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The Deaf and Hearing Support Service of a major City College
have adopted 'Text-Connect™' to improve the accessibility
of their services to deaf and hearing impaired students.
The Service provides support for any student with a hearing
loss or communication needs, including those using British
Sign Language (BSL) and lip reading. The Service currently
supports around 50 students.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing students find text messaging a
convenient way to communicate. To facilitate this Text-Connect™
gives each member of the Deaf Support Staff their own 'Text-Number'
making it easy for students to contact staff.
Student messages are read and replies are sent from staff
desktop computers removing the need for each member of staff
to have a mobile. The web based system is 'always on' avoiding
the possibility of lost student messages.
The team leader, says "Text-Connect™ saves us time because
messages can be sent and received on our desktop PCs. Messages
are quick to compose using a keyboard and arrive with the
student almost instantly."
Staff can access their messages from any College computer
with web access, and incoming messages can be automatically
forwarded to other team members as emails or as texts to personal
mobile's should 'after hours' cover be required.
She continues "Text-Connect makes us more accessible. Students
keep our text-numbers in their phones and their messages arrive
on our desktop almost instantly. The system also allows staff
to manage text messaging with students in a way which is not
possible with office mobiles."
No software or hardware had to be installed, making the
system quick and easy to implement. Little or no formal training
was required due to the intuitive, user friendly nature of
Text-Connect™.
The college selected the Text-Connect™ 'Deaf Community'
package which is aimed at organisations who want to offer
their services on an equal-access basis.
For further information contact David Tapley, Managing Director,
Text-Connect™
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