How Many People with Hearing Loss/Hearing        Impaired/deaf/Deaf/HOH know sign language?

"Out of 100 people, 10 have a significant

 hearing problem. Of those 10 people, one

 or two use sign language. The rest do not 

know sign language." 

 (Source:  http://captioningtheword.com/information.html)

"Why can’t we just provide ASL interpreters for everyone?

"Only a small percentage of those who are deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing communicate through American Sign Language. Providing CART services can help overcome this barrier.

ASL is a form of language, and many people who communicate through ASL may not have the reading comprehension or speed necessary to utilize CART. However, many individuals who are deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing, especially late-deafened adults and those who lost their hearing after learning speech, read lips and rely solely on CART and captioning in group settings. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution when dealing with communication access. Consumers need access to the accommodation that best meets their individual needs. “ (Source:  http://alacarteconnection.com/how-works/

How Many People know American Sign Language?: see  http://research.gallaudet.edu/Publications/ASL_Users.pdf

"When an event needs to be made inclusive, projecting the CART display for the benefit of the entire room can be the best way to provide universal access for Deaf, late deafened, and hard of hearing people, as well as people who might have some degree of hearing loss but who don’t self-identify as hard of hearing or deaf. CART is also useful for English language learners and people with dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, or ADHD. When the CART display is available to every audience member, no one has to feel singled out or as if they’re demanding special privileges. Everyone benefits."

  (Source:  http://composition.al/blog/2014/05/31/your-next-conference-should-have-real-time-captioning/)



Catholics With Hearing Loss Yahoo Forum Group

If you are Catholic with a hearing loss (mild to profound) and  interested in
discussing with others about how to make the Mass and other parts of church
life more accessible, along with supporting one another spiritually  - Subscribe at

cccatholic-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Group Description

Catholics with Hearing loss interested in having the Mass in CC (CART and Typewell ), audio induction loops and other accommodations, along with conferences and workshops and how to support accessibility in the church and one another.

Funds for the  Catholic deaf and hard of hearing ministries and Catholic Disability ministries 


Funds should be allocated to serve the communication needs of the diverse deaf, hard of hearing and hearing loss population and not just one type of communication access in order to be truly inclusive for all the deaf and hard of hearing.  

They need to also employ CART or Remote CART providers and send them out to interpret church services.  I think it is wonderful that many employ sign language interpreters in the diocese to go to the various churches to interpret the Mass, but we also need at least one CART or Remote CART provider employed by the diocese as well to also go around and interpret the Mass in real time verbatim.

In addition, the church needs to install more audio induction loops for the hard of hearing (mild to moderate hearing loss).  

They should also list all these services on Diocese websites so
folks with hearing loss can know which church has audio induction
loops or CART or sign language.

If you can't hear the Mass, you can't hear it regardless of where you are on the spectrum of hearing loss or if you are Deaf/deaf or hard of hearing.   

Baby boomers are going to be doubling the demographics of hearing loss by 2030 too.  Is the church ready for them?

"Why can’t we just provide ASL interpreters for everyone?

"Only a small percentage of those who are deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing communicate through American Sign Language. Providing CART services can help overcome this barrier.

ASL is a form of language, and many people who communicate through ASL may not have the reading comprehension or speed necessary to utilize CART. However, many individuals who are deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing, especially late-deafened adults and those who lost their hearing after learning speech, read lips and rely solely on CART and captioning in group settings. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution when dealing with communication access. Consumers need access to the accommodation that best meets their individual needs. “ (Source:  http://alacarteconnection.com/how-works/

"Out of 100 people, 10 have a significant

 hearing problem. Of those 10 people, one

 or two use sign language. The rest do not 

know sign language." 

 (Source:  http://captioningtheword.com/information.html)

"When an event needs to be made inclusive, projecting the CART display for the benefit of the entire room can be the best way to provide universal access for Deaf, late deafened, and hard of hearing people, as well as people who might have some degree of hearing loss but who don’t self-identify as hard of hearing or deaf. CART is also useful for English language learners and people with dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, or ADHD. When the CART display is available to every audience member, no one has to feel singled out or as if they’re demanding special privileges. Everyone benefits."

  (Source:  http://composition.al/blog/2014/05/31/your-next-conference-should-have-real-time-captioning/)

          Captioning Shares the Message

Catholics With Hearing Loss Yahoo Forum Group

If you are Catholic with a hearing loss (mild to profound) and  interested in
discussing with others about how to make the Mass and other parts of church
life more accessible, along with supporting one another spiritually  - Subscribe at

cccatholic-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Group Description

Catholics with Hearing loss interested in having the Mass in CC (CART and Typewell), audio induction loops and other accommodations, along with conferences and workshops and how to support accessibility in the church and one another.

             Church Attendance

"Catholics with disabilities are much

 more likely to be inactive Catholics

than their non-disabled counterparts.”
 (Source:   http://www.adoremus.org/3-00-Tevington.html#sthash.zuG5hvks.dpuf)

"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)

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

"Accessible meeting space allows

 everyone to participate." 

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

“Just as with wheelchair access issues, 

advocacy is paramount,” Kasper wrote. 

“Staying at home to avoid problems or 

pretending to understand when we don’t 

will not help us or future generations, and

 joining with others in a cause can be 

rewarding in itself.” (Source:  http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2011/04/17/hackensack-church-offers-captioning-for-hearing-impaired/)

          Captioning Shares the Message

    Providing Universal Access in Church

"When an event needs to be made inclusive, projecting the CART display for the benefit of the entire room can be the best way to provide universal access for Deaf, late deafened, and hard of hearing people, as well as people who might have some degree of hearing loss but who don’t self-identify as hard of hearing or deaf. CART is also useful for English language learners and people with dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, or ADHD. When the CART display is available to every audience member, no one has to feel singled out or as if they’re demanding special privileges. Everyone benefits."

  (Source:  http://composition.al/blog/2014/05/31/your-next-conference-should-have-real-time-captioning/)

"The importance for people with any 

disability to interact 

in a standard setting rather than do it 

differently is 

critical," (Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/real-time-captions-helping-deaf-kids-realise-potential/story-e6freuzi-1226453656874 -ROSEMARIE LENTINI)

          Having Full Access is Effective Communication

"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

Inclusive Framework for deaf and hard of
hearing Catholics

Represents all the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing by providing ‘effective’ communication access allowing the deaf and hard of hearing to participate in the life of the church.

Respects social, cultural and linguistic communication frameworks.  We are diverse.

Respects multiculturalism and diversity and provides equal and effective communication access to the Mass / other parts of church life according to the users communication framework.

Supports spiritual and community connection and access to the Mass and other parts of church life like conferences with effective and equal communication access.

Provides qualified/certified CART providers and Oral Interpreters, along with ASL Interpreters.

This is an interesting article how churches could provide better access for the deaf and hard of hearing:  

Losing My Religion? : http://origin.misc.pagesuite.com/pdfdownload/7c11713b-7af4-45b3-86b6-2026d9ce54e4.pdf

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/)

Catholics with Hearing loss interested in having the Mass in CC (CART), audio induction loops and other accommodations, along with conferences and workshops and how to support accessibility in the church and one another.

Focused on the hard of hearing and late hard of hearing, the non culturally deaf, late deaf, late deafen, oral deaf.

To Subscribe:  

cccatholic-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

          Are You Losing Your Religion?

This is an interesting article how churches could provide better access for the deaf and hard of hearing:  

Losing My Religion? : http://origin.misc.pagesuite.com/pdfdownload/7c11713b-7af4-45b3-86b6-2026d9ce54e4.pdf

"About 90 percent of church members and constituents living with any of these forms of hearing loss become church dropouts. The culprit is the not uncommon failure of churches to be "hearing-accessible. ” Source:  ( http://gbgm-umc.org/disc/sosbook.stm)

NOT ALL CAN HEAR IN CHURCH: http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/v2005/archives/nov/sun06/letters.htm

”If we find that diversity, then we are going to put in the ramp. And we'll put in the elevator and we'll add real-time captioning [for the deaf]." 

(Source:  http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2001-10-19/news/0110190023_1_disabilities-accessible-open-hearts)

"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/)

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/)