Accessibility Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

Want to be a better ally to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community? Keep reading!

Click here to download a PDF version of these tips. You can print copies to keep at the literature table at your meeting!

You can also read: A.A. Guidelines on Sharing the A.A. Message with the Alcoholic Who Is Deaf (Pamphlet MG-13), which includes questions from GSO’s Accessibilities Checklist.

NOTE: The tips below are from NYCDAC, not from AA GSO, although there is significant overlap.

Tips for Communicating with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

• Don’t assume that Deaf people can lip-read - many Deaf people cannot, and even under the best circumstances, lip-reading is estimated to be about only 30% effective. If there’s no interpreter around, type what you want to say on your phone in the Notes app and hold it up for the Deaf person to read. Click here to download the Cardzilla app - it’s free to use and shows what you type in large, simple-to-read font. Cardzilla was created by a Deaf, queer engineer!

• Can you finger-spell? Great! Feel free to use that to introduce yourself with your name, as well as for other shorter answers. Click here to learn the ASL alphabet.

• Make sure you have the attention of the Deaf person before you start talking to them, and maintain eye contact throughout. ASL is a visual language, so eye contact when having a conversation is a big part of Deaf culture. Turning away from a Deaf person while talking to them is discourteous, so be mindful of that.

• When communicating via an interpreter, speak directly to the Deaf person. Use “I/you” language – don’t talk to/thru the interpreter, like “Tell them I said…” or “Can you ask them to…” etc. The interpreter will position themself where they need to be, so just have a conversation the way you regularly would and they’ll handle the rest.

• If you want to know a specific sign for something related to your conversation, ask the Deaf person, not the interpreter. The interpreter is only there to facilitate communication between you and the Deaf person, they are NOT there to teach you ASL. Also, don’t ask anybody how to sign curse words, etc.

• If you want to learn ASL, here are some places in NYC you can start in-person classes - always learn ASL from a Deaf person!

The Sign Language Center (great for beginners to intermediate)

ASL NYC (great for beginners and all levels)

Tips for Making Your Meeting More Deaf-Friendly

• If you’re reading something aloud during a meeting - slow down! We read aloud more quickly than we think we do, especially if it’s something we read regularly (like a meeting script or announcement, etc) or anything we’re familiar with (passages from the literature, etc). And while it might not be the first time you’re reading it - it very well could be the first time someone in the room is hearing it, including newcomers and an interpreter. Being mindful of pacing benefits everyone - especially newcomers, who will be new to a lot of this information and AA jargon/sayings. It also makes the meeting more Deaf friendly by giving the interpreter a fair chance, rather than leaving them to do their best to keep up with your lightning-fast pace.

• Make sure the meeting room is well lit. ASL is a visual language, so lighting is an important consideration. In addition to the Deaf person and interpreter being able to see each other, it’s important for the Deaf person to be able to see the person who’s speaking - facial expression and body language are important parts of how information is communicated in general, but especially so with visual languages. This also helps everyone in the meeting, by allowing them to clearly see who’s sharing, in case they want to approach them after the meeting.

• If possible, arrange chairs in a circle, rather than in rows. This is helpful to all because it allows everyone to see everyone else and is especially Deaf friendly because it allows the Deaf person to see whoever is speaking. It’s much more difficult to see who’s speaking (and sometimes not possible at all) if chairs are in rows, especially in larger rooms. Arranging chairs in a circle won’t always be possible, but there are usually creative solutions to be found to increase sight lines, so brainstorm a little, if needed. If chairs can’t be arranged in a circle, maybe you can split the seating in half, down the center of the space, and have the two sides face one another, rather than all facing one direction, etc.

• If it’s not possible to change the seating arrangement, consider having people come and stand at the front of the room when sharing. Again, this not only makes the setup more Deaf friendly, but benefits everyone by letting them clearly see who’s sharing.

• If your meeting uses a microphone, please speak clearly into the microphone and encourage others to do the same - including the chairperson, speaker, and anyone who speaks during the meeting. This is helpful to the interpreter who needs to be able to hear what you’re saying in order to interpret, but (like all of these tips) also helps everyone in the room. We usually explain to people to get right on top of the mic - and use the phrase “probably a little closer than you think they need to be.” Most people hold a mic too far away but that phrase seems to help. You really need to have it right up to your mouth. Be mindful of gesturing while holding the mic - if you move it away from your mouth, it can’t work properly. People sometimes express a dislike for sharing with a mic or feel like they don’t need it if they’re sitting close to the front of the room - encourage them to use the mic whenever you can, reminding them that using the mic allows everyone to hear more clearly, especially people in the back of the room who might otherwise miss their share - this helps us carry the message to the alcoholic who still suffers!

Questions about accessibility and the NYC Deaf Access Committee

Can’t we just use closed captioning on Zoom? Why do we need an interpreter?

As the pamphlet A.A. Guidelines on Sharing the A.A. Message with the Alcoholic Who Is Deaf (Pamphlet MG-13) explains "It is desirable to use professional interpreters to insure reliability and expertise/proficiency. Knowing ASL is not the same as being an interpreter who is trained and qualified [and certified] to effectively translate between languages and cultures."

In addition, automatic captioning software leaves the potential for many errors - for example, if a person is speaking very quickly, or mumbling, or their internet connection isn’t stable, and so on. If you ever watch TV with live captioning, you’ll see countless errors. Also, captioning is a transcription service, not an interpretation service. Transcription is just writing out word for word what is being said without thinking about what it means conceptually - this makes captioning services completely unhelpful for many of AAs references/slogans/expressions, as well as general English turns of phrase and slang - because many of these things are not literal. For example, how would you explain what it means to “turn it over”? Or to “play the tape forward”?

Interpretation, on the other hand, takes information from one language and expresses it in another, with full knowledge of both cultures and linguistic differences between the two. In short, transcription is just a bunch words; interpretation expresses their actual meaning. And as explained farther down, ASL and English are completely different languages - ASL is not just a version of English expressed thru signs. So while many Deaf people grow up bilingual in ASL and English, just typing out English without regard for metaphors/slang/concepts/cultural references/meaning would not be much more helpful than it would be for someone whose first language is Spanish or Italian or any other spoken language.

Can’t we use a text-to-speech app or have a fellow type out a transcript on a laptop while sitting next to a Deaf fellow at a meeting?

As above, even with the best software available, there would still be errors, and this is still transcription, not interpretation - the difference between the two is vast and very important to understand.

Why are we focusing on in-person meetings and not online/Zoom meetings?

There is already an extensive network of online meetings that are either completely in ASL (which is great) or have ASL interpreters, so there’s not as urgent a need for more online meetings, as there is for in-person meetings in NYC. Visit the Meeting Schedule page and scroll to the bottom for a listing of online meetings in ASL or with ASL interpreters. Another reason is that ASL is a three-dimensional, visual, spatial language, so trying to fully express a 3D language via a 2D screen is not ideal. In addition, online platforms allow a lot of potential for poor communication due to poor lighting/internet service/sound issues. It’s not just the Deaf person and interpreter who need a good connection, it’s also every person on the meeting who speaks because the interpreter needs to be able to interpret and the Deaf person should be able to see them, as well. Also, hearing people have access to both in-person and online meetings, we believe the Deaf should as well. While access to Zoom meetings saved countless lives during the early days (and years) of Covid, in-person meetings have many benefits and offer a very different experience of AA, especially when it comes to “the meeting before (and after) the meeting” - in-person meetings allow connecting with other AAs and going to get coffee, etc, to happen in-the-moment.

How much does it cost?

We pay our interpreters $70 for a 1-hour meeting. We are grateful to have connections and support from the interpreting community to be able to make that happen.

Why is it so expensive?

Certified, qualified, highly skilled interpreters (like the ones we are grateful to use) would typically be paid $125-$150/hr on the low end of the scale. So $70/hr without context might seem like a big number, but with context, it is actually a very good deal, especially for the quality of service we receive. We’re also saving money by contacting interpreters directly, instead of thru an interpreting agency - many of which have their own (higher) pay rates and require a 2-hour minimum to be paid, even if the meeting is only an hour long. When we’ve told our local districts and area committees about paying $70/hr, they were shocked to learn we were able to get certified interpreters for such a low rate, as they’re aware it’s usually much more expensive.

What is the money used for?

Money from the NYC Deaf Access Fund is used to pay interpreters at meetings. Visit the Groups Docs page to download our monthly treasury reports which include the lists of which meets the Fund pay for interpreters at each month.

Why are we paying interpreters instead of just finding volunteers?

This question is addressed on the page about our work and AA’s 12 Traditions, under Tradition 8.

Doesn’t this fund violate the 6th Tradition?

No. The NYC Deaf Access Fund is part of 602, it’s not an outside enterprise, it’s part of the AA service structure, etc. This question is further addressed on the page about our work and AA’s 12 Traditions.

Shouldn’t having interpreters paid for by the Deaf Access Fund be considered an “outside contribution” to a group and therefore in violation of the 7th Tradition?

No. This question is addressed on the page about our work and AA’s 12 Traditions.

Should interpreters be allowed at meetings? Will shares be kept confidential?

Yes, interpreters should be allowed at all meetings. Open meetings are open to all, but even for closed meetings - professional interpreters adhere to a strict code of professional conduct co-authored by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). There are seven tenets that establish guiding principles for professional conduct, the first of which is about confidentiality. Click here to read the full document.

Questions about the Deaf/Hard of Hearing, ASL, and Interpreters

What is the proper terminology?

You should use “D/deaf” or “hard of hearing. “ Terms like “hearing impaired” and “deaf-mute” are generally considered offensive, in addition to being antiquated. “Hearing impaired” was once considered the preferred term, but should no longer be used. Some people identify as “late-deafened,” to indicate that they became deaf later in life. Click here to read a more detailed explanation from The National Association of the Deaf.

What’s the difference between deaf (lowercase d) and Deaf (capital D)?

Click here to read an explanation from The National Association of the Deaf.

Is ASL a universal language for the Deaf?

No. It’s American Sign Language. It is estimated that there are approximately 300 different signed languages around the world. American Sign Language is actually more closely related to French Sign Language than to British Sign Language, even though the opposite is true for the spoken languages in those countries. Click here to read more from The National Association of the Deaf.

How is ASL different from English?

While many people think of ASL as a word-for-word version of English expressed thru signs; ASL is a full, rich, linguistically complex language that stands alone from English, same as any other spoken language you’re familiar with. In brief, “Like the words of other languages, ASL signs express meanings, not English words.” Click here to download the full article that quote is taken from - it explains some of the many differences between English and ASL. Source: The Linguistic Society of America.

What is an interpreter?

Click here to be taken to a page all about what interpreters do from the RID website. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) is national professional organization for interpreters who use signed and spoken languages, committed to providing ethical, high-quality interpreters, focused on continuous professional development. For more information on RID, please visit www.rid.org.

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? MORE TIPS?

Visit the Contact page and send us an email - we’d love to hear from you! Also, remember that you can always Google for more information on any topic!