of newly diagnosed young children

Transcription

LISTENINGANDSPOKENL ANGUAGE .ORG
VOLUME 21
ISSUE 3
MAY/JUN 2014
Early Intervention
Services and Beyond
Developing
Language and
Literacy
OF NEWLY DIAGNOSED
YOUNG CHILDREN
Beginning
the Journey
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
your child is ready for any adventure
their sound processor should be too
MAY/JUN 2014 // VOLUME 21 // ISSUE 3
16
FEATURES
1 2From One Parent to Another: An Open Letter to Parents
Read about one family’s journey with hearing loss as well as tips and strategies
that can be applied at any point during your journey. BY ALEX DEMOLINA
1 6Ready, Set, Caption: How Closed Captions Can
Support Your Child as a Reader
Closed captions are becoming portable and can be used across a variety of
media sources as a supplemental literacy tool. BY KRYSTYANN KRYWKO, Ed.D.
24
Advanced Bionics cochlear implants let
recipients live their life with no limits. With
AB, recipients can hear their best anytime,
anywhere and during any activity.
2 0
¡Sí, puedo! Yes I Can! Growing up Bilingual with Hearing Loss in Spain
Read about children with hearing loss in Spain growing up learning two spoken
languages and programs that provide options for bilingual education. BY MARK GUIBERSON, Ph.D., AND DALE SINDELL
2 4Empowering Children Who Are Hard of Hearing
and Their Families in Taiwan
Read about the work of the Children’s Hearing Foundation in Taiwan.
BY KUEI-JU LIN
Aqua Accessory* for Naída CI Q70
Coming Soon!
30
2 8 Financial Aid Resources for Hearing Aids
Families may find the cost of hearing technology a challenge. Read about
resources available to provide assistance with the cost of hearing technology. BY ANNA KARKOVSKA MCGLEW, M.A.
3 0 John Stanton, Esq.
2014 Honors of the Association Award Recipient
Stanton has been a member of AG Bell since the mid-1990s and is the current
chair of the AG Bell Public Affairs Council. Read about his life and many years of
committed service. BY ANNA KARKOVSKA MCGLEW, M.A.
*Pending regulatory approval.
027-M324-03
©2014 Advanced Bionics AG and affiliates. All rights reserved.
Contact an AB representative in your area to learn more.
AdvancedBionics.com
IN EVERY ISSUE
DEPARTMENTS
2Want to Write for Volta Voices?
5Voices from AG Bell
Equating Deafness with Greatness
8
7Editor’s Note
Parenting Young Children with Hearing Loss
1 0 Sound Bites
3 4Tips for Parents
On Being a Deaf Mom
4 2Directory of Services
3 6Hear Our Voices
Doing Hard Things
5 0List of Advertisers
3 8The Honor Roll of
Donors Special Section: Recognizing the Generosity
of Our Donors
5 2 Up Front on the Back Page interview by anna karkovska mcglew, m.a.
Voices Contributors
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
3417 VOLTA PLACE, N.W., WASHINGTON, DC 20007 // LISTENINGANDSPOKENLANGUAGE.ORG
Joseph Smaldino, Ph.D.
Want to Write for Volta Voices?
Advancing Listening and Spoken Language
for Individuals Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Adopted by the Alexander Graham Bell Association
for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Board of Directors, July 2013
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF
AND HARD OF HEARING
3417 Volta Place, N.W., Washington, DC 20007
ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org
VOICE 202.337.5220
TTY 202.337.5221 | FAX 202.337.8314
Volta Voices Staff
Director of Communications and Marketing
Susan Boswell, M.A., CAE
Editor
Anna Karkovska McGlew, M.A.
Advertising, Exhibit and Sponsorship Sales
The Townsend Group
Design and Layout
GRAPHEK
AG Bell Board of Directors
President
Donald M. Goldberg, Ph.D.,
LSLS Cert. AVT (OH)
President-Elect
Meredith Knueve Sugar, Esq. (OH)
Immediate Past President
Kathleen S. Treni (NJ)
Secretary-Treasurer
Ted Meyer, M.D., Ph.D. (SC)
Chief Executive Officer
Emilio Alonso-Mendoza, J.D., CFRE
Joni Y. Alberg, Ph.D. (NC)
Corrine Altman (NV)
Rachel Arfa, Esq. (IL)
Jonathan Berger, Esq. (NY)
Evan Brunell (MA)
Wendy Deters, M.S.,
CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVEd (IL)
Kevin Franck, Ph.D., MBA, CCC-A (MA)
Submissions to Volta Voices
Volta Voices welcomes submissions from
both AG Bell members and nonmembers. The
magazine is published six times annually. Its
audience consists of individuals who are deaf
and hard of hearing, parents of children who
are deaf and hard of hearing, and professionals
in fields related to hearing loss (audiology,
speech-language pathology, psychology,
otology, social services, education).
For submission guidelines and to submit
content, visit the Volta Voices page at
ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org.
Subjects of Interest
• Technology—related to hearing loss,
new technology, improvements to or
problems with existing technology, or
how people are using existing technology,
accommodations.
• Education—related to public or private
schools through post-secondary education,
new approaches and teaching methods,
legal implications and issues, etc.
• Advocacy—information on legislation,
hearing health, special or mainstream
education, and accessibility.
• Health—audiology issues relating to
children or adults with hearing loss and/or
their families and friends.
• Action—stories about people with hearing
loss who use spoken language as their
primary mode of communication; deafness
need not be the focal point of the article.
Editorial Guidelines
The periodicals department reserves the
right to edit material to fit the style and
tone of Volta Voices and the space available.
Articles are selected on a space-available
and relevancy basis; submission of materials
is not a guarantee of use.
Transfer of Copyright
The revised copyright law, which went into
effect in January 1978, provides that from
the time a manuscript is written, statutory
copyright is vested with the author(s). All
authors whose articles have been accepted
for publication in Volta Voices are requested
to transfer copyright of their articles to AG
Bell prior to publication. This copyright can
be transferred only by written agreement.
Without copyright ownership, the Alexander
Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing cannot issue or disseminate
reprints, authorize copying by individuals
and libraries, or authorize indexing and
abstracting services to use material from
the magazine.
Art Submission Guidelines
Volta Voices prefers digital images over original
artwork. When submitting electronic files,
please provide them in the following formats:
TIF, EPS or JPG (no BMP or GIF images). Digital
images must be at least 300 dpi (at size).
Lyn Robertson, Ph.D. (OH)
On the cover:
Guide For Parents of Newly Diagnosed
Young Children
• Includes built-in answering machine
• Extra large display screen with variable font
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• Includes free captioning service
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Letters to the Editor
Let us know how we are doing. Write a Letter
to the Editor, and you could see your comment
in the next issue.
Media Kit
Visit ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org
and select “About AG Bell” for advertising
information.
VOLTA VOICES Volume 21, Issue 3, May/June (ISSN 1074-8016) is published 6 times per year in J/F, M/A, M/J, J/A, S/O, and N/D for
$50 per year by Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 3417 Volta Pl., N.W., Washington, DC, 20007.
Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, DC, and other additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Volta Voices,
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Copyright ©2014 by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., 3417 Volta Pl., N.W.,
Washington, DC 20007. Articles published in Volta Voices do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alexander Graham Bell
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2
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VOICES FROM AG BELL
Equating Deafness
with Greatness
Every child deserves the
best chance to learn
Study proves effectiveness of Oticon’s advanced adaptive FM strategy, VoicePriority i ™
A recent study* by Erin Schafer, PhD, a leading
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It’s as simple as that.
*) Peer-reviewed & accepted for publication in Journal of Educational Audiology, Schafer EC, Sanders K, Bryant D, Keeney K, & Baldus N (2013) Effects of
Voice Priority in FM Systems for Children with Hearing Aids.
To learn more about Sensei, VoicePriority i ™ and Dr. Schafer’s study, contact
your Hearing Care Professional or visit oticonusa.com/children
Please accept my sincere thanks for allowing
me to serve as President of AG Bell. As I
reflect on my professional career, I first
learned about AG Bell while volunteering
at the Helen Beebe Speech and Hearing
Center as a student at Lafayette College in
Easton, Pa. A unique practicum assignment
in a kindergarten classroom at the March
School led me to Robert, a very talkative
youngster who just happened to be wearing
two body hearing aids in a harness on
his chest. This bubbly 6-year-old was my
awakening and introduction to hearing loss.
For the rest of my college years I
volunteered at the Beebe Center, not truly
appreciating what they were doing; but
nonetheless, I went to graduate school with
the idea that children who were deaf could
listen and talk. During graduate school
and spending time in a Gainesville, Florida
public school classroom and at the state’s
school for the deaf, my eyes were opened
to the range of hearing differences, varied
language and literacy skills, and diversity
in the speech skills, which later became the
focus of my doctoral dissertation.
I truly have been blessed in meeting
an immense number of children who are
deaf and hard of hearing, along with their
dedicated, hard working parents and family
members. I have taught—and learned
from—hundreds of students in speechlanguage pathology, audiology, education of
the deaf through classroom instruction and
professional workshops. I am also grateful to
my professional colleagues who have shared
their knowledge with me. Thanks especially
to my friends, peers and colleagues who
often knew more than I, but still participated in my workshops.
Through the years, we have journeyed
from being criticized and mocked for the
“audacity” of thinking that a child who is
deaf could listen and talk, to the excitement
among professionals who are now eager to
VO LTA VO I CE S M AY/J U N 2014
Don Goldberg and his first professional
mentor, Helen Hulick Beebe.
learn more about listening and spoken
language. The strongest voices come from
the children themselves, who can most
definitely listen and talk.
I hope and trust that my time as president has been marked by true stewardship
of the association and that I have served well
as an ambassador for AG Bell. I certainly
have gotten around! To be clear, invited
talks were not at the expense of AG Bell,
and a caveat of acceptance of any speaking
opportunity has been the requirement for
distributing AG Bell materials and donating
any speaker honorarium to AG Bell.
I have been offered the opportunity
to speak in Auckland, New Zealand, and
Sydney and Melbourne, Australia (summer
2012); Antwerp, Belgium, and Amsterdam
(Thanksgiving 2012); and Taipei, Taiwan,
and Beijing (summer 2013). Presentations
to state chapters in Ohio, Michigan,
Pennsylvania and New Jersey and the meetings of the American Academy of Audiology,
Educational Audiology Association and the
AG Bell Listening and Spoken Language
Symposium have all been forums to spread
the word.
Each venue was an opportunity to talk
about the Listening and Spoken Language
Specialist (LSLS®) certification. I historically
have been fond of stating that “the sky is
the limit” for our children who are deaf and
do not focus on their limitations, but I also
have observed the commonly held notion
that equates “a child who is deaf” with “sign
language.” I look forward to a future where
people that hear the phrase “a child who is
deaf” immediately equate it with “greatness.” Children who are deaf and hard of
hearing should be given the opportunity to
develop listening and spoken language, if
their parents so choose.
I am very proud of our newly minted
strategic plan—completed and approved
under my tenure—which focuses on the
need to advance listening and spoken
language as our mission. We must shine
a light on listening and spoken language
which is the future for many of our families.
To past, current, and incoming Executive
Directors/Chief Executive Officers—
Alexander Graham, Judy Harrison and
Emilio Alonso-Mendoza—thanks for what
you have taught me and for your dedication
to the challenges ahead. To each of the
truly skilled professional staff members at
the Volta Bureau in Washington, D.C. , my
sincere appreciation for your hard work.
Thanks to the many volunteers from the
Executive Committee and board of directors, to the chapter and local leaders, and to
the professionals, individuals and families
who make up this great organization.
I look forward to the magic of Disney this
summer with my family, including granddaughters Sarah and Lydia who will meet
the princesses! Appreciation and thanks to
my wife Sharon and our family for enduring
my time away immersed in the intensity of
my many roles in life.
I am honored to have played a role as
President of AG Bell in moving us forward.
I will watch with a smile as we continue
to achieve greatness and have the world
learn that anything is possible for our
children and that deafness is equivalent to
“greatness.”
Sincerely,
Donald M. Goldberg
Ph.D., CCC-SLP/A, FAAA, LSLS Cert. AVT
President
[email protected]
5
Changing thousands of lives
EDITOR’S NOTE
UTMED12142011261
Parenting Young Children
with Hearing Loss
As a graduate of the Deaf Education and Hearing Science (DEHS) Program, Lindsay
makes lives better each day as an itinerant teacher in Austin, Texas. She currently teaches
16 children. Over the course of her career she has the opportunity to impact over 400
children’s lives.
Lindsay is not alone. Graduates of the DEHS Program will touch over 8,000 lives during
their careers and the number is still growing.
A premier listening and spoken language teacher preparation program for children with hearing loss
Deaf Education & Hearing Science at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio
For more information, please visit UTDeafEd.com.
Phone: (210) 450-0716
This issue of Volta
Voices is dedicated
to supporting
parents in the
early years of
their journey in
parenting a child
who is deaf or
hard of hearing.
AG Bell’s groundbreaking Family Needs
Assessment survey showed that parents of
children who are deaf and hard of hearing
most need support after their child is
diagnosed with hearing loss, and in the
preschool years. We hope that these
articles will provide a roadmap to guide
parents on their path in supporting their
child’s language and literacy development.
In an open letter from one parent to
another, Alex DeMolina describes her
own journey—from her emotions after
her daughter’s diagnosis with hearing
loss to the advocacy success that she
accomplished to provide greater access
to cochlear implants under Florida
Medicaid. She shares tips and strategies
that helped her along the way that are
useful to parents of children of all ages.
The article touches on an issue that
can be a challenge for many parents of
children with hearing loss—funding for
hearing technology. According to the AG
Bell Family Needs Assessment, funding
the cost of hearing aid purchases was
an area where families indicated that
financial assistance would be extremely
valuable. In response, the article
“Financial Aid Resources for Hearing Aids”
guides readers to a range of resources
that exist to provide support for the cost
of hearing technology. We encourage you
to use this article as a starting point in
your research.
“Growing up Bilingual with Hearing
Loss in Spain” shares the latest research
from a country where most of the
population speaks two or more languages
to explore the bilingual advantages for
children with hearing loss—and to dispel
common myths about bilingualism.
The article also shares an innovative
program that has been established to
support the development of bilingualism
for children with hearing loss in learning
two spoken languages.
"Empowering Children Who Are
Hard of Hearing and Their Families in
Taiwan" profiles the Children's Hearing
Foundation, which works with families of
children with hearing loss in Taiwan in
the belief that parental involvement is the
key to children's success and independence
through listening and talking.
Thanks to federal regulations and
technological advances, parents can
turn on the captions and enhance their
child’s reading development. Captioning
is now available in a wide range of media
and technologies, including television,
videos, mobile telephones and internet
videos, to name a few. Krysty Krywko
shares tips and strategies for parents to
use captioning to put even the youngest
readers on the path to literacy.
This issue would not be complete
without a tribute to an individual
who has been a tireless supporter of
captioning and a longtime advocate for
people who are deaf and hard of hearing,
whose commitment, perseverance and
passion exemplify the mission of the
AG Bell association. John Stanton, a
lawyer and chair of the AG Bell Public
Affairs Council who has been selected
for the 2014 Honors of the Association
Award, shares his background and deep
involvement in AG Bell.
Our “Up Front on the Back Page”
column features Joe Smaldino, who
was the editor of AG Bell’s The Volta
Review from 2008-2013. He shares his
memories of that time and reflects on his
preference for academia and his work on
classroom acoustics.
In this issue’s “Hear Our Voices”
column, Skye Carter writes about
doing hard things and how taking a
risk resulted in a number of wonderful
opportunities and inspired her to help
and serve others in need.
Finally, Lisa Goldstein introduces us to
the challenges—and infinite rewards—of
parenting from a different perspective.
Goldstein is a parent who is deaf and has
two children with typical hearing. She
shares the adaptations that she made at
each stage of her children’s development—
and the unexpected perks that her kids
enjoy in having a parent who is deaf!
We hope that these pages will offer
your family resources, inspiration and
hope. We invite you to share your family’s
story with us and would like to know what
has worked well for you. We welcome
your comments, suggestions or story
ideas! Please email [email protected].
Kind regards,
Susan Boswell
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QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CONCERNS?
Write to us:
AG Bell
3417 Volta Place, N.W.
Washington, DC
20007
Or email us:
[email protected]
Or online:
ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org
7
VOICES CONTRIBUTORS
Skye Carter, author of
this issue's “Hear Our
Voices” column, writes
about her experiences of
taking chances. Carter,
now in her sophomore
year of high school, was
born with a profound sensorineural
hearing loss. She is actively involved in
charity events such as Chicago Dance
Marathon, DePaul University DemonTHON and Speedway, and has partnered
with the Al Mann Foundation. She is on
her school's mock trial, track and cross
country teams, and is a ballroom dancer.
She shares her experiences in the hopes of
inspiring others to take chances and make
a change in the world.
Alex DeMolina, author of
“From One Parent to
Another: An Open Letter
to Parents,” graduated
from the University of
South Florida with a
degree in Cultural
Anthropology. She then joined
AmeriCorps VISTA’s 20/20 Vista Vision
program, where she served in Manatee
County’s Neighborhood Services. After
becoming a stay-at-home mother,
DeMolina invested her energy to
advocating for her daughter and other
children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
VOICES CONTRIBUTORS
In 2013, DeMolina graduated from
Partners in Policymaking, which is
sponsored by the Florida Developmental
Disabilities Council, and now works with
the University of South Florida’s Bay Area
Early Steps as their family resource
specialist. In January 2014, DeMolina was
elected as a member for the AG Bell
Florida executive board of directors.
Lisa A. Goldstein, M.J.,
author of this issue’s “Tips
for Parents” column, has a
master’s degree in
journalism from the
University of California
Berkeley, a digital hearing
aid, a cochlear implant and plenty of
deaf-friendly communication equipment.
She spends her days juggling life as a
freelance journalist, wife and mother of
two in Pittsburgh, Pa. Her article
originally appeared on the website
Hearing Like Me, developed by Phonak,
at www.hearinglikeme.com/living/
relationships/being-deaf-mom.
Mark Guiberson, Ph.D.,
co-author of “¡Sí, puedo!
Yes I Can! Growing up
Bilingual with Hearing
Loss in Spain,” is an
assistant professor in
Communication
The Programs of
THE WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
Changing Lives Through Language & Learning
Disorders at the University of Wyoming in
Laramie, Wyo. He has extensive experience working with Spanish-speaking
children and working in bilingual
education programs. His primary areas of
research include bilingualism in children
who are deaf and hard of hearing and
early intervention services with Spanishspeaking families. He also consults with
the Allies in English program as well as
with former students and clients with
hearing loss.
Krystyann Krywko, Ed.D.,
author of “Ready, Set,
Caption: How Closed
Captions Can Support
Your Child as a Reader,”
is a writer and education
researcher who specializes
in hearing loss and the impact it has on
children and families. Both she and her
young son were diagnosed with hearing loss
one year apart. She is the author of the
e-book, “What to Do When Your Child Is
Diagnosed with Late Onset Hearing Loss: A
Parent’s Perspective,” available on Amazon.
She also authors the blog, “After the
Diagnosis: Helping Families with Hearing
Loss.” She can be contacted through her
website www.lateonsethearingloss.org.
Kuei-Ju Lin, Ph.D.
candidate, author of
“Empowering Children
Who Are Hard of Hearing
and Their Families in
Taiwan,” works at the
Children's Hearing
Foundation in Taiwan, where she is an
assistant research fellow and auditoryverbal therapist. She is the editor of the
book Family-Centered Early Intervention for
Children with Hearing Impairments: Theory
and Practice of Auditory-Verbal Therapy,
which will be published in May 2014.
Dale Sindell, co-author
of “¡Sí, puedo! Yes I Can!
Growing up Bilingual
with Hearing Loss in
Spain,” lives in Spain
with her family and has
severe-profound hearing
loss. She is director of marketing at
Citibank. When her youngest son was
diagnosed with hearing loss, Sindell
founded t-oigo.com to help Spanishspeaking people with hearing loss. Her
passion for bilingual education led her to
create the Allies in English program in
which American study-abroad students
volunteer to help children who are deaf
and hard of hearing in Spain with
learning English as a spoken language.
Sindell supports t-oigo.com’s 30,000
users per month and hopes to educate
the public about hearing loss through
talks and television appearances,
including TED.
Joseph Smaldino, Ph.D.,
CCC-A, is a professor of
Audiology at Illinois
State University in
Normal, Ill. He received
his doctorate in Clinical
Audiology from the
University of Florida. He has researched,
made professional presentations and
published in the area of classroom
acoustics for the last 20 years. Smaldino
served on the American National
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Standards Committee that has formulated
recommendations for desirable classroom
acoustics. He has been a professor of
Audiology for nearly 40 years. Smaldino
has been a Fulbright Scholar and has won
awards from the Educational Audiology
Association and the American Academy of
Audiology. He has served as an associate
editor and reviewer for many audiology
journals and was the editor of AG Bell’s
The Volta Review from 2008–2013.
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9
SOUNDBITES
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NEWS BITES
CHAPTERS
Text to 911 Update
On January 30, 2014, the
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) adopted a
policy statement setting forth
goals for achieving text-to-911
and issued a Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM).
The policy statement highlighted
the nation’s four largest wireless
telephone providers’ commitment to make text-to-911
available to all their customers nationwide by May 15, 2014.
The FCC encouraged other text providers to offer
text-to-911 as well and asked for comment on proposals to
meet the goals of making sure that people with disabilities
have direct access to 911 services and enabling people in
situations from which it might be impossible or dangerous
to make a voice call (i.e., hostage situation, domestic
violence) to make text-to-911 calls. In his statement at the
FCC’s Open Commission Meeting, Chairman Tom Wheeler
said it is now up to the 911 call centers, known as Public
Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), to make themselves
ready to accept these texts.
Advanced Bionics Releases New myNaída App
Advanced Bionics
launched a new app that
delivers a dynamic and
user-friendly guide for
its latest innovation, the
Naída CI Q70 (Naída CI)
sound processor. Available
free for both iPad® and
Android™ devices, the app
provides guides, videos
and instructions for users.
The current English-language release will be followed by
additional versions in Spanish, French, Italian, German,
Dutch and Portuguese. To learn more about AB apps, visit
AdvancedBionics.com/ABapps.
10
COMPILED BY: ANNA KARKOVSKA MCGLEW
Bluetooth and EHIMA Partner to Advance Hearing
Instrument Technology
Following the World Health Organization’s International
Ear Care Day, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group and
European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association
(EHIMA) recently announced a memo of understanding
aimed at developing a standard for new hearing aids, while
improving existing features, and creating new ones such as
stereo audio from a mobile device or media gateway with
Bluetooth® wireless technology.
With the recent revolution in smart phones, personal
music players, TVs and tablets, people with hearing loss
are underserved as few hearing instruments offer direct
connectivity to these devices. This means that many users
are limited to what the manufacturer provides and cannot
customize or add new functionality to the hearing aid.
Currently, the only standard for wireless reception of
audio signals in hearing aids is the telecoil, which dates back
to the 1950s. This technology is difficult to incorporate into
smart phones. Furthermore, the number of installed loop
systems that can transmit audio signals to hearing aids with
telecoils varies greatly from country to country. As a result,
hearing aid users have limited access to high quality audio
signals from external sources.
Building on the existing Bluetooth standard that is widely
supported in today’s smart phones, tablets and personal
computers will give more users who are deaf and hard of
hearing the same choice of products and opportunities as
everyone else. The new hearing aid profile will be developed
to meet the challenging power requirements of hearing
aids, which have to operate with sub-miniature batteries.
Nevada Chapter Bright & Shining Star Awards
The Nevada chapter of AG Bell recently presented the
Annual Bright and Shining Star awards for acts of kindness
and volunteerism, professionalism and education, and
corporate sponsorship to individuals and organizations
that have benefited the lives of children with hearing loss
and their families.
credit : dave meek
SSgt. Lael Rockwell (far right) and USMC troops
representing Toys for Tots with their Bright and Shining
Star award. credit: rainbow media , las vegas, nev.
AG Bell Nevada Co-Presidents Kim Sorenson, left, and Arnie
Altman, right, present a Bright and Shining Star award to Nichole
Sheldon, Au.D., CCC-A. credit: rainbow media , las vegas, nev.
North Carolina AG Bell Member Receives Award
AG Bell member, Kathryn Wilson, was
honored on March 11, 2014, with the
Distinguished Service Award given by
the Exceptional Children Division of the
North Carolina Department of Public
Instruction to honor individuals who are
distinguished for their many years of
service and statewide impact on
improving the education and lives of
exceptional children in North Carolina.
Kathryn Wilson
Congratulations, Kathryn!
credit : bradford woods
credit : bradford woods
Above: Having fun at Hear Indiana’s Listening and Spoken
Language Camp in 2013.
Hear Indiana Listening and Spoken Language Camp
Hear Indiana will host the 25th Annual Listening and Spoken
Language Camp for children who are deaf and hard of
hearing in Martinsville, Ind., July 6–11, 2014. This year’s camp
will be a true jubilee celebration with exciting activities such
as rock climbing, ropes courses, talent shows, horseback
riding, archery, swimming, self-advocacy workshops and
much more! Visit HearIndiana.org/Camp for more information.
North Carolina Chapter Award Recipient
The North Carolina chapter of AG Bell
recognizes a professional who has made
significant contributions to the
advancement of listening and spoken
language for children with hearing loss
with the Daniel Ling Award. This year’s
recipient is AG Bell member Beverly
Elwell who received the award at the
20th Hear ‘N’ Now Conference in
November of last year.
Beverly Elwell
11
From One Parent to Another:
An Open Letter to Parents
By Alex DeMolina
DEAR PARENT,
St. Patrick’s Day 2010—this was the day our daughter Kiersta was
diagnosed with a bilateral sensorineural severe-to-profound hearing loss.
What a heartbreaking day that was! How did this happen? Why us? There
is no history of hearing loss on either side of our family. Anxious thoughts
were running through my mind: Will she ever get to hear me sing a
lullaby to her? Will she be able to play hide and seek with her friends on a
playground? Will she be able to talk on the phone to her Grandmommy?
I know you have asked yourself similar questions. In the first month after
Kiersta’s hearing loss diagnosis, I bounced around between shock, anger
and depression.
When Kiersta was 2 years old, I discovered Dr. Seuss’s book, Oh, the
Places You’ll Go!, which I hold dear in my heart. It prompted me to
understand success as a state of mind and an attitude, and it helped me
believe that my daughter can accomplish anything she puts her mind to.
I continue to read it to her and to myself every couple of months.
12
Our Journey
My partner, Brian, and I were living in
Bradenton, Fla., when we decided to start
a family. I was working at AmeriCorps
VISTA in Manatee County Neighborhood
Services, and Brian was finishing school
as an air conditioning technician. Kiersta
made her arrival into this world in
February 2010.
Since she was born a little early, Kiersta
had to learn how to suck, swallow and
breathe, so she had a short visit in the
neonatal intensive care unit. Kiersta was
then given the newborn hearing screening, which is fortunately mandated by
Florida law. We owe so much to having a
child during a time when service providers understand the importance of early
hearing detection and assessment.
After Kiersta did not pass her newborn
hearing screening, we were referred to
early intervention services through Early
Steps and Children’s Medical Services.
Should we start early intervention services
where we were currently living? Brian and
I knew that we eventually wanted to move
back to Tampa.
Prior to Kiersta’s birth, I thought that
I would finish my year of service with
AmeriCorps, especially since they offered
childcare. But after a month of appointments with pediatricians, audiologists and
speech-language pathologists, I realized
that I would need to devote myself fully to
raising my daughter. I resigned from my
position with AmeriCorps and we dealt
with the fact that we would be a singleincome household once Brian finished
school. We applied for Social Security
Income. I started to learn quickly how
to navigate the complex maze of social
services. Because of the medical diagnosis
of Kiersta’s hearing loss and our low
income, we qualified and started receiving
Social Security Income disability within a
few months after applying for it.
The internet became my best friend.
I spent many a late night searching and
saving websites to folders on my computer.
It was definitely confusing, but we became
parents who are educated and empowered to make decisions concerning our
daughter’s future. In the two months after
Kiersta’s diagnosis, Brian and I had many
what-if talks and we both decided that we
wanted to choose listening and spoken
language for Kiersta.
When Kiersta was 4 months old, she
received her first pair of hearing aids. We
knew from looking at the speech banana
and her degree of hearing loss that Kiersta
probably would not gain enough from her
hearing aids to acquire speech.
We firmly advocated our wishes to all
our service providers that we wanted to
pursue a cochlear implant for Kiersta.
We encountered some resistance with
the team that was assisting our family
at the time. We saw the urgency and the
immediate need to have the cochlear
implant surgery performed when Kiersta
turned 1 year old to give her fuller access
to sound, but we just didn’t feel the same
urgency on the part of the providers.
This was a blessing in disguise because it
led us down a road where we eventually
could surround our daughter with a very
supportive cochlear implant team.
When Kiersta was 5 months old, we
started auditory-verbal therapy with a
certified Listening and Spoken Language
Specialist (LSLS®) and at 8 months of age,
we found a very committed audiologist
and a dedicated cochlear implant surgeon.
This decision to change teams led to
Kiersta becoming a cochlear implant
candidate at 9 months old and then having
her first cochlear implant surgery at 16
months old.
In the meantime, when Kiersta was 4
months old, we decided to go ahead and
start early intervention services with
Early Steps in Bradenton where we lived at
the time. We had our first Individualized
Family Service Plan (IFSP) meeting and
it was agreed upon that we would be
communicating solely through listening and spoken language and our early
intervention coordinator would come to
our home every other week.
When Kiersta was 6 months old, we did
decide to move to Tampa and her IFSP
followed her to our local Early Steps office.
I can honestly say that Kiersta is a true
product of early intervention. As I look
back and review the timeline of that first
year, it boggled my mind how quickly
decisions had to be made.
I was able to take a
little bit of a breather
once Kiersta learned how to listen after
her first cochlear implant surgery. This
rest period was not long because we
decided that Kiersta deserved to hear
with both ears. With the support of our
auditory-verbal therapist, audiologist and
cochlear implant surgeon, we submitted
Kiersta’s application to Florida’s Medicaid
provider. At the time, Florida’s Medicaid
policy was to fund only one cochlear
implant. I contacted an advocacy group,
Disability Rights Florida, in October 2012,
which helped me track Kiersta’s application for bilateral cochlear implantation. I
am so honored to have worked with such
a wonderful organization and am proud
to say that Kiersta received her second
cochlear implant in May 2013 and the
Medicaid policy changed in September
2013 to cover bilateral cochlear implants if
deemed medically necessary.
The journey that I described above
is just a quick snapshot of our lives from
the time Kiersta was born to the time she
received her second cochlear implant.
Camping at the Riverhawk, Sertoma
Youth Ranch. credit: alex demolina
13
So much has happened in such a short
amount of time! Part of me feels that I
lost out on just being a mommy, the other
part is very proud because I have become
a true advocate for not only my daughter,
but for other families and children with
hearing loss who are on the same journey.
Our journey is unique to our family.
The tips that I am going to suggest below
are not age-specific; they can be applied
at any point during your journey.
services and other resources. Our family
had to travel 300 miles to find out that
there was an organization that provided
auditory-verbal therapy for us right here
in our back yard.
Familiarize Yourself
with the Speech Banana
The Speech Banana is available on the
AG Bell Listening and Spoken Language
Knowledge Center and is one of the most
popular resources on the website. I love
the visual imagery. This tool took the
mystery out of audiograms and enabled
me to relate the degree of my daughter’s
hearing loss to different sounds.
When she was first diagnosed, I told
people that sound had to be as loud as a
lawn mower in order for her to hear.
As time went on, I was able to understand
that she could hear a baby crying, but
not the first letter in her name. Now, she
can hear all sounds of the letters in the
speech banana, but not the leaves falling.
Family photo at the Celebrate Sound | Don’t Walk in Silence event in March 2014. credit: alex demolina
Learn the Alphabet
Soup of Acronyms
The terminology of the hearing loss world
was like a foreign language to me. Add all
the acronyms to that and the terminology
became gibberish. Make sure to bookmark the Knowledge Center’s Glossary
of Terms (ListeningandSpokenLanguage.
org/Glossary), which provides you
with an A to Z on hearing loss terms
and acronyms. For early intervention
resources, click on the Advocate tab and
then visit the Education Advocacy section
on the Knowledge Center, which has a
Speech Banana. Available at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/SpeechBanana
14
page dedicated to supporting organizations for education and advocacy. One
of these organizations is the National
Dissemination Center for Children with
Disabilities (NICHCY)—its site has a
wonderful section devoted to disability
and special education acronyms. Make
sure to take a look at the different sections
and print out what is pertinent to your
family, as the site lost its funding and will
be shutting down in September 2014.
Surround Yourself with a
Support Team that Respects
Your Family’s Choices
We chose listening and spoken language
as Kiersta’s primary mode of communication after we educated ourselves about the
options available and chose what was best
for our family. It is important to choose
what is right for you, your child and your
family. If your support team does not
accept your family’s decisions, you have
the right to seek other providers, agencies
or services.
Initially, Kiersta was receiving speech
therapy because that was the only option
presented to us. We were not educated
about the options for auditory-verbal
therapy, until we sought advice from a
cochlear implant center that happened to
be 300 miles away from our home. The
audiologist there told us about a provider
that offered auditory-verbal therapy
only 15 minutes from our home. The
Knowledge Center can help you locate
LSLS certified professionals in your area
through the Find Services tab where
you can search for local LSLS providers,
Take Care of Yourself
and Stay Connected
When I resigned from my job, I lost part
of myself and was quite depressed. Once
I was able to come up and breathe from
all the initial appointments, I started
Utilize the Internet Wisely
volunteering at a local resource center.
I became an empowered parent because of
This allowed me to network and get to
the internet. But it certainly provides infor- know local and state service providers and
mation overload. Parents can find facts,
the services they had to offer. Now, I am
research and support online, but should be
working as the Family Resource Specialist
cautious of the potential of encountering
at USF Bay Area Early Steps and helping
biased and inaccurate information. At first,
families as they go through the journey of
the internet was a way for me to fully grasp early intervention.
what hearing loss actually is and then it
Search for the short essay “Welcome
turned into a vehicle to educate myself on
to Holland” by Emily Perl Kingsley, which
scholarly research.
describes what it is like to raise a child with
The internet, and in particular,
a disability. As Kingsley says in her essay:
Facebook, provides a tremendous
“You must go out and buy new guide books.
outpouring of parent-to-parent support.
And you must learn a whole new language.
In addition to the AG Bell Facebook
And you will meet a whole new group of
group, these are just a few of the Facebook people you would never have met.”
groups out there: Parents and Caregivers
As you embark or continue on your
of Children with Cochlear Implants;
journey, take it easy on yourself and
CI Pride; and Parents of Children with
remember to enjoy life as a family and
Hearing Loss.
as an individual. Don’t be afraid to share
Kiersta at the Celebrate Sound | Don’t
Walk in Silence event in March 2014.
credit : kathy sills
your story—it is therapeutic and empowering. Become an advocate for your child
and for his/her right to live a full and
productive life. Believe!
Online Professional Education
for educators, parents and professionals who wish to
expand their knowledge on topics related to children
who are deaf and hard of hearing.
• Online Seminars
• Study Groups
• Workshops
• Education Materials
Visit the Professional
Education page on
BoysTownHospital.org.
Consultant
uditory
Resource
A
Network
®
Boys Town National Research Hospital
15
READY, SET, CAPTION: HOW CLOSED CAPTIONS CAN
SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AS A READER
BY KRYSTYANN KRYWKO, ED.D.
R
eading is a complex process involving multiple skills that must be coordinated in order to result
in fluent reading behaviors. Closed captioning, a technology that already resides in most homes
but is often overlooked, is becoming portable and is increasingly linked with the development of
reading skills (Linebarger, Piotrowski, & Greenwood, 2010). In July 1993, the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) required all analog television receivers with screens 13 inches or larger, that were sold
or manufactured in the United States to contain built-in decoder circuitry to display closed captioning. The
original purpose of closed captioned media was to help individuals who were deaf and hard of hearing follow
along with television programming. As of July 1, 2002, the FCC also required that digital television receivers
include closed captioning display capability (Federal Communications Commission, 2014).
Closed captions were only available on television programming,
but with the advent of portable electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets there are numerous devices that allow parents
and their children to take captions along wherever they may go.
Language Development & Reading:
What’s Really Happening?
Closed captions can reinforce the reading basics skills that children need to develop in the early years, and can be used across a
variety of media sources as a supplemental literacy tool to support
word recognition, content comprehension and code-related
literacy skills, such as knowing the alphabet and what sounds
letters make (Linebarger, Piotrowski, & Greenwood, 2010).
“The simple view of reading isn’t all that simple when you
break it down,” says Susan Easterbrooks, Professor of Educational
Psychology and Special Education at Georgia State University,
“instead reading is a complex mix of sounds, letters, words,
grammar, the ideas words represent, and contextual knowledge.”
16
As an adult it is difficult to appreciate the numerous processes
that are involved in helping a child learn to read. Wolf (2007)
outlines the different processes that need to work together in
order for a child to begin as a successful reader.
• Phonological development—how children gradually learn to
hear, segment and understand the small units of sound that
make up words is at the heart of decoding.
• Orthographic development—how children learn how the
writing system represents oral language. Children need to
learn the visual aspects of print—such as the features of
letters, common letter patterns and “sight” words. This word
familiarity helps children become more fluent readers as they
no longer have to spend time sounding out words.
• Semantic and pragmatic development—how children learn
more and more about the meanings of words from the language
and culture around them. It helps children recognize a word they
are trying to decode and can lead to quicker comprehension.
• Syntactic development—how children learn the grammatical
forms and structures of sentences, which enables them to
make sense of how words are used to construct sentences,
paragraphs and stories. It also teaches them how events relate
to each other in texts.
• Morphological development—prepares children to learn the
rules around how words are formed from smaller, meaningful
roots and units of meaning (Wolf, 2007).
So, what does all this mean and how can closed captions help
support your child as they make their way towards becoming a
competent reader?
Building Word Familiarity & Recognition
Children often love to watch the same DVD or television
show over and over again, and this repetition can be used to
their advantage when it comes to reading. Regular contact
with familiar material in familiar contexts will better suit a
developing reader, rather than trying to expose them to a wide
variety of materials for which they might not be ready (Clay,
1991). This familiarity can be easily achieved by providing
opportunities for children to reengage with material they have
already been exposed to.
However, it is not just about making the same information
available to your child over and over again; rather, the materials
that are used and the process must engage your child’s full
attention (Easterbrooks & Beal-Alvarez, 2013). Many picture
books are now available in DVD format, often bundled together
with other works by the same author. Read the picture book with
your child and then watch the DVD together—try to look for a
specific word that you pointed out in the text, or look for words
that rhyme. If your child is older, you can preview the closed
captioned material and design a scavenger hunt where they need
to follow clues to find the words.
Word recognition and familiarity can also be found within a
specific episode of a closed captioned show. “I always found that
shows with repetition were the best for helping my kids to read,”
says Karen Putz, mother of three teenagers who are deaf and hard
of hearing. “Sesame Street was awesome because they would focus on
specific words in each episode and spell out the words on the screen.
That night during bath time we would take the foam letters and try
to spell out some of the words that we saw that day.”
Engaging Different Senses: Connecting Closed
Captions with Pictures
Much in the same way that illustrations in a picture book
enhance a story, closed captions also provide a way for children
to connect with the story. While viewing closed captioned media,
children see words combined with visual information and hear
the accompanying audio content that helps them match the
printed word form to the picture, object or emotion that is being
portrayed on the screen.
When the same information is presented in two modalities
(audio and visual), it can enhance young children’s understanding
of content by increasing the number of cognitive paths that can be
followed to retrieve the information, which can lead to increased
learning (Linebarger, Kosanic, Greenwod, & Doku, 2004).
This process is similar with what happens when reading a story
17
book, but can also provide children with a
different way to engage when they see the
actions and emotions of the story come
to life. Although the process of reading
captions, which are displayed quickly across
the screen, prevents the caption reader
from going back to re-read the text the way
they would be able to if reading a book, the
visual cues in the video seem to contribute
important perceptual data that the viewer
can use to supplement the information
obtained from the captions (Jelinek-Lewis &
Jackson, 2001).
Filling in the Gaps
Two areas where children who are deaf
and hard of hearing often lag behind their
peers with typical hearing are in the areas
of background knowledge and vocabulary.
As children begin to move into third and
fourth grade, school assignments begin
to require background knowledge and
familiarity with more abstract, technical
and literary words that are usually found
in higher level texts.
As children’s listening comprehension
is often more developed than their reading
comprehension, using closed captioned
media can help them view new concepts
visually in addition to being exposed to
the vocabulary and spelling that goes
along with the text. Information that
was once considered incomprehensible
will eventually settle into the child’s
background understanding before they
become frustrated with the material
(Huston & Wright, 1989).
The same can be said for exposure
to new vocabulary. If a child starts out
building vocabulary slowly, they will
continue to develop vocabulary slowly; if
a child starts out rapidly, then they will
continue to develop vocabulary rapidly
(Easterbrooks & Beal-Alvarez, 2013). Good
readers know what words mean and can
use them. Television shows like the Wild
Kratts on PBS and the kidsgov channel
on YouTube spend time breaking down
new vocabulary words and concepts and
explaining what they mean so that children
can begin to fill in some of those gaps.
It’s Better Together
While using captions can be a useful tool
to help your child with their reading skills,
they are not as effective if you simply put
your child in front of a computer or the
television set and leave the room. Instead,
the captions and the pictures need to be
put into context. The way that both you
and your child interact will impact the
way that the child will use the captions.
“We do know that visual materials
on a computer screen have been helpful
in teaching children to read and we also
know this process works best, and more
rapidly, when there is a teacher or parent
involved,” says Easterbrooks. “Simply
placing the child in front of a computer
screen does not have the same influence
on learning as when an adult is present
to help the child work through the
information on the screen.”
“I would generally sit next to my
children and engage them in dialogue,”
says Putz. “That way they could
understand what was being said, and it
also helped me to figure out what ideas
were new to them.”
Moments like this between a parent
and child are called “sustained shared
conversations” (Siraj-Blatchford, 2005), where
two or more individuals work together in an
intellectual way to solve a problem, clarify a
concept or extend a story. In reality, many of
the conversations we have with our children
are on either a superficial level—“How
was school today? Who did you sit with at
lunch?”—or are directional (“Sit still while
eating your dinner.” “Put your socks on first,
FCC Adopts Closed Captioning Quality Standards
In February 2014, the Federal Communications Commission set new rules that will improve the
reading experience of closed captions. The new standards explain that to be fully accessible, closed
captions on television programs must accurately convey dialogue and sounds in the program, and run
from the beginning to the end of the program. The new rules apply to all television programming with
captions including pre-recorded, live and near-live programming.
The captions must be:
• Accurate: Captions must match the spoken words in the dialogue and convey background noises
and other sounds to the fullest extent possible.
• Synchronous: Captions must coincide with their corresponding spoken words and sounds to the
greatest extent possible and must be displayed on the screen at a speed that can be read by viewers.
• Complete: Captions must run from the beginning to the end of the program to the fullest extent possible.
• Properly placed: Captions should not block other important visual content on the screen, overlap
one another, run off the edge of the video screen, or be blocked by other information.
For more information on the FCC’s new closed captioning quality standards,
visit www.fcc.gov/guides/closed-captioning.
18
then your shoes.”). It is important to find
moments where you can help to expand
your child’s thinking, background knowledge
and vocabulary.
Engaging Struggling Readers
One of the difficulties with young readers
who are struggling to read is content
suitability: because they are not reading
at an age-appropriate level, the books
they are able to read often have content
that is better suited for younger children;
further, books that would be of interest
to them prove too difficult. Research
suggests that this group of struggling
readers who are not yet fluent in reading
demonstrate the greatest gains from
exposure to on-screen print because the
content will be perceived as both interesting and cognitively challenging (Huston
& Wright, 1989; Linebarger, Piotrowski, &
Greenwood, 2010).
Websites like www.brainpopjr.com
and www.brainpop.com offer a series of
free closed captioned videos that range in
topics from historical figures to science
basics (families can also pay a fee to access
additional captioned videos). The videos
are short and engaging and might just
provide enough information to help your
child begin to gain confidence in an area
that is of interest to him/her.
Instructional videos are also a great way
to engage struggling readers—whether it
is how to build a Lego model or the latest
Rainbow Loom bracelet, YouTube offers
a wide variety of captioned videos. (In
order to do a quick search for captioned
videos simply type in what you are looking
for followed by cc. For example, if I was
searching for a Lego video I would enter
“Lego, cc” and the results show those
videos which are closed captioned.)
It’s All About the Language
Stanislas Dehaene, in his book Reading
in the Brain. The Science and Evolution of a
Human Invention (2009), suggests that a
developing brain needs to be exposed to
20,000 hours of spoken language in order
to get ready to read.
In the case of children who are deaf
and hard of hearing there is an even
greater need to consistently expose them
to appropriate and sophisticated language
models (Easterbrooks & Alvarez, 2013).
Children need to be exposed to language in
a variety of contexts such as interpersonal
communication, storytelling, being read to
as well as purposeful writing experiences.
The use of quality closed captioned
material across a variety of media is one
way to help support your child in their
reading ability.
REFERENCES
Clay, M. (1991). Becoming Literate: The Construction of
Inner Control. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Dehaene, S. (2009). Reading in the Brain: The Science
and Evolution of a Human Invention. New York, NY: Viking.
Easterbrooks, S., & Beal-Alvarez, J. (2013). Literacy
Instruction for Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Federal Communications Commission (2014). Retrieved
from http://www.fcc.gov/guides/closed-captioning
Huston, A., & Wright, J. (1989). The forms of television
and the child viewer. In G. Comstock (Ed.), Public
Communication and Behavior (vol. 2, pp. 103-158). San
Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Jelinek-Lewis, M., & Jackson, D. (2001). Television
literacy: Comprehension of program content using closed
captions for the deaf. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf
Education, 6(1), Winter, 43-53.
Linebarger, D., Kosanic, A., Greenwood, C., & Doku, N.
(2004). Effects of viewing the television program Between
the Lions on the emergent literacy skills of young children.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 297-308.
Linebarger, D., Piotrowski, J. T., & Greenwood, C. (2010).
Learning to read from television: The effects of using
captions and narration. Journal of Research in Reading,
33(2), 148-167.
Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2005). Quality Interaction in the Early
Years. Paper presented at TACTYC Annual Conference
Birth to Eight Matters: Seeking Seamlessness–Continuity?
Integration? Creativity?. Cardiff, United Kingdom.
Wolf, M. (2007). Proust and the Squid: The Story and
Science of the Reading Brain. New York, NY: Harper Collins.
Choosing Appropriate Captioned Material
Many programs are captioned today. When you are focusing on your child
as an emerging reader, there are some guidelines that can help support
your reader in choosing more supportive captioned material.
• Is there repetition of vocabulary to reinforce learning? Young
children who are just beginning to read need high-frequency and basic
vocabulary repeated in a meaningful context.
• Is the program short enough to allow repeated showings? Shorter
programs allow for repeated viewings for the mastery of sight words.
Shorter programs may also have a better chance of holding the
attention of your child.
• Is the closed captioning free from spelling and punctuation errors?
While it is great to have access to many programs that are closed
captioned, not all closed captioning is created equal, particularly on the
internet. Many captioned programs contain spelling and punctuation
errors which detract from the educational value of the program.
JWPOSD is celebrating 47 years of
helping children who are deaf and hard
of hearing to listen, to speak, and to
communicate in the world around them.
• Educational Programs—Mommy & Me,
Toddlers, Preschool, K/1
• Mainstream Preschool and Support Services
• Parent Education
• Therapy Services
• Audiology—HA, CI, & FM
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3518 Jefferson Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062
Tel 650-365-7500 • Fax 650-365-7557
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19
In such a linguistically rich context, it is expected that children
who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) would be exposed to more
than one spoken language and that they would have equal access
to becoming bilingual. Two recent studies were completed in Spain
that examine bilingualism—defined as two spoken languages—in
children who are DHH. Spain was selected for these studies because
it is a multilingual country, where Castilian Spanish is spoken in
addition to several languages specific to autonomous communities of
Spain such as Galician, Catalan and Basque. More than a quarter of
the Spanish population speaks one of these autonomous community
languages as their first language, while English is the most common
foreign language spoken in Spain.
Results from these two studies reveal that bilingualism is
indeed possible for children who are DHH and add to an emerging body of research advocating that children who are DHH
should have equal access to developing two spoken languages and
highlighting the need for expanded opportunities for bilingualism for children who are DHH.
¡Si puedo! Yes I can!
Growing up Bilingual with Hearing Loss in Spain
At least half of the world’s population is fluent in two or more
spoken languages (Baker & Prys Jones, 1998). Spain is a
country with a linguistically diverse heritage where over 50
percent of the adult population is bilingual or multilingual, and
in some of the country’s autonomous communities, between
68 percent and 100 percent of elementary school-age children
are enrolled in bilingual education programs.
First Study: Choosing Bilingualism
The first study, Survey of Spanish Parents of Children Who Are
Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Decision-Making Factors Associated With
Communication Modality and Bilingualism, included 71 parents of
children who are DHH and looked at factors and trends related
to parents’ choice of communication modality and bilingualism (Guiberson, 2013a). While over 70 percent of the families
indicated that they believed that children who are DHH are
capable of becoming bilingual and that learning a second spoken
language would not result in confusion or overtax the child’s
language system, only 38 percent of the families surveyed chose
to raise their children to be bilingual.
Bilingual children with two spoken languages were represented
equally across the mode of communication groups—listening and
spoken language (LSL); LSL and sign language; or cued speech. We
found that if the parents were fluent in two spoken languages and
believed in the importance of raising their child with hearing loss
bilingually, their child was more likely to be bilingual.
Nearly half of the parents participating in this study indicated
a desire for more options for their children, and many also
indicated that they wished there were bilingual programs available so that their children could have adequate exposure and/
or support in learning a second spoken language. This supports
the results of a recent systematic review of studies that described
bilingualism in children who are DHH, which found that exposure and support in each language is critically important (Crowe
& McLeod, 2014). Children who are DHH will develop better
bilingual skills when provided with rich and frequent opportunities to hear and use each spoken language. ¡Buenos
días niño!
Morning
Dad!
By Mark Guiberson, Ph.D., and Dale Sindell
Second Study: Two Is Better than One
The second study, Bilingual Skills of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children
from Spain, was undertaken to determine if bilingual children who
are DHH had first language skills that were similar to their monolingual peers who are DHH, and to understand parents’ satisfaction
with their children’s bilingual abilities (Guiberson, 2014). Fifty-one
20
families completed a survey in which they rated their children’s
spoken language communication skills.
The majority (80 percent) of the parents of bilingual children
indicated that their child’s second language abilities were at
the level they expected or better, reflecting the parent’s overall
satisfaction with their decision to raise their children bilingually.
Parental ratings of bilingual children’s first language skills were
higher than parental ratings of monolingual children. These results strongly suggest that first language development
does not suffer when children who are DHH are raised bilingually,
and that children may in fact experience a bilingual benefit or boost
from learning two spoken languages at the same time. The results
from this study also parallel a recent American study that showed
that children who are DHH can be bilingual without adverse
effects to linguistic development (Bunta & Douglas, 2013). Need for a Bilingual Language Program
These two studies as well as earlier ones indicate that bilingual
families frequently want their children who are DHH to develop
two spoken languages in order to achieve greater educational
opportunities and vocational successes (Douglas, 2011; Flores,
Martin, & Champlin, 1996; Steinberg, Delgado, Bain, Ruperto,
& Yuelin, 2003). Further, there is a need and a call for familycentered programming for children who are DHH that empowers
families by providing a full range of options that will increase
opportunities and maximize the children’s potential for developing two spoken languages.
Bilingualism confers many cognitive, linguistic and economic
advantages on children and their families, in addition to creating
strong bonds with the families’ extended linguistic communities. As such, parents naturally expressed a desire for bilingual
programs for their children so that children belong to the parents’
linguistic communities, have equal access to the educational and
cognitive benefits of bilingualism as well as to the benefits of
bilingualism in terms of career, employment and financial benefits.
The results of these studies, along with the call for familycentered programming, motivated a parent group in Spain to
address this need by developing a program that encourages
bilingualism in children who are DHH.
T-Oigo.com: Allies in English
Allies in English (AE) is a free program created by t-oigo.com
(which in Spanish means “I hear you”). T-oigo.com is a non-profit
association and virtual community based in Spain that helps
Spanish-speaking parents of children who are DHH. The goal of
the AE program is to encourage spoken language bilingualism in
children who are DHH. The program was created for children who are DHH who use
spoken language as their main form of communication and who
demonstrate good results with their hearing aids or cochlear
implants. The program was developed in English because fluency
in English is critically important to Spanish children’s future
regardless of hearing ability.
The program works by pairing American study-abroad student
volunteers in Spain to visit families of children who are DHH in
21
their home. The goal of the program is to support the learning of
English as a second language by providing children who are
DHH with access in their home to a native English-speaking
model in an acoustically “friendly” and personalized environment. This access further creates a cross-cultural exchange and a
learning experience for families and American study-abroad
student volunteers that fosters empathy and learning about
hearing loss, cultures and language.
There are many obstacles to learning at school for children who
are DHH in foreign language classes. These may include classes of
25–30 students, reverberation and poor acoustics, auditory-focused
methodologies of instruction, and non-native instructors. These
challenges may be present even if children are hearing well with
their cochlear implants and/or hearing aids, and developing
appropriate listening and spoken language communication in their
first language. The AE program aims to provide a natural and
social situation that motivates children to learn English, with the
experience that this interest transfers to the English classes the
children attend at school, generating greater interest in learning
English according to parents and participants.
Big Brother, Big Sister
Student volunteers and children with hearing loss participate in the
Allies in English program in Spain and engage in a variety of fun
activities to practice English. credit: t-oigo.com
Allies in English goes beyond and supports the classroom
experience. For many of the children and families, participation in AE represents the first close relationship with a person
from another culture. Developing an emotional bond and using
English to communicate with this person at home motivates
the child to want to learn English in the structured classroom
environment where learning may be more challenging and at
times less interesting or engaging.
The AE sessions are conducted weekly during the fall or spring
semester with some breaks for vacation periods, usually resulting in about 10 American student visits per semester to their
assigned child’s home. The AE program provides training to
American student volunteers, which includes an explanation of
hearing loss, videos of AE program activities, and the opportunity to try on models of hearing aids and cochlear implants. Both parents and student volunteers are informed of the
theoretical approach underlying the program: children learn
language through motivating, fun, social relationships. The
key is for both the families and the volunteer students to have
clear expectations and to recognize the student’s role not as an
English tutor, but as a key motivator and “a special friend who
speaks English.” The volunteer’s role is similar to that of a big
brother or sister. Once the students understand this, they usually
do not need further guidance on how to play with the children.
The program’s blog, ihearyou.t-oigo.com, includes ideas and
experiences from the program. Activities are varied and may
include playing sports, singing, baking, and playing games
like Simon Says, Monopoly, hide and seek, and other familiar
games. Activities are highly individualized and typically are
Have a
good day
at school!
¡Gracias
Mamá!
22
centered on the child’s and the student volunteer’s interests. The
AE visits involve materials and toys that the family already owns,
so no extra purchasing of materials is necessary. Siblings, regardless of hearing ability, often participate in the sessions.
How AE Works
The program is decentralized locally on some levels, allowing the
coordinators to manage the family-volunteer relationships and
events in each city. This is also essential to managing the program
nationally. From its headquarters in Madrid, t-oigo.com publishes
its blog, obtains sponsorships, runs media campaigns, and shares
information among the local coordinators on a national level.
Each local AE program organizes a celebration each semester
to unite the families, children and student volunteers in a fun
activity to meet each other and share ideas in person. The celebration also provides opportunities for publicity with Spanish media
that supports the growth of the program and helps to educate
the general public about the ability of children who are DHH to
learn a second spoken language. In 2014, the AE program is being
offered in 10 cities including Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza, and
will be expanded to Sevilla in the fall. It is expected that 100–150
families will participate nationally in Spain each semester.
A large body of research shows that children with communication disorders, including children who are DHH, are capable
of learning two spoken languages. Like with their typically
developing peers, the bilingual skills of children who are DHH
will depend upon the exposure to and support for each of these
languages. Given this knowledge, it is important to provide a full
range of bilingual options for children who are DHH so that they
have access to opportunities similar to those of their peers with
typical hearing. Adults sometimes fear that children learning two
languages will get confused or overwhelmed by two languages;
this has been referred to as language confusion. Language confusion
is the popularly held belief that children are incapable of becoming
bilingual without becoming confused. The presumed symptoms of
language confusion include difficulty separating the first language
and second language, code-mixing and poor language outcomes.
There is substantial research showing that by 2 years of age
children are capable of separating out two languages adequately,
that code-switching is a normal bilingual behavior seen in both
children and adults, and that children demonstrate cognitive and
linguistic benefits from bilingualism (Guiberson, 2013b).
There is no scientific evidence that suggests that language
confusion exists. Studies are showing that typically developing
children as well as children with a variety of disabilities are
capable of becoming bilingual to the best of their ability.
Our experience and research adds to this knowledge base by
showing that children who are DHH do not get confused by two
languages; they can adequately separate two languages and learn
a second spoken language. Children with communication disorders will have challenges in developing their communication
skills, but this does not mean that these children are not capable
of developing a second, or third, spoken language. Bilingualism
does not cause communication disorder, and prescribing monolingualism will not cure it (Kohnert, 2013).
Olga, left, decorates a cupcake with help from a t-oigo.com
student volunteer at a cooking party in Madrid, Spain.
credit : t- oigo . com
No one, regardless of hearing ability, can expect to learn a
second spoken language in a few hours of class per week. More
exposure, both structured and informal or social, will result in
better English or other language learning. Programs such as t-oigo.com’s Allies in English help support
the academic process of learning a second language by making
it personal, motivating and meaningful. Parents are becoming
more and more aware that as a result of early intervention and
technology such as hearing aids and cochlear implants their
children who are DHH can have the same opportunities as
children with typical hearing, including the ability to learn a
second spoken language.
REFERENCES
Baker, C., & Prys Jones, S. (1998). Encyclopedia of Bilingualism and Bilingual Education.
Philadelphia, PA: Multilingual Matters.
Bunta, F., & Douglas, M. (2013). The effects of dual-language support on the language
skills of bilingual children with hearing loss who use listening devices relative to their
monolingual peers. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 44(3), 281-290.
Crowe, K., & McLeod, S. (2014). A systematic review of cross-linguistic and multilingual
speech and language outcomes for children with hearing loss. International Journal of
Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 17, 1-23.
Douglas, M. (2011). Teaching children with hearing impairment to listen and speak
when the home language is not English. Perspectives on Hearing and Hearing Disorders in
Children, 21, 20–30.
Flores, P., Martin, F. N., & Champlin, C. A. (1996). Providing audiological services to
Spanish speakers. American Journal of Audiology, 5, 69-73.
Guiberson, M. (2013a). Survey of Spanish parents of children who are deaf or hard
of hearing: Decision making factors associated with communication modality and
bilingualism. American Journal of Audiology. doi:10.1044/1059-0889(2012/12-0042)
Guiberson, M. (2013b). Bilingual myth-busters series: Language confusion in bilinguals.
Perspectives on Communication Disorders in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Populations, 20, 5-14.
Guiberson, M. (2014). Bilingual skills of deaf/hard of hearing children from Spain.
Cochlear Implants International, 15, 87-92.
Kohnert, K. (2013). Language Disorders in Bilingual Children and Adults. San Diego, CA:
Plural Publishing.
Steinberg, A., Delgado, G., Bain, L., Ruperto, V., & Yuelin, L. (2003). Decisions Hispanic
families make after the identification of deafness. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf
Education, 8, 291–314.
23
EMPOWERING
CHILDREN
Who Are Hard
of Hearing and
Their Families
in TAIWAN
Alana Nichols was born with profound bilateral hearing loss in Taipei,
Taiwan. Upon receiving this diagnosis, her parents—Joanna Nichols
“If a
person
tastes the
sweetness
of helping
others, he or
she will want
to continue
doing so.”
—Joanna Nichols
and Kenny Cheng— traveled the world to seek medical resources
to help Alana to hear and speak. They chose to pursue a listening
and spoken language (LSL) outcome for Alana and she received a
cochlear implant to help her gain access to sound and develop spoken
language. After years of hearing habilitation, Alana completed high
school with honors and she is currently attending university.
After their experiences with raising
Alana who thrives in the mainstream,
the Chengs established the Children’s
Hearing Foundation (CHF) in December
1996 to help other children with hearing
loss in Taiwan and their families have
similar access to listening and spoken
language services, resources, information
and professional support, so that they can
receive education in the mainstream and
live up to their full potential.
Since 1996, CHF has expanded to four
centers in Taiwan: the Taipei Headquarters,
Southern Taiwan Center, Yilan Center
and Chung-Yuan Center. Furthermore, to
enhance the quality of interventions, knowledge management and innovation, CHF
established a speech and hearing science
research institute in 2013. The Chengs also
continue to raise awareness of the listening
and spoken language option for children
with hearing loss throughout Asia.
Adapting LSL Services to Mandarin
CHF is one of the first organizations to
offer a listening and spoken language
program for children with hearing loss
in Taiwan as well as a pioneering international organization that has adapted
auditory-verbal services into Mandarin.
By Kuei-Ju Lin, Ph.D. candidate
To realize the mission of benefiting children with hearing loss and their families,
CHF is devoted to training and promoting
Mandarin auditory-verbal practitioners
in all areas of spoken Mandarin. Furthermore, the CHF cooperates with school
systems, hospitals and researchers.
Since its inception, CHF has provided
services to more than 3,300 children who
are hard of hearing and their families.
The organization works to assist children
to develop their independence through
listening and speaking.
CHF focuses on delivering LSL services,
advocating for family-centered early intervention, and valuing both the family unit
and children with hearing loss. Through
its unique services, the CHF team empowers families as the primary facilitators of
listening and spoken language for children,
supporting children to ensure a successful
transition into early childhood mainstream education.
Hearing Loss in Taiwan
In Taiwan, children with hearing loss
comprise 0.11 percent of the school-age
population, 7–18 years old (Special
Education Transmit Net, 2013). Depending
on their needs, they either attend a special
Eighty percent of school-age Taiwanese students with hearing loss attend mainstream schools.
24
25
education school or remain in a mainstream
classroom, receiving specialized services in
resource or self-contained classrooms.
Most students with special needs in
Taiwan are served under The Special
Education Act, which works to provide
them with appropriate education to
develop their full potential, as individuals
and members of Taiwanese society.
Numerous inclusive programs have
been developed and implemented in
Taiwan. Statistics indicate that 80 percent
of school-age students with hearing loss
attend mainstream schools that provide
them with special education services (Lin,
in press) such as resource room programs,
speech therapy, hearing management
services or itinerant services.
The rights of children who are deaf
and hard of hearing in Taiwan are
protected to ensure that they receive an
appropriate education regardless of their
abilities. Grants are provided to increase
parental participation and involvement in
school affairs. To ensure that all children
who have special needs receive interventions as soon as possible, the 2013 Act
indicated that special education practices
should begin as early as 2 years of age.
The first two years of a child’s life
are critical for developing language and
speech. Early diagnosis of hearing loss is
imperative in order to ensure appropriate language development in children
with hearing loss. On March 15, 2012, the
Taiwanese Ministry of Health and Welfare
implemented the Universal Newborn
Hearing Screening Program free of charge,
ensuring a promising outlook for children
with hearing loss in Taiwan. The program
and appropriate early interventions should
provide additional opportunities for children who are deaf and hard of hearing to
enhance their potential for developing
listening and spoken language skills.
The CHF Approach
OTHER
MEDICAL
Meaningful Language Input
FAMILY
children with
hearing loss
26
SOCIAL
WELFARE
EDUCATION
MEDICAL
ENT, Audiologist,
Speech Therapist,
Psychotherapist
OTHER
Assistive Device Companies
EDUCATION
School Personnel, Homeroom Teacher
& Assistive Teacher, Auditory-Verbal
Therapist, Itinerant Teacher, Peers with
Typical Hearing & Their Families
SOCIAL WELFARE
Social Worker
CHF advocates that auditory-verbal
practice should be based on the individual
differences among children to provide
them with meaningful language. In addition, CHF encourages parents to learn
educational strategies to develop the
listening and spoken language abilities
of their children by regularly providing
them with meaningful learning experiences in daily life.
The main primary stimulus is a
meaningful language input, and parents
should become familiar with the unique
development of their children regarding
audition, speech, language, cognition and
communication. Thus, parents can use
age- and ability-appropriate words and
language at suitable development stages,
encouraging children with hearing loss
to enhance their self-confidence and
learning interests.
By initially working to adapt LSL
services to Mandarin from English due
to differences in the prosody, pragmatics, semantics, syntax, morphology and
phonology between the two languages,
CHF established the foundation needed
to provide children with hearing loss in
Taiwan with the opportunity to develop
listening and spoken language skills.
Further, by cooperating with the local
educational and health systems, CHF
works to ensure that Taiwanese children
who are hard of hearing can be successfully integrated into mainstream life.
Every day, CHF works with the families
of children with hearing loss in the belief
that parental involvement is the key to
success in early hearing interventions
for children who are hard of hearing
in Taiwan.
The family is the expert in educating their child
with hearing loss. credit: children’s hearing foundation
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author thanks Chien-Wen Lee, Chun-Yi Lin & Yi-ping
Chang, for their helpful comments of this article.
REFERENCES
Lin, K. J. (2011). Auditory training and management for
children with hearing impairments in early intervention.
Journal of Special Education in Yunlin and Jiayi, 14, 19-25.
Lin, K. J. (Ed.) (in press). Family-centered early
intervention for children with hearing impairments: Theory
and practice of auditory-verbal therapy. Taipei, Taiwan:
Psychological Publishing.
Special Education Transmit Net (2013). The statistics on
the number of students with hearing impairments. Retrieved
from http://www.set.edu.tw/sta2/default.asp
The interaction model of the team members in auditory-verbal practice.
source: adapted from lin (2011 , p. 21) . credit : children ’s hearing foundation
Parents and other family members play
the primary roles in teaching their children
to listen and speak; thus, the auditoryverbal practitioners at CHF primarily
work with family members rather than
children. The ultimate objective of CHF is
to maximize the potential of children with
hearing loss to learn to listen and speak,
ensuring that they become competent and
independent individuals.
In a family-centered early intervention
model, the family is considered the expert
on their child. Audiologists and early
interventionists provide information and
guide the family in making choices. CHF
works to empower family members to be
active and involved participants in their
children’s education.
Family-centered Early Intervention
CHF provides services to enhance the
independence of infants, toddlers and preschoolers with hearing loss through a variety
of services such as consultations and training,
loan services for assistive devices, educational materials for short-term use as well as
supporting parental groups in advocacy.
regarding audition, speech, language,
cognition and communication. Listening
and spoken language professionals develop
individualized intervention plans based on
the results of the diagnostic assessment.
Teamwork
Auditory-verbal practice requires joint
participation from the children’s parents
as well as members of all fields of education, medical and social welfare such as
otolaryngologists, audiologists, listening
and spoken language professionals, social
workers, school teachers, and assistive
device companies. Thus, CHF conducts
various teamwork-based therapies.
Following the Principles of
Auditory-Verbal Practice
Auditory-verbal practice encourages
children with hearing loss to develop
their ability to listen so that listening
becomes spontaneous and children can
learn from listening in their daily lives.
Therefore, CHF emphasizes the use of
audition, which is considered critical for
the development of listening and learning
language through listening.
Each child with hearing loss requires
individualized intervention because of
individual differences in factors such as
the degree of hearing loss, age of onset
and type of language or communication
system that the child uses. Furthermore,
the parents themselves are each unique
and individual. Auditory-verbal practice
primarily adopts a one-to-one individualized diagnostic assessment method to
identify the unique development of children
ion
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muni air
m
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Manager
Fostering independence of students with hearing loss
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27
ACCESS TO SOUND right from the
AG Bell Resources and Information
start is critical for children who are
The AG Bell Listening and Spoken
Language Knowledge Center provides
information and resources in the
Families tab of the website, which offers
parents with a starting point to identify
sources of financial assistance for hearing
technology as well as listening and
spoken languages services. Organizations
such as AUDIENT, The HIKE Fund and
Miracle-Ear® Foundation help families
with financial difficulties to get access to
hearing devices.
AG Bell offers a variety of Financial
Aid programs for families of children
with hearing loss at various stages of
their development: from birth through
12th grade. For a complete list of these
programs and resources offered by other
organizations, visit the Families tab at
ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org, click
on Financial Aid Programs and explore
the links in this section.
Under the same Families tab, parents
can visit the Family Resources section,
which provides a variety of resources
for and by parents, including tips from
parents for getting organized to ensure
their child’s success and a guide for
parents to understand their insurance
benefits and exclusions as well as other
programs available to their child(ren).
deaf and hard of hearing to develop
listening and spoken language. Yet,
families may find the cost of hearing
technology a challenge. AG Bell’s
groundbreaking 2013 Family Needs
Assessment survey found that
hearing technology and related
services—including hearing aids,
auditory-verbal/speech-language
therapy services and assistive
listening devices—were the three
items families rated as the most
significant financial barriers. There
are a number of resources available
to provide assistance with the cost
RESOURCES FOR
of hearing technology.
State mandates for hearing aids
have increased over the years.
There are now 20 states that have
passed mandates for hearing
aid coverage. All of these states
require health benefit plans to
cover hearing aids for children.
Only three states—Arkansas, New
Hampshire and Rhode Island—
require coverage for both children
and adults. One (Wisconsin) also
requires coverage for cochlear
implants for children. State mandates vary with regard to the
amount of coverage, benefit period
and provider qualifications. The
American Speech-LanguageHearing Association maintains a
website with brief descriptions
and links to each statute: www.
asha.org/advocacy/state/issues/
By Anna Karkovska McGlew, M.A.
28
ha_reimbursement/.
Hearing Aid Loaner Banks
Immediate access to hearing aids is often
curtailed by cost or delays in insurance or
third-party approvals. Hearing aid loaner
banks fill the gap by providing access to
appropriate amplification while families
obtain approval or financial assistance for
hearing technology.
The National Center for Hearing
Assessment and Management (NCHAM)
at Utah State University maintains a list
of hearing aid loaner banks in the United
States. Through a 2011 survey, NCHAM
identified hearing aid loaner banks in
26 states and territories. The center
regularly updates this information, which
is available at www.infanthearing.org/
ha-loaner/index.html.
The Oticon Pediatrics Loaner Bank
Program makes hearing aids available for
children, birth to 3 years old, who are in
need of immediate amplification when
amplification is not readily available and
the family is typically waiting for thirdparty reimbursement approval or for a
cochlear implant evaluation. Oticon also
provides an Information and Application
Booklet on its website. Visit www.pro.
oticonusa.com/pediatrics/clinicalsupport/oticon-resources/loaner-bank.
aspx for more information.
Other Organizations and Resources
The American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association has an extensive section
on its website—Funding for Audiology
Services and Hearing Aids—which
provides links to federal, state and local
funding sources, agencies and programs;
funding plans; and hearing aid loaner
banks. The organization also provides
advice to parents on working with their
employer to cover speech, language and
hearing services for themselves and their
child(ren) through the company’s health
plan. It also describes the “ideal” health
plan coverage for hearing, speech and
language benefits. Visit www.asha.org/
public/coverage/audfundingresources/
to access all of this information.
The Hearing Loss Association of
America also maintains a list of programs
and foundations providing hearing aid
financial assistance for both children
and adults, which is available at www.
hearingloss.org/content/financialassistance-programs-foundations.
The Better Hearing Institute has
compiled a list of multiple charitable
foundations, private organizations,
insurance plans, corporate benefits
and government programs that
help people across the country gain
access to hearing aids. The list is
available at www.betterhearing.org/
hearingpedia/hearing-loss-resources/
financial-assistance.
This list is not extensive and is a starting
point for identifying resources. There are
other public programs such as Medicaid
and state vocational rehabilitation agencies
as well as private organizations that can
provide support or additional referrals to
local resources.
29
John Stanton, Esq.
Stanton in 1994 as an
intern at the Supreme
Court of the United
States. credit: ed stanton
2014 Honors of the Association
Award Recipient by anna k arkovsk a mcglew, m.a.
Left to Right: Stanton, second from left, with his parents and sister in 1993 at his graduation from Dartmouth College. credit: louis yaffe. Stanton,
left, with then-AG Bell President Michael Tecklenburg at the 1996 AG Bell Convention. credit: david lupi-sher. Stanton with daughter Charlotte at a
Georgetown football game in 2007. credit: ed stanton.
30
AS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH HEARING LOSS
who was born and raised before the passage of
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990
and other legal protections for individuals with
disabilities, John Stanton, recipient of the 2014
AG Bell Honors of the Association Award, knows
that “opportunities and progress don’t happen by
themselves. It takes advocacy.” Commitment, perseverance and passion are the hallmarks of successful
advocacy that brings about positive and lasting
change for individuals and communities.
On June 28, 2014, as part of the 2014 AG Bell
Convention, AG Bell President Donald M. Goldberg,
Ph.D., CCC-SLP/A, FAAA, LSLS Cert. AVT, will
present Stanton with the 2014 Honors of the
Association award. This honor is presented in
recognition of an outstanding individual in the field
of listening and spoken language who has advanced
the goals of AG Bell over many years of committed
service. Past recipients include former AG Bell
President Kathleen Sussman, Mildred Oberkotter,
Stephen Epstein, Helen Beebe, Doreen Pollack,
Bruce A. Goldstein, Ken Levinson, Inez Janger and
Karen Youdelman, among others.
“I am both thrilled and humbled to be selected for
the Honors of the Association Award,” said Stanton.
“I do not believe that I would be where I am today
without the work and infrastructure that AG Bell set
forth over the years. I look forward to continuing
the progress to ensure that tomorrow’s individuals
with hearing loss have even more opportunities
than we have today.”
Stanton has been a member of AG Bell since the
mid-1990s and is a former member of the board of
directors. He is the current chair of the AG Bell Public
Affairs Council (PAC)—a body, which is instrumental
in establishing the direction of the association’s public
policy efforts by being the “board’s eyes and ears
regarding potential laws and regulations” and guiding
the board’s positions.
The PAC is charged with being on the lookout for
court cases, legislation, regulations and other laws
that could potentially impact AG Bell’s membership. “It’s a terrific committee. We have very
knowledgeable people representing AG Bell’s three
constituencies—parents, professionals and adults
with hearing loss,” noted Stanton.
During his long and deep involvement in the
association, Stanton has filed numerous briefs on
behalf of AG Bell in courts at every level, advocating for the advancement of rights for people with
hearing loss. He has worked with the association on
the development of many of its position statements,
including on the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the first
international treaty to address disability rights.
“I don’t think it is possible to put into words the
positive impact AG Bell has had on our lives. AG Bell
has a long history of advocating for the mainstreaming of children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Thanks to the policies set by AG Bell’s philosophies,
there are all types of opportunities for children with
hearing loss to succeed today that didn’t exist generations ago,” said Stanton.
He has guided the association in cases where the
association chooses to file amicus briefs or other
Stanton with his wife Cindy (third and fourth from the
right), their daughter Annabelle (held), and Cindy’s family
in 2011. credit: bill worrell
petitions on behalf of individuals with hearing loss
pursuing appropriate accommodations such as
working to compel shopping malls to take people
with disabilities into account when they design their
emergency evacuation plans and asking schools to
provide Computer-Assisted Realtime Transcription
(CART) interpreting for students who are deaf and
hard of hearing in order to access fully the general
education curriculum. “Over the years, AG Bell
has gotten involved in a number of court cases that
potentially impact the rights of individuals with
hearing loss. I’ve argued on behalf of AG Bell in some
of these. I’m proud to say that we’ve won more often
than we’ve lost,” noted Stanton.
Growing up with Hearing Loss
in the Mainstream
Stanton became deaf from meningitis when he
was 4 and half years old and grew up using spoken
language and speechreading. “I do not remember
being hearing,” reminisced Stanton. He received a
cochlear implant in 2001.
After it became clear that his hearing loss was
permanent, experts recommended to his parents
that Stanton be enrolled in a school for the deaf. His
parents felt that Stanton should receive mainstream
education and were able to find a Catholic school
in their neighborhood, which was willing to accept
him as a student. “Happily, things worked out very
well, and I have many fond memories of elementary
31
Stanton playing little
league baseball in 1981.
school,” remembered Stanton.
His parents’ commitment and support were
instrumental in Stanton’s experiences at school. His
father volunteered to coach all of his youth sports
teams because he was afraid that otherwise Stanton
would run into a coach who didn’t want to accommodate his deafness. His mother was in close contact
with his teachers to help try to figure out the best
way for Stanton to get the most out of the classroom
and she oversaw much of his schoolwork.
Stanton succeeded in the classroom with minimal
accommodations. “I sat in the front of the class and
tried my best to speechread. By junior high, I’d ask a
friend if I could copy the notes that he took in class
to try to see what I missed,” recalled Stanton.
In high school, Stanton had an illuminating experience which planted a seed for future advocacy. His
biology teacher took the time to find a video with
captions, which he used in class to explain a lesson.
Stanton vividly remembered this experience: “I
thought ‘Hey, wow! I can actually understand what’s
being said!’ Two weeks later, we had a test and Dr.
Peet asked four or five questions about material that
was in the video. I got them all correct. Without the
captions, I’m sure I would have missed the test questions (as I usually did).”
Decision to Become a Lawyer
Stanton with his wife Cindy
at their wedding in 2009.
credit : joe ciarcia
“Only eight? You’ve got to be kidding me!” This was
Stanton’s reaction upon learning from a college disability
coordinator about the approximate number of lawyers
who are deaf in the late 1980s in the United States.
“I knew that many civil rights laws and advances
benefiting African Americans were the result of
the hard work of African American lawyers. And
I knew the same was true for women lawyers. I
knew that if we were going to see real progress for
individuals with hearing loss, it was imperative that
more people who are deaf and hard of hearing join
the legal profession. I was determined to become a
lawyer after that.”
Stanton is currently senior counsel at the Washington,
D.C. law office of Holland & Knight, LLP, where he
specializes in appellate advocacy litigation and has
worked on numerous cases involving civil rights laws.
He also has written extensively about the history of
people with disabilities and has extensive pro bono
experience in the field of disability advocacy, which
he has put to full use in his tireless commitment to
AG Bell’s advocacy and regulatory efforts.
Higher Education and the Magic of CART
Stanton entered Dartmouth College in 1989 and
Georgetown Law School in 1993. At both schools,
he was the first student who is deaf since the 1970s.
The disabilities coordinator at Dartmouth was helpful
and worked with Stanton to provide him with accommodations he requested such as installing cable television
in his dorm room, so that he could set up his captioning
decoder there rather than in the common lounge area.
Socially, Stanton was active and formed lasting friendships. In the classroom, Stanton sat in the front, worked
with friends to copy their class notes, and asked the
professors to wear FM microphones. “That helped some
for lectures, but didn’t work for discussion groups. As
was the case in high school, my grades were decent but
not impressive,” recalled Stanton.
After meeting a student with hearing loss who
was using CART at Stanford Law School, Stanton
requested CART at Georgetown Law School.
“Simple words cannot describe how much of an impact
CART had on my classroom experiences. Like that
biology video from high school, I could now understand
everything that was said in the class and was on equal
footing with my classmates. Going to classes in law
school became my favorite part of the day. I was like a
kid in a candy store. I was taking my own notes in class
for the first time since elementary school,” said Stanton.
Stanton immediately realized the dramatic difference that CART could make for students with hearing
loss in the classroom. Beyond providing access to
information, it had tremendous and favorable implications for the ability of students who are deaf and hard
of hearing to participate in classroom discussion.
“When I received CART interpreting, my own
professors called upon me as often as any other student.
I participated more in class at Georgetown Law in
any given week than I did in four years combined at
Dartmouth,” he said. Classmates wanted Stanton on
their team for group projects because they had heard
his participation in class and were impressed. “This
never would have happened if I did not have CART
interpreting throughout law school,” added Stanton.
With CART interpreting Stanton graduated from
Georgetown Law School with honors. He recalls, “My
grades at Georgetown with CART were a lot higher
than they were at Dartmouth without CART.”
Legislation, Technology and Attitudes
One of Stanton’s most recent publications is a law
review article on the history of lawyers who are deaf
and hard of hearing. “Breaking the Sound Barriers:
How the Americans With Disabilities Act and
Technology Have Enabled Deaf Lawyers to Succeed”
published in the Valparaiso Law Review recounts the
history of lawyers who are deaf in the 19th century
and discusses the obstacles that aspiring lawyers and
law students who are deaf have encountered throughout most of the 20th century until the Americans
with Disabilities Act was passed.
“In simplest terms, for individuals with hearing
loss to succeed, the two most important things are
legal protections and technology,” stated Stanton.
Further, the evolution of societal attitudes on what
constitutes “reasonable accommodations,” namely,
affirmatively providing accommodations to ensure
equal access, helps to move progress further along.
“I’ve seen so much progress in my lifetime that
sometimes it’s difficult to remember that there are
still a lot of areas for improvement,” noted Stanton.
Two of the biggest issues received by Stanton and
his fellow volunteers at the AG Bell Public Affairs
Council that are facing individuals with hearing loss
and their families are lack of insurance coverage for
hearing aids and lack of captioning accessibility on
the internet. The council has been working with other
deaf and disability advocacy groups to support laws
that can address these issues.
“Many times when I was doing research for my
article and found a deaf lawyer from decades past, I
thought ‘Geez, how did this person do it?’ and could
only shake my head with amazement. Individuals
with hearing loss and the advocates who came before
us have laid a lot of the groundwork that enabled us
to have the opportunities and accessibility that we
enjoy today. People like this started the progress.
And we’ve got to keep it going.”
U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe
receives the 2012 AG Bell Award
of Distinction. From left to
right: Alexander T. Graham, Sen.
Olympia Snowe, Kathleen Treni
and John Stanton. credit: ag bell
Stanton with wife Cindy and
daughter Charlotte in 2010.
credit : catharine mcnally
BUTTERFLY
Celebrating
100 years.
Stanton, second from left, with his parents and sister at his graduation from Georgetown Law in 1997.
32
33
TIPS FOR PARENTS
On Being a Deaf Mom
At 3 a.m., I’m violently awakened from a
deep sleep by my bed shaking and lamp
flashing. Am I in a disco during an earthquake? No, I realize, as I slowly regain
consciousness, the baby is crying again.
Like a glutton for punishment, I’m using
this technology to alert me to her needs
because I’m profoundly deaf.
As a first-time mom, it took a while to
realize that I should be taking advantage
of my slumbering husband’s hearing.
Given the choice to be jarred awake or feel
the gentle touch of his hand, the answer
to our happily ever after was clear.
Eleven years later, my daughter is the
“beneficiary” of this constantly changing
territory I’m exploring: what it means to
be a deaf mom. Her brother—who is three
years younger—adds to the challenges. But
there are infinite rewards, too.
Baby/Toddler Stage
Once I figured out the best way to deal
with middle-of-the-night feedings, along
came another challenge: naps. During the
day, I used a baby monitor—this version
no longer exists—with lights that ramped
up in accordance to the sound. It also
By Lisa A. Goldstein, M.J.
vibrated and had a volume knob. In short,
it was perfect—until my toddler started
vocalizing. Then I had to listen carefully
to determine whether she was vocalizing,
crying, or on her way to la-la-land. The
solution was a video monitor, which
allowed me to see when she actually
fell asleep, and then upon waking up,
whether she was happily playing or
needed attention.
As my kids navigated out of the baby
phase, I was able to control whether
I could understand their words faceto-face. That meant teaching my kids
to communicate with me. From the
beginning, we told them that to get my
attention, they had to physically come
over and tap me on the arm. When they
talked to me, they had to look at my eyes
so I could see their lips. Many times, I
heard them calling for me, but pretended
I couldn’t hear so they would learn.
Many kids are difficult for me to lip
read, but I have no problem with my own.
They learned to be excellent communicators who enunciate very clearly. That they
don’t do this just with me but with others,
as well, shows that this is a great lifelong
social skill to have. Of course, my deafness
prevents me from understanding whining
and crying—they just have to calm down
and try again!
Another thing I learned was that lip
reading is difficult when my eyes are still
adjusting to light. We told the kids to
always go to Daddy if they needed something during the night. In the morning, I’m
always surprised to discover what I missed
and thankful for my uninterrupted sleep.
Childhood
Now that my kids are in elementary
school, I’m exploring a new world. Being
out of the loop with the school was a
concern, but in this age of technology, it’s
more of an equal playing field. The staff all
has email, and the school sends electronic
newsletters. If anyone calls the house, I
have a captioned phone.
My daughter will be starting middle
school next year, which is when many of
the area kids get cell phones. She recently
inherited my old smart phone—with no
phone service—so now we’re able to text
one another. I envision relying on text and
video chat when we activate her phone
At Kentuck Knob in Fayette County, Pa.
credit : lisa goldstein
service. Now, if only I can get my kids
to practice touch typing instead of the
hunting and pecking that drives me insane…
When we’re in the car, they’ve learned
that when I’m driving, we can’t hold
a normal conversation. I confess that
at stops, I use the rear view mirror to
check in with them. They, however, have
yet to grasp the concept of prioritizing.
“Mommy! Mommy! Mommmmmyyy!!”
I’ll hear, as they absolutely must tell me
something trivial right that minute as I’m
turning into a lane of traffic.
There is a downside to needing a
clear view of my kids. I’ve learned from
my husband and relatives that they’ve
become talented at using my blind spots.
They know how to push each other’s
buttons in that manipulative sibling way
when I’m not looking!
My fear is that when they’re teenagers and my husband is out of town on a
business trip, they’ll take advantage of
my deafness and do something sneaky
like have a party while I’m asleep. We’ve
tried to drill into them that doing this
will be a big mistake. To keep them on
their toes, I started busting them at
random times. My engineer husband has
also become increasingly interested in
motion sensors.
With the Rubber Duck in Pittsburgh, Pa. credit: lisa goldstein
I also had two extra helpers when I
received a cochlear implant; they were
excited to assist with my rehab. My oldest
will voluntarily oral interpret for me,
especially when her brother is getting in
trouble with my husband. The kids and I
also get to have secret conversations.
Both kids are more self-reliant, more
aware of others’ differences and quick
to adapt. And just like being deaf is all I
know, having a deaf mom is all they know.
When I asked how they felt about having a
deaf mom, my oldest said, “I don’t think it
feels any different than having a different
mom, because I’m used to you. It just feels
regular. I do get frustrated sometimes
when you can’t read my lips easily, but
everyone gets frustrated with their moms.”
Par for the course, my youngest added,
“Yeah, what she said.”
This article originally appeared on the website Hearing
Like Me, developed by Phonak, at www.hearinglikeme.com/
living/relationships/being-deaf-mom.
Perks
One benefit to being deaf is that I’m
immune to annoying music. The kids
have freedom to play whatever music
and instruments they want, as often as
they want. For all I know, my violawailing and guitar-screeching kids are
musical virtuosos.
Hanging out in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. credit: lisa goldstein
34
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• Ohio Dept. of Education Accredited
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ihear
HEAR OUR VOICES
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online therapy
Doing Hard Things
I was born with a profound sensorineural
hearing loss, which was undetected until I
was about 8 months old. The doctors told
my mother that I would never be able to
hear, speak or go to a mainstream school.
They also said that a cochlear implant
would only give me access to environmental
sounds. They advised her that a school for
the deaf, where my family would only see
me on weekends, might be the best option
for me. My mom’s heart was shattered into
pieces as she thought I would never be able
to hear her say the words, “I love you.”
But my mom was unwilling to accept
this as a resolution and my family
embarked on a search for a different
option. They found hope in Children’s
Memorial Hospital of Chicago, where
a doctor by the name of Nancy Young
explained that cochlear implants would
in fact enable me to hear, speak and do
all the things a child with typical hearing
could do. At first, I was fitted with
hearing aids. After six months of wearing
them, it became clear that since hearing
by skye serena carter
aids amplify sound, they weren’t of much
use as I had no aidable hearing that could
be amplified.
A cochlear implant seemed the only
way for me to access sound. A visit to
the audiologist confirmed that I was
indeed a candidate for a cochlear implant.
However, our insurance considered a
cochlear implant purely “cosmetic” and
the pre-approval request was denied. My
mom did not give up even after three
unsuccessful appeals—she started a letterwriting campaign, urged congressmen
to write letters on my behalf, and asked
family members, doctors, therapists and
friends to write letters as well. On the day
of the fourth appeal, a voice mail message
was waiting for her, “This is Rochelle at
Advanced Bionics. I am calling to tell you
that I am holding the approval—yes, the
approval—in my hand for Skye’s cochlear
implant.” My mom fell to her knees and
cried. I was going to hear!
I received my first cochlear implant
at age 2, just a month after the approval.
Skye, center, with Al and Claude Mann at the Al Mann Foundation’s annual Gala to raise money
for cochlear implants for children in need. credit: cheryl carter
36
When it was activated, all my mom
could say to me was “Hi Skye!” I just
looked at her and laughed. After some
years of exploring the world and the
sounds it had to offer, I received a second
cochlear implant in my right ear at 7
years old. Going bilateral helped me
tremendously—I was no longer exhausted
after school, and my audiograms had
much better results!
Over the years I have progressed by
leaps and bounds! In the summer of 2010,
before I was about to begin seventh grade,
I found a new passion—dancing—and
learned about risks and rewards.
I was what you’d call shy and perhaps
introverted, afraid to take chances or
stand out. One day, while my mom and
I were shopping, she received a call and
walked off to talk business. When we got
back in the car, she was quiet, and then
asked, “How would you like to dance at a
red carpet gala in Hollywood?” At first I
thought she must be joking because I was
not a dancer, but I saw the seriousness
in her eyes. I carefully pondered this, as
the gala was being held to raise money for
cochlear implants for those who cannot
afford them, and said yes.
I had just finished reading the book Do
Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris, and
was inspired to try new things, even if
they were hard. I felt like this was a sign,
and I had to take this opportunity, even
though I had never danced before, let
alone in front of hundreds of Hollywood
elite! After all, I was the type of person
to dread class presentations at school
because I didn’t like everyone looking at
me and being the center of attention!
For the following few months I took
rigorous dance lessons that pushed me
physically, and prepared myself mentally
for what I was about to do—perform on a
huge stage in front of hundreds of people.
Skye, center, at “Kickin’ It For The Kids,” a kickball tournament to raise money to benefit
Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
When the day of the performance arrived,
a rush of nerves and excitement came
over me as I stepped out on stage. Even
though I was nervous, I looked back on all
the hard work I had done and gave it my
best. The gala raised enough money for
four cochlear implants, and I received an
invitation to perform the following year. It
felt great.
Reflecting upon that experience, I am
so thankful that I chose to say yes that
day at the shopping mall. If I hadn’t, I
would have missed out on other wonderful
opportunities that followed. I received
two scholarships to the Debbie Allen
Dance Academy, was asked to speak at the
Chicago Dance Marathons and the DePaul
DemonTHON dance marathons, appeared
Helping the Achilles Veteran Team at the
Chicago Marathon get to the starting line and
giving them special medals.
credit : cheryl carter
on Fox News, and did a documentary for
the Al Mann Foundation as well as for
Health and Body Awareness for TV.
Since that first life-changing experience, I have become an athlete. I play
basketball, cross country and track,
and still take dance lessons. I also have
discovered a passion for art/drawing and
participate on the mock trial team. I am
in the top of my grade and my goal is to
become a disability rights attorney.
This summer, I am going on my first
mission trip to Indiana to help underprivileged children.
Most recently, I have been a
representative for Speedway to raise
money for Children’s Miracle Network,
which raises funds for children’s hospitals
across North America, which, in turn,
use the money where it is needed the
most. My face is on Speedway gas stations
across Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
The goal is to raise much needed funds
for the hospitals, help children and raise
disability awareness. People come up to me all the time
and tell me what an inspiration I am for
doing what I do, and that is exactly why
I do it. I am inspired by the people who
are touched by my story and their lives
are changed by it, because I want to keep
changing lives. At one event, I met a little
girl named Olivia, who has a glass eye
from cancer. She ran up to me, gave me
her favorite Cinderella bracelet, and said,
“I want to grow up to be like you, Skye!”
Those moments warm my heart and are
the reason why I love to help and serve
others who are in need. I strive to live by
Gandhi’s words, “Be the change you want
to see in the world.” Yes, you can do hard
things. Let’s do this!
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using a computer,
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A program by St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf
37
Special Section: Recognizing
the Generosity of Our Donors
The Honor Roll of Donors
(January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013)
AG Bell greatly appreciates our donors who generously support our association. This honor list
includes the individuals, corporations and foundations that have made financial contributions during
fiscal year 2013 (January 1 – December 31) in support of AG Bell programs and services.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list, including spelling of names and placement of donors within respective
categories. However, omissions or errors may still have occurred. We apologize for any inaccuracies and ask that you please notify
Gary Yates, AG Bell manager of association and donor relations, at [email protected] if you find an incorrect listing. Thank you.
CIRCLE ALLIANCE
($100,000 and Above)
Anonymous
Estate of Daniel
Barkan
PRESIDENT’S
CIRCLE
($50,000 - $99,999)
Children’s Hearing
Foundation
Helen Beebe
Speech and Hearing
Center
Richard Zellerbach
The UPS Foundation
VOLTA BUREAU
CIRCLE
($10,000 - $49,999)
U.S. Department of
Health and Human
Services, Centers
for Disease Control
and Prevention
Estate of Mary
Elizabeth Stockstill
Joyce Jackson
National Institutes of
Health, National
Institute on
Deafness and
Other Communication Disorders
Oticon Incorporated
Philip L. Graham Fund
Rothman Family
Foundation
Arlene and Jay M.
Tenenbaum
The Wasily Family
Foundation
BENEFACTORS
($5,000 - $9,999)
AG Bell Rhode
Island Chapter
Anonymous
PATRONS
($1,000 - $4,999)
38
Nancy Bellew
LaFawn Biddle
Robert Bush
Sigrid Cerf
Nan Ellen East
Kristen & James Filla
Kevin Franck
Donald M. Goldberg
Handfinger Press, LLC
Judith Harrison and
Tim Campos
Sam Jadallah
The Leigh Foundation
Ken Levinson
Local IND Charity
The Max and Victoria
Dreyfus Foundation
The MAXIMUS
Foundation
Rochester Institute
of Technology,
National Technical
Institute for the
Deaf
Joseph Rosenstein
Alex and Susan
Roush
Steve and Carolyn
Vonderfecht
Jay and Kristine
Wyant
Karen and Bob
Youdelman
Dale Young
YourCause, LLC
Trustee for
Pricewaterhouse
Coopers LLP
SUPPORTERS
($500 - $999)
America’s Charities
Christine Anthony
June and John
Bechtel
Thomas Biron
Cochlear Americas
Mark and Leslie
DeNino
Edward Deroche
Glassman Family
Charitable Fund
Hamilton Relay
CapTel
Andrea Hill
IBM Employee
Services Center
LENA Foundation
Susan T Lenihan
Mary and Gina
Lucchesi
Keith Mallonee
Donald McGee
Mike and Lee Ann
Novak
Lyn Robertson
Mark and Kim
Sandridge
United Way of
Central Maryland
United Way of
Hunterdon County
Carol Wyant
CHAMPIONS
($250 - $499)
Joni Alberg
Hugh Babowal
Laura Baker
Tamala Bradham
Steven Browne
Harrison Bubb
Mary Ann Costin
ESCO/Ear Service
Corporation
Exxon Mobil
Corporation
Christine Flint
Michael Gilroy
Alexander T. Graham
Ralph Guertin
Pamela Hinson
Jeff and Barbara
Katzman
Michael Kay
Anne Kearney
Diana Lee
Lilly Endowment, Inc.
Robert Matje
Marie and Edwin
McKeown
Metro Chicago
United Way
Ted Meyer
Multi-Part Supply
George Nofer
David Pisoni
Scott Purcel
Ramesh Ramanathan
Leana Rech
Cindy Sharkey
Joseph Slotnick
David Smith
Eileen Solla-Diaz
Gwendolyn Sommer
Todd Stewart and
Family
Esther Tecklenburg
Joanne Travers
Kathleen Treni
Robert Uschold
Melissa Willis
Lynda Wilson
Denise Wray
Anne Herrington
Janet Higby
Gregory Hubert
Michael Hunter
Diane Jacobson
David James
Edmond Jarret
Janet Kahn
Ian and Julie Katz
Rebecca Keuter
Margaret Klarman
Meredith Knueve
ASSOCIATES
Sugar
($100 - $249)
Sidney Kraizman
Joseph Kulakowski
Amazon.Com
Ilena Lea
Rachel Arfa
Christopher Lehfeldt
Jonathan Berger
Cynthia Leigh
Teresa Bhe
Irene Leigh
Christine
Betty Lim
Bognar-Peters
Jean Magarian
Emo Bonaminio
Catherine McEnroe
Susan Boswell
Catharine McNally
Sharon Brady
Microsoft Matching
Lynn Bright
Gifts Program
Lisa Cantwell
Kevin J. Miller
Central and
Foy Mitchell
Northern New
Maureen and Peter
Mexico CFC
Murphy
Peggy Cooley
Andrew Ober
D. K. Kent Couch
Allen and Jenni Olsen
Antonia Cusumano
Lylis E. Olsen
Daniel Boone
Kathleen O’Neill
Elementary
Terry Palmer
James Davis
Donald Paterson
Patricia Demoff
Renee Patton
Remmel Dickinson
Sherra Payne
Christine Dunbar
Pepper Hamilton LLP
D L Ensor
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39
2014 AG Bell Convention
June 26-30, 2014
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
Orlando, Florida
ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/2014Convention
REGISTER
NOW!
More value for everyone in 2014
40
• Backbypopulardemand!Up to two badges for just one registration fee
(appliestofamiliesofchildrenwithhearinglossandadultswithhearingloss)
• 10 pre-convention workshops and 48 concurrent sessionsforfamilies,
individualswithhearinglossandprofessionals
• Over70 exhibitorsintheareasofhearingtechnology,educationandmaterials
• Magicalvenue:Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort—
staywherethemagicishappening!
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• KeynotepresentationbyRosalind Wiseman,best-sellingauthorandaninternationally
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adaptabilityandenhancinglisteningforlanguagedevelopment,speech
perceptionandmusicappreciation
VO LTA VO I CE S M AY/J U N 2014 • Earnupto22.5 hours of continuing education
41
DIRECTORY OF SERVICES
Directory of Services
Georgia
Atlanta Speech School—Katherine Hamm
Center, 3160 Northside Parkway, NW Atlanta,
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is not responsible for verifying the credentials of the service providers below.
Listings do not constitute endorsements of establishments or individuals, nor do they guarantee quality.
California
Echo Center/Echo Horizon School, 3430
McManus Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232 •
310-838-2442 (voice) • 310-838-0479 (fax)
• 310-202-7201 (tty) • vishida@echohorizon.
org (email) • www. echohorizon.org (website)
• Vicki Ishida, Echo Center Director. Private
elementary school incorporating an auditory/
oral mainstream program for students who are
deaf or hard of hearing. Daily support provided
by credentialed DHH teachers in speech,
language, auditory skills and academic follow-up.
HEAR Center, 301 East Del Mar Blvd.,
Pasadena, CA 91101 • 626-796-2016 (voice)
• 626-796-2320 (fax) • Specializing in
audiological services for all ages. AuditoryVerbal individual therapy, birth to 21 years.
HEAR to Talk, 547 North June Street, Los
Angeles, CA 90004 • 323-464-3040 (voice) •
[email protected] (e-mail) • www.hear2talk.
com • Sylvia Rotfleisch, M.Sc.A., CED, CCC,
Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist®, LSLS
Cert. AVT, Licensed Audiologist, California NPA
Certified. Trained by Dr. Ling. Extensive expertise
with cochlear implants and hearing aids.
Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School
for the Deaf, 3518 Jefferson Ave. Redwood
City, Ca. 94062 • [email protected] (email) •
www.deafkidstalk.org (website) • Kathleen Daniel
Sussman–Executive Director–Pamela Hefner
Musladin–Director of School
A listening and spoken language program
where deaf and hard of hearing children listen,
think and talk!
Cognitive based program from birth through
Kindergarten. Students develop excellent
language, listening and social skills with
superior academic competencies. Services
include educational programs, parent/infant,
speech/language/auditory therapy, mainstream
support, educational/clinical audiology,
occupational therapy and Tele-therapy.
John Tracy Clinic, 806 West Adams Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 90007 • 213-748-5481 (voice)
• 800-522-4582 · [email protected] • www.jtc.
org & www.youtube.com/johntracyclinic.
Early detection, school readiness and parent
empowerment since 1942. Worldwide Parent
Distance Education and onsite comprehensive
audiological, counseling and educational
services for families with children ages birth-5
years old. Intensive Summer Sessions (children
ages 2-5 and parents), with sibling program.
Online and on-campus options for an accredited
Master’s and Credential in Deaf Education.
42
Listen and Learn, 4340 Stevens Creek Blvd.,
Suite 107, San Jose, CA 95129 • 408-345-4949
• Marsha A. Haines, M.A., CED, Cert. AVT,
and Sandra Hamaguchi Hocker, M.A., CED
• Auditory-verbal therapy for the child and
family from infancy. Services also include aural
habilitation for older students and adults with
cochlear implants. Extensive experience and
expertise with cochlear implants, single and
bilateral. Mainstream support services, school
consultation and assessment for children in their
neighborhood school. California NPA certified.
No Limits Speech and Language
Educational Center and Theatre Program,
9801 Washington Blvd., 2nd Floor, Culver City,
CA 90232 310/ 280-0878, 800/ 948-7712
www.nolimitsspeaksout.org. Free individual
auditory, speech and language therapy
for dhh children between the ages of fiveand-eighteen as well as a biweekly literacy
program, computer training, weekly parent
classes and a nationwide theatrical program.
Training and Advocacy Group (TAG) for
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children and
Teens, Leah Ilan, Executive Director • 11693 San
Vicente Blvd. #559, Los Angeles, CA 90049 •
310-339-7678 • [email protected] • www.tagkids.
org. TAG provides exciting social opportunities
through community service, field trips, weekly
meetings, college prep and pre-employment
workshops, guest speakers and parent-only
workshops. site in the community. Group
meetings and events offered to oral D/HoH
children in 5th grade through high school seniors.
Colorado
Rosie’s Ranch: Ride! Listen! Speak!
720-851-0927 • www.rosiesranch.com • Director:
Mary Mosher-Stathes, Cert. AVT, LSLS cert.avt •
Our mission: To provide a FUN ranch experience,
where children with deafness and oral language
challenges expand their skills by engaging in
activities with horses. Our programs: Parent/
Tot: 2-5 yrs, 90 minute language experience
with ponies. Pony/Horse Camp: 6-10 yrs, Day
Camp 9:00 - 3:00 Wranglers Round-Up: 11-13
yrs, Day Camp 9:00 - 3:00 Riding Club: Private
riding lessons for all ages. Annual Family
Event: Free day on the Ranch for families.
Connecticut
CREC Soundbridge, 123 Progress Drive,
Wethersfield, CT 06109 • 860- 529-4260 (voice/
TTY) • 860-257-8500 (fax) • www.crec.org/
soundbridge (website). Dr. Elizabeth B. Cole,
Program Director. Comprehensive audiological
and instructional services, birth through post-
secondary, public school settings. Focus on
providing cutting-edge technology for optimal
auditory access and listening in educational
settings and at home, development of spoken
language, development of self advocacy–all to
support each individual’s realization of social,
academic and vocational potential. Birth to Three,
auditory-verbal therapy, integrated preschool,
intensive day program, direct educational and
consulting services in schools, educational
audiology support services in all settings,
cochlear implant mapping and habilitation,
diagnostic assessments, and summer programs.
New England Center for Hearing
Rehabilitation (NECHEAR), 354 Hartford
Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 • 860-4551404 (voice) • 860-455-1396 (fax) • Diane
Brackett. Serving infants, children
and adults with all degrees of hearing loss.
Speech, language, listening evaluation for
children using hearing aids and cochlear
implants. Auditory-Verbal therapy; Cochlear
implant candidacy evaluation, pre- and
postrehabilitation, and creative individualized
mapping. Post-implant rehabilitation for
adults with cochlear implants, specializing in
prelingual onset. Mainstream school support,
including onsite consultation with educational
team, rehabilitation planning and classroom
observation. Comprehensive audiological
evaluation, amplification validation and
classroom listening system assessment.
Florida
Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/
Jacksonville, 9803 Old St. Augustine Road,
Suite 7, Jacksonville, FL 32257 • 904-880-9001
• [email protected] • www.clarkeschools.
org. Alisa Demico, MS, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert AVT,
and Cynthia Robinson, M.Ed., CED, LSLS Cert.
AVEd, Co-Directors. A member of the Option
Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing
and Speech provides children who are deaf and
hard of hearing with the listening, learning and
spoken language skills they need to succeed.
Comprehensive listening and spoken language
programs prepare students for success in
mainstream schools.
Services include early intervention, toddler,
preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, parent support,
cochlear implant habilitation, and mainstream
support. Summer Listening and Spoken language
Program provides additional spoken language
therapy for toddler and preschool-aged children.
Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has
locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville,
New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.
GA 30327 • 404-233-5332 ext. 3119 (voice/
TTY) • 404-266-2175 (fax) • scarr@atlspsch.
org (email) • www.atlantaspeechschool.org
(website). A Listening and Spoken Language
program serving children who are deaf or hard
of hearing from infancy to early elementary
school age. Children receive language-rich
lessons and highly individualized literacy
instruction in a nurturing environment.
Teachers and staff work closely with parents
to instill the knowledge and confidence
children need to reach their full potential.
Early intervention programs, audiological
support services, auditory-verbal therapy,
mainstreaming opportunities and independent
education evaluations. Established in 1938.
Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc.—Atlanta,
Macon, Teletherapy—1901 Century Boulevard,
Suite 20, Atlanta, GA 30345 • OFFICE: 404-6338911 • EMAIL: [email protected] • WEBSITE:
www.avchears.org AVC provides Auditory-Verbal
Therapy that teaches children who are deaf and
hard of hearing to listen and speak WITHOUT
the use of sign language or lip reading. AVC
provides AV therapy expertly by their Listening &
Spoken Language Specialists (LSLSTM) through
their two main locations in Atlanta and Macon
but also virtually through teletherapy. Together,
the LSLS and the parents work together to
maximize each child’s listening and spoken
language skills. AVC also has a full Audiology
& Hearing Aid Clinic that provides diagnostic
testing, dispensing and repair of hearing aids
and cochlear implant mapping for adults.
Additional offices: 2720 Sheraton Drive, Suite
D-240, Macon, GA 31204, 478-471-0019 (voice)
Illinois
Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School
(AGBMS) and Alternatives In Education
for the Hearing Impaired (AEHI), www.
agbms.org (website) • [email protected] (email)
• 847-850-5490 (phone) • 847-1!50-5493 (fax) •
9300 Capitol Drive Wheeling, IL 60090 • AGBMS
is a Montessori school educating children ages
15 months-12 who are deaf or hard of hearing
or have other communicative challenges in a
mainstream environment with hearing peers.
Teachers of Deaf/Speech/Language Pathologist
/ Reading Specialist/Classroom Teachers
emphasize language development and literacy
utilizing Cued Speech. Early Intervention Services
available to children under 3.
AEHI, a training center for Cued Speech,
assists parents, educators, or advocates in
verbal language development for children
with language delays or who do not yet
substantially benefit from auditory technology.
Child’s Voice School, 180 Hansen Court, Wood
Dale, IL 60191 • (630) 565-8200 (voice) • (630)
565-8282 (fax) • [email protected] (email) •
www.childsvoice.org (website). Michele Wilkins,
Ed.D., LSLS Cert. AVEd., Executive Director. A
Listening and Spoken Language program for
children birth to age 8. Cochlear implant (re)
habilitation, audiology services and mainstream
support services provided. Early intervention
for birth to age three with parent-infant and
toddler classes and home based services
offered in Wood Dale and Chicago. (Chicago–
phone (773) 516-5720; fax (773) 516-5721)
Parent Support/Education classes provided.
Child’s Voice is a Certified Moog Program.
Reconnect.
Captions for your
phone calls.
Sprint CapTel® 840i
Captioned Telephone Service from Sprint offers the ability for
anyone* with hearing loss to communicate on the telephone
independently. Listen, read and respond to your callers with the
ease of a CapTel phone from Sprint!
n
Large 7” screen with easy-to-read captions.
n
90-day money back manufacturer guarantee.
n
Phone service and high-speed Internet or WiFi service required.
CapTel 840i
75
$
Retail value $595
To purchase, go to sprintcaptel.com
877-805-5845
Code for free shipping: AGB14
Limited time offer.
* CapTel callers must register to use this service.
Although CapTel can be used for emergency calling, such emergency calling may not function the same as traditional 911/E911 services. By using CapTel for emergency calling you agree that Sprint is not responsible
for any damages resulting from errors, defects, malfunctions, interruptions or failures in accessing or attempting to access emergency services through CapTel whether caused by the negligence of Sprint or
otherwise. Sprint CapTel Phone Offer: While supplies last. The CapTel telephone is intended for use by people with hearing loss. Other restrictions apply. Sprint reserves the right to modify, extend or cancel offers at
any time. See www.sprintcaptel.com for details. ©2014 Sprint. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.
43
Maryland
The Hearing and Speech Agency’s
Auditory/Oral Program: Little Ears, Big
Voices, 5900 Metro Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215
• (voice) 410-318-6780 • (relay) 711 • (fax) 410318-6759 • Email: [email protected] • Website:
www.hasa.org • Jill Berie, Educational Director;
Olga Polites, Clinical Director; Erin Medley,
Teacher of the Deaf. Auditory/Oral education
and therapy program for infants and young
children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Early
intervention services are available for children
birth to age 3 and a preschool program for
children ages 3 through 5. Cheerful, spacious,
state-of-the-art classrooms located in Gateway
School are approved by the Maryland State
Department of Education. Services include
onsite audiology, speech-language therapy,
family education and support. Applications are
accepted year-round. Financial aid available.
Massachusetts
Boston, 1 Whitman Road, Canton, MA 02021
• 781-821-3499 (voice) • 781-821-3904 • info@
clarkeschools.org • www.clarkeschools.org.
Barbara Hecht, Ph.D., Director. A member of
the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools
for Hearing and Speech provides children who
are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening,
learning and spoken language skills they need to
succeed. Comprehensive listening and spoken
language programs prepare students for success
in mainstream schools.
Services include early intervention, preschool,
kindergarten, speech and language services,
parent support, cochlear implant habilitation,
and an extensive mainstream services program
(itinerant and consulting). Children and families
come to our campus from throughout Eastern
and Central Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Rhode
Island, Maine and New Hampshire for services.
Northampton, 45 Round Hill Road,
Northampton, MA 01060 • 413-584-3450 • info@
Bill Corwin, President. A member of the Option
Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing
and Speech provides children who are deaf and
mainstream schools.
day school through 8th grade, cochlear implant
assessment, summer programs, mainstream
services (itinerant and consulting), evaluations
for infants through high school students,
audiological services, and a graduate degree
program in teacher education.
Minnesota
Northeast Metro #916 Auditory/Oral
Program, 1111 S. Holcombe Street, Stillwater MN
55082 • 651-351-4036 • auditory.oral@nemetro.
k12.mn.us (email). The purpose of Northeast
Metro 916’s Auditory/Oral Program is to provide
a listening and spoken language education to
children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Services
strive to instill and develop receptive (listening)
and expressive (speaking) English language skills
within each student. Well-trained specialists
carry the principles of this program forward using
supportive, necessary and recognized curriculum.
The program’s philosophy is that children who
are deaf or hard of hearing can learn successfully
within a typical classroom environment with
peers who have typical hearing. This can be
achieved when they are identified at an early
age, receive appropriate amplification, and
participate in an spoken language-specific early
intervention program. Referrals are through the
local school district in which the family lives.
SoundWorks for Children, 18 South Main
Street, Topsfield, MA 01983 • 978-887-8674
(voice) • [email protected]
(e-mail) • Jane E. Driscoll, MED, Director. A
comprehensive, non-profit program dedicated
to the development of auditory-verbal skills
in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
Specializing in cochlear implant habilitation and
offering a full continuum of inclusionary support
models from preschool through high school.
Early Intervention services and social/selfadvocacy groups for mainstreamed students are
offered at our Family Center. Summer programs,
in-service training, and consultation available.
Mississippi
DuBard School for Language Disorders,
The University of Southern Mississippi, 118
College Drive #5215, Hattiesburg, MS 394060001 • 601-266-5223 (voice) • [email protected]
(email) • www.usm.edu/dubard • Maureen K.
Martin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, CALT, QI, Director.
The DuBard School for Language Disorders is a
clinical division of the Department of Speech and
Hearing Sciences at The University of Southern
Mississippi. The school serves children from
birth to age 13 in its state-of-the-art facility.
Working collaboratively with 20 public school
districts, the school specializes in coexisting
language disorders, learning disabilities/
dyslexia and speech disorders, such as apraxia,
through its non-graded, 11-month program.
The DuBard Association Method®, an expanded
and refined version of The Association Method,
is the basis of the curriculum. Comprehensive
evaluations, individual therapy, audiological
services and professional development
programs also are available. AA/EOE/ADAI.
Magnolia Speech School, Inc., 733 Flag
Chapel Road, Jackson, MS 39209 – 601-922-5530
(voice), 601-922-5534 (fax)– anne.sullivan@
magnoliaspeechschool.org–Anne Sullivan, M.Ed.
Executive Director. Magnolia Speech School
serves children with hearing loss and/or severe
speech and language disorders. Listening
and Spoken Language instruction/therapy is
offered to students 0 to 12 in a home-based
early intervention program (free of charge), in
classroom settings and in the Hackett Bower
Clinic (full educational audiological services,
speech pathology and occupational therapy).
Assessments and outpatient therapy are also
offered to the community through the Clinic.
Missouri
CID–Central Institute for the Deaf,
825 S. Taylor Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110
314-977-0132 (voice) • 314-977-0037 (tty) •
[email protected] (email) • www.cid.edu
(website) Lynda Berkowitz/Barb Lanfer, coprincipals. Child- and family-friendly learning
environment for children birth-12; exciting
adapted curriculum incorporating mainstream
content; Family Center for infants and toddlers;
expert mainstream preparation in the CID
pre-k and primary programs; workshops and
educational tools for professionals; close
affiliation with Washington University deaf
education and audiology graduate programs.
Summit Speech School for the HearingImpaired Child, F.M. Kirby Center is an
exclusively auditory-oral/auditory-verbal
school for deaf and hard of hearing children
located at 705 Central Ave., New Providence,
NJ 07974 • 908-508-0011 (voice/TTY) • 908508-0012 (fax) • [email protected]
(email) • www.summitspeech.org (website) •
Pamela Paskowitz, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Executive
Director. Programs include Early Intervention/
Parent Infant (0-3 years), Preschool (3-5 years)
and Itinerant Mainstream Support Services
for children in their home districts. Speech
and language, OT and PT and family support/
family education services available. Pediatric
audiological services are available for children
birth-21 and educational audiology and
consultation is available for school districts.
New York
Anne Kearney, M.S., LSLS Cert. AVT, CCC-SLP,
401 Littleworth Lane • Sea Cliff, Long Island,
NY 11579 • 516-671-9057 (Voice) • Kearney@
optonline.net. Family-centered auditoryverbal speech therapy for infants, children
and adults with any level of hearing loss.
HIP of Bergen County Special Services,
50 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10004
• 917 305-7700 (voice) • 917-305-7888 (TTY)
• 917-305-7999 (fax) • www.CHChearing.org
(website). Florida Office: 2900 W. Cypress
Creek Road, Suite 3, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309
• 954-601-1930 (Voice) • 954-601-1938 (TTY)
• 954-601-1399 (Fax). A leading center for
hearing and communication services for people
of all ages who have a hearing loss as well as
children with listening and learning challenges.
New York, 80 East End Avenue, New York, NY
10028 • 212-585-3500 • info@clarkeschools.
org • www.clarkeschools.org. Meredith Berger,
Director. A member of the Option Schools
network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and
Speech provides children who are deaf and
mainstream schools.
Clarke’s New York campus is located on
the Upper East Side of Manhattan and serves
As international leaders in listening and spoken language (LSL) based education, our highly
trained staff of certified deaf educators, speech therapists and audiologists help children develop
oral language without the use of sign language. SJI is the only school for the deaf to be fully
accredited by the prestigious Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS).
Stephanie Shaeffer, M.S., CCC-SLP,
LSLS Cert. AVT • 908-879-0404 • Chester,
Visit us at sjid.org & ihearlearning.org
NJ • [email protected]. Speech and
Language Therapy and Communication
Evaluations. Auditory-Verbal Therapy,
Aural Rehabilitation, Facilitating the
Auditory Building Blocks Necessary for
Reading. Fluency and Comprehension.
Center for Hearing and Communication,
Our acclaimed services for children include
pediatric hearing evaluation and hearing
aid fitting; auditory-oral therapy; and the
evaluation and treatment of auditory processing
disorder (APD). Comprehensive services for all
ages include hearing evaluation; hearing aid
evaluation, fitting and sales; cochlear implant
training; communication therapy; assistive
technology consultation; tinnitus treatment,
emotional health and wellness; and Mobile
Hearing Test Unit. Visit www.CHChearing.
org to access our vast library of information
about hearing loss and hearing conservation.
At St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf (SJI), we believe that children with hearing
loss deserve the opportunity to listen, speak and read.
for more information on our locations and services
Indianapolis Campus ihear- Internet Therapy St. Louis Campus
9192 Waldemar Rd.
Indianpolis, IN 46268
(317) 471-8560
AGBELLAD.indd 1
44
Avenue “M”, Brooklyn, NY 11234 • 718-5311800 (voice) • 718-421-5395 (fax) • info@
auditoryoral.org (email). Pnina Bravmann,
Program Director. An Auditory/Oral Early
Intervention and Preschool Program serving
children with hearing loss and their families.
Programs include: Early Intervention (centerbased and home-based), preschool, integrated
preschool classes with children with normal
hearing, multidisciplinary evaluations, parent
support, auditory-verbal therapy (individual
speech, language and listening therapy),
complete audiological services, cochlear
implant (re)habilitation, mainstreaming, ongoing
support services following mainstreaming.
St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf
New Jersey
Midland Park School District, 41 E. Center Street,
Midland Park, NJ 07432. • Contact Kathleen Treni,
Principal (201) 343-8982, [email protected].
An integrated, comprehensive pre-K through 6th
grade auditory oral program. Services include AV
Therapy, Cochlear Implant Habilitation, Parent
Education and Audiology services. STARS Early
Intervention for babies, 0 to 3, with Toddler
and Baby and Me groups available. SOUND
SOLUTIONS consulting teacher services for
mainstream students in North Jersey public
schools. Contact Lisa Stewart, Supervisor at
201-343-6000 ext 6511 for information about
teacher of the deaf, speech and audiology
services to public schools. SHIP is the state’s
only 7 through 12th grade auditory oral program.
CART (Computer Realtime Captioning) is
provided in a supportive small high school
environment and trained Social Worker is onsite
to work with social skills and advocacy issues.
Auditory/Oral School of New York, 3321
ihearlearning.org
(636) 532-2672
1809 Clarkson Rd
St. Louis, MO 63017
(636) 532-3211
4/4/2012 8:37:08 AM
45
children age birth-5 years old from New York City
and Westchester County. Clarke is an approved
provider of early intervention evaluations and
services, service coordination, and pre-school
classes (self-contained and integrated). There
are typically little or no out of pocket expenses
for families attending Clarke New York. Our
expert staff includes teachers of the deaf/
hard of hearing, speech language pathologists,
audiologists, social workers/service coordinators
and occupational and physical therapists.
Cleary School for the Deaf, 301 Smithtown
Boulevard, Nesconset, NY 11767 • 631-588-0530
(voice) • www.clearyschool.org • Jacqueline
Simms, Executive Director. Auditory Oral
Programs include Parent-Infant (birth-3years)
and Preschool (3-5 years). Offers Teacher of the
Deaf, Speech Therapy & AV therapy. The primary
focus of the Auditory-Oral Program is to develop
students’ ability to “listen to learn” along with
developing age appropriate speech, language,
and academic skills. These programs offer
intensive speech therapy services with a goal to
prepare students for life long learning. Additional
services: Autism Resource, Audiological, Music,
Art, Library, OT, PT and Parent Support.
Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf,
40 Frost Mill Road, Mill Neck, NY 11765 •
(516) 922-4100 (voice). Francine Atlas Bogdanoff,
Superintendent. State-supported school: Infant
Toddler Program focusing on parent education
and support including listening and spoken
language training by a speech therapist and
TOD. Certified AVEd and Audiological services
onsite, integrated auditory-verbal preschool
and kindergarten programs; comprehensive
curriculum utilizes play, music, literacy and
hands on experiences to promote listening
and spoken language skills and academic
standards. Speech, occupational and physical
therapies, as well as counseling and Cochlear
Implant MAPpings, are available onsite.
Rochester School for the Deaf, 1545 St.
Paul Street, Rochester, NY 14621 • 585-544-1240
(voice/TTY) • 866-283-8810 (videophone) •
[email protected] • www.RSDeaf.org • Harold
Mowl, Jr., Ph.D., Superintendent/CEO. Serving
Western and Central New York State, Rochester
School for the Deaf (RSD) is an inclusive,
bilingual school where children who are deaf
and hard of hearing and their families thrive.
Established in 1876, RSD goes above and beyond
all expectations to provide quality Pre-K through
12th grade academic programs, services and
resources to ensure a satisfying and successful
school experience for children with hearing loss.
North Carolina
CASTLE- Center for Acquisition of Spoken
Language Through Listening Enrichment,
5501 Fortunes Ridge Drive, Suite A, Chapel
Hill, NC 27713 • 919-419-1428 (voice) • http://
www.med.unc.edu/earandhearing/castle
(website) • CASTLE is a part of the UNC Ear &
Hearing Center and the UNC Pediatric Cochlear
Implant Team, Our mission is to provide a
quality listening & spoken language program
for children with hearing loss; empower parents
as primary teachers and advocates; and train
and coach specialists in listening and spoken
language. We offer toddler classes, preschool
language groups, Auditory-Verbal parent
sessions, and distance therapy through UNC
REACH. Hands-on training program for hearingrelated professionals/university students.
Oklahoma
Hearts for Hearing, 3525 NW 56th Street,
Suite A-150, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 • 405-5484300 • 405-548-4350(Fax) • Comprehensive
hearing health care for children and adults with
an emphasis on listening and spoken language
outcomes. Our family-centered team includes
audiologists, LSLS Cert. AVTs, speech-language
pathologists, physicians and educators working
closely with families for optimal listening and
spoken language outcomes. Services include
newborn hearing testing, pediatric and adult
audiological evaluations, hearing aid fittings,
cochlear implant evaluations and mapping.
Auditory-verbal therapy as well as cochlear
implant habilitation is offered by Listening
and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS®), as
well as an auditory-oral preschool, parenttoddler group and a summer enrichment
program. Continuing education and consulting
available. www.heartsforhearing.org.
and mainstream services including itinerant
teaching and consulting. Specially trained staff
includes LSLS Cert. AVEd and LSL Cert. AVT
professionals, teachers of the deaf, special
educators, speech language pathologists and a
staff audiologist.
Pennsylvania
Delaware County Intermediate Unit # 25,
Hearing and Language Programs, 200 Yale
Pennsylvania, 455 South Roberts Road,
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 • 610-525-9600 • info@
Judith Sexton, MS, CED, LSLS Cert AVEd,
Director. A member of the Option Schools
network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and
Speech provides children who are deaf and
mainstream schools. Locations in Bryn Mawr
and Philadelphia.
parent education, individual auditory speech and
language services, cochlear implant habilitation
for children and adults, audiological services,
Avenue, Morton, PA 19070 • 610-938-9000, ext.
2277, 610-938-9886 (fax) • [email protected] •
Program Highlights: A publicly funded program
for children with hearing loss in local schools.
Serving children from birth through 21 years of
age. Teachers of the deaf provide resource room
support and itinerant hearing therapy throughout
Delaware County, PA. Services also include
audiology, speech therapy, cochlear implant
habilitation (which includes LSLS Cert. AVT and
LSLS Cert. AVEd), psychology and social work.
DePaul School for Hearing and Speech,
6202 Alder Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 •
412-924-1012 (voice) • 412-924-1036 (fax) •
www.depaulhearingandspeech.org (website)
• [email protected] (email) •
Mimi Loughead, Early Childhood Coordinator.
DePaul School is the only school in the western
Pennsylvania tri-state region that provides
Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) education
to children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
DePaul School serves children in Pennsylvania
and from Ohio and West Virginia. A State
Approved Private School, most programs are
tuition-free to approved students. DePaul
School provides early intervention services for
children (birth to age 5); a center-based toddler
program (ages 18–36 months); a preschool
program (ages 3–5) and a comprehensive
academic program grades K-8. DePaul School
provides clinical services including audiology,
Auditory-Verbal and speech therapy, cochlear
implant MAPping and habilitation, physical
and occupational therapy, mainstreaming
support and parent education and support
programs. Most children who participate in
DePaul School’s early intervention programs
gain the Listening and Spoken Language (LSL)
skills needed to succeed and transition to
their neighborhood schools by first grade.
South Carolina
The University of South Carolina Speech
and Hearing Research Center, 1601 St. Julian
Place, Columbia, SC, 29204 • (803) 777-2614
Our Programs
*Pony Camp: M-TH; Daily riding and camp
activities; ages 6-10; eight sessions this
summer; special needs inclusion
*Parent and Tot: A 90 minute “play-date”
includes a ride and barn activities
*Riding Club: For beginner or advanced
beginner riders
*NEW program: Wranglers Round-Up!
Day Camp M-TH: Daily riding and
camp activities for kids ages 11-13; two
sessions this summer!
NOW ENROLLING!! MAKE IT A SUMMER TO REMEMBER!!
SUMMER RIDING ACTIVITIES FOR ALL CHILDREN WHO LOVE HORSES
VOLUNTEERS WANTED AND NEEDED
Visit our website to register. All programs mix kids with and without special needs together. We all have fun!
www.rosiesranch.com * 303-257-5943 * 720-851-0927
Our Mission: Assist children with hearing loss and oral language challenges to listen and speak through engaging in
activities with horses and their peers. We are a 501(c)(3) corporation.
Four miles east of Parker at 10556 East Parker Road Parker, CO 80138
46
47
(voice) • (803) 253-4143 (fax) • Center Director:
Danielle Varnedoe, [email protected]. The
center provides audiology services, speechlanguage therapy, adult aural (re)habilitation
therapy, and Auditory-Verbal Therapy. Our
audiology services include comprehensive
diagnostic evaluations, hearing aid evaluations
and services, and cochlear implant evaluations
and programming. The University also provides
a training program for AV therapy and cochlear
implant management for professional/university
students. Additional contacts for the AVT or
CI programs include Wendy Potts, CI Program
Coordinator (803-777-2642), Melissa Hall (803777-1698), Nikki Herrod-Burrows (803-7772669), Gina Crosby-Quinatoa (803) 777-2671,
and Jamy Claire Archer (803-777-1734).
Tennessee
Child Hearing Services (CHS) - University
of Tennessee Health Science Center, 578
South Stadium Hall • Knoxville, TN 37996 •
865-974-5451 (voice) • 865-974-1793 (fax) •
http://www.uthsc.edu/allied/asp/hsc/chs.php
(website) • [email protected] (email) • Emily
Noss, M.A. CCC-SLP • CHS provides aural re/
habilitation services for children who are deaf
or hard of hearing ranging in age from birth-21.
Group and individual treatment as well as aural/
oral communication assessments, pre and post
cochlear implant assessments, auditory training,
adult cochlear implant training, and parent
guidance are offered. The objectives of CHS are
for each child to develop listening and spoken
language skills commensurate with their peers.
CHS is also a training program for audiology
and speech-language pathology students.
Memphis Oral School for the Deaf, 7901
Poplar Avenue, Germantown, TN 38138 •
901-758-2228 (voice) • 901-531-6735 (fax) •
www.mosdkids.org (website) • tschwarz@
mosdkids.org (email). Teresa Schwartz,
Executive Director. Services: Family Training
Program (birth-age 3), Auditory/Oral Day
School (ages 2-6), Audiological Testing, Hearing
Aid Programming, Cochlear Implant Mapping
and Therapy, Aural (Re)Habilitation, SpeechLanguage Therapy, Mainstream Service.
Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center - National
Center for Childhood Deafness and
Family Communication, Medical Center
East South Tower, 1215 21st Avenue South,
Nashville, TN 37232-8718 • www.mc.vanderbilt.
edu/VanderbiltBillWilkersonCenter (web). Fred
Bess, Ph.D., Director NCCDFC fred.h.bess@
vanderbilt.edu; Michael Douglas, M.S., Principal,
Mama Lere Hearing School William.m.douglas@
vanderbilt.edu; Lynn Hayes, Ed.D., Director,
Master’s in Education of the Deaf Program lynn.
[email protected]; Anne Marie Tharpe,
Ph.D., Associate Director of Education, NCCDFC
[email protected]. The National
Center for Childhood Deafness and Family
Communication (NCCDFC) at the Vanderbilt
Bill Wilkerson Center houses a comprehensive
program of research, education, and service
for infants and children (birth through 18 years)
with hearing loss and their families. Early
intervention services include newborn hearing
screening, full range of pediatric audiology
services (diagnostic services, hearing aid fittings,
and cochlear implant program), infant-family
training, and toddler group. The Mama Lere
Hearing School provides preschool educational
services for listening and spoken language
development. Telepractice services, including
deaf education, speech-language intervention,
audiology services, and professional coaching
are available. The Department of Hearing and
Speech Sciences offers an innovative, highlyranked, interdisciplinary graduate program
for audiology, speech-language pathology,
and deaf education students. The NCCDFC is
engaged in cutting-edge, basic and applied
research in the area of childhood hearing loss.
Texas
Callier Center for Communication
Disorders/UT Dallas, Callier - Dallas Facility:
1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75235 • Main
number: 214-905-3000 • Appointments:
214-905-3030. Callier-Richardson Facility: 811
Synergy Park Blvd., Richardson, TX 75080 •
Main number: 972-883-3630 • Appointments:
972-883-3630 • [email protected]
(email) • www.utdallas.edu/calliercenter. For
half a century, the Callier Center has been
dedicated to helping children and adults with
speech, language and hearing disorders connect
with the world. We transform lives by providing
leading-edge clinical services, conducting
innovative research into new treatments and
technologies, and training the next generation
of caring clinical providers. Callier provides
hearing services, Auditory-Verbal therapy,
and speech-language pathology services for
all ages. Audiology services include hearing
evaluations, hearing aid dispensing, assistive
devices, protective devices and tinnitus
therapy. We are a partner of the Dallas Cochlear
Implant Program, a joint enterprise among
the Callier Center, UT Southwestern Medical
Center and Children’s Medical Center. Callier
specializes in cochlear implant evaluations
and post-surgical treatment for children from
birth to 18 years. Our nationally accredited
Child Development Program serves children
developing typically and allows for the inclusive
education of children with hearing impairments.
The Center for Hearing and Speech, 3636
West Dallas, Houston, TX 77019 • 713-523-3633
(voice) • 713-874-1173 (TTY) • 713-523-8399
(fax) - [email protected] (email)
www.centerhearingandspeech.org (website)
CHS serves children with hearing impairments
from birth to 18 years. Services include: auditory/
oral preschool; Audiology Clinic providing
comprehensive hearing evaluations, diagnostic
ABR, hearing aid and FM evaluations and fittings,
cochlear implant evaluations and follow-up
mapping; Speech-Language Pathology Clinic
providing Parent-Infant therapy, Auditory-Verbal
therapy, aural(re) habilitation; family support
services. All services offered on sliding fee
scale and many services offered in Spanish.
Utah
Sound Beginnings at Utah State University,
2620 Old Main Hill • Logan, UT • 84322-2620
• 435-797-9235 (voice) • 435-797-7519 (fax)
• www.soundbeginnings.usu.edu • Ali Devey,
MA, Sound Beginnings Program Coordinator,
[email protected] • Kristina Blaiser, Ph.D.,
CCC-SLP, [email protected] • Listening
and Spoken Language Graduate Program. A
comprehensive listening and spoken language
program serving children with hearing loss
and their families. Services include early
intervention, parent training, toddler and
preschool classrooms, pediatric audiology,
tele-intervention and individual therapy. The
Department of Communicated Disorders
offers an interdisciplinary Listening and
Spoken Language graduate training program
in Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology,
and Deaf Education. Sound Beginnings
partners with the Utah School for the Deaf.
Wisconsin
Center for Communication Hearing &
Deafness, 10243 W. National Avenue • West
Allis, WI 53227 • 414-604-2200 •414-6047200(Fax) • www.cchdwi.org • Amy Peters
Lalios, M.A,. CCC-A, LSLS Cert. AVT , Director,
Therapy Services. Private non-profit agency, near
Milwaukee, providing quality, state-of-the-art
comprehensive therapy services to individuals, of
all ages, who have hearing loss. Highly qualified
professionals at CCHD include: LSLS certified
2014
Clarke Summer Programs
Summer Adventure • July 13 – 25
Ages 9 – 14
Chapter News:
We will share a booth with Rosie’s Ranch and Listen Foundation at the Orlando AG Bell
Conference. Come Visit Us!
Come join the fun!
Learn, grow, and make lifelong friends at this twoweek overnight camp based in Easthampton, MA.
Campers will participate in daily camp activities
that include swimming, hiking and field trips.
Explore the Outdoors • August 3 – 6
Teens entering grades 9 – 12
2014 Events to Look For:
Family Zoo Event, Spring
Walk 4 Hearing with the CO AG Bell Team, June
Fundraising at Cherry Creek Arts Festival, July
Spend time around the campfire making new
friends at this four-day overnight camp based in
Massachusetts. Campers engage in outdoor activities
such as tenting, hiking and outdoor rock climbing.
clarkeschools.org/summerprograms
“This was my son’s first time away
from home. He grew so much from this
experience, became more independent
and has an increased sense of self-worth,
self-esteem and confidence. Thank you for
providing this invaluable opportunity for
him. We look forward to next summer!”
—Summer Adventure Parent
Visit us at: www.coloradoagbell.org
Boston | Jacksonville | New York | Northampton | Philadelphia
48
Clarke’s Summer Programs are designed for children with hearing loss who use
listening and spoken language. Activities are led by experienced teachers of the
deaf and encourage leadership and independence, while enhancing listening,
communication and social skills.
49
practitioners; speech-language pathologists
(including bilingual-Spanish); audiologists;
teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing; and
social worker. Services include family-focused,
culturally responsive individualized early
intervention; parent education; auditoryverbal therapy; tele-therapy via ConnectHear
Program; speech-language therapy; toddler
communication groups with typically hearing
peers; pre- post cochlear implant therapy for
all ages; specialized instruction; consultations;
professional mentoring as well as agency
related programs, resources, ongoing
educational and parent-to-parent events.
I NTERNATIONAL
Canada
Children’s Hearing and Speech Centre
of British Columbia, 3575 Kaslo Street,
Vancouver, British Columbia, V5M 3H4,
Canada • 604-437-0255 (voice) • 604437-0260 (fax) • www.childrenshearing.
ca (website) • Janet Weil, Principal and
Executive Director, jweil@childrenshearing.
ca. Celebrating our 50th year, our listening
and spoken language clinical educational
centre serves children and families from birth
through Grade 12 including audiology, SLP,
OT, First Words family guidance, preschool
and primary classes, itinerant services
and video-conferencing/tele-therapy.
Montreal Oral School for the Deaf,
SMALDINO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
4670 St. Catherine Street, West, Westmount,
QC, Canada H3Z 1S5 • 514-488-4946
(voice/ tty) • 514-488-0802 (fax) • info@
montrealoralschool.com (email) • www.
montrealoralschool.com (website). Parentinfant program (0-3 years old). Full-time
educational program (3-12 years old).
Mainstreaming program in regular schools
(elementary and secondary). Audiology,
cochlear implant and other support services.
LIST OF ADVERTISERS
England
Colorado AG Bell........................................................................................48
The Speech, Language and Hearing
Centre–Christopher Place, 1-5 Christopher
Place, Chalton Street, Euston, London NW1
1JF, England • 0114-207-383-3834 (voice) •
0114-207-383-3099 (fax) • info@speechlang.
org.uk (email) • www.speech-lang.org.uk
(website) • Assessment, nursery school and
therapeutic centre for children under 5 with
hearing impairment, speech/language or
communication difficulties, including autism.
• We have a Child Psychologist and a Child
Psychotherapist. • Auditory-Verbal Therapy
is also provided by a LSLS Cert. AVT.
Advanced Bionics Corporation..........................Inside Front Cover
Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc..................................................................50
Boys Town National Research Hospital...........................................15
CapTel.................................................................................................................3
Central Institute for the Deaf................................................................33
Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech.......................................... 49
Cochlear Americas....................................................Inside Back Cover
Ear Technology Corp. (Dry & Store)....................................................9
Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf..............19
UT Health Science Center San Antonio..............................................6
MED-EL Corporation............................................................. Back Cover
National Technical Institute for the Deaf—RIT............................. 47
Ohio Valley Voices.....................................................................................35
Oticon.................................................................................................................4
Rosie’s Ranch...............................................................................................46
Rule the School........................................................................................... 27
Sprint CapTel................................................................................................43
St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf..................................................37, 45
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf......................................8
AG Bell Convention................................................................................... 41
American National Standard for desirable
acoustics in classrooms. The standard was
revised and expanded in 2010 and includes
specifications for background noise levels
and reverberation time for permanent
structures and relocatable classrooms. The
intent is to incorporate these standards
into universal building codes, and while
they are now included in the Green
Building Code, universal compliance
is currently voluntary. By the way, Carl
Crandell and I published a monograph
through The Volta Review which covers the
rationale for improvement in classroom
acoustics. AG Bell has been and continues
to be a strong advocate for acoustic
accessibility.
Carl Crandell was an amazing friend and
colleague. I miss him every day since
his untimely death. While we never were
employed at the same university, we had
a synergy that allowed us to collaborate
very effectively. Carl and I first met at
a meeting held by Frederick Berg—the
father of Educational Audiology—at
Utah State University, which was held
to encourage professors to develop and
infuse educational audiology courses
into their curricula. Carl and I first met
Carol Flexer at this same meeting. The
chemistry was very good among the
Joseph Smaldino giving an acceptance speech after receiving the 2011 Larry Maudlin Award
given annually by Beltone Electronics for commitment to education and unselfishly giving
back to the profession, the community and individuals with hearing loss.
three of us and before the end of the
meeting we had outlined a textbook in
the area, which was published in 1995. It
was revised in 2005, and Carol and I just
revised it again in 2012. For years after this
meeting, Carl and I designed and carried
out research projects, promoted desirable
classroom acoustics and advocated for
good classroom acoustic environments.
We published and appeared together so
often that one of our students crowned us
Dr. Crandino. I often muse to my students
about the role chance and opportunity
play in defining our life’s direction. I use
my meeting of Carl as an example.
The main challenge of conducting
research, especially field research, is
having the time to develop a meaningful
research question, plan a substantive
research design, locate and collect data,
analyze the results, write a manuscript,
and, of course, take the time to submit it
to a premier journal like The Volta Review.
So time is an important factor.
conducive to gathering the highest levels
of evidence and therefore supporting the
effectiveness of auditory-verbal practices.
Our challenge is to continually strive to
improve the strength of the evidence
we generate and use it to document the
effectiveness of auditory-verbal practices.
Many have inspired me to contribute
in the area of hearing and hearing
science over the years: some were other
professionals, some were my students
and some were my patients. I cannot
thank them enough. But the one recurring
inspiration came from a well-known quote
of Helen Keller when she was asked which
was worse: being blind or being deaf to
which she replied, in part, “The problems of
deafness are deeper and more complex, if
not more important, than those of blindness.
Deafness is a much worse misfortune. For it
means the loss of the most vital stimulus—
the sound of the voice that brings language,
sets thoughts astir and keeps us in the
intellectual company of man."
A second challenge is to design research
that will provide the highest level of
inquiry as the basis of evidence-based
practice. The field environment in which
auditory-verbal practice takes place is not
50
51
Joseph
Smaldino,
Ph.D.
On being the outgoing Editor
of The Volta Review, preferring
academia, researching
classroom acoustics, and
having time
interview by
anna karkovska mcglew, m.a.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, The Volta
Review was one of the few journals that
published articles about hearing and
hearing aids. It published some of the
most germinal research of the time. I used
information from the journal for much of
my early research, as did many of the most
prominent scholars in the field.
Becoming the Editor of The Volta Review
was really a form of payback for me. I had
learned so much from AG Bell publications,
I really wanted others to experience the
same. Along with Katie Schmitz (the
former Senior Associate Editor and the
new Editor) and Melody Felzien (the
former managing editor), we were full
of exciting ideas and new directions for
the journal. We quickly assembled a
great group of associate editors in key
areas of the profession. Since manuscript
submissions had fallen off, we engaged in
a campaign to recruit quality manuscript
submissions. In addition, we streamlined
the review process so that notification to
the authors was done in a timely manner.
I was near the end of my college degree
program, when in horror I realized that
I was short three credit hours in order
to graduate. I frantically looked for an
interesting course and one named the
52
Joseph Smaldino, center, with a group of Audiology students from Illinois State
University. Inset: Joseph Smaldino with his wife Dr. Sharon Smaldino, the L. D. and Ruth
Morgridge Endowed Chair for Teacher Education at Northern Illinois University.
“Biological Foundations of Language”
caught my eye. The course was so
fascinating that I obtained a master’s
degree in speech and hearing science at
the University of Connecticut and ended
up completing a Ph.D. in clinical audiology
at the University of Florida.
My persona is that of a professor,
although I have worked in both academic
and clinical settings. I guess I started
thinking that the old proverb about
teaching a person to fish rather than
providing a fish to the person, applied to
me as a clinician and academic. I could
provide direct clinical services to a few
people, or, I could become involved with
students who would serve hundreds, even
thousands, of people with hearing loss. I
adore working with students and enjoy
the research and creative expectations
in academia. I have never had prouder
moments than when a former student is
recognized for his/her clinical skills or
amazing contributions to the field.
The study of acoustic accessibility
stems from my interest in factors that
affect communication. The brain needs
a clear and accurate signal in order for
typical auditory-linguistic development to
occur. Speech reception is a prerequisite
to listening and learning as well as
communication in the classroom. Acoustic
elements (background noise and
reverberation) can limit accurate speech
reception. My research over the last 20
years has tried to meld these factors in
order to recommend environments where
clear speech is available and accessible for
every student in an educational setting.
That journey involved me with the
development of guidelines for
acceptable classroom acoustics for
children with hearing loss and the first
CONTINUED ON PAGE 51
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©2013 Cochlear Limited. All rights reserved. Hear Now. And Always and other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of Cochlear Limited.
UP FRONT ON THE BACK PAGE
THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE
DONE ABOUT HEARING LOSS.
GOOD THING HE DIDN’T LISTEN.
WE WANT YOU ON THE BACK PAGE!
Read the entire interview online on the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge
Center at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/BackPage. If you have stories to tell,
experiences to share and a perspective on hearing loss for this column, please send
an email to [email protected] and tell us a bit about yourself.
What drove Dr. Graeme Clark to invent the first multi-channel cochlear implant over 30 years ago?
What kept him going when others called him crazy and sometimes worse? His father was
profoundly deaf and growing up, all he wanted was to find some way to help. His invention came
too late for his dad, but for the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives he helped change,
it’s been nothing short of a miracle. Let there be sound.
Today they can hear because one man chose not to listen. Read their stories at Cochlear.com/US/Hear.
Or to connect with a Cochlear Concierge call 800-483-3123 or email [email protected].
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of newly diagnosed young children

Transcription

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