Technology as a Tool for Advocacy:Accessible and Safe Use of Technology to Serve Survivors with Disabilities During COVID19 and Beyond RachelGibson,NNEDV © 2020 NNEDV What are Digital Services? Using tech-based tools to provide services to survivors with disabilities. © 2020 NNEDV 2 Examples of Digital Services • Text or chat • Video calls with survivors • Video or web chat for support groups • Email (caution) © 2020 NNEDV 3 All Tools Have Access Concerns • None of the digital tools we will talk about today are 100% accessible for every survivor with every type of disability. • Customize tools used based on the survivor’s access needs. • You may have to use different tools for different needs. © 2020 NNEDV 4 All Tools Also Have Risks • Even older technologies have risks. • Decision-makers should understand the risks and benefits. • Advocates should be able talk about those risks with survivors. © 2020 NNEDV 5 Safety & Privacy Risks for Survivors with Disabilities 1. Interception – Personal Safety – Loss of Privacy and Presence of Supports 2. Impersonation 3. Program Confidentiality 4. Advocate Safety & Capacity © 2020 NNEDV 6 The Bottom Line • Offering additional communication options is crucial to survivor-centered services. • AND, it must be done with caution and with an eye for access. © 2020 NNEDV 7 Staying True to CoreValues © 2020 NNEDV 8 Support & Access • Meet survivors where they are – chat, video, text, etc. • Offer a variety tools to meet accessibility needs. • Offer tools with low tech barriers to access. • Provide information so survivors can choose. • Test in advance. © 2020 NNEDV 9 Privacy & Safety Options • Anonymous use. • No traces on survivor’s device or accounts. • Company can’t see info about survivors or content of conversations. • “HIPAA Compliant” is not enough. © 2020 NNEDV 10 How Do We Talk about Tech with Survivors with Disabilities? • Make a commitment to access. • Ask the survivor what the best way is to communicate with them. • Ask them if they have any concerns with using the tech. • Provide survivors with alternate ways to communicate. © 2020 NNEDV 11 How Do We Talk about Tech with Survivors with Disabilities (2)? • Make sure there are clear directions how the platform will be used. • Let the survivors know the limitations to the platforms. • Identify if the survivor is using assistive tech or services, if the tech is compatible withtheir assistive technology or services. © 2020 NNEDV 12 StayTrue to CoreValues • Just because the tech makes something possible, doesn’t mean we should do it. • Tech that is OK for our families or workplace is not necessarily OK for survivors. • Use any new digital service temporarily – reassess once the pandemic has passed. © 2020 NNEDV 13 Choosing theTechnology © 2020 NNEDV 14 Match Platform to Service and the Survivor What platform will be best working with survivors with disabilities: • Hotlines • Ongoing advocacy • Online groups • Chat, Text, Email, Video, Phone, Mail © 2020 NNEDV 15 For Survivors with Disabilities • Choosing an option that will meet their need is important – Is the option easy to understand and install? – Does it offer video for survivors who may need an interpreter? – Is it compatible with screen readers? – Can you easily access resources for help when using the app? © 2020 NNEDV 16 Chat or Instant Messaging • ResourceConnect -internal chat • Semaphor -internal chat & file sharing • Cyph -internal chat & file sharing + messaging with survivors • Slack or similar -OK only for chat not including survivor personally identifiable information © 2020 NNEDV 17 National Hotlines 18 Ongoing Advocacy • Text or chat may feel safer or more private if others are nearby. • Video can feel more personal and be more accessible. • Develop a long-term solution for the survivor. © 2020 NNEDV 20 Chat • Survivors connect via a browser window. • Advocates use computer-based chat system to respond. • Your webpage can include service hours, other hotlines to contact, and resources. © 2020 NNEDV 21 ResourceConnect 22 Cyph part 1 23 Accessibility Options for Cyph • Provides ARIA for links. • Working towards WCAG AA compliance. • Supports Apple voiceover and Slack voiceover. © 2020 NNEDV 24 Texting • Texting is not high-tech • All mobile phones have a default texting app – no separate download required • Convenience of texting whenever there is time, pausing if needed © 2020 NNEDV 25 Texting Risks • A survivor’s device might be monitored or accessed by someone else. • Text preserves a record of the entire conversation by default on all devices, and sometimes in the Cloud. • Billing records may include details. • Not all survivors with disabilities will have access to phones. © 2020 NNEDV 26 How Programs Text • Basic approach: Use a cell phone – Requires juggling multiple conversations on a single device • Better: Computer-based messaging – Allows multiple staff members to triage, assign, and respond to messages that come in – Can more easily protect confidentiality © 2020 NNEDV 27 Chat vs.Text • Benefit: Chat conversations aren’t stored on survivor’s device. • Benefit: Options to auto delete content, and/or close the chat on survivor’s device. • Risk: Survivor’s device may still bemonitored by spyware. • Challenge: Survivor may be unable to writeor use written English or have difficulty reading. © 2020 NNEDV 28 Risk of Impersonation • This risk exists across text-based platforms: text, messaging, chat, and email. • Establish a method to verify identity. © 2020 NNEDV 29 Gaps Exist • Think through approaches for survivors with disabilities who do not have access to phones or computers. © 2020 NNEDV 30 Quick Notes on Email • Email can be easily intercepted. – Abusive person may know account password. – Abusive person may have access to devices. • Email is saved by default in many places. • Email is often backed up on servers, and sync’d across devices through the Cloud. © 2020 NNEDV 31 Online Communication with Survivors with Disabilities • Check in often about meaning and tone. • Stop and clarify if there is any confusion. • Avoid Internet slang, acronyms, and emojis. • Consider closing the conversation after a certain amount of time passes. © 2020 NNEDV 32 Video Calls • Video offers visual and audio cues. • It is easier to add in a third party, including live interpreters to increase accessibility for: – Survivors who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and – Survivors who speak a different language than the advocate. • Video calls help with connection for people with disabilities. © 2020 NNEDV 33 VRI, VRS and TRS • Assess the equipment, connectivity and the area for which interpreting will take place • Using Video Remote Interpreting(VRI), Video Relay Services (VRS), Telecommunication Relay Service © 2018 NNEDV The National Deaf Center, 2020 34 Remote Interpreting • Pros: – Interpreters no longer have to travel to performjob duties. – Quick access to help survivor. • Cons: – Interpreter may not be trained on intimatepartner violence. – Survivor may be concerned with beingmonitored, or the abuser having access to themor their technology. © 2018 NNEDV 35 Video Calls for Survivors with Disabilities • May be better for working with Deaf survivors, offers video streaming. • Closed Captioning can be utilized. • Fosters connection. © 2020 NNEDV 36 Communicating with Survivors: Video • Survivors with disabilities may be less likely to have access to the technology needed for video, and may have difficulties in understanding how to use the technology. © 2020 NNEDV 37 Communicating with Survivors: Video part 2 • If using video conferencing to communicate with a survivor who is using a personal or public computer, it’s important to be aware that their computer/device could be monitored by the abusive person. © 2018 NNEDV 38 Communicating with Survivors: Video part 3 • If a survivor has a disability and uses assistive technology, their assistive tech may not be compatible with the video conferencing platform, or they may not be able to utilize all of the features the video conferencing program offers. © 2018 NNEDV 39 Communicating with Survivors: Video part 4 • To manage poor internet connections, use a combination of web conferencing for video and a landline or cell phone for audio. In the event that the internet fails, the audio connection will remain. © 2018 NNEDV 40 Gruveo 41 Gruveo and Accessibility • No accessibility features currently offered, though they are working fast to get these features added. © 2020 NNEDV 42 Zoom Zoom and Accessibility • Offers built-in options for captioning, ASL interpretation and screen reader support. © 2020 NNEDV 44 Adapting Policies, Practices & Forms © 2020 NNEDV 45 Start with WhatYou Know • Begin with the same access, safety and privacy protocols that you use on phone hotlines – then update for digital services. • The technology is different, but survivors’ informed choices, access, safety, and privacy are all still the goals. © 2020 NNEDV 46 Survivor’s Devices,Accounts and Assistive Technology • Inform, educate, empower. • Talk to the survivor about access concerns and potential privacy and security risks. – Delete message threads. • Find safer options when possible. – Use safer, unmonitored device – Call instead of text © 2019 NNEDV 47 Safety Planning Around Technology •Add emergency words to communication devices •Create alternate voice command to contact police for speech activated devices •Record an emergency message for someone with a communication disability. •Identify other devices that increases a person’s safety © 2018 NNEDV 48 Best Practices for Client Data • Collect the least amount of information needed to provide the service requested and keep that information for as short a period of time as possible. • Do not collect more information than you would for a traditional hotline call or in- person conversation. © 2020 NNEDV 49 Collect Minimal Information • Don’t require user accounts for survivors. • Don’t save documentation of abuse. • Don’t import info from the platform into client databases. • Choose a platform that doesn’t store the content of conversations. © 2020 NNEDV 50 Use Caution with Big Companies • Big companies are less responsive to concerns about access. • Many companies collect, retain, and synthesize too much data for marketing. • This is problematic for survivors’ privacy and your program’s confidentiality obligations. © 2020 NNEDV 51 Provide Devices for Advocates • Mobile devices can help advocates reach survivors, use files from the office, send and receive email, and more. • Program can better manage data security: deleting messages, call logs, bills, or the whole device if lost or stolen. © 2020 NNEDV 52 TechSoup 53 COVID-19 Resources © 2020 NNEDV 54 Contact Information Safety Net Project safetynet@nnedv.org 202-543-5566 This project was supported by Grant No. 2019-V3-GX-K017 awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime. © 2020 NNEDV 55 Thank you! • Please take our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QR8Q9GT © 2020 NNEDV 56