Catholic Canon Lawyer's Misunderstanding about the DIVERSE population of the deaf/Deaf and Hard of Hearing

*“I would have warned against seeing captioning as the solution to the communication problem for the simple reason that captioning is one-directional; people might read captioning, but they don't respond in it. Captioning cannot, therefore, offer "that fully conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy” Sacrosanctum Concilium 14). Sign languages do. Source: http://www.canonlaw.info/2008/01/to-best-accomodate-deaf-begin-by.html

In reality, one could ‘technically’ respond to Captions w/ sign language if the person can also read.  However, the population who uses Captioning in real time (CART) are the deaf/HOH who are verbal. You read the captioning (receptive) and respond orally (expressive) of the SAME language for two-directional communication in most situations, generally speaking.  Classes, RCIA, Virtus training,  and Catholic conferences are very useful having access to it in CART/Captioning.

For the Mass; The issue is more of the lag time translation services can present when translating from spoken English to verbatim English and how one would manage that discrepancy (albeit brief) lag time of ‘real time’.  This BTW, is similar to most services being done in translation. There is always a lag time when translating, be it from English to ASL, English to Spanish, spoken words, to verbatim (CART). Do you respond with a delay verbally when others are a few words ahead of you ‘like an echo slightly off beat’?  Or do you mentally engaged the response ‘orally’ without vocalizing to adapt to the situation?  This would be if the entire Mass in in CART.  Many hearing people often mentally engaged ‘voicing the singing or responses in their head’ without vocalization during a Mass and spiritually participating in that mental processing/engagement. 

How do you make it Inclusive to all those who are deaf and hard of hearing?

"However, in order to serve ALL deaf, hard of hearing, 

the hearing impaired or people with hearing loss 

(whichever terms you choose), all of these accessible 

solutions need to be provided, and the Deaf and 

hearing impaired should always be placed down front 

where they can use their eyes to see to hear and the 

audio amplifiers to be picked up by their assistive 

devices. Captions should be on the wall or a screen for

 those who need to read what is being said." 

 (Source:  http://limpingchicken.com/2014/01/16/deaf-discrimination-to-deaf/)

"What does it mean for communication to be “effective”? Simply put, “effective communication” means that whatever is written or spoken must be as clear and understandable to people with disabilities as it is for people who do not have disabilities."

(Source: http://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap3toolkit.htm)

Examples of Effective communication:   http://www.dartmouth.edu/~accessibility/effcomm/index.html

"You get the jokes, the satire, the innuendo. You have full access. You are an equal participant. That’s CART Captioning. That’s Communication Access Realtime Translation.”  (Source:  http://www.realtimeworldwide.com/services/cart-communication-access-realtime-translation/)

"Accessible meeting space allows

 everyone to participate." 

(Source: http://www.ada.gov/business/accessiblemtg.htm