Message Transmission Efficiency Through Five Telecommunication Technologies for Signing Deaf Users

ABSTRACT

This cross-sectional research design compares the efficiency of videoconferencing in distance communication for signing deaf persons with that of teletypewriter (TTY)-based telecommunication for the deaf. The efficiency of message transmission was evaluated among 30 signing deaf persons (18 to 65 years) under the six following experimental conditions: (a) Omnitor Allan eC software, (b) Polycom ViaVideo II software, (c) Microsoft Windows Live Messenger software, (d) the D-Link videophone, (e) TTY (written French), and (f) face to face (reference standard). Three timed intelligibility tests and a satisfaction assessment were carried out for each of the experimental conditions. Results showed that videoconferencing technologies offer a better efficacy/time ratio for communication than does TTY. Communication using videoconferencing technologies was very similar to face-to-face communication; this was also true for technologies that are not designed specifically for the deaf population. Equivalent satisfaction levels were observed between TTY and videoconferencing technologies. Microsoft Windows Live Messenger was less preferred due to image fluidity issues.

KEYWORDS:

• deaf
• distance communication
• satisfaction
• sign language
• videoconferencing
• TTY (teletypewriter)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We wish to express our gratitude to the Office des personnes handicapées du Québec (OPHQ) for its financial support. We also wish to acknowledge the recruitment support of deaf persons' associations and groups in Quebec City and the Chaudière-Appalaches region. We would like to express our particular appreciation for the dynamism of Sylvie Tremblay, bilingual research assistant, who acted as the deaf participants' interlocutor during the 30 experimental meetings. Generous thanks are extended to speech and language pathologists Huguette Beaudet and Anne-Marie Bégin for their rigorous work in analyzing the data recorded on video. Our sincere thanks go also to Chantal Giroux, Denise Desrosiers, and Monique Therrien of the Centre québécois de la déficience auditive (CQDA), who each took turns filling in for Martin Bergevin during the course of this project.