Breaking communication barriers
2013-11-25
For Disability Employment Awareness Month, Johnson Space Center is honoring disabled or impaired employees who use advanced technologies to ease communication barriers in the workplace.
Georgia Roberts works in the Chief Financial Officer’s Financial Management Division in cost accounting at Johnson Space Center. She graduated from Gallaudet University with a double degree in business administration and psychology with Magna Cum Laude honors and came to work for NASA as an Internal Review analyst 22 years ago.
Born deaf, Roberts uses technology such as Video Relay Services (VRS) to communicate with her coworkers and customers. Email, lip reading, and American Sign Language (ASL) are also methods Roberts uses to communicate at work and home.
VRS is a form of Telecommunications Relay Service that enables people with hearing disabilities who use American Sign Language to communicate with voice telephone users through video equipment rather than through typed text. Video equipment links the VRS user with a TRS operator – called a “communications assistant” (CA) – so that the VRS user and the CA can see and communicate with each other in signed conversation.
Roberts goes into detail about her creative communication methods when asked about her favorite stories from work life.
“When I first started working at JSC, my coworker and I shared an office with a divider between our desks,” Roberts said. “When I needed her attention I would call for her. Knowingly, she couldn't talk back; she would walk over to my desk. When she needed my attention, she would still walk over to my desk. It turned out that she was doing all the walking or rolling over in her chair. Alternately, on rare occasions, she and I would shoot rubber bands over the divider to get each other's attention.
"One coworker, who didn't know about my hearing loss, asked what country am I from. I laughed, and then explained that's my deaf voice. Another coworker was wearing a Halloween mask when she tried speaking to me. I waved, letting her know I couldn't read her lips. With deafness, you can't see the disability or impairment, which makes it very challenging.”
As part of the Cost Accounting Team, Roberts processes cost requests on non-533 reportable contracts. This involves diligently posting costs in NASA’s accounting system so that invoices can be paid in a timely manner. Her other duties include researching and resolving discrepancies, assisting with audit requests, training new employees and providing outstanding customer service to both internal and external stakeholders.
“I love that my work relates to NASA and its space programs and missions,” Roberts said. “I work with an awesome crew of people.”
At home, Roberts spends time with her husband, two children, two dogs and a cat. Her family is training their Golden Retriever the obedience skills of a hearing dog for their home environment. The retriever has made great strides and already knows about 20 words in sign language.
Though Roberts is impaired in one way, her deafness has actually enhanced her other senses.
“Vision – I have 10 eyes,” Roberts said. “I tend to be very visual and observant. Also smell … I can smell things miles away!”
Georgia Roberts works in the Chief Financial Officer’s Financial Management Division in cost accounting at Johnson Space Center. She graduated from Gallaudet University with a double degree in business administration and psychology with Magna Cum Laude honors and came to work for NASA as an Internal Review analyst 22 years ago.
Born deaf, Roberts uses technology such as Video Relay Services (VRS) to communicate with her coworkers and customers. Email, lip reading, and American Sign Language (ASL) are also methods Roberts uses to communicate at work and home.
VRS is a form of Telecommunications Relay Service that enables people with hearing disabilities who use American Sign Language to communicate with voice telephone users through video equipment rather than through typed text. Video equipment links the VRS user with a TRS operator – called a “communications assistant” (CA) – so that the VRS user and the CA can see and communicate with each other in signed conversation.
Roberts goes into detail about her creative communication methods when asked about her favorite stories from work life.
“When I first started working at JSC, my coworker and I shared an office with a divider between our desks,” Roberts said. “When I needed her attention I would call for her. Knowingly, she couldn't talk back; she would walk over to my desk. When she needed my attention, she would still walk over to my desk. It turned out that she was doing all the walking or rolling over in her chair. Alternately, on rare occasions, she and I would shoot rubber bands over the divider to get each other's attention.
"One coworker, who didn't know about my hearing loss, asked what country am I from. I laughed, and then explained that's my deaf voice. Another coworker was wearing a Halloween mask when she tried speaking to me. I waved, letting her know I couldn't read her lips. With deafness, you can't see the disability or impairment, which makes it very challenging.”
As part of the Cost Accounting Team, Roberts processes cost requests on non-533 reportable contracts. This involves diligently posting costs in NASA’s accounting system so that invoices can be paid in a timely manner. Her other duties include researching and resolving discrepancies, assisting with audit requests, training new employees and providing outstanding customer service to both internal and external stakeholders.
“I love that my work relates to NASA and its space programs and missions,” Roberts said. “I work with an awesome crew of people.”
At home, Roberts spends time with her husband, two children, two dogs and a cat. Her family is training their Golden Retriever the obedience skills of a hearing dog for their home environment. The retriever has made great strides and already knows about 20 words in sign language.
Though Roberts is impaired in one way, her deafness has actually enhanced her other senses.
“Vision – I have 10 eyes,” Roberts said. “I tend to be very visual and observant. Also smell … I can smell things miles away!”