TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Hearing

Don’t Drive with the Top Down in Bearizona

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Two people standing next to a large statue of a bear.

Bearizona? What’s that?

According to Marlene from Deafinitely Wanderlust, it’s a wildlife park – in Arizona – that you won’t want to miss.

She writes, “Bearizona Wildlife Park is not one of your typical zoo, they offer people an opportunity to drive through and see animals in their natural, wildlife environment. Yes, you read that right. You can drive in your own vehicle to see these animals up close.”

Sounds exciting!

When Marlene arrived at Bearizona, she had no idea what to expect, but was excited to explore the park and see the animals. As she entered, an employee issued a warning: “When you enter the wolves and bears sections, you must have your windows up”

You probably don’t want to visit Bearizona in a convertible.

To read more about Marlene’s adventure in this unique attraction, check out her article at Deafinitely Wanderlust.

How Disney World Became Accessible for the Deaf by “Listening” to their Needs

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Travelability Advisory Board member Mark Jones, manager of accessibility and services for guests with disabilities (whew!), reveals how understanding deaf visitors began by listening to members of his immediate family–since he is what deaf culture refers to as a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults); both parents as well as his brother are deaf.  His passion for accessibility over the 25 years he has been with the park has helped Disney World provide state-of-the-art accessibility for not only the deaf, but also guests with a panoply of other disabilities.

Spoiler Alert: Prepare to learn a couple of basic ASL words.

Deaf Blogger Stranded for 5 Days in Snowstorm at Crater Lake National Park

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Woman sitting in snow near lake.

It’s below-freezing, there are snow flurries in the air, and darkness is beginning to fall on Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park. Too cold to sleep in a tent, you set your sleeping bags down in one of the park’s heated bathroom facilities – you doze off, sleeping soundly until 5 a.m., when you awake eager to photograph the beautiful sunrise.

Except, unbeknownst to you, a blizzard has left several feet of snow on the ground, and the roaring winds have moved a mountain of snow in front of the door – trapping you inside. This was the experience of Marlene Valle, a deaf traveler who writes the blog Deafinitely Wanderlust. Unable to hear the sounds of the storm outside, she and her boyfriend slept through the blizzard and were trapped in the National Park for 5 days.

To read more about Marlene’s experience, and how she made it to safety, read the full story on her blog. It’s a nail-biter!

More Hearing Loops Coming to an Airport Near You

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an airport looking at arrival departure screens in waiting areas

A new accessibility policy promulgated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will require the installation of hearing loops at all new and renovated airport terminals, as well as bus, train, and ferry stations.

Hearing loops are copper wires that transmit audio as electromagnetic signals, which are picked up by the telecoils or t-coils found in most hearing aids and cochlear implants. Using this technology, deaf and hard-of-hearing people can gain improved audio quality and speech recognition, ensuring they have access to import communications, including gate changes and boarding announcements in the airport environment.

Runway Girl Network reports that there are now 18 airports in the United States with some degree of hearing loop technology, including at the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix.

In speaking to the new requirements, the Port Authority said that “Port Authority facilities will even better serve the diverse population of people with disabilities who rely on our services.”

OUR TAKE: Hearing loop technology dramatically improves the travel experience of many deaf and hard-of-hearing people, and we look forward to the installation of this feature in many more airports across the United States.

To read more about hearing loops and their availability in U.S. airports, see the article from Runway Girl Network.

Hearing Loops Explained

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As organizations looks to improve accessibility for disabled people, one option that is often overlooked is the installation of a hearing loop. Audio induction loop systems, more commonly referred to as hearing loops, are an assistive listening technology that broadcasts sound directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants through an invisible baseband audio frequency current. A loop of cable placed around the designated area sets the boundary for the accessible sound.

The following YouTube video, produced by the City of Eugene, Oregon’s Cultural Services division, explains how hearing loops have contributed to an improvement in accessibility at the John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts.

In the video, Alito Alessi, co-founder of DanceAbility International, says that “Hearing loops to hearing aids are like a ramp to a wheelchair – both provide total accessibility to the person either in the chair or with the loop and the hearing aids.”

Indeed, hearing loops are an accessibility feature that can dramatically improve the experiences of deaf and hard of hearing people, whether installed in a performance theater or in a restaurant or bar.