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Vicdeaf's been around for 127 years. We predominantly work out of Melbourne. We employ around about
150 staff. Round about a third of those staff are deaf or hard of hearing.
We've just embarked on a new strategic plan and communication is one of the five key principles
of our new plan, and in that one of the really important issues for us is giving people choice
of communication. Our vision for the community’s access and equity for deaf and hard of hearing
people. It’s a simple goal but complex to achieve. So about giving access to services,
but also access to life, so people can participate in employment, in education, in the community
generally. We wanted something that would work for everybody so that we're all on a
level playing field.
Generation-e gave us some advice and we've made drastic changes. They've really helped
us start from the bottom, building things up and establishing our communication technology.
They came in and they met with people, and talked to us about the options.
And then when they started talking about Lync and its potential we thought wow this is impressive,
or has great potential. And Microsoft Lync really gives you a good chance to level that
playing field much better than other products that we had a look at.
With SMS and mobile phone technology when you send a message you don't know if they've
received it but with a video contact it's brilliant. We're able to talk to anybody that's
in the meeting and there's that instantaneous connection.
And it also means the use of the video cameras will allow deaf staff to use their first language,
Auslan, when communicating. Vicdeaf has a number of regional sites where people are
working in isolation. The Lync systems really allow them to connect with each other and
with staff here at head office and feel part of a team.
We pride ourselves actually on the accessibility of Vicdeaf to the outside community and in
the future it'll definitely allow the community the choice to be able to call us in any way
they would like. It opens up so many of those previously old barriers for deaf people in
the workplace.
This product very much is about access and equity. It's what we preach as an organisation.
So all they've got to do is log on, get on board, join in and then join the communication
with whoever else is involved.
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