Overview

This briefing aims to educate senior officials within the federal government about emerging communication technologies that have the potential to achieve communication equity for the 11.5 million deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens in the United States. With federal agencies actively engaged in improving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts, as well as enhancing customer experience (CX), there exists a significant opportunity for HR and 508 compliance personnel to familiarize themselves with new technologies that can assist agencies in better serving the deaf and hard of hearing communities.

Despite remarkable advancements in technology, accessibility standards have not kept pace, resulting in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community being among the most underserved in our nation. This briefing will shed light on the importance of adopting innovative technologies, particularly Direct Video Calling (DVC), as a means of achieving equitable communication at the point of service. DVC holds immense promise in bridging the communication gap and ensuring a seamless customer experience for deaf individuals, especially in light of future legislative initiatives and compliance requirements.

While Artificial Intelligence (AI), video transcription, and live video translation have their place, Direct Video Calling (DVC) is currently the most equitable means of communication viable for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community when it comes to communication at the point of service. Future technology is increasingly geared towards DVC, which makes it vital for government representatives to understand this technology for use in their own agencies and compliance with up-and-coming legislation and current initiatives. This briefing will provide a platform for discussion of current and future technology – primarily DVC - that can facilitate an equitable and improved customer experience for deaf individuals.

Agency Panelist Participation

Agency participation is encouraged for this briefing. If you or one of your colleagues would like to be a contributor or panelist in this discussion, please contact support@govbrief.us or call 888-818-8726 to coordinate your participation. GovBrief provides free access to all government presenters and will distribute all accompanying documentation at no charge.

Recommended attending personnel:

Recommended attending personnel will include agency 508 compliance, HR, Customer Experience (CX), Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Call Center management, and point of service managers. Additionally, support personnel, program personnel responsible for maximizing agency R&D program effectiveness, and procurement personnel responsible for R&D contracts are also encouraged to attend.

Important: This briefing uses a Zoom-based communication connection via your network. This briefing will be accessible via phone if you are unable to connect online and recorded versions will be distributed with closed-caption for the hearing impaired. Instructions for login will be provided upon registration.