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Project Endeavor. Outreach Strategies The Good, The Bad and The What Really Works. June 27, 2011. Communication Service for the Deaf 102 North Krohn Place • Sioux Falls, SD 57103. The Digital Divide.
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Project Endeavor Outreach Strategies The Good, The Bad and The What Really Works June 27, 2011 Communication Service for the Deaf 102 North Krohn Place • Sioux Falls, SD 57103
The Digital Divide ”Americans with disabilities are less than half as likely as their non-disabled counterparts to own a computer, and they are about one-quarter as likely to use the Internet.” Stephen Kaye, PhD. Disabilities Statistics Center
Focus on deaf and hard of hearing individuals • To provide subsidized broadband to introduce people to the Internet • Provide equipment at reduced or no cost to eligible consumer • Partner with existing community organizations serving the deaf to reach out to hard to serve individuals • Demonstrate how to make web based services accessible to deaf and hard of hearing individuals • Find or develop tutorials on web access that were understandable for deaf consumers Project Goals
Best Practices • Unique Contact Center • TTY, voice, videophone, email, IM, web chat, IP relay • Public Access Videophones (PAVs) • Distribute to various public locations • Provides direct access to internet and video communications
The Good • National large network of organizations and clubs serving deaf and hard of hearing (We knew where we could find them) • Project Endeavor staff are knowledgeable concerning hearing loss & technology (We knew their needs) • Commitment to 100% accessible communication (We spoke their language)
The Bad • Slick web based and social marketing campaigns don’t touch individuals with zero Internet • Our population had a much higher adoption rate than the overall disability community • For the truly needy the price point is zero
The Bad Cont’d • With disability access equipment there is no one size fits all • Seniors • Hard of hearing/non-signing • “Younger plugged in” population • Unanticipated Characteristics • Many currently subscribing to Internet, but only for video calls • Need in person handholding to take the dive
And The Bad Cont’d • Equipment is sexy, broadband is boring • The solutions that were current when we wrote the grant are becoming old solutions • The private sector has a difficulty seeing many of our consumers as a viable market
What Really Works • In person, high touch support • Multiple solutions but you have to keep it simple • Catch their attention with a piece of equipment then discuss Internet options • Even with a two year project think first wave and second wave solutions
And Continues to Work • There is little ROI in generic outreach • Outreach must address unique functional needs • Present “your” consumers as a market share that someone is going to get
Discussion • Share your experiences! • Challenges • Best practices • Outreach strategies pinpointing specific or unique populations
Thank you!! Dave Miller dmiller@c-s-d.org Kim Barron kbarron@c-s-d.org WWW.PROJECTENDEAVOR.COM