I was planning my next post to be on the simplest conference call scheduling tool out there, Rondee, that small companies can utilize to set up quick, free conference calls. But since I foolishly left the files with all my Rondee screen prints on my work PC and did not upload them to Box, I have to switch gears.
Tonight I attended my first class session in Facilitation Skills, and the single thing that stood out to me the most, was the challenges and difficulties for some of the foreign students, and for the hearing-impaired students. Much of this class centers around effective faciliation of meetings and group activities, and I can't even begin to imagine the extra burden these students have to overcome. In addition to mastering the content, they still may have to struggle with the basic elements of spoken English communication.
And I am reminded of an activity I ran in my last class session of the HR Technology class that I teach. I had all the students register in Second Life, and we had sort of a 'company' meeting in the virtual RIT Island. It went fairly well, one or two students never did get fully 'alive' in SL, but most did and I think we had a good learning experience.
But what struck me about the Second Life meeting the most, was that one of my students who was hearing impaired absolutely came to life in the Second Life meeting. She was the most active, positive and generally the best participant. I have to think that was at least in part due to the normal obstacles or barriers she has to face every day were eliminated in Second Life. In our meeting, all communcation was text chat, it did not matter that she was hearing impaired. The technology levelled the field for her and suddenly she really showcased her talent .
I got into this HR Technology stuff never realizing the power and capability of new technologies to really make a difference to people, but more than ever I believe that the right technologies can be truly transformative.