While I do understand the plight of being kicked from raids/groups due to not having vent, I do see the reasons for Vent. While you are unable to use your hearing, most people can, and it's another sense that people use to play. Vent makes it easy for a raid to communicate with each other, as people often do not read the raid chat when in the middle of a battle, not to mention the time it takes to type something out is longer then the time it takes to simply say it. They're watching the fight, the mobs, the patrols, etc. Should they watch chat more? Probably, but it's another thing competing for your sight, and people have opted to use another, faster sense to take in snap information.

As for you knowing the fight, it's not uncommon for someone to claim they know the fight, but then go running through a Flame Wreath on Aran or cross beams in Netherspite. People don't trust pugs. There's plenty of pug horror stories out there, so you can't blame people for being leery of pugs. You need to earn their trust, and if they aren't going to even let you in the door to try to prove it, then don't bother with it, just move onto a more openminded group. So some guilds and pugs won't let you in due to your disability. It doesn't matter. Find another guild. There are plenty out there.

If it's helpful for anyone. . .

My guild required vent, but we'd make exceptions if you couldn't use it for reasons other than being an asshat about downloading it. If you can't hear vent you need to know the encounter better than those who can, and the RL might need to set up a few macros to announce things to people not on vent (and likewise for the people not on vent so that they can communicate with the raid). But that's as easy as giving the person not on vent assist, so they can make announcements for everyone to see easily.

It's understandable to require vent for people who can't hear, but finding ways around it is sooo easy.

I m a relay operator IRL and sometimes I think about how a sort of relay service for Vent and raids could work.

@ kilana and Iwanttobeasleep

I think you both missed the point, Alu is deaf, no matter how helpful you may think vent is, Alu can't hear it... Vent being a requirement for any group isn't very fair. While on the other hand, WoW, like life, is comprised of little cliques and subgroups of people that do their best to exclude while being pseudo-outcasts themselves.

The use of macros to communicate is a great idea and the people who spend the time to create and use them are doing a favor to those with bad or nonexistent hearing.

I'm also a disabled player, I was injured at the workplace and have had to deal with the loss of my previous ability. I used to be a class VI heavy lifter, lifting and carrying an excess of 150-200lbs. multiple times a day. Now, I'm lucky if I can carry 15.

Wow gave me something to focus on while I was recovering and I've had a great deal of life-changing conversations with the great people I met through the game. I was even lucky enough to find love with a caring, understanding and beautiful woman. Funny enough we met in a Pug group.

Disability, as I've found while attempting to re-enter the workforce is something that people still look down upon. Regardless of how many laws are passed it's simply a matter of education and consideration. Most reasonable players would take the time and consideration to come up with something to help them communicate more easily with their disabled compatriots. Not everything in this game has to be about your e-peen.

Alu, if you ever find yourself on US Feathermoon alliance, My toon is Mcallen and I'll roll with you.

-Mc