Kerry Deaf Resource Centre Updates 11.06.12

DIGITAL SWITCHOVER: COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMME
Major changes will happen to television in Ireland this year, when the analogue network will be replaced by digital. This will happen on 24th October 2012. For people still using the analogue system you may notice some changes with your television (more or fewer channels on your TV).

Saorview, Irish digital television, is available now and is free to most
people. The Community Outreach Digital Switchover Programme is managed by
The Wheel and Irish Rural Link, with funding from the Dept. of
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Its aim is to bring awareness
and understanding to viewers and enable them to make the switchover to
digital.

“Champions of the Digital Switchover” are the point of contact for
information about the switch. They can meet you to organise events for your
local Deaf community and must involve Deaf people in this. Irish Deaf
Society can answer any questions you may have about the Champions of the
Digital Switchover and can provide you with a list of the “Champion” in your
local area. Contact Tracey Treanor, Deaforward, by text at 0863847023, fax:
018601986, or email: [email protected] for details.

SIGN LANGUAGE USERS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH
Fluent ISL users who use ISL as a primary form of communication are needed
for participation in a unique study: trying to sign the same sentence at the
same time as another person! The research will be carried out at the Centre
for Deaf Studies, Dublin, sometime in June depending on your schedule. It
will take approx. 1 hour. If you are interested, email Eileen Wahl at
[email protected]

UK DEAF BUSINESS EXHIBITION 2012
Thinking about setting up your own business? An exhibition on empowering and
educating young business starters, future entrepreneurs, and new small
business owners who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, CODA, and Sign Language users
will be held on 22nd-25th July 2012 in London.

This is the first expo of its kind in the UK and it will give focus to
D/deaf people who wish to start their own business. There will be
information and guidance on how to start your own business, to network and
opportunities to discuss business ideas with likeminded individuals. As well
as presentations and interactive seminars, various relevant organisations
will be present.

For more information about the expo and to register, go to
www.deafbizexpo2012.com

CONFERENCE ON ACCESS TO 112 EMERGENCY NUMBER
A conference examining the impact of the REACH112 project is to be held in
Santiago de Compostela, Spain on 28th-29th June. Reach112 is an initiative
supported by the EU to develop accessible modes of communication that are an
alternative to traditional voice telephony, and are suitable to all,
including people who are Deaf/hard of hearing.

REACH112 provides communication options including live real-time text
conversation, sign language, lip reading, voice or any simultaneous
combination of these modes (Total Conversation). A 12-month pilot has been
implemented in Sweden, UK, Holland, France and Spain allowing users to
communicate at a distance with each other and directly with the emergency
services. As part of the project IP devices are provided in the homes,
workplaces and on the move, connecting the users simultaneously in video,
voice and text. Users can connect between countries and different service
providers, on mobile and fixed IP networks.  Users can also connect through
a third-party service (relay) with voice telephone users.

Registration for the conference is free and open to all on registration.
Conference languages are International Sign, English and Spanish.

For more information see: http://www.eud.eu/uploads/Reach112_1.pdf and
www.reach112.eu

Tel: 066 712 0399