Estimated 278 Million Deaf/HoH Consumers WorldWide

Updated: Last Spring while conducting research for a paper for my MBA program, I came across the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site, where a web page listed that there is an estimated 278 million deaf / hoh people around the world - thus I have updated the tag line of my blog to reflect the latest estimates. This is a 178 million increase from the previous estimate of 100 million worldwide that was mentioned else where.

Yet, for a large number of them, they reside in low-to middle income population zones, where access to technology goods such as computers and the Internet may be extremely limited.

WHO estimates that the number of deaf/hoh consumers is expected to increase due to increasingly aging population segments - everyone naturally loses their hearing as they age, regardless of ethnicity. The bottom line is that companies should pay attention, and produce products and services for this growing population segment.

The WHO page outlining the latest count of deaf / hoh people in the world can be viewed at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/

New LinkedIn Group: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Professionals Group

There is a new Deaf and Hard of Hearing Professionals LinkedIn group, which may be beneficial for working or retired professionals looking to network with others.  If you haven't checked out LinkedIn - a professional networking site, consider joining so you can join the group. You can read my blog entry about Networking with LinkedIn and Facebook in 2008.

Once you've joined LinkedIn, and created a professional profile: Consider joining the "Deaf and Hard Of Hearing Professionals" LinkedIn group to network professionally, make new friends and create new networking opportunities.

To join the group, after you create a LinkedIn profile, log in and select “Search for Groups” and enter “deaf” and click on the search button.  Several groups will appear within the search results.  Select “Join this group” under the “Deaf and Hard of Hearing Professionals” group.  The group moderator will then make the determination if you can join the group.  Address all questions and concerns regarding this group to the group moderator.

Happy Networking!

Communication Technologies: Past, Present and Future

If you are reading this article on-line, you win a "point" for being up to date in using some of the latest technologies.

This article focuses on past, present and future accessibility and technologies that have greatly benefited the deaf / hard of hearing community over the past 30 years or so.  The list is not all inclusive, but contains a list of topics (technologies) that continue to be mainstream today. 

 

• For the younger crowd, this chart can help provide an insight to the limited technologies and services of the past. 
• For those of you who are younger than baby boomers a.k.a. Generation X, Y, Millennials and Z (I.e. 1964+ or younger), many of you can relate to the topics discussed. 
• For seniors, the chart can provide you with an update on what technologies are available for your use, and give you a chance to learn something new.

The linked chart was developed from comments from others, my own experiences and perspectives.  The chart contents may be updated overtime as I receive comments and continue to expand on it.   You do not necessarily have to agree to what is listed.

Since the chart is too wide and long for display on this blog, it has been converted into an Acrobat PDF file and posted on Comcast - click on the link below.

[Click to see: Chart of Communication Technologies: Past, Present and Future]

This blog is open to receiving feedback and discussions based on this topic.