Mélange Accessibility for All Magazine July 2021 | Page 22

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would have been justified to leave , but I stayed true to her plan ." Angela shared . Living in New York City at that time was difficult at first , but in 2003 , she graduated with her family and friends gathered around her . It was a terrific experience ! Four weeks later , the Helen Keller National Center contacted her regarding a job working with deaf-blind people . She is grateful to the Helen Keller National Center for giving her insight and experience on such a national level .
Employment Challenges for people who are deaf
Angela Lynn believes there is work to be done when it comes to employment for many people who are deaf . One thing that stands out is access to communication - the ability to communicate freely and clearly , peer to peer and employee to employer is imperative to workplace success . Oftentimes , deaf employees do not have communication access for the simplest conversations or tasks because they may be the only one who speaks their language ( sign language ) at work . That is problematic because it leaves room for conflict , mistakes , and misunderstanding .
On the other hand , a positive example of communication access that got Angela Lynn ’ s attention was Amazon when they started providing ADA support to deaf workers with access to communication . " While it is not 100 % perfect , it is a step in the right direction ," said Angela . " Many deaf workers at Amazon are receiving communication due to ADA . If other businesses copy the concept of what Amazon is trying to do , then there won ' t be any communication challenges for deaf individuals in the workplace ."
Angela ' s advice about the best way to communicate with someone who does not know sign language
She is extremely interpersonal , always finding a way to communicate with someone who is unfamiliar with sign language . She believes the best way to communicate is face to face , while speaking slowly and deliberately , with gestures . Repeat and re-phrase what you say and never hesitate to write things down .
Angela can read lips with about 99 % accuracy , and voices simple words with clear formulation that helps people to understand what she is saying . Check Angela