http://ideafnews.com/2012/11/09/special-report-vrs-reform-public-note-from-fcc/

iDeaf News took the time to interview Gregory Hlibok with the FCC on the latest VRS reforms being proposed. It is important as VRS users that you watch this information and share your feelings with the FCC. You can click here http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/upload/display?z=iz9on to write to the FCC and comment on this important decision!

The post Important Information from the FCC! appeared first on Gracias VRS News.

Deaf and hard of hearing truck drivers need your support! We need your help to tell the U.S. Department of Transportation that deaf and hard of hearing people should be permitted to drive trucks!

For the first time in history, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is considering the applications for exemptions from the Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDL) hearing requirements for 45 deaf and hard of hearing individuals submitted by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). The U.S. DOT is requesting comments from the public, so show your support now.

The physical qualification requires individuals to prove they can “first perceive a forced whispered voice in the better ear at not less than 5 feet with or without the use of a hearing aid” or “not have an average hearing loss in the better ear greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a hearing aid . . .” (see 49 C.F.R. § 391.41(b)(11) for more details).

For the full list of the 45 individuals, please read our article on deaf and hard of hearing truck drivers obtaining CDLs: http://nad.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=18703&qid=1702720

Take action now – submit comments to the DOT explaining why they should allow these 45 deaf and hard of hearing truck drivers to get CDLs! Read our article and follow the easy steps to submit your comments. http://nad.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=18703&qid=1702720

Thanks for taking action now!

–

The National Association of the Deaf
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 820
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3819
United States

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KISSIMMEE, Fla., June 1, 2012 – Kissimmee Utility Authority today released its 2012 Osceola Hurricane Handbook, a free comprehensive preparedness guide offered annually to Osceola County residents.

The 40-page handbook has been revised, updated and enhanced by the utility to provide residents with the most current and up-to-date information available. The guide includes information on emergency shelters, evacuation routes, generator safety and power outage restoration as well as helpful telephone numbers, a disaster supplies checklist and a hurricane tracking chart.

The handbook can be downloaded from KUA’s website at www.kua.com/hurricane.

Printed copies of the handbook will be available, beginning June 11, in the lobby of KUA’s customer service center at 1701 W. Carroll Street in Kissimmee.

To receive a copy of the printed handbook by mail, residents should contact KUA at (407) 933-9838 or by e-mail at hurricane@kua.com.

Founded in 1901, KUA (http://kua.com) is Florida’s sixth largest community-owned utility providing electric and telecommunication services to 64,000 customers in Osceola County, Fla.

The post 2012 Osceola Hurricane Handbook appeared first on Gracias VRS News.

The information from the FCC is available in ASL, English, and now it is also available in Spanish.

Gracias VRS noticed that the materials were only in English and conscious of the needs of the Latino community in the United States and Puerto Rico, asked the FCC to provide an accessible Spanish translation of the materials regarding the new reform. We would like to take the opportunity to express our thanks to the FCC commissioners who made the texts available for Spanish speaking individuals.

Access the following links below and see videos in ASL and English captions as to what the proposed VRS reforms are and why the FCC is considering these reforms. Also we have provided the Spanish links in case you have someone who can benefit from those. Remember, you can send your comments in English, Spanish and ASL. Do it now!

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/vrs-reform

Spanish Links:

Spanish html: http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/spanish/videorelayreform.html

Spanish pdf: http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/spanish/videorelayreform.pdf

Spanish directory with links to these: http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/spanishlinks.html

The post THE FCC NEEDS YOU! appeared first on Gracias VRS News.

Please find the flyer attached
for download here.

The post The Way to Success – Interpreter Development Workshop in Austin, TX appeared first on Gracias VRS News.

This event has been happening since 2009 but Mr. Daniel Watman, one of the main coordinators of the event, informed Gracias Spotlight that this year it will be organized in a way that will allow even more people to attend and enjoy. Señas de Amistad, Beyond Borders 2012 will have salsa music in Spanish and English, Art shows and communication via binoculars so that both sides can see each other and even though the border divides them physically, they can feel united by sharing their culture and uniqueness as Deaf Latino’s.

The Señas de Amistad Beyond Borders will be held March 31st, 2012 from 12 midday to 4 pm pacific standard time. All of those that want to attend should contact Mr. Daniel Watman (San Diego) at (619) 954-9710 or Miriam Quino (Tijuana, México) at (664) 294-6848.

Gracias VRS is really pleased that the Deaf and Hearing Latino Communities at the border are making headway with events like this that really portray the best of what inclusion is all about. We congratulate all the organizers of this event and hope it will be a success!

Remember that Gracias VRS is here 24/7, 365 days a week to do just that, unite people and communities through our warm, friendly and professional Video interpreters. Family is at the very core of our company so everyone that calls through Gracias VRS is treated like a Family member who just came back home. Try us today, we can do Spanish, English and ASL and remember… WE ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU!

Please watch out our Facebook and Twitter so that you see more updates related to this event.

Press Notice
For immediate release

Show your support for the binational deaf community and come to this great event!
Make friends across barriers!

In the current divided and limited world it’s easy to get used to these conditions and slowly loose the the real significance of the cultural richness and diversity all around us. One of the groups affected by these marginalizations are deaf people who for years have suffered in silence in trying to express their worries and needs and ending up being left out because of linguistic, work, and social differences.

In search of real change, a growing group of people and organizations commited to the deaf community is uniting as a cultural and communication bridge between deaf and hearing people and their efforts have been focused around the ¨Señas de amistad beyond borders¨ wich will take place on Saturday, March 31st at the binational friendship park on the beach on the US side and on a lookout on the Mexican side. It will be at 12pm. Deaf and hearing people from both sides of the US and Mexican sides of the border arrange to meet at this location, with the purpose of creating friendship across the border fence, using sign language as a literal and symbolic unity that overcomes barriers through this common interest.

We would like to invite the deaf community of Tijuana and San Diego and the surrounding area including family, friends, bosses, and all others who want to support the binational deaf culture, to attend this event in order to learn how to help break down barriers and take a great step toward unity and equality.

Contacts:
Daniel Watman Coordinator (San Diego) 619 954 9710
Miriam Quino Coordinator (Tijuana) 664 294 6848

Support binational deaf community, enjoy this great event!

The post SEÑAS DE AMISTAD BEYOND BORDERS appeared first on Gracias VRS News.

Transcription:

Hi, you are here at the Gracias VRS website and the whole Gracias VRS team is excited and ready to offer you fast, deaf friendly quality VRS services. Some of you already know us. We have been supporting other companies, and you might have wondered, what happened? We have not seen you?? You are gone!! Well FCC regulations lay out that it was time for us to no longer be on a support role, but to stand on our own. And that’s exactly what we have done and as a result, FCC has given us approval to offer services as an eligible provider. And we are known as ASL Services Holdings LLC. Our brand name is Gracias VRS.

Now we say Gracias because we are committed that the top 3 languages of our nation and this entire hemisphere should be respected: English, ASL and Spanish are all equally to be recognized and supported. We come from a diverse background, just like you! We have Deaf communities, hearing, family experiences, professional services; we have language variances, different cultural backgrounds. We just don’t throw in ‘diversity’ and say, “ ohh yeah we do that too!! We actually live it! And as a result that we live it, we know that means every person has a right to express and be understood. And that is our focus. That is why we want to provide you warm, friendly, culturally and linguistically-aware service and we are willing to adjust to do whatever we need to and pull in the best person on our team to make sure we meet your needs.

Our website, Facebook, Twitter, you will see in the next few months that, yes, it has info about our services. But more importantly, you will see that our focus is on communication with the community in all its forms and in all the ways that we express it. So watch for some of the special surprises that will come. Some of the interesting features that will be unique on Gracias and you want to watch for Cozmo over here, our little sassy mascot. So keep watching our website often and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And most importantly remember every time to use our services. We always appreciate you. This is why we will always say “GRACIAS”, thank you for using us.

So to those faces that we have known before, welcome back and to the new faces, come on, give us a try! I think you are going to find what you have been looking for. That you can get it all with Gracias because we truly do care. We are just like you.

Welcome to Gracias!!

The post Message from the President of Gracias VRS appeared first on Gracias VRS News.

(The video is in ASL and captioned)
Click Here: Hurricane Guide for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing

The post Hurricane Guide for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing appeared first on Gracias VRS News.

American Sign Language Services, Inc. (ASL Services) and Gracias VRS knows the value of staying actively involved in our profession. As a result, we are proud to announce that ASL Services, Inc. are Platinum Sponsors of the RID National Conference and Gracias VRS are the sponsor of Mano A Mano! In addition, members of the ASL Services, Inc. and Gracias VRS team will also be the coordinators for all trilingual interpreting at the conference and additional members of our companies are also on various boards including the RID Diversity Committee.

Your experience at RID should be education but fun as well. Come by our booths (308/310) and visit with members of our team to learn more about the many opportunities with ASL Services, Inc and GraciasVRS…. and also to spin our wheel to win prizes!

For Individuals who have actually worked for ASL Services, Inc and/or Gracias VRS, we have a very special “Thank You” for the work you do to proudly and professionally represent our companies. Our President/CEO and Director of Training will be on hand to personally meet with you face-to-face and give you a special gift during a special VIP Breakfast on Wednesday, July 20th from 7:00am-8:00am in room L508.

American Sign Language Services, Inc. (ASL Services) and Gracias VRS are extremely proud to be involved in the 2011 RID National Conference. We know It will certainly prove to be a fantastic week and we very much look forward to seeing you there!

The post ASL Services & GVRS Proudly Representing at RID appeared first on Gracias VRS News.

Around 300 new and current clients visited our booth to get information on the NEWEST technology available as it relates to consumers of American Sign Language. Demostrations took place throughout the day where clients were walked through downloading and setting up the newest smart phone applications. In addition, iPad 2’s were available to demo this thrilling new technology.

At the end of the event, Gracias VRS gave away 2 gift bags with exciting Gracias VRS promotional items. Furthermore, Gracias VRS was the only company to give away a CUSTOM designed Flip™ Video Camera! Check back to GraciasVRS.com to discover where we’ll be next!!!

Gracias VRS Booth @ Opening

The Booth Again! We Love Our Booth.

DeafNation Communication!

Shane with Victor Davy -- our winner of the custom-designed flip camera

The post Report: DeafNation Greensboro 2011 appeared first on Gracias VRS News.