If you’ve ever visited a Starbucks coffee shop, you’ve likely heard a patron rattle off a drink order that was more specific than your grandma’s pecan pie recipe. For example, they might say, “I’ll take a Grande, four-pump, nonfat, no-whip, extra-hot mocha.” Without missing a beat, the barista scribbles the order on the cup and starts making the drink. Orders like this one are a mouthful for even the most seasoned Starbucks guru, but for deaf people, it can be difficult to even order a cup of black coffee. Adam Novsam, a deaf utility analyst at Starbucks headquarters in Seattle, set out to address that difficulty by heading the launch of the company’s first deaf-friendly signing store. OPERATION The store’s grand opening took place in October in Washington, D.C. Its overall
success relies primarily on its purposeful operation and design elements. In 2005, the ASL Deaf Studies Department at Gallaudet University created the DeafSpace Project using design elements, such as space and proximity, sensory reach, mobility, light, and acoustics, to address potential challenges for deaf people. Starbucks’ signing store incorporates these aspects of DeafSpace to make their store more accessible. For customers new to sign language, the store features some high-tech options for assisting with communication, ordering drinks, and receiving beverages at the handoff counter, including digital notepads and a console with two-way keyboards for back-and-forth conversations. APRONS All store partners at the signing store are proficient in ASL, whether they are hearing, hearing-impaired, or deaf. However, deaf partners wear special green aprons embroidered with the ASL spelling of Starbucks. What’s more, these aprons were created by a deaf supplier! EDUCATION For hearing customers who aren’t fluent in ASL — even those just ducking in to grab a cup of coffee to go — the signing store offers an opportunity to learn something new. For example, they can learn how to sign a word like “espresso” in ASL merely by reading the chalkboard above the register with the “sign of the week.” Starbucks’ decision to make their product more accessible has benefited thousands of customers all along the East Coast. Hopefully, as time goes on, other corporations will choose to follow suit so we can make a more deaf- friendly society.
ORDERING JUST GOT EASIER How Starbucks Helps the Deaf Community
Co-parenting & Technolo gy
2 W ays to be M ore O rganized
Eliminate the Communication Conflict
Technology is changing family life. It means more time is spent watching television and on mobile devices. When it comes to co-parenting, technology is making this tricky parenting arrangement run more smoothly. There are several online services and mobile apps your family can use to make co-parenting less contentious and more organized. Now you just need to get your co-parent on board.
The "he said, she said" of co-parenting is a major hurdle for many former couples. It is especially true when communication takes place across several mediums and platforms. You might correspond by email one day and send a few texts the next. The date of a school conference might be relayed through an email, but the time may be updated over the phone. Luckily, there’s an app that not only helps streamline co- parenting conversations but also eliminates the discrepancy over what was said and when. Talking Parents creates a log of all communication between co- parents. It can log text messages and record emails. Plus, you can add in notes from in-person conversations and phone calls. Over time, the communication in this app becomes the official record of your correspondence. You can use it as evidence of a particular conversation for the court and even give your family lawyer access to monitor communication that might be helpful during a divorce, separation, or renegotiation of your parenting agreement.
Invest Time in a Shared Calendar
There are a number of co-parenting tools that allow for a shared calendar and messaging system. These apps are designed to prevent conflicting schedules, monitor changes to the agreed co-parenting arrangement, and decrease fragmented conversations. Here are a few of the options: Our Family Wizard, Coparently, Custody Connection, and Parenting Apart. These can be found in the Apple app store and the Google Play store. While there are others, the most talked-about app is Our Family Wizard . It has robust features and puts a lot of information in one place for co- parents. Both parents have to invest in the concept of a shared calendar and communication tool. It’s a good idea to formally contact your co- parent through family lawyers to discuss the arrangement and reliance on these shared calendars and online tools.
For more insight just like this, be sure to visit our blog at JustFamilyLaw.com/family-law-expert-blog.
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