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Music to the ear
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SMS gives the hearing impaired a new lease of ear. VINITHA NAIDU finds out
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NOISE POLLUTION is considered one of the biggest hazards of modern day livingThe roar of automobiles, whining of airplanes, excited chattering of students, modulated voices of executives, the shouts of joy during a cricket match, the screaming of the vendors in the mandi... the sounds of noise range from the pleasurable to the outright nuisance. Whatever its form, noise is an inseparable part of everyone's lives. That is, for the ones who can hear! Persons in whom the sense of hearing is non-functional for the ordinary purposes of life are considered to be deaf or to be politically correct `hearing impaired'.
Imagine a world without the drip-drip of bathroom tap, the incessant ringing of the telephone, chirping of birds outside the window, tinkling of the neighbourhood ice-cream wallah's bell, cries of the neighbourhood kids hitting sixes or the drone of the history teacher's voice. Tiny incidents that those with perfect hearing ignore assume gigantic proportions for the hearing impaired. Helping them cope with their disability is the All Kerala Association of the Deaf (AKAD), which recently celebrated the 46th International Deaf Day in Ernakulam. With over 10,000 members registered all over the state, the association boasts of 70 per cent members being educated up to Plus Two level. This can only be seen as a triumph over their disability with many members working in various professional fields.
The main aim of the AKAD is that `nothing is impossible for the deaf except hearing' sends out a message of courage. Communication among themselves and their normal fellow beings is the biggest challenge faced by the hearing impaired. Sign language has been around for millions of years. Long before cave men learnt the power of words, actions were the medium used to communicate. Today, sign language is the most natural form of communication among the deaf and does not entail accurate knowledge of a spoken language. Using this and lip-reading many hearing impaired people are leading very voluble lives, talking and laughing away.
DH Grounds, which was the venue of the Deaf Day celebrations, saw many children and adults having a spirited conversation in utter silence. It was only by watching their expressive eyes and faces that we could share their excitement at being there. Intricate dances set to the tune of shlokas and hymns saw the children execute picture perfect steps. Many of the hearing unimpaired onlookers could only marvel at their performance.
Today's wonderful mobile telephony has not left the hearing impaired out of its purview. In a classic case of being user friendly a cellular company has come up with a package for them.
Bharati Cellular, with their new `Airtel Confidence Plan' hope to enable the hearing impaired to communicate not only with one another but also the whole wide world, so to speak. SMS has become the language of the generation next. Putting this technology to good use, Airtel is offering unlimited SMS to the hearing impaired for Rs. 99 per month. "This plan is a blessing for the hearing impaired since it allows us to keep in touch with our friends all over. Through the association we are informing all our members to use this plan," said Nizar Moindeen, General Secretary, AKAD- Ernakulam.
A majority of the hearing impaired are only 40 per cent deaf and can distinguish conversations. So having a mobile phone makes them more accessible to family, no matter where they are. According to Nizar Moindeen, around 15-20 hearing impaired people have availed of this offer to date.
Airtel launched a similar plan in Chennai nearly two years ago and is actively working with various institutions associated with the disabled to popularise the scheme. "One of our initiatives to ensure a better way of life is the launch of `Airtel Confidence Plan' for the physically challenged. At a monthly rental of Rs. 99, they can send free SMS anywhere in the world. We are sure this will help them communicate and abet their development", said T. Elango, COO - Bharti Cellular Limited, Kerala.
"Based on feedback from users we have learned that family of the hearing impaired person using the cell phone would like to call them when they are travelling. So we have decided to activate the incoming call facility in a few days," said T. Elango. This would definitely be a welcome move because most of the hearing impaired have normal spouses and want to be in touch with their loved ones especially during journeys. Thanks to such means of communication bringing the disabled into mainstream of society might soon become a reality.
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