2017_fall_nl_fndc : simplebooklet.com

Family Network for Deaf Children and our deaf program FALL Deaf Youth Today Deaf Youth Today Fall September 2017 FNDC values sharing information to deaf children families professionals and the communities that support them These events advertisements and or articles do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of FNDC or offer an endorsement Is some signing better than none Editorial A sign language interpreter who appeared at a Florida press conference before Hurricane Irma hit was actually signing gibberish according to members of the deaf community Experts say Marshall Greene signed words including pizza monsters and bear hug Officials in Manatee County say they asked Greene who s a paramedic and lifeguard to step in because he knows a little sign language and no one else was available From Inside Edition Sept 15 2017 You can view the video that shows the transcribed message of the signs that deaf individuals saw and compare that message to the voiced message on the emergency news press conference Video www youtube com watch v PHXkhUJWTXM understand the difference between a qualified interpreter versus a signer Sadly they don t It is up to parents to advocate on behalf of our deaf hard of hearing children to ensure they are receiving quality access to communication through qualified interpreters Even though I ve become more educated over the years I have made many parenting mistakes on this issue One mistake I still regret and look back on with horror was when a real estate agent contacted my teen son to ride along in the car so my son could sign for a deaf client as he couldn t find an interpreter at the last minute I felt bad that the deaf client had no interpreter so against my better judgement I bought into the some sign is better than none philosophy I was 100 wrong and I look back in shame that 1 I put my son in a situation where he was by no means even remotely able to keep up on the conversation intent and the responsibility of such communication and potential business dealings not to mention the legal ramifications 2 I put a deaf adult in a very oppressive and personally insulting situation assuming that a hearing teen with some sign was good enough for their communication If a 14 year old showed up to sign for my deaf young adult daughter in a situation where a qualified interpreter should be hired I would be horrified 3 I enabled a business to walk away from their responsibility for planning booking and paying for an interpreter for their client What on earth was I thinking I should have known better than this Is some signing better than none No Some signing is just a mixed message an incorrect message and by doing this we hide the fact that a qualified interpreter is actually needed The purpose of my editorial is to use this situation above as an example to parents of what our deaf hard of hearing children and youth so often visually see with on a daily basis We often all fall into the trap that some signing is better than none right I can t tell you how many times over the years just because I have a deaf daughter and know some sign language that I have been asked by an ill informed agency or individual to interpret at an event or for a deaf client I usually gasp in silent horror on my end of the phone then take a deep breath and use the opportunity to educate and steer them to professional interpreting agencies It s quite scary to think this is still happening in 2017 and even sadder to think of the message that the deaf person receives from someone with just some knowledge of sign language As parents we rely on human resource departments or well meaning individuals working in clubs churches community programs schools banks businesses etc to hire interpreters for our deaf hard of hearing children and young adults We often wrongly assume that the people that work in the Human Resource departments Obviously the emergency video shows the need for qualified interpreting but the additional lesson to learn from the video to be aware that not everyone is educated on the difference between signing and interpreting and we need to advocate and educate others Just because someone is moving their hands doesn t mean that they are a fluent signer or an interpreter Consult with Deaf adults that know the language and can give input to the message that is received This is vitally important because often for those of us that aren t fluent signers we are unable to make those assessments As your deaf hard of hearing child accesses a variety of language models around them teachers Educational Assistants interpreters family members friends etc ensure that the sign language your child sees isn t just moving hands but that it is meaningful language We would never accept gibberish as language input for our hearing children Our deaf hard of hearing children have the right to the same high quality language access Cecelia Twitter FNDCandDYT Facebook www facebook com fndc ca

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

FNDC FALL 2017 WORKSHOP Supporting Reading Skills of Signing Deaf Hard of Hearing children all ages at Home Reading Strategies and activities for sign language users Saturday October 21 2017 10 00am to 3 00pm Location BC Family Hearing Resource Centre 15220 92nd Avenue Surrey Cost 15 00 includes lunch ASL English Interpreters will be provided Captioning provided upon request Presentation Description Have you ever heard of chunky monkey or the handshape game These are fun activities parents do at home to encourage reading achievement in their d Deaf hard of hearing DHH children and adolescents Parents play a large role in the reading achievement of DHH children During the presentation we will review key predictors of reading success for DHH readers With those predictors in mind we will learn about and practice reading strategies intended for parents and DHH children or adolescents to engage in at home Parents will learn two to three strategies in each subskill of reading vocabulary decoding phonology morphology reading comprehension and reading fluency About the Presenter Jessica Trussell Jessica W Trussell is an assistant professor in the Masters of Science in Secondary Education program at National Technical Institute for the Deaf NTID at Rochester Institute of Technology Trussell earned a bachelor s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Georgia She went on to earn her master s degree in Education of the Deaf Hard of Hearing DHH and Ph D in Education of Students with Exceptionalities with an emphasis on deaf education both from Georgia State University Dr Trussell taught signing DHH students for six years in schools for the deaf and inclusive settings Her primary research interest is developing word reading strategies for secondary DHH readers Jessica recently joined the NTID s Center for Education Research Partnerships and is enjoying working with others to improve reading instruction for DHH students NOTE FNDC AGM to follow workshop DEAF YOUTH TODAY FUN DAY MANY THANKS TO DYT will run a ASL rich Day Program for d hh children and their siblings ages 5 to 12 yrs that have a parent or guardian attending the workshop DYT staff and kids will travel by charter bus to Funtopia in Surrey www funtopiaworld com for a funfilled day Cost will be 20 00 per child Bring a bagged lunch for your child BC FAMILY HEARING RESOURCE CENTRE CHILDCARE birth to age 4 For d hh children and their siblings birth to age 4 yrs BC Family Hearing Resource Centre BCFHRC will provide childcare along with Deaf DYT staff volunteers Thank you to BCFHRC for partnering with us to support families attending this workshop Cost will be 10 00 per child Bring a bagged lunch for your child WORKSHOP DYT FUN DAY REGISTRATION INFORMATION Registration will open September 15th at www fndc ca This workshop can only accommodate 30 parents so registration will be limited In the meantime SAVE THE DATE FNDC www fndc ca FNDC 4 Fall 2017 Email fndc fndc ca FNDC 5 Fall 2017

Page 5

Page 6

Fall Swimming Lessons in Surrey with an ASL Interpreter Basic Dental Eyeglasses and Hearing Care From the BC Government website http www2 gov bc ca gov content health managing your health healthy women children child teen health dental eyeglasses Through the Healthy Kids Program children of low income families can get help with the costs of Basic dental care Prescription eyewear Hearing instruments Alternative hearing assistance Parent Tot Age 4 36 months 10 spaces 9 15 9 45 Saturdays September 16 December 16 No lessons Oct 7 Nov 4 Nov 11 and Nov 25 Red Cross Preschool 1 3 Starfish Duck Sea Turtle 42 75 Register for 4564052 Preschool Age 3 5 independent lessons not parent participation 4 spaces 9 45 10 15 Saturdays September 16 December 16 No lessons Oct 7 Nov 4 Nov 11 and Nov 25 Red Cross Preschool 4 Sea Otter 87 00 Register for 4564056 Preschool This time slot is for returning Preschool swimmers 4 spaces 10 15 10 45 Saturdays September 16 December 16 No lessons Oct 7 Nov 4 Nov 11 and Nov 25 Red Cross Preschool 4 Sea Otter 87 00 Register for 4564057 Registration opened Thursday August 31 and is first come first serve so register as soon as possible to guarantee your space You may register over the phone or in person Online registration is not available at this time If the course is already full please ask to have your name put down on the waitlist This shows the high demand for accessible programming and could lead to increased options in the future Thank you By Phone Call Recreation Surrey 8 30 4 30 Monday Friday at 604 501 5100 You don t need to apply Your children are eligible if Your family receives Medical Services Plan MSP premium assistance They are under 19 years old Show your child s CareCard or BC Services Card when you arrive at the dental optical or audiology office Ask them to confirm coverage before the appointment Be sure to ask if there will be any extra charges that are not covered Dental In Person Guildford Recreation Centre Aquatics 15105 105 Avenue Surrey 604 502 6360 http www surrey ca culture recreation 12672 aspx Children are eligible for 2 000 towards basic dental services every two years This includes Exams X rays Fillings Cleanings Extractions If you have any questions or would like assistance with the registration process please contact bcdhhkids gmail com Emergency treatment is available if your child has reached the 2 000 limit It is only available for the immediate relief of pain Orthodontics are not included Ask your dentist for more information B C government boosts health coverage for low income kids hearing aids now fully covered www cbc ca news canada british columbia b c government boosts health coverage for low income kids 1 4273228 CBC News Posted Sep 01 2017 Optical Children are eligible for prescription glasses once a year This includes lenses and basic frames MSP covers eye examinations for children Contact lenses are not included All prescriptions must be current and meet certain criteria Ask your optical provider for more information Hearing The B C government is pouring an extra 6 million into a health care fund for low income kids The BC Healthy Kids program will now get a total of 30 million a year to help cover costs for dental care glasses and hearing aids The NDP government has boosted the dental allotment set by the previous Liberal government from 1 400 to 2 000 over two years It will also now fully cover hearing aids which the previous program did not The government says 166 000 children will benefit from the changes We did believe this initiative by the previous government was a step in the right direction and we were happy to complete it Shane Simpson minister of social development and poverty reduction told guest host Gloria Macarenko on CBC s On the Coast Program to be re assessed receive an MSP subsidy which is earmarked for household incomes less than 42 000 a year after taxes To use the service parents must show their child s BC CareCard or BC Services Card The dental coverage doesn t include orthodontics but can be accessed in cases of emergency if the limit is reached Simpson said he ll re examine the program in a few months with the B C Dental Association to determine whether there s sufficient coverage The program also now includes hearing aids and cochlear implants B C probably had the second worst record among provinces in terms of providing these supports around primarily dental services and hearing aids and hearing supports Simpson said This will bring us into the middle of the pack and will certainly be of great help to a number of kids who require those services Children are eligible for Hearing aids Bone anchored hearing aids Cochlear implants Repairs Related items Your audiologist or hearing instrument provider will assess the best option for your child They then must send in their recommendations for preauthori zation If approved they ll be reimbursed for the least expensive appropriate hearing instrument Call 1 866 866 0800 for more information Hearing Assistance Supplement You may be able to get an alternative hearing assistance supplement if your child Has permanent profound hearing loss in both ears Won t benefit from a hearing instrument to understand speech Overview The ministry may provide a monthly alternative hearing assistance supplement to assist eligible persons to meet costs associated with overcoming barriers related to having permanent profound bilateral hearing loss The alternative hearing assistance supplement is available under the Employment and Assistance EA Regulation and Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities EAPWD Regulation Other programs and resources Supports and Services Assistive Technology Information regarding other supports and services including resources for assistive technology can be found on the Supports Services website WorkBC and Technology Work People with disabilities can access assistive technologies through WorkBC to help them find a job or if they need a piece of equipment to keep working at their current job WorkBC provides employment related assistive devices equipment and technology communication and hearing devices ergonomic supports and other personal devices interpreting and captioning services workplace access and modification More information on WorkBC services supports for persons with disabilities can be found at Work BC Advice for PWD Technology Work supports individuals that need assistive technology products and services to overcome disability related barriers in the workplace More information on Technology Work can be found here BC Technology work The government has contracted Pacific Blue Cross to determine who s eligible for the fund Families are qualified if their kids are younger than 19 and if they FNDC 6 Fall 2017 FNDC 7 Fall 2017

Page 7

Page 8

ACCESS IS OPPORTUNITY In this age and time of connection and communication those without access are also those without opportunity However through the tireless dedication of Deaf community advocates VRS is a reality making access to opportunity much more attainable in our communities as VRS is a tool for empowerment that is finally available in Canada VRS CONNECTS PEOPLE Video Relay Service VRS enables Deaf or Hard of Hearing people to connect with voice telephone users via video over the Internet VRS calls occur with the help of Video interpreters VIs who interpret the conversation back and forth between callers using sign language with the VRS user and voice with the called party VRS is accessed from smartphones tablets laptops and computers and empowers Deaf or Hard of Hearing people to communicate with anyone they choose Do you know that children and youth under the age of majority can register for a Video Relay Service number Yes A Deaf child under the age of majority can register to use SRV Canada VRS with the written authorization of their Parent or Legal Guardian The Deaf child s Parent or Legal Guardian must first download and complete a Parental Consent Form Once completed the form should be scanned and emailed to Customer Service at support srvcanadavrs ca Alternatively the Parent or Guardian can mail the form to SRV Canada VRS Customer Service C O Iv s Inc 7240 rue Waverly Suite 205 Montr al Qu bec H2R 2Y8 Once the signed Parental Consent form has been received a member of our Customer Service team will contact the Parent or Legal Guardian for confirmation purposes Once the verification process is complete the child will be able to download the app of their choice and begin the SRV Canada VRS registration process Registration occurs in the app so you must download the app first To download an app go to srvcanadavrs ca and scroll to bottom of page To download the PC app click on the Windows icon Download the app for Windows To download the Android app click on the Google play icon To download the iOS app click on the App Store icon To use the Mac click on Apple icon Use the web app on Mac computer with Safari As part of the registration process the child will receive a code via text message on the cell phone number they provided when creating their account They will be required to return to the account creation web page and insert the code into the code field on the screen and select Submit Within a business day or two the child s 10 digit number will be sent to the email address they provided and they can start using SRV Canada VRS Source https srvcanadavrs ca en vrs faq For more information you can contact the Customer Service at support srvcanadavrs ca FNDC 8 Fall 2017 FNDC 9 Fall 2017

Page 9

Page 10

Bi lingual A S L English How deafness encourages intentional and thoughtful communication From www healthyhearing com report 52782 How deafness encourages intentional and thoughtful communication September 5 2017 Blindness cuts us off from things deafness cuts us off from people With all due respect to Helen Keller and while recognizing our current vantage point of 2017 I disagree that this is necessarily true Far from being solely a barrier to overcome deafness can also be a unique resource for figuring out more varied ways to communicate and connect with other people Indeed when combined with the technologies and community resources of today s world deafness can offer a robust set of perspectives that can enhance the way we all express ourselves imagine new possibilities and engage in human relationships Family Storytime story time Deaf gain Friday Sep 15 Oct 13 Nov 10 Dec 8 10 30 Conducted in American Sign Language and English Enjoy stories songs rhymes felt stories and crafts at the library This event is suitable for children of all ages and abilities along with their parents and caregivers ASL interpreters will be present during the program 191 650 West 41st Avenue Program runs for one hour This program is a partnership between Family and Community Services FCS under Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services PDHHS and the Vancouver Public Library VPL For more information 604 665 3980 FNDC 10 Fall 2017 vpl ca events Join the conversation vpl vancouverpubliclibrary As someone who was born deaf and who grew up using both sign language and English to communicate with deaf and hearing people I have experienced the firsthand benefits of being able to communicate in more flexible ways even while I also understand the litany of challenges and frustrations associated with hearing loss My aim is not to focus on these challenges but to point out some ways that deafness when properly supported and understood can contribute to fresh strategies for communication and creativity Other advocates have already described this concept using the phrase Deaf gain and although these opportunities to seize upon the generative potential of deafness can most strongly exist within the signing Deaf community I believe they are also lessons for anyone 2015 05 04 Free My experience with two languages and communication modalities has had a positive influence on how I interact with the world but every individual with hearing loss will have their own journey toward gaining the perspectives and skills that suit their own needs Deafness by its nature tends to teach a range of useful strategies for communication This holds true regardless of particular individual background or experience One cannot live with a hearing loss for very long before realizing that conventional auditory spoken modes of communication aren t always going to work Instead to get along with hearing loss one can benefit from becoming multimodal This can mean a number of things sign language cued speech fingerspelling writing and text based communication visual images gesture and also speaking and lipreading when possible and appropriate Creative multimodal communication Rachel Kolb is an expert in multimodal communication Oakridge Library Deafness by its nature tends to teach a range of useful strategies for communication How so you ask The sentiment that Helen Keller expressed over a century ago about the innate social isolation of deafness has persisted for so long that we can sometimes have a difficult time seeing around it to the complexities that lie beneath Everyone s path to and through deafness can look different and inevitably will due to the varying circumstances that lead to hearing loss different ages of onset and different personal and cultural contexts that shape one s particular response to it Many d Deaf people I have met are astonishingly adept at sorting out alternative ways to express themselves and to understand others more adept than hearing people sometimes are They also learn to practice these strategies well even in trying circumstances that might leave others stymied If you don t believe me just watch a few international deaf people figure out how to use gesture improvised sign and pen and paper to understand each other over prolonged periods of time Such strategies for multimodal communication can also be useful to people without any degree of hearing loss who might be more accustomed to relying on traditional auditory verbal communication As I like to argue the more languages communication modalities and options we have at our fingertips the more all of us can stand to benefit in a range of situations Deafness through its encouragement of sensory flexibility can also foster alternative approaches to social and physical norms and also to creativity and problem solving To make this point the Deaf community likes to highlight the ongoing developments of DeafSpace architectural principles which make an environment more open and visually accessible as well as Deaf innovations of experiencing phenomena such as music and poetry in more visual and tactile ways Deafness can create license for us all to explore the world through a range of different senses Deafness can be a litmus test for locating robust relationships collective support and solidarity However creativity can also arise from a less ideal set of circumstances the way our world is not created for deaf and hard of hearing people Although everyday lack of accessibility is something we can all work to improve it also can act as a spur toward improvisation and resourcefulness Figuring out how to see nonsigning friends faces at a dimly lit party cobbling together written and visual materials to get the gist of a movie or performance that isn t subtitled communicating with hearing strangers who disregard my needs although I would much rather not need to manage any of these situaFNDC 11 Fall 2017

Page 11

Page 12

tions the reality is that I have had to As we all try to make our world a more accessible one we can learn how to be more ingenious and also with any luck more sympathetic toward other people s realities and more capable of devising creative solutions for different communication issues in our world Finally deafness can be a litmus test for locating robust relationships collective support and solidarity In my experience it tends to guide one toward the people who are willing to be flexible accommodating considerate curious and community minded I ll put this simply taken with a deliberate perspective a deaf lens on social interactions can provide a welcoming measure of clarity on who is most willing to engage to understand and be understood It can also guide one toward a sense of larger connectedness even when not every interaction produces this result New opportunities for connectedness Because deafness and hearing loss casts such intense emphasis on the vagaries of communication it can produce a set of circumstances that actually encourages more thoughtful intentional communication to arise This is what I argue can encourage connectedness given adequate support and understanding rather than necessitating social isolation Although individual strategies and experiences may vary and although challenges to accessibility and inclusion still exist we can still use deafness as an opportunity to engage with difference and try new ways of expression and to invite others around us to do the same Rachel Kolb is a Rhodes scholar and a current PhD student in English literature at Emory University where her work explores topics of disability and deafness in American culture and literature Her work has been published in venues such as The New York Times and The Atlantic and she also gave a TED talk at TEDx Stanford in 2013 SUPPORTING DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING STUDENTS TOOLS TECHNOLOGY AND KEY RESOURCES TO CULTIVATE ACADEMIC SUCCESS Author Accredited Schools Online Source http www accreditedschoolsonline org resources students with hearing impairments Students with hearing disabilities face unique challenges inside the classroom Many common learning modes that people take for granted lectures discussion groups and even one on one conversations can be a struggle for those who have any level of hearing difficulty However that doesn t mean a college degree is out of reach Today s wide range of tools devices and systems can help students who are deaf or hard of hearing thrive in an educational setting This guide focuses on those resources tech tools and expert tips that students of all ages can use achieve academic success ear or inside the ear canal Due to the potential to be overly conscious that someone might notice the hearing aid college students may prefer the in the canal hearing aids custom fitted so that they are practically impossible to notice Though hearing aids can be purchased online keep in mind that they often require extensive customization and programming as well as adequate instruction in their use therefore it is important to discuss the need for hearing aids with a physician audiologist or licensed hearing aid center Understanding the differences deaf deafness and hard of hearing Deafness Deafness refers to a level of hearing loss severe enough that the individual is limited in her or his ability to process acoustical language whether they are using assistive listening devices or not Cochlear Implants Cochlear implants are essentially prosthetic ears They tend to be very expensive as they require surgery and a great deal of follow up care As a result cochlear implants are usually not recommended for those who have anything less than profound hearing loss Cochlear implants work with external and internal components The external components consist of a microphone to detect sounds a speech processor which filters and processes the sounds to be sent to the inner ear and a transmitter which transmits the signal to the internal receiver beneath the individual s skin The internal components consist of a receiver that collects the processed sound data and converts them into electrical signals and electrodes that apply the electrical signals to the cochlea The brain then interprets these electrical signals as sound In order to receive a cochlear implant those in need must speak with the proper medical specialists including a cochlearimplant surgeon Hard of Hearing Hard of hearing is used to describe someone who does not hear well The individual may hear and understand verbal communication but may need the help of an assistive listening device or hearing aid Smartphone Apps There are countless smartphone apps for Android or iOS that can assist college students who are hard of hearing The following is a short list of apps that could be useful For those suffering from hearing loss the following decibel dB values refer to the amount of additional sound energy they would need relative to someone with normal hearing in order to perceive a given sound Hamilton Mobile Captel Available on both iOS and Android this app transcribes telephone calls in real time This allows the user to read what is being said during the phone call Cost Free Not all hearing disabilities are equal and a person s hearing level dictates how they manage life both inside and outside the classroom The next few sections explain the different degrees of hearing loss as well as define the following three commonly used terms deaf deafness and hard of hearing Deaf Deaf does not describe the level of hearing problems in an individual Instead the term refers to those who are hard of hearing and use American Sign Language to communicate Tap Tap Only available for iOS devices this app alerts the user when certain sounds are detected by the phone A scream fire alarm or any other sound detection level is adjustable once detected will cause the phone to vibrate and produce an alert screen Cost 2 99 Tech tools for deaf or hard of hearing students Students with a hearing disability have a number of assistive tools at their disposal Some assistive technology such as a hearing aid is fairly well known and common among those with more serious impairments However some tools on the following list may not be as popular at least to those who either work with or teach students who use them Let s see which tech tools are helping make classrooms and learning environments in general more accommodating for students with hearing loss Hearing Aids Hearing aids amplify existing sounds around the wearer They work by making sounds easier to understand and can provide sound filtering to make existing sounds easier to hear Hearing aids usually fit around the FNDC 12 Fall 2017 eHear This app is also only available for iOS devices and works by using the device s microphone and amplifying the surrounding sounds Cost 2 99 Dragon Dictation Supported by both iOS and Android this app is voice recognition software that presents the spoken word as a text or e mail Cost Free Webcam Video Chat Technology Most modern smartphones and laptops are equipped with a webcam or built in video camera and the capability to run software that allows videoconference or video chat capabilities This allows the possibility of lip reading assuming high enough bandwidth and camera resolution and sign language communication As long as a student has a smartphone and a data plan they can take advantage of this technology FNDC 13 Fall 2017

Page 13

Page 14

TDD TYY A TDD telecommunications device for the deaf is an electronic device that allows the sending and receiving of text communication over a standard telephone line Also referred to as a TYY teletypewriter a TDD TYY device consists of a small screen keyboard and cradle for holding the telephone handset Text is inputted through the keyboard and presented to the user through the LCD screen Though it is considered an outdated device a TDD TYY can still be useful in some classroom settings It can usually be purchased from specialty retailers such as those found online Lighting Fluorescent lighting the most common form of lighting found in classrooms has a unique sound all its own and that sound can be enough to disrupt delicate hearing equipment thus making it more difficult for students to hear what is being said by teachers and peers Harsh sunlight streaming through windows can throw individuals in shadow making them more difficult to see Careful attention to lighting and seating position can help alleviate these concerns FM System A frequency modulated FM system is a type of assistive listening device that can be used in a classroom or other large area The speaker wears a microphone which wirelessly transmits their words to a receiver This receiver can then be directly connected to a cochlear implant hearing aid or headphones Some newer and advanced hearing aids have this FM receiver built in An FM system can usually be obtained from specialized retailers Distance to Students The default for most teachers is to place students with hearing loss at the front of the classroom However this might negate those students abilities to lip read what their peers have to say as most of those other students are seated behind them Since the teacher often moves around the classroom when lecturing the sound direction and volume can vary enough that students have difficulty understanding some or even the majority of the lecture To alleviate this attention must be paid to each student s unique needs in order to choose the proper seating distance Audio Induction Loop This technology only works with hearing aids that have a telecoil so is not available to everyone It works by taking the sounds picked up by a speaker s microphone and transmitting them through an induction loop which is usually installed in the floor or ceiling The induction loop transmits a signal that s picked up by the telecoil in the listener s hearing aid Some personal audio induction loop systems are available for individual use and may be purchased at specialty retailers Quieting the Environment Some classrooms are filled with noise that most of us can tune out and thus rarely recognize The sounds of heating and cooling units fluorescent lights foot traffic outside the door cars passing on a busy street and much more can create an environment that wreaks havoc with the hearing technologies many students need How Schools Create More Audible Environments Though there are numerous resources at hand for students who are hard of hearing including the technology tools listed above there are many things schools can do to create environments more conducive to learning for those who have hearing loss Changes in the physical classroom can make a difference as can close attention to the various communication methods offered during class time Here are a few initiatives many colleges and universities take to help ensure that students with hearing loss have the same access to information as everyone else The Physical Classroom Everything about a physical classroom from the shape of the room itself to the tiles on the ceiling can affect the way students with hearing loss perceive the lessons These points provide schools with an excellent opportunity to adjust the classroom setting with the understanding that even slight changes can be enough to provide a better learning experience for those who have trouble hearing Room Acoustics Being aware of the reverberation of a particular area matters For instance the way a sound echoes in a cavernous gymnasium is much different than the way it sounds in a smaller classroom setting Anyone who has ever tried to understand the words coming across a public address system in a gymnasium can definitely see the value of a smaller area for better hearing Creating a classroom that has less reverberation can be great for those who rely on hearing technologies that could be disrupted by the constant echoing that happens in a larger setting such as a lecture hall Full Visual Access Those who are hard of hearing often rely on visual cues to tell them what is happening in the world around them Students should be able to see everything around them in the classroom To that end desks that are arranged in a U shape are more conducive to learning than those arranged to face the front of the room Teachers should take care to speak only when they are turned toward students and should provide some visual cues as to what is happening such as written announcements presented to the student as the same announcements are being played over the intercom FNDC 14 Fall 2017 Classroom Communication The methods of communicating used in the classroom can make a huge difference in student success Attention paid to the various needs of students with hearing loss can help teachers implement the proper technologies Here are a few of the more common options Vibrating Alert Devices Small vibration devices are often used to signal fires doorbells weather warnings and more These devices can be used in the classroom to alert to schedule bells and other important announcements Closed Captioning Today closed captioning is available on every television and digital receiver and can be used to great advantage in classrooms where videos movies or even live lecturing is taking place some key points students who are deaf or hard of hearing should keep in mind when investigating potential colleges and universities Proper accommodations Does the school have plans in place for those who have disabilities including those who are deaf or hard of hearing Accommodations might include technology in the classrooms that allows students to learn on a par with all their peers as well as accommodations in certain common areas of the campus such as dorms and cafeterias Ease of requests Assuming that the school does not have automatic accommodations for those who are hard of hearing how difficult is it to get the school to make allowances for students so that they can find success Are requests granted within a reasonable time frame ADA Compliance Does the school comply in all ways with rules from the Americans with Disabilities Act specifically are accommodations made for those who are deaf and hard of hearing that allow students to participate in the same events as those who do not have hearing loss Grievance policy The college should have a strong grievance policy in place that not only allows students to lodge formal complaints in a simple way but also moves the grievance policy forward quickly so that resolution does not have to be weeks or months away Quick Tips Meet with administration Speaking with the administration at the colleges and universities on the short list can help students who are deaf or hard of hearing understand exactly what to expect from attending there For instance administration that has a plan in place to communicate with deaf students from the moment they walk into the office could signal excellent communication plans throughout the rest of the school In addition meeting with administration can help them understand the extent of a particular person s disability and lead them to assist accordingly during the years spent on campus comprehend instruction because the instructor wears a microphone and transmitter that is used to deliver speech to the student through ear buds or ear level receivers This device makes it seem as though the instructor is talking directly into the student s ear Fast ForWord is an online based program using patented technology and neuroscience based learning principles It provides hundreds of activities where the words and sentences are acoustically modified to stretch and emphasize the phonetic elements of natural speech CAPDOTS is another online program using evidence based therapy system It is set up in modules which improve student ability to focus and their attention to sound How can students who are deaf or hard of hearing be proactive about their educational success Students with hearing loss need to build communicative relationships with their instructors Some students are confident enough to ask questions in the middle of a lecture and others prefer to ask questions at the end No matter when the question is posed students who are hard of hearing must not be afraid to ask A question can frequently lead to an answer and an answer can easily led to understanding What questions should a deaf or hard of hearing student ask in order to find the right college Students should locate community resources near the school and on campus first Then locate the office of disability services on campus to ask the following questions Are there services to assist freshmen student s transition from high school What types of housing options or accommodations exist What types of assistive or adaptive technology resources are available on the campus Are study preparation and exam accommodations available What provisions are in place in case an issue occurs with receiving accommodations What is the graduation rate and or the retention rate for students who are served by the Office of Disability Services EXPERT INTERVIEW STUDENT JENNA KUBLY Person to Person Students can use texting technologies chat rooms faceto face communication devices communicator keyboards and even pen and paper to discuss important points in the classroom Group Learning Recognizing the difficulties of group learning for those who are hard of hearing requires some extra work on the part of the teacher including printed hands outs of key points digital pen technology interactive white boards and note taking for the student Voice to Text Voice recognition software can be trained to suit one particular student thus allowing them to speak to the classroom or accurately interpret discussions happening around them Interpretation or Sign Though sign language can certainly be used in the classroom some students prefer to use video remote interpreters This technology allows an interpreter in another location to listen in on the classroom and sign to the user through computer or video telephone Finding a College that Fits Not all institutions of higher learning are created equal especially when it comes to accommodating students who might have hearing requirements Students should look closely at the potential colleges on their list to ensure they will have the proper help in the classroom and on campus Here are Get to know the teachers Though the administration might be ultimately responsible for the technologies implemented in the classroom the teachers are the ones who see students on a near daily basis Getting to know the teachers and asking them to help form a learning plan can go a long way toward classroom comfort and success Jenna L Kubly suffered permanent damage to her hearing due to a lack of medical care as a baby in a foreign orphanage Today she uses hearing aids and has earned a B A M A and Ph D Find the right clubs and groups Discovering clubs groups and organizations on campus dedicated to those who are deaf or hard of hearing can provide even more resources for students to pursue in addition to the feeling of belonging that most students crave during their college career How has your hearing loss affected you in an educational sense Perhaps I have had to be more proactive about ensuring I literally heard what I needed to know I do not intend to make light of any other person s hearing disability but in retrospect I find myself thinking If anything working so hard to ensure I did not miss anything may have been a hidden asset I was usually alert and paying attention in class EXPERT INTERVIEW JEANNETTE WASHINGTON M Ed Jeannette Washington M Ed is a former speech language pathologist who founded Bearly Articulating a company that provides services for those with hearing loss or auditory processing disorders What have you found to be some of the best classroom resources for those who are deaf or hard of hearing especially on the college level Assistive technology can open many doors in our society of exceptional learners I currently use the Fast ForWord program a personal FM System microphone assistive listening advice and CAPDOTS auditory training program A personal FM system can be impactful on a student s ability to What tools or technologies did you find most helpful during your educational journey Hearing aids are of course the fundamental technology for me As new technologies emerge I find myself wondering in retrospect how they might have assisted me such as new hearing aids that can be programmed to pick up direct feed from a microphone that one asks a speaker i e teacher professor to wear Additionally I discovered many years later that there are services such as note takers that might have been available to me Although I do not officially lip read I think subconsciously I do to some extent because if I am looking down at my paper to write notes or someone is not facing me when they are speaking my comprehension of what they are saying plummets hence I think that note taking might have been a help to me FNDC 15 Fall 2017

Page 15

Page 16

I also had speech therapy for several years in grade school I was quite young but I believe that I likely did not always pronounce words correctly simply because I could not hear all the necessary sounds so speech therapy insured that I could communicate more clearly Closed captioning and English subtitles are amazing I love that most DVDs have the subtitles and that most TV shows have the capability to display closed captioning I didn t have either when I was younger the external closed captioning box was quite expensive and I do not think I knew such a thing existed Now I find it indispensible and to this day if I go back and watch a movie I first watched as a young child I still find myself discovering what they really were saying now that I can turn on the closed captions or English Subtitles I think if films are shown in class teachers and professors should automatically turn on the closed captions I think it could benefit more than just those who are hard of hearing How can a student be proactive in overcoming hearing impairments and finding success in education I think the best way to be proactive is for students to know what works best for them and then be unafraid to ask for whatever accommodations are needed When I was in grade school my mother would always take me into meet my teacher a few days before school started to explain my hearing disability and ask the teacher to be willing to work with me make reasonable accommodations For instance I always sat in the front row even if the general policy of a teacher was to rotate students throughout the year By meeting the teacher beforehand I think that helped address any shyness or timidity I might have otherwise had and I could then speak up later if needed As I went on in my schooling and reached high school I took it upon myself to secure a front row seat in the classroom and talk to the teachers as needed had not met the guidelines scored below 70 ranking in the lowest 10th percentile Another example when I was in undergraduate one of my hardest classes was a science course As I recall the professor either had a very basic outline that was projected or it was clear to me that he was lecturing from a very basic outline in front of him In any event after a few classes I knew I was falling behind in the material largely because I could not keep up with him in taking notes if I was looking at him while he talked I wasn t taking notes If I was taking notes I often was translating in my mind what he said and so therefore never heard any new material he was giving Eventually I met with him during office hours explained my problem and asked if he would be willing to give me a copy of his outline before class as that would help guide me to take notes It truly helped and I think a classmate sitting next to me saw my outline and wanted one and pretty soon the professor ended up providing the outline to practically the entire class to assist with notetaking I write about to illustrate how being proactive resulted in obtaining the resources I needed which helped me succeed The study was a national follow up to Yoshinaga Itano s landmark 1998 study in Pediatrics which looked only at children with hearing loss in Colorado a national leader in early intervention It similarly found that while those who were diagnosed and received interventions by six months developed language on par with their peers those diagnosed later had poorer outcomes With a few minor and rare exceptions I have found that in educational settings my teacher and professors have been not only willing to make reasonable accommodations but usually did so gladly and might even have their own suggestions With growing emphasis on universal design etc the need for individual accommodations may fade but I still think each student does need to take ownership and do what s he can do to ensure a successful academic career and yes a little extra work may be necessary July 14 2017 Author University of Colorado at Boulder Source http www sciencenewsline com news 2017071401120051 html We still have some work to do said lead author Christine Yoshinaga Itano an audiologist and research professor in the Institute of Cognitive Science Because the brain is so pliable in those early months the sooner we can get them diagnosed and get them access to language the more likely they will be able to develop on track with their peers Funded by the Centers for Disease Control the paper is the first multistate study to assess the impact of Early Hearing Detection Intervention EHDI 1 3 6 guidelines The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing founded by late CU Professor Marion Downs established the guidelines in 2000 They recommend that all newborns be screened for hearing loss within one month those who test positive be evaluated by a specialist within three months and those diagnosed with hearing loss begin interventions such FNDC 16 Fall 2017 But those variables are harder to change Yoshinaga Itano says We can t change how much hearing a child has at birth or the educational background of a parent but we can develop better systems she says Policymakers need to do whatever they can to make transitions from one step to another as seamless as possible so parents can meet the 1 3 6 And parents should know that there is an urgency to assuring that children who are deaf or hard of hearing have access to language as quickly as possible EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANT VISUAL LANGUAGE INTERPRETER FULL TIME 10 MONTHS PER YEAR The Greater Victoria School District provides public educational services to over 20 000 students in the Greater Victoria Area encompassing six municipalities To provide this service the District has a current operating budget of 184 million and employs approximately 3 000 staff which includes teachers principals and vice principals support staff psychologists speech and language pathologists and exempt managerial staff BABIES WITH HEARING LOSS FORM BETTER VOCABULARY WITH EARLY INTERVENTION Children with hearing loss who are diagnosed by 3 months of age and receive interventions by 6 months develop a far greater vocabulary than those whose diagnosis and treatment come later according to a CU Boulder study published this week in the journal Pediatrics Yet 17 years after early detection guidelines were established nearly half of babies with hearing loss aren t meeting them the study found We showed that failure to diagnose hearing loss early can create an environmentally induced and preventable secondary disability making children function much like children with cognitive delay she said That study helped kick start national universal newborn hearing screening efforts The new study also found that children who have more hearing at birth parents with a better education or parents who are deaf and already familiar with sign language or other means of communicating also have better vocabulary scores as family support services listening and spoken language intervention sign language instruction cochlear implants or hearing aids within six months Today 96 percent of U S infants are screened by one month But many with hearing loss do not meet steps two and three often due to family difficulties getting transportation appointments time off or funding for hearing aids which are not always covered by insurance Navigating the complex U S healthcare system can also be challenging notes Yoshinaga Itano Our District is currently seeking an Educational Assistant Visual Language Interpreter The EA Visual Language Interpreter works in a classroom to facilitate communication between the student staff and peers Interpreters are not participants in the class rather they attend to the communication needs of the student The Interpreter functions as a part of an educational team with specific roles and responsibilities as defined by the profession of interpreting with consideration given to the educational setting in which they work The EA Visual Language Interpreter must have Grade 12 or equivalent Typewell Transcriber Qualifications Certification granted by the Canadian Evaluation System of the Association of Visual Language Interpreters AVLIC of Canada or Completion of a two 2 year post secondary program in Visual Language Interpretation such as the program offered by Douglas College or Equivalent combination of all of the above This position falls within the CUPE 947 Collective Agreement it is a 10 month per year appointment at 30 hours per week with a pay rate of 24 66 per hour The hours and location of work will vary with the assignment For a detailed job description https district public sd61 bc ca wp content uploads sites 91 2014 07 Visual_Language_Interpreter pdf The study looked at 448 children with hearing loss in both ears ages 8 months to 39 months across 12 states Only 58 percent had met the EHDI 1 3 6 guidelines Researchers also measured the number of words the children used either in spoken or sign language at different ages and compared it to hearing peers On average hearing children have about 600 words in their expressive vocabulary by 30 months A Vocabulary Quotient VQ score on par with a hearing peer would be 100 Children with hearing loss who had met the guidelines and had no additional disabilities scored 82 on average the low end of normal range Those who Deadline for submission is Wednesday September 27 2017 at 4 00 pm Please submit letter of introduction r sum references and proof of qualifications to Human Resource Services Greater Victoria School District 61 556 Boleskine Road Victoria B C V8Z 1E8 or Fax 250 475 4113 Email hrs sd61 bc ca Please note The District thanks all applicants but only those selected for an interview will be contacted FNDC 17 Fall 2017

Page 17

Page 18

Family and Community Services A program offered by Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Family and Community Immersion in Williams Lake October 26 28 2017 We are coming to you We will be hosting American Sign Language classes workshops social opportunities and children s programs Costs Professionals 45 00 Families of Deaf Hard of hearing students Free Location Thompson Rivers University Williams Lake Campus 1250 Western Ave Williams Lake Family and Community Services Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services PDHHS For families who have school aged deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children FCS offers a full range of programs and services Family and Parent Support Children and Youth Services and Language Development We provide services in individualized or group settings Our programs vary every season however if any of the programs below do not work for you and your family please contact Linda Ramsey gov bc ca or 604 775 4008 Families with deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children aged 0 5 can register for some of the events programs below if there is space available Fall 2017 Programs American Sign Language Classes On Line We heard you families gave us feedback and wanted more options in levels for ASL classes So we hope that offering some of our ASL classes on line will provide you with more options for dates times and levels What s more participants can stay at home You re probably wondering How does this work Participants stay at home and join the class using their personal computer with either a built in camera or webcam The instructor will forward you a link through GoToMeeting Once you download the GoToMeeting link free participants can share their video and see the instructor as well as other participants who are accessing the class Please check out the schedule below and pick a class that best fits you Directions and support will be given to participants once you register by contacting Linda Ramsey gov bc ca If any of the dates or times below do not work for you please contact Linda LEVEL Basic This class will focus on expanding ASL vocabulary introduction to ASL grammatical structure and rules Parking is 3 00 per day Dates October 26 28 2017 Registration Linda Ramsey gov bc ca Deadline September 29 2017 Who Beginner Intermediate FNDC 18 Fall 2017 I have basic knowledge and understanding of ASL vocabulary and how to form sentences This class will expand your ASL vocabulary and have more opportunities to practice conversations using ASL grammatical structure and rules Families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children professionals that work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing children Stay up to date with FCS by liking us on Facebook Look for Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services DESCRIPTION I have little experience with ASL I can fingerspell my name sign some vocabulary I am comfortable having conversations in ASL without an interpreter This class will focus on academic vocabulary used to communicate with your child This continues to expand ASL structure WHEN Tuesdays September 19 Nov 21 No classes on Oct 17 24 Time 1 30 2 45PM Tuesdays September 19 Nov 21 No classes on Oct 17 24 Time 7 30 8 15PM Mondays September 25 Dec 4 No classes on Oct 9 16 and Nov 13 Time 1 30 2 45PM Fridays September 22 Dec 1 No classes on Oct 20 Nov 24 Time 12 00 1 15PM Thursdays September 21 Nov 23 No classes on Oct 19 26 Time 7 00 8 15PM Stay up to date with FCS by liking us on Facebook Look for Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services FNDC 19 Fall 2017

Page 19

Page 20

Family and Community Services Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services PDHHS For families who have school aged deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children ASL Class and Children s Literacy Program in Abbotsford th Mondays September 25 November 27 2017 No class Nov 13 Time 4 30 5 45 PM Where ASIA North Polar Elementary School 32041 Marshall Road Abbotsford Hands Voices Guide By Your Side Program Two ASL classes Basic and Beginner levels and Children s Literacy Program in Surrey The Guide By Your Side program provides parent support linking Job Openings for Parent Guide Deaf Guide Tuesdays October 3 November 28 2017 Time 4 30 5 45 PM Where Bear Creek Elementary School 13780 80 Avenue Surrey parents of children newly identified deaf hard of hearing or deafblind through newborn hearing screening with trained and experienced Parent Guides and Deaf Hard of Hearing Guides ASL Class in Burnaby Practising Conversational Skills in ASL Guides are trained to support families without bias towards modes or Wednesdays October 4 November 22 2017 Time 10 00 11 15 AM Where Provincial Deaf Hard of Hearing Services 4334 Victory Street Burnaby methods of communication We believe in the Hands Voices slogan What Works for your Child is what makes the Choice right ASL Class in North Vancouver for Parents No Child Minding What is the role of the Parent Guide Thursdays October 5 December 7 2017 No class on Nov 2 Time 6 30 7 45 PM Where Carson Graham Secondary School 2145 Jones Road North Vancouver Guide By Your Side Parent Guides offer parents the opportunity to establish a supportive relationship with another parent sharing stories about their experiences raising a child who is deaf hard of hearing as well as some of the practical advice a parent learns over the years e g ASL and English Storytelling Location Dates how did we keep those hearing aids on our baby s ears and out of his mouth Location Burnaby Tommy Douglas Library 7311 Kingsway Burnaby Time Saturdays 2 00 3 00 PM Dates September 23 October 14 November 18 and December 16 What is the role of the Deaf Hard of Hearing Guide Location Okanagan Regional Library Plaza 33 Mall 20 301 Hwy 33 West Kelowna Rutland Branch Time Saturdays 1 00 2 00 PM Date September 16 October 21 November 18 and December 16 A Deaf Hard of Hearing Guide provides parents with an invaluable perspective that comes from direct personal experience We currently have an opening for a Deaf adult role model fluent in American Sign Language st Location Oakridge Library 191 650 West 41 Avenue Vancouver Time Fridays 10 30 11 30 AM Dates September 15 October 13 November 10 and December 8 Registration is NOT required for the ASL and English Storytelling programs News Flash We are excited to welcome Scott Jeffery to our team He recently moved to our team from working with the Victory Hill Residential Program for a total of 11 years Scott looks forward to working with children youth and families that register for our services We are hosting a Family and Community Immersion in Williams Lake Please watch out for our flyer for more details How to Apply Please submit a letter outlining your interest qualifications and experience to kshauer cw bc ca See Request for Interest below for further details regarding these part time positions Application letters must be received no later than September 29th 2017 More information about Guide By Your Side BC Early Hearing Program and Hands Voices www phsa ca our services programs services bc early hearing program early language support guide byyour side www bchandsandvoices com www handsandvoices org Page 1 of 3 Stay up to date with FCS by liking us on Facebook Look for Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services FNDC 20 Fall 2017 FNDC 21 Fall 2017

Page 21

Page 22

Request for Interest Parent Guide Position Request for Interest Deaf Hard of Hearing Guide Position Hands Voices Guide By Your Side Program GBYS BC Early Hearing Program BCEHP Hands Voices Guide By Your Side Program GBYS BC Early Hearing Program BCEHP The Parent Guide will contact families to provide non biased information and support around resources available for children newly identified deaf hard of hearing The Deaf Hard of Hearing Guide DHH Guide will work with families to provide non biased information and support sharing their invaluable perspective that comes from direct personal experience Working on an as needed basis with families and under the guidance of the GBYS Coordinator the responsibilities of the guides will include DHH Guides provide parents with The provision of timely parent to parent support at the time of identification This will include making initial contact with families collaborating with BCEHP GBYS Parent Deaf Hard of Hearing Guide team members to determine information and resources required and follow up to ensure that families needs are met Participation in the creation and review of materials used by the BC Early Hearing Program Maintenance of regular statistics and data logging of activities as necessary to the BCEHP Attending monthly meetings for the purpose of collaboration and planning for the GBYS Program Participation in initial training educational activities as required approx 3 4 days as well as ongoing 2 day GBYS team training provided twice per year Friday Saturday combination Working on an as needed basis with families and under the guidance of the GBYS Coordinator the responsibilities of the DHH Guides include Qualifications Requirements First hand current knowledge and understanding of the impact of reduced hearing levels on the family and the child must be a parent of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing with a high school diploma Dogwood certificate Knowledge of BC resources communication language and technology opportunities prevalent in the field of deafness Contractors must be willing to maintain membership in BC Hands and Voices Must have access to personal computer or laptop internet and telephone or cell phone voice and or text Interested contractors should submit a letter outlining their interest qualifications and experience to th Deadline for submission is extended to Friday September 29 2017 Please forward this to parents that you believe would make effective Parent Guides Parents can be hearing Deaf or Hard of Hearing but must be a parent of a child who is deaf hard of hearing Additional Details Interested contractors should submit a letter outlining their interest qualifications and experience to Kim Shauer Coordinator Hands Voices Guide By Your Side Program BC Early Hearing Program kshauer cw bc ca Deadline for submission is Friday September 29th 2017 Please forward this to adults that you believe would make effective DHH Guides Page 2 of 3 FNDC 22 A DHH Guide must be an adult who is d Deaf hard of hearing d Deaf blind with a high school diploma Dogwood certificate Knowledge of BC resources communication language and technology opportunities prevalent in the field of deafness Contractors must be willing to maintain membership in BC Hands and Voices Must have access to personal computer or laptop internet and cell phone voice and or text Maximum 4 6 hours per week depending on need not guaranteed two full training days provided twice year Occasional travel required for trainings outreach and events This is a paid contract position Hourly rate to be discussed Interpreters provided for interview process required trainings and monthly meetings Kim Shauer Coordinator Hands Voices Guide By Your Side Program BC Early Hearing Program kshauer cw bc ca The provision of timely support to parents after their baby is identified deaf hard of hearing This will include making initial contact with families collaborating with BCEHP Guide team members to determine information and resources required and follow up to ensure that families needs are met Participation in the creation and review of materials used by BC Early Hearing Program Maintenance of regular statistics and data logging of activities as necessary to the BCEHP Attending monthly meetings for the purpose of collaboration and planning for the GBYS Program Participation in initial training educational activities as required approx 3 4 days as well as ongoing 2 day GBYS team training provided twice per year Friday Saturday combination Qualifications Requirements Additional Details Maximum 4 6 hours per week depending on need not guaranteed two full training days provided twice year Occasional travel required for trainings outreach and events This is a paid contract position Hourly rate to be discussed Interpreters can be provided for interview process required trainings and monthly meetings A safe place to ask questions about hearing differences or deafness Awareness of and sensitivity to issues faced by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing Hope that their child will live a successful life as a deaf or hard of hearing individual have opportunity to achieve their full potential Awareness of Deaf culture community and resources Page 3 of 3 Fall 2017 FNDC 23 Fall 2017

Page 23

Page 24

SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGES GALLAUDET COMMUNITY GAINS NATIONAL RECOGNITION NEW VIDEO CALL SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF MISTAKEN FOR TELEMARKETING June 6 2017 Author Andrew Greenman 10 Phil Dignan and Adham Talaat 14 Source http www gallaudet edu news social media engagement The Gallaudet community embraces social media and nationally known entities have taken notice at how social media engages the Bison worldwide Beginning with a Facebook page and a few core followers Gallaudet s multi platform approach with social media has now become a national example in effective alumni and community engagement catching the attention of some high profile organizations Gallaudet made the Top 10 Most Influential Colleges Online list on Universities com for social media in 2016 along with universities such as Princeton Stanford and Yale The article mentioned how Gallaudet aims to use visual media to promote the recognition that deaf people and their signed languages are vast resources with significant contributions to the cognitive creative and cultural dimensions of human diversity In 2015 the Office of University Communications recognized the massive impact and benefits of social media and brought Lauren Benedict 13 onboard as its digital media specialist Watching our Instagram account grow from around 800 to over 13 700 followers in only 18 months was confirmation that our efforts are working said Benedict Our goal is to ensure our entire community is engaged on social media using one or more of our platforms that best suits them In the ensuing months several social media campaigns helped build and increase Gallaudet s social media presence Among those campaigns are WhyGallaudet viewed over 33 000 times on Instagram in which members of the community explained via video why they chose to attend or work at Gallaudet HeartbeatsOfGU showing diverse members of campus and an explanation of what they are studying and GallaudetUAlum a hashtag dedicated to stories featuring alumni Gallaudet University Athletic Social Media platforms operated by the Sports Information Office under the handle GallaudetBison finished the 2015 16 school year ranked No 1 in NCAA Division III out of 450 schools for a second consecutive year according to www d3socialmedia com We have worked diligently over the years to create and secure Gallaudet Athletics identity in the social media space said Sam Atkinson Gallaudet Athletics sports information director This has been a long building process and due to our amazing fan base around the world they have helped us reach No 1 in NCAA Division III This year the Athletic Department utilized Facebook Live to broadcast Gallaudet s games to Bison followers all over the world Though not the first Gallaudet president to utilize social media President Roberta J Cordano has become the most active in using it to engage with the community through her Facebook and Instagram accounts as well as Gallaudet s YouTube channel Gallaudet is at the forefront among its peers in finding the best avenues to connect with our loyal alumni and community and now we can do it in real time through social media said Cordano We appreciate how social media allows us to engage our community in a two way conversation allowing us to have a mutual learning experience As of June 6 2017 Gallaudet has gained 69 827 likes on Facebook 12 500 followers on Twitter 15 500 followers on Instagram 851 948 views and 4 868 subscribers on YouTube an average of 700 views per post on SnapChat and 218 followers on Pinterest June 22 2017 Author Teghan Beaudette Source http www cbc ca news canada manitoba new video call service for people who are deaf mistaken for telemarketing 1 4172402 A service that helps people who are deaf and hard of hearing make phone calls is being mistaken for a telemarketing service resulting in slammed down phones and cut lines before the person has a chance to communicate I m able to call anybody I want to and they can call me When I had a TTY I was limited to who I could communicate with he said VRS or video relay service was introduced in September to allow Canadians who are deaf and hard of hearing to communicate in their first language American Sign Language Let s say I lost my credit card and I needed to contact the bank she said They would say I think I can hear that we re using a relay service the bank often won t allow that because they re not speaking directly to me A lot of people don t know what VRS is When we phone sometimes they think it s a telemarketer and they end up hanging up said Sheila Montney Deaf Centre Manitoba s executive director Zimmer says getting calls back can be difficult too Either people don t realize they can call him back using the service or they aren t comfortable doing so I would say there s probably about 30 there s been many many people hung up on She said users of the service come and try to ask me for help and let me know that a lot of people are hanging up on them What I do is I phone the business or the office that they were trying to contact and let them know that individual is trying to reach them One problem though is that some organizations have been slow to adapt Montney said Montney is working with Winnipeg South Centre member of Parliament Jim Carr to resolve some of those issues In the meantime Deaf Centre Manitoba is asking anyone who gets a call from the service to be patient before hanging up Montney also said businesses and call centres are also welcome to get in touch with Deaf Centre Manitoba for more information on how VRS works Previous systems like teletypewriters or TTY required people to write out what they wanted to say in English and an operator would read it to the person being called The Canadian Association of the Deaf had been fighting for 12 years to get VRS services so we could sign and communicate in our first language of sign language said Montney You have to remember that English is not our first language If a deaf person were using TTY to communicate sometimes medical information can be very complicated or complex There can be a lot of misunderstanding when it s coming through a second language Save the Date for Our Annual Conference CAEDHH BC OCTOBER 20 2017 LI TE RA C Y B RE A K IN G DO W N B A R RIE RS Katherine Robinson BA NIC Short delay at start of call Mandy Longo MS CCC SLP Under the new system people who are deaf use a video chat system to sign with an interpreter who then relays the message via phone to the person they wish to reach It works for incoming and outgoing calls and has an option for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to speak directly to each other through video chat Resource Materials and Technology Center for Deaf Hard of Hearing Topic Focus on a variety of reading writing assessment tools x But the start of the call has a short delay as the interpreter tells the caller the phone is ringing when it s been answered and when they can sign their message The operator then asks for the correct person and informs them they are being called by video relay Dennis Zimmer works for the Manitoba Deaf Association and said the VRS system has been wonderful for me personally Zimmer said he can now make his own doctor s appointments check for lab results speak to family members and for the first time ever make outgoing calls from his cellphone FNDC 24 Fall 2017 Jessica Trussell PhD National Technology Institute of the Deaf NTID Topic Interactive focus on reading writing instructional practices Location Michael J Fox Theatre at BCSD 7373 MacPherson Ave Burnaby FNDC 25 Fall 2017

Page 25

Page 26

HOW APPLE IS PUTTING VOICES IN USERS HEADS LITERALLY August 2 2017 Author Steven Levy Source https www wired com story how apple is putting voices in users headsliterally My conversation with Mathias Bahnmueller started as pretty much all my phone interviews do Can you hear me he asked and I replied affirmatively Then I asked him the same question His answer was yes he could hear me very clearly And this was a tiny miracle That s because Bahnmueller suffers from hearing loss so severe that a year ago he underwent surgery to install a cochlear implant an electronic device in the inner ear that replaces the usual hearing mechanism Around a million patients have undergone this increasingly mainstream form of treatment and that s just a fraction of those who could benefit from it Of the 360 million people worldwide with hearing loss about 10 percent would qualify for the surgery For those who reach a point where hearing aids no longer help this is the only solution says Allison Biever an audiologist in Englewood CO who works with implant patients It s like restoring a signal in a radio station Cochlear implants bypass the usual hearing process by embedding a device in the inner ear and connecting it via electrodes to the nerve that sends audio signals to the brain The implant gets sound from an external microphone and sound processor that usually sits behind the ear Until now users have had to deal with balky remote controls to adjust the settings And dealing with smartphones has required a separate piece of equipment that vexes communication thanks to its low quality and annoying lags But Bahnmueller a 49 year old executive in automotive safety has recently been testing a new solution The reason I was coming through so clearly is that his over the ear device linked to the implant was streaming directly from his iPhone essentially putting the conversation in his head The system he was using came from a collaboration between Apple and Cochlear a company that has been involved with implant technology since the treatment s early days The firms announced last week that the first product based on this approach Cochlear s Nucleus 7 sound processor won FDA approval in June the first time that the agency has approved such a link between cochlear implants and phones or tablets Those using the system can not only get phone calls directly routed inside their skulls but also stream music podcasts audio books movie soundtracks and even Siri all straight to the implant While our devices have been built to support hearing aids for years we found that the experience of people trying to make a phone call was not always a good one says Sarah Herrlinger Apple s director of global accessibility policy So we brought together a lot of people in different areas around the company to start investigating ways to make the process easier As she FNDC 26 Fall 2017 indicates Apple s accessibility team has been working for several years to support conventional hearing aids an initiative whose results are made apparent by not only the dozens of hearing related products in the App Store but also a Hearing Aid Mode built into the iOS settings It connects with hearing aids whose manufacturers have adopted the free Apple protocols earning them a Made for iPhone approval Apple also has developed a feature called Live Listen that lets hearing aid users employ the iPhone as a microphone which comes in handy at meetings and restaurants Taking on the task of making iPhones with cochlear implants was harder Our goal was to get rid of all those extra things that need batteries and can get in the way so when a phone call comes in you just hit the button to answer it and that sound is streaming into your hearing aids says Herrlinger It wasn t an easy process because this solution required pushing the Bluetooth wireless technology farther than usual To do this Apple s accessibility team which spans the company s entire product line had to tap the talents of its engineering staff in wireless battery consumption and UI design It s a different type of device so we had to do more iteration says Eric Seymour Apple director of accessibility engineering To solve the huge problem of streaming high quality audio without quickly draining the tiny zinc batteries in hearing aids Apple had previously developed a new technology called Bluetooth LEA or Low Energy Audio The company released that but didn t talk about it when the first Made for iPhone hearing aids appeared in 2014 Previously the low energy standard for Bluetooth called LE was used as its name implies only for tasks that are parsimonious in sending data such as getting readings from heart rate monitors and FitBits Apple says that LEA is the first use of the low energy standard to stream high quality music and voice while preserving LE s battery extending properties We chose Bluetooth LE technology because that was the lowest power radio we had in our phones says Sriram Hariharan an engineering manager on Apple s CoreBluetooth team To make LEA work with cochlear implants he says We spent a lot of time tuning our solution to meet the requirements of the battery technology used in the hearing aids and cochlear implants Apple understood that as with all wireless links some data packets would be lost in transmission so the team figured out how to compensate for that and re transmit them as needed All those things came together to figure out how to actually do this says Hariharan The user of course doesn t have to deal with concepts like packet transmission the controls are all in standard looking settings beginning with activation Herrlinger says that an iPhone or iPod Touch pairs with hearing aids cochlear and conventional the same way that it finds AirPods or nearby Bluetooth speakers I wondered whether the process of making iPhones work with hearing aids might have actually affected the development of AirPods themselves At that point a wired in allegiance to Apple secrecy maybe employees have that implanted in their heads like cochlear devices kicked in and none of the five Apple people who were on the call with me would shed light on that matter After the conversation I was able to get more illumination on the matter the Made for iPhone work was focused on accessibility and AirPods do not use Bluetooth LEA Another aspect of the system announced last week is that it supports what s known as a bimodal setup where hearing on one side comes from an implant and hearing on the other side comes from a conventional hearing aid This is fairly common as hearing loss often is worse on one side In other cases our friends in the health insurance industry decide that despite medical indications one cochlear implant is plenty for a customer A third partner in the collaboration ReSound worked with Apple and Cochlear so that the integration was seamless and sometimes can work to its advantage In 2014 ReSound became the first company to sell an Made for iPhone hearing aid Herrlinger describes a situation in which a bimodal user is in a loud restaurant dining with a person seated to her left That user could drop the volume on the right hand side blocking out the din and concentrate on the conversation Oh and the Nucleus 7 uses Apple s location technology to implement a Find My Processor feature which will be useful for kids with implants to locate the units after they re jarred loose on the playground Though Cochlear which according to its senior VP for research and development Jan Janssen has about half of the implant market is the first to use the system Apple will offer the technology free to qualified manufacturers Right now it s the only alternative as Google whose Android system is Apple s chief mobile operating system competitor says that its accessibility team s hearing efforts have so far focused on captioning Hearing aid support the company says is on the roadmap but there s no public timeline for now Merging medical technology like Apple s is a clear benefit to those needing hearing help But I m intrigued by some observations that Dr Biever the audiologist who s worked with hearing loss patients for two decades shared with me She says that with this system patients have the ability to control their sound environment in a way that those with good hearing do not so much so that she is sometimes envious How cool would it be to listen to a song without anyone in the room hearing it When I m in the noisiest of rooms and take a call on my iPhone I can t hold my phone to ear and do a call she says But my recipient can do this This paradox reminds me of the approach I m seeing in the early commercial efforts to develop a brain machine interface an initial focus on those with cognitive challenges with a long term goal of supercharging everyone s brain We re already sort of cyborgs working in a partnership of dependency with those palm size slabs of glass and silicon that we carry in our pockets and purses The next few decades may well see them integrated subcutaneously I m not suggesting that we all might undergo surgery to make use of the tools that Apple has developed But I do see a future where our senses are augmented less invasively Pulling out a smartphone to fine tune one s aural environment or even sending vibes to a brain controlled successor to the iPhone might one day be as common as tweaking bass and treble on a stereo system For now the implant and Apple s new technology is more than enough for Mathias Bahnmueller Before he had the surgery Bahnmueller s hearing difficulties were getting in the way of his job he was unable to follow presentations at board meetings for instance They cut him off from his loved ones too He would ask his 10 year old daughter to repeat what she d said and when she d answer Never mind it wasn t important he d be devastated Now that he has the implant he can hear his daughter the first time she speaks Using his new device he listens to audiobooks streamed directly to his skull And when he recently went to a noisy brewpub on date night with his wife he pulled out his phone changed the settings and focused only on what she said Everyone else in the place was probably shouting to be heard But the guy with the implant could hear his wife s voice very clearly MARLEE MATLIN JOINS QUANTICO SEASON 3 July 31 2017 Author Elizabeth Wagmeister Source http variety com 2017 tv news marlee matlin quantico season 3 abc 1202511498 Marlee Matlin has joined Quantico as a series regular for the upcoming third season Variety has learned For Matlin the Quantico gig marks a continuation in the actress s relationship with Disney ABC as she had a large role on Freeform s Switched at Birth and also competed on ABC s Dancing With the Stars Matlin will play Jocelyn Turner an ex FBI agent who was known at one time as the best undercover agent in the field until a bomb blew up near her and rendered her deaf The FBI put her out to pasture but now she s being brought back to join a special unit with several other returning characters Starring Priyanka Chopra Quantico is an espionage drama about FBI recruits training at the Quantico base Along with Matlin Season 3 will see some casting changes with Yasmine Al Massri and Pearl Thusi leaving the show Chopra will be back along with returning cast members Jake McLaughlin Johanna Braddy and Blair Underwood Michael Seitzman has joined the series as showrunner following Josh Safran s departure The third season will span 13 episodes Matlin in real life is deaf She is a prominent member of the National Association of the Deaf and is the only deaf performer to have won the Academy Award for best actress which she won in 1987 for her first film Children of a Lesser God Over the course of her career she has also won a Golden Globe and has been nominated for four Emmys For ABC the role is the latest authentic casting choice following the family sitcom Speechless which is about a kid with special needs and stars Micah Fowler who has cerebral palsy in real life Quantico which was created by Safran hails from ABC Studios Along with Seitzman executive producers are Mark Gordon Nicholas Pepper and Robert Sertner Matlin is repped by Innovative Artists and manager Steve Sauer at Media Four FNDC 27 Fall 2017

Page 27

Page 28

STARBUCKS APRONS OPEN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEAF BARISTAS AND CUSTOMERS IN THE US August 25 2017 Author Kelly Sheppard Source https news starbucks com news starbucks sign language aprons in the us An estimated 360 million people worldwide have a hearing loss Katie Giles a Starbucks barista in Washington D C is one of them Communicating with hearing people at work over the past seven years has been at times very unpleasant Giles shared over the phone using an American Sign Language ASL interpreter provided through a video telecommunications service So she set out to find a solution one that would improve communication in her store and others across the country Earlier this month green aprons with Starbucks embroidered in ASL fingerspelling were distributed to more than 50 baristas at the company who have identified as Deaf The aprons recommended by Giles serve as both a visual cue for customers and a point of Deaf cultural pride The road to understanding and acceptance The partners at Giles first Starbucks store in Frederick Md didn t know sign language but found ways to communicate with her They wrote notes and tapped her when they needed to get her attention Giles primary role was to make drinks after her co workers took orders from the drive through window American flag embroidered on the front Giles said I thought that creating something similar with a symbol to distinguish Deaf partners could be helpful On a break during the expo I told Adam and Marthalee how veterans and military spouses in my store had received patriotic green aprons with an FNDC 28 Fall 2017 Novsam believes that the aprons will attract more Deaf talent The aprons will help the company to shine especially within the Deaf community he said Katie Giles is proud to show people that Starbucks is a welcoming environment for both Deaf partners and customers People are curious and tend to look at me with more of a friendly face when they enter my store and see me in the apron she said I ve even learned that some of my customers know a bit of sign language which they had not used because they didn t know I was Deaf My relationship with customers has totally changed Novsam who is Deaf and a business analyst with Starbucks Facilities and Environmental Performance Management team agreed to help Giles by investigating how the patriotic aprons were made Several months into his research Novsam learned about a Starbucks store in Malaysia where partners communicate in Malaysian Sign Language and wear aprons with Starbucks embroidered in finger spelling across the front The store which opened in Kuala Lumpur in July 2016 is the first of its kind for Starbucks and aims to provide a career path and sense of belonging for Deaf people Starbucks Malaysia worked in close partnership with The Society of Interpreters for the Deaf to facilitate the hiring training and coaching of the store s nine Deaf partners who not only use sign language but also take orders using menu cards and handwritten notes The store also employs four hearing partners who are proficient in sign language GETTING THE WORD IN BU DEAF STUDIES RESEARCHERS LOOK FOR WAYS TO PREVENT CHILDREN FROM BEING DEPRIVED OF LANGUAGE The Malaysia store s aprons served as inspiration for making similar aprons in the U S But first we needed to find the right company to create them Novsam said A few years ago Naomi Caselli a Boston University Deaf Studies researcher stumbled upon her father s faded class picture from the 1960s He stood in the back a suited adolescent in a sea of elementary schoolchildren Caselli assumed he was a teacher s aide First Deaf supplier for Starbucks March 6 2017 Author Elizabeth Dougherty Source http www bu edu research articles asl language acquisition He wasn t Her father had been held back Angie Foster who has been Deaf since birth operated a graphics embroidery business out of her home for eight years before opening an EmbroidMe franchise in Frederick Md in 2014 Galeota asked Foster to take on the apron project In 2013 Giles transferred to a busy store in Washington D C when she enrolled at Gallaudet University the only liberal arts university in the world for people who are Deaf and hard of hearing Her work experience suffered with a manager unaccustomed to working with a Deaf partner and who was frustrated by the communications barrier It was an emotional year for Giles who found it difficult to successfully advocate for her needs She began to question her future at Starbucks until she met Adam Novsam and Marthalee Galeota both partners at Starbucks Seattle headquarters at a Gallaudet University job expo in 2014 The three brainstormed ideas for improving the work life for Deaf partners and Giles hit on an idea Having these aprons will unify the Deaf community at Starbucks and empower us to share our culture she said Starbucks Malaysia store leads the way There were several Deaf customers who were regulars at the store so my manager and other partners had exposure to communicating with Deaf people she said They were really supportive and helped me find a comfortable place in the store My manager would give me instructions when my back was turned so I couldn t read her lips She would write me up for not getting my job done said Giles I wasn t offered the role I had in my previous store so I had more direct interaction with customers who didn t know I was Deaf They got upset if I didn t respond or misinterpreted their drinks has brewed now the sign language aprons are part of the package available to them He s a beautiful signer now says Caselli who is hearing but learned ASL alongside spoken English from birth But that s uncommon for people who ve had a similar experience I was thrilled to embroider aprons for Deaf baristas at Starbucks she said I can see other businesses taking Starbucks lead and wanting to do similar projects Building inclusion Massih who has been with Starbucks for 14 years played an integral role in establishing a centralized budget for the company s accommodations process which provides services and tools for those with disabilities For Deaf partners this includes interpreter services electronic white boards for taking orders from customers and flashing timers to indicate when coffee At age 19 at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology he got his first look at American Sign Language ASL in practice among other deaf students I was enthralled says Kenney who immersed himself in learning the language A lightbulb went on Today he still struggles with reading and expressing himself in written English frustrations that evoke his childhood when his ability to communicate was so limited I m still connecting to that anger says Kenney who is now a Certified Deaf Interpreter We were intent on finding a Deaf supplier the first for Starbucks said Galeota Angie s work is stellar and we hope this visibility will bring more business her way With the first order of aprons developed Giles and Novsam sought a system for distributing aprons to future Deaf partners who join the company They called on Sevana Massih a Deaf district manager in Berkeley California for help By age eight he knew a few basic words but he could not speak in sentences and used made up gestures to communicate with his family He did learn to read however and excelled in math and science as a teen Raymond Kenney stands in the back row far right a bright adolescent in a class of elementary age students Kenney is deaf but had no access to sign language in school so he had limited opportunities to advance He had lagged behind his peers for a specific reason Caselli s father Raymond Kenney is profoundly deaf in both ears He was in a class for deaf and hard of hearing children but they didn t teach sign language there Instead teachers spent years coaching him to speak using physical and visual cues Over and over they sounded out words like ball repeating bah bah bah while holding his hand at their mouths to show him how to mimic the vibrations They really wanted him to speak says Caselli Today ASL has been accepted as a full fledged language with all of the complexity structure syntax and storytelling found in spoken languages Also elementary and secondary school programs for the deaf teach and assess ASL proficiency using accepted measurement tools some of which were developed at BU But language deprivation remains a real problem for deaf children Kids today are still having much the same experience that my dad did says Caselli It is not a thing of the past The concern now among researchers like Caselli and Amy Lieberman assistant professor of deaf studies in the BU School of Education is what happens before school starts Approximately 90 to 95 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents who often don t know sign language and therefore will likely struggle to teach it before their children enter school FNDC 29 Fall 2017

Page 29

Page 30

Even among school aged deaf children estimates based on data from a 2010 survey from Gallaudet University which specializes in deaf education suggest that at most 40 percent of families use sign language at home Given this data educators in the field worry that a majority of deaf children may be deprived of language Exposure to language from birth is essential for the development of thinking skills according to a range of studies Without access to language children have a harder time in school They also have more difficulty developing a sense of self and others They even struggle with planning and time management It s a constellation of challenges says Caselli So Caselli Lieberman and their collaborators are using the tools of linguistics behavioral psychology cognitive science and education to understand how deaf children acquire language and in turn how best to teach them We desperately need data about this she says We are still at the beginning stages of identifying the most prevalent issues Critical Moments When Robert Hoffmeister founded the BU Deaf Studies program in 1980 ASL was on the fringes of acceptance Students at BU could study it but it did not count as a foreign language That s the cloud we lived under for about 25 years says Hoffmeister associate professor emeritus of deaf studies That cloud was more or less lifted by evidence based research Linguistic analyses showed that ASL is a language not just a bunch of gestures It uses space coordinated handshapes and movements facial expressions and a unique syntax to build meaning Together this visual language has all the structural features found in spoken languages It also has its own literary traditions We have folklore passed down from generation to generation says Bruce Bucci a BU Deaf Studies instructor who is among several deaf faculty members at BU and communicated through an interpreter for this story There is a visual tradition and culture connected with the language Acceptance of ASL as a language was a fundamental first step toward preventing language deprivation because it validated the teaching of ASL to deaf babies and children The developing brain responds to language no matter how it is presented so exposure to ASL is equivalent to exposure to a spoken language The same brain regions and mechanisms perceive and acquire language regardless of the modality says Lieberman Researchers also learned that language deprivation delays the development of thinking skills In 2007 Hoffmeister and colleagues studied deaf children s development of theory of mind the human ability to think about other people s thoughts They found that children exposed to sign language from birth develop theory of mind apace with hearing children But children with delayed language exposure also had delays in theory of mind You need language to talk about the world says Hoffmeister who hears but is a child of deaf parents Language was the crucial factor Hoffmeister went on to develop ways to assess language acquisition in school aged children Now research in the Deaf Studies program is shifting the focus to younger children from birth to age five This age range is known as the critical period of language development During those years exposure to language triggers all kinds of development Pull the trigger and children associate words with things ideas and feelings They form a sense of self and others an understanding of time and planning and an ability to pay attention and make connections FNDC 30 Fall 2017 On the flip side without language exposure children experience a cascade of deficits If babies don t have stimulation with language during that critical time of development then their cognitive development their thinking skills and their language development are all at stake says Nicole Salamy a speech and language pathologist at Boston Children s Hospital who is also a deaf studies instructor at BU Bucci puts it more directly If children are deprived of language they will not thrive The problem is that for deaf children language is visual It s not passively absorbed as the sounds of life occur around them When deaf children have access to visual language they can navigate their world right away Salamy says Language Barriers Hearing parents of deaf children face all of the challenges of parenthood plus the need to learn a completely new language for communicating with their child They also face conflicting advice from health providers associations and educators Some advocacy and professional groups counsel against introducing sign language particularly targeting parents who want to use medical interventions such as cochlear implants Parents are told that sign language will distract their child or that it will take up space in the brain and not leave room for learning spoken languages These and other concerns have largely been debunked In a recent review of research on the subject Caselli and her colleagues Matthew Hall from the University of Connecticut and Wyatte Hall from the University of Rochester Medical Center show that learning ASL early supports learning a spoken language later the same way learning one spoken language supports learning a second If you understand the structures of one language you ll be able to use and understand them in another she says There is also a notion that deaf children struggle with reading because they can t sound out words This connection between written language and sounds is called phonological coding But according to research Lieberman did before she came to BU this is also a misconception Many skilled deaf readers do not have access to phonological coding she says They clearly have alternate routes to reading most likely having a foundation in sign language Ultimately there is no risk to introducing children to sign language Research shows that the deaf child will only benefit whether hearing and speech are introduced later or not You can do both says Caselli You can learn sign language and try to get spoken language One of the biggest challenges for educators and researchers who want to improve deaf education is figuring out how to detect language deprivation This would not only help researchers understand the scale of the problem but also help them guide deaf children and their parents to services that can smooth the way to introducing sign language A first step being taken by Caselli Lieberman and Jennie Pyers a visiting faculty member from Wellesley College is to develop an ASL test for children under five With new funding from the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders part of the National Institutes of Health NIH they plan to work initially with deaf children who have deaf parents We want to sort out what vocabulary acquisition looks like under ideal conditions says Caselli From there they will study deaf children with hearing parents who likely face bigger challenges and potential delays as parents learn to sign Our goal is to determine where children fall behind and where they don t so that we can focus interventions she says To support this effort Caselli developed an online visual lexical database for ASL called ASL LEX The tool which won the People s Choice Award Interactive Category in the Vizzies Visualization Challenge sponsored by the National Science Foundation and Popular Science documents nearly 1 000 ASL signs along with information about frequency of use grammar and hand movements The database will also become a repository for information about milestones such as the age at which children learn different signs This information in turn can become a source for building assessment tools Attention Getters For parents of deaf children job one aside from learning the language itself is getting the child s attention It seems simple but parents need to learn how to manage their child s gaze says Lieberman Deaf babies who learn sign language from their parents learn to manage their attention by the time they reach preschool according to earlier research by Lieberman They look up to see a sign and down to connect the sign to an object she says They do so in meaningful and purposeful ways Since eye movements reveal a lot about how deaf children process and learn language Lieberman developed a set of studies using techniques that track eye movements and is continuing this research with a grant from the NIH She and her research team which includes both deaf and hearing researchers are focused on deaf children as young as 18 months and up to five years to understand how and when they learn words The study will include both deaf children with deaf parents and deaf children with hearing parents We want to look at the full spectrum of deaf children looking carefully at the quantity and quality of language exposure they re receiving says Lieberman How do those two measures correlate with the ability to develop visual attention skills and new words Not only will this research help develop milestones for detecting language deprivation it will also help develop interventions for children who are falling behind An outcome could be an educational program or tips for parents that help them manage their child s gaze Without looking there s no language says Lieberman FIERCE DEBATE OVER SIGN LANGUAGE USE BY SOME DEAF STUDENTS July 18 2017 Author Christina A Samuels Source http www edweek org ew articles 2017 07 19 fierce debate over sign language use by some html New research is stirring fierce debate over the use of sign language among young deaf children who use surgical implants that create a sense of sound The study published in the journal Pediatrics suggests that the long term use of sign language holds back the speech and reading skills of children who use devices known as cochlear implants These implants bypass damaged parts of the ear and send electrical impulses directly to a user s auditory nerve Supporters of sign language on the other hand say that a visual language is an essential foundation of literacy for deaf children even for those who use cochlear implants Pediatrics has published a flurry of critical responses to the study since it was published in June The lead author has added her own lengthy counterresponse addressing what critics say were the weaknesses of the study s design Outside of the research realm parents of deaf children are hashing out the findings on social media and comparing them to their own experiences Hendi Crosby Kowal whose daughter Grace 15 is among the children studied for the Pediatrics report communicates with her daughter almost entirely through spoken English But before Grace received her implant at the age of 11 months Kowal said she used sign language and she doesn t regret it For Carol Katarsky a Philadelphia mother of a 3 year old son with cochlear implants the findings offered a sense of relief She said she has felt some pressure to use sign language with Nicholas who received his cochlear implants a day after his 1st birthday But she had struggled with learning the complex visual language and within a few months of the implants activation Nicholas stopped signing His mother followed his lead If the only deaf person in the family doesn t want to sign I don t see a lot of benefit to spending a lot of time with it she said And in her son s preschool which focuses on developing listening and spoken language skills in deaf children she said it s her sense that children who focus solely on oral language master it better than parents who use a mix of oral communication and sign language Katarsky is not against the use of sign language however I feel like a lot of trouble could be avoided if people were saying This is what s best for me It doesn t mean that s what s best for everyone she said Learning a language Every year around 10 000 children in the United States are born with some level of hearing loss most of them to hearing parents The majority of those parents opt for cochlear implants for their children with severe or profound deafness While the devices are approved for use in children at 1 year old some surgeons are performing cochlear implant surgery in children several months younger It was really good to feel like I was doing something with her until she could access sound she said The study she said seems to discourage that FNDC 31 Fall 2017

Page 31

Page 32

The study followed nearly 100 children nationwide who received cochlear implants between 2002 and 2004 They were divided into three groups one group whose parents never used sign language with them a second group whose parents reported using sign language for up to a year after the cochlear implants were activated and a third group who said they used sign language for three years after their child received implants The study found that 70 percent of children without sign language exposure achieved age appropriate spoken language skills compared with 39 percent of those exposed to sign language for three or more years All of the groups had reading comprehension scores that were on par with hearing children while they were in early elementary grades In later elementary grades however children without sign language exposure had a statistically significant reading advantage over children in the long term sign group The differences between visual language and oral language could be the reason said the study s lead author Ann Geers Lots of literature has come out saying that if you can get sign in very early it will help bootstrap spoken language acquisition said Geers a research professor and developmental psychologist at the University of Texas in Dallas It just didn t come out that way in practice Parents who are signing frequently with their children may not be providing them all the auditory stimulation they need to maximize the use of their cochlear implants she suggests Unlike putting on a pair of eyeglasses using a cochlear implant does not confer an instant benefit it requires continuing speech and auditory therapy for children to make the most out of the devices number of variants that may use fewer words and simpler or no grammar If parents have rudimentary signing skills that could play a role in how well their children are gaining spoken English and literacy skills Hauser said Geers said that the point of the study was to meet parents where they are and that sign language proponents have argued that any use of sign language can be helpful for children Her findings suggest otherwise she said though short term signing doesn t appear to be detrimental But the goal should be to have children focus on the face and mouth not the hands she said If parents just focus on learning how to stimulate spoken language in their child these kids seem to be learning to talk faster they seem to be learning to hear speech at a faster rate and it s easier for people to understand them she said The study s findings arrive when language and literacy acquisition are at the educational forefront The Thirty Million Words Initiative an advocacy effort built around getting more parents to have meaningful conversations with their children is directed by Dr Dana Suskind Her interest in the issue was driven by her work as a cochlear implant surgeon Another grassroots effort Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids or LEAD K is working to ensure deaf children are exposed both to American Sign Language and to English Not all parents see speech acquisition as a primary goal even if their children use implants Jennifer Redmore who lives in Binghamton N Y has a 5 year old daughter with cochlear implants After misdiagnoses as a baby her daughter Ann received her implants at 27 months Ann uses American Sign Language as her primary mode of communication with her local school district providing speech therapy and an interpreter at the Catholic school she attends The study does not focus on children who have deaf parents who presumably use sign language fluently For children who have hearing parents its understandable that parents want you to grow up with the language they use and they want you to join their society Geers said It s achievable for most kids if you start early enough Redmore has an unusual perspective her own mother is postlingually deaf meaning that she lost her hearing after she learned to talk For her Ann s speech development is important but not as important as gaining access to language and literacy Peter C Hauser a deaf clinical neuropsychologist said that Geers and her colleagues are making unjustified and sweeping conclusions in the study that run the risk of depriving children of language I don t think there s a downside to being bilingual Redmore said We always felt that communication and language and literacy are what are important for Ann and for us and speech we ll get there Too often we see parents educators and medical professionals being overly optimistic that a deaf child will learn speaking and listening skills said Hauser who is the director of the Center on Cognition and Language at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf The institute is housed at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York Grace Kowal one of the children tracked through the study could be a poster child for early intervention Though she used sign language as a toddler she was enrolled as a child in a private Washington D C school the River School which provides a rich auditory environment for young children with cochlear implants About 10 to 15 percent of the student body has hearing impairments and the rest have typical hearing The program served as a total immersion program for speech and hearing Some children do develop speech and language skills with cochlear implants Hauser said Others however do not And when educators and professionals then suggest learning a sign language it is often too late as the language acquisition critical period is passed The child will end up having some non native language difficulties that has long term consequences on their education and well being Hauser said Literacy at the forefront Hauser and other critics of the study also noted that it did not attempt to measure parents facility with sign language In the study all types of sign language were grouped together including American Sign Language and a FNDC 32 Fall 2017 There she learned that it was completely normal for you not to be able to hear as well as your peers It let me accept myself as I was And it also taught her how to advocate for herself Grace a lacrosse loving rising 10th grader is fully mainstreamed in her public District of Columbia high school and her speech and literacy is on par with or exceeds that of her hearing peers But she said I hope the Pediatrics article doesn t persuade parents not to sign with their kids TWELVE TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR HOME MORE COMMUNICATION FRIENDLY July 28 2017 Author Anne McIntosh Source http limpingchicken com 2017 07 28 anne mcintosh 12 tips for making your home more communication friendly Us deaf people put a lot of emphasis on sign language hearing aids and electronic communication to cope with our hearing loss but what about looking at the space where you spend most of your time your home Is your home designed in such a way that communicating with a hearing loss is maximized Here are 12 tips to make your home more communication friendly or what to look for if you are buying or building a home in the future 1 Kitchen is where the heart of your home is Move the sink away from the window so you don t have your back to family and friends during get togethers I have my sink in a work island in the middle of the kitchen I can be at the sink and still watch captioned television or converse with people gathered around the dining room table 5 Use doors with windows in them French glass doors are wonderful if you need a door but do not want to cut out visual cues When closed the door will assist in cutting out unwanted background noise If you truly want privacy from time to time you can always add blinds to the door I used French glass doors on the nursery so I could visually check on the baby without having to open close the door and possibly waking the baby I use French glass doors in my home office I can be a part of the household as needed but I could always close the door if the house got too loud or if I needed quiet to get work done 6 Add rear view mirrors to the edge of your computer screen Mirrors on the desktop computers are wonderful whether at home or work I spend a lot of time working from a computer and I get focused on what is on my screen to the point of zoning out external visual and auditory cues Because the sink is in the middle of the work island I put the dishwasher on one side and the cook top on the other so I have everything all together and I can see and lipread everyone clearly To make sure no one startles you from behind you can use mirrors Effective Small Low tech 2 Use pots and pans with clear lids 7 Use clear shower doors Cannot hear the water boiling Are you constantly cleaning the hob from mishaps that boil over and spill Clear shower stalls are an absolute must have for people with hearing loss If your hearing aid and or cochlear implants are out you cannot hear the water running Where is your partner For years I have used clear lids on my pots and pans and they have made a world of difference Whenever I am cooking I can talk to family or friends about interesting topics and not What Oh I have a pot boiling over 3 Keep your downstairs space open plan Consider not putting in a wall that separates the dining room from the kitchen have open space The openness will enlarge the area and also allow more visual sight lines Use columns if support is needed Visually your kitchen will look larger and so will your dining room 4 Plan where everyone will sit during mealtimes Seating in the dining room is usually not planned but as a person with hearing loss you can maximize your ability to hear conversation by putting the person whom you have the most difficulty hearing closest to you either in your better ear or across from you visually Ironically the person whom you can hear the best you will want to put further away A round table enables you to see everyone well You can sit towards the middle to be an equal distance from most speakers Or you may opt to sit in a leadership chair that nonverbally says I have the talking stick A clear shower will allow you to see at a glance that someone is in the shower If you apply anti fog agents to the glass you can even converse with someone in the shower to give him her that quick message 8 Use half walls Half walls will allow openess but also sets boundaries Many people crave the open look but they still need storage shelving and want rooms to have defined space You can have all of this by utilizing half walls Half walls will allow you to define space and can provide the extra storage and shelving you may want in your open home without obstructing visual or auditory cues The ability to see over the half walls and see the person talking to you is a real bonus that adds accuracy to your communication 9 Use captions or subtitles on TV Captioned television is our radio Hearing people are all the time listening to their radio in the car on the subway or in the background at work Level the playing field to keep up with what is happening around the world by having easy access to captioned television With a full time job raising a family and having other commitments my schedule is full I bet your plate runneth over too Therefore I multi task I will have the captioned television on while relaxing in a hot bubble bath I Tip the arm chairs at the end of the table tends to be the leadership chair FNDC 33 Fall 2017

Page 33

Page 34

have little wasted time just watching television I have gotten something else done too I have a captioned television in the family room that I can see from the kitchen so if I am cooking on the cook top I can be watching the evening news too Think about where you are in your home and where captioned televisions can be positioned so that you can stay aware and alert as to what is going on like your hearing family friends and neighbours 10 Make sure all your TVs display captions Captioned television going along with Tip 9 remember to make sure ALL of your televisions are captioned I enjoy watching television with the volume muted so that I can hear other sounds such as the door bell phone ringing or someone talking to me I absorb the information better without all the background noise loud music and other auditory distractions that obstruct the message 11 Use clear glass in your outside front door for security Clear glass doors that lock are an absolute must on every home whether you have a hearing loss or not The glass door will protect your main door from weather the lock on the glass door is an added layer of security and on beautiful days I open my main front door to let in gorgeous sunshine If the door bell rings I can easily see who is at the door I can also watch for any expected deliveries or company 12 Make paths to your house visible from inside the house Do you have a pavement by your house Does the path come in from the street straight to your home You may want to reconfigure it so it comes across the yard to your front door By doing this you are increasing the likelihood that if someone is outside walking up to your house you may see them through a window in the home You can then prepare yourself to go to the door and if you already know who the person is you have a better idea of what he she may be wanting to discuss with you This knowledge will enable you to follow the conversation more closely I seem to communicate better when I know who I am talking with and what he she will be discussing MEMBER HIGHLIGHT from BC PEOPLE FIRST Submitted by Brayden Walterhouse BCPF Director Zone 1 Lower Mainland East West I am Brayden Walterhouse and I am 26 years old I am culturally Deaf and Autistic as well as have mild cerebral palsy and cortical visual impairment I speak in American Sign Language as my own first language as well as reading and writing in English as the second language I enjoy learning about politics and human geography as well as analyzing other individuals I also enjoy meeting up with friends walking biking kayaking consuming exotic foods and drinking coffee I was born in Surrey and I raised in Langley I attended the Deaf Children Society of British Columbia preschool in Burnaby and both elementary school and secondary school at British Columbia School for the Deaf in Burnaby I graduated the twelfth grade at British Columbia School for the Deaf in 2010 While I was in the secondary program at the provincial school for the Deaf I was living at the dormitory particularly for Deaf pupils who reside far away from the provincial school for the Deaf I resided at the residence during weekdays and went to home for weekends long weekends Christmas holidays spring beaks and summer holidays as well Presently I reside in a semi independent apartment in Burnaby with only ten percent of supports My long term goal is to become independent as outrightly as one hundred percent without any of supports I have a part time employment at The Home Depot in Langley I have been working there for more than seven years now As well I attend Vancouver FNDC 34 Fall 2017 Community College in Vancouver and taking the high school completion upgrades My ambition is to pursue to receiving the British Columbia Graduation Diploma Adult Dogwood I am contemplating about taking an accounting program or a humanities program at a post secondary institute once I obtained the British Columbia Graduation Diploma My long term goal is to attain to entering a full time career with a degree SHERROD OVERCOMES HEARING LOSS TO HELP A M TO WORLD SERIES June 12 2017 Author Brian Perroni Source http tamu 247sports com Bolt Sherrod overcomes hearing loss to help AM to World Series 53143821 Texas A M s bullpen has been one of the better units on the team in the 2017 season and one of the reasons for the success is Cason Sherrod and then he would not wear them at home and he got to where he just wouldn t wear them The junior from Dallas is 4 1 with a 2 89 ERA to along with four saves It s an impressive statline for anybody but Sherrod has to deal with a little more adversity than most He has a hearing disorder that limits his hearing to roughly 50 percent of what the average person is able to hear It was caused when he was born two months premature I remember the first thing I heard was the birds chirp Sherrod said I thought that was the coolest thing ever However as he looked to get the final out of the regionals a week ago after a Houston ninth inning comeback none of that mattered He recorded the final out that sent the Aggies to the Super Regionals Sherrod wears hearing aids now but that was not always the case Once I got around people who didn t know about my disability and they started to ask a lot of questions Oh what are those Sherrod told ESPN They were very noticeable I had to have these big molds put in and me being a little kid they were colorful so you could see them I started being insecure about it then I ended up damaging one I decided to give it up and decided to not wear hearing aids During junior high and the beginning of high school Sherrod refused to wear the hearing aids He got by with sitting in front of the class reading lips Slade Sherrod Cason s father told the media outlet He d wear hearing aids during school Once he finally starting wearing them again he was blown away by the difference they made Sherrod was a seldom used pitcher his first two seasons at A M before become an integral part of the team this season He has seen his efforts off with a trip to the College World Series Very confident Texas A M coach Rob Childress said of the reliever Very aggressive He s going to be the aggressor His teammates agree He s the hardest worker on our team said starting pitcher Corbin Martin Sherrod s friend and roommate He s always working out and finding ways to get better He knew it was going to be a process and he was willing to do whatever it took Just to watch him grow and become the pitcher he can be is awesome Sherrod also wants to make sure other children with hearing difficulties know they can do anything they want to do He volunteers at the Brazos Valley Regional School for the Deaf and was named the All SEC community service team A M will play No 7 national seed Louisville in the first round of the College World Series on either Saturday or Sunday I desire to educate majority of non disabled British Columbians about disabilities and to change the society for the better as well as change lives of disabled British Columbians for the better Also I desire to motivate majority of ignorant non disabled British Columbians to change their sentiments toward innocent endurable disabled British Columbians into positive as well as motivate non disabled British Columbians to treat disabled British Columbians impartially as well as show them love unconditionally and embrace for who they are Also I desire to see eradication of both ableism and audism throughout the province as well as elimination of judgements stereotypes and stigmas toward disabled British Columbians I do some advocating applying to disabilities by promoting posts about disabilities through Facebook its news feeds As well I operate two different pages in order to advocate Also I participate in the Autistic advocacy club and the Deaf community I operate my own two different pages on Facebook One of my pages is Disability Acceptance and another one is Boycott Alexander Graham Bell s Illusion of Language Deprivation Visit the Facebook pages by visiting Disability Acceptance and Boycott Alexander Graham Bell s Illusion of Language Deprivation Parent Workshop This event is for parents who have hard of hearing school age children or teens It is an excellent opportunity to learn and connect with other parents Childhood Anxiety How it looks through the school years Saturday October 28 1 00pm 4 30pm BC Family Hearing Resouce Centre 15220 92 Ave Surrey Cost 5 cash at the door Please register online at www CHHAparents com FNDC 35 Fall 2017

Page 35

Page 36

DEAF SWIMMER SHINES LIGHT ON TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD CHANGE FUTURE OF THE SPORT July 13 2017 Author Nicole Auerbach Source https www usatoday com story sports olympics 2017 07 13 deaf swimmer inspires change with starting lights 471238001 The lights glow in sequence almost rhythmic as they cycle through Blinking red flashes and then a steady red accompany the on the block command Blue illuminates to tell swimmers to take their mark Green means go and that is triggered by the pool s starting system Gallaudet University rising senior Faye Frez Albrecht focuses on the colors inches from her face and practices her start to swim the backstroke Frez Albrecht is deaf and legally blind For the past two years after she was disqualified from a meet because she did not make it to the starting blocks in time Frez Albrecht and her coach have led an effort to remove the competitive disadvantages athletes who are deaf and hard of hearing face in swim meets The LED tube lights tested repeatedly in the pool at Gallaudet have been approved by the NCAA for use at the start of competitive races starting with the 2017 18 academic year It s a victory for deaf swimmers competing in college but Frez Albrecht ultimately may be known as the swimmer who changed how the sport starts its races Not only does the innovative light system make it possible for deaf swimmers to get a fair shot it helps all swimmers improve their start times Light after all travels faster than sound The basic problem that the deaf athletes have had to face forever it s that the way the sport has been set up they make special rules to allow the deaf athletes to participate but they don t go anywhere near trying to make it fair said Larry Curran Gallaudet s head coach The special rules include hand signals or flashing strobe lights from the side of the pool but both methods require deaf swimmers turn their heads to the side to see when they can start Curran estimates that costs them at least a half second while hearing athletes can simply start when they hear the normal oral commands What we re doing here with Faye is a grassroots effort that is going to end up eventually changing the way swimming races are started from kindergarten to the Olympics Curran said It s going to take a little while to do that but it will have international effects Path to activism Frez Albrecht was born with Usher syndrome a genetic disorder that affects hearing and vision She was born profoundly deaf with accompanying balance issues and started losing her vision around age 10 She played a variety of sports growing up soccer basketball and track and developed a love for swimming though there were no swim teams for her to join until she enrolled at Gallaudet a university federally chartered in 1864 to ensure the intellectual and professional advancement of deaf and hard of hearing individuals through both American Sign Language and English balance issues outside of the water but in the water I don t feel that When I m on land I fall easily Other sports are pretty difficult for me I ve always had great teammates of course but in swimming it s really just a place where I feel like I have skill and a pretty equal playing field Curran who had never met a deaf person before he came to Gallaudet in 2011 said athletes like Frez Albrecht are what makes this work here so rewarding That and how much he and his deaf swimmers learn from one another It doesn t matter whether somebody comes in with Olympic experience or whether like Faye they re really new to competitive swimming Curran said You see what they come in with and then you see what they develop into and it s really amazing In her case the first time she swam the length of the pool I wasn t sure was going to stop when she got there By the end of the season she was swimming the mile She was doing the 400 individual medley I put her in the 100 butterfly She s turned into a great utility swimmer Her versatility only made her disqualification at the 2016 North Eastern Athletic Conference NEAC championships more disappointing both for Frez Albrecht and the team There were multiple factors starting with the murkiness of the water and the pool s filtration system For a deaf athlete with vision problems it s a disadvantage She was unable to navigate properly Curran said So what we did was we got broomsticks and put a tennis ball on the end and then she would go swimming down the pool as fast as she could go and we were tapping her to keep her in a straight line and then when she would get to the wall going as fast as she could to the wall and she couldn t see she relied on someone to tap her on the shoulder and so she could do a racing turn and go back That takes a lot of guts Using this makeshift technique Frez Albrecht swam in a relay event Then during a 10 minute break she and Curran discussed ways she could make her turns and stay safe in the murky water for individual events Her 400 IM the most grueling event in all of swimming was up next They were very rushed because they had started the meet an hour late Frez Albrecht said I had been in the water and gotten out of the water to start my event and my two assistant coaches were helping me to go toward the event but there were a lot of things in the way wires and so forth They just went ahead and started the event before I had gotten to my block and then I was disqualified Faye recognizes no limits Curran said There aren t any as far as she s concerned Seeking to help competitors such as herself Frez Albrecht and Curran pushed for meetings with the NCAA to improve accessibility at swim meets not only within their conference but for every college swimmer How this technology could change the sport And then Nick Santino came along with his light based starting system Five years ago Santino was working as a distributor for Colorado Time Systems a company that specializes in aquatic timing scoring and display systems when a customer had asked if he thought he could develop a light that could remain close to the starting block to help a young deaf swimmer in Albany Not done yet The lighting system will be available for all collegiate swimmers for the 2017 18 academic year It s a significant step to make the sport accessible for all but Curran is not satisfied because the technology is permitted but not required We feel that it s necessary to make it mandatory for it to really get widespread use he said It is not a system in which you make special procedures for somebody for a disability to participate It s an accessible system can be participated in by those with disability with no modifications It s an improvement in the starting system for hearing individuals too Reaction Light Systems have received permission to be used to start events sanctioned by the National Federation of State High School Associations the YMCA and USA Swimming Santino said this week he is in the process of shipping RLS technology to Turkey for the Deaflympics later this month So he built a prototype and it worked That led to a partnership with Doug Matchett the director of USA Deaf Swimming and some experimentation Santino built a light system for a meet at the Rochester Institute of Technology Then he took it to the 2015 USA Deaf Swimming championships in San Antonio where he met Curran who needed help supporting Frez Albrecht s grassroots efforts Santino began working with Gallaudet in April 2016 using its swimmers and pool to test his product By July he d built a demo Reaction Lights System for the team By August he d built a portable RLS to use at away meets The lights about the size of a microphone are located beneath each starting block and protrude slightly so they can be used for any event including backstroke which starts in the water Gallaudet Santino and the NCAA worked together for months to understand the technology and incorporate the starting procedures The NCAA wanted to test RLS to see if it reacted within one ten thousandth of a second with with the sport s three major timing system companies Colorado Time Daktronics and Omega It did The NEAC received a permit to try the light system at its 2017 championship meet where it received overwhelmingly positive response not only from the deaf swimmers but also athletes from other schools and officials too On June 13 the NCAA approved the use of lights or a lighting system to start races involving swimmers who are deaf and hard of hearing Gallaudet s two year effort to change the status quo succeeded Really I never dreamed that I would have a video that went viral that my picture would be out there and I would be known for something like this especially me as somebody who is involved in the deaf community Frez Albrecht said I just didn t expect that I wasn t planning for it It just happened Perhaps it won t stop there Santino and Curran would love to see it replace or at least accompany the whistles audio commands and current starting signal at all levels of swimming Rules that make things more likely that the race will be fair for all in the race I m all about that said David Marsh the 2016 U S Olympic head women s coach and current coach at UC San Diego I support that 100 This will help that Every athlete every person has different things they react to different stimuli There are people who can react to a sound faster than another person Light is another dimension that you can go off of and certainly it s the fastest way to do it outside of maybe anticipation Swimmers have always looked for an edge anything to shave a hundredth off their time Improving reaction times using better touch pad technology optimizing the number of strokes per lap even those fast suits that are now banned all of that stems from the idea that this is a sport that encourages the pursuit of perfection and every millisecond counts Swimming has been a march through technology since it started Curran said They yelled Go for years Then somebody started shooting a gun Then I guess it was about the 70s or 80s they started using a horn and you could hear the beep They used to do analog and then they went to electronic judging and timing systems That has progressed and it is very sophisticated at this point This in my opinion is simply another addition another development in technology that s going to improve it for everybody One of the things that s very obvious when you start looking at using this system compared to normal oral commands is that when you use the starting horn everybody goes off you can tell there s a difference in timing When they go from the lights everybody hits the water at the same time It s a far better starting system The policy is if you re disqualified for one event you re disqualified for the whole meet Frez Albrecht was done for the rest of the championship meet though she was allowed to swim a 1 650 yard distance event for time but not points She decided to post a vlog to Facebook about her experience It has more than 89 000 views to date Swimming is the easiest sport to me Frez Albrecht told USA TODAY Sports through an interpreter It doesn t require a whole lot of vision I have some FNDC 36 Fall 2017 FNDC 37 Fall 2017

Page 37

Page 38

Page 39

Page 40

and FNDC s Summer Program Deaf Youth Today DYT FNDC Family Network for Deaf Children PO Box 50075 Southslope RPO Burnaby B C V5J 5G3 Email fndc fndc ca Website www fndc ca June 7 2017 FNDC members DYT camper families and newsletter subscribers Re MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL DATES All FNDC membership expired March 31 2017 We decided to change our membership dates to coincide with our Summer DYT Program It s that time of year for FNDC memberships July 1 2017 to June 30 2018 Our Board of Directors feel that families benefit greatly from our low cost Deaf Youth Today summer programs For this reason becoming a member of FNDC to show your belief in our organization is valued and vital As a non profit society we are required to have formal memberships Membership lets us know that you believe in what we are doing for deaf and hard of hearing children youth and their families in British Columbia FNDC has been the catalyst to many of the changes and services that families currently receive and benefit from We continue to inform and educate by writing letters consulting and information sharing to ensure that deaf hard of hearing children and their families have access to sign language classes counselling family support better TV movie theatre captioning government videos Video Relay Services improved literacy the right to qualified interpreters postsecondary opportunities The list is endless and the work ongoing when it comes to access and inclusion for our deaf and hard of hearing children Your membership says you believe in what we are doing and is an indicator that you support us FNDC s Summer Program Deaf Youth Today DYT provides social recreational programs for deaf children leadership opportunities for deaf youth and is the leading employer of deaf students during the summer months We keep our costs to a minimum by working from home offices sharing a FNDC cellphone and applying for grants to employ deaf students as DYT summer staff We do this because we believe that parents make huge financial sacrifices ie gas costs significant travel time time off work driving your children daily to attend our DYT Summer Program Your membership fees and donations help us with the costs incurred in website maintenance workshop planning newsletter production and our DYT Summer Program We are extremely grateful for donations If you wish to receive our newsletter and ongoing email updates please make sure that you add fndc fndc ca and fndc shaw ca to your safe sender s list and email address book To pay online www fndc ca membership To download form and mail in go to www fndc ca click about click become a member and download the form FNDC FAMILY NETWORK FOR DEAF CHILDREN FAMILY NETWORK FOR DEAF CHILDREN PO Box 50075 South Slope RPO Burnaby BC V5J 5G3 Phone 604 684 1860 voice text message line Email fndc fndc ca Website www fndc ca FNDC 40 Fall 2017 35 00 includes newsletters by MAIL updates by Email 10 00 includes newsletters updates by Email ONLY You may use this form or pay for your membership online at www fndc ca membership Voting Member Parent guardian of deaf hh child Non Voting Member Individual or organization Note voting members are parents legal guardians of a deaf hh child One vote per family Birth year of your deaf hh child __________ If you are unable to pay at this time please just let us know NAME ADDRESS CITY PROVINCE EMAIL POSTAL CODE TEL CELL Check if text only Note Please add fndc fndc ca and fndc shaw ca to your safe sender s list You will receive our email information via MAILCHIMP Please add Mailchimp to your safe sender s list too You may donate using this form and mail to FNDC or you may also donate directly at www fndc ca donation I would like to make a charitable donation of ______________ income tax receipts will be issued for donations over 10 00 Thank you for your continued support Charitable Registration No 88622 5655 RR 0001 You may pay your membership using this form and mail to FNDC or you may also renew your membership online at www fndc ca Mastercard Visa PayPal Cheque CHARGE CARD EXPIRY DATE MM DD YY SIGNATURE TOTAL AUTHORIZED PAYMENT Please make your cheque payable to FNDC Family Network for Deaf Children FNDC Family Network for Deaf Children PO Box 50075 South Slope RPO Burnaby BC V5J 5G3 Phone 604 684 1860 voice text message Email fndc fndc ca Website www fndc ca FNDC 41 Fall 2017

Page 41

2017_fall_nl_fndc

Page 1