| Amanda had a hearing disabled worker to place for | | | | Jack came right to the point, "Send me more deaf |
| employment. She called a potential employer, and was | | | | workers." Amanda, said "What?" She couldn't believe |
| rebuffed. Jack said, "We've already got a deaf worker | | | | her ears. He repeated, "Send me more deaf workers." |
| and he's just not working out." | | | | The first worker Jack employed, the one who wasn't |
| Disabled workers are as different from each other as | | | | working out, had felt isolated. As soon as the second |
| you and I. Some are hard workers . . . and some need | | | | hearing impaired worker appeared, there was |
| a little help. For the hearing impaired, there are different | | | | communication and support. As soon as they began |
| levels of impairment as well as different levels of | | | | communicating between themselves, it was easier to |
| coping. Some people know American Sign Language | | | | communicate with other people in the business. The |
| (ASL) and some do not. Some get by with gestures | | | | first employee was a hard worker, but didn't feel |
| and note writing. For some people hearing aids help, for | | | | valued. That's a basic problem even when not disabled. |
| others they don't. | | | | It's hard to be a member of a team, if no one speaks |
| Amanda talked to Jack and explained. He took the | | | | to you. This goes double for the hearing impaired. The |
| worker on a trial basis. After a week on the job she | | | | more we communicate, the more we understand, and |
| called back to see how everything was working out. | | | | the more we understand, the better we work together. |