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SPRING Spring April 2018 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 Happy Spring to everyone At the beginning of April we have become planning for our Summer 2018 DYT program under the direction of Sarah Taylor our new DYT Coordinator Welcome Sarah We are waiting to hear back from Canada Summer Jobs on our grant application As soon as that is confirmed we expect to have our program details and registration posted by the beginning of May Introducing our new logo After having the same logo for over 20 years we have finally updated our FNDC logo and chosen a logo that incorporates both FNDC and DYT into one logo for our website newsletter etc We hope you like it We are delighted to have chosen this design and EVEN MORE thrilled that the graphic designer has been one of our DYT staff for the past several summers Kristina Gu vremont is talented and we are proud to highlight her as a young deaf business person AND hopefully you will see her in our DYT program again this summer If you are searching for a graphic artist we encourage you to contact Kristina Here are some details about her Hi The name s Kristina Gu vremont and I m a freelance graphic designer I currently live in Victoria but hope to move to the Vancouver area sometime this summer I m culturally Deaf and communicate in American Sign Language My passion is graphic design and children I ve been doing graphic design and working with children for 20 years I ve worked at Deaf Youth Today for three summers now one of my most favourite jobs For any business inquiries or general questions feel free to email me at kristina twelvepixels ca Twitter FNDCandDYT Facebook www facebook com fndc ca

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If I can do it you can do it Hornby Island Family Deaf Camp This article is reprinted with permission from BC Hands Voices where it was first published in April 2017 By Andrew Banks Family camping an event that is enjoyable but definitely comes with its challenges Family Deaf Camp well this was going to be interesting These were the thoughts that went through my mind when my wife Sandra suggested that we go to Family Deaf Camp on Hornby Island My wife and I were great car campers before kids When our two children came into our lives all attempts by us to go camping were put on hold We are the proud parents of an older hearing child aged 5 and a younger child aged 2 who was born deaf and had bilateral cochlear implant surgery at the age of one The challenges of trying to camp with a very young family seemed beyond our capacity Add in my lack of comfort with communicating in sign language and the thought of attending a Deaf family camp was daunting After internally debating my wife s suggestion I agreed that yes now was the time for a family camping trip and the idea of camping on Hornby Island was even better We know Hornby Island well as my wife s family has lived there for many years The decision was made to go July 2016 we arrived at Family Deaf Camp with our children for our first camping trip as a family My wife made the executive decision that our eldest child and I would go to the camp to find a good site while she and our youngest visited with her family When I came to the camp entrance which is located at the Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre I started to feel some trepidation A good campsite that is a lot of responsibility especially when you don t know the area We pulled into the campground and were immediately greeted by Deaf Youth Today staff Now my sign language skills are a work in progress and I think I must have looked like a stunned animal However their enthusiasm and helpfulness quickly overcame any language differences With their help we found a good spot not too near or far from the action and also handy for that all important outhouse After we staked our site and built our encampment the best two room tent on the island I went to get my wife to show her my campsite selection expertise Our first day was enjoyable as we explored the campground and settled in Before long families that we knew from the community also turned up and the daunting task of camping with a young family became a relic of past thoughts Our kids played with the other children all afternoon and to our pleasant surprise were quite tired come evening time and easily fell asleep in the tent My wife and I wondered why we were so hesitant about going family camping in the first place We had a delightful time over the next couple of days participating in some of the organized events for families such as rock climbing arts and crafts and paddle boarding just to name a few The camp provided coffee every morning two evening meals in the lodge and breakfast for us on the last day Not having to cook every meal took the pressure off and allowed us more opportunities to connect with other campers There was also lots of time for us to relax between the scheduled events The staff was so easy going and accommodating that communicating either with or without sign language became a non issue There was also a team of interpreters on hand to ensure access for everyone Our children were having a blast which allowed us as parents to relax and enjoy the whole experience The highlight for me was the somewhat improvised performance with optional audience participation held each evening at the main campfire stage The staff worked hard to entertain us and include the children It was really enjoyable After the show every night the younger children went to bed exhausted Once they were asleep parents were able to socialize I will always remember having a great campfire conversation with a couple of Deaf parents with the help of an interpreter The interpreter was so good that I quickly forgot I was relying on her I found it quite funny that we had to hold the conversation when someone new joined in until the lights could be repositioned to ensure everyone could see people s hands signing The three days of camp quickly went by and as a family we were all somewhat saddened that Family Deaf Camp for 2016 was over it was that enjoyable Both of our children had fun and were communicating with no inhibitions My wife and I had time to relax socialize and to share common experiences with other families Our family is already looking forward to returning to Hornby Island for Family Deaf Camp this summer We hope to see your family there too You can find me by looking for the dad who seems somewhat puzzled in sign language conversations but has a big smile on his face For more information about 2018 Family Deaf Camp See flyer on the following page FNDC 3 Spring 2018

th 25 Annual Family Deaf Camp 2018 At Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre Hornby Island Thursday July 5th to Sunday 8th Arrive afternoon on July 5 until after breakfast on the July 8th Your Family Deaf Camp Hosts Gord Allison Campbell Phone 250 335 0080 Email Haeley tribunebay gmail com Website www TribuneBayOutdoorEd ca Program The camp is for parents with deaf hard of hearing children and Deaf hard of hearing parents with their children This camp is designed for families that use sign language for all or part of their communication There is something for everyone and most of the programs will be interpreted The Centre staff and DYT Deaf Youth Today staff will be offering family programs and programs especially for children and adults Some examples of programs include the usual climbing on the tower hiking high ropes course stand up paddleboards beach fun lots of games mystery hunts crafts kayaking marine tours by our 12 passenger boat great campfire stories skits and the very popular women s and men s separate adult island bus tour and stops at appropriate spots Accommodation Meals Bring your own tent or RV cooking camping gear Outhouse toilets coin operated showers are available Some meals are on your own but we supply Friday and Saturday Supper and Sunday Breakfast at the Lodge Everyone is asked to volunteer with one meal clean up Check to see if we have space in our new yurts extra fee Yurts are an extra charge to check rates and reserve a yurt please email Haeley tribunebay gmail com Camp Fees Family Rate Immediate Family 275 00 includes tax for the entire camp Extra individual not part of immediate family 120 00 includes tax for the entire camp The Campbell s gift to you is the low subsidized fees in support of you coming The regular camp fee would be 216 85 per person so a family of 4 would be 867 40 but you only pay 275 00 for the Family Rate Due to our subdized fees only IMMEDIATE family will be included in the Family rate Any additional peopople will be added at the individual rate of 120 00 and cannot be included in the Family Rate Space is lmited so its suggested you register early TO REGISTER www fndc ca familydeafcamp Ferry information We will email you a ferry schedule and information on how to purchase a BC Ferry Experience card which is the best rate for the small Hornby Denman ferries the card never experies and any credit on the card may be used on the large ferry back to Vancouver There is no discount on large mainland ferries only small ferries Hornby Denman FNDC 4 Spring 2018

SAVE THE DATE Saturday September 8 2018 FNDC FAMILY FISHING DAY Following the past success we are bringing back Family Fishing Day This event started as an idea by Rhys McCormick for community partnership in one of his graduate studies courses in 2015 We are happy to have him involved again this year to help assist with planning organization and support of this event On SATURDAY September 8 2018 we welcome families to join us for a visit at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery in Abbotsford We will be touring the Visitor s Centre and learning to identify some local BC fish as well as a learn a little about fish biology habitat and conservation COST 5 00 per person adults children Bring a packed lunch for your family Contact fndc fndc ca if cost is an issue We will finish the day with some catch and will then release fish in the well stocked fish ponds on site All equipment will be provided Interpreters will be provided on site Deaf Youth Today Staff will also participate to make this event a fun family signing day Photo from 2016 Peterson family enjoying the grand door prize they won a Sturgeon fishing trip There will be a few door prizes including a chance to win a 4 hour guided fishing trip on the Fraser river for Sturgeon or salmon 575 value from Mark Wilken of Big Valley Sportfishing Adventures from Chilliwack BC https www bigvalleysportfishing com Mark has experience guiding for Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients and an interpreter will be provided REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT will open in July 2018 Details including hours and address will be posted in July Watch the FNDC website www fndc ca and email updates for info FNDC 5 Spring 2018

Meet Molly HC at UVic s Soon to be Distinguished Alumna FNDC Editor s note Molly has been one of our DYT campers and Counsellors in Training Molly s mom Janice was a past FNDC board member for several years and both Janice and Molly have logged many hours fundraising for FNDC and our DYT summer program We are proud of you Molly From https www hercampus com school u vic meet molly hc uvics soon be distinguished alumna Meet Molly One of our incredible members is graduating this year and we just couldn t let her go without recognizing the great impact that she has had on us and the rest of the UVic community Molly Feanny is in her final semester of psychology here at UVic On top of maintaining high grades and writing for Her Campus Molly is also a member of the UVic Kappa Beta Gamma sorority and a volunteer research assistant for the psychology department On top of this she still makes time to shop bake and watch movies and professional soccer She is an absolute superstar but what s even more impressive is that for Molly playing such a big role in the UVic community usually means that she is constantly facing a communication barrier Molly has been deaf since birth and uses both sign language and spoken written English to communicate Because so few people know sign language communication especially when meeting new people is not always easy Fortunately Molly doesn t let this hold her back She is the only female deaf student at UVic but she has not let this stop her from contributing to her school and making tons of friends FNDC 6 Spring 2018

Molly joined Her Campus in the spring of 2016 and has been a big part of the magazine s growth and development over the past couple years She recalls being shy and uncertain when her friend initially encouraged her to join the team but her strong desire to be involved in the UVic community and meet new friends motivated her to push through her timidness Now she feels that her experience with Her Campus has made her more open and self assured and she loves watching as other members of the club gradually gain confidence like she did For Molly this confidence came after writing her very first article She remembers thinking What do I know about that other people here don t This led her to write about her experience as a deaf person at UVic Molly in Washington Molly knew that her article would be unique but she couldn t have anticipated the magnitude of positive feedback that it would receive Within days it was posted on the Her Campus National website and people everywhere were telling her how much they had enjoyed it I felt like I belonged in Her Campus and was worth something at that moment she recalls I think that article kickstarted my passion and motivation to write more Since then Molly has been a consistent and valuable contributor to the magazine Most recently she wrote about her visit to Gallaudet University which is a university in Washington D C that is designed to be barrier free for deaf and hard of hearing students This was an incredible experience for her because unlike at UVic she could do things like order coffee without having to write her order down for the barista Looking ahead she is excited to write articles about the film Belladonna of Sadness and the upcoming Wes Anderson film Isle of Dogs Molly also puts passion and hard work into her role as a member of Kappa Beta Gamma one of UVic s sororities The group does lots of philanthropic and fundraising work for the Mustard Seed and the Special Olympics and also organizes various social events throughout the year As Molly puts it FNDC 7 Spring 2018

Being in a sorority takes a lot of time and effort out of you but you get rewarded with meeting a lot of people in situations that you normally wouldn t be involved in in the first place Though it can be challenging to be a quiet person in such a large group of outgoing girls she found that by fully embracing her role in the group whether as a volunteer or as a big her identity within the sorority felt stronger and even led her to meet some of her really good friends Her experience in the sorority also helped her gain leadership networking and organizational skills that will assist her in her future career Looking back Molly has accomplished a lot in her time here at UVic Her favourite memories of the last few years have come from her social involvement and all the life long friends she has made She may be small but she s an amazing big Honestly graduating feels both exciting and terrifying to me she says on one hand you re done with a chapter in your life you have your degree and you re ready to start the next chapter On the other hand you do not know exactly what will happen next and the routine you ve been used to is over Overall she is proud of all the hard work tears and dedication that went into gaining her Bachelor of Science and has lots of exciting plans for the future She hopes to take a well deserved year off to work and travel before going onto graduate school She has already planned a trip to Las Vegas but would love to go to Japan as well Eventually she also hopes to visit every Disney park in the world Though she is not entirely sure what she wants to study next her dream is to attend Gallaudet University for her next degree She has many hopes and dreams for the future but above all she says I would love to move somewhere that has more people like me and I would love to inspire people Then I would feel so happy in life FNDC 8 Spring 2018

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John Krasinski Insisted Deaf Actress Be Cast In A Quiet Place From www huffingtonpost ca entry john krasinski insisted deaf actress be cast in a quiet place_us_5ac94beae4b07a3485e5539e April 8 2018 The film s star and director wanted the character played by deaf actress Millicent Simmonds to be authentic In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter screenwriters Bryan Woods and Scott Beck say that actor John Krasinski insisted that the deaf daughter character in their new film A Quiet Place be cast with a deaf actress Krasinski who also directed the film specifically pushed for actress Millicent Simmonds to be hired Simmonds had a breakout performance in last year s critically acclaimed Wonderstruck The 14 year old Simmonds lost her hearing while she was a baby and has since become a champion for the deaf community I want to see more deaf people have the opportunity to become actors she told People in October And I want hearing people to know that it s okay to learn American Sign Language We always had a deaf character in the script but John really pushed for them to hire Millicent Beck said She came to set and taught everyone sign language It was really amazing and brought an extra depth to the film In the world of A Quiet Place blind sound hunting monsters force the Abbott family to live in total silence The parents played by real life couple Krasinski and Emily Blunt try to keep their son and daughter safe from these Actress Millicent Simmonds monsters while planning for the birth of another child which they must also figure out how to do in silence A Quiet Place is currently number one at the theaters having made an estimated 46 million in its debut according to Box Office Mojo Tutor in Victoria area wanted Tutor in Victoria area wanted for Deaf ASL student in English upgrading Support with written English and grammar in particular If you are interested please call Beth Kope 250 370 3573 at Camosun College FNDC 10 Spring 2018

A great year for signed languages in film and what we can learn from it http theconversation com a great year for signed languages in film and what we can learn from it 93563 March 26 2018 Looking back at the films released in 2017 and those honoured at the Oscars it is quite remarkable to note the prominence of signed languages Three films in particular stand out for their sensitive portrayals of signed languages as bona fide languages Baby Driver The Shape of Water and The Silent Child Two of these films Baby Driver and The Silent Child also make an important contribution both onscreen and off towards recognising and respecting Deaf culture identity and community they both have Deaf actors playing characters that demonstrate the importance of signed languages in their everyday lives In an interview Hawkins explained that Elisa s signed language was a deliberate mixture of period specific ASL and an amalgamation of things Elisa would have cobbled together because of where she d probably have learnt it This is a good representation of the reality of many signers in this period and beyond Signed languages were historically suppressed worldwide in favour of lip reading and use of voice The Silent Child Baby Driver Baby Driver which had two of its three 2018 Academy Award nominations for sound editing and mixing contains a beautiful portrayal of American Sign Language ASL and its role in everyday life Central character Baby Miles and his Deaf foster father Joseph discuss relationships Baby s involvement in criminal activity and the slightly more mundane topic of preparing dinner to Joseph s liking Baby Driver is also a landmark film because actor CJ Jones who plays the role of Joseph is Deaf and native to ASL Studios often cast hearing actors in Deaf roles but writer and director Edgar Wright stated that having auditioned Jones he found watching hearing actors pretend to be Deaf difficult This is an interesting point in terms of cultural appropriation of Deaf identity and has been the subject of campaigning including DeafTalent Meanwhile Ansel Elgort who played Baby Miles undertook lessons in ASL in order to do it justice The Shape of Water The Shape of Water which took four of the 2018 Academy Awards including best picture is a magical realism tale which follows a janitor at a government laboratory as she falls in love with a humanoid amphibian creature being held there While protagonist Elisa Esposito played by Sally Hawkins is not deaf she is unable to verbalise So Elisa communicates exclusively through ASL with her co worker Zelda Delilah Fuller Octavia Spencer neighbour Giles Richard Jenkins and her amphibian lover Doug Jones who also cannot verbalise Through the unfolding love story and her conversations about it with her friends the power of ASL as a full and vibrant language is demonstrated Elisa befriends the creature and teaches him ASL as one would any language She begs and convinces Giles to help her rescue the creature conveying the depth of her emotional attachment and love Having copulated with the creature Elisa confides in Zelda the intimate and explicit details of the encounter All of this complexity of everyday life is conveyed through ASL The Silent Child which was awarded best live action short film at the Oscars conveys the isolation and dissociation of a profoundly deaf child Libby living with her hearing family who assume she follows things really well However as we witness a family meal through Libby s eyes we can begin to appreciate that this is far from being the case The situation improves with the arrival of a social worker Joanne who teaches Libby British Sign Language BSL enabling her to communicate and express herself However the film ends on an uncertain and emotional note as Libby s parents decide to cease her BSL sessions The film s main character Libby is played by six year old Deaf actor Maisie Sly a native to BSL Rachel Shenton who wrote and starred in the film as Joanne made her Oscar acceptance speech in BSL The Silent Child is pro BSL while still illustrating the tensions between hearing and Deaf cultures as BSL is still seen by many parents as a threat to family communication So the films of 2017 18 have placed signed languages centre stage and generated much debate But while attitudes towards them and Deaf culture may be improving there is still a long way to go before anything nearing equality is achieved It is thus gratifying to learn that the team behind The Silent Child are planning a full length movie follow up amid campaigning for children to be taught BSL in schools Let s hope that the momentum from this year can be maintained and built upon FNDC 11 Spring 2018

Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University Debra Nussbaum MA CCC A manages projects on language development and communication support at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center located on the campus of Gallaudet University in Washington D C Since 1977 she has been involved in direct service provision in audiology as well as resource development research and professional training Genie Chisholm MA CCC SLP is a speech language pathologist at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center In addition to providing direct service to students she is coordinator of support services and a certified See The Sound Visual Phonics trainer High School Students with Cochlear Implants Coming Together for Success By Debra Nussbaum Genie Chisholm Rebecca Galloway Venita Dzime Assison and Jane Doyle While many people assume that students with cochlear implants have placements in mainstream schools almost 25 percent of the approximately 175 students at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf MSSD the residential high school on the campus of Gallaudet University in Washington D C have an implanted listening device Working with these students professionals encounter a group that is ethnically culturally and educationally diverse Some students arrive from general educational settings some arrive from schools for the deaf Some have been educated primarily through spoken language others use both spoken and signed languages Some learn visually others have strong auditory skills and preferences Some received their implants when they were very young others just got them Some love their implants and use them all the time others feel ambivalence and use their implants periodically Despite these differences all have gone through the experience of surgery and all have lived with an implanted listening device In fact having a cochlear implant provides a common bond for these young individuals The professionals at MSSD have discovered that providing opportunities for these students to come together and interact can be an important part of their personal and social success A multidisciplinary group of professionals including speech language pathologists audiologists school counselors school psychologists teachers and graduate Photos by Susan M Flanigan ODYSSEY 24 FNDC 12 Spring 2018 2017

Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University Rebecca Galloway MS CCCSLP is a speech language pathologist and a PhD student She has practiced in both general education settings and at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center interns collaborates to plan three to four gatherings a year to give students the chance to talk about their experiences and challenges These events provide an opportunity to explore helpful listening accessories and discuss effective language and communication strategies especially those that include social media They address identity issues and connect with deaf adults who may or may not use cochlear implants within the community The Bond of Implantation Getting Together to Learn and Have Fun All students with cochlear implants and students with other technologies that rely on implantation such as implanted bone conduction hearing systems are encouraged but not required to attend these meetings It does not matter how consistently students use their devices or whether they have a single or a bilateral implant Some students who have had their device s internal components removed have come as well as students who are considering a cochlear implant for themselves and those who are curious to learn more about the technology Typically 35 40 students 2017 Above Students learn about home and family communication tips while enjoying cupcakes and popcorn attend the meetings Pizza is a strong motivator The meetings occur at the beginning or the end of the day or during lunch so they do not interfere with academics Information publicizing each gathering is shared with students staff and families Planning starts each year when every MSSD student with an implant is given a needs assessment The assessment completed either in print or through a face to face meeting gathers information about each student s implant communication background feelings about his or her device and possible supports After reviewing the needs assessments as well as brainstorming with the students themselves a theme for each meeting is identified Each meeting includes an opportunity for social interaction as well as a structured learning experience Students are encouraged to mingle informally and technology and games are incorporated to promote their engagement Activities are structured around topics to encourage information exchange and ground Venita DzimeAssison AuD CCCA has worked for 30 years as an audiologist at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center She has been involved in resource development and professional training Jane Doyle MS CCC SLP is a speechlanguage pathologist at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center She is in the process of completing a master s degree in reading at Johns Hopkins University Doyle is the mother of two adopted children who are deaf The authors welcome questions and comments about this article through Nussbaum at debra nussbaum gallaudet edu 25 ODYSSEY FNDC 13 Spring 2018

Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University Teens Demonstrate Independence and Advocacy And a Need for Knowledge We have learned that students with cochlear implants at this age and stage of development are transitioning to becoming greater advocates for themselves in the use and care of their implant At the same time they may have limited knowledge about the device they are using For example they may not be aware of the company that manufactured their cochlear implant or the many accessories that are available for it accessories that can afford them increased opportunities for connectivity to media or improved listening in noisy situations In addition as many of the students are teens issues arise that are central to identity development Students may Above The students brainstorm a name for the group rules are established to ensure information is conveyed in a nonbiased and respectful manner An evaluation is completed at the end of each meeting to determine if the students enjoyed the activity and if learning objectives were met Some highly successful activities have included using personal videos developed by the students that demonstrate how to use assistive listening accessories to connect to media a Jeopardy style game involving truths and misconceptions about cochlear implants a Speed Meet and Greet during which students move quickly from peer to peer asking each other questions related to cochlear implants The Line Game in which students meet at the line according to areas of commonality e g the professional leading the meeting calls out such statements as Come to the line if you use your cochlear implant every day or Come to the line if you went to a mainstream ODYSSEY 26 FNDC 14 Spring 2018 school and polling technologies e g Turning Technologies ResponseWare www turningtechnologies com to survey students on opinions about topics such as the advantages and disadvantages of a cochlear implant the decision to obtain a cochlear implant or the advice about implants that they would offer to others Below A student evaluates the activity answering questions such as Did you socialize with other students Did you learn any tips for communicating Was this a supportive environment in which to share your experiences The groups have also enjoyed opportunities for participation in an essay contest on the topic of What Would You Tell Other Deaf Students Who Are Considering Getting a Cochlear Implant and Why presentations from cochlear implant manufacturers on assistive listening accessories and how they connect to smartphones tablets and other portable devices and panel discussions involving Gallaudet University students and MSSD staff who use cochlear implants 2017

Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University everyone but it has growing number of younger children with cochlear implants who are becoming teenagers providing these opportunities for social engagement should be considered an integral part of promoting student success At MSSD students with implants have access to a wide variety of services provided at school These services are integral to ensuring students have properly functioning technology and that they benefit from it to capacity Services include worked for me audiological services including a I didn t realize how many other students had CIs I know that a cochlear implant doesn t work for 12th grade Justina MSSD student express interest in exploring questions such as Why did my parents decide that I should have a cochlear implant Do I fit more in the hearing community or the Deaf community Now that I am in a school for the deaf should I use my cochlear implant From many years of providing these group gatherings we have seen how much students appreciate these opportunities and learn from them We have observed that this opportunity fills in gaps that may not have been otherwise addressed in students educational or personal experiences We feel this kind of structured yet informal interaction is important in the program of every student who has an implanted device Professionals and volunteers from various settings school districts cochlear implant clinics civic organizations such as Lions Clubs or Sertoma can help establish afterschool activities clubs camps and weekend experiences to bring students with cochlear implants together Students who live in rural areas or find getting together is difficult because of geography may find similar interaction through FaceTime Skype or other video chatting software Based on the 2017 complete audiological evaluation troubleshooting when problems develop with implant equipment and education regarding assistive devices to support listening with their implant access to spare and loaner parts auditory and speech training provided by a speech language pathologist based on goals documented through the IEP process and counseling as needed Each of these services is important However it is also important to remember that one of the best supports we can provide for our students is the opportunity to get together This is what the professionals at the Clerc Center have done allowed our students to meet talk with each other about their implants and explore their own questions We have found that while we offer a wide range of supports for deaf and hard of hearing students with cochlear implants sometimes one of the best supports we can provide for them is each other Resources to Support Teens with Cochlear Implants Teens and Adults Cochlear Corporation www cochlear com wps wcm connect au home support rehabilitation resources teensand adults Tweens Teens Telephone with Confidence www cochlear com wps wcm connect us communication corner program intro tweensteens telephone htm Telephone Tips Med El www medel com us user support telephone tips Guide to Access Planning Phonak Planning Guide for Teens with Hearing Loss www phonak com us en support children and parents planningguide for teens html Young Adult Network Hearing Loss Association of America www hearingloss org content young adults 0 Encouraging Peer Support Groups Alexander Graham Bell Association www agbell org Document aspx id 1517 27 ODYSSEY FNDC 15 Spring 2018

Thompson Rivers University Student Launches Petition drive in hopes of Landing American Sign Language Course From http cfjctoday com article 606332 tru student launches petition drive hopes landing american sign language course KAMLOOPS A Thompson Rivers University student has launched a petition drive in hopes of prompting the school to offer a for credit American Sign Language course Robert Wisla started the petition at the start of the winter session and is more than two thirds of the way toward reaching his goal of 1 500 signatures A lot of people have jumped on board already with the campaign I ve got lots of students volunteering A lot of people want this too A lot are surprised we don t have it yet because the University of Victoria and UBC already have it so we d be playing catch up He says such a course would allow TRU students the opportunity to gain an understanding of the unique deaf culture and language and to enhance their ability to communicate with members of the deaf community Wisla says he also had a much more personal reason for launching the petition What inspired this whole campaign was basically I wanted to be able to talk with my deaf uncle I know a little bit of sign language already but just basically the A B Cs Once he gains the required signatures Wisla plans to present the petition to TRU s modern language department and administration in hopes TRU could launch an ASL course next fall or winter Unsung Hero Local woman dedicates self to advocacy for the deaf community by NEWS 1130 STAFF Posted Mar 26 2018 6 40 am PDT From www news1130 com VANCOUVER NEWS 1130 Congratulations to our latest Unsung Hero Lisa Anderson She was nominated for the award by Nathalie Freyvogel Take a look at Lisa s story Lisa is a very active dedicated and vocal advocate for the Deaf community for many many MANY years Being Deaf herself she knows all too well the challenges they face FNDC 16 Spring 2018 She sits and has sat on several committees to remove various communication barriers for Deaf folks across the country Inclusive and energetic she passionately fights for the rights of Deaf Canadians every day Her accomplishments are too numerous to list Most recently she has been involved in the Deaf Wireless Canada Committee and is also involved with the establishment of the Canada Video Relay Service a project that was YEARS in the making Alpine Credits is acknowledging Lisa with 500 to say thanks for stepping up and is also making a 1 000 donation to the Ronald McDonald House Children s Charity Lisa On behalf of families with deaf and hard of hearing children FNDC thanks you for your dedication and hardwork

A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR BC DEAF COACH From http assc cdsa com en great experience bc deaf coach January 24 2018 Akin and the Grizzlies participated at several competitions including the Western States Basketball Classic in the United States in the last three years Aikin was also assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2016 Pan American Deaf Basketball Regional Qualification in Maryland USA Devin Aikin is passionate about basketball since he was 10 years old and today he shares his passion with the Grizzlies boys and girls of the British Columbia School for the Deaf BCSD Aikin has been coaching the Grizzlies since the last four years and recently the British Columbia team that will participate at the Canada Deaf Games from Feb 21 to 24 in Winnipeg The BC team is formed of youth and adults aged between 16 and 20 years old including two players from the Grizzlies and three former players who graduated from the BCSD The team will take part in the very first 3 vs 3 tournament as well as an exhibition game against Team East Players from BC Alberta and Manitoba will represent Western Canada for this exhibition game I m very honoured to have been asked to coach Team West because it is a golden opportunity to see players from across Canada play together It will be like sitting in the front rows at a NBA game I support both teams because these players will represent Canada someday said Aikin On top of his coaching duties at the BCSD Aikin also organizes a basketball camp each summer for Deaf and hard of hearing aged 7 to 18 years old Devin Aikin right with the British Columbia School for the Deaf basketball team the Grizzlies Aikin is not stranger to competition as he played for the Burnaby South Rebels in high school He was the only Deaf player on the team He admits that he faced communication barriers but it all changed when he began coaching the Grizzlies There are no communication barriers when I work with the Grizzlies Everyone can play and learn together It is a beauty of a thing to coach Deaf teams said proudly Aikin Aikin is very excited to attend the Canada Deaf Games as he believes it is a great opportunity for athletes coaches and Provincial Deaf Sports Associations I look forward to see all athletes at the Games especially young prospects It will be a rich experience for everyone It is a growing process for many athletes to start their athletic career at the Games and it is an excellent opportunity for them to offer their best performances and shine said Aikin FNDC 17 Spring 2018

Is Your Child Language Deprived Written by April Cowley April shares with us what she learned at the recent FNDC WBP Workshop March 3rd April lives in the Maple Ridge area and works as an education assistant at an elementary school in Langley She casually volunteers and was a past board member for FNDC She enjoys spending time with family friends and pets April is presently learning how to play the Ukulele and recently joined a gym She enjoys taking in a good novel and reading about natural healing and spiritual psychology She also enjoys meditation Qi Gong and yoga She loves to spend time in nature particularly a forest or a beach April has two adult daughters Elina who is hearing and Jasmine who is hard of hearing but identifies now as Deaf and bilingual bicultural Back in early March I saw the title to a lecture that read Language Deprivation Syndrome For me it conjured up the image of a child raised in solitary confinement the kind of tragic situation that one hears about only in the news But the author Dr Sanjay Gulati assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard University was relating it to the experience of many past and present day deaf and hard of hearing children not ones in some far off developing country Boy did that get my attention As a parent of a deaf and hard of hearing DHOH adult daughter and as an educator this was a lecture I wasn t going to miss Hosted by the Deaf Well Being Program and FNDC on March 3 2018 Dr Gulati gave his lecture on Language Deprivation Syndrome at Douglas College He delivered his lecture in Sign Language with four interpreters in attendance Dr Gulati was born hearing but very gradually went hard of hearing he suspects from the age of 5 and then eventually became deaf in early adulthood Despite the complexity of his material Gulati s lecture unfolded in a meaningful easy to understand and relatable manner I appreciated how he used his own family and life experiences as examples which I ll touch upon briefly He was very kind compassionate and approachable In this article I cover a range of points he made but it doesn t fully cover his power point and lecture As Dr Gulati described what language deprivation syndrome meant in the context of deaf and hard of hearing DHOH children I had a visceral reaction I was reminded that in this day and age here in North America and other developed nations DHOH children are still at risk of language deprivation I think it s unethical and that something seriously needs to change As his lecture progressed I began to wonder was MY daughter language deprived too in her earlier years Maybe I d better back up and give more back ground on what Gulati means by language deprivation syndrome He explained that there is a critical development of language after we re born and it happens within the first three years of a child s life This window is there even despite the brain s plasticity I asked Yes Dr Gulati said with certainty During this window of time there could be full access to a single language or varying degrees of exposure to a first language But if there is not enough exposure then a child can experience language deprivation But those not exposed to usable language by the age of four will never learn any language fluently FNDC 18 Spring 2018

What does language deprivation look like To give a clear picture of what it is Gulati began by describing language Language as we know consists of grammar the machinery of language the way in which words are combined to make meaning And it consists of vocabulary a database of words attached to grammar However when a deaf child is not exposed to a usable language they will seek to communicate via gestures home sign develops within the family and local community and home sign consists mainly of nouns and never becomes a full language So in other words if language doesn t have grammar it isn t fully usable it just remains a collection of words But when children are exposed to a useable language they are able to comprehend complex grammar even though they don t articulate it clearly They build their understanding of grammar gradually from watching and listening to people While learning a language children must understand the meaning of words as well as how to combine them into a sentence to communicate meaning And meaning is provided through grammar Grammar does not mean rules of proper usage as the 19th century Victorian linguists tried to codify But it does consist of rules rules for how to combine words to make meanings And babies brains are hard wired for language In fact all 7000 plus human languages including 137 plus sign languages have similarly complex grammars with universal features such as verbs plurals and tenses The importance of language is that it gives us access to society to relationships to internal language to knowledge to concepts including Theory of Mind ToM and to the communication of basic needs Dr Gulati emphasised that ToM is crucial to our development as it involves understanding another person s knowledge beliefs emotions and intentions and using that understanding to navigate social situations Gulati gave a delightful example of ToM by sharing a family story of one of his young daughters who is hearing and who bravely sat in the audience at the workshop When she was only 19 months old Luci tripped on a stuffed animal stuffy she had left lying on a staircase After tumbling to the bottom of the stairs and hitting her head rather hard to the surprise of her dad she didn t cry but instead got up retrieved her stuffy and imagined it feeling sorry for tripping her by making the stuffy sign sorry with it s paw Luci signed back its ok which gave her the opportunity to forgive the stuffy The next day she told her mother who didn t witness the event all about it and with just three signs This example shows ToM at work as Luci was able to imagine that her stuffy felt bad about tripping her that she was able to forgive the stuffy and she knew that her mother wasn t present when she fell so she shared the story with her I ve always associated the absence of ToM to children with autism but never thought of it in terms of being absent in deaf and hard of hearing children Gulati referred to two studies one in Italy one in Holland that show the performance of children with CI s and or hearing aids in an oral aural classroom with little to no sign from a teaching assistant on ToM tasks who fell far below that of hearing controls However deaf bilingual children sign language spoken language performed the best even surpassing the hearing children The hearing children scored in between If a child doesn t have ToM they don t know that other people have their own minds that contain ideas feelings and knowledge that is separate from theirs The lack of language leads to an absent or deprived ToM As Gulati put it the window the critical period is a neurological reality Language deprived people suffer from underdeveloped neural language processing that has failed to grow forward in the adult brain due to an absence of language experience during critical moments throughout early brain development Mayberry et al 2011 FNDC 19 Spring 2018

The consequences of language deprivation are shocking Here is most of the list from Dr Gulati s power point As you go through the list do you recognize some of these in your own DHOH child or someone else s Some of these certainly relate to my daughter s developmental years in varying degrees which I have starred A person with late language exposure may superficially appear to use sign language fluently but on closer examination shows characteristic linguistic deficits struggles with the concept of time struggles with cause and effect lacks awareness of conversational partner s need for context and more generally lacks theory of mind struggles with abstract concepts has difficulty learning the mental desktop of a person with language deprivation syndrome is typically occupied with a handful of central concerns leaving little space for new ideas such as feedback from others Those who know the individual well may become familiar with these repeated stories struggles with emotional regulation struggles in relationships a named feeling serves as a kind of mental container allowing a person to step back from the feeling observe it place it into context and regulate it Unable to put feelings into words which usually requires a cause and effect narrative of events that led to the feeling people with language deprivation can neither talk themselves through difficulties nor easily avail themselves of emotional support from others a person with late language exposure acts feelings out When humans are unable to communicate needs and feelings or to look inwards and internally manage them via language expression of emotion often shifts to behaviour Children with language deprivation can show spectacular levels of such acting out as they face frustration in identifying and expressing needs coupled with uncertainty about whether and how their needs can be met Sadly these conditions can create a prevalence of trauma and psychiatric symptoms for a deaf or hard of hearing person all due to language deprivation Briefly Gulati recommends that language deprivation syndrome be treated first and foremost by immersive language exposure to the fullest extent possible Secondly that those with severe language deprivation who may have been assumed to have a mental illness need to have the condition explained to them from a neurological and cross cultural explanation They must also learn to differentiate between the results of language deprivation and antisocial behaviour Thirdly Gulati recommends an eclectic treatment approach family therapy modified Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Dialectical Behaviour Therapy behaviour plans skills training psychoeducation Involvement of law enforcement Looking for the person inside Gulati related language to that of a vitamin Vitamin L I think of language as Vitamin L an essential ingredient in human development Hearing by contrast is not Vitamin H the proof is in the existence of Deaf people who simply identify themselves as a language minority Language Deprivation is the Absence of Vitamin L Any DHOH child who is not fully exposed to a usable language at birth is at risk of language deprivation Isn t this what happens to many of our DHOH children here in BC FNDC 20 Spring 2018

Gulati s lecture has confirmed for me that this is what happened to my daughter We didn t discover she was born DHOH until she was 17 months old Back in 1995 there wasn t early hearing screening At 18 months old she started wearing hearing aids Note that not one professional audiologist doctor etc mentioned that her brain was primed for a visual language We were told that she would be hard of hearing and that she d learn to speak but they didn t know to what extent Sign language wasn t mentioned at all It was only the infant development worker bless her heart who started to use signed English in support of speech But over time I learned that signed English is a code not a language ASL is a language The hearing aids coupled with her residual hearing helped her to pick up spoken language And as I say our infant development worker did encourage me to use sign supported speech which was helpful Interestingly my daughter s first sentence at 18 months was actually with signs not spoken words It was a month after getting her aids and a few visits from the infant development worker We were visiting my folks in the evening and after a long while she came up to me with both shoes in one hand and the other hand flat against her ear signing bed Clearly the kid wanted to go home However despite the support of hearing aids she still wasn t able to hear everything Hearing aids can only do so much She wasn t fully exposed to a language and I had no idea as to what parts of language she was missing Consequently she had huge holes significant delays in her language development all the way through her developing years and throughout her schooling years So yes to a degree my daughter was language deprived It s painful to think of it in that way And if I could turn the clock back I would have exposed her immediately to ASL as a first language Dr Gulati did not suggest that we give up on hearing aids and cochlear implants but that these technological interventions are insufficient as a stand alone approach for deaf children learning a language What he emphasized is that a deaf child will likely be at risk for experiencing long term language deprivation due to a delayed or absent exposure to sign language during the critical period of language acquisition These outcomes can lead to a range of neurological educational and developmental consequences across their lifespan Despite the use of cochlear implants and hearing aids many deaf children are significantly delayed in language skills And studies show that there is significant variability in cochlear implant related outcomes when sign language is not used In addition professionals cannot predict who might and who might not succeed in developing a language foundation using just cochlear implants I would like to add hearing aids to that picture too Therefore many deaf children are likely experiencing some level of language deprivation and are at risk of developing mental illness Gulati gives a clever analogy French Disease A thought experiment Imagine a hypothetical medical condition in which affected children were born able to hear and speak French fluently but not English Knowing and speaking only French in no way impedes human happiness we would likely send them to bilingual schools and suggest their parents learn French in order to speak with them We would delight in their exquisite native mastery of French language and culture Regarding English we might be satisfied if they were able to learn some English as a second language taught via their fluent first language Would we consider depriving them of French in order to encourage their use of English or offer an English Implant to give them a chance at learning some English while depriving them of the opportunity to have fluent expressive French or learn about France A participant in the audience pointed out that sign language is encouraged these days for hearing babies to develop language skills before they can begin to speak but that FNDC 21 Spring 2018

sign language is not typically offered for deaf children What seems to happen is that sign language is proposed as a last resort option to deaf children who have not developed their speech skills as expected Sadly at this point the window for language has severely diminished and the effects of language deprivation will be evident Fortunately through services of the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre our family was introduced to Deaf and hard of people in our community Nanaimo within a few months of Jasmine s diagnosis Over time a few Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults came to our home to help us learn sign Along the way I did my best to expose Jasmine to as many Deaf and hard of hearing adults and children as possible I did this through meeting other families with DHOH children and attending events on Vancouver Island and the Vancouver area Initially our exposure was a mix of sign supported English and then later ASL Then when Jasmine was three we went to our first of what turned out to be many Family Deaf Camps on Hornby Island that were organized by FNDC It was a revelation to see many families and their children signing back and forth I knew then that I needed to expose Jasmine to as much ASL as possible so that she could become bilingual At our 2nd family deaf camp when Jasmine was 4 a parent of a Deaf child Cecelia Klassen cautioned me that mainstreamed hard of hearing children in the school system who did not sign often don t get full time support and risk falling through the cracks I took her advice seriously stepped up my ASL acquisition and further exposed Jasmine to other signing DHOH children and adults using ASL When she was still four she went for a psychoeducation assessment at Sunny Hill Because of her obvious spoken language delay but use of sign language it was fortunately established she would need an interpreter in order for her to have better access to the education system Finally some professionals who understood the importance of a visual language I started taking part time formal ASL classes offered through our local college and later when Jasmine was eight I was fortunate enough to further my ASL education by attending the Deaf studies program at Vancouver Community College This is when I fully realized she also needed to become bicultural I wanted her to be able to choose what language she wanted to use and when I wanted her to be part of both worlds the hearing and the Deaf Unfortunately many advocates professionals and educators believe that learning sign language will interfere with a deaf child s development of speech skills even though research has shown that signing children with CI s actually demonstrate better speech development language development and greater intelligence than non signing children with CI s My question is is this resistance a form of prejudice against both sign language and being deaf In a time where we value diversity and inclusion why is there such discrimination Gulati strongly advocates that we focus on full language exposure right from birth with the goal for the child to become bilingual and bicultural And because a deaf baby s brain is primed to learn a visual language a visual language is therefore a usable language To us here in North America that s obviously ASL or here in Canada also LSQ sign language used by French Canadians Francophones Today deaf babies are being implanted with cochlear implants at an accelerated rate and without ASL exposure I asked Dr Gulati can a person with a cochlear implant be considered hard of hearing I got an emphatic yes In his lecture he posed the question What if it is easier to be deaf than to be hard of hearing Dr Gulati continued with the following comments Hard of hearing people become invisible e g the elderly We are not nice to people who can t hear well Who has more difficulty conversing than a pair of hard of hearing people Being hard of hearing is like being in a foreign country where one only partly speaks the language Belonging in a subjective sense is more important than conforming to an external notion of normal FNDC 22 Spring 2018

Gulati s own experience of hearing loss was as he put it was deeply unpleasant because it is an experience of imperfect communication communication stress and frustration social isolation and lack of community With ASL to communicate he became more content being a deaf person than when he was hard of hearing and struggling to hear I can t speak for my own daughter now that she s an adult but I can tell you that as a parent it is darn right painful to think about the struggles she shared with me over time when she could articulate them And that wasn t until she was an older teenager She didn t have the language to tell me when she was a child For example I didn t know just how lonely and isolated she felt too often in elementary school and particularly in high school until it was after the fact Dr Gulati came into contact with the Deaf community when he was a young man and said that in his experience they were very sweet understanding and as a culture very accepting He was happy to be part of a community that enriched his life As a hearing parent of a DHOH child I had a similar experience too The DHOH people in my community were very patient kind and completely accepting of my imperfect signing skills I never felt judged I felt that they appreciated that I was trying Now when I bump into people from the Deaf community I always get a positive reception despite my limited ASL skills Our lives have been graced many times by the wonderful diverse and inclusive Deaf and Hard of Hearing cultural community Having contact with signing peers and adult role models actually saved my daughter In Jasmine s grade nine year she started to fall apart due to several factors From grade 6 to grade 8 she finally had a qualified ASL interpreter But in her grade 9 year the interpreter left the district and there wasn t another interpreter to be hired That left her with an Education Assistant who did her best but without the visual language support Jasmine had significant loss of access to her education This situation understandably caused her a lot of anxiety and stress Secondly Jasmine s best hearing friend from kindergarten who did have some sign skills moved away Jasmine became desperately lonely which was too much for her to bear She was after all the only deaf and hard of hearing teen in her school district as well What saved her was our move from Nanaimo to Langley in her grade 10th year We applied for her to attend R E Mountain Secondary which had a DHOH program Essentially Jasmine was still mainstreamed but at that time in 2010 the school had a full time teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing who provided academic support She also had qualified ASL interpreters for all her academic classes And of significant importance because of the other DHOH peers for her to communicate with she was no longer lonely and isolated In fact Jasmine finally started to thrive in this new environment Do I regret not moving much earlier in her development You bet I do My hope is that we parents professionals educators etc can have an honest and open dialogue about language deprivation in DHOH children I m hoping we can get to a place where we can discuss DHOH children becoming bilingual and bicultural What would that look like What needs to take place We all know that our children need Vitamin L but what language or languages are we going to give them Are we going to fully educate ourselves for answers to our children s language needs or are we going to solely rely on professionals who are focused on our children only learning to hear and talk What s your choice going to be Are you going to give your child Vitamin BB Bilingual and Bicultural Vitamins Those without sound respond to vibrations the motion of lips and the dance of expressive hands Sanjay Gulati As Gulati did I ll end with his quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein 1922 The limits of my language are the limits of my world FNDC 23 Spring 2018

Raising Educating Deaf Children Schools for the Deaf An Excellent Option From www raisingandeducatingdeafchildren org 2018 01 17 schools for the deaf anexcellent option Posted on Jan 12 2018 by Jane Mulholland Washington State Center for Childhood Deafness and Hearing Loss jane mulholland cdhl wa gov The issue It is an unarguable fact that parents want the best education possible for their children For most the path they select is the elementary middle and high school closest to their home When the child is deaf or hard of hearing DHH that decision can become complicated fraught with politics and full of experts pointing in different directions Families in urban areas may have multiple options that is a neighborhood school with an interpreter or center based classroom with a teacher of the deaf What happens when the placement recommended by the IEP team or identified by the parent is a school for the deaf which may be a considerable distance from home Below are key questions considerations to help parents make the best decision for their child and family What we know DHH children who do not have cognitive challenges can learn and progress academically at the same rate as hearing children given the right educational environment and full access to language and communication however one size does not fit all No one placement is right for all DHH children The IDEA provides for a full continuum of educational placements in order for children s individual needs to be met Schools for the deaf are one of the placement options Schools for the deaf may be the only environment in which a particular child has complete unfettered access to instruction language communication social interactions and activities during and after school without reliance on an interpreter Further children need role models to fully develop their identity and to be able to envision a future for themselves in which they may maximize their potential What we don t know Safety Protecting their children is a parent s paramount duty and concern Therefore it is important to ask questions of any school whether neighborhood center based day school for the deaf or residential How will the school ensure my child s safety during school and after school activities FNDC 24 Spring 2018

What are the procedures for background checks for employees Volunteers What are the school s safety practices for emergencies What is the school s policy practice re bullying or harassment If parents select a school for the deaf too far away for the child to go home daily additional questions are critical How will living apart from the family affect the child Does he she have the emotional stability to be separated from parents and siblings all week How does the school encourage facilitate communication between child and family What are the after school and evening supervision practices and staff to student ratios What are the qualifications and training of the residential staff What recreational and academic support activities are available during the afternoons evenings How are roommates determined and safety ensured within bedrooms How will the child s medical needs be met on a routine and emergency basis Education A school s educational outcomes are the highest priority after safety Parents should ask for information from about student achievement and request data evidence to back up the responses What interventions are available to address deficits if the student is not at grade level How do students at the school perform on school wide and statewide assessments Does the school have a clear communication approach Is language planning part of each child s program What transition services are available to prepare students for next steps after graduation How will the school satisfy students needs re career development work experience and career technical education What percentage of students enter post secondary education or work after high school What does the school s graduate longitudinal data show Do students complete college successfully maintain jobs Is the school accredited By whom Implications The right placement at the right time is critical to a child s success Timeliness is so important the IDEA requires the IEP team to discuss and determine reaffirm placement every time the IEP is reviewed minimally once a year Too often consideration of a school for the deaf is a reaction to a child s failure or behavioral concerns Instead schools for the deaf should be considered proactively to give students the benefit of rich instructional expertise qualified related services and ancillary staff role models peers and social opportunities Parents must be watchdogs over their child s educational journey asking hard questions each year about their child s progress compared to hearing peers and demanding interventions and or changes in placement or services when delays are not being appropriately addressed mitigated Children have one opportunity at an education Schools for the deaf can offer an excellent placement that may be right for your child now or in the future Further reading Aldersley S 2002 Least restrictive environment and the courts Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 7 189 199 Marschark M 2018 Raising and educating a deaf child third edition New York Oxford University Press Schick B Skalicky A Edwards T Kushalnagar P Topolski T Patrick D 2013 School placement and perceived quality of life in youth who are deaf or hard of hearing Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 18 47 61 FNDC 25 Spring 2018

American Sign Language ASL for Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada LINC Program Are you or someone you know a newcomer to Canada who is deaf and or hard of hearing Do you have limited or no English language ability If yes the ASL for LINC Program may be for you PROGRAM DESCRIPTION ASL for LINC is a 12 week program designed to provide American Sign Language ASL instruction for Deaf and Hard of Hearing DHH Newcomers to Canada Additionally students benefit from individualized and one to one settlement support as needed assistance with essential community services government documentation transit and referral recommendations Vancouver Community College is a leader in providing long established DHH programming and English language training for Newcomers to Canada VCC Broadway Campus is easily accessible by public transit and is located within walking distance of the VCC Clark Millennium SkyTrain station ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Students are required to have Permanent Resident PR or Convention Refugee status in Canada not a Citizen of Canada be deaf and or hard of hearing be able to commit to a 12 week program Students may have limited or no English language ability enroll even after start date ASL for LINC Communication classes April 9 2018 June 29th 2018 Monday to Thursday 8 30 am 2 45pm th Please contact us for more information Contact Peter Fischer Tel 604 871 7000 ext 8322 Email pfischer vcc ca FNDC 26 Spring 2018

Language Power and Resistance Mainstreaming Deaf Education Elizabeth S Mathews 60 00s print edition 60 00 e book The current policy of educating d Deaf and h Hard of hearing DHH students in a mainstream setting rather than in the segregated environments of deaf schools has been portrayed as a positive step forward in creating greater equality for DHH students In Language Power and Resistance Elizabeth S Mathews explores this claim through qualitative research with DHH children in the Republic of Ireland their families their teachers and their experiences of the education system While sensitive to the historical context of deaf education Mathews focuses on the contemporary education system and the ways in which the mainstreaming agenda fits into larger discussions about the classification treatment and normalization of DHH children The research upon which this book is based examined the implications that mainstreaming has for the tensions between the hegemonic medical model of deafness and the social model of Deafness This volume explores how different types of power are used in the deaf education system to establish maintain and also resist medical views of deafness Mathews frames this discussion as one of power relations across parents children and professionals working within the system She looks at how various forms of power are used to influence decisions to resist decisions and to shape the structure and delivery of deaf education The author s findings are a significant contribution to the debates on inclusive education for DHH students and will resonate in myriad social and geographic contexts Elizabeth S Mathews is a lecturer in the School of Inclusive and Special Education at Dublin City University Dublin Print Edition ISBN 978 1 944838 04 1 6 x 9 hardcover 192 pages 17 figures 1 table City of Vancouver 2018 Excellence Awards Accessible City Award We are delighted to announce that the Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing WIDHH were recipients of the Accessible City Award 2018 at last night s City of Vancouver Awards of Excellence These awards recognize the outstanding achievements of individuals and organizations across five categories of excellence that benefit everyone by making Vancouver more green healthy diverse and accessible Barbara Brown WIDHH President said We are hugely grateful and honored to have been named the Accessible City 2018 award winners For over 60 years WIDHH has been dedicated to creating an accessible society where Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals are able to fully participate We are very proud to contribute in making the City of Vancouver a more accessible place to live and work and thank you to all of our volunteers members and donors without your support this would not have been possible FNDC 27 Spring 2018

FNDC 28 Spring 2018

Second Biennial Best Practice in Mainstream Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students Conference July 27 28 2018 Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester NY Website http www ntid rit edu ntidweb conference Join us for thought provoking keynote presentations educational breakout sessions valuable information sharing networking and more Teachers teacher assistants educational interpreters and others involved in educating K 12 deaf and hard of hearing students in mainstream settings will benefit from opportunities to learn from the experts and one another Online registration will be available soon The registration fee is 100 CEU credit is available for conference participants Keynote Presenters The 2018 Conference Keynote Presenters will be Marc Marschark Ph D How deaf children learn Kim Kurz Ph D Interpreting in the K 12 classroom Gina Oliva Ph D and Mindy Hopper Ph D improving the lives and incidental learning of students in the mainstream environment Shirin Antia Ph D instruction and service time decisions within the itinerant teaching model CHHA Vancouver Branch APRIL 2018 MY JOURNEY MY DESTINATION COCHLEAR Monday April 16 2018 7 00 9 00 Bonsor Recreation Complex Arts Room 2nd Floor 6550 Bonsor Ave Burnaby BC V5H 3G4 Dorota Simpson Engagement Manager with Cochlear Canada will share her personal journey with her son Lukas the destination it brought her to her role with Cochlear Canada and provide an overview of Cochlear s newest products and services available to Cochlear s recipients Please register by clicking this link https tinyurl com yd69fcp7 OR email chhavancouver gmail com by Friday April 13th 2018 FNDC 29 Spring 2018

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 Board President colleen fndc ca Nicki Horton Director Karen Jackson Director Charlie Coyle Director Joy Santos Director Gwen Wong Director Laura Batista Director Leigh Chan 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 DYT Coordinator Sarah Taylor sarah fndc ca DYT Hornby Island Coordinator Terry Maloney terry fndc ca DYT General Inquiries 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 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