FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Media Contact
Amy Bonetti,
415-384-0900
First-Ever
Signing Santa Makes Deaf Kids’ Dreams Come True
Deaf
Children Can Communicate Directly with Santa in their Native Sign Language this
Christmas
ROCKLIN,
California – DECEMBER 18, 2006 – Hands
On Video Relay Services, Inc. (HOVRS) today announced that, for the first time
ever, children who are deaf will be able to talk directly with Santa this Christmas
– in their native sign language – and Santa will sign back all the way from the
North Pole! To talk with Santa, users need to go through a quick registration
to become Hands On members at http://www.hovrs.com/purple.
After registration, users will be provided the number for Santa’s direct line,
free of charge, and will be able to call him directly from their videophone or
other video device, such as a Web cam or Apple’s iSight. A traditional looking
Old Saint Nick will speak to the children using ASL.
Beginning today,
Santa will be available for videophone chats during the following dates and
times:
Schedule:
Monday, December
18 to Friday, December 22, 2006
3:00 p.m. to
12:00 a.m. (Eastern Time Zone)
2:00 p.m. to
11:00 p.m. (Central Time Zone)
1:00 p.m. to
10:00 p.m. (Mountain Time Zone)
12:00 p.m. to
9:00 p.m. (Pacific Time Zone)
In the recently
released movie Babel, one can see that videophones are the standard
device within the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Hands On’s research
shows that videophones are fast becoming the preferable device when making
calls to friends or using a video relay service.
How VRS Works
Video Relay
Service (VRS) allows a person who uses sign language to place a relay call to a
hearing person by communicating through a certified sign language interpreter.
VRS requires the use of a high-speed Internet connection and a video camera to
place a call. A VRS call may be initiated by a person who uses sign language
or by a hearing person to a sign language user. The interpreter will relay the
conversation between the two parties.
Hands On also
provides a Video Relay Service to Spanish speaking customers. It is also the
only provider to offer text messaging on PC, Macintosh and videophones while on
a video relay call.
About Hands On Video Relay Services, Inc.
Based in Rocklin, California, HOVRS is a recognized leader in Video Relay
Services throughout the country. The company has experienced over 50% growth
in the last year. It is the only provider to provide video relay services on
Macintosh, PC and videophones. The company has been serving the needs of the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing community since 1992 when it first established Hands
On Sign Language Services, Inc., a community based sign language services
agency. The company is committed to removing communication barriers for Deaf
and Hard of Hearing individuals while providing quality services they can rely
on. Hands On is a linguistically diverse company that employs both Deaf/Hard
of Hearing and hearing employees. For more information, visit our website at www.hovrs.com.
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