Episode 86 - If you have access to Netflix, there is a new and somewhat groundbreaking new series where the cast are entirely led by alums of Gallaudet University, the world's first and only university specifically catered for deaf and hard of hearing students, based in Washington D.C.

This is an opportunity to show the world how diverse, expressive, beautiful but also complex, deep and perhaps intensive deaf community can be.

But has the series managed to portray that in a positive way that can make a positive and lasting impact, or did it focus too much on being a typical reality TV show, albeit more deaf-focused?

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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Episode 85 - Even though my first love  captions, I don't think that transcripts get the love, attention and respect they deserve. This is evident when most people just copy and paste a big chunk of text onto a document or web page and assume that "it will do".

But you are missing out on so much more. And more importantly, so is your audience.

If you are a content creator and use media such as videos and podcasts, having an accurate and well-designed transcript can impact both your website/content and your audience experience.

So instead of dumping some text, consider following the step-by-step guide below on how to create, edit, structure and upload a transcript that your content and audience deserves.

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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Episode 84 - When having a conversation with another person, there are certain cues, clues and non-verbal communication methods that I watch out for to allow me to understand what's going on better.

Even though there are many non-verbal communication methods that a deaf or hard of hearing person tends to use, I'd like to use this opportunity to tell you what I (subtly) look out for throughout a conversation with another person.

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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Episode 83 - There seems to be a worrying and dangerous trend where large brands are censoring potential profanity and swear words in auto-captions. They claim that it is to avoid mistakes, but still, this is not a good idea.

This is following the recent news that YouTube has decided to censor potential profanity in their auto-captions just in case they pop up as mistakes. But this goes against the whole concept of having captions/subtitles in the first.

Even though you can adjust the settings, it sets a very dangerous precedent for all deaf people as it's a default setting...and who is going to edit that?

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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When on a video call, and if available, I tend to take advantage of the automatic subtitles to help get through the call, and most deaf people would do the same.

But automatic subtitles are not perfect. They're not terrible, but they're not perfect. However, there are steps everyone can take to make it as accurate as possible and make it easier for the technology to pick up the words.

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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Episode 81 - There seems to be an ongoing trend from video creators and consumers in that closed captions on YouTube are not accurate, so it's not worth worrying about.

What?!? Why do you think it's not accurate? The responsibility of accurate video captions relies on you as the creator, not the technology that is creation auto-captions (aka CRAPtions).

Not only should all video creators take closed captions seriously, but if you are relying on some kind of artificial intelligence and machine learning to do the work for you, it will never be accurate. So take ownership of your content and make it accurate.

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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Episode 80 - Since face masks is currently part of the everyday norm and it's common to see it in our daily routines now, this has raised the issue of how it can make it difficult for deaf people to lip read and to communicate.

Even there are so many different types of face masks out there, I have yet to see those wearing the see-through clear face masks where you can see the other person's lips. This makes it easier to lip read, see their emotions and facial expressions, and generally make it easier to communicate.

And this applies, not just to deaf people, but to everyone too.

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources and videos about Deaf Gain, or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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Episode 79 - Virtual events like group meetings, webinars and online conferences have been around for a long time. But now that they are becoming even more popular (thanks to the pandemic), it made me realise how frustrating it is that they are not deaf accessible.

If you are an event organiser or you know someone who is one, and you've been thinking or running online events, you might not be aware how you are excluding attendees who are deaf from taking part but would like to take part.

This is a common feeling that I have, which made me realise that I should not bother attending any virtual events due to lack of accessibility, as I explain in this podcast.

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources and videos about Deaf Gain, or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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Episode 78 - What if individuals and society looks at the concept of being deaf as a positive thing? What if it can actually be a valuable contribution to the world? In essence, this is what 'Deaf Gain' is all about.

The common perception of being deaf and the topic of deafness overall is that it is seen as something negative, something lacking, something void. After all, it's common for doctors to deliver "bad news" to new-parents when it is found that their baby is deaf.

But by re-framing that into 'Deaf Gain', it is possible for everyone to look at it in a more positive light, and it's something the Deaf community proudly talks about...that being deaf is actually positive.

So let's get into what is Deaf Gain and why it's an important topic for people in the Deaf community.

For transcripts plus links to relevant sources and videos about Deaf Gain, or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

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Episode 77 - Since most of our communication is estimated to be non-verbal communication (body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, etc.).

As someone who is deaf, I also depend on those clues and use it as part of the jigsaw when trying to understand what that person is saying.

But anyone can benefit from learning and being aware of the non-verbal communications that exist as it will make you a better overall communicator when you are conversing with anyone, not just those who are deaf.

For transcripts and links to relevant sources or even to watch the video version of this podcast, visit this episode page.

What do you think about this episode? Share it with a friend if you found it interesting.

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You can also be a Patreon of Hear Me Out! [CC] to help spread the message of deaf awareness, bridge the gap between the hearing and deaf worlds and receive perks along the way by being part of my Patreon page.

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