Definitions

Here's a list of words or acronyms and their explanations. I'll continue to add to this list and will usually link back to this when used in future entries.

ADA: American with Disabilities Act. 

CART/Stenographer: For school, I use a stenographer to caption my lectures in real-time. They type on a machine, I read the captions on a laptop. If you've ever been inside a courtroom in session, you may have noticed the stenographer sitting off and typing everything being said. It's equipment that allows the person to type over 200wpm. 200!! And I thought my 100+ wpm was pretty darn fast.

CV: Caption View. Captioning device used at Cinemark theaters (Possibly other theater chains as well, but in Kansas City, I have only seen Cinemark use this awesome captioning device).

CI:  Cochlear Implant.

Equal Access: This is a broad term to fulfill ADA requirements. There isn't any one specific situation or accommodation that allows everyone equal access, particularly in educational settings. Most people are familiar with wheelchair accessibility, but it doesn't end there. In the educational setting, it may be preferential seating, note takers, captioned movies, ASL interpreters, etc. This is to help close barriers.

Hearing Impaired: Offensive term coined by hearing people. Don't use it. (Unless a deaf/HOH individual tells you that's their preference) Here's an explanation

HOH: Hard-of-Hearing

1Fuzion: An app designed to be incorporated with my CART technology. What the CART types will also appear on the big powerpoint screen shown in my classroom. This allows me to follow along with the captioning while professors are pointing to images, rather than reading the captioning and looking up--only to miss the image entirely. See example of 1Fuzion here.

Mainstream: This is for education. Mainstreaming can be a combination of special education and general classes. I was put into hearing public schools and only had classes with hearing students.

MAPPing: Programming a CI to the user's specifications. I think of it as the auditory version of getting eyeglasses prescription. They keep asking you which looks (sounds) better: First, second, or third? Sometimes it's hard to tell a difference, but other times it's obvious which is the best choice.

Processor: The external pieces to my CI. The actual Cochlear Implant is obviously internal, but occasionally I'll say "CI" even though I'm talking about the external equipment. 

Relay Phone Calls: There are relay phone services out there for those who do not wish to use TTY/TTD. I've previously used voice carry-over relay where I'd use my own voice to speak, and the operator would type the response.

Nowadays, the one I use is internet relay (there is also video relay. Since I have never used it, I won't be explaining how it works):
 Internet relay: I type, operator speaks to "Bob", operator types Bob's response for me to read. See a sample conversation on this entry: 


RW: Rear-Window. This is a captioning device offered at select movie theaters. I personally think it's a horrible device, but when it first came out it was better than waiting for movies to be released for renting.

SmileNod:  This is my Frankenterm to describe my actions when I pretend I understand what people are saying. I do not literally mean I only smile and nod when people talk (but sometimes that happens), it is a collection of various behaviors where I attempt to fool people into believing I'm at the same pace of the conversation. It gets irritating for me to constantly ask people to repeat, so I let them keep talking while I try to piece together all the words and figure out their overall point to what they're saying to me. What are those specific behaviors? I don't  intend to give away all my secrets! :)

Sony CC Glasses: New Closed Captioning glasses offered by Sony. Captions only show up on the screen by those wearing the glasses. So far I've only seen this at Regal Kansas City Cinemas.

Heard or Understand : This is my own personal twist on the definitions. When I say I didn't hear or understand someone, I mean I unsuccessfully read their lips, therefore they might as well be speaking French. I heard the sounds, but it all sounded like noise. Not being able to understand someone has nothing to do with my intelligence.