Communicating with Deaf People - RNID Style.

One of the things that I have repeatedly suggested to RNID over the past few years is that they take advantage of the internet to communicate with deaf people. Does this not make sense? Deaf people can have communication problems; the internet is a useful and increasingly popular tool for communication and RNID is here to make the world a better place for us. So naturally it seems to follow that RNID ought to use such tools to assuage our communication difficulties and hear what we have to say so that they can work on our priorities.

It seems to me that RNID do indeed recognise the potential of the internet to make their message clear. In a web page forwarded to me by MM, Brian Lamb of RNID has been looking at this option to get around strict rules on political lobbying, see here. Not for the first time, RNID is at pains to develop ideas to improve communication on their own terms and for their own specific agenda.

What RNID are not at pains to do, however, is to put the same effort into setting up a general forum or e-surgeries or other internet tools so that deaf people can have a say.

It should be pointed out that Mr Lamb used to be Director of Communications at RNID before becoming 'executive director of advocacy and policy' yet it seems that whichever applies, his job has nothing to do with effective communication with deaf people. It appears to be all about leaving deaf people out of their own business and putting up good lines of communication between RNID and government or other parties. This is not about giving deaf people a voice or a vote, but sheer paternalism – deciding without us what is good for us.

To me, this is no different to snatching the crutches from a disabled person. Please note, that this is purely opinion based on some facts - if you think that I've got it wrong, please use 'comments' to explain how.