Australian Communication Exchange today announced that its pilot program for the innovative Internet-based Multi-Media Response Service had already met with critical acclaim from the single most important source, its users.

Multi-Media Response Service or MMR leverages the very latest in video and broadband technology to successfully bridge the existing communication chasm between the hearing impaired and the hearing world.

Victorian Deaf Society Communications Coordinator, Michael Parremore, an active participant in the technology trial, said that MMR had already revolutionised both his personal and professional communication.

“I have found MMR to be a fantastic telecommunications tool. It has already enhanced my daily life by making my telephone conversations so much quicker, far more free flowing and much more social,” Mr Parremore said.

Mr Parremore has been comprehensively using the technology for about eight weeks as part of a two-year national feasibility trial.

About 200 deaf consumers across Australia have registered to use the service.

The enthusiasm surrounding the technology is equally shared by the Australian Communication Exchange which understands the enormous positive potential that greater connectivity in real-time communication hopes to offer the national Deaf community.

Traditional communication methods designed to unite the Deaf and hearing worlds have relied for some 20 years on telephone typewriters (TTY) and more recently email, SMS and online chat rooms.

“Telephone Typewriters have served their purpose very well, but they simply can’t compare with the ability to communicate fluidly with everyone from management to your mum,” said Mr Parremore.

Multi-Media Response (MMR) enables Deaf people to communicate using their first language and preferred mode, Australian Sign Language or Auslan, through an interpreter to a hearing person.
Australian Communication Exchange Chief Executive Officer Sandy Gilliland said MMR offers Deaf Australians greater independence and dramatically improves the impact and reach of sign language interpreters who remain in short supply.
“The Deaf community is a diverse and cultural linguistic group to which we hope to offer freedom of expression and independence through Multi-Media Response using the communications strength of Auslan,” Mr Gilliland said.
The Australian Communication Exchange with valued support from Australia’s peak deaf groups, is funding the two-year trial of the technology.

About Australian Communication Exchange

Australian Communication Exchange (ACE) is a partnership between people who are Deaf,communication or hearing impaired and the hearing. The staff at ACE are united by the determination that people who are Deaf or are communication or hearing impaired will have access to all forms of communication of their choice.

ACE will achieve this by facilitating and providing services to meet the changing needs of the partnership.

About MMR

Multi-Media Response (MMR) operates in two distinct ways.

A deaf person activates either a laptop or desktop computer webcam or video phone using a highspeed broadband connection enabling a sign language interpreter to instantaneously relay the message to the hearing person over the phone. This facility is commonly referred to as a Video Relay Service and can also be initiated via the telephone.

The second adaptation of the technology is using the interpreter to act as a remote relay between the deaf person and hearing person who are both seated in front of a webcam in the same location. This is referred to as a Video Remote Interpreting Service.

With only 300 accredited sign language interpreters nationally to support a Deaf community of around 15,000 the MMR technology has the potential to maximise the breadth of influence particularly into rural and remote areas.

The obvious advantage of MMR is that it brings sign language interpreters and deaf people together without them having to be physically located in the same spot.

ACE believes the technology has enormous potential to improve the lives of deaf Australians and is looking forward to the results of the two-year pilot.

To find out more or to register to use the service visit www.videorelay.com.au