Job Opportunity: Flash Developer

CSD (Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.)  is looking for a talented and experienced Flash Developer. We have numerous exciting projects waiting for the right person. Could it be you?

What is in it for you?

- A competitive salary!
- Great benefits!
- Working on projects that set the standard in our field!

So, if you are a Flash Developer with AS3 and UI experience, please apply today! Click below to see the job posting.

http://www.c-s-d.org/default.aspx?pageid=29&jobid=300

Join CSD at HLAA and DSA Conferences

Location: Sioux Falls, S.D.

Release date: 6/17/2009

Now that the summer is finally here, there are a number of deaf and hard of hearing conferences, conventions and tradeshows all over the nation. We at CSD wish all of them the best of luck and great success.

CSD will be attending some of those conferences. First, CSD is staffing a booth at the Hearing Loss Association of America convention in Nashville, Tenn. June 18-21. CSD will have digital television (DTV) transition resources available, and will also be collecting captioning issues information to share with the FCC. Please stop by and share with us any DTV or captioning problems you may be experiencing.

Also coming up soon, CSD will be at the Deaf Seniors of America conference in Las Vegas, Nev. June 19-28. Bobbie Beth Scoggins will be representing CSD at the conference and also giving a presentation on “Health Awareness for Seniors in Their Prime Years.” Free DVD copies of diabetes and heart health education will be made available for those attending (while supplies last).

If you attend either or both conventions, please stop by our booth, talk to our representatives, attend our presentations, and learn more about the array of CSD products and services available to you. We want to hear from you, and look forward to seeing you soon!

If you can’t come to the convention or conference, please do visit our Web site to learn more about what CSD has to offer at www.c-s-d.org.

Copyright © 2001-2009 CSD. All Rights Reserved.

CSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Debunking DTV Myths

With only one day to go until the switch, the CSD DTV Help center wants to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing consumers know what it takes to get ready for the switch on June 12. Here’s what you should know:

Analog television sets will NOT be obsolete after June 12.
You can continue to use your analog TV set after the transition to DTV is completed on June 12.  All you need to do is install a digital-to-analog converter box to each analog TV or connect them to a subscription service, such as cable or satellite TV.  You also must have a good antenna with both rabbit ears, or the equivalent for channels 2-13 (VHF) and a loop, bow-tie or equivalent, to get channels 14-51 (UHF). VCRs, Gaming consoles, DVD players and other devices that don’t rely on a broadcast signal will work without a converter box.

Some viewers may have trouble receiving some digital channels after June 12.
Some stations will change their coverage area in the digital transition.  Watch for station announcements: any station that loses 2% or more of the households it served in analog must notify viewers.  In addition, if you are missing a few channels, you should conduct a channel scan, adjust their antenna and check the signal strength meter on their converter box.  If channels are still missing, you may be able to add them individually by entering the number on the converter box remote.  For more information regarding reception in your area, call the CSD DTV Help Center.

Converter box coupons WILL be available after June 12, while supplies last.
You will have until July 31, while supplies last, to order coupons by calling CSD DTV Help Center; however, it is too late to order coupons and receive them in time for the June 12 transition.  Coupons will expire 90 days after they are mailed, so you must act quickly to redeem them.  You should call ahead to confirm availability of coupon-eligible converter boxes on the day you plan to shop.

Free technical assistance WILL still be available after June 12.
The CSD DTV Help Center will continue to provide assistance after June 12 to anyone that still needs it. In some areas, the FCC is offering free in-home installation services and walk-in centers to consumers who need technical assistance until the end of June, and in some locations, through July.  The CSD DTV Help Center will continue to be available to all consumers.  For more information, contact the CSD DTV Help Center.

You do NOT need a special “digital ready” or “HD ready” antenna to receive DTV signals.
DTV signals do not require a special antenna.  Over-the-air DTV signals require the same type of antenna (i.e., rooftop, set-top) as analog signals.  With digital, however, it’s critical that antennas receive both VHF and UHF signals.

For deaf and hard of hearing consumers, contact our Help Center today!
Until June 30, you can reach the Help Center in a variety of ways. Hours of operation are 7 a.m.-1 a.m., seven days a week.

Contact Information:
Phone numbers: 1-877-388-4968 (voice) and 1-877-889-4273 (TTY).

VP Sorenson Numbers: 866-351-1950 | 866-401-3519

VP DNS address for D-Links: DTV03.CSD.TV

E-mail: DTVHelp@c-s-d.org

AIM: DTVCSR07

FCC Extends CSD’s DTV Contract to June 30

___________________________
PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT

Release Date: June 2, 2009
Contact: Derric Miller
CSD Communications Office
Phone: (605) 782-1036
dsmiller@c-s-d.org

FCC Extends CSD’s DTV Contract to June 30

Originally planned to end May 31, now the 3.6 million homes still unprepared for DTV switch can access CSD’s Help Center after the June 12 transition deadline.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (June 2, 2009) — In January, CSD announced that it had been awarded a contract from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to implement an awareness campaign targeted at the nation’s deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind consumers in regards to the digital TV (DTV) transition. Later, the Senate and House passed a bill to delay the deadline from Feb. 17 to June 12. The original CSD contract term was set to run through May 31, but understanding the need to continue providing CSD’s DTV resource after the June 12 deadline, the FCC appropriated further funding, giving CSD another month to operate its DTV Help Center, until June 30.

Now, thanks to the FCC’s flexibility and commitment to deaf and hard of hearing consumers, the DTV Help Center will continue being an active resource for weeks following the DTV transition deadline of June 12. This is a major boon to deaf and hard of hearing consumers still seeking DTV information, which is why the DTV Help Center was implemented

The DTV Help Center has assisted thousands of deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and hearing consumers since it was launched in early February. This innovative call center can receive traditional phone calls, and also TTY, relay, video relay, videophone, and CapTel calls. This means that regardless of the level of hearing loss, the Help Center is equipped to handle any call type preference. The Help Center customer support staff consists of both hearing people and those fluent in ASL. Meaning, if a deaf person prefers to “see” and use sign language via videophone to receive customer support, that option is available. Besides phone calls, the Help Center can also answer questions via Instant Message and e-mail. Overall, it’s a new call center business model created specifically for deaf and hard of hearing consumers.

“When we opened up our DTV Help Center, we knew the value of providing services accessible by videophone, e-mail, relay, Instant Message, and traditional telephony,” said Ben Soukup, CSD chief executive officer. “After the numbers of testimonials from the consumers we’ve served and the overall assistance to thousands of people — deaf and hearing — around the nation, we realize this Help Center is even more valuable than original expectations.”

CSD’s outreach partners in the DTV transition are the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), along with many other organizations. All three partners have noticed that the captioning issue is still one of the largest problems as a result of the DTV transition.

“The Hearing Loss Association of American has been receiving more and more contacts from consumers regarding television captioning,” said Brenda Battat, HLAA executive director. “Whether it’s the 90 year old woman who was told that she needed to purchase a new digital television to receive any captions at all, or the increased incidence of missing, garbled or disappearing captions, we have noticed a significant increase in complaints and queries. As the June 12 DTV transition approaches, we have every expectation we will receive both more complaints and more queries about captioning and the digital TV transition.”

The unique accessibility of the Help Center makes it a critical resource for key populations. “The CSD DTV Help Center is the first of its kind; deaf and hard of hearing people have never had specific services like these before,” said Bobbie Beth Scoggins, NAD president. “We are grateful to the FCC for extending this much-needed resource for our nation’s deaf and hard of hearing consumers.”

If you or anyone you know is still unprepared for the DTV transition, the Help Center can assist you today.

Until June 30, you can reach the Help Center in a variety of ways. Hours of operation are 7 a.m.-1 a.m., seven days a week. Phone numbers are 1-877-388-4968 (voice) and 1-877-889-4273 (TTY). Videophone contact number (both D-Link and Sorenson), Instant Message and e-mail contact info is all available at http://www.dtv.c-s-d.org.

About CSD — CSD (a.k.a. Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.) was established in 1975, primarily to provide sign language interpreting services to deaf and hard of hearing adults in South Dakota. Today, CSD employs over 1,500 individuals in offices across the nation, providing a broad continuum of social and human services programs, as well as telecommunications relay services. CSD is a private nonprofit agency dedicated to providing quality services; ensuring public accessibility; and increasing awareness of issues affecting the deaf, hard of hearing and individuals with speech disabilities. For more information, please visit www.c-s-d.org.

# # #

What Captioning Survey!?

We created a humorous video to explain about the captioning survey that CSD is doing. We are doing a survey, collecting people’s thoughts and concerns about closed captioning across the country. We will be submitting the results of the survey to proper authorities. We want to hear from you! Help us voice out your concerns!

Watch video to learn more about the survey! Go to http://dtv.c-s-d.org to fill out the survey.

DTV Help Center Video

Are you still having captioning issues due to the Digital TV transition? Are your captions intermittent, are they garbled, or do they not even show up when you try to watch your favorite programs? Watch how a deaf family deals with their closed captioning issues. As you can see in the video above, reaching the DTV Help center is easy, quick, and we may be able solve your captioning problems immediately. Stop missing out on your favorite TV programming and contact the DTV Help Center today! For more information, please visit http://dtv.c-s-d.org or call us – Voice: 1-877-388-4968; TTY 1-877-889-4273; Videophone 866-351-1950 or DTV03.CSD.TV; or AIM DTVCSR07.

Closed Captioning Problems?