and/ or serve as a means of self-expression.

2) As I watched the few Vlogs, I was thinking, “Here’s where Closed Captioning would help me, because I don’t know how to Sign!” I guess “disabilities” is a matter of perspectives, really.

3) I wonder if this statement is true — “People with Hearing-impairment who are deaf/ hard of hearing tend to take to mediums like Blogs/ Vlogs more readily than those with a different kind if disability”. I haven’t been actively seeking out blogs by people with disabilities, nor have I come across research that addresses that question. Hence, I can’t really verify that statement. Also, I don’t know many bloggers who are disabled. Mostly I get the leads from Alvan (who’s Deaf).

If anyone can educate or enlighten me in this area, I’d be most grateful. Feel free to comment at this post, or at RamblingLibrarian.

Technorati Tags: disability, blogging, people with disabilities