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Resources for Disabled Members of LUGs?
A concerned Anonymous Coward asks: "A while back, our LUG was helping a blind Linux user get things going, and just recently we've picked up a deaf member. Finding software to work with their disabilities for when they are using their computers at home isn't too difficult, but are their any resources 'out there' to help integrate these people into our monthly meetings?"
Computers are mostly text based. Indeed the terminal I sit at only has the ability to beep, and it can flash the screen instead if I set it up right. So using the comptuer won't be a problem like it would be for the blind.
For a deaf person you need sign language. Everyone talks about lip reading, but it doesn't work. (Try mouthing "island view" to someone and see what they lip read it as) It takes time to learn a language, be it sign or otherwise. It is good for you. See if the club can bring in an instructor for an hour before/after each meeting.
I personally know enough deaf people that it would be useful to know sign language. There are also times it would be nice to have a conversation without distirbing others. (Ie some of the meetings at work which I have to attend but don't really affect me)
Doesn't matter what the disability is: the best tool is compassion without condescension from the rest of the LUG.
That said, the best way to proceed is typically to ask the person in question if you need to make any adjustments to accomodate them. The deaf member may have trouble lipreading if the speaker has a big, poorly-trimmed handlebar moustache, for instance; and if the deaf LUG member knows that s/he can say, "hey, guy, no offense, but could you please trim that thing?" and not get nasty stares, well, that's a pretty good place to start from.
If you don't know what you can do to make your LUG more accessible to the deaf and blind, the most logical place to begin isn't an Ask Slashdot. Try asking them instead.
Keep in mind that your club may have legal obligations if you live in the United States; the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is pretty broad-ranging, requires that reasonable steps be made to accomodate the needs of the disabled. You may run into similar laws in other countries as well. If you're concerned about what your legal obligations are under the ADA, check with an attorney.