Information and Culture Center for the Deaf, Inc. (ICCD)

1-8-3 ,Gohongi Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-0053, Japan
Tel +81-3-6833-5001 Fax +81-3-6833-5000
e-mail: iccd@jyoubun-center.or.jp
Established: 1980

History

The Information and Culture Center for the Deaf, Inc. (ICCD) was established in 1980 to produce videotapes captioned from TV programs and movies with caption to meet the needs of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing. In 1991 it was registered as an information services facility for the deaf* under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

*The Welfare for Persons with Disabilities Law, Article 34, defines that each prefecture shall establish an information services facility to serve persons who are deaf/hard of hearing. Currently 37 facilities serve the deaf communities across Japan.

Aim

ICCD aims to advocate the human rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing and to enrich their cultural lives by providing them with its various services, projects and programs.

Main Works and Projects

1. Captioned videotape library cooperation project with local governments
2. Projects entrusted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
3. Projects entrusted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
4. Services offered for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing
5. Certification system for sign language interpreters

Details of the Works and Projects

1. Captioned videotape library cooperation project with local governments

   1) 63 local governments involved in the project
   2) Approximately 130 TV programs for caption a year
   3) Captioning videotapes in total of about 7,200 minutes per year
   4) Public video libraries (more than 6,000 videotapes and DVD viewed)

2. Projects entrusted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare

   1) Captioning of videotapes from TV programs
   2) Production of 2 videotapes in sign language per year

3. Projects for a video library entrusted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government

   1) Lending the captioned and signed videotapes free of charge
   2) Approximately 3,000 videotape cassettes and DVD for lending

4. Services offered for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing

   1) Counseling
   -Daily living, hearing problems, education, health and care, workplace, etc.
   -Information on technical aids
   -Researches/resources
   -Learning sign language/interpreting, etc
   2) Arranging weekly cultural programs
   -Flower arrangement
   -Arts
   -English
   -Workshops and lectures (photographs, dance, magic, painting, etc)
   3) Publication of a quarterly newsletter titled“Information and Culture for the Deaf—Grapevine”
   4) Collection of books, references, and periodicals on deafness and sign language (approximately 3,200 books),
   5) Development of the website for information
   6) Others

5. Certification system for sign language interpreters

   Management of a national-level qualification examination and certification of sign language interpreters every year;

   1) Management of the examination (written and performance tests)
   2) Recognition of interpreters who passed the examination
   3) Certification registration for the qualified interpreter
   4) 2,307 certified interpreters (as of June, 2009)

(updated 2014/07/01)