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It's too bad ASL isn't something can be taken in high school. Ya know; like Spanish?
I remember as a young girl reading Helen Keller and in the back of the book they had the alphabet, and I learned them all. There were times in my life I had wanted to learn sign language simply because I thought it was beautiful and artistic. But the more that time passed, I felt like it's importance was fading out, being replaced with technology. Even just a few years ago I checked into learning so that perhaps I could work as an interpretor. Eh. Well see.
Hey, your YouTube videos don't work anymore. You piss someone off there too? 
Stacy, no. Just took them offline for now. No pissing off anyone. If I did, then I don't really give a fig.
Tee, hee, I can just see myself walking into Wendy's with my Spider Man test messenger! I can imagine the looks people would give one another at this white haired lady using a kids' toy to order a hamburger.
Hilarious!
Lantana
OOPS that was supposed to be "TEXT" messenger. Those darned Gremlins!
Lantana
If you're not pissing someone off, then you're not really living. It's my motto these days.
Like I said, *if* I did piss someone off, I don't give a fig.
Is there a particular video(s) you're looking for?
I was just hopping over to your Strongman place so I could give you a proper assessment of your age. 
Ah, I see....
Give me a few minutes.
Keep checking it, refresh it each time.
Done.
I was there. I left stuff behind.
I agree that I wouldn't be caught dead with a pinkberry...while the spiderman one had cool graphics, it looked complicated...
Nonetheless, the fact remains that there is a need for these products in the DOHH community.
The only issue I have is the cost...
I know I would buy something if it were in the $100-200 range...and it were extremely easy to use like the ubiduo seems to be (never tried one before and for $2K each..I won't be any time soon.)....
Ubi Duo has the right idea, IMO..but how can they sell it for less? I doubt they can do it without cutting corners, right? (asking you, mcconnell, because you seem to be pimping ubi duo and probably have connections with them?).
-J.J.
Stacy, most high schools in my area offer ASL, and night classes do also at the local community college. ASL us everywhere. I live out in the toolies,so I am sure the big cities are even more advanced.
Ubiduo sounds great to me, but the deaf person still needs to know a decent version of English!
Awhile back while in a large gathering of deafies, one deaf guy kept sending his sandwich back to the kitchen. I happen to know the owners of this particular restaurant and they later told me that the deaf guy, when ordering his sandwich, wrote: "No White"! It turns out that he meant mayo, but how were they supposed to know?? He could have meant white bread.
Lantana
I know it's not offered here. You can find community colleges that offer it; but as far as high schools, no; they're too concerned about teaching Spanish in our area.
Mike... I think your summary of these devices is fair and objective.. while some people may decide to choose these "low end" products because of price, I can't imagine a business purchasing such "accommodation devices"... I certainly hope not, anyway.
One thing about the Ubi Duo that I think you should disclose -- your support of Ubi Duo is very clear, but you're not being objective... Is that because you have a financial interest in that company's success? They obviously support your website because you include a nice animation commercial - very eye-catching. All I'm saying is that a Ford dealership isn't a good place to advertise for General Motors... there might be a slight conflict of interest, no? If you want to encourage people to buy Ubi Duo devices, you should also share with people that you have a financial interest in that company...
Just a slight ethical challenge, I think...
Hardy's a great guy but he can get real narrowminded.
Richard
McConnell,
Youre forgetting the new generation of deaf society are mostly kids these days and they have no problems with the toy versions of the expensive communication devices these days.
The kids at the deaf baseball camp last August loved it.
Richard
ICVoices, no. I am not getting paid nor have any financial interest for talking about it. I talk about it because I believe in this product and Jason, the founder of the company that makes the UbiDuo. I met him less than three years ago via email once I began blogging about his new communication device. We are now great friends and we value each other's friendship. He is very driven and business-oriented person and knows exactly how to get the job done.
As for cost, it's all about market demand. If you sell enough prices can come down just like any new electronic devices that come out on the market. Also, you can request this ADA approved device from your boss. Or go to a state agency like the Vocational Rehabilitation. Jason understands the cost issue for those who want to buy it for personal use or at work and he is doing something about it. Just be patience on this one.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DWD Procures Technology to Help Deaf Job Seekers
In response to overwhelmingly positive feedback from demonstrations and trials, DWD is procuring a new communication technology that is opening up a whole new world for deaf and hearing-impaired job seekers. The device, called the UbiDuo™, is a portable electronic communication system that allows the deaf to communicate with hearing people (i.e., employers) in real time, without an interpreter. DWD has completed the contract with sComm - the Missouri based company that invented the UbiDuo, and is now beginning the process of ordering, training and distributing these items to its 42 Career Centers. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, which works with the disabled, has pledged support for the project.
Oct 26, 2007. http://ded.mo.gov/AboutDED/
focus...focus102607.pdf
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is what you said, Richard...
"Deaf people can wirelessly instant message their friends, their bosses, their doctors, and attorneys..."
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/blog...lkees-
have.html
And you seriously think adults will use these toys to talk with their friends, bosses doctors, attorneys..? And this was in the context of about adults using it, not kids.
Plus, I produced a short list letting people know there are cheaper versions and even one that has a range of 2 miles.
Richard, perhaps you should divulge these links I've provided about other devices that are cheaper or even more fun than the one you are trying to sell from 45 to 55 dollars? After all, this is about advocacy and letting people be informed about other cheaper devices and this should be a duty of yours to inform others about them.....no?
I just re-read your comment, ICVoices...
"If you want to encourage people to buy Ubi Duo devices, you should also share with people that you have a financial interest in that company..."
Interesting that you made a claim that I do have financial interest in that company. I do not. I don't get paid. Not even for that UbiDuo animated GIF advertisement on my blog. All my doing.
Maybe your ethical challenge of yours would be to acknowledge your error for making an unfounded claim as if it were a fact.
Just saying...
After selling over 400 of these devices, I dont see any problems with their use and the pricing. I market them to places that dont have any access to whiners like you.
What we offer comes now in 3 colors silver, pink, and purple.
Richard
Not a whiner, Richard. Though those devices wouldn't be the most ideal thing to have in the first place. Like Judy said over at Deafbiz.com, she'd rather have a pen and paper instead. And I don't blame her for that.
And if prices are an issue, then, again, perhaps you should let people know that there are cheaper versions that can do the same thing and they can save 50%. Advocacy is, after all, about informing the deaf and hard of hearing on what's available out there such as communication technologies, including the more choices on cheaper "texting toys" out there as well. But you don't seem to support that very notion. How convenient of you to hawk just one device that's twice as much as the ones in stores now available but don't let people know that. And I wonder, what is your profit margin after you sell one? Just curious here.
Richard, I'm not even whining, just pointing out the obviousness here. You can do whatever you want when it comes to selling kiddie texting toys.
My son took ASL in high school. In this state it does satisfy your foreign language requirement-- not that I wouldn't have wanted him to take another language-- but he already took latin in 7th and 8th-- a district requirment-- and Spanish in 9th. He chose to learn ASL because he was so frustrated trying to communicate with me. It's still a great thing to know around my house, though none of us are fluent. If anything we maybe sign a couple words I wasn't able to lip read in a sentence. I don't wear my hearing aids at home most the time and my husband is also HH. When you're deaf/HH, it's uncomfortable to wear thingies in your ears and on your head 24/7. I know this has nothing to do with the Ubiduo-- I was just commenting to Stacy above.
At this point my aids amplify more noise that anything worth listening too.
is anyone on-line? Just a quick
asl question again. How do you sign decaf, as in decaffeinated coffee?
Kim there is not a sign for every single thing. Just fingerspell "decaf". Or as some people do: "deaf coffee or hearing coffee". Hope this helps. Lantana.
Thanks--I just got back from deaf coffee nite. I can't have caffeine at night. My teacher told me to sign deaf coffee. I couldn't beleive it! I'm like WHY!? She's hilarious. This was all discussed in ASL and her facial expressions are hilarious.
Thanks anyway. 
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