Last Thursday the National Disability Conference took place in Central London which ahead of the day heralded a number of problems that I raised here. Sadly the day did not get any better for either delegates or organisers. This was an event that set itself up as the premier conference for people with disabilities, even the £320-£450 cost seemed to suggest this! It seems inconceivable that the organisers would not consider the needs of people who required the services of a BSL signer. However despite providing a signer there appears to have been no requirement on this occasion. Instead as this link explains a different form of support was needed for at least one delegate with hearing loss. The availability of speech to text was requested and the organisers confirmed that it would be available. Sadly on the day the failure to deliver, particularly when it appears the BSL signer was not needed must have been incredibly frustrating for Lidia Best. The general point is that had speech to text been available, most who use BSL would still have been able to participate, bearing in mind that BSL had apparently not been requested and speech to text had, that a major failure took place.

This error was something that the deaf community will recognise all too well. All of us have been to many events where BSL has been in use, yet I confess that I rarely see a Speech to Text service made available. It was incompetent to promise one thing and deliver another. However it was even more incompetent (in my view) to have not tested the loop system prior to the event, or failed to have fixed it if an error was detected. Induction loops are not all the same, loop amplifiers vary enormously, loops can be positioned badly in a building limiting the coverage available, and the physical  construction of the building can also render a single horizontal loop almost useless. It is vital that Induction Loop systems are designed and fitted by competent engineers who have been fully trained and use the best materials. The few hundred pounds spent on installing a loop system should ensure that the majority of people who do have hearing aids can benefit from this hidden partner in out attempt to make events accessible to all. Anyone in Sussex or the South East who wants to speak to a company capable of delivering the best should contact Ashdown AV but do so at an early stage in the project, particularly if the venue in question is being built or remodelled to any great extent. The cost of installing a loop during construction will usually be a great deal less than if the building is finished before the AV engineer can get on site. Once fitted it is vital that a loop tester is purchased and then used regularly by the organisation that manages or maintains the building. Some loop testers will only detect the presence of a working induction loop, the best ones will measure its true efficacy. Once fitted we need to ensure all those who are speaking at an event use the microphone system and speak clearly (even if they believe they can manage without the microphone!)