What is a Communication Facilitator (CF)?
A CF is a skilled signer who “copies” any sign language from a caller on the screen of a videophone (VP) and provides visual information to Deaf-Blind person when he/she makes VRS and/or Face to Face calls with another signer. We provide Deaf-Blind persons a brief training on how to use a CF prior to making any VP calls. In addition, if Deaf-Blind person is not familiar on how to make a VP call, DBSC provides an extensive training on how to use the VP at DBSC. This can benefit a Deaf-Blind person in many ways allowing them to freely expressing themselves in their own language and communicating directly without worrying about English as their second language. In the last decade, the dynamics of being able to connect with Deaf community has changed as VP’s have overtaken the TTY as the main mode of communication (click for more info on TTY’s). Also, many hearing people are still not familiar about how to contact Deaf-Blind people through relay service on Telebraille (more info about Tele
