My, name is Sam Sita, and. I'm. Here, working. At. Google. I work in the Sunnyvale office, my, role is as. A site reliable, engineer, program manager. So. I work with that team that our SRE team and, I'm the HR Coordinator, program. Manager. In. That team so. I'm happy to host our, talk today with nyle dimarco. He's. An amazing guest to bring here today, as. You know this week is a very important, time to host this event, it's our, accessibility. Week our a 1:1 Y week and it's a time for used us to learn and have fun together, with. All the new accessibility products. That are available, out there to, raise awareness, and. To really keep our commitment. Google's. Commitment, to. Making the world's. Information universally accessible, to. Everyone so. We're, really grateful that you've all come, out this afternoon to learn some more about that, take. Your lunch time to to, listen to all this information it's just awesome. So. We're here to listen to nyle to have a conversation with nyle. And. For. Those of you who don't know who he is I'll give you a quick introduction, as you. Know nyle is. Very. Well known for, a lot of the the, different reality, television shows, that he's been a part of over the years in which he's won the. Top prize. One. Of the TV shows was called catch-22. And, then, America at America's, Next Top Model. He, was one of the old the only deaf contestant, on the show and then he ended up winning the competition. So, he made history. Secondly. He. Also won, another reality, show competition. Dancing. With the Stars. So. We. Were appalled they were just astonished at his talent, that he was it was able to win a dance competition and myself, as a deaf person to. See another deaf person actually win a dance, competition. With the level of strict judging that goes on there was. Amazing. And. He's. Also done some film and TV work in parallel with all of this he's also done some work for modeling, agencies, a very prestigious, modeling, agency, in particular he, was offered an internship with. That agency so he's been photographed, you see him in Agra zine you see him in the Macy's catalog, I mean. He's just everywhere. On the, catwalks, on the runways of these fashion, shows and so. But. His real passion is, to focus on the phenomenon and sadly of language, deprivation among. Deaf children, and to call more attention to that he set up a whole Foundation and Al DiMarco Foundation, as well as he works with another movement called the language equality, and, acquisition. For deaf children for. Deaf kids its acronym is lead le, ad - K so. He's, done all of those efforts in parallel with developing, his career, so. I'd like you to all use your hands, to give, a warm welcome to nyle DiMarco. Hi. Thank you all for coming. So. Thanks, so much for coming that we really appreciate it you're taking some time out of your busy schedule, for this for our accessibility, week so we're, very grateful really, glad I could make time to come today. You. Know accessibility. Is really a week is really about educating, people about what accessibility means. The. Fact that you know just a bit disabled, people walk the earth and you know how do we manage this you come from a deaf family right that's, right you deaf people in your family. We. Have over 25 deaf members of our family Wow. Which, means that my two brothers are deaf my parents and my grandparents, and great-grandparents.
Are All deaf and so. I'm a fourth generation deaf, person myself and. So. The short answer is yes, it's genetic, we carried the c16. Gene and that, is what they called the deaf gene and so that's, why what our family has Wow. Awesome, so, I'm I can't. Imagine you, know what is it like to live in the. World where people are hearing and yet your family is deaf and uses sign there's what has that journey been like for you huh. So. First off there's only 10, / 10 percent, of deaf, children come, from deaf family, and so, I tend, to be to, consider myself fortunate because, growing up I had access to language and communication, and love and I. Always explain to people what it was like being raised in a big deaf family household. And. It. Was like a utopia really, because. For. Me it was so wonderful because, hearing people for example when. You're born to hearing families. You. Don't have any language barriers, you have access to language you have everything you're on a parallel, with everyone around you and it's not any different and. My. Best things that's one of the best examples, I can give and. People. Think oh the deaf family means the house must be quiet right because everyone's deaf they don't make any noise but, it's actually the exact opposite, because, I wasn't aware of how much noise I was making like when I was washing dishes how, loud it was I didn't realize how much noise that could make putting, away the dishes slamming, doors and so, when hearing I tell hearing people if you visit my deaf, home you're probably going to leave with the headache guaranteed. Well. So so, basically. Your. Life felt perfect. Because, you had complete, language accessibility. With your family right that's, right but then, when you stepped out of your family, into the community what was that like. Well. I was born and raised in Queens New York and. So. There was a lot of people, you, know it's a big city right and, so. My. Mom always forced me to play sports with hearing kids and. So I would go into a mainstream hearing, program with hearing kids and my understanding, of the world at a young age I knew. That I was deaf I was aware of that but, I never felt, less, than because. My mom always made sure to say hey these are hearing people these are deaf people you just communicate, in a different language, you're different yes but you're basically the same and, so. What, really impacted, me was when, I was in fifth grade and I decided to go to a hearing school and, I was the only deaf person there, and so.
It Was a tough experience and, I, became, a deaf boy, I wasn't just a boy you, know I was labeled as that and, I struggled. With communication. And I was there for a year and it wasn't an easy year, and I went back to the deaf school and that's. Where my community, was that's where I felt I was able to grow. Well. Definitely. So. And then you know breaking down those barriers with. Your education, it gives you more of a opportunity. To grow right definitely, if you have a language foundation, at a young age by. The time you're five or six years old you're able to express, your feelings your emotions and, thoughts and so. I was, able to support and identify, myself as a deaf person so, I couldn't imagine later, on struggling, with that kind of identity crisis. Ya. Know and I totally agree that every, child really needs to have that strong personal, identity, no matter who that child is so. To think that they're capable, absolutely. And. As you know, we. Both being deaf when. We go out in the community we're, hearing people are you. Know sometimes they they see us as a different. Regard. Regardless. Of the fact that we're happy being deaf and we're happy in the Deaf world that we like, you you have a fully accessible, language. At your house I wonder. If you might have. Any humorous. Anecdotes, to share with us about funny. Things that have any funny reactions, you might have gotten from hearing people out there oh sure, absolutely. Well there's. Something that still happens, to me today over, and over again there seems to be no change since I was younger it doesn't matter. How much time I bug them to change it but every time I fly I go, into the airport and I, get on my flight and when I land and get off I'm always, provided, with a wheelchair that has been prepared for me with my name on it nyle, DiMarco, and I, say why I've never requested a wheelchair, I never told them I was deaf even, you. Know I guess whoever let me in on the plane saw was deaf and seemed like there's some kind of disability, button. Which, means that disabled, applies, in general that you need a wheelchair but a lot of people with disabilities don't need wheelchairs obviously, and I'm not saying all deaf people need a wheelchair obviously, there's some deaf wheelchair, users but if you're not requesting, a wheelchair why are they giving me one I don't get it yeah. And that happens to me is well pretty often, yeah. And I think that's just really funny because people. Think. Okay if you can't hear that means you can't walk I mean right don't get how they make, that connection and you know we obviously walked, into, the airplane so uh yeah, right so it makes you think okay how, is it I guess, maybe. The. Airlines is trying to provide, the most service they can but it's just odd isn't it I guess, so but they obviously need to figure out a better system. I'm, not sure what that would look like but, maybe, we can ask if. I, asked for one they provided, if not they don't yeah. So basically do you think, mmm. The, airlines ought to be honoring, your request whether or not you, really need I guess that must be their customer service model or something yeah. I guess maybe but it makes it worse if they just go ahead and provide it just in case but other people might actually need it but I don't need it you know yeah. That's a valid point sometimes, I think it's really important, that you. Know cultural, awareness I, mean. Here Google is so amazing, at trying. To understand, the deaf and hard of hearing community, was providing, sign language services, for the for, those who don't sign, and. To really make sure there's that distinction, between the kind of services are of hearing people need as opposed to people who are deaf and use sign language, and.
Try, To build that, stuff into our platforms. And so I'm really hoping that you know like, the airline industry. You, know they they think that there's there's one type of deaf person, and that they kind of blanketly, assign that characterization, to all disabilities, or something right. Well I was, wondering you know deaf, our deaf, people are part of the disabled, community but, we need a different type of access, our accessibility. Has. To do with having an interpreter present, having. Closed captions, but. Also another, type of accessibility, is access, to sign language and, access, to education and. Deaf. Schools and where. Deaf students, go that's the type of accessibility, we need which is very different, from other disabilities. Yeah. And this is a perfect segue down to something I wanted to ask you about can. You talk about one. Of your big ambitious, goals a cause that your connect - the nyle, dimarco, foundation, we're really focusing, on this phenomenon. Of language, deprivation among, deaf, children. And to that end I have a couple of questions first of all what is language, deprivation what, does that mean and then secondly why. Do you think we, at Google should should care about this. Okay, well language, deprivation, is what millions of deaf children they. Reached. The age of five without any language foundation, and that could lead to brain damage that could lead to. Depriving. Them of ability to succeed, and so if they don't have that language foundation, by the end of five that part of their brain where language learning, is, is. Essentially. Closed to them and. Often. Many doctors and speech, pathologists. Many. Hearing, people in general don't want to teach ASL to, deaf, kids they feel like, ASL. Could harm their English language learning ability but it's not true it's. Just like any language if you learn one language it, can. Cause. It, can make learning. Future, language is much easier, and that's what happens that a lot of deaf children fall, in this, cracks of the system and they arrive kindergarten, without any type of language ability, and so, I work, with the deaf or an organization, called lead-k, which. Is language. Equality and acquisition, for all deaf kids and. We're. Writing a legislative, bill at the state level and we're hoping that they're going to pass it and what.
It Says that every child, that's born from day one of their birth must have access, to language and. So. Through that process the. First five years of their upbringing that. They'll their, language, learning skills, will be monitored, annually, and they, will have milestones set, and benchmarks. To make sure that if they're getting behind. They need to transfer. And focus more on another language to pick up on that for example if their English, skills aren't successful and their ASL skills are they, can focus more on one, than the other and vice versa and so, that's our approach and that's what we're trying to do with this lead-k and so far eight or nine states have passed it and I'm hoping that our well seasoning and. Your. Second question what was it well why should we at Google care about this ah right. Well. Why you should care is because, there are millions and millions of deaf people worldwide we, have over four hundred and sixty-six million deaf. People. Including. People with hearing loss so a lot, of technology, that we need to use to, be able to function easier. In everyday life and so. Really there's, marketing, there for Google and. I. Remember. There's. One example that, we were talking about earlier as far as speech to text I use that all the time with my hearing friends when we're chatting and I just bring it with me I don't have to bring a pen and paper anymore I could save trees that way and it's. In a nice way you know our conversations, a lot easier and I can save our conversation. And it's easier for me to remember what we said and keep, in touch that way. Yes. So basically your. Big ambition your, big goal here is to really help deaf children. Especially. By the age of five succeed, academically, and with, their personal growth as well right, yes that's one of my biggest goals because, I realized. With my upbringing I, thought that all deaf lives were similar to mine but, there's only two percent, of deaf. People have access to education in sign, language only two percent, and so I was part of that two percent you two may be right and so. How, can we solve that problem, and prevent, language deprivation by, adding, more technology, and that's something that Google can do and so. You. Know it brings me to another point that I have I think that Google, should. Build some type of VR, technology or, some, type of AR, and. That. Would focus on language learning and, help. Provide deaf children, who. Live in the middle of nowhere for instance maybe. In Oklahoma. Somewhere, in rural Oklahoma where, they don't have a large deaf community, and they don't have too many services, for the deaf how can those children learn language through, VR technology they, could learn a language that way or through. AR and AR. Would be a good example of reading, books and.
Having. A are on there, you could see the sign language pop up and then the children could it could help them learn how to and learned sign language at simultaneously. And so. Technology, that's. Something that we can do here I think. That's a fantastic idea, where. We at Google could. Start thinking about. How. We can help, reduce. This language, deprivation, through. Technology, especially, for. Those who are underprivileged, or like you're saying they live out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe underprivileged. And so this language deprivation happening, to that happening to them is like a double negative and. You. And I coming from more, privileged, or stronger deaf communities. You. Know can can also help with that so I think this is a great idea what, other technical, solutions, do you think should be improved. To, help improve, deaf people's lives or as well as deaf children, other. Types of technology, AR and VR. Well. Is there anything else like for example home, systems. That's. Right we discussed a bit about that a little bit before this, so. What I would love to have. I always. Forget. To shut, my refrigerator, door for example oh yeah, and so, I don't want to waste any food, so. How could something let me know and so some type of, service. That could send me a notification directly, to my phone that would tell me that my refrigerator. Is open closed it and I would know to close it or your, garbage disposal sometimes, I leave it running and, you. Need to switch it off you know I don't want to forget that something, could happen or if, your water faucet, is running. Maybe. If someone knocks at my door it could give me a notification so, it'd be really nice to have that access. Yeah. No I agree. As, far as the refrigerator, goes you know I live, in a house and I I never, know, if it might be just the door might be just slightly ajar, and it, makes a beeping, noise but, that's not something I can hear I would never know and my wife is also deaf and so we'll be walking around the house and this beep could be going on for hours and hours and we never know and it isn't until like our in-laws come over and they're like hey what's, that BP beep and we're like oh holy. Right right I have a funny story so less Christmas I posted. An Instagram story, with my family at the house and. Some. Of my fans were sending me messages on Twitter saying nyle your, house there's an alarm going off in your house is a we needed to replace our fire alarm battery so, I was like oh okay and so we replaced the battery and I, had to ask the neighbor do you hear any beeping no okay great, no problem, and then two weeks later it, happened again the same problem hey your house it's still beeping you got to change the battery so I wish it could just let me know by notifying my phone it'd be much easier now.
Can't, We come up with some technology that's gonna solve this issue so, that make his fans happy. Right. Definitely. It's embarrassing, too you know I felt so embarrassed you know I can't imagine you reading all these comments, and. Then it happens again at once twice no, I think it's a good idea technological. Solutions. That. Help, our personal, lives, with. Just these little things, but. They can also, benefit. Deaf, and hard of hearing people around the world. The. Tech industry, is very. Innovative, it's. Always pushing. The edge of what's possible and. Trying to improve people's lives and so now. Is really a prime time to get these ideas going, do. You have any advice for us to think about. For. Community members of, the tech community what, should they be thinking about, well. First off is an obvious one always be, sure to include deaf, people or, deaf. People in the process of their, own specialty. And so. You know you can't do it without them obviously and, secondly. I would, like tech companies, to start thinking about data gathering. And as, far as sign language sign, language has been here for over. Hundreds. Of years and, we. Are just negating. It that it's an actual language and that and as. Far as language. Conservation. You know spoken languages, are being saved but ASL is one of the most popular, languages, right, now American, Sign Language is being taught everywhere, we need to think about how we can preserve American. Sign Language and all those different types of sign languages worldwide and, so data gathering is something that's there and as. Far, as building VR or AR I, feel. Like when we're developing that. We can gather some data on sign language as well and maybe in 50 years we, won't use VRA r anymore but we can develop some type of hologram. And, how. Could the hologram, know sign language we'd, have that data already and we could just input that data and it would be really nice to do that and it, could have a large impact on helping. Children learn sign language and, data. Gathering is so important, for so, many different types of purposes and we really need to use it in the future. Yeah. I do have one more question for nyle and then I'll be turning it over to you in the audience if you have any questions, you'd like to ask. So. There's one thing I want to expand, on and this is this whole idea of data collection, I think that you, know data is the new gold in the, tech industry. Obviously. It's valuable, and. Can. You. Know the more you have the more you can help people's lives so how. Do you think having this data not only can help us eventually make a hologram, but eventually, help us in education. How, can, we use, that data to help deaf. Children experience. Less language deprivation. Well. I think companies can start developing VR. Or. Programs. As far, as and data collection can be parallel, to work with deaf organizations like. I mentioned lead-k right. And organizations. Like that I think we need some type of support. From tech, that could help us pass these laws at a state level and deaf, people and deaf children who. Need to learn sign language, they. Could learn, it through this technology, that we create with the aid of the tech companies and, so it could be like a partnership, that's missing right now and does. That answer your question yeah, so, I think basically it's just really important, that we. We. Have these technological. Solutions, and, we're developing products, and. We're offering them say, to nonprofit. Organizations, or to those organizations who are on the front line serving, deaf people and deaf children those.
Who Really need it and. They may not be technical, technically, proficient themselves. So, you know but yet this technology, if we hand it over to them is going to change their lives right oh absolutely and. The. Deaf community. And you. Know if they can build a bridge to the world because, that they know best what their needs are and. You. Know what support and help they might need specifically, that's. True so much as possible, well. Alright then we, love. To hear any of you if you have questions, for. Nyle, about, deaf community, members being, a member of deaf community or about lead-k or technology. Solutions. Basically. We'd like you to approach the microphone that's here in the middle of the room to ask your question, so. Who would like to be first. So. Heightened, technology, that Google is pretty good at is video we, have YouTube, and also hangouts, so I was curious how feasible it is to learn sign language over, video or whether you have to be in, person with someone to really be able to learn it. I. Think. That language acquisition picking. Up sign full-immersion, is better, so you know being a part of the deaf community but. You, know I've seen some of my hearing friends and it seems like they're picking up a lot of signs and basic. Sign language through, apps and you. Still can can, do it that way and so, I really, encourage amber i encouraging, VR or AR because it's more realistic and you can see the different perspectives, as far, as the different sides of the person because sign language itself is 3d not 2d right so you kind of need to see all of the different angles. But. Yeah VR are a are I think that's the closest, thing to full immersion. Absolutely. So. Next. Question from, the audience why. Is it often difficult for deaf children to get accessibility. To, learning. Language. It's. A very complex, question. Bottom. Line is doctors. And speech, pathologists. Tend to not include American, sign language as, an option, or they'll, tend to tell the hearing parents, don't, encourage, your child or teach them a set ASL, because it could interrupt their speech process, and their English and their English language learning so, for some reason I don't know why but it's, not true at all ASL, helps, that with that process and it's, even been proven, the researchers, that, ASL.
Enhances. Their ability to speak and so. It's really ironic to, tell the parents no I, mean it's so incorrect, and so, it's a battle that we're fighting against Big Pharma and. That's. One of the reasons yeah. Absolutely. More. Questions, you. Mentioned a little bit about including. Deaf people in the process. So, do you have any specific advice. Keeping. In mind to not like over burden the minorities. Like the deaf people already working at Google but when, to reach out like, how to reach out to include deaf people in the process like how early. Maybe. How many and. When. The idea is fully baked or early. In the brainstorming, process. You. Know my answer is the first day the. First day of that process, if you want to build that technology, go ahead and get in touch with an appropriate, person who is fluent in sign language and I'm. Sure, that you, know you, can figure out how many deaf people you might need in that process or who's an expert in what's particularly. Find. References, but better to do day one than a year later and realize, you've all got it wrong and you have to go way back to the beginning and start over. You. Know great, question yes, someone else that's oh I there's a good example as, far as gloves I have. As my. Fans keep sharing with me over and over again that, there was a man who invented gloves, that could translate. Into, you. Know whatever language into sign language but, no deaf people were a part of that development, process and, it, doesn't, work because. Most. Percentage, of sign language is based on facial expressions, so we use a lot of facial expressions, with the ASL grammar that's part of ASL, of an American sign language so, if there's, no facial, expressions, that technology, completely failed, you know it broke down yeah. So basically that product, was. You. Know biased, by the ignorance. Of those who didn't, have any background in the culture right yes exactly and some. College students who were bored tried to invent something but. It really they got it wrong. Yeah. Yeah. So you know I'd love to hear more about apps. You. Know and you said some of them work why do they work and what's the process I mean maybe the Google community could learn on learn, a bit from the, ones that were successful. Well. We partnered with ASL, app and. ASL. App has over 800 conversational. Signs Wow. And. A, lot of hearing people I think in, the first two years we were about, a million and a half people, downloaded. It which is great and. It's.
Nice That for. People to learn basic sign language and ASL. App also provides deaf cultural, tips which is really nice so people have a bit more of understanding. Of a cult of our culture. What. Was your question again well it was more you. Know what. Was the process of making that app how did you work with the team you were involved since day one or how did it go I I joined a little bit later but who built ASL app with deaf people and so. It was a deaf team from, day one I don't think there was even a hearing person involved, and and. So, they built the best ASL, service. Out there because it was built by deaf people and we, know best and, a. Lot of programs that I've seen on the internet that are developed, by hearing people who teaching sign language there's, so many errors and there's so many signs they're incorrect, and so. That causes even more you know harm than good Wow so basically best practice, is, for. The industry, is partner. With the, deaf community or I better, even better hire them hire them as consult yes hire them as a consultant, that's the best way to get, them as a part of your team and. Save. Yourself through that your that process, because you, know make sure that technology is correct you're teaching the signs that are correct and it, you, know you don't waste money on a technology, that won't work in the end yeah a lot of technology sometimes, you. Need to figure out what, are the risks, right. And. This. Is pretty low risk if you do it that way right I suggest, that you work with deaf people then it's less of a risk right. Yeah, and user experience, is the most important thing right I'd love to have maybe one more question from, the audience. Hi. Katara in recent. Years there's. Been more and more TV. Shows Broadway. Shows, movies. Where. Like. Being. Deaf is an important, focus. Of the, of. The show and, so first. I mean, but, it. Feels like the I, say. The. The the the the, deaf. Community. Here, and the hearing. Community communities, are still separate. So. Like. What, alright other ways. To to, build a bridge between, the two. You. Think. Great. Question. Entertainment. Industry specifically. You mean yes. Okay. So. There. I've noticed that there's been a lot more sign. Language exposure, in TV and film but there's still a lot. Of the roles are played by hearing people and. So. You. Know we. Can tell. Even. If the hearing person is a very great actor we still know that they're not deaf because we. Can tell by their, accent, of the signs they're using their facial expressions, we just know instantly it's obvious that they're not deaf but. There's. Still a lot of deaf actors, that are up, and coming. But. I how. We can build a bridge is really including. Deaf writers or. Deaf. Story editors. Folks. Who are reading through the script that makes sure that the story about deaf, people is accurate, and, so. If there's more deaf talent coming, in and getting involved in TV shows but, I'm, based on my experience, there's a bit of a disconnect, because. The hearing writers don't know specifically. About the deaf community and they need to include more of us in the process and there's not too many deaf writers and producers and, directors. For example, so. It's. Something that we're, that really needs to be invested, into building that foundation and, then later on we can integrate. Yeah. I would love to hear you talk more about you. Know what deaf talent, is and, why that's a sort. Of a big deal today in the deaf community definite. Disabled community say more about that. Well. It's a funny thing because about four or five years ago I don't remember exactly but at that time there was no deaf, talent, or a hashtag, for our movement and so. There was a director, and the, director said hey yeah we really want a deaf person but we don't know where to find them I said, really on social.
Media It's. So easy to find someone and. So. Okay so we, started building that hashtag deaf, talent and then you will if you look, up deaf talent hashtag deaf talent you'll see all kinds of deaf people and what they're working on in their profession, and, that's. That's what happened and why it's important, is it's easier to find us that way so, basically it's giving them the opportunity, to pursue their passion, on equal footing. So. That they can pee for roles just. Like hearing people do right, absolutely it, makes it easier for casting, directors, and, so. If they're having a hard time finding, a deaf person they can look at the hashtag and the threads and find someone there hopefully, absolutely. And the technology, makes that all accessible, all right we have time for one last question before we wrap this up, go. Ahead so. You mentioned. The. Deaf talent hashtag, and, following people on social media is a great way of kind of immersing, yourself, in. The experiences, of the. Deaf community. Who. Apart, from yourself would. You recommend, following. And keeping track. Of. To. Stay, kind of up to date. Sure. I would suggest Marlee. Matlin. Lauren. Red LOF, right. Now she's involved in the net one of the new Marvel movies it's. Called. Eternals. Eternals. And so she's the first deaf actress that's. The first deaf superhero. In. A Marvel film and I, love. Shella. Cello, man and. Cello. Man is deaf, transgender, person, and. A. Lovely thing about. About. Him is that, he. Wasn't, raised with any difficult--, and he's just recently learning sign now and so he's, really big on accessibility, and he's a great, he's a great advocate and I really like him because he, shows two different types of deaf people in his world one. Is culturally, deaf like me and the other one is not culturally, deaf but still we, have to consider him as deaf also because he's part of our community. Well. So do you feel that social. Media.
You. Know the the tech companies are created that is really helping to improve, people's lives or having them find jobs helping, them get auditions, right finding. Jobs in auditions, and identity. As well and. You. Know people can find themselves and, find their own community, and that's. What happened with cello man who I just mentioned is he. Had so many different, identities and. He. Couldn't find someone to relate to and so, he created that platform, for himself, and now people can follow him. Yeah. So technology, really it's empowering, it's empowering people, to. Become, less. Disenfranchised. I'd, like to get back to this other a point about the nyle DiMarco Foundation, how. Can technology. Empower. Deaf youth what. Do you see that's been working what do you see that's been not working. What. Is working on what I've seen is ASL. Storybooks and. So. When you see these books on like. YouTube for example. They. Have a person signing. With. The English translation, and so. I've. Seen a lot of deaf children using. That and they really love it so much and when, I was small I had to use my mom right, I'd say mom can you please read me a book so she would the book and then sign it so obviously, my mom didn't have all the time in the world to do that so it's really nice to have that too you, know if you're busy you. Know you. Can continue to be independent, but have that and that's really working because it's helping kids, read and have access to language simultaneously. And so tech companies should explore. That and why I mentioned, AR is because, I feel that AR is amazing, it's an amazing way for deaf. Children to read and learn a language. So. My understanding is, that deaf children are you. Know deeply, immersed in social media now you know why, are they so immersed in it do you think is, it because of language deprivation or. I'm. Not sure why but deaf people love social, media you know this applies to hearing, children too you know of just being so immersed in technology today. But. I think that because, today's technology, is more and more accessible and so, finally. People. Are able to join in I remember when YouTube was established. When I was a little boy I never understood, YouTube, until, maybe, about five.
To Seven years ago when captioning, was finally available and I was like oh people, are talking about makeup they're teaching makeup. Why is that you, know I I didn't, know what, YouTube was all about until they had captioning, and that was oh I could do that too and then you, know it's, really interesting to. Mention. Why accessibility, is important, so deaf people are still catching up in that way so pretty, much one. Feature that really creates accessibility. And. Is really the game changer is you know how you, become aware of the world right I mean that's what's so empowering, yes, it puts us on an equal, position of power and. I. Think that when you invest in technology, you're investing, in everyone. Yeah. So, you. Know and, you can give back it and use the platform as well right great. Well thanks so much for listening, to our chat, we'll. Be around if there's more questions thanks. So much for coming and thank you now for coming, thank you thank you all for coming to. You.
2019-12-12