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Family Network for Deaf Children and our deaf program WINTER Deaf Youth Today Once an Advocate Always an Advocate a mother s perspective It didn t take long after finding out that our daughter Mari was born deaf that the dreaded word advocacy became part of my life Over the years for me personally the word has taken on many different meanings in the various phases of my parenting journey The Merriam Webster dictionary defines advocacy as the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal the act or process of advocating for something For me advocacy is mixed with many emotions particularly the emotions of a mother bear protecting her baby cub Those emotions never seem to go away Perhaps Merriam Webster needs to include the long list of raw emotions that go along with the parent of a deaf hard of hearing child advocacy plight Just saying During the early years I advocated for Mari educated others around her role modelled and taught her how to be a self advocate with an I can do it attitude The parenting goal was for Mari to learn to advocate for her rights while being calm friendly offering suggestions or solutions and being thankful when the issue was resolved We instilled a tackle that barrier attitude Be strong Be brave You have all the tools needed to conquer the world Watching my daughter I learned that even with all the tools the endless barrage of advocacy is tiresome and sucks the joy out of life Teaching Mari to be an advocate for herself began with the smaller things telling McDonalds that they got her order wrong ok so not the healthiest of choices having her write a note asking for a captioning machine at the movie theatre and going back if it wasn t working going to the principal s office until they called in a substitute when her interpreter was sick While I knew it wasn t a reality I hoped that by the time she was a young adult I would have broken down all the barriers for her and she could sail through life easily I soon learned that there will always be new barriers popping up at unexpected moments Grrrrrrr In December Mari and I planned a Mother Daughter day that would begin with our appointments to give blood have lunch and then go Christmas shopping Perfect Mari had booked her appointment on the phone through Video Relay Services told them that she was deaf and would like to donate blood We arrived for our appointments and while sitting in the waiting area Mari was approached and asked if she brought an interpreter She replied no as she had given blood Deaf Youth Today Winter Jan 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 before and can read write English to answer all the questions After a few minutes we were whisked into a private area with a Supervisor and were told that Mari cannot give blood because she is deaf and must have an interpreter with her We were gobsmacked As a mother the emotions I felt vacillated between anger humiliation oppression and injustice all aimed at my daughter What took me off guard and literally broke my heart was watching tears roll down Mari s cheeks I kept having to say to myself be calm be friendly offer solutions which wasn t really working well for me at that very moment as I tried to suppress a few choice nasty words After many attempts to educate the Supervisor Mari was not allowed to give blood We left We hugged When I walked away I realized that even though a person has the tools to advocate the feelings of discrimination are a whole different thing and can t be taught only felt It broke my heart to see my brave strong smart witty loving and compassionate daughter suffer injustice and loss of dignity It sucked the joy out of her and I could feel it too Advocacy continues to be a dreaded word but one that I ll never be able to avoid I continue to advocate personally because a mom s emotions never stop Through FNDC on a professional level we are committed to continued work on behalf families with deaf hard of hearing children and youth FNDC has accomplished so much already and we are proud of our history Please email me or contact me to meet for coffee so I can hear your personal stories on issues barriers that your family is facing FNDC brings forward those shared issues to government policy makers service providers organizations in order to improve equity access and inclusion for deaf and hard of hearing children and youth in our communities Well I gotta run this mama bear is off to edit Mari s letter to Canadian Blood Services to hopefully break down more barriers Remember don t stop teaching your kids to how to advocate for themselves Cecelia Twitter FNDCandDYT Facebook www facebook com fndc ca

FAMILY NETWORK FOR DEAF CHILDREN DEAF YOUTH TODAY FEBRUARY 13 9 00 to 11 00am Langley Twin Rinks Canlan 5700 Langley Bypass Langley Event is free but please RVSP to fndc fndc ca Skate rental is 3 00 Skating aids will be provided some helmets or bring your own Yes baby stroller and wheelchairs are welcome on the ice Co me and ska te or enjoy ho t chocolate and socia lizing For deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children their siblings and parents We also welcome Deaf HH parents and their children Coda as well as signers that support deaf hard of hearing children and youth FNDC 2 Winter 2017

2017 Getting ready to book your 2017 vacation Save the Date Thurs July 6 to Sun July 9 2017 DYT kids camp at Hornby will follow July 9 to 13th FNDC 3 Winter 2017

Put together a team for a fun filled day of sports laughs and socializing Open to Deaf Hard of Hearing and hearing people in our Deaf Hard of hearing Community February 24 2017 6 00pm to 10 00pm February 25 2017 8 00am to 5 00pm Byrne Creek Secondary school 7777 18th St Burnaby BC V3N 5E5 Be creative CO ED 2 from each gender on the court Create your own team T shirt Costume Prizes will be awarded 16 years old up CO ED VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT Early Bird Entry Fee BY January 31st 2017 120 per team 6 players 20 per additional player Join as an individual Contact us early Bird 20 Late entry 25 CASH ONLY 4 Winter 2017 Fans are welcome admission by donation Please drop off at South Slope Elementary School Attn Terry Maloney Mari Klassen 4446 Watling St Burnaby BC V5J 3V5 9 00am 3 00pm Non Transferable and Non Refundable due to volleyball committee s gym rental cost More questions contact mari popdhh ca FNDC Late BIRD Fee BY February 17th 2017 150 per team 6 players 25 per additional player www coedvolleyball weebly com

REGISTRATION FORM Please complete the form and drop off the form and money CASH ONLY at South Slope Elementary School Attn Terry Maloney Mari Klassen 4446 Watling St Burnaby BC V5J 3V5 Final deadline to register Early Bird January 31st 2017 Late Bird February 17th 2017 Team Name ________________________________ Captain Name ____________________________________ Captain s Phone Text _________________________________ Captain s Email ______________________________________ Circle which level do you want to be placed Level A or Level B There will be some photos video taken throughout the tournament These photographs and or videos may be used for external public viewing on the school or district website in promotional materials and by news media for school and student related stories Your signature below indicates your consent Player s Full Name Signature 1 _______________________________________________________________ 2 _______________________________________________________________ 3 _______________________________________________________________ 4 _______________________________________________________________ 5 _______________________________________________________________ 6 _______________________________________________________________ 7 _______________________________________________________________ 8 _______________________________________________________________ 9 _______________________________________________________________ 10 _______________________________________________________________ Captain s Signature _______________________________ Date ________________ More questions contact mari popdhh ca www coedvolleyball weebly com FNDC 5 Winter 2017

EDUCATION FNDC 6 Winter 2017

FRIENDSHIP FNDC 7 Winter 2017

OPTIMIST FNDC 8 Winter 2017

Family and Community Services Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services PDHHS Winter Program Calendar January March 2017 Programs for Families who have school aged deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children and youth to age 23 Registration Deadline for all programs Friday January 13 2017 To register for programs or make a request for services please contact Linda Ramsey gov bc ca or call 604 775 4008 American Sign Language Classes and Children s Literacy Program Burnaby PM Basic Beginner s Level and Children s Program Mondays January 23 March 6 Time 6 30 PM 7 45 PM Where PDHHS 4334 Victory Street Kelowna All Levels and Children s Program Tuesdays February 7 March 14 Time 5 45 PM 6 45 PM Where Starbright Child Development Centre 1546 Bernard Avenue Burnaby AM Intermediate Level Practising Conversational Skills Wednesdays January 25 March 8 Time 10 00 AM 11 15 AM Where PDHHS 4334 Victory Street Prince George 2 Levels to be determined based on registration Wednesdays January 25 June 7 Time 4 00 5 15 6 00 7 15 PM Where 1088 Gillett Street Registration Link https goo gl forms qxVgt2n0Yu2Qcybk1 Surrey Basic Beginner s Level and Children s Program Thursdays January 26 March 9 Time 4 30 PM 5 45 PM Where Bear Creek Elementary School 13780 80 Avenue Youth Programs Media Club for Youth Media Club is a fun group for youth aged 13 17 to learn how to plan create and edit their own movies Youth will learn essential leadership qualities such as communication skills through this program Location PDHHS Burnaby February 7 March 14 2017 Time To Be Announced POSTPONED SPRING 2017 FNDC 9 Winter 2017

Storytelling in ASL and English for the Whole Family Burnaby Tommy Douglas Library 7311 Kingsway Burnaby Saturdays Time 2 00 3 00 pm January 28 February 25 March 25 April 22 May 27 No Registration Needed Kelowna Okanagan Regional Library Saturdays Time 1 00 2 00 pm Plaza 33 Mall 20 301 Hwy 33 West Kelowna Rutland Branch January 21 March 18 May 20 No Registration Needed Deaf Community Events If you are interested in attending deaf community events with your family please check www deafbc ca or www fndc ca for information on events If you would like FCS staff to accompany your family let us know ahead of time and we would be happy to attend with you BC Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students Thinking about going to Gallaudet RIT or NTID More information about the application process can be found on Family Network for Deaf Children s website at www fndc ca Please contact us if you need support with how to navigate the system Aug 7 10 2017 SAVE THE DATE Teen Immersion July 4 6 2017 Elementary Summer Immersion July 23 27 2017 Stay up to date with FCS by liking us on Facebook Look for Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Website www gov bc ca deafandhardofhearing FNDC 10 Winter 2017 FCS offers a full range of programs for families who have deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children between the ages of 5 23 Our services include but are not limited to American Sign Language ASL and literacy development youth mentoring and transition services as well as supporting parents and helping to connect them with resources If you have a specific request not covered by the programs mentioned on this flyer please let us know by contacting Program Coordinators Melissa Mykle gov bc ca or Linda Ramsey gov bc ca You can also call and leave a voice message at 604 660 1800 and we will contact you Thank you

Hello I am Patrick and I am looking for a family individual in the Lower Mainland to share their home with me I currently live at home and have wonderful supportive parents but I feel it is time for more independence I am Deaf and am fluent in American Sign Language I use text to communicate when needed and I am comfortable using Facebook and iPhone I am very outgoing love children pets pleasant to be around and enjoy sports and eating out I work part time in Vancouver volunteer at a community day care and like to be independent and active My new home share will know ASL or be willing to learn have easy access to SkyTrain and buses Include me as a contributing member of the household work with my family to help organize my schedule activities This is a wonderful opportunity to earn tax free income to help cover the cost of living in the Lower Mainland For more information about Patrick contact his mom at vancouverkathy hotmail com For additional information on contract details and responsibilities contact LBlackwell posAbilities ca This is a Community Living B C home share contract that will be managed by posAbilities FNDC 11 Winter 2017

Burnaby Public Library in partnership with Family and Community Services and Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services at the Ministry of Children and Family Development FAMILY STORYTIME IN SIGN LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH Join a Deaf storyteller and a children s librarian for stories songs rhymes and crafts presented in both American Sign Language and English Interpreters will be present Free drop in for children of all ages and abilities together with a parent or caregiver FIVE SATURDAYS 2 00 3 00 pm January 28 February 25 March 25 April 22 May 27 TOMMY DOUGLAS LIBRARY 7311 KINGSWAY 604 522 3971 Tommy Douglas Library is on the north side of Kingsway just west of Edmonds Street Take the Millennium or Expo line to Edmonds station or take the 106 112 or 129 bus Free parking underground enter off Arcola Street which is off Walker Avenue For more information e mail Randi at the library Randi Robin bpl bc ca or Roger Chan at Family and Community Services Roger Chan gov bc ca Follow us Burnaby Public Library www bpl bc ca kids FNDC 12 Winter 2017 facebook com burnabypubliclibrary burnabypl

Sign language being considered as third official language documents If enacted legislation would require federal information and services to be provided in English French and sign language From MacLean s December 1 2016 www macleans ca politics sign language being considered as third official language documents OTTAWA The Liberal government has been quietly looking at the possibility of adding a third official language Sign language Raising signing to the level of official language would be a major recognition given that the use of sign language in Canada was widely discouraged and even forbidden in classrooms in the not too distant past federal officials wrote in a briefing note to Disabilities Minister Carla Qualtrough Earlier this year officials in Employment and Social Development Canada looked over sign language legislation in New Zealand Scotland Finland and Sweden as part of research about how the government could enact a similar federal law here The details are part of a briefing note The Canadian Press obtained under the Access to Information Act Such legislation if enacted would require federal information and services to be provided in English French and sign language In Canada there are two types of sign language used by people who are medically deaf hard of hearing or prefer to sign American Sign Language and la Langue des Signes Quebecoise We know that Canadians with communication barriers and Canadians who are deaf and hard of hearing face these additional hurdles to being included in our society and our workplaces and our communities Qualtrough said in response to questions Thursday I m very keen to make sure that culture that language is protected in some way Canada ratified a UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities in 2010 The declaration includes a call for countries to ensure that services can be delivered in sign language and enshrine it in law as an official language The Liberals are currently consulting on proposals for a wider accessibility law with the goal of having legislation in place by the end of next year or early 2018 Qualtrough suggested Thursday that the government is looking to give public officials the ability to proactively crack down on future violators in the public and private sector crafting a law that would have some teeth The change would be a shift away from the current Canadian human rights model which prevents federal officials from getting involved until someone complains Qualtrough said the current process is onerous cumbersome and expensive for those who go through it A proactive law would mirror the model used in the United States In separate briefing notes to Qualtrough obtained by The Canadian Press officials wrote that Canada could consider aspects of the American model including a centralized complaints process a decentralized enforcement system and a range of enforcement tools from educational outreach to fines What we want to do with our accessibility legislation is proactively address barriers to inclusion faced by Canadians with disabilities and functional limitations Qualtrough said We have heard loud and clear from people across the country that there has to be some kind of teeth to this that there has to be some kind of enforcement mechanism It has to be aspirational for sure but it also has to set some kind of expectation whether it be in the form of standards or guidelines Qualtrough announced Thursday the government was starting the process to enact an optional part of the UN declaration that would allow Canadians with disabilities to file a human rights complaint with the United Nations and let the international body launch investigations into systemic issues in Canada FNDC 13 Winter 2017

Getting your deaf hard of hearing kids involved in sports can lead to awesome opportunities representing Canada TEAM CANADA WOMEN S DEAF VOLLEYBALL TEAM LAST CAMP OF 2016 A SUCCESS From Volleyball BC www volleyballbc org team canada womens deaf volleyball team training camp opens weekend edmonton Players leave Alberta Capital in fine form will continue to train individually for Deaflympics before next training camp in the spring of 2017 There is no greater feeling than representing your country on the international stage The opportunity to wear the maple leaf and play for Team Canada is something that drives athletes from coast to coast The sacrifices made both personal and financial is a testament to the level of commitment needed to succeed at the highest level But what if you didn t even know you were eligible to suit up for Canada Or worse yet were eligible and not even aware that a national team program existed for the deaf and hard of hearing A challenging dilemma and a problem that won t be fixed until more people learn about the opportunities that exist for deaf volleyball players in our country That s the biggest one Team Canada Women s Deaf Volleyball head coach Derek Usman said recently They use the word deaf but it s not just deaf people who can play for the National Team Hard of hearing people have the opportunity as well I think that s the biggest road block right now because there are people out there with a little bit of a hearing loss and would qualify for something FNDC 14 Winter 2017

like this but they have absolutely no idea that this is an opportunity for them because they are really not part of the deaf community They are in the mainstream sports activity stream and when you are in mainstream you don t know what s going on with Deaf Sports That s kind of what happened with some current players Two girls from Alberta had no idea about the National Team program until someone gave them the information Team Canada finishes up 2016 season with two games against Concordia University of Edmonton This past weekend in Edmonton Usman got his team together for one last time this year It was an opportunity for him to reconnect with the group that qualified for the 2017 Deaflympics in Samsun Turkey this past summer It was also a chance for him to evaluate his game plan There are great benefits to this program Just having the opportunity to represent your country in an international competition is something that not every athlete gets to experience in life Usman stated proudly Getting to go various competitions throughout the world and compete at a high level is probably my biggest selling point Just being a part of team Canada and wearing that maple leaf is pretty huge And I think talking to the players on the team now that s a big reason why they are part of the program Headlining the list of participants who will practiced for a few days and played a couple of matches against Concordia University was Team Canada captain and BC native Mari Klassen Klassen has been playing volleyball since elementary school and suited up collegiately at Gallaudet University in Washington DC During her time at the school the Bison s qualified for the NCAA playoffs for 3 years in a row The Semiahmoo Secondary grad has been a member of the Canadian National Deaf Volleyball team since 2007 A player Usman has grown to love during her time with the program I ve seen so much maturity and progress happen with her ever since that leadership torch was based on to her Usman said candidly Especially in terms of her style of leadership and making sure the players on the team are all on board It s kind of taken a lot off of my shoulders to know that I have a team captain who is very committed to this program and has played internationally going on six 7 years now She has totally matured into this leadership role and can be more so much more influential on the court I couldn t be happier to see how that has transpired for Mari She s a great person and player Watch Mari s passionate pitch to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian National Deaf Volleyball team https www youtube com watch v X4QVOkwAZEU On court strategy and tactics aside perhaps Usman s biggest challenge right now is finding more players like his captain Klassen Identifying talent is the easy part once you get them into a competitive environment The trick for our Women s Deaf Volleyball team is finding other quality competitors to battle for a roster spot on Canada s national team The pool of players is not as deep FNDC 15 Winter 2017

as Usman would like something he hopes will change with more promotion and education about the program There s a lot of pride in doing this for your country There s a huge feeling of accomplishment in getting selected for this program Usman proclaimed boldly The players are getting to realize the fact that this is a big deal and that they are a big deal We don t have a huge group of players to choose from yet But I am hoping more and more people will learn about things and we will have even tougher choices to make in the future when it comes to our roster For those who don t know to be eligible for the National Deaf Volleyball Team program all athletes must be a Canadian citizen and have a hearing loss of at least 55dB in the better ear three frequency pure tone average at 500 1000 and 2000Hz If that number doesn t make sense to you or if you are unsure of your level of hearing loss Team Canada staff would be happy to help answer any and all questions Everyone now knows what needs to be done behind the scenes in order for us to be successful both at training camps and at competitions Usman explained That s my motivation and enthusiasm because I know that these girls are still so young and if we stay the course and buy into what we are doing we are only going to keep getting better and better and start beating the elite teams in the world Our potential is sky high because we ve barely just scratched the surface If we just keep going add some pieces so when push comes to shove maybe four five years down the road we are competing and beating the big dogs and best in the world The Canadian Deaf Sports Association subscribes to the theory that sport is a source of well being values and self esteem for people who practice it Their goal is to support the development and practice of sports within the Deaf community particularly the Deaf youth in order to ensure a quality Canadian representation at the Deaflympics and Panamerican Deaf Games If you are interested in any aspect of the National Women s Deaf Volleyball program information tryout financial support please feel free to contact the staff members below Derek Usman Head Coach derek usman lethsd ab ca Mary Dyck Team Manager mary dyck uleth ca Information on Canadian Deaf Sports http www assc cdsa com FNDC 16 Winter 2017

Turns Out Counting on Your Fingers Makes You Smarter Children who have better perception of their hands tend to be more skilled at math research shows From The Wall Street Journal www wsj com articles turns out counting on your fingers makes you smarter 1477065563 October 23 2016 Have you ever noticed children secretly counting on their fingers If so tell them they can pull their hands from beneath the table Although many people discourage finger counting for fear it impedes learning it appears the opposite is true Recent research shows that finger perception the ability to distinguish name or recognize the fingers is correlated with math skill and even when people aren t manually ticking off numbers areas of the brain associated with fingers are still activated You may not be counting on your fingers but your brain is To see how the mind works while performing arithmetic Ilaria Berteletti an educational neuroscientist at Gallaudet University and a research partner scanned the brains of 39 children ages 8 to 13 while they mentally subtracted and multiplied single digit numbers The scans revealed two regions of the brain associated with fingers the somatosensory area which responds to sensations such as pressure pain or heat and the motor area which controls movement were both active during subtraction even though the children did not use their fingers to arrive at the answers FNDC 17 Winter 2017

It s the first study to show evidence that the sensory area of the brain plays a functional role in mathematical problem solving There was no similar brain activity during multiplication which the researchers interpreted as a reflection of how children learn to subtract versus how they learn to multiply You probably learned subtraction using your fingers Dr Berteletti said Multiplication was probably presented verbally and with rote memorization For us it s evidence that the two types of operations rely on different networks Scientists don t know whether finger recognition makes children better at math or whether using fingers for math improves recognition but what is known for sure is that children who have better finger perception tend to be more skilled at mathematics Previous studies have shown that a 6 year old child s finger perception is a better predictor of math success in the next grade than standard test scores and training children to improve their finger sense has been demonstrated to also improve their arithmetic What scientists find and this is what s so stunning is that as you increase your finger perception you increase your math performance said Jo Boaler a professor of mathematics education at Stanford University and co founder of the nonprofit website youcubed which provides teaching resources to build finger and number sense The brain scientists say that without finger perception and finger counting numbers will never have a normal representation in the brain To test someone s finger recognition or finger gnosia researchers block the person s hands from view touch one or two fingers and then ask the person to identify which of their fingers was tagged People with weak finger sense have trouble differentiating one finger from another While researchers like Dr Boaler and Dr Berteletti believe finger sense is deeply connected to mathematical achievement and should be cultivated math teachers have traditionally regarded fingers as a bridge to mental representations of numbers and abstract thinking that after a time should be discouraged I think the idea of don t count on your fingers is still out there but math has moved to the idea that fingers and other manipulatives play an important role said Douglas Clements executive director of the Marsico Institute of Early Learning and Literacy at the University of Denver s Morgridge College of Education We want them to move off fingers but not so soon that when they need concrete representations they don t have it Once the movements becomes internalized Dr Berteletti said children will naturally outgrow finger counting It s not something parents should be scared of she said It s OK The connection between fingers and math was documented in the 1940s when people with brain injuries lost the ability to perform calculations and at the same time identify their fingers Scientists are still puzzling out the link but one possibility is that finger recognition helps people visualize abstract concepts To demonstrate how visualization can improve mathematical understanding at all levels Dr Boaler uses the problem of one divided by two thirds The abstract solution involves multiplying one by the reciprocal of the fraction and then converting the result an improper fraction to a mixed number Dr Boaler who encourages students to work out problems like these with diagrams and pictures to see why the answer is what it is offers this visual solution Divide a rectangle into thirds and shade two of the segments to depict how one divided by two thirds equals one and a half The goal is to augment not replace abstract computations We re not saying everyone should count on their fingers their entire life and not develop the ability to add abstractly Dr Boaler says What s being said is if you really know your fingers well that s going to help you and it will help you throughout your life It s a strategy she says that you can count on FNDC 18 Winter 2017

Call For Athletes Team Canada Deaf Judo The National Deaf Judo Program is looking to identify select and train a group of athletes who have the potential experience and ability to represent Canada at the international level The focus for the National Deaf Judo Program is to train and compete at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics in Samsun Turkey Eligibility To be eligible for the Team Canada Deaf Judo Program all athletes must be a Canadian citizen and have a hearing loss of at least 55dB in the better ear three frequency pure tone average at 500 1000 and 2000Hz Further eligibility requirements can be found on our website at the following link http www assc cdsa com general criteria html Identification and Selection Camp Depending on the number of entries the National Deaf Judo Program may be hosting an Athlete Identification and Selection Camp The Date and Location of which is to be determined Travel and accommodation will be the responsibility of the athlete Registration Please email blairb nfld com to express interest in the judo camp Final details forms camp schedule hotel information and confirmation date will follow Registration fee is 20 to CDSA Office Contact Information Blair Bradbury Team Canada Deaf Judo Coach E mail blairb nfld com Athletes Please contact your association Provincial Deaf Sports Association FNDC 19 Winter 2017

From www ai media tv 6 things i didnt know about captioning 6 Things I Didn t Know About Captioning Throughout my life I have often heard the phrase this program is available with closed captions while watching television But I never really thought to care about what it meant until I had a roommate who was deaf Captions are a text version of the dialogue and sounds in a video and are displayed on screen in time with the soundtrack Having a simple thing like text at the bottom of the television screen was incredibly important for my roommate in accessing a wide range of entertainment and ensuring that he felt included with the rest of our household Since being exposed to the world of captions I realised there were a lot of things I didn t know So here are 6 things I didn t know about captioning 1 Captioning isn t just for TV and film I am ashamed to say that for quite some time I had no idea that captions were used in any other forms except for television and film Captions can be used for social media company websites music theatre events in the workplace at school and university They provide people with access to information throughout all areas of their life 2 There are two types of captions The two main types of captions are open and closed Open captions also known as burned in baked on or hard coded are visible to everyone Open captions are a permanent feature on a video and are most commonly used for subtitles on foreign language films Closed captions gives viewers the option of switching the captions on or off while watching a program They are the most common form of captioning and can be identified by the CC symbol 3 Captioning requires a lot of skill A captioner s job comes with a lot of responsibility They need to ensure that the captions are readable comprehensive and accurate which is not as simple as just typing out the words for a video I used to think that all captions were created either by a machine or someone typing extremely fast copying what was being said But there are many different captioning methods such as stenocaptioning and respeaking A lot of skill is required to create quality captions When machines create captions it s called FNDC 20 Winter 2017

Automatic Speech Recognition ASR But the accuracy of these captions can be extremely inaccurate and look like gibberish 4 Captions can be turned into transcripts Live captions can be used to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing HOH in the workplace at university school and during events These live captions can then be turned into a transcript for the person to keep and refer back to whenever they need This can be helpful not just for people who are deaf or HOH Transcripts are great for having a written record of things such as meetings lectures and interviews and can be helpful for teachers who want to track and improve their teaching 5 It s for everyone Captioning isn t just for people who are deaf or HOH it s for everyone While captioning was originally created to assist people who are deaf or HOH recently its application has become more widespread to assist people who are learning a new language or have English as a second language Captions can help improve a person s literacy skills and help people who have Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD or learning difficulties Captions are also a great way to view audio and visual content in noisy or public places such as the gym bars restaurants parties and airports Without captions on the television I wouldn t be able to distract myself from the reality of being at the gym 6 It s still not widely available Our world is full of wonderful content through movies television YouTube and Facebook I count myself lucky because I have access to all this content But I now realise that a lot of this content is not accessible to everyone This means that people are being excluded from enjoying certain things Accurate captioning is still not widely available around the world While many programs have closed captioning available it doesn t mean that they are accurate Captioning is a big step in defeating exclusion and creating a world that is more accessible to everyone From http www ai media tv 7 unexpected beneficiaries of captioning 7 Unexpected Beneficiaries of Captioning Captioning also known as subtitling is the process of creating a text based alternative to spoken word content If you think about captioning there is a good chance that you assume that they are for people who are deaf or hard of hearing right While this is true closed captions and live captions can also be hugely beneficial to quite a few different groups of people within our diverse society Here are a few of the unexpected beneficiaries of captioning FNDC 21 Winter 2017

1 Children Children seem like a bit of an odd group to benefit from captions If you have children you may be thinking But my kids have perfect hearing While this may be so closed captions have been proven to increase language comprehension in children By turning on closed captions when your child is watching television you ll be helping them pick up on new words and correct spelling much more quickly and effectively than without the captions 2 People with Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD Captioning can also prove highly beneficial for people with ASD especially in an education setting While a student with autism may not have any problems with the course content itself there may be other barriers to access Captions can assist with audio processing difficulties as well as bring ease of understanding and focus to students with autism 3 People who speak English as an additional language As captions provide a greater level of language comprehension they can greatly assist those who are not native English speakers Additionally in a scenario such as a conference where live captioning can be utilised the captions will give attendees who are not native English speakers a second chance to catch any unfamiliar or missed words spoken by presenters 4 People with mobility impairments For some people with mobility impairments taking notes can be a struggle especially in the workplace or in higher education Through live captioning users can receive a transcript following their lecture or meeting so that they have complete notes without needing to rely on any colleagues or classmates to provide their notes 5 Marketers and Social Media Personalities Closed captioning your videos on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube can be beneficial in capacities other than accessibility As discussed in our Facebook closed captioning blog adding closed captions to your videos can increase reach searchability video completion rates and engagement levels 6 Teachers Applying the power of captioning in the classroom is the whole premise behind our teacher development program Visible Classroom By captioning everything said by a teacher in their classroom we can provide a means for self evaluation and professional development 7 Everyone Captioning can be of great benefit to all You might be watching a movie with a tricky accent or one where the dialogue is too soft and sound effects are too loud You might be at the gym trying to play along with Who Wants to be a Millionaire despite the TV being muted You process information more effectively when reading compared to listening Captions can be beneficial in many ways FNDC 22 Winter 2017

Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University Reaching Bridgetta BourneFirl MS is assistant director of Training Products and Dissemination at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center on the Gallaudet University campus in Washington D C Prior to coming to the Clerc Center she worked in outreach for 27 years including at Gallaudet University serving the nation through the National Academy and at an outreach resource center serving families and school professionals in Northern California She has worked at schools in California Maryland and Washington D C Bourne Firl welcomes questions and comments about this article at Bridgetta BourneFirl gallaudet edu Right Gombu and Whittaker photo courtesy of www cnn com Strickland 2013 the Summit Deaf Adults as Essential Partners in Education By Bridgetta Bourne Firl It can be tough but it is important to convince decision making professionals who are hearing to consult with and involve deaf adults in deaf education and the transition of deaf and hard of hearing students from school into higher education postsecondary training or the workplace always Tibetan born Sherpa Nawang Gombu and American Jim Whittaker reached the top of Mount Everest on May 1 1963 As they approached the peak each considered the honor of being the first to reach the summit Whittaker motioned for Gombu to move ahead but Gombu declined with a smile saying You first The two climbers decided to step to the summit at the same time Douglas 2011 I would like to think that Whittaker not native to the rugged landscape that surrounds the tallest mountain in the world encouraged Gombu who was native to the area to go first because it was the right thing to do Then it was the native Tibetan who chose to partner with the American who did not know the terrain or how to navigate within it in sharing the honor of reaching the summit How do we reach the summit in terms of supporting the best transition possible for each Photos courtesy of Bridgetta Bourne Firl and Zhou Fang 72 ODYSSEY 2016 FNDC 23 Winter 2017

Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University Left to right Bourne Firl and her husband with their newborn the author s family clockwise from left Jared Gideon Bridgetta Leslie Sabrina and Elijah Bourne Firl and her PHOTO CREDIT BEN HOSHINA son share a happy moment young deaf or hard of hearing individual in the United States Should professionals who are hearing work alone to succeed with deaf and hard of hearing students No matter how good the intention if we want deaf and hard of hearing students to transition from high school to college university or the workplace with maximum ease involving adults who are deaf or hard of hearing is critical Ideally the partnership between deaf and hearing professionals begins at the birth of each deaf child and continues as the child moves through schooling and transitions into adulthood The evidence for the importance of this involvement comes from many sources including hearing parents and professionals I don t know how to teach my child how to be a deaf adult in this world one hearing parent explained to me So the professionals who are deaf themselves teach my child how to navigate as a deaf person Dr Hank Klopping a former superintendent of a school for the deaf who retired after 38 years as one of the most respected administrators in the country exemplifies this attitude Deaf professionals often know best for deaf students because their perspectives are naturally enhanced by their own experiences and by the collective knowledge of what other deaf individuals have experienced As an 2016 FNDC 24 Winter 2017 administrator Klopping embraced collaborative governance that included deaf individuals deaf parents and deaf professionals and he communicated effectively with all of them His ongoing relationships with deaf individuals ensured quality education for the deaf and hard of hearing individuals who had the good fortune to be educated while he was an administrator in their school Klopping who is not deaf is an example of a hearing individual who genuinely recognized his shared humanity and equality with deaf individuals understood that they offered effective educational approaches acknowledged the implicit discrimination that deaf individuals have endured historically and worked actively to confront and counteract this Deaf people considered him an ally using this term to mean individuals who collaborate equally with deaf individuals in the name of a larger cause When skilled and knowledgeable deaf individuals are unavailable skilled and knowledgeable hearing allies can be useful Birth The Partnering Begins In hospitals newborns are tested for hearing status The result is that often the first deaf person parents ODYSSEY 73

Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University meet is the baby in their arms At this point well meaning professionals often present the parents with the information about their baby s hearing status in language and tone that are negative For example when I was told my child failed a hearing test it was clear that the context was negative My baby was not yet 48 hours old and the first evaluation I received was failed No wonder distress and anxiety even alarm result If a deaf person or a hearing professional who partners equally and successfully with deaf people could be in the hospital corridor at that moment parents could be assured of the positive experiences that await their child and the professional could begin to assist parent and baby with bonding and language development In Maryland an attempt has been made to address this issue through the state s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Advisory Council This council comprises 12 individuals including representatives from the Maryland School for the Deaf the Maryland Association of the Deaf the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Dr Beth Benedict herself a deaf parent and an intervention expert was among the representatives The council ensures further meaningful input through 74 requiring representation from two parents of children with permanent hearing status that affects speechlanguage skills Critical to respecting the Deaf community is the use of the words hearing status instead of hearing loss phrasing that was the contribution of deaf professionals and individuals This is an excellent example of partnership fostering a positive start for parents with newly identified deaf or hard of hearing babies Educational and Professional Experience An Autobiography I was in school when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act passed in 1975 I experienced Individualized Education Program IEP meetings with my parents who were adamant in advocating goals that were challenging in reading writing and math They wanted me to progress just like my hearing counterparts and they knew I could When the teachers were unsure my parents who were deaf like me insisted they have higher expectations and that those expectations be written into my IEP When I was in high school I participated in my youngest sister s IEP meeting as an observer watching the interactions and explanations of teachers and my parents In 1996 I began working in infant through grade 12 educational settings first in California then Maryland and now in the District of Columbia For 20 years I have worked with deaf and hard of hearing students in educational settings and observed as other people worked with them In a professional capacity I had an opportunity to serve as an IEP coordinator and some of the IEP meetings I witnessed worried me Clearly the other professionals with so much power over the lives of young children had no idea what it was like being deaf what it was like wearing hearing aids what it was like to struggle understanding teachers Sometimes I was the only deaf professional in attendance and I would offer my opinion from my own experience and knowledge I was always hoping that the team would pay attention that my words could support this student s IEP planning and I would shake my head in silence when decisions were made with too much focus on things that I thought would not necessarily contribute to the student s academic growth I often wished the hearing professionals would ask me What do you think You are a deaf person yourself and have seen so much Please advise This did not always happen I became a parent I would have four children two who were hearing and two who were deaf When I had my second deaf baby a little girl the professionals administrators for our school district asked me what I wanted in her Individualized Family Service Plan Due to my strong emotions I wanted so badly to invest the right way in planning for my daughter I struggled to come up with a written statement I consulted a professional with expertise in early childhood education for deaf children and this individual gave me confidence as well as knowledge When I met with the district administrators for the second time I knew what to write My child should be kindergarten ready by the time she is 5 years old further she ODYSSEY 2016 FNDC 25 Winter 2017

Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University should have a high level of language modeling in both American Sign Language and English As a result my daughter had professionals deaf hard of hearing and hearing who were supportive of her progress academically and socially and thankfully my daughter was indeed ready when she started her wonderful kindergarten program During my early years as a parent Barbara Matusky a hearing mother of two deaf children told me When it comes to our children we are emotional beings Period That s parenthood Whether we are deaf or hearing or they are deaf or hearing we love our children so much and are anxious to ensure they prosper All parents are thankful to those who contribute to the academic growth of their children Pepnet 2 Transition and Adulthood and Deaf Gain Last year I had the privilege of serving as one of the meeting facilitators at the pepnet 2 Summit that was held in Washington D C Pepnet 2 formerly PEPNet a project funded by the U S Department of Education has brought together professionals parents and deaf people from around the country in a series of meetings known as Summits to focus on statewide planning to improve the transition of young deaf and hard of hearing students into adulthood The pepnet 2 teams have required the inclusion of parents and individuals from the Deaf community This is an important step Through their personal knowledge and experience these deaf adults can contribute to the lives of deaf young adults so they become contributing citizens whether they go directly into the workplace or enter 2016 FNDC 26 Winter 2017 college law school or trade school and whether they are living independently or in group homes At the California School for the Deaf in Fremont job coaching by knowledgeable deaf or hearing allies working closely with deaf adult individuals is provided for students for two years after leaving high school Coaches work with families in their homes with employers at job sites and with individuals in local communities to find the resources to support young graduates Dr Ben Bahan a deaf scholar calls the inclusion of deaf professionals in every aspect of the decision making process as it affects deaf students Deaf Gain Bahan 2015 suggests that we do not focus on the difference in deaf and hard of hearing students in a way that indicates deafness is a deficiency He asks What do people gain from being deaf He finds that deaf professionals can nurture the positive attributes of being deaf Deaf professionals as they work with deaf infants children and young deaf adults can illuminate the valued and treasured aspects of being deaf and show how these are embodied in everyday life There is a dire need for greater partnerships between decision makers who are hearing and professionals who are deaf on state and national levels Deaf children in various stages of education from early intervention to high school transition and graduation can only profit from this partnership Deaf adults are a rich source of knowledge They grew up being deaf or hard of hearing sat in classrooms learned how to read write and count each confronted his or her own IEP Every day they experience being deaf living in neighborhoods working with colleagues in the workplace attending houses of worship They know what it is to explain and advocate for themselves They sleep breathe eat and think as deaf or hard of hearing people Tapping into this lifetime of experience knowledge and expertise can ensure the next generation of deaf children achieves academically and receives greater opportunities The majority culture is sound based knowledge depends heavily on what is heard Deaf people rely more on what they see so they can see how deaf students can navigate successfully and contribute in positive ways that are often invisible to hearing people I along with many deaf professionals across the country offer experience and insights that can contribute to the next generation of deaf children There s so much to gain when we parents and professionals hearing and deaf attain the summit together References Bahan B 2015 September 2527 Deaf gain video presentation Stanford University Douglas E 2011 May 24 Nawang Gombu obituary The Guardian Retrieved from http www theguardian com world 2011 may 24 nawang gombuobituary Strickland A 2013 May 26 Everest men On top of the world in 1963 Retrieved March 2016 from http www cnn com Suggested Reading Wording for the Senate Bill 103 as it passed into approved by the governor in 2014 http mgaleg maryland gov 2014RS Chapters_non CH_30_sb0103e pdf ODYSSEY 75

For tickets contact Deaf Interpreters Fundraising Committee Scott Jeffery Sarah Taylor Anita Harding sorry no ticket at door Proceeds go to the WAVLI Deaf Interpreters Know your limit play within it 19 Only FNDC 27 Winter 2017

Summer YOUTH CAMPS SESSION 1 June 24 July 2 2017 SESSION 2 July 5 13 Immerse yourself in everything Gallaudet University has to offer this summer and beyond SESSION 1 Immerse Into ASL Blackbox Theatre Learn the rich language and culture Show your creativity on stage SESSION 1 2 SESSION 2 Exploring the Sciences Discover Your Future It s Lab Time Find your passion and pursue it SESSION 2 BONUS SIX FLAGS REHOBOTH BEACH WASHINGTON D C Youth Programs FNDC 28 Winter 2017 REGISTER TODAY 800 Florida Avenue NE Washington DC 20002 800 995 0550 voice 202 618 6799 videophone youthprograms gallaudet edu youthprograms gallaudet edu

Why some people turn down a medical miracle and decide to stay deaf January 4 2017 From Business Insider www businessinsider com why deaf people turn down cochlear implants 2016 12 platform hootsuite Five years ago a deaf woman named Sloan Churman decided to film herself at the moment she activated her new cochlear implant the surgically implanted device that helps deaf people perceive sounds 29 years old and hearing myself for the 1st time she wrote as a caption when she uploaded the clip to Youtube That video has now been viewed more than 26 million times The viral reach of Churman s story is no surprise considering its emotional punch Watch her face as she hears herself speak Watch her overcome by a new sensation suspended somewhere between smiling and sobbing You ll probably feel your own eyes well up too Churman s video isn t the only one of its kind Type cochlear implant into the search bar on YouTube and you ll find thousands of videos even fan made video compilations documenting reactions of deaf or hard of hearing people getting their implants switched on Babies faces scrunch up then light up when they finally hear the voice of a parent Adults transform from straight faced to full on crying And in every video we see what appears to be boundless uncomplicated joy But cochlear implants are not as simple as these viral videos make them seem For some deaf people the implant really is a positive life changing intervention For others however cochlear implants are more nuisance than medical miracle Doctors push implants as a cure but they re not that simple A model of an ear with a cochlear implant Reuters STR New According to Howard A Rosenblum CEO at the National Association of the Deaf the number of people receiving cochlear implants has been on the rise since it earned FDA approval back in the 1980s This is primarily due to the philosophy of medical doctors that being deaf is a physical abnormality that should be cured he wrote to INSIDER in an email Many doctors who perform cochlear implant surgeries have been aggressively promoting cochlear implants as a cure Many parents who are struggling with the concept that their child is deaf often choose to proceed with cochlear implants on the basis of doctors promotion of this technology as a cure Since at least 90 of deaf children are born to hearing parents the implant is an alluring option it offers the promise of easier communication When children are implanted at a young age chances are good that they ll grow up and understand speech with little to no need for visual aids But presenting the technology as a simple cure is misleading Deaf people don t understand speech perfectly as soon as the device is activated They must spend months or even years working with speech therapists learning how to process this unfamiliar sensory input They re trained to lipread to pick up on vocal cues and to speak FNDC 29 Winter 2017

Many people don t realize that the surgery is only a small piece of the puzzle a deaf father of two implanted deaf children told INSIDER He asked to remain anonymous to protect his privacy Cochlear implant is a shock to the brain because it s never had to interpret these kind of signals before I d imagine it s like trying to read the jumbled scrolling code in the Matrix for the first time The process is very physically and mentally taxing there is real fatigue due to working so hard to understand the sounds In short It takes practice But even practice may not be enough to make a cochlear implant truly work for its user Brandon Edquist has been deaf since age 2 and got a cochlear implant at age 3 Today at age 24 Edquist doesn t remember much about that day I recall not knowing why I was at the hospital he told INSIDER I can only remember playing in the waiting area with my father then the doctor came by with a Fisher Price Cozy Car The doctor wheeled me toward the operating room and onto the operating table then I was given anesthesia Next thing I knew my head painfully throbbed after the surgery His parents brought him to speech therapy but Edquist found living with his implant unbearable It created an artificial ringing noise that distracted him from focusing on other sounds He started to learn how to associate sounds with specific words but grew frustrated by the enormity of the task plus he recalled a lot of the sounds he was supposed to be able to differentiate seemed the same I would attempt to accidentally break my cochlears by dropping into the toilet or wrapping the wire around a swing and claiming it got caught on the chain he said Despite my fruitless efforts my parents always took me back to the audiologist for a new cochlear In middle school he wore the implant but frequently switched it off despite his parents wishes He was punished or grounded for refusing to cooperate with them It wasn t until high school that Edquist s parents finally conceded The years of speech therapy hadn t worked Their son was happier living without the implant using sign language to communicate I was repeatedly warned by my parents that the cochlear was essential for me to assimilate into the society and that I would have a very successful future with it which wasn t true I have met a bunch of people who had cochlear implant surgery and no longer wear them he said Getting cochlear is not the only way for deaf people to be successful in life Cochlear implants perpetuate the idea that deaf people need to be fixed and a lot of deaf people take issue with that INSIDER also spoke with a young man who got a cochlear implant just before turning 7 years old He asked to remain anonymous to protect his privacy He was born to hearing parents and had a hearing sibling so it seemed like the best possible choice But everything changed when he went off to study at Gallaudet University in Washington DC the only university in the world that s designed to be barrier free for deaf people One thing that impacted me the most was the fact that all teachers sign in ASL he told INSIDER via email That s shorthand for American Sign Language I didn t need an interpreter like I used to when I was growing up Communicating and cooperating with a teacher who signs is just an eye opening experience I could be myself and be comfortable around teachers at Gallaudet It was at Gallaudet that he first encountered Deaf with a capital D culture Just like any other culture deaf people have their own history heroes FNDC 30 Winter 2017

traditions values art forms and most importantly a rich and expressive language And it wasn t until he was steeped in this culture that he realized he didn t need an implant after all While I was picking up the aspects of Deaf culture and the language of ASL I finally realized that I ve found my own identity he said I am Deaf and I am darn proud of it From there I didn t see the purpose to continue wearing my implant His rejection of his implant drives at a larger point that hearing people don t always understand Many in the deaf community don t want to be fixed to become more like hearing people In fact because implanted children usually don t learn ASL some feel that implants represent a loss for Deaf culture A teacher uses sign language to speak to her class What is there to fix Edquist asked We re happy with the way we are We don t view it as problem There are countless Deaf people who are brilliant and successful the Gallaudet graduate added Bottom line is we as Deaf people are the same as others except we cannot hear Deaf people can do anything period Cochlear implants are still a divisive choice Share a cochlear implant activation video online and you re likely to see an all out brawl unfold in the comments section Deaf people assert that deaf kids don t need implants Hearing people fire back arguing that denying those kids cochlear implants is akin to child abuse Even within the deaf community there s fierce debate Some see cochlear implants as a form of oppression from the hearing world and actively protest the technology Some deaf people who get implants have even been shunned by the deaf community Others in the community are more open to the technology The deaf father who spoke to INSIDER believes that the trend is toward tolerance for all deaf people no matter whether they re implanted That happens to be the position of the National Association for the Deaf too The NAD welcomes all individuals regardless of mode of communication preferred language use hearing status educational background and use of technologies reads the organization s current position statement on cochlear implants Diversity requires mutual respect for individual differences and choices The truth is that there s no answer that works for every deaf person Plenty of people are happy and successful with cochlear implants just as all those viral videos and their millions of views imply The deaf father s son for instance can now have phone conversations thanks to his implant But for others life s just fine without them Cochlear implants aren t the easy button people think they are the father told INSIDER It s not the only way a deaf person can ever be happy with themselves FNDC 31 Winter 2017

Gallaudet helps develop real time text technology From http wjla com news local gallaudet helps develop real time text technolog January 3 2017 WASHINGTON ABC7 A new Federal Communications Commission mandate could revolutionize text message communication for deaf and hard of hearing people as well as hearing people It s called real time text also known as RTT and many in the deaf community say it is about time The FCC voted in December to phase out TTY teletypewriter systems and transition to RTT on smartphones It gives us greater options for communication access just like any hearing person who wants to make a call and connection without a delay said Dr Christian Vogler Gallaudet University s Technology Access Program Director His program helped develop RTT with other collaborators like AT T Gallaudet s senior research engineer Norman Williams now holds the patent for RTT Real time text is exactly what it sounds like Similar to iPhone text bubbles that show up when a message is being created with RTT users actually see words and sentences being formed in real time So the immediacy of being able to think about and respond to the conversation in real time is very important Vogler said Developers predict hearing people will also embrace RTT because it mimics regular conversations spoken or signed allowing for quick back and forth in fractions of a second This is unlike TTY which many deaf people rarely use or have never used because it can be so slow It requires a lot of patience and you can t interrupt And you feel completely disconnected from the person You re reading flat text There s no sense of the person s emotions said Gallaudet University employee Eyob Zerayesus Advocates believe the efficiency of RTT will save lives during an emergency or natural disaster It also allows deaf people to communicate without an interpreter offering privacy during sensitive or intimate conversations Video phones are not going away But for rural communities or individuals who lack high speed internet access RTT will eventually replace TTY The FCC has set multi year deadlines for the roll out of the technology starting with the four major carriers in December 2017 FNDC 32 Winter 2017

APP Turns Music Into Vibrations and Visualization for the Deaf Hard of Hearing January 2 2017 From https theamericangenius com tech news bewarned dance deaf hardhearing utm_source facebook utm_medium Social utm_campaign AG WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY Technology and its infinite ways has helped to make life easier in the 21st century It seems that everyday you hear of a new technology and while most of it is cool some of it has actual benefits for society One such technology is the app BW Dance which creates visualizations and vibrations for the deaf or hard of hearing HOH to help them feel the music According to the iTunes store description the app turns music into visual equalizer vibration signals and flashing lights DEFEATING LIMITATIONS Users can simply add tracks to their playlist then select a play mode of either flash vibration or a combination of the two Vitaliy Potapchuk a cofounder for the app stated on Product Hunt I am a deaf developer and my immediate circles are also deaf including my wife I built BW Dance app to bring the feeling of the rhythm through vibrations and flashing lights into our silent world Our deaf community has a lot of limitations and with this app one of those limitations can be defeated Potapchuk is also co founder of BeWarned an app with a sound monitor to alert deaf and HOH users of potential dangers in the area The app alerts users with flashing lights or vibrations if sounds like alarms screaming or honking cars are detected The BW Dance feature is integrated into the overall BeWarned app operating with the same flashing and vibrating features CELEBRATING DIFFERENT CULTURES Too often deaf and HOH individuals are not considered when it comes to designing new products and applications Non profit organization Communication Service for the Deaf CSD notes Deaf and hard of hearing people use an entirely different visual language and deaf culture is filled with its own traditions art and social norms something most hearing people know little about If you don t understand your audience you can expect a lackluster response to your efforts CSD explains BW Dance seeks to provide the deaf and HOH community with something that not only understands but celebrates their culture The app works for both iPhones and Androids and is designed to be user friendly BW Dance s slogan is bringing deafness and music together Technology that seeks to include everyone in something with such cultural significance like music shows the benefits of 21st century innovation FNDC 33 Winter 2017

Teresa Garratty Attending a Deaf film festival in Taiwan showed me the beauty of feeling included Posted on January 4 2017 From http limpingchicken com 2017 01 04 teresa garratty attending a deaf film festival in taiwan showed me thebeauty of feeling included platform hootsuite At the end of October I was lucky enough to be invited to Taiwan to attend their International Deaf Film Festival and to be honest whilst I felt incredibly honoured I was also super nervous You see not only would I be flying thousands of miles to a place I d never been to meet a bunch of strangers I d also have to give a couple of talks about film making in front of people lots of people Being a natural socially awkward person this was in itself all quite daunting but on top of that I started to worry about a little something I like to call the deaf stuff This is what my initial thought process looked like So after some frantic Googling and accepting that I probably couldn t learn Chinese or Taiwan Sign Language before the plane landed I spent the entire flight there in a weird panic stricken daze and just hoped that everything would be OK And guess what It was OK In fact it was more than OK it was brilliant I have never felt more welcome or accepted as a deaf person than I did at the Taiwan International Deaf Film Festival Those guys are literally THE BEST FNDC 34 Winter 2017

It had nothing to do with language in the end My public speaking was still fraught with stammers pauses and mass confusion To be fair we were translating from spoken English to Chinese to Taiwan Sign language with a bit of BSL thrown in for luck and then back again But it didn t matter if things went wrong or if they weren t perfect because there was an overwhelming sense of positivity and appreciation People didn t get angry if someone made a mistake or if someone s views were different No dirty looks because I was speaking and signing at the same time I ve found that in the UK a lot of deaf people can be confrontational if they don t understand something or don t agree with something There seems to be a strong my way or the highway attitude which is probably where my original anxieties manifested but that attitude just didn t exist in Taiwan There was just a huge amount of respect for each other The Taiwan International Deaf Film Festival has got to be by far the best deaf film festival I have ever attended The films are top quality the range of emerging to established film makers is refreshing the talks are educational and eye opening maybe not my one gulp and most importantly they really go out of their way to make sure ALL people feel like they belong Whether you re deaf hard of hearing a sign language user a speaker Korean Japanese or even that weird English person who can t seem to look good in any of the photos It s kind of bizarre that I ve felt more included at a deaf film festival in a foreign country than I ve ever felt in the UK but if the organisers can find a way to provide a range of interpreters lip speakers captions Chinese and English then there s no reason that we can t do the same here Let s follow suit and try to make everyone feel more welcome whatever the occasion Deafness should be inclusive not exclusive FNDC 35 Winter 2017

Kudos to GAP for their advertising a deaf hh baby model with hearing aids SAVE THE DATE Saturday June 3 2017 Vancouver Community College More information to come FEDERAL ACCESSIBILITY LEGISLATION REMINDER You have until the end of February to submit to the Federal Government regarding barriers to accessibility for persons with disabilities in Canada on the proposed Federal Accessibility Legislation Don t miss out on having your opinion heard To complete the online questionnaire go to www canada ca en employment social development programs disability consultations accessibility legislation html h2 3 FNDC 36 Winter 2017

Greater Association of the Deaf and Happy Hands are hosting DEAF February 25 2017 Where Bonsor Recreational Complex Address 6550 Bonsor Ave Burnaby BC V5H 3G4 Time 6 00PM 11 00PM Games will be from 7 00 10 00PM Cost 20 00 for 10 Bingo cards only 10card bundles will be sold Extra card bundles can be bought for 20 00 Concession Food will be sold by students from BC School for the Deaf for fundraising There will be two 50 50 raffle sales and silent auction Those who purchase a Bingo Bundle can participate Ticket Sellers Hester Hussey co chair Donna Scoular co chair Shirlee Kenealey Rebecca Storey Diana Tarchuk Linda Ramsey Sarah Taylor Sally Mcclellan Susan Masters Caroline Herbert Teresa Amaral Wendy Bruce Sara MacFayden Rosanne Dong Tina Millar Cheryl Winter Colleen Peterson Jennifer Zuvic Bonnie Russell Jill Thompson Christy Jeffrey Colleen Peterson Tracy Metzger This is a BC Gaming Event Raffle License 1084398 and Independent Bingo License 1084367 If you have a problem with gambling contact the hotline at 1888 795 6111 and www bcresponsiblegambling ca Know your limit play within it Must be 19 to play FNDC 37 Winter 2017

Post Secondary Transition Workshop for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Grades 11 12 Date Monday February 6 2017 Location Byrne Creek Secondary School 7777 18th Street Burnaby BC Tim e 9 30 am 12 30 pm Have You Thought Ahead About Post Secondary Studies Financial Aid Awards Documentation of Hearing Loss Assistive Technologies Communication Access options Interpreting CART Typewell Notetaking Disability Resource Support Centre Rights Responsibilities Time Stress Management Community Supports Post Secondary Class Environment Transition Checklist Each parent student and teacher attending must register individually in order to reserve a seat as space is limited Please direct any questions to transition bcit ca and to register click http tinyurl com jjazc5o Brought to you in partnership by MARCH 7TH 2016 FNDC 38 Winter 2017

Webcasts from VISUAL LANGUAGE VISUAL LEARNING VL2 Mark your calendars In February the PhD in Educational Neuroscience Program will be hosting two outstanding Distinguished Lecturers at Gallaudet University Dr Andrew Meltzoff University of Washington Minds brains and how children learn from infants to society Feburary 16 from 4 00 to 5 30 EST Dr Joy Hirsch Yale School of Medicine The new neuroscience of two Communicating eye to eye February 23rd 4 00 to 5 30 EST These talks will be presenting ground breaking research in the fields of learning and neuroscience Details for each talk will follow shortly but make sure you save the dates Both talks will be held in the Merrill Learning Center Room B111 on Gallaudet Campus live streamed at www webcast gallaudet edu with interpretation and live captions Please disseminate among your colleagues graduate students and undergraduate students as much as you please For more information please contact Ilaria Berteletti gallaudet edu Signing Support Needed Looking for a native ASL signer who can sign and play with a happy and easy going deaf 4 year old boy with cochlear implants and on the autism spectrum disorder Our primary goal is to provide him with more ASL exposure to help him communicate more effectively We are looking for 2 4 hours per week with the following schedule availability but not limited to other hours Sundays 1 30 6 30pm Saturdays 9am 12pm Wednesdays 4 30 7pm We are looking for individuals who are energetic responsible dependable and able to commit for at least 1 year Parents would be home during the play sessions and initial support from our behavior consultant s would be provided We are located in SE Vancouver We are looking to pay 10 per hour Please apply with resume and references to jacquipau gmail com FNDC 39 Winter 2017

FNDC is a non profit society S 33351 that was founded in March 1995 to bring together families of deaf children in British Columbia who share common concerns Federal Registered Charity Number 88622 5655 RR0001 Deaf Youth Today DYT is a program administered by FNDC D Y T What is FNDC all about Family Network for Deaf Children FNDC is a parent run non profit charitable organization supporting families with deaf and hard of hearing children that use sign language or are interested in learning sign language Even though technology and methodology have changed over the years we seek the wisdom of parents professionals and Deaf HH adults so that common themes of access equity and a sense of belonging continue to be highlighted in areas such as social recreation leadership education employment general services and community involvement What is Deaf Youth Today Deaf Youth Today DYT is FNDC s summer social recreational program and is committed to providing recreational experience and leadership opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing youth in British Columbia that use sign language for all or part of their communication or who are interested in learning sign language FNDC Board of Directors Hester Hussey Mentor Advisor Colleen Peterson President April Cowley Director Nicki Horton Director Karen Jackson Director Charlie Coyle Director Joy Santos Director Gwen Wong Director Laura Batista Director The Board of Directors are parents of deaf children FNDC Staff Cecelia Klassen Executive Director cecelia fndc ca Bella Poato Executive Assistant accounting fndc ca Jason Berube Website Designer Developer webmaster fndc ca FNDC General Inquiry fndc fndc ca DYT Staff Deaf Youth Today Alayna Finley DYT Coordinator alayna fndc ca Terry Maloney DYT Hornby Island Coordinator terry fndc ca Andrea Maloney DYT Registrations andrea fndc ca Scott Jeffery DYT Planning Training scott fndc ca Deaf Youth Today General Inquiry dyt fndc ca Membership Paid Membership is open to those who support the goals of our Organization Our membership is open to individuals schools and organizations Parents guardians of deaf and hard of hearing children are eligible to vote Join Our E Mail List for free Join our email list for free and receive Our newsletter which is published four times a year Email Updates regarding upcoming workshops and courses children youth programs as well as community updates Contact Us Contact us below and be added to our email list or to request a membership form Family Network for Deaf Children P O Box 50075 South Slope RPO Burnaby BC V5J 5G3 604 684 1860 voice text message www fndc ca website fndc fndc ca e mail