Amanda had a hearing disabled worker to place for employment. She called a potential employer, and was rebuffed. Jack said, "We've already got a deaf worker and he's just not working out."

Disabled workers are as different from each other as you and I. Some are hard workers . . . and some need a little help. For the hearing impaired, there are different levels of impairment as well as different levels of coping. Some people know American Sign Language (ASL) and some do not. Some get by with gestures and note writing. For some people hearing aids help, for others they don't.

Amanda talked to Jack and explained. He took the worker on a trial basis. After a week on the job she called back to see how everything was working out. Jack came right to the point, "Send me more deaf workers." Amanda, said "What?" She couldn't believe her ears. He repeated, "Send me more deaf workers."

The first worker Jack employed, the one who wasn't working out, had felt isolated. As soon as the second hearing impaired worker appeared, there was communication and support. As soon as they began communicating between themselves, it was easier to communicate with other people in the business. The first employee was a hard worker, but didn't feel valued. That's a basic problem even when not disabled.

It's hard to be a member of a team, if no one speaks to you. This goes double for the hearing impaired. The more we communicate, the more we understand, and the more we understand, the better we work together.