volta voices september-october 2012 magazine

VOICESVOICESAlex Ander GrAhAm Bell AssociAtion for the DeAf AnD hArD of heAring

September/October 2012

V O L T A

w w w . l i S t e n i n g a n d S p O k e n l a n g u a g e . O r g

Charting the Course for College and Beyond

VO

lu

me

19

, iS

Su

e 5

Winner of the 2

012 CommuniCator

and aPeX aWards

Let’s make it easier – together! For a copy of a new comparative study showing improvement in speech perception in children with hearing loss when using Amigo FM, contact [email protected]. And to see how we can helpyou solve other Pediatric challenges, visit www.making-it-easierusa.com.

Real Life Challenges

How can you make sure he is hearing what she’s saying?

The most e�cient way to help children overcome noise and distance and focus in classrooms is by providing good quality instruments and FM solutions. But what constitutes good? If a child has wide-bandwidth instruments, and the FM system cannot exploit this bandwidth, precious high frequency sounds may be lost.

While some systems use valuable bandwidth on transmitting data rather than speech, Oticon Amigo transmitters focus their power on capturing and delivering vital high-frequency details. So you needn’t be in any doubt as to which system provides more speech cues.

Oticon Amigo FM – wider bandwidth for more speech

A di�erence in sound quality“With the new digital hearing aids, the frequency response is going out so much farther. Being able to hear your ‘s’ and ‘t’ is so important for speech. When we add the FM to it,

we don’t want it to interfere with the good way the hearing aids have been �t. Now the FM systems are going out to a higher frequency that’s just been wonderful.”

Sandy Waters, MA, CCC-A Educational AudiologistTX

VOICESV O L T A

A l e x A n d e r G r A h A m B e l l

A s s o c i A t i o n f o r t h e D e A f A n D h A r D o f h e A r i n g

3417 volta place, nw, washington, dc 20007 • www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org

34262214

Features 14 The Long and Winding Road: Preparing Your

Child for Post-High School Independence By Ruth G. Auld, Ed.D. This article outlines ways in which parents can encourage their children to begin thinking about college and careers before they embark on the journey.

VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

18 El largo y sinuoso camino Por Ruth G. Auld, Ed.D. Este artículo define maneras en que los padres pueden animar a sus hijos a que empiecen a pensar sobre carreras y universidades antes de que entren en esa fase de la vida.

22 Shifting Gears: Why It’s Never Too Late to Change Directions By David Davis One AG Bell member shares his story of career-fulfillment and how it’s never too late to change directions and achieve life-long dreams.

26 “KA-BLAM!” Superhero With Robot Ears Embarks on Mission to Save Temporia By Rebecca Novak Tibbitt, MPH A special story on the MED-EL Will Wonder superhero comic series.

DepartmentsVoiCes from aG Bell

3 Mentoring the Professionals of Tomorrow

5 Preparing for Success in the “Real” World

tiPs for Parents

30 FAQs About Special Education Advocacy

KnoWledGe Center

32 Spread the Word!

hear our VoiCes

34 Being Deaf in the Mainstream

In Every Issue 2 WANT To WRITE foR Volta Voices?

6 Voices CoNTRIBuToRS

8 SouNDBITES

36 DIRECToRY of SERvICES

48 LIST of ADvERTISERS

september/october 2012

voluMe 19

i ssue 5

Let’s make it easier – together! For a copy of a new comparative study showing improvement in speech perception in children with hearing loss when using Amigo FM, contact [email protected]. And to see how we can helpyou solve other Pediatric challenges, visit www.making-it-easierusa.com.

Real Life Challenges

How can you make sure he is hearing what she’s saying?

The most e�cient way to help children overcome noise and distance and focus in classrooms is by providing good quality instruments and FM solutions. But what constitutes good? If a child has wide-bandwidth instruments, and the FM system cannot exploit this bandwidth, precious high frequency sounds may be lost.

While some systems use valuable bandwidth on transmitting data rather than speech, Oticon Amigo transmitters focus their power on capturing and delivering vital high-frequency details. So you needn’t be in any doubt as to which system provides more speech cues.

Oticon Amigo FM – wider bandwidth for more speech

A di�erence in sound quality“With the new digital hearing aids, the frequency response is going out so much farther. Being able to hear your ‘s’ and ‘t’ is so important for speech. When we add the FM to it,

we don’t want it to interfere with the good way the hearing aids have been �t. Now the FM systems are going out to a higher frequency that’s just been wonderful.”

Sandy Waters, MA, CCC-A Educational AudiologistTX

V O l T A

VOICESAdvocating Independence

through Listening and Talking— Adopted by the Alexander Graham Bell Association

for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Board of Directors, November 8, 1998

AlexAnder GrAhAm BellAssociAtion for the DeAf

AnD hArD of heAring

3417 Volta Place, NW, Washington, DC 20007www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org

voice 202.337.5220tty 202.337.5221 | fax 202.337.8314

Volta Voices Staff

EditorMelody Felzien

Advertising, Exhibit and Sponsorship Sales

The Townsend Group

Director of Communications and MarketingSusan Boswell, CAE

Design and LayoutEEI Communications

AG Bell Board of Directors

PresidentDonald M. Goldberg, Ph.D.,

LSLS Cert. AVT (OH)

President-ElectMeredith K. Knueve, Esq. (OH)

Immediate Past PresidentKathleen S. Treni (NJ)

Executive Director/CEOAlexander T. Graham (VA)

Joni Y. Alberg, Ph.D. (NC)

Corrine Altman (NV)

Rachel Arfa, Esq. (IL)

Evan Brunell (MA)

Holly Clark (VA)

Wendy Ban Deters, M.S., CCC-SLP (IL)

Kevin Franck, Ph.D., MBA, CCC-A (MA)

Catharine McNally (VA)

Ted Meyer, M.D., Ph.D. (SC)

Lyn Robertson, Ph.D. (OH)

VOLTA VOICES Volume 19, Issue 5, September/October 2012 (ISSN 1074-8016) is published 6 times per year in J/F, M/A, M/J, S/O, and N/D for $50 per year by Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 3417 Volta Pl, NW, Washington, DC, 20007. Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, DC, and other additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Volta Voices, Subscription Department, 3417 Volta Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202/337-5220 (voice) or 202/337-5221 (TTY).

Claims for undelivered issues must be made within 4 months of publication. Volta Voices is sent to all members of the association. Yearly individual membership dues are $50. Volta Voices comprises $30 of membership dues. Subscriptions for schools, libraries and institutions are $115 domestic and $135 international (postage included in both prices). Back issues, when available, are $7.50 plus shipping and handling.

Copyright ©2012 by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., 3417 Volta Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20007. Articles published in Volta Voices do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Acceptance of advertising by Volta Voices does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, their products or services, nor does Volta Voices make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertisers’ offer.

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40624074 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6

V O l T A

VOICESLetters 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 KitVisit www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org and select

“About AG Bell” for advertising information.

Submit Articles/Items to:Volta Voices Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 3417 Volta Place, NW • Washington, DC 20007Email: [email protected] online at www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org

Want to Write for Volta Voices?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 or hard of hearing, parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and professionals in fields related to hearing loss (audiology, speech-language pathology, psychology, otology, social services, education).

Visit the Volta Voices page at www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org for submission guidelines and to submit content.

Subjects of Interest

n Technology – related to hearing loss, new technology, improvements to or problems with existing technology, or how people are using existing technology, accommodations.

n Education – related to public or private schools through post-secondary education, new approaches and teaching methods, legal implications and issues, etc.

n Advocacy – information on legislation, hearing health, special or mainstream education, and accessibility.

n Health – audiology issues relating to children or adults with hearing loss and/or their families and friends.

n 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).

Want to Write for Volta Voices?

On the cover: Parents can help set the stage for their child’s success in college and beyond. Credit: www.shutterstock.com/ampyang.

volta voices • septeMBer/octoBer 2012 3

VOICES FROM AG BELL

As another academic/school year begins, it’s a time to look back and reflect on how we came to the area of listening and spoken

language – and to look ahead to how we might be even more successful in influenc-ing the next generation of professionals. Perhaps you had a friend, a student or a family member who was deaf or hard of hearing. Perhaps there was a great teacher or interesting class that piqued your inter-est. If you were lucky, there was a special mentor that helped you chart your course.

In my professional career, I was fortu-nate to have all of these influences – and to be able to pay it forward to mentor others and to assist students with hearing loss in the classroom. I was working at the Helen Beebe Speech and Hearing Center in Easton, Penn., when I learned of a faculty opening at the College of Wooster in Ohio. I recalled seeing the name of this college on a diploma on the wall of one my professors at the University of Florida, Douglas Hicks, Ph.D., who completed his undergraduate degree at Wooster, so I asked him about the college. Hicks was delighted to learn that I would be taking the position of his own mentor at Wooster, professor Jim Rea who was retiring after establishing the com-munication sciences and disorders (CSD) major and the Freelander Speech and Hearing Clinic.

Among the faculty at Wooster College in Ohio, one of the favorite courses to teach is Introduction to CSD. While I wouldn’t say that the faculty fights over the course, it’s one we love to teach. The course also fulfills a history and social sciences require-ment called “Learning Across Disciplines” and is taken by those majoring in CSD as well as those simply looking to complete a curriculum requirement – with many stu-dents considering speech-language pathol-ogy or audiology after taking the course.

Other students come into the CSD major as the result of its strong reputation. One of those students was Stacey Lim, Au.D., CCC-A. Despite predictions that Lim did not have enough residual hearing to develop listening and spoken language, her parents wanted to pursue this outcome and sought the expertise of the Helen Beebe Speech and Hearing Center where our paths first crossed. Many years later, when Lim was 15 years old, we attended a conference on hearing loss in the Phillipines in which a presenter stated, “Children who are born deaf will never learn to speak or hear.” We turned and looked at each other and said, “That’s not true!” Lim, who excelled in academics and was an accomplished pianist, ultimately decided to pursue a degree in audiology. Our paths crossed a second time when she came to Wooster in search of an academic program with a supportive faculty where she could learn through clinical experience.

“As an audiologist you have the opportunity to really make a difference in a person’s life and if you only make a dif-ference in one person’s life, that is an entire universe of possibilities because you made their life so much better by giving them the opportunity to participate in society, by giving them the opportunity to be with their family, their friends and go to school,” Lim said of her chosen career path.

Each summer, AG Bell serves 20 teens like Lim through its acclaimed Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program – a four-day workshop for high school students who are deaf or hard of hear-ing. This year was the first time AG Bell was able to offer two sessions of LOFT, serving a total of 40 teens. Lim was part of the inaugural 1996 LOFT class, which helps teens become better self-advocates in obtaining educational accommodations and in helping others understand their needs in everyday communication. Teens

are provided with background on relevant laws and regulations that require access and accommodations at the high school and college level and role-play situations in which they must request accommodations, and many former LOFTees say that this is one of the highlights of the program.

“During LOFT, we discussed different strategies that we could use to build confi-dence in explaining our needs to make sure we’d understand the people we talk with – and these lessons have served me well,” Lim said of her experience.

In addition, AG Bell has many other resources on self-advocacy – a topic that’s so important it is the focus of an entire section of the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center as well as many past articles in Volta Voices, which are currently freely available in archives spanning the past three years.

For any student interested in pursuing a degree related to listening and spoken language in audiology, speech-language pathology or as a teacher of the deaf or hard of hearing – or in any other field – the fol-lowing are tips based on my experiences: ʶ Consider your professional goals.

What type of degree is typically obtained by those who work in your chosen field or discipline? For those entering the area of listening and spoken language, each profession is different in terms of the way that they support children and families and in terms of the work setting and the degree needed to achieve your goal.

ʶ Find a program that is a good match. Consider the geographic location of the program and whether you have the flexibility to attend a program out of state or whether you are constrained to a particular geographic location. There are an increasing number of distance learning programs today, including some that combine onsite and distance learn-ing options. Students also will want to

Mentoring the Professionals of Tomorrow

4 volta voices • septeMBer/octoBer 2012

VOICES FROM AG BELL

consider the academic institution’s and program’s accreditation as this may be important to future licensure or certifica-tion or to the reputation of the program.

ʶ Consider the opportunities for clinical experiences, internships or practicum. Beyond completing coursework, it is critical for students entering any field or profession to have the opportunity to gain real-world experience through an internship. Students interested in entering the area of listening and spoken language will want to ensure that the program offers clinical experience with listening and spoken language settings. At the College of Wooster, students majoring in CSD take four semesters of clinical practicum in addition to an Independent Study, which makes students highly competitive in graduate school.

ʶ Does the program offer opportunities of particular interest to you? If you are particularly interested in research or clinical experiences in a particular area, such as cochlear implants or educational

audiology, investigate faculty research interests or clinical experiences available in these areas. Other programs offer the opportunity to study abroad or group travel experiences that may provide additional credits toward your major as well as a rich educational experience.Each fall, we have the opportunity to

chart our course with another semester and determine our professional path. There has never been a more important time to reach out to students – with and without hearing loss – and to encourage those students who aspire to follow our footsteps in the field of listening and spoken language. This is an exciting time for these students to enter the field, and it has never been more critical to increase the number of certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS™). The support of everyone in the AG Bell community is needed to mentor and guide these professionals in the process of achiev-ing LSLS certification. It is a personal hope that by the time we meet in Orlando for the 2014 AG Bell Convention, we will have

achieved 1,000 LSLS certified professionals in the world. I also hope that adults with hearing loss and professionals in the area of listening and spoken language will all be able to connect with students of all ages and serve as mentors through AG Bell's social media venues in the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center and at future conventions and various chapter meetings and other regional events.

Sincerely,

Donald M. Goldberg, Ph.D., LSLS Cert. AVTPresident

QUeSTIOnS? COmmenTS? COnCernS?

Write to us: Ag bell 3417 Volta place, nWWashington, Dc20007

Or email us: [email protected]

Or online:www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org


EDITOR’S NOTE

Preparing for Success in the “Real” World

This edition of Volta Voices explores how parents, indi-viduals with hearing loss and professionals in any vocation

can prepare for success in the “real” world.Our first article, “The Long and

Winding Road,” provides some power-ful strategies and advice for parents and children entering middle school on how to develop career-minded interests early, and how to prepare to make life-impacting deci-sions after graduating high school. This is a must-read for parents looking to help their children get ahead before reaching college.

Next, long-time AG Bell member David Davis relates his story of a mid-career change and provides advice for others wish-

ing to “Shift Gears” at any stage of life. His honesty and advice is uplifting no matter where you are in your professional journey. And a special feature catering towards kids highlights the first superhero with cochlear implants, Will Wonder. Preview the newest chapter of Will’s adventures and learn more about his superhero life.

As school gets back into full swing, this edition of “Tips for Parents” offers answers to some frequently asked questions about special education advocacy, access and the Individualized Education Program. “What’s New in the Knowledge Center” provides insight into how the content of the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center can be easily shared with others, and also

highlights how AG Bell’s online community are sharing their own personal insights and advice to support one another. Finally, “Hear Our Voices” continues its series of stories from a class in New Jersey on how they are navigating mainstream education.

Thank you for reading. If you are interested in contributing, please email me at [email protected] with your comments and suggestions.

Best regards,

Melody FelzienEditor, Volta [email protected]

MA in Early Intervention in Deaf Education 14-month degree program – one of the most unique in the country

For more than 50 years, Fontbonne University has been dedicated to educating teachers and therapists to be leaders in the �eld of communication disorders and deafness. Classes are small. Faculty are nationally recognized and committed to student success.

Graduate Programs Of Distinction

WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR:

SCHOLARSHIPS MAY BE AVAILABLE - APPLY BY FEB. 1, 2013

VISIT www.fontbonne.edu/gradprograms or CALL 314-889-1407.

Graduate students are assured innovative, collaborative practicum experiences at Fontbonne’s Center for Teacher & Therapist Education at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf, the university’s professional development school. Clinical opportunities are available at more than 80 of the �nest facilities in the country, many of which are leaders in deaf education.

MS in Speech-Language Pathology with an emphasis in Deafness 2-year degree program – one of the most unique in the country

Fontbonne University is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

Dr. Susan Lenihan, Program [email protected]

Dr. Gale Rice, Program [email protected]


VOICES cONTriBuTOrs

Ruth G. Auld, Ed.D., author of “The Long and Winding Road,” is the executive director of DePaul School for Hearing and Speech in Pittsburgh, Penn. Auld

brings with her a solid background in special education as well as experience in school administration. She comes to DePaul School from Mercyhurst College, where she was dean of Graduate Studies and director of the Graduate Program in Special Education. Prior to that, Auld had numerous experiences working with children and families with a wide range of learning differences, and was co-principal at a nonpublic school in Crawford County, Penn. She may be reached at [email protected].

Susan Boswell, CAE, co-author of “What's New in the Knowledge Center,” is the director of commu-nications and marketing for AG Bell and a long-time member.

Boswell received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with majors in mass communications (journalism) and psychology. Boswell was hard of hearing and became deaf as a teenager; she received a cochlear implant in 2002. She can be contacted at [email protected].

David Davis, author of “Shifting Gears,” learned to listen and talk under the guidance of pioneer Helen Beebe in Easton, Penn. After receiving a bachelor’s

degree in psychology from Harvard University, he then spent 22 years in the closed captioning industry. He has switched gears and recently completed a master’s degree in library and informa-tion science and currently works as an academic librarian. He lives in Los Angeles with his partner Howard and a rescued family of three dachshunds.

Rebecca Novak Tibbitt, MPH, author of “KA-BLAM!”, has spent nearly two decades of experience dedicated to health communica-tions. Throughout her

career, she has worked with national nonprofit organizations, pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology companies surrounding the public health concerns of pain management, hearing loss, cancer, HIV/AIDS, women’s health and more. Her articles have been published in Hearing Review and the Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, and her Master’s in Public Health from the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. She can be reached at [email protected].

Elizabeth Reed-Martinez, co-author of “What’s New in the Knowledge Center,” is the Knowledge Center manager for AG Bell. Before joining AG Bell

in 2009, Reed-Martinez was responsible for developing and implementing e-learning programs for the Society of Human Resource Management. She holds a B.S. in business administration from Bay Path College and an M.A. in human resource development and training from The George Washington University.

A

The Moog Center For Deaf Education

Hear now. And always — This is the Cochlear promise to you. As the global leader in hearing solutions, Cochlear is dedicated

to bringing the gift of sound to people all over the world. With our hearing solutions, Cochlear has reconnected

over 250,000 cochlear implant and Baha® users to their families, friends and communities.

For the person with hearing loss receiving any one of the Cochlear hearing solutions, our

commitment is that for the rest of your life we will be here to support you...

“Being able to upgrade Avery to the newest technology gave us great peace of mind. We know that Cochlear is here for us now and in the future.”

You should talk to your physician to see if you are a candidate for cochlear implantation or a Baha® System, and to understand the associated risks and benefits, and CDC recommendations for vaccination. Implantation with a cochlear implant or Baha System is a surgical procedure, and carries with it the risks typical for surgery, and outcomes cannot be guaranteed. For additional information please refer to the applicable package insert available at www.CochlearAmericas.com/NucleusIndications or www.CochlearAmericas.com/BahaIndications.

Cochlear, Nucleus and the elliptical logo are trademarks of Cochlear Limited. Baha is a registered trademark of Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions AB. © 2011 Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions. All rights reserved.

FUN1501 ISS1 DEC11

www.CochlearAmericas.comRequest information on the Cochlear Nucleus System or Baha System, or learn about upgrades

Cochlear Americas13059 East Peakview AvenueCentennial, CO 80111 USA

– Mom of Avery M.

AVERY M.– Bilateral Cochlear™ Nucleus® Implant User

Telephone: 1 303 790 9010Support: 1 800 483 3123Web Chat: www.CochlearAmericas.com


N E W s B i T E s

SOUNDhelp Celebrate the Knowledge Center as a Parent resourceAG Bell is pleased to offer 30- and 60- second Public Service Announcement (PSA) scripts for submission to your local radio stations. Recently, Clear Channel Media committed to running the 30-second PSA spot in all 7 Clear Channel radio stations in the San Diego area. If you would like to help promote the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center as a resource for parents of children with hearing loss, visit www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org/ Document.aspx?id=933 to access the PSAs or contact Susan Boswell at [email protected].

AG Bell 2012 Convention reports OnlineIf you were not able to attend the AG Bell 2012 Convention or couldn’t attend a particular session, check out our selection of convention reports by Elizabeth Boschini, M.S., CCC-SLP, and others on the AG Bell Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AGBellCommunity).

Recaps include convention sessions on the role of fathers in auditory-verbal therapy and planning effective 60-minute sessions, Daniel Ling’s legacy, and others. Be sure to like the page and share these reports with your Facebook friends. Handouts from convention sessions are also available at the AG Bell 2012 Convention page at www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org/Document.aspx?id=183.

“Why I love hearing Technology” Video Contest WinnersThe votes are in and the winners of the “Why I Love Hearing Technology” video contest are Nick Bialka, Jesse Solano and James Sindell. Winners will receive a $250 Apple Gift Card. A special thank you to all of our video contest entrants; their passion and dedication are an inspiration. And thank you to the nearly 1,600 voters who voted for their favorite video. To view all of the videos, visit AG Bell’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ user/AGBellAssociation.

CdC 2010 ehdI data now AvailableThe Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program has released the 2010 national EHDI data online at www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/ehdi-data.html. Detailed data from nearly every state and terri-tory shows several exciting trends, including a reduction in loss to follow-up/loss to documentation for infants needing a diagnosis. The information available online includes an overview of the 2010 data and separate summa-ries showing the screening, diagnostic and intervention data reported by each state and territory. Comparisons between the 2010 and previous year’s data as well as a copy of the 2010 survey are also available.

Article Outlines Contemporary Audiological managementAn article published by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) provides information to audiolo-gists on optimizing cochlear implant access. “Contemporary Audiologic Management to Optimize Cochlear Implant Benefit” provides useable tips and strategies for audiologists on how to help children who use cochlear implants improve speech recognition in noise. Tips focus on the various uses of FM systems in a variety of settings. Visit the ASHA website to read the full article: http://www.asha.org/aud/ articles/Contemporary-Audiologic- Management-to-Optimize-Cochlear- Implant-Benefit/?utm_source=asha& utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_campaign=0712aa.


BITESCOMPILED BY:

MELOdy FELziEN

Join the discussion on the AG Bell Speak Up listservSpeak Up is an interactive email discus-sion group for adults who are deaf or hard of hearing and current members of AG

Bell. Join Speak Up and join an active network of your peers. If you would like to join, but are not already subscribed, please email [email protected] to be added to the list. Support the new

International media Campaign for Quality Captioning UniversallyA new international media campaign, “Don’t Leave Me Out!” is being launched by the Collaborative for Communication Access via Captioning (CCAC). The campaign’s mission is to raise awareness for and ensure inclu-sion of quality captioning throughout all mediums and formats. See the video and learn how you can support the campaign at www.ccacaptioning.org.

health Care Career Options for People With hearing lossThe Task Force on Health Care Careers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community released their findings related to health care careers. Despite the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act more than 20 years ago, individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing still face barriers that prevent them from pursuing careers in the health care industry. The Task Force found that educational challenges, the costs associated with interpreters and other access services, attitudinal percep-tions among prospective employers and lacking technology to make training accessible in the workplace may be why less than six percent of people with hearing loss in the labor force work in the health care industry, compared to nearly 10 percent of their peers who have typical hearing. The 20 members of the Task Force came from four part-nering institutions: Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.; the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a college

AG Bell Presents Chapter Awards

The Chapter President’s meeting at the AG Bell 2012 Convention brought together representatives from 18 state chapters. During the meeting, AG Bell Past President Kathleen Treni bestowed the following awards in recognition of excellent work in advancing the mission of AG Bell at the state level:• Chapter education program award – the HEAR Indiana Chapter was

recognized for their successful 29th Annual Listening and Spoken Lan-guage Conference.

• Chapter newsletter award – the Massachusetts Chapter was awarded for its newsletter, which informs a broad audience of the latest chapter happenings.

• Chapter advocacy program award – the HEAR Indiana Chapter was honored for their legislative victory in creating an unbiased center that provides families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing information about all communication options.

• Chapter Special program/activity award – the Nevada Chapter received the award for their N*COURAGE*MINT parent support program.

• Overall Chapter excellence award – the Michigan Chapter was rec-ognized for their outstanding success in re-establishing the organization into the thriving chapter it is today.

Visit the AG Bell website to find information on your local state chapter: www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org/Document.aspx?id=429.

Please join HEAR Indiana, the indiana Chapter of AG Bell, for its 30th Annual listening and Spoken language Conference on October 26, 2012, in Indianapolis, Ind. This conference is hosted by HEAR Indiana and St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf and presented by Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St.Vincent. Presenters include Teresa Caraway, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, and Dave Sindrey, M.Cl.Sc., LSLS Cert. AVT. Discussion topics will focus on: bullying, using apps, amplification, FMs, and a mini Tech Fair! This is one conference you cannot afford to miss! For more information and to register, please visit HearIndiana.org/LSLConf.

The pennsylvania Chapter of AG Bell mourns the passing of former state Sen. Charles D. Lemmond. Lemmond was a sponsor of the state law requir-ing mandatory newborn hearing screening. He wore hearing aids for decades and said in an interview, “Unless you or someone you know or work with has faced up to the challenge (of hearing loss), you don’t know how important it is to detect and treat the problem.” He spent more than two decades in the Senate and left an impact at both the local and state levels. The chapter will be honoring him at its state-wide conference in May 2013.

cHAPTErs


SOUND BITESof Rochester Institute of Technology; University of Rochester Medical Center; and Rochester General Health Systems, as well as individual representatives. Details of the report are available at www.rit.edu/ntid/hccd/reports.

People With hearing loss have less Access, Greater need for mental health Care“The Health of Deaf People: Communication Breakdown,” a review published online March 15 in The Lancet, reported that people who are deaf or hard of hearing are about twice as likely to have a mental health diag-nosis as people with typical hearing. In addition, people with hearing loss have greater difficulty getting mental health care and the quality of care tends to be

lower. The researchers also found that children with hearing loss who cannot make themselves understood within their family are four times more likely to have mental health disorders and more likely to suffer mistreatment at school than children who can communicate with their family members. The review also found that patients reported fear, mistrust and frustration in health care services. Read the full article online from www.thelancet.com.

med-el Announces extended Warranty on external equipment in the hearing Implant Industry MED-EL Corporation announced that it has made its extended five-year warranty on external equipment a permanent feature for all new cochlear

implants. This is the longest warranty in the industry. Products covered under the warranty include: all OPUS audio processors, coils, battery packs, cables, DaCapo PowerPacks and Fine Tuner™ remote controls. The manu-facturer’s warranty is activated upon receipt of the Cochlear Implant System External Equipment Registration. MED-EL will continue to offer 10 years of manufacturer’s warranty coverage on all cochlear implants, including the MED-EL CONCERT, SONATA and PULSAR. This warranty is being offered by MED-EL Corporation, USA, and is only valid for U.S. residents receiving implants in the United States on or after November 1, 2011. For details, contact MED-EL by phone at (888) 633-3524 or by email at [email protected].

volta voices • septeMBer/octoBer 2012 1 1

SOUND BITEShave You explored healthyChildren.org?HealthyChildren.org is a parenting website backed by 60,000 pediatri-cians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Whether parents/families are looking for general information related to child health care or for more specific guidance on parenting issues, healthychildren.org will provide answers. Parents will find information regarding the American Academy of Pediatrics many programs and activities, policies and guidelines, publications and other child health resources. Both providers and parents can rest assured that the information comes from the nation’s

leading child health experts and there is scientific research supporting our recommendations.

Federal Judge denies netflix’s motion to dismiss Closed Captioning CaseIn a high-impact case, U.S. District Court Judge Michael A. Ponsor blocked Netflix’s attempt to avoid providing closed captioning for programming streamed on the Internet, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Netflix argued that stream program-ming via the Internet is not covered by the ADA because websites are not “physical locations.” Ponsor issued an order that the ADA applies to the Internet, stating that places of public

accommodation are not limited to physical structures in a society that increasingly conducts business through the Internet. The case was brought by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and is supported by the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.

American Girl doll With hearing AidsThe American Girl doll can now be personalized with pink behind-the-ear hearing aids in one or both ears and are removable. According to the company, “when you admit your doll to the Doll Hospital, our experts will perform a permanent piercing to ensure the hearing aid is expertly fitted.” Visit www.americangirl.com/hearingaid for more information.

At St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf (SJI), we believe that children with hearing loss deserve the opportunity to listen, speak and read.

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).

Visit us at sjid.org & ihearlearning.orgfor more information on our locations and services

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf

Indianapolis Campus ihear- Internet Therapy St. Louis Campus9192 Waldemar Rd.

Indianpolis, IN 46268(317) 471-8560

1809 Clarkson RdSt. Louis, MO 63017

(636) 532-3211

ihearlearning.org(636) 532-2672

AGBELLAD.indd 1 4/4/2012 8:37:08 AM


SOUND BITESAG Bell School-Age Financial Aid Awards distributed Over the SummerThe AG Bell School-Age Financial Aid Committee is pleased to announce a total of $78,000 was recently awarded to 84 children who are deaf and hard of hearing and attending private mainstream schools in their communities. Awards ranged from $500 to $1,500 and award recipi-ents reside in 22 U.S. states and Canada. Families have shared these comments with us on the impact of AG Bell’s financial support: “Just 15 minutes ago when I opened my mailbox, the stress of this week

melted away. The scholarship award for our son literally brought a tear to my eye. We have to buy his books this week and I was not sure how we were going to do that and make his tuition payment as well. As a family, we are so grateful for AG Bell and this schol-arship. From conventions to scholar-ships, we have received so much support and direction from AG Bell!” “We received the financial aid award for our daughter this week and are humbled at the generosity of AG Bell. Your organization has helped our family both in your online resources and financial awards, and we are so very grateful for what you do. Your organization rocks!”

“We would like to thank AG Bell Association for the financial aid award we received for our daughter for the upcoming school year. She attends a private school where she is receiving an excellent education. The financial assistance you provide is a tremendous help. AG Bell has helped make it possible for us to provide our children with the best educational opportunities and help each one achieve their potential. Thank you!” Visit www.listeningand spokenlanguage.org to learn more about AG Bell Financial Aid and Scholarship programs.

Although CapTel and Wireless CapTel by Sprint can be used for emergency calling, such emergency calling may not function the same as traditional 911/E911 services. By using CapTel and Wireless CapTel by Sprint 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 and Wireless CapTel by Sprint whether caused by the negligence of Sprint or otherwise. . Sprint CapTel Phone Offer: While supplies last. CapTel: Coverage not available everywhere. Offers not available in all markets/retail locations or for all phones/networks. Other restrictions apply. Sprint reserves the right to modify, extend or cancel offers at any time. See www.sprintrelaystore.com/wcs for details. Wireless CapTel by Sprint is powered by Raketu. ©2012 Sprint. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc. Android, Google, the Google logo and Android Market are trademarks of Google Inc. The HTC logo, and HTC EVO are the trademarks of HTC Corporation. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.

When not using captions, max amplification is capped at 15dB.

SOUND BITES

Creating great educators for over a decade.

For more information, please visit UTDeafEd.comPhone: (210) 450-0716

UTM

ED12

1420

1126

1

We know that staying abreast of best practices in the education of children who

are deaf is critical to teacher preparation programs. Our Deaf Education and

Hearing Program is a 2010 recipient of a U.S. Department of Education, Office of

Special Education and Rehabilitative Services personnel preparation grant; one of

eleven recognized for excellence in a national competition.

Deaf Education & Hearing Science at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio

A premier listening and spoken language program for educators of children with hearing loss

Celebrating 10 Years of Making Lives Better

20022012


By ruth g. auld, ed.d.

The Long and Winding RoadPreparing Your Child for Post-High School Independence

Few junctures on the pathway of parenting are as challenging as preparing a child for the major transition that waits on the other

side of high school. There are no guarantees that your child will suddenly step into that post-high school world of independence with grace and ease; however, there are some very simple steps parents can take to successfully navigate this transition.

The Freedom to ChoosePerhaps it is both a blessing and a curse to live in an age with unlimited opportu-nities for career pathways. In many ways, we are limited only by our imagination. However, the reality is that the major-

ity of college freshmen arrive on campus unsure of what field of study best suits them. Many use their freshman year as an opportunity to explore. While this isn’t necessarily a bad option, caution should be taken in this process. It is advisable to consider taking classes that will ultimately count toward gradua-tion. Common core and electives that have transferable value (from one major to another) are favorable over “majors-only” credits. However, much of the decision-making can be ferreted out long before college if parents take a proac-tive approach to help their child explore interests and abilities before planning class schedules and courses of study.

Many factors contribute to the uncer-tainty about the selection of a program of study in college. Many high schools have shifted their focus to an outcomes-based programming strategy, which allows minimal opportunities for exploring career clusters during high school. Guidance counselors have some expertise in career counseling, but it is often outside of the day-to-day demands of their jobs. The fol-lowing are some strategies parents can use to help focus a child’s interests.

embrace the Parental roleNo one knows or understands how your child ticks quite like you do. Keep in


The Long and Winding Road

mind that the process of transitioning into an independent adult takes years. Beginning in the early stages of adoles-cence, children start to assert their own opinions (most frequently over yours). Modeling any process of learning a new skill (such as driving), begin talk-ing about the future long before your child reaches the junior/senior decision-making year. Gently acknowledge your child’s strengths. Help him/her to begin noticing what delights and is of interest. Sometimes you will get a reaction from your child along the lines of “but you’re my parent, of course you’d say that” or a sideways glance that speaks volumes of uncertainty. Ignore those signs…

adolescents aren’t exactly known for their ability to self-regulate! They are actu-ally sponges, soaking in every ounce of acknowledgement, filling a bucket called “self-knowledge.”

Subtle comments carry far more weight than those that are obvious. These comments are important, not only for identifying career clusters but also for building confidence and poise (key attributes for successful independence). Remember, children all crave to be told what they are good at, and the period of adolescence often has a way of deplet-ing their self-esteem. The fact that your child has a hearing loss is not a deter-rent, but it is definitely a weight upon his/her self-confidence. It is a fine line to walk because your child needs every opportunity to demonstrate independence and good decision-making, yet he/she is not prepared for the steep consequences implicit in decisions of such magnitude. After all, how does anyone know at 14 or 16 what he/she wants to do in the uncharted years to come?

Yet, as the parent, the approach you use and your timing are extremely impactful. Learn to ask the right ques-tions: questions that open conversations, not close them, and questions that require conversations, not yes or no answers. Ask questions that excite your child’s think-ing, inspire creativity, and connect with your child’s skills and abilities. Whenever

possible, let the child lead. Include your child’s hearing loss in the conversa-tion, but don’t allow it to be a deterrent. Remind yourself and your child that the progress he has made is now embedded in his personality; the tenacity that he has demonstrated along the way has also helped pave a pathway for future success.

explore Your Child’s Strengths earlyAs you recognize strengths, intention-ally provide exposure and opportunities to explore those strengths beyond the traditional school experience. Volunteer opportunities at church, in the neighbor-hood, through sporting events and at local hospitals all help children to think about careers. You can “narrate” conversations to explore various career clusters. The real-ity of the world in which we live is that careers arise and implode as quickly as seasons change. By having a realistic per-spective, you can offset disappointments further down the road. For example, 10 years ago, opening a corner video store was a great investment.

The careers of your child’s tomor-row have yet to be defined. However, the over-arching skills of critical thinking, good communication skills and human decency will never fade with the stocks’ rise and fall. Think of careers in clusters, not specific jobs. The knowledge gained in clusters is very transferable. Nearly every

ste

ph

en

will

ie,

nt

id

Students attending RIT/NTID’s Explore Your Future built a robotic car from Legos and pro-grammed it to follow a track using a light sensor.

Students attending RIT/NTID’s Explore Your Future get to sample a variety of subjects they could be interested in pursuing, such as Business, Accounting, Computer Science and Information Technology.

Ma

rk B

en

jam

in,

nt

id


state’s department of labor and industry prepares an annual report and projec-tion of careers currently anticipated in the state. These can be located on your state’s website; they provide research-based career clusters and a trajectory of growth areas to consider. Websites such as www.educationplanner.org allow your child to build a personalized profile of his strengths and interests, from which you can begin a solid discussion. It is essential to be sensitive to your child, but it is equally important to begin the conversa-tion early, return to it frequently and help your child become comfortable talking about his/her future.

Foster IndependenceOne significant contrast between col-lege freshmen who seem to settle in and meet success and those who seem to still be seeking answers is the wealth of life

A campus may seem desolate during the summer, but not at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where one of its colleges, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), hosts hundreds of college-bound middle and high school students for career exploration camps. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing come from all over the country, stay in dorms and are paired by communica-tion preference. “One reason for the camps is to make sure the students have fun while meeting new friends. Many of them are the only student with hearing loss in their schools,” says Mark Summer, senior director of NTID’s Pre-College Consortium.

But the main purpose of the camps is to have these students learn what their interests are, what majors they may want to take in college and what careers they should consider. The students are given tests to determine their personalities and interests. Some may desire a job as a teacher or nurse to help others, while others may like to work as an engineer or computer programmer. Others like to solve problems and could own a business.

The sessions are also taught by several staff and faculty members who are deaf or hard of hearing, who serve as successful role models as well as chaperones.

The summer camps offered at RIT/NTID include:

explore Your Future, the most attended summer camp, with approximately 200 campers. Two six-day sessions for high school juniors and seniors are held in July and focus on personal growth and career awareness. Campers engage in hands-on activities such as engraving, building robotic cars, problem-solving tasks and creating a business plan. A health care career segment was added this year in anticipation of a spike in the need for skilled employees in the health care industry in the coming years.

techgirlz, techBoyz and Steps to Success are aimed at students who are deaf and hard of hearing in grades 7 to 9 who are interested in science, technology, computing and math. TechGirlz and TechBoyz cater to either boys or girls, as their

name implies, and Steps to Success is for students considered ethnically minority.

drobotZ was added this year for 9th and 10th grade students interested in sciences, technology, computing and math. Students at this two-week camp learn to build a robot that they get to take home with them.

“It’s a lot of work to recruit, prepare for and host these students and make sure they have a memorable experience,” says NTID President Gerry Buckley. “But it’s a win-win experience. The college benefits by having the students and parents know more about what we offer, and the students not only learn about possible career options, they engage in hands-on activities, enjoy social events with their new friends and most importantly, learn more about themselves.”

For more information about the sum-mer programs offered at RIT/NTID, visit www.ntid.rit.edu/outreach.

exploring Careers

Ma

rk B

en

jam

in,

nt

id

NTID students prepare to welcome high school students with hearing loss from across the country to Explore Your Future, a career exploration summer program held at RIT/NTID.


experiences they have had before they arrive on the college campus. Students who have been exposed to many dif-ferent learning opportunities seem to be more resilient that those who have repeated similar experiences over and over. Parents can help their child sort out interests from disinterests through exposure. Opportunities to volunteer and work with other age groups (younger children, senior citizens) as well as with people with very different lifestyles and experiences are all terrific opportunities to build resilience.

The traditional high school experi-ence seems focused on sameness. Same styles of clothing, same musical exposure and same cultural expectations can lead children to conclusions that disallow the breadth of exposure awaiting in college. Helping your child to prepare for this through cross-cultural experiences fosters an acceptance of “otherness” or differ-ence. Acknowledge the journey ahead and talk about the crossroads, the highways, and areas that may present challenges

before you arrive. This kind of dialogue gives your child time to mentally prepare. Use caution to avoid amplifying worries, but shining some insight into what is coming helps the adolescent face change with confidence.

Set Up “Checkpoints”Skills acquired in problem-solving, com-munication and analyzing are mainstays in all career clusters, and these skills help your child identify areas of strength and growth potential. Having a road map is a great way to know where the destina-tion is and how far along in the journey you are. As you talk with your child, identify regular checkpoints. Having pre-established dates or milestones will ensure both you and your child meet road map goals. The senior year of high school is laden with an incredible schedule. Beginning discussions about preparing for college at that time is akin to opening a road map during rush hour traffic to find your way. It is possible, but not in anyone’s best interest. The journey

is far more enjoyable and far less stressful if you turn on the GPS while you are still in the driveway.

There is a large body of research that suggests students who have begun think-ing about career clusters in late elemen-tary school or middle school actually use high school more effectively, and as a result they are more prepared for college. In your role as the guide on this educa-tional journey, asking the right question at the right time helps your child become more aware of the need to prepare for independence long before the day for independence arrives. When the day does arrive, and you have unpacked the car and stand in the lobby of the dormi-tory, you both will be filled with eager anticipation rather than fear. Whether your child chooses to pursue a 4-year college degree, attends a technical or trade school, or diverges onto completely different career path, the independence you have fostered and the self-knowledge you have cultivated will sustain for many years to come.

Graduate Degree Programs for Listening and Spoken Language in Speech Language Pathology, Audiology and Deaf Education.

We all dream of making a difference...

advanced technology, it possible now, more than ever, to make a difference in the life of a child.

Research Collaboration Onsite Practicum

Contact: Dr. Kristina [email protected]

w w w . l s l . u s u . e d u


por ruth g. auld, ed.d.

Pocas son las ocasiones en la trayectoria de la crianza que sean tan exigentes como preparar a los hijos para la mayor transición

que les espera al otro lado de la escuela secundaria. No existen garantías de que sus hijos den de repente el paso al mundo de la independencia posterior a los estudios secundarios con gracia y soltura, sin embargo, existen algunos pasos muy sencillos que deben dar los padres para poder navegar con satisfacción por este período de transición.

la libertad de poder elegirQuizás es tanto una bendición como una maldición vivir en una edad con

oportunidades de poder realizar un sinfín de carreras. En muchos aspectos, sólo estamos limitados por nuestra imaginación. Sin embargo, la realidad es que la mayoría de los estudiantes universitarios en el campus no saben qué campo de estudio es el más adecuado para ellos. Muchos usan su primer año universitario como una oportunidad para investigar. Si bien no es necesariamente una mala opción, se deberían tomar precauciones en este proceso. Es recomendable considerar tomar clases que finalmente servirán para la graduación. Las asignaturas comunes y las optativas que tienen un valor transferible (de un universitario a otro) son beneficiosas por los créditos “sólo para universitarios”. Sin

embargo, muchas de las tomas de decisiones pueden meditarse antes de la universidad si los padres realizan un enfoque activo para ayudar a sus hijos a explorar intereses y habilidades antes de planificar los programas de las clases y los planes de estudio.

Muchos factores contribuyen a la incertidumbre sobre la selección de un programa de estudio en la universidad. Muchas escuelas secundarias cambiaron su enfoque a una estrategia de programación basada en los resultados que le proporciona oportunidades mínimas para explorar grupos de carreras durante la escuela secundaria. Los consejeros tienen alguna experiencia en orientación profesional, pero no suele ser una de las exigencias diarias de sus trabajos. A

El largo y sinuoso caminoPreparar a sus hijos para la independencia después de la escuela secundaria


continuación hay algunas estrategias que los padres pueden usar para ayudar a sus hijos a concentrarse en sus intereses.

Cumplir el papel de padresNadie sabe o entiende la forma de ser de sus hijos como usted. Tenga en cuenta que el proceso de transición hasta llegar a ser un adulto independiente tarda años. Al principio de las primeras fases de la adolescencia, los niños empiezan a imponer sus propias opiniones (frecuentemente sobre las suyas). Para tomar como modelo cualquier proceso de aprendizaje de una nueva habilidad (como conducir), empiece hablando sobre el futuro antes de que sus hijos alcancen el año de toma de decisiones

en la secundaria. Haga que reconozcan sus puntos fuertes. Ayúdelos/as, haciéndoles entender qué les gusta y qué les interesa. A veces obtendrá una reacción de sus hijos del tipo de “eres mi padre, qué vas a decir” o una mirada de reojo que dice mucho sobre sus dudas. Ignore estas señales, ya que los adolescentes no son precisamente conocidos por su capacidad de autorregulación. De hecho son esponjas, que se empapan de cada gramo de reconocimiento hasta llenar un cubo llamado “autoconocimiento”.

Los comentarios sutiles tienen mayor peso que los obvios. Estos comentarios son importantes, no sólo para identificar los grupos de carreras sino también para crear confianza y serenidad (atributos clave para conseguir una independencia exitosa). Recuerde que todos los niños desean que les digan lo buenos que son en algo y el período de la adolescencia a menudo agota su autoestima. El hecho de que sus hijos tengan una pérdida de audición no tiene ningún efecto disuasorio, pero definitivamente es un peso sobre su autoconfianza. Es una buena línea para seguir porque sus hijos necesitan demostrar independencia en cada oportunidad y una buena toma de decisiones, aunque ellos/as no estén preparados/as para las graves consecuencias implícitas de decisiones de tal magnitud. Después de todo, ¿cómo sabe alguien de 14 ó 16 años lo que quiere hacer en los inciertos años que vendrán?

Pero como padre, el enfoque que use y el momento de aplicarlo serán extremadamente importantes. Aprenda a hacer las preguntas adecuadas: preguntas que inicien conversaciones, no que las cierren y preguntas que necesiten

conversaciones, no respuestas de sí o no. Haga preguntas que hagan pensar a sus hijos, inspiren la creatividad y lo conecten con sus habilidades. Siempre que sea posible, deje que sus hijos dirijan la conversación. Incluya la pérdida de audición de sus hijos en la conversación, pero no permita que los desaliente. Recuerden que el progreso que hizo se ha incorporado ahora a su personalidad, la tenacidad que haya demostrado en todo el recorrido también lo ayudarán a pavimentar el camino para el éxito futuro.

examine los puntos fuertes de sus hijos cuanto antesUna vez que reconozca los puntos fuertes, proporcione intencionalmente una situación y oportunidades para investigar esos puntos fuertes más allá de la experiencia escolar tradicional. Las oportunidades de voluntariado en la iglesia, en el vecindario, mediante eventos deportivos y en hospitales locales ayudan a los niños a pensar en las carreras. Puede “narrar” conversaciones para analizar varios grupos de carreras. La realidad del mundo en el que vivimos es que las carreras surgen y desaparecen tan rápido como se cambia de estación. Teniendo una perspectiva realista, puede compensar las decepciones a lo largo del camino. Por ejemplo, hace 10 años, abrir un video club en la esquina era una buena inversión.

Las carreras del futuro de sus hijos aún tienen que definirse. Sin embargo, las habilidades generales del pensamiento crítico, la buena capacidad de comunicación y la dignidad humana nunca desaparecerán

ste

ph

en

will

ie,

nt

id

Students attending RIT/NTID’s Explore Your Future built a robotic car from Legos and pro-grammed it to follow a track using a light sensor.

Students attending RIT/NTID’s Explore Your Future get to sample a variety of subjects they could be interested to pursue, including Business, Accounting, Computer Science and Information Technology.

Ma

rk B

en

jam

in,

nt

id

El largo y sinuoso camino


con el apogeo y la decadencia de los valores. Piense en grupos de carreras, no en trabajos específicos. El conocimiento adquirido en grupos se puede transferir. Cada Ministerio de Industria, Energía y Trabajo del estado prepara un informe anual y una proyección de carreras actualmente previstas en el estado. Pueden localizarse en la página web del estado, la cual proporciona grupos de carreras basadas en la investigación y una trayectoria de las áreas de crecimiento para tener en cuenta. Las páginas web como www.educationplanner.org permiten a sus hijos crear un perfil personalizado de sus puntos fuertes e intereses, desde el cual puede comenzar una discusión sólida. Es esencial ser sensible con sus hijos, pero es igualmente importante empezar la conversación cuanto antes, volver a ella con

frecuencia y ayudarlos a sentirse cómodos hablando de su futuro.

Fomentar la independenciaUn contraste significativo entre los estudiantes universitarios que parecen establecerse y cumplir con el éxito y los que parecen aún estar buscando respuestas es la riqueza de las experiencias de la vida que tienen que tener antes de que lleguen al campus universitario. Los estudiantes que han estado expuestos a diferentes oportunidades de aprendizaje parecen ser más fuertes que los que han repetido experiencias similares una y otra vez. Los padres pueden ayudar a sus hijos a buscar intereses desde los desintereses presentando una situación. Las oportunidades para trabajar como voluntarios y con otros grupos

de edades (niños menores, personas mayores) así como con personas con diferentes estilos de vida y experiencias son excelentes oportunidades para crear una adaptación.

La experiencia de la escuela secundaria tradicional se suele centrar en la igualdad. El mismo tipo de ropa, la misma música y las mismas expectativas culturales pueden llevar a los niños a conclusiones que desestimen la apertura que les espera en la universidad. Ayudar a sus hijos a prepararse para esto mediante experiencias interculturales fomenta una aceptación de la “alteridad” o la diferencia. Hágales saber el recorrido que tendrán que recorrer, hábleles de las disyuntivas, los avances y las áreas que representarán desafíos antes de llegar. Este tipo de diálogo les dará a sus hijos tiempo para prepararse mentalmente. Evite

Un campus parece desolado durante el verano, salvo en el Instituto de Tecnología de Rochester (RIT) donde una de sus facultades, el Instituto Técnico Nacional para los Sordos (NTID), alberga a cientos de estudiantes de la escuela media y secundaria en programas de investig-ación de una carrera. Los estudiantes sordos o con problemas auditivos vienen de todo el país, se quedan en los dormitorios estudiantiles ubicados según su preferencia de comunicación. “Una de las razones de estos programas universitarios es asegurarse de que los estudiantes se diviertan mientras conocen a amigos nuevos. Muchos de ellos son los únicos estudiantes con problemas auditivos en sus colegios”, dice Mark Summer, director del Consorcio Preuniversitario del NTID.

Pero el objetivo principal de los programas es hacer que estos estudiantes conozcan cuáles son sus intereses, qué especialización quieren estudiar en la universidad y qué carreras les gustaría tener en cuenta. Los estudiantes realizan pruebas para determinar sus person-alidades y sus intereses. Algunos de ellos desean un trabajo de profesor o enfermera para ayudar a los demás, mientras que a otros les gustaría

trabajar como ingenieros o program-adores informáticos. Otros quieren resolver problemas y hasta podrían tener su propia empresa.

Las sesiones también las imparten miembros de la facultad y diferente personal, sordos o con problemas auditivos, que sirven como buenos modelos y como acompañantes.

Los campos de verano ofrecidos en el RIT/NTID comprenden:

explora tu futuro, el campo de verano más concurrido, con aproxi-madamente 200 campistas. Dos sesiones de seis días para jóvenes de tercer y cuarto año de la escuela secundaria que se llevan a cabo en julio y se centran en el crecimiento personal y en la conciencia de una carrera. Los campistas realizan activ-idades prácticas como grabado, cre-ación de coches robóticos, tareas de resolución de problemas y creación de un plan de negocios. Se añadió un segmento de la carrera de salud este año para adelantarse al aumento de la necesidad de empleados cualifica-dos en salud en los próximos años.

niños y niñas tecnológicos y pasos para alcanzar el éxito se dirigen a estudiantes que son sordos y que tienen problemas auditivos de grado

del 7 al 9 que están interesados en la ciencia, la tecnología, la informática y las matemáticas. “Niños y niñas tec-nológicos” está dirigido tanto a niños como a niñas, como indica su nombre y “Pasos para alcanzar el éxito” es para estudiantes que se consideran étnicamente en minoría.

drobotZ se añadió este año para los estudiantes de 9º y 10º grado intere-sados en las ciencias, la tecnología, la informática y las matemáticas. Los estudiantes que asisten a este campo de dos semanas aprenden a crear un robot que se podrán llevar a casa.

“Es mucho trabajo reclutar, preparar y albergar a estos estudiantes, pero seguro que tendrán una experiencia inolvidable”, dice el presidente del NTID, Gerry Buckley. “Pero es una buena experiencia. La universidad se beneficia ya que informa sobre lo que ofrece a los estudiantes y a sus padres, y los estudiantes no sólo cono-cen diferentes opciones de carreras, sino que realizan actividades prácticas, disfrutan de los eventos sociales con sus nuevos amigos y lo más impor-tante, aprenden más sobre sí mismos”.

Para más información sobre los programas de verano ofre-cidos por RIT/NTID, consulte www.ntid.rit.edu/outreach.

Investigar las carreras


aumentar las preocupaciones, pero destaque alguna perspectiva que ayude al adolescente a afrontar el cambio con confianza.

establecer “puestos de control”Las habilidades adquiridas para resolver problemas, la comunicación y el análisis son los pilares de todos los grupos de carreras y ayudan a sus hijos a identificar las áreas de fortalezas y potencial de crecimiento. Tener una hoja de ruta es una buena manera de conocer cuál es el destino y qué distancia

tiene el viaje que va a realizar. Cuando hable con sus hijos, identifique los puestos de control normales. Tener fechas o hitos establecidos con anterioridad asegurará tanto que usted como sus hijos cumplan con los objetivos de la hoja de ruta. El último año de la escuela secundaria se carga con un programa increíble. Empezar las discusiones sobre prepararse para la universidad en este momento es similar a abrir una hoja de ruta durante las peores horas de tráfico para encontrar el camino.

Es posible, pero no le interesa a nadie. El viaje es mucho más placentero y menos estresante si enciende el GPS mientras aún está en la carretera.

Hay un gran cuerpo de investigación que sugiere que los estudiantes que empezaron a pensar sobre grupos de carreras al final de la escuela primaria o en la escuela media aprovechan las escuelas secundarias de un modo más eficiente y, como resultado, están más preparados para la universidad. En su papel de guía en este viaje educativo, hacer la pregunta justa en el momento justo ayuda a que sus hijos se vuelvan más conscientes de la necesidad de prepararse para la independencia mucho antes de que llegue el día de la independencia. Cuando llegue el día, haya vaciado el coche y esté de pie en la entrada del dormitorio, estaréis con una gran expectativa en lugar de llenos de miedo. Tanto si sus hijos eligen hacer una carrera de 4 años o ir a un colegio técnico o comercial como si toman un camino completamente diferente en la carrera, la independencia que hayan fomentado y el autoconocimiento que hayan cultivado les ayudarán en todos los años que vengan.

n Auditory-Verbal Therapy

n Early Intervention

n Educational Management of Children with Hearing Loss

n Speech Development

n Consumer and Physician Education Materials

Don’t forget to checkout our specials

and clearance section!

Make AG Bell your first stop for resources to helpchildren with hearing loss learn to listen and talk.

Shop online at www.listeningandspokenlanguage.orgfor everything you need for your practice or

classroom on these topics and more:

T E L 2 0 2 . 3 3 7 . 5 2 2 0 • T T Y 2 0 2 . 3 3 7 . 5 2 2 1 • W W W. L I S T E N I N G A N D S P O K E N L A N G U A G E . O R G

Ma

rk B

en

jam

in,

nt

id

NTID students prepare to welcome deaf and hard-of-hearing high school students from across the country to Explore Your Future, a career exploration summer program held at RIT/NTID.


By david davis

Why It’s Never Too Late to Change Directions

Shifting Gears

What happens if, even after all your best-laid plans have been completed, you find yourself wondering

about roads not taken? Or the career you had pursued no longer holds the appeal it once had? It may be time to explore your interests, investigate your options and develop a new chapter in your work life. Embarking down such a road may seem daunting at first, but with some advance planning it is doable.

I can’t say that I chose my first career as a caption writer for television and motion pictures; rather, it chose me. After graduating from Harvard in 1987, I turned down a paralegal job at a boutique law

firm in Manhattan and set my sights for Los Angeles with no job prospects. I had roommates and friends in the entertain-ment industry who introduced me to an associate producer of The Cosby Show, who had been instrumental in getting that show captioned by a Hollywood caption-ing agency. Several more introductions and an interview later, I had secured a job as a caption writer at the same agency.

Once I began writing closed captions for television programs in an office with a dead-on view of the Hollywood sign, I knew I had found my niche: television, Hollywood and making it all accessible to my fellow brethren with hearing loss. As someone who grew up watching programs

of the 1970s and 80s (i.e., Maude, Three’s Company and Knots Landing), I always had to ask my parents what zinger Bea Arthur landed or what threat evil schemer Donna Mills made. As a caption writer, I was helping other people like me gain access to media, and as a result, gain an additional measure of independence.

Granted, not all the programming my agency captioned was of high qual-ity, but that was quite beside the point. We were not in the position of deciding what individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing should have access to. Instead, our goal was to enable them to enjoy the best and worst television and media had to offer and to make their own program-


Shifting Gears

ming choices just like the rest of America. Although it may be debatable whether people tuned in to Baywatch for its dialogue, we were there to caption every “Help! I’m drowning!” and every “Hold on! I’m coming to save you!”

So my job in closed captioning was a good fit, and for the next 22 years I enjoyed promotions, challenges and lots of wonderful, and sometimes dreadful, pro-gramming. In hindsight, however, I stayed at least five years too long. At some point, I began to feel I was withering away on the vine. As much as I enjoyed my job and career, surely there was more to life than editing an endless stream of media. I began to consider career alternatives. I considered

psychotherapy and social work, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue it badly enough to go through two or more years of school while being paid chicken feed. My current life was too cushy; I could stay where I was, edit captioned episodes of The Big Bang Theory and collect a paycheck bigger than what I would bring home as an overworked social worker.

Eventually, a changing business climate in the captioning industry forced me to seriously start considering alternatives. I took an UCLA online extension class in two computer programming languages and enjoyed it, but wasn’t sure it was my calling. I eventually landed on librarian-ship for many reasons, but for me the pièce de résistance was the bonus of being immersed in information and knowledge every day. Just as I had learned something new every day through captioning, I could and would learn something new every day in librarianship. I was sold.

After some consideration, I enrolled in a fully-online Master’s in Library & Information Science (MLIS) program through San Jose State University, the largest such program in the United States. I was, of course, initially con-cerned about lecture formats and access, but was reassured that the school was prepared to caption materials or lectures at my request. Going through an online degree program had the interesting effect of boosting my confidence as a cochlear implant user and listener – something I’m not sure would have occurred had I attended a bricks-and-mortar classroom. As instructors spoke into microphones

while I listened through headphones, I understood not only the instructors but also the students and their questions and comments. In only one class – taught by a professor with an Irish brogue – did I take advantage of captioning.

I remember well my very first day at the reference desk during an intern-ship at Occidental College. Excited, I had lined up my pen and paper pad and had my computer at the ready for any and all questions. Bring it on! A few minutes later, a young woman hesitantly approached the reference desk.

“Could you help me find books on mffff-pftt?”

“Oh, my God,” I thought. “They whis-per. I picked the worst career to go into.”

I now currently work as a reference librarian (if I have to, I tell the whisper-ers they can use their indoor voice) and faculty member at Woodbury University in Burbank, California. The siren call of closed captioning proved too difficult to resist and I have also returned as a part-time contractor at my former captioning agency. My life now is all about access: to information and to media for people with and without hearing loss.

For those of you who may be consider-ing a career change, here are my sugges-tions on what to consider.

exploreEvaluate your work-life balance: Are you enjoying your work life? Even if you are, does it feel more like a job than a career? Some people are perfectly satisfied with jobs; others want to carve out a career and

Career path (www.careerpath.com) offers career planning, tests, advice and resources, such as schools/program databases and a rookie-employer matching database.

international Coach Federation (www.coachfederation.org) provides referrals for career and life coaches who may be of assistance in help-ing you explore your goals and ambitions. In addition to executive, leadership and career coaching, “life vision” coaching is also available.

While I did not seek help from such coaches, I have friends who have benefited greatly from the exercises and work they completed through life coaching.

Your local library. As a librarian, I strongly encourage you to visit your local library’s website. It may contain career and vocational databases, which allow you to assess, test and browse career interests and may even connect you to career counselors.

Career exploration resources

ww

w.s

hu

tte

rsto

ck.c

om

/ro

be

rt k

ne

sc

hke


a trajectory for themselves. Only you can determine your dreams, goals and needs.

Listen: If you’ve been thinking or fantasizing about switching gears, listen to that voice. What is it telling you? Is it encouraging or discouraging you? Make a list of what you think would be the pros and cons of switching careers versus staying put. Perhaps the new career you’re considering does not pay as well as you’d like, but may offer more personal rewards or lifestyle flexibility to offset any sacrifices you may have to make.

Start small: Don’t be afraid to take small steps. Start with a community col-lege or extension class to learn more about your potential new field/career as a way of dipping your toes into the water before committing to a long-term program.

Talk to experts: This seems obvious, but is often overlooked. Don’t be afraid to talk to people in your new field. Ask them what they like best or least about their careers. What are the current challenges they face? In my case, it was good and scary to know that libraries face severe

budgetary challenges, especially in the public sector, and often have to demon-strate their value to the community. Many industries are suffering from the current economic downturn and face lackluster job and career prospects; be sure to inquire what the short- and long-term prospects are for your potential new career and how you can best position yourself.

Career testing and coaching: Additionally, there are online and in-person services that provide career testing and coaching to help you navigate your feel-ings, talents and options. Testing can help uncover areas and fields you may not have considered, while coaching can offer invalu-able insight and “homework” to determine your motivations and uncover insights.

embark on the JourneyInvestigate what degrees or credentials (if any) are required for you to pursue your new career, and then consider the schools and programs that will meet your needs. In my case, I was fortunate enough to start my program part-time while I was

still fully employed. This allowed me the flexibility of getting my feet wet and get-ting back into the school groove without too much fear of much time or financial investment lost. After one semester, curi-osity and ambition propelled me further, and you may be able to enjoy the same flexibility as well. On the other hand, some programs require a full-time com-mitment from the outset, so it’s wise to become familiar with the programs and flexibility available.

Financing: Regardless of whether your program/education allows you to attend full- or part-time or whether you’re able to work full- or part-time, be sure to look into all financial aid and scholarship options. You may be eligible for educational grants on a government level (federal, state and local) and scholarships as well. Before embarking on my program, I did the math and calculated how much the entire program would cost, what the expected starting salary would be, and was happy to determine that it was well worth the expense I would incur going back to school.


Money, of course, is not the only consid-eration. You may find that it’s well worth student loans and debt if your new path translates to a more rewarding work life.

Determine the program that best fits your needs: Do you want a full-time program that enables you to complete the program as quickly as possible, or does your lifestyle require a part-time program? In my case, I started part-time while working full-time; an anticipated layoff enabled me to accelerate full-time. I also found my online program extremely convenient – The commute to class was just twenty feet and I could access pre-recorded lectures, videos and materials at my convenience, yet professors were available for live classes and assistance. Pre-recorded lectures may allow for more options in arranging access; in my pro-gram, some instructors captioned their lectures as a standard practice, but access is provided upon request for uncaptioned lectures, videos and materials.

Nonetheless, there are downsides to attending an online program: I did miss

the face-to-face interaction. At my gradu-ation ceremony this past year, a young woman sitting alphabetically next to me turned out to be someone who had been in one of my class project groups. I would strongly suggest making an effort to join local social and study groups if you enroll in an online program. If face-to-face contact is critical, a bricks-and-mortar program would be a better fit.

Whichever program you choose, if you have a hearing loss, it is wise to determine your access needs and inquire of the schools and programs how they anticipate addressing those needs. Instructors and educational institutions are increasingly using online learning management systems where lectures, videos and other instructional materi-als are posted for students to download and/or view. These materials can be easily made accessible, and the institu-tion should have a policy and program in place regarding access in face-to-face classrooms and online learning manage-ment systems.

Find a mentor: Lastly, I strongly recommend finding a mentor. You may have to network to find one, but mentors are invaluable in offering guidance, insight and support as well as helping you see “the big picture” in the field you’re entering. Mentors are familiar with the history of the profession, its direction, and they may help you position yourself competitively for the challenges and obstacles they can see com-ing before you can. I’ve been very fortunate to have my partner and friends to help me navigate my way into my new career.

For those of you thinking about switching fields or careers, I invite you to go a little bit outside of your comfort zone to explore and meet other people. It’s never a bad idea to stop and evaluate your life, your career and the direction you’re going. Sometimes considering a career change could reveal that you are right where you want to be, and some-times it could reveal hidden wants and desires and give you the motivation you need to take those first steps towards your next chapter. I wish you luck!

Early Intervention • Preschool • Elementary • On-site Audiology & Speech Language Pathology

2860 SE Holgate Boulevard • Portland, Oregon 97203 503.235.6551 •WWW.TMOS.ORG

Where every child has a voice.


By rebecca novak tibbitt, mpH

“KA-BLAM!”Superhero With Robot Ears Embarks on Mission to Save Temporia

The citizens of Temporia are trapped in silence as a result of an epic battle between brothers. Young Will Wonder

and his dog, Audio, set out in search of “Who stole the sound from Temporia?” And, so begins the tale of Will Wonder, the galaxy’s first superhero with a cochlear implant.

Earlier this year, Marvel Comics made headlines for creating a superhero, the Blue Ear, who used hearing aids, to help a mother encourage her young son to wear his. But last year, global hearing implant manufacturer MED-EL released the first comic featuring a character with a cochlear implant, “Will Wonder

& His Robot Ears – Save the Kingdom of Echoes!” The story and format are designed to engage teenage cochlear implant users, and features “superhero” Will Wonder, his fearless companion, Audio, and tough female foil, Tara Tympani.

Will is a teen who, like many with hearing loss, listens to the world in a different way. “Robot Ears” help Will to hear and communicate with others, and newly-discovered special powers make him more sensitive to the vibrations given off by other people, the earth and the environment. The ability to control these vibrations makes Will powerful. While he tends to underplay his reliance on his

Robot Ears, in reality they have played a significant role in shaping his life.

Author Rick Bateman, who works as a creative writer at MED-EL’s headquarters in Innsbruck, Austria, was inspired by a love of comics and their history when he created the story. “Comics often bring people with unique qualities into the mainstream, and provide a place for the characters to still have fantastic adven-tures, despite obstacles that they face along the way,” said Bateman. “School-aged kids and teenagers who have cochlear implants may have a success-ful experience with their implants, but might still feel different from their peers. Will Wonder can relate.”


Bateman says that the idea for a comic had been brewing for several years before Will finally sprang to life. The first edition was launched internationally at CI2011 in Chicago last July and was well received as a fresh way for parents, educators and young adults to commu-nicate about their implants.

“Our BRIDGE to Better Communication education and rehabili-tation materials strive to meet up with where our patients are, whether that’s preverbal, elementary, teen or adult,” said Darla Franz, M.A., CCC-A, direc-tor of education and corporate commu-nications at MED-EL Corporation USA. “A character like Will Wonder provides

the opportunity to be educational and fun, while at the same time acknowl-edges how kids can sometimes feel different. The comic illustrates that it’s OK to feel that way. What makes Will different turns out to be the same thing that makes him a powerful hero.”

According to Bateman, when the comic was originally piloted in Austria, a copy found its way to a Swedish mother of

a school-aged boy with cochlear implants. She was so impressed with the way that Will Wonder explained hearing loss and cochlear implants that she translated it into Swedish herself for her son’s friends and made copies for his classmates. Since then, MED-EL has translated “Will Wonder & His Robot Ears” into seven languages and nearly 5,000 copies have been distributed around the world.

Will is a teen who, like many with hearing loss, listens to the world in a different way.

Me

d-e

l c

orp

ora

tio

n

Me

d-e

l c

orp

ora

tio

n

Visit www.medel.com/data/willwonder to read what happens next!


This April, a second edition of Will Wonder, “Will Wonder & the Chain of Three,” was launched online as a series of weekly webisodes that culminated in a dramatic finish and print launch in June timed for the AG Bell 2012 Convention in Scottsdale, Ariz. “Will Wonder & the Chain of Three” is currently available in three languages, English, Spanish and German. This time around, a strange disappearance leads Will, Tara and Audio on a new adventure to a strange land, Tonus, a city lost in the shadows.

While geared toward teens and young adults, Will’s exploits have appealed to younger readers and families. Patrice Mosher’s son Jonathan, age 10, is a bilateral cochlear implant user. The

North Carolina mom gives the concept a thumbs up. “Jonathan loved the first Will Wonder comic and couldn’t wait for the second one to come out. I think he likes seeing a hero that he can relate to.”

Other Will Wonder fans have praised the comic on MED-EL’s Facebook page, including bilateral cochlear implant user Nathan Schepker, who posted, “My 6-year-old son totally digs Will Wonder. It gives him a whole new respect for daddy’s ‘Robot Ears.’”

Comic books, like all stories, provide an opportunity to develop themes, conflicts, interactions between charac-ters, relationships and much more. As one of the few stories featuring a central character with a cochlear implant, the

Will Wonder series can serve as a topic of meaningful conversation among those who follow his adventures. Fans can also get to know all of the characters, like the evil Prince Malleus Hammer, through vignettes online.

“People everywhere like stories,” says Bateman. “Some people like stories about people who are different from them, while others like stories with characters they can identify with. Right now there are not very many examples of people with a cochlear implant in storytelling. Will Wonder is a small step in the right direction.”

Print copies of the first two editions are available at no charge for parents, audi-ologists and hearing implant centers, as are posters for waiting rooms and indi-vidual Will Wonder fans. To order cop-ies, contact [email protected]. The comics can also be downloaded at www.medel.com/data/willwonder.

We Believe...

“School-aged kids and teenagers who have cochlear implants may have a successful experience with their implants, but might still feel different from their peers. Will Wonder can relate.”

— Author Rick Bateman


TIPS FOr PArENTs

The following are frequently asked questions (FAQs) many parents have had regarding special education advocacy.

Each family’s situation is different, and the responses here are general in nature; they are not intended to cover every option, nor should they be considered legal advice.

Parents who have not taken the free online Parent Advocacy Training (P.A.T.) course are encouraged to do so, as many commonly asked questions are answered in the course (available from www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org/PAT.htm). Parents who have specific questions relating to the special educa-tion of their child who is deaf or hard of hearing are encouraged to use the “Ask the Expert” resource available from the P.A.T. page.

Q: What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP) re-evalua-tion, why would my child need one and what is covered?

A: By law, a child with an IEP must be re-evaluated at least every three years, or earlier when appropriate. The re-evaluation serves two key purposes: 1) to ensure that the child has a continued eligibility for the IEP, and 2) to assist in the development of the IEP. Parental consent to the evaluation/re-evaluation is required unless the parent has failed to respond to repeated requests for consent. According to Federal Regulation 34CFR 300.304, the criteria for IEP evaluation/re-evaluation are: ʶ Parents must receive notice that

describes any evaluations the school district intends to conduct.

ʶ The school district must: ◦ Use a variety of assessment tools to

assess functional, developmental and academic information, includ-ing information from the parents, to determine whether the child is eligible for special education and the contents of the IEP. NOTE: The school district cannot use any single measure or assess-ment as the sole criterion.

◦ Use technically sound instruments. ʶ The school district must ensure that:

◦ Evaluation materials are selected so as not to be discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis.

◦ The evaluation is administered in the child’s native language or other mode of communication, and in the form most likely to yield accurate information regarding what the child knows and can do academically, developmentally and functionally, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so.

◦ Evaluations that are used for the purpose for the assessments are valid and reliable.

◦ Evaluations are administered by trained and knowledgeable person-nel and administered in accordance with the assessment’s protocol.

◦ Assessments are tailored to assess specific areas of educational need and not merely those that provide a single general intelligence score.

◦ Assessments are selected to best assure that if administered to a child with impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills, they accurately reflect the child’s abilities rather than reflecting the child’s impaired skills.

◦ The child is evaluated in all areas related to the suspected disability.

◦ The evaluation is sufficiently comprehensive to identify all of the child’s special education and related services needs.

Q: Is my school district required to provide transportation to my child’s special education placement?

A: Transportation is a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Related services are defined as those services (including transportation) that are necessary for a child with a disability to benefit from his/her special education, distance from home notwithstanding. If necessary, the parents may need a professional to put in writing that the child requires transporta-tion to and from school.

There are a number of nuances for situations like this that tie to the par-ticular disability and how it impacts the child. For example, where hearing loss is concerned, there may be a stronger case for transportation for a younger child when the only other option is for the child to walk to school, which might create safety issues (this is just one example). If you have specific concerns or questions about a situation like this that your family is facing, please “Ask the Expert.”

Q: We’ve identified specific accommo-dations we believe are most appropri-ate for our child and would like these included in his IEP. The school district doesn’t agree with all of them. How do we go about getting those accommoda-tions for our child?

FAQs About Special Education Advocacy


A: Because the possibilities are nearly unlimited due to individual differ-ences and needs combined with various school districts, this question does not have a specific answer. However, a good place to start is by developing your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, or BATNA. A BATNA is the course of action you’ll take if the current negotia-tions with the school district fail and an agreement cannot be reached. A BATNA provides greater flexibility and encourages innovation over a predetermined bottom line. To create your BATNA: ʶ Brainstorm a list of all possible alter-

natives for each service, accommoda-tion or placement you would like. You may want to talk with one or more specialists during this process to help consider all of the alternatives.

ʶ Choose the most promising alterna-tives and expand them into practical and attainable alternatives.

ʶ Identify the best of the alternatives and keep it in reserve as a fall-back during the negotiation.

ʶ As you identify the best options, be sure to consider the district’s alterna-tives – what does the district want and why? Where might they be willing to give a little? Developing your options and those of the district is equally important in order for you to gauge the strength of your best alternative in relation to their best alternative.If you’ve taken these steps and are still

meeting with resistance, are unable to reach an agreement, or if you have very specific questions, please contact “Ask the Expert” to get personalized assistance for your specific situation.

Q: We continue to struggle with our child’s education team. They are not providing services in the communica-tion mode we want for our child, nor is the communication mode they’re using included in the IEP. For example, the educators continue to use sign language with our child even though we’ve been clear that we don’t want that, and it’s not part of the IEP.

A: Parents will want to request a meeting with the IEP team to revisit the IEP and

discuss why the approach being used dif-fers from what is in the agreed-upon IEP. In the event that the IEP does not specify a mode of communication, it would be presumed that listening and speaking English would be the default – since sign language is a separate language that would need to explicitly appear.

The background, training and experi-ence of the providers in delivering an appropriate program are very important. The parents may wish to encourage the school district to contact another school or provider that uses the approach out-lined in the IEP to provide training and consultation to the school district staff.

Parents may also want to ask why the mode of communication not outlined in the IEP is being utilized. Depending on the response, parents may want to take a step back to consider what the educators are saying; for example, if the child is not making the expected progress, it could be that additional strategies need to be employed – perhaps temporarily – to help the child make the desired progress.

It’s important to remember that par-ents are not obligated to agree to an IEP imposed by the school district and should advocate for an appropriate program and placement. Should the parents continue to feel services are not appropriate for their child, the next steps would include mediation and/or a due process hearing. Parents proceeding with due process (and possibly mediation) should retain an attorney to assist them.

Parents who have specific questions relating special education for their child who is deaf or hard of hearing – whether similar to or different from the questions outlined here – are encouraged to use the “Ask the Expert” resource on the AG Bell website (www.listeningand spokenlanguage.org/PAT.htm).

Editor’s Note: The complete FAQs are available online at www.listeningand spokenlanguage.org/Document.aspx?id=1187. The FAQs are a collaboration of AG Bell staff and Bruce A. Goldstein, a senior partner with the law firm of Goldstein, Ackerhalt & Pletcher, LLP, in Buffalo, N.Y.

ihear ®

online therapy

A program by St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf

family centered,convenient,

outcomes oriented,HIPAA compliant

online therapy using a computer, webcam and high

speed internet connection.

ihear is changing lives- are you ready?

ihearlearning.org636.532.2672

ihear_agbellad.indd 1 3/13/2012 10:13:24 AM


WHAT’S NEW IN THE KNOWLEdGE cENTEr

AG Bell is just part of the team – and we’re counting on all of you to help us spread the word about the Knowledge

Center in your communities, with your co-coworkers, neighbors, friends and schools. Perhaps your classroom teacher needs additional resources related to students who are deaf or hard of hearing and use listening and spoken language. Perhaps your relative has a child that was recently diagnosed with hearing loss. Help us get the word out in your com-munity about the Knowledge Center and its wealth of resources.

Share, Share, ShareVisit www.listeningandspoken language.org/share.aspx for some great resources that you can use to spread the word about the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center: ʶ Download a Knowledge Center

flyer and use it as a handout at your next state chapter meeting or informa-tion table at an upcoming conference. Distribute it to chapter members in an eblast or send it in a tweet. Offer the flyer as a resource in your clinic or private practice to families.

ʶ Embed the Knowledge Center video on your website. Whether you have a chapter website, profes-sional website or blog, AG Bell makes it easy for you to share a YouTube video about the Knowledge Center. AG Bell provides the code – just copy and paste it into your site. This short video offers viewers an overview of how the Knowledge Center is bring-ing people together to learn, connect and advocate.

ʶ Like our resources? Share them. Social sharing features are available on each content page so that you can obtain a printer-friendly page to

provide Knowledge Center resources to a parent or audiologist. You also can email website pages to a friend or share a research article in the profes-sionals section with students in under-graduate or graduate courses. For ease of use, email contacts can be imported from Google or Yahoo to easily share web pages. AG Bell also gives you access to more than 100 services from Facebook to Pinterest to Yammer so that you can bookmark and organize Knowledge Center resources on and share them through your favorite social networks.

engage the mediaGet the media involved in spreading the word about the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center by distrib-uting 30- and 60-second Public Service Announcements to your local radio sta-tions. AG Bell recently launched a highly successful public outreach campaign that distributed the Knowledge Center PSAs to 50 radio outlets in 16 major media markets across the country. Clear Channel Communications, one of the largest broadcast media companies in the United States, ran the PSA on all seven stations in San Diego during the month of July.

Spread the Word! By Susan Boswell and Elizabeth Reed-Martinez

htt

p:/

/ww

w.lis

ten

ing

an

dsp

oke

nla

ng

ua

ge

.org

/sh

are

.asp

x


Your help is needed to get the word out on the air at radio stations in other cities. PSAs are a great way to reach a broad audience about the Knowledge Center, including young couples starting families, health care providers, physicians and early interventionists in the commu-nity. Radio stations are also very receptive to the Knowledge Center PSA message

about children and health care. But there is stiff competition in getting airtime for PSAs and stations do not track or report when they are run. Radio stations are often more receptive when approached by community members and local chapter organizations. For tips on how to distrib-ute the PSA, download the PowerPoint slides and then download the profession-

ally produced audio files of the PSAs as well as the script in written format and send it with a brief letter to your local radio station. Let us know if you hear it on the air!

Get Social and networkConnect with AG Bell through our social media channels – the AG Bell Facebook group and fan page, Twitter, Pinterest, and Youtube – which are vibrant and thriving communities and resources that keep you connected to the community of people who are interested in listening and spoken language.

Visit www.listeningand spokenlanguage.org/Document.aspx?id=844 to find out more about social networking at AG Bell. Share news and resources about the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center through your social networks – and share your news with us.

Please let us know your ideas on how to “spread the word” or to make the ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org experi-ence better at [email protected].

The AG Bell community is very active in using social media to engage and meet others with similar questions, interests and information to share. Take a look at what people are talking about:

Facebook—www.facebook.com/AGBellCommunity

twitter—twitter.com/AGBellAssoc

Youtube—www.youtube.com/AGBellAssociation

linkedin—www.linkedin.com and search for “AG Bell” to network with other professionals and peers

pinterest—pinterest.com/listeningspoken

We look forward to seeing you online!

AG Bell Community Online

Listen and See Everything They Say!

Be certain of what they say – everytime! The CapTel® Captioned Telephone shows you captions

during your calls so you can catch every word.1-800-233-9180 (V/TTY) www.CapTel.com

Now with Answering Machine!

Captioned Telephone

VoltaVoices_ad_2012_ff.indd 1 7/16/12 9:29 AM


HEAR OUR VOicEs

I bet you think that being deaf can be a really hard thing depending on your life circumstances. But did you know that being deaf can

be a great thing? I was born in Jamaica Hospital in Queens, New York, and I was born deaf. I was just 10 months old when my hearing loss was discovered. I would like to tell you my story and about my hearing loss.

I became deaf because my mom had rubella. My hearing loss was discovered when I was 10 months old when my mom was playing music and having fun with me and I did not respond to any sounds.

I have a profound hearing loss. It means that I cannot hear many sounds below 95 dB. When I take off my cochlear implant, I literally do not hear anything! When my family found out about my hearing loss, they were so devastated and hurt because they did not know what to do. A profound hearing loss has a major affect on children and their families.

My family assisted me in a very help-ful, kind and respectful way by taking care of me. My mom had to help me in

so many ways, like taking me to Summit Speech School every day to receive speech therapy and physical therapy when I was younger. I got my cochlear implant when I was 2 years old and this required me to have surgery. When I

first experienced sounds, I was so scared that I did not want to hear the sounds for the first two days. On the third day, I started to make my own sounds and I responded to what other people said.

my educational experiences Imagine going to a new school…you are 5 years old and deaf and you see other children on the playground. Imagine having butterflies in your stomach. When I first got to Midland Park, I remember I was crying, feeling scared and nervous all at the same time because I missed my old friends from Summit Speech School. I was nervous because I was afraid how people were going to react to me because I am deaf. I was scared because I wanted to meet new friends, even though I am a shy person. Being a student with hearing loss in a mainstream school has been a challenge.

ro

nn

ie e

ise

n

Being Deaf in the MainstreamBy Anthony Mohan

3518 Je�erson Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062

JWPOSD is celebrating 44 years of helping children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen, to speak, and to communicate in the world around them.

—


Being at Summit Speech School was not the hardest time of my life because I was so young. I remember being in a class with other kids who were deaf or hard of hearing and a kind teacher. I began attending Godwin and Highland schools in Midland Park when I was 6 or 7 years old. When I first got to kindergarten, I remember we had a general education teacher and I was in that class all by myself with other kids who had typical hearing. I thought I was the only kid who was deaf in school. In first grade, I was in a class with other students who had hearing loss and I preferred being in class with them because it was easier to be friends with them.

I started attending Midland Park High School when I was 13 years old. It was a big change going to middle school; we have to change classes and we are in a class with both kids who are deaf and who are hearing and have a collaborative teacher and a general education teacher. When I was in 7th grade, I was in math

with a general education teacher and I was in that class all by myself for the whole year. I did not have CART or a collaborative teacher, and I got poor grades on my tests and quizzes because I did not get extra support. It was difficult. Now I have an FM system and CART in a collaborative class and I find it to be a much better situation because it is easier to understand what the teacher is saying. I also like being with other kids who are deaf because they are easier to talk to. As a result being in middle school, though a little challenging for kids like me, is get-ting better all the time.

Everything has changed in so many ways from my early childhood. Now I’m almost in high school! I would like to thank my family for being always there for me and for supporting me.

You know…I like being deaf because it’s a cool thing! It makes me different and special. My cochlear implant has changed my life because without the implant, things would be different in

so many ways. Being deaf can be a hard thing to be in life, but being deaf can also be a cool thing.

Anthony Mohan is a 14-year-old student at Midland Park High School in Midland Park, N.J. He lives in Plainfield, N.J., with his mom and her boyfriend. His favorite subjects are math, science and (sometimes) English. His hobbies include playing games and going on the computer. Mohan wants to become an Air Force Pilot or a teacher someday. He has a cochlear implant and really enjoys his life as a person who is deaf.

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of short narratives by students in Ronnie Eisen’s 8th Grade Secondary Hearing Impaired Program (SHIP) at Midland Park High School in Midland Park, N.J. Their assignment was to write a series of personal experiences as students with hear-ing loss in a mainstream school. This a selec-tion of their stories.

Learning as a Family.Discover how to enrich your baby’s life with meaningful sound and language through personalized family sessions, collaborative services, parent groups and home visits. Clarke’s Birth-to-3 Programs provide strategies to sup-port language development through play, speech and listening activities in a supportive environment.

For more information on Clarke’s Early Intervention and Birth-to-3 Programs contact our central o�ce at 413.584.3450or email [email protected].

Now o�ering distance services in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Boston • Jacksonville • New York • Northampton • Philadelphia clarkeschools.org

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.


DIRECTORY OF sErVicEs

nAlabama

Alabama Ear Institute, 300 Office Park Drive, Suite 210, Birmingham, AL 35223 • (205-879-4234 – voice) • (205-879-4233-fax) – www.alabamaearinstitute.org AEI Auditory-Verbal Mentoring Program - Training in spoken language development utilizing the A-V approach w/ continuing education workshops & mentoring by LSLS Cert AVTs. AEI Summer Institute in Auditory-Verbal Therapy- two-week immersion in A-V approach - Workshops and practicum experience w/instruction and coaching by LSLS Cert AVTs. The Alabama School for Hearing: pre-school utilizing auditory/oral classroom approach - Auditory-Verbal therapy also provided. AEI: Education, research and public policy.

nArizona

Desert Voices, 3426 E. Shea Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85028 • 602-224-0598 (voice) • 602-224-2460 (fax) • [email protected] (email). Emily Lawson, Executive Director. Oral school for deaf and hard-of-hearing children from birth to nine years of age. Programs include Birth to Three therapy, Toddler Group, and full day Educational Program. Other services include parent education classes, speech and language evaluations, parent organization and student teacher placements. Desert Voices is a Moog Curriculum school.

nCalifornia

Auditory-Verbal Services, 10623 Emerson Bend, Tustin, CA 92782. 714-573-2143 (voice) - [email protected] (email). Karen Rothwell-Vivian, M.S.Ed., M.A., CCC-A, LSLS Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist (LSLS Cert.AVT). Auditory-Verbal Therapy and audiological consultation for children with hearing loss from infancy. Expertise with hearing aids, cochlear implants, FM systems, and mainstreaming support. Auditory Rehabilitation both pre-lingual and post-lingual hearing loss for children and adults.

Children’s Choice for Hearing and Talking, CCHAT Center – Sacramento, 11100 Coloma Road, Rancho Cordova, Ca 95670 • 916-361-7290 (voice). Laura Turner, Principal. An auditory/oral day school educating children and their families from birth through early elementary grades. Other programs include adult cochlear implant support, parent-infant program, on-site audiological services and mainstreaming support services. The school is staffed with credentialed teachers, licensed speech-language pathologists and a licensed audiologist.

Echo Horizon School, 3430 McManus Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232 • 310-838-2442 (voice) • 310-838-0479 (fax) • 310-202-7201 (tty) • www.oraldeafed.org/schools/echo/index.html • www.echohorizon.org • 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 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. Auditory-Verbal 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 Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062 • 650-365-7500 (voice) • [email protected] (e-mail) • www.oraldeafed.org/schools/jwposd (website) Kathleen Daniel Sussman, Executive Director; Pamela Musladin, Principal. An auditory/oral program where deaf and hard of hearing children listen, think and talk! Cognitive based program from birth through mainstreaming into 1st or 2nd grade. Students develop excellent language, listening and social skills with superior academic competencies. Cochlear implant habilitation, mainstream support services and Family Center offering special services for infants, toddlers and their families.

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.

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 Performing Arts Academy and Educational Center, 9801 Washington Boulevard, 2nd Fl, Culver City, CA 90232 – 310.280.0878, 800.948.7712 • www.kidswithnolimits.org. • Provides free speech, language, literacy and support services to dhh children and their families between the ages of 3 and 18 through its No Limits Educational Center. Additionally, No Limits offers a national performing arts program for schools and the community that builds the self confidence and communication skills of children with a hearing loss.

Oralingua School for the Hearing Impaired, North Campus – 7056 S. Washington Avenue, Whittier, CA 90602 – 562-945-8391 (voice) • 562-945-0361 (fax) • [email protected] (email) • www.oralingua.org (website). South Campus – 1305 Deodar Road, Escondido, CA 92026 – 760-297-6725 (voice) • 562-945-0361 (fax). Where children are listening and talking. An auditory/oral day program serving children from birth to 13 years old. Audiological, Speech/Language, Aural Habilitation, Mainstreaming, Auditory-Verbal Therapy and other related Designated Instructional Services available. Contact Elisa J. Roche, Ph.D., Executive Director.

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. Meetings are offered both on site at schools as well as off site in the community. Group meetings and events offered to oral D/HoH children in 5th grade through high school seniors.

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.Directory of Services



nColorado

Bill Daniels Center for Children’s Hearing, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Department of Audiology, Speech Pathology and Learning Services, 13123 East 16th Avenue, B030 Aurora, CO 80045 • http://www.childrenscolorado.org (website) • 720-777-6531(voice) • 720-777-6886 (TTY) • [email protected] (email). We provide comprehensive audiology and speech-language services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (ages birth through 21years). Our pediatric team specializes in family-centered care and includes audiologists, speech-language pathologists, a deaf educator, family consultant, and clinical social worker. Individual, group and parent educational support and programs are designed to meet each family’s desire for their preference of communication needs. We also provide advanced technology hearing aid fitting and cochlear implant services.

Colorado Oral-Deaf PreSchool, 8081 E. Orchard Road, Suite 280, Greenwood Village, CO 80111 • 303-953-7344 (phone) • 303-953-7346 (fax) • [email protected] (email) • http://www.oraldeafpreschool.org (website). The Colorado Oral-Deaf PreSchool (CO ODPS) provides listening and spoken language intervention in a superior educational setting for young children with hearing loss. The school, located approximately 20 miles south of Denver, serves children who are deaf and hard of hearing from birth to 6 years old and provides support and education for parents and family members. Services at the school include parent infant language intervention, toddler group, preschool group and mainstream support for school age students. Our superior learning environment is characterized by classrooms staffed by master’s-prepared teachers.

Rocky Mountain Ear Center, P.C. • 601 East Hampden Avenue, Suite 530, Englewood, CO 80113 • 303-783-9220 (voice) • 303-806-6292 (fax) • www.rockymountainearcenter.com (website). We provide a full range of neurotology and audiology services for all ages, ranging from infants to seniors. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, our board-certified otologist and doctors of audiology test and diagnose hearing, balance, facial nerve and ear disorders and we provide full-service hearing aid, cochlear implant and BAHA services. We offer medical and surgical treatment as well as language therapy and support groups, and are actively involved in various research studies.

Rosie’s Ranch: Ride! Listen! Speak! 303-257-5943 or 720-851-0927 • www.rosiesranch.com • [email protected] • Our mission: To provide a family centered atmosphere where children with deafness or oral language challenges will expand their listening, verbal and reading skills by engaging in activities with horses, under the guidance of a highly trained and qualified staff. Our programs: Mom and Tot: A 90-minute parent and tot group pony activity; ages 1-5. Pony Camp: Daily riding and camp activities; age 6-13. Saturday Riding Club: For riders of all skill levels; ages 6-16. Out of state families welcome to experience ranch life; accommodations will be arranged!

LOSS • DAMAGE • FAILURE

What to dobefore it happens.

Hearing AidProtection

1.800.525.7936www.soundaid.com

Parent advocacy training

Know your rights

AG Bell’s acclaimed Parent Advocacy Training program is now available for free in Spanish!Disponible en español en la página web www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org More than 1,000 parents have successfully completed AG Bell’s Parent Advocacy

Training (P.A.T.) program. P.A.T. gives parents the tools they need to successfully

advocate for their child to ensure his or her educational needs are met.

After completing the P.A.T. program, parents will have a basic understanding of

education law and how to negotiate appropriate applications to help develop an

effective Individualized Education Program (IEP).

• Know the Law • Know your rights Under the Law • Know How to Use the Law to advocate for your child’s educational needs • Know How to Secure ongoing Support and Services for your child

P.A.T. is free service offered by AG Bell made possible by the generous support of

the Oticon Foundation. The program is approved for 1.5 CEUs from the AG Bell

Academy for Listening and Spoken Language.

To access P.A.T. in both English and Spanish, visit www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org. Registration is required.

[ ]ASK THE EXPERTAG Bell now offers expert responses to your questions through its partnership with Bruce Goldstein and his associates at Goldstein, Ackerhalt & Pletcher, LLP. Families are welcome to contact AG Bell if they need additional information to assist with their child’s IEP, or access and rights to special education accommodations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Prior to submitting your question, families are encouraged to complete the P.A.T. online course; answers to many common questions can be found within the course content. To submit your question or take the course, visit the P.A.T. program online.

aSK tHe eXPert



nConnecticut

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 • 860-455-1404 (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 post-rehabilitation, 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.

nFlorida

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Jacksonville, 9857 St. Augustine Road, Suite 6, Jacksonville, FL 32257 • 904-880-9001(voice/relay). [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 and support group, 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, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, New York City, and Northampton.

Debbie School, Auditory Oral Education Program, 1601 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136 • 305-243-6961 (voice) • [email protected] (email) • http://debbieschool.med.miami.edu (website). Early intervention and primary education services are provided in a nurturing inclusive educational environment where children with hearing loss learn to listen and talk. Classrooms include early preschool, preschool, kindergarten, and primary. Services include early intervention, family education, individualized small group instruction, audiology, and speech-language pathology. Staff consists of credentialed teachers, a credentialed service coordinator, licensed therapists, and a licensed audiologist.

University of Miami – Ear Institute, Cochlear Implant Program, 1120 NW 14th Street, Clinical Research Building, 5th floor, Miami, FL 33136 • 1-888-COCHLEAR (voice) • [email protected] • (email) www.ent.med.miami.edu (website). Comprehensive multidisciplinary diagnostic and rehabilitative services provided for infants and children. Services include diagnostic audiology, amplification, cochlear implantation, listening and spoken language therapy, educational support and psychological evaluation. The Barton G Kids Hear Now Cochlear Implant Family Resource Center provides targeted support for families beginning with diagnosis including counseling, training, mentoring programs, advocacy, and support groups. Professionals include Otologists, Audiologists, Listening and Spoken Language Specialists, Speech Pathologists, an Educational Specialist, and a Psychologist.

nGeorgia

Atlanta Speech School – Katherine Hamm Center, 3160 Northside Parkway, NW Atlanta, GA 30327 • 404-233-5332 ext. 3119 (voice/TTY) • 404-266-2175 (fax) • [email protected] (email) • www.atlantaspeechschool.org (website). A Listening and Spoken Language program serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing from infancy to 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 educational evaluations. Established in 1938. For further information please visit our website: www.atlspsch.org.

Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc - Atlanta, 1901 Century Boulevard, Suite 20, Atlanta, GA 30345, 404-633-8911 (voice) • 404-633-6403 (fax) • [email protected] (email) • www.avchears.org (website). Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc - Macon, 2720 Sheraton Drive, Suite D-240, Macon, GA 31204 • 478-471-0019 (voice). A comprehensive Auditory-Verbal program for children with hearing impairments and their families. Home Center and Practicum Site programs provide intensive A-V training for families and professionals. Complete audiological services for children and adults. Assistive listening devices demonstration center.

nIdaho

Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind, 1450 Main Street, Gooding, ID 83330 • 208 934 4457 (V/TTY) • 208 934 8352 (fax) • [email protected] (e-mail). IESDB serves birth to 21 year old youth with hearing loss through parent-infant, on-site, and outreach programs. Options include auditory/oral programs for children using spoken language birth through second grade. Audiology, speech instruction, auditory development, and cochlear implant habilitation is provided.

nIllinois

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) • 847-850-5493 (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) 595-8200 (voice) • (630) 595-8282 (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 areas. Parent Support/Education classes provided. Child’s Voice is a Certified Moog Program.



The University of Chicago, Comer Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hearing Loss and Cochlear Implant Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, DCAM 4H, Chicago, IL 60637 • 773-702-8182. Program Director, Sally Tannenbaum, M.Ed., CED, LSLS Cert. AVT, [email protected]. Dr. Dana Suskind, [email protected]. Website: www.uchicagokidshospital.org/cochlear. The center provides full medical and audiological services for infants, children and adults. Comprehensive services for children with hearing loss and their families are provided from time of diagnosis through schools years. Services include otolaryngology, audiology services including cochlear implants and loaner hearing aids, and listen and spoken language therapy. Mentoring in Listening and Spoken Language, Auditory-Verbal therapy is available for professionals. In addition, the Center is actively involved in research projects including developing an evidenced-based, listening and spoken language curriculum called Project ASPIRE.

nIndiana

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Indianapolis. 9192 Waldemar Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268 • (317) 471-8560 (voice) • (317) 471-8627 (fax) • www.sjid.org; [email protected] (email) • Teri Ouellette, M.S. Ed., LSLS Cert. AVEd, Director. St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Indianapolis, a campus of the St. Joseph Institute system, serves children with hearing loss, birth to age six. Listening and Spoken Language programs include early intervention, toddler and preschool classes, cochlear implant rehabilitation, mainstream therapy and consultation and daily speech therapy. Challenging speech, academic programs and personal development are offered in a nurturing environment. (See Kansas and Missouri for other campus information.)

nKansas

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Kansas City, 8835 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS 66215 • 913-383-3535 • www.sjid.org • Jeanne Fredriksen, M.S., Ed., Director • [email protected]. St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Kansas City, a campus of the St. Joseph Institute system, serves children with hearing loss, birth to age eight. Listening and Spoken Language programs include: early intervention, toddler playgroups, preschool to second grade classes, cochlear implant/hearing aid rehabilitation and daily speech therapy. Challenging listening/speech and language therapy, academic programs and personal development opportunities are offered in a nurturing environment. (See Missouri and Indiana for other campus information.)

nKentucky

Lexington Hearing and Speech Center, 350 Henry Clay Boulevard, Lexington, KY 40502 • 859-268-4545 (Voice) • 859-269-1857 (Fax) • The Lexington Hearing & Speech Center is Kentucky’s only auditory-oral school and has been serving families for over fifty years. LHSC is a private non-profit organization with a mission of teaching children hearing, speech and language delays to listen and talk. The Early Learning Center at LHSC serves children from birth to age 7 with hearing, speech and language impairments, which includes a full-day kindergarten classroom. In addition, LHSC offers audiology, speech-language therapy, aural (re)habilitation and auditory-verbal therapy.

nmaryland

The Hearing and Speech Agency’s Auditory/Oral Center, 5900 Metro Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215 • (voice) 410-318-6780 • (TTY) 410-318-6758 • (fax) 410-318-6759 • 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. Self-contained, state-of-the-art classrooms located in the Gateway School approved by the Maryland State Department of Education. Additional services include speech-language therapy, family education and support, pre- and post-cochlear implant habilitation, collaboration and support of inclusion, audiological management and occupational therapy. The Hearing and Speech Agency’s Auditory/Oral preschool program, “Little Ears, Big Voices” is the only Auditory/Oral preschool in Baltimore. In operation for more than five years, it focuses on preparing children who are deaf or hard of hearing to succeed in mainstream elementary schools. Applications for all Auditory/Oral Center programs are accepted year-round. Families are encouraged to apply for scholarships and financial assistance. HASA is a direct service provider, information resource center and advocate for people of all ages who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have speech and language disorders.

nmassachusetts

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Boston, 1 Whitman Road, Canton, MA 02021 •781-821-3499 (voice) • 781-821-3904 (tty) • [email protected] • 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. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, New York City and Northampton.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Northampton, 47 Round Hill Road, Northampton, MA 01060 • 413-584-3450 (voice/tty). [email protected] • www.clarkeschools.org. Bill Corwin, President. 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, day and residential school through 8th grade, cochlear implant assessment, summer programs, mainstream services (itinerant and consulting), evaluations for infants through high school students, audiological services, and graduate degree program in teacher education. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Philadelphia, Northampton, New York City, and Jacksonville.

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/self-advocacy groups for mainstreamed students are offered at our Family Center. Summer programs, in-service training, and consultation available.

nmichigan

Redford Union Oral Program for Children with Hearing Impairments, 18499 Beech Daly Rd. Redford, MI 48240 • 313-242-3510 (voice) • 313-242-3595 (fax) • 313-242-6286 (tty) • Dorothea B. French, Ph.D., Director. Auditory/oral day program serves 80 center students/250 teacher consultant students. Birth to 25 years of age.



nminnesota

Northeast Metro #916 Auditory/Oral Program, 3375 Willow Ave., Rm 109, White Bear Lake, Minnesota 55110; 651.415.5546, • email [email protected]. • Providing oral 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 typical hearing peers. This can be achieved when they are identified at an early age, receive appropriate amplification, and participate in an oral-specific early intervention program. Referrals are through the local school district in which the family live.

nmississippi

DuBard School for Language Disorders, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5215, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 • 601.266.5223 (voice) • [email protected] (e-mail) • www.usm.edu/dubard • Maureen K. Martin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, CALT, 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 Association Method, as refined, and expanded by the late Dr. Etoile DuBard and the staff of the school, is the basis of the curriculum. Comprehensive evaluations, individual therapy, audiological services and professional development programs also are available. A/EOE/ADAI

Magnolia Speech School, Inc. 733 Flag Chapel Road, Jackson, MS 39209 – 601-922-5530 (voice), 601-922-5534 (fax) – [email protected] –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.

Moisture on a microphone and/or receiver damps high frequency sounds.If there were a product that could help restore high frequencies by removing that moisture,

wouldn’t you want your child to have that bene� t?

� e good news is that there IS such a product, and it’s called Dry & Store.®Used regularly, Dry & Store removes damaging moisture, so your child’s hearing instruments operate at

peak performance, every day. Plus, it’s the only drying appliance that also kills germs that reside on hearing instruments.

Learn more at www.dryandstore.com or by calling Ear Technology at 1-888-327-1299.

Remember: Consonants are more important than vowels.Remember: Dry & Store®. Be� er hearing through be� er hearing aid care .

Consonants are more important than vowels.


Consonants are more important than vowels.Consonants are more important than vowels.

For understanding speech (and for speech development), consonants play a huge role, and as it turns out, consonants are high frequency sounds.




nmissouri

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, co-principals. 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.

The Moog Center for Deaf Education, 12300 South Forty Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141 • 314-692-7172 (voice) • 314-692-8544 (fax) • www.moogcenter.org (website) • Betsy Moog Brooks, Executive Director, [email protected]. Services provided to children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing from birth to 9 years of age. Programs include the Family School (birth to 3), School (3-9 years), Audiology (including cochlear implant programming), mainstream services, educational evaluations, parent education and support groups, professional workshops, teacher education, and student teacher placements. The Moog Center for Deaf Education is a Certified Moog Program.

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - St. Louis, 1809 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017 • (636) 532-3211 (voice/TYY) • www.sjid.org; Mary Daniels, MAEd, LSLS Cert. AVEd, Director of Education • [email protected] • An independent, Catholic school serving children with hearing loss birth through the eighth grade. Listening and Spoken Language programs include early intervention, toddler and preschool classes, K-8th grade, I-Hear internet therapy, audiology clinic, evaluations, mainstream consultancy, and summer school. Challenging speech, academic programs and personal development are offered in a supportive environment. ISACS accredited. Approved private agency of Missouri Department of Education and Illinois Department of Education. (See Kansas and Indiana for other campus information.)

nnew Jersey

HIP and SHIP of Bergen County Special Services - Midland Park School District, 41 E. Center Street, Midland Park, N.J. 07432 • 201-343-8982 (voice) • [email protected] (email) • Kathleen Treni, Principal. An integrated, comprehensive pre-K-12th grade auditory oral program in public schools. Services include Auditory Verbal and Speech Therapy, Cochlear Implant habilitation, Parent Education, and Educational Audiological services. Consulting teacher services are available for mainstream students in home districts. Early Intervention services provided for babies from birth to three. SHIP is the state’s only 7-12th grade auditory oral program. CART (Computer Real Time Captioning) is provided in a supportive, small high school environment.

The Ivy Hall Program at Lake Drive, 10 Lake Drive, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 • 973-299-0166 (voice/tty) • 973-299-9405 (fax) • www.mtlakes.org/ld. • Trish Filiaci, MA, CCC-SLP, Principal. An innovative program that brings hearing children and children with hearing loss together in a rich academic environment. Auditory/oral programs include: early intervention, preschool, kindergarten, parent support, cochlear implant habilitation, itinerant services, OT, PT and speech/language services. Self-contained to full range of inclusion models available.

Speech Partners, Inc. 26 West High Street, Somerville, NJ 08876 • 908-231-9090 (voice) • 908-231-9091 (fax) • [email protected] (email). Nancy V. Schumann, M.A., CCC-SLP, Cert. AVT. Auditory-Verbal Therapy, Communication Evaluations, Speech-Language Therapy and Aural Rehabilitation, School Consultation, Mentoring, Workshops.

Stephanie Shaeffer, M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT • 908-879-0404 • Chester, 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.

Summit Speech School for the Hearing-Impaired 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) • 908-508-0012 (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.

nnew mexico

Presbyterian Ear Institute - Albuquerque, 415 Cedar Street, SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 505-224-7020 (voice) • 505-224-7023 (fax) • www.presbyterianearinstitute.org (website) • Catherine Creamer, Principal. Services include a cochlear implant center and auditory/oral program for children who are deaf and hard of hearing birth through 9 years old. Exists to assist people with hearing loss to better listen and speak and integrate into mainstream society. Presbyterian Ear Institute is a Moog Curriculum.



nnew York

Anne Kearney, M.S., LSLS Cert. AVT, CCC-SLP, 401 Littleworth Lane, Sea Cliff, Long Island, NY 11579 • 516-671-9057 (Voice) • [email protected]. Family-centered auditory-verbal speech therapy for infants, children and adults with any level of hearing loss.

Auditory/Oral School of New York, 3321 Avenue “M”, Brooklyn, NY 11234 • 718-531-1800 (voice) • 718-421-5395 (fax) • [email protected] (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 (center-based 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.

Center for Hearing and Communication, 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. 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.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/New York, 80 East End Avenue, New York, NY 10028 • 212-585-3500(voice/tty). [email protected] • 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 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.

Clarke’s New York campus is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and serves 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. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in New York City, Boston, Bryn Mawr, Philadelphia, Northampton and Jacksonville.

Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, 40 Frost Mill Road, Mill Neck, NY 11765 • (516) 922-4100 (voice). Mark R. Prowatzke Ph.D., Executive Director. State- supported school maintains Infant Toddler Program with focus on parent education and family support that includes listening and spoken language training by a speech therapist and TOD. Audiological services onsite. Auditory-verbal preschool and kindergarten (ages 3-6) program serves students who are deaf or hard of hearing alongside peers with typical hearing. Curriculum addresses NYS standards as it promotes language development through listening in a less restrictive setting. Full time TOD, along with music, art, library, audiological services and therapies that include individual and group speech, occupational, physical and family supports are available onsite.

Nassau BOCES Program for Hearing and Vision Services, 740 Edgewood Drive, Westbury, NY 11590 • 516-931-8507 (Voice) • 516-931-8596 (TTY) • 516-931-8566 (Fax) • www.nassauboces.org (Web) • [email protected] (email). Dr. Judy Masone, Principal. Provides full day New York State standards - based academic education program for children 3-21 within district-based integrated settings. An auditory/oral or auditory/sign support methodology with a strong emphasis on auditory development is used at all levels. Itinerant services including auditory training and audiological support are provided to those students who are mainstreamed in their local schools. Services are provided by certified Teachers of the Hearing Impaired on an individual basis. The Infant/Toddler Program provides center- and home-based services with an emphasis on the development of auditory skills and the acquisition of language, as well as parent education and support. Center-based instruction includes individual and small group sessions, speech, parent meetings and audiological consultation. Parents also receive 1:1 instruction with teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing on a weekly basis to support the development of skills at home.

Comprehensive audiological services are provided to all students enrolled in the program, utilizing state of the art technology, FM assistive technology to maximize access to sound within the classroom, and cochlear implant expertise. Additionally, cochlear implant mapping support provided by local hospital audiology team will be delivered on site at the school.

New York Eye & Ear Cochlear Implant and Hearing & Learning Centers, 380 Second Avenue at 22nd Street, 9th floor, New York, NY 10010 • 646-438-7801 (voice). Comprehensive diagnostic and rehabilitative services for infants, children and adults including Early Intervention, Audiology Services, Amplification and FM Evaluation and Dispensing, Cochlear Implants, Auditory/Oral Therapy, Otolaryngology, and Counseling, and Educational Services (classroom observation, advocacy, and in-service session).

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, RSD is an inclusive, bilingual school where deaf and hard of hearing children and their families thrive. Established in 1876, RSD goes above and beyond all expectations to provide quality Pre-K through 12th grade academic programs, support services and resources to ensure a satisfying and successful school experience for children with hearing loss.

The Children’s Hearing Institute, 380 Second Avenue at 22nd Street, 9th floor, New York, NY 10010 • 646-438-7819 (voice). Educational Outreach Program – provides continuing education courses for professionals to maintain certification, with accreditation by American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), American Academy of Audiology (AAA), and The AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. Free parent and family programs for children with hearing loss. CHI’s mission is to achieve the best possible outcome for children with hearing loss by caring for their clinical needs, educating the professionals that work with them, and providing their parents with the pertinent information needed for in-home success.



nnorth Carolina

BEGINNINGS For Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Inc., 302 Jefferson Street, Suite 110, PO Box 17646, Raleigh, NC 27605, 919-715-4092 (voice) – 919-715-4093 (fax) – [email protected] (email). Joni Alberg, Executive Director. BEGINNINGS provides emotional support, unbiased information, and technical assistance to parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf parents with hearing children, and professionals serving those families. BEGINNINGS assists parents of children from birth through age 21 by providing information and support that will empower them as informed decision makers, helping them access the services they need for their child, and promoting the importance of early intervention and other educational programs. BEGINNINGS believes that given accurate, objective information about hearing loss, parents can make sound decisions for their child about educational placement, communication methodology, and related service needs.

CASTLE- Center for Acquisition of Spoken Language Through Listening Enrichment, 5501-A Fortunes Ridge Drive, Suite A, Durham, NC 27713 • 919-419-1428 (voice) • www.uncearandhearing.com/pedsprogs/castle. CASTLE provides a quality listening and spoken language program for children with hearing loss; empowers parents as primary teachers and advocates; trains and mentors specialists in listening and spoken language. Services include toddler, preschool and early intervention programs; auditory-verbal parent participation sessions; and a training program for professionals and students.

nOhio

Millridge Center/Mayfield Auditory Oral Program, 950 Millridge Road, Highland Heights, OH 44143-3113 • 440-995-7300 (phone) • 440-995-7305 (fax) • www.mayfieldschools.org • Louis A. Kindervater, Principal. Auditory/oral program with a full continuum of services, birth to 22 years of age. Serving 31 public school districts in northeast Ohio. Early intervention; preschool with typically developing peers; parent support; individual speech, language, and listening therapy; audiological services; cochlear implant habilitation; and mainstreaming in the general education classrooms of Mayfield City School District.

Ohio Valley Voices, 6642 Branch Hill Guinea Pike, Loveland, OH 45140 • 513-791-1458 (voice) • 513-791-4326 (fax) • [email protected] (e-mail) • www.ohiovalleyvoices.org (website). Ohio Valley Voices teaches children who are deaf and hard of hearing how to listen and to speak. The majority of our students utilize cochlear implants to give them access to sound, which in turn, allows them to learn to speak when combined with intensive speech therapy. We offer a birth to age 3 program, a preschool through second grade program, a full array of onsite audiological services, parent education and support resources.

nOklahoma

Hearts for Hearing, 3525 NW 56th Street, Suite A-150, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 • 405-548-4300 • 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 pre-school, parent-toddler group, and a summer enrichment program. Continuing education and consulting available. www.heartsforhearing.com.

INTEGRIS Cochlear Implant Clinic at the Hough Ear Institute, 3434 NW 56th, Suite 101, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 • 405-947-6030 (voice) • 405-945-7188 (fax) • [email protected] (email) • www.integris-health.com (website) • Our team includes board-certified and licensed speech-language pathologists, pediatric and adult audiologists, as well as neurotologists from the Otologic Medical Clinic. Services include hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, cochlear implant testing and fittings, newborn hearing testing, and speech/language therapy. The Hearing Enrichment Language Program (HELP) provides speech services for children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing. Our speech-language pathologists respect adults’ and/or parents’ choice in (re) habilitation options that can optimize listening and language skills.

nOregon

Tucker-Maxon Oral School, 2860 SE Holgate Boulevard, Portland, OR 97202 • (503) 235-6551 (voice) • (503) 235-1711 (TTY) • [email protected] (email) • www.tmos.org (website). Established in 1947, Tucker-Maxon provides an intensive Listening and Spoken Language (auditory/verbal and auditory/oral) program that enrolls children with hearing loss and children with normal hearing in every class. Programs for children with hearing loss start at birth and continue through elementary. Tucker-Maxon provides comprehensive pediatric audiology evaluations; cochlear implant management; habilitation and mapping; early intervention; and speech pathology services.

nPennsylvania

Center for Childhood Communication at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3405 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia 19104 • (800) 551-5480 (voice) • (215) 590-5641 (fax) • www.chop.edu/ccc (website). The CCC provides Audiology, Speech-Language and Cochlear Implant services and offers support through CATIPIHLER, an interdisciplinary program including mental health and educational services for children with hearing loss and their families from time of diagnosis through transition into school-aged services. In addition to serving families at our main campus in Philadelphia, satellite offices are located in Bucks County, Exton, King of Prussia, and Springfield, PA and in Voorhees, Mays Landing, and Princeton, NJ. Professional Preparation in Cochlear Implants (PPCI), a continuing education training program for teachers and speech-language pathologists, is also headquartered at the CCC.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Pennsylvania, 455 South Roberts Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 • 610-525-9600 (voice/tty). [email protected] • www.clarkeschools.org. 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 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. Locations in Bryn Mawr and Philadelphia. Services include early intervention, preschool, parent education, individual auditory speech and language services, cochlear implant habilitation for children and adults, audiological services, 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. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Philadelphia, Northampton and Jacksonville.

Delaware County Intermediate Unit # 25, Hearing and Language Programs, 200 Yale Avenue, Morton, PA 19070 • 610-938-9000, ext. 2277 610938-9886 (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/TTY) • [email protected] (email) • www.speakmiracles.org (website). Lillian R. Lippencott, Outreach Coordinator. DePaul, western Pennsylvania’s only auditory-oral school, has been serving families for 101 years. DePaul is a State Approved Private School and programs are tuition-free to parents and caregivers of approved students. Programs include: early intervention services for children birth to 3 years; a center-based toddler program for children ages 18 months to 3 years; a preschool for children ages 3-5 years and a comprehensive academic program for grades K-8. Clinical services include audiology, speech therapy, cochlear implant mapping/habilitation services, physical and occupational therapy, mainstreaming support, parent education programs and support groups. AV services are also available.

nSouth Carolina

The University of South Carolina Speech and Hearing Research Center, 1601 St. Julian Place, Columbia, SC, 29204 • (803) 777-2614 (voice) • (803) 253-4143 (fax) • Center Director: Danielle Varnedoe, [email protected]. The center provides audiology services, speech-language 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 (803-777-1698), Nikki Herrod-Burrows (803-777-2669), Gina Crosby-Quinatoa (803) 777-2671, and Jamy Claire Archer (803-777-1734).

nSouth dakota

South Dakota School for the Deaf (SDSD), 2001 East Eighth Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 - 605-367-5200, ext 103 (V/TTY) - 605-36705209 (Fax) [email protected] (website). Marjorie Kaiser, Ed.D., Superintendent. South Dakota School for the Deaf (SDSD) serves children with hearing loss by offering the Bilingual Program located in the Harrisburg Public Schools, with the Auditory Oral Program located at Fred Assam Elementary and Brandon Elementary with the Brandon Valley School District, and through its Outreach Program. Academic options include a Bilingual Program offering American Sign Language with literacy in English preschool through twelfth grade and an Auditory/Oral Program for students using listening, language and speech for preschool through fifth grade. SDSD utilizes curriculum specific to meeting the needs of individual students with the goal of preparing students to meet state standards. Instructional support in other areas is available as dictated by the IEP, speech-language pathology, auditory training, dual enrollment and special education.

Outreach Consultants provides support to families across the state with newborns and children through the age of three while continuing to work with the families and school district personnel of children through age 21 who may remain in their local districts. Any student in South Dakota with a documented hearing loss may be eligible for services through Outreach, Bilingual or Auditory Oral Programs including complete multidisciplinary assessments.

nTennessee

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf, 7901 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, TN 38138 • 901-758-2228 (voice) • 901-531-6735 (fax) • www.mosdkids.org (website) • [email protected] (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, Speech-Language 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 • 615-936-5000 (voice) • 615-936-1225 (fax) • [email protected] (email) • www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/VanderbiltBillWilkersonCenter (web). Tamala Bradham, Ph.D., Associate Director in Clinical Services. The NCCDFC Service Division is an auditory learning program serving children with hearing loss from birth through 21 years. Services include educational services at the Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt as well as audiological and speech-language pathology services. Specifically, services includes audiological evaluations, hearing aid services, cochlear implant evaluations and programming, speech, language, and listening therapy, educational assessments, parent-infant program, toddler program, all day preschool through kindergarten educational program, itinerant/academic tutoring services, parent support groups, and summer enrichment programs.

nTexas

Bliss Speech and Hearing Services, Inc., 12700 Hillcrest Rd., Suite 207, Dallas, TX 75230 • 972-387-2824 • 972-387-9097 (fax) • [email protected] (e-mail) • Brenda Weinfeld Bliss, M.S., CCC-SLP/A, LSLS Cert. AVT. Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist® providing parent-infant training, cochlear implant rehabilitation, aural rehabilitation, school visits, mainstreaming consultations, information, and orientation to deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their parents.

Callier Center for Communication Disorders/UT Dallas - Callier-Dallas Facility 1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX, 75235 • 214-905-3000 (voice) • 214-905-3012 (TDD) • Callier-Richardson Facility: 811 Synergy Park Blvd., Richardson, TX, 75080 • 972-883-3630 (voice) • 972-883-3605 (TDD) • [email protected] (e-mail) • www.callier.utdallas.edu (website). Nonprofit Organization, hearing evaluations, hearing aid dispensing, assistive devices, cochlear implant evaluations, psychology services, speech-language pathology services, child development program for children ages six weeks to five years.

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.

Denise A. Gage, MA, CCC, LSLS Cert. AVT - Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist - 3111 West Arkansas Lane, Arlington, TX 76016-0378 - 817-460-0378 (voice) - 817-469-1195 (fax) - [email protected] (email) - www.denisegage.com (website). Over twenty-five years experience providing services for children and adults with hearing loss. Services include: cochlear implant rehabilitation, parent-infant training, individual therapy, educational consultation, onsite and offsite Fast ForWord training.



Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children, 603 E. Hildebrand Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212; 210/824-0579; fax 210/826-0436. Founded in 1947, Sunshine Cottage, a listening and spoken language school promoting early identification of hearing loss and subsequent intervention teaching children with hearing impairment (infants through high school.) State-of-the-art pediatric audiological services include hearing aid fitting, cochlear implant programming, assessment of children maintenance of campus soundfield and FM equipment. Programs include the Newborn Hearing Evaluation Center, Parent-Infant Program, Hearing Aid Loaner and Scholarship Programs, Educational Programs (pre-school through fifth grade on campus and in mainstream settings), Habilitative Services, Speech Language Pathology, Counseling, and Assessment Services. Pre- and post-cochlear implant assessments and habilitation. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, OPTIONschools International, and is a Texas Education Agency approved non-public school. For more information visit www.sunshinecottage.org

nUtah

Sound Beginnings at Utah State University, 1000 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-1000 • 435-797-9235 (voice) • 435-797-7519 (fax) • www.soundbeginnings.usu.edu • stacy.wentz (email) • Stacy Wentz, M.S., Sound Beginnings Program Coordinator [email protected] (email) • Kristina Blaiser, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Listening and Spoken Language Graduate Program. A comprehensive listening and spoken language educational program serving children with hearing loss and their families from birth through age 5; early intervention services include home- and center-based services, parent training, toddler group, pediatric audiology, tele-intervention and individual therapy for children in mainstream settings. The preschool, housed in an innovative lab school, provides classes and research opportunities focused on the development of listening and spoken language for children who are deaf or hard of hearing aged 3 through 5, parent training, and mainstreaming opportunities. The Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education offers the interdisciplinary Listening and Spoken Language graduate training program in Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Deaf Education that emphasizes listening and spoken language for young children with hearing loss. Sound Beginnings is a partner program of the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind.

Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB), 742 Harrison Boulevard, Ogden UT 84404 - 801-629-4712 (voice) 801-629-4701 (TTY) - www.udsb.org (website). USDB is a state funded program for children with hearing loss (birth through high school) serving students in various settings including local district classes and direct educational and consulting services throughout the state. USDB language and communication options include Listening and Spoken Language. USDB has a comprehensive hearing healthcare program which includes an emphasis on hearing technology for optimal auditory access, pediatric audiological evaluations, and cochlear implant management. Services also include Early Intervention, full-day preschool and Kindergarten, intensive day programs, and related services including speech/language pathology and aural habilitation.

nWisconsin

Center for Communication, Hearing & Deafness, 10243 W. National Avenue, West Allis, WI 53227 • 414-604-2200(Voice) • 414-604-7200 (Fax) • www.cdhh.org (Website). Amy Peters Lalios, M.A., CCC-A, LSLS Cert. AVT as well as five LSLS Cert. AVEds. Nonprofit agency located in the Milwaukee area provides comprehensive auditory programming to individuals with hearing loss, from infants to the elderly. The Birth to Three program serves children from throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, including education in the home, toddler communication groups, and individual speech therapy. AV Therapy is also provided to school-age children locally as well as through ConnectHear, an interactive teletherapy program. Pre- and post-cochlear implant training is provided for adults and communication strategies and speechreading is offered to individuals as well as in small groups.

InTernATIOnAlnAustralia

The Shepherd Centre, 391-401 Abercrombie Street, Darlington, NSW, Australia 2008 • (voice) +61 2 9351 7888 • (TTY) +61 2 9351 7881 • http://www.shepherdcentre.org.au. Over the last 40 years, The Shepherd Centre has assisted more than 1,500 children who are deaf or hard of hearing to reach their full potential. The organization is recognized as a world leader in the field of Auditory-Verbal Therapy, providing assistance through early intervention and cochlear implant programs for children, birth to 6 years with all levels of hearing loss, to develop spoken language. With a team of Auditory-Verbal Therapists, Audiologists and Child and Family Counselors, our Centre-based services include: one-on-one sessions; preschool and child care visits; home visits; babies, toddler and school readiness group sessions; playgroup; parent information sessions; formal speech and language assessments; professional seminar series; New Families programs; internal and external AVT mentoring programs; Cochlear Implant program in conjunction with the Sydney Children’s Hospital; and intensive workshop programs and distance services for families from regional Australia and overseas.

Telethon Speech & Hearing Centre for Children WA (Inc), 36 Dodd Street, Wembley WA 6014, Australia, 61-08-9387-9888 (phone), 61-08-9387-9889 (fax), [email protected] (e-mail), www.tsh.org.au (website). Teaching children with communication disabilities to listen and speak since 1966. Our oral language programs include early intervention and school support services for children with hearing loss and an innovative intervention program for children experiencing speech and language delay. Audiological services include newborn hearing screening, diagnostic testing, cochlear implant program and a network of mobile ear clinics providing free screening services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The Centre employs a team of audiologists, Auditory-Verbal Therapists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologist, Early Childhood Teachers and specialist Teachers of the Deaf to ensure families have the highest level of professional assistance and advice.

nCanada

Montreal Oral School for the Deaf, 4670 St. Catherine Street, West, Westmount, QC, Canada H3Z 1S5 • 514-488-4946 (voice/ tty) • 514-488-0802 (fax) • [email protected] (email) • www.montrealoralschool.com (website). Parent-infant 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.

Academics � More than 30 major and minor programs � Full classroom accessibility and support services � $7.1 million awarded in scholarships and 82%

of students received financial aid in 2010-2011 � 90% of recent graduates are either working or

pursuing post-graduate degrees Community

� Bilingual environment in American Sign Language and English

� 34 student clubs and organizations � North Eastern Athletic Conference and Eastern

Collegiate Football Conference

Washington, D.C. � Internships and networking opportunities that

lead to jobs � Multi-cultural city � Deaf-friendly venues, museums and live

performances

Open House Dates Imagine yourself here by attending an Open House and take the ACT during your visit in a fully accessible environment.

Monday, October 8ACT – October 7

Friday, November 9

Friday, March 29ACT – March 30

Friday, April 19ACT – April 20

2012 2013

Intern on Capitol Hill!The Capitol Hill Internship Program connects students with internships in Congress. Students experience the American political system in action just a few blocks from the Gallaudet campus. The Career Center also connects students with government agencies like the FBI, NASA and the National Institutes of Health.

Briana Johnson interned for U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

IMAGINE YOURSELF HERE!

800 Florida Avenue, NE . Washington, DC 20002800-995-0550 (voice) . 202-250-2474 (vp) . [email protected] (email)

admissions.gallaudet.edu



Children’s Hearing and Speech Centre of British Columbia ( formerly The Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children), 3575 Kaslo Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5M 3H4, Canada • 604-437-0255 (voice) • 604-437-1251 (tty) • 604-437-0260 (fax) • www.childrenshearing.ca (website) • Janet Weil, Principal and Executive Director, [email protected]. Our auditory-oral program includes: onsite audiology, cochlear implant mapping, parent guidance, auditory-verbal education, preschool, pre-kindergarten and K, Primary 1-3; 1:1 therapy sessions, itinerant services and teletherapy.

nengland

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) • [email protected] (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 Back Cover

Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc. ..............................................................................42

CapTel ............................................................................................................... 33

Central Institute for the Deaf .............................................................................29

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech ..........................................................35

Cochlear Americas ..............................................................................................7

Ear Gear .............................................................................................................10

Ear Technology Corp. (Dry & Store) ..................................................................41

Fontbonne University ..........................................................................................5

Gallaudet University ......................................................................................... 47

Harris Communications ....................................................................................24

Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf ..................................... 34

Moog Center for Deaf Education ..................................................................6, 28

National Cued Speech Association ....................................................................8

National Technical Institute for the Deaf - RIT ....................................................4

Oticon ..................................................................................... Inside Front Cover

Phonak, LLC ...................................................................................... Back Cover

Sound Aid - Hearing Aid Warranties .................................................................37

Sprint CapTel .....................................................................................................12

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf ................................................................. 11, 31

Tucker-Maxon School for the Deaf ...................................................................25

University of Texas Health Science Center ......................................................13

Utah State University Listening & Spoken Language ......................................17

AG Bell – Bookstore ..........................................................................................21

AG Bell – Parent Advocacy Training (P.A.T.) .................................................... 38

LisT OF AdVErTisErs

Swim Like a Fish! Hear Like a Dream with AB

If you or your child isn’t benefitting from hearing aids, then it’s time to consider a cochlear implant from Advanced Bionics. At home, work, school, and now in the water, many recipients hear their best with AB’s advanced cochlear implant system.

Contact AB for a FREE informational kit!

866.844.HEAR (4327)[email protected]

www.AdvancedBionics.com/AGBell The world’s first and only swimmable sound processor is making waves!

027-M047-03 ©2012 Advanced Bionics, LLC and its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Philip Van ScheltingaAB recipient

Nios S H2O

� Newly designed micro-sized housing perfectly suited for small ears

� Ideal choice for kids of all ages with mild to severe hearing loss

� Extended audibility with SoundRecover

�WaterResistant housing, even with integrated FM

� Size 13 battery

� Available in the V and III technology levels

www.phonakpro.com/niosSH2O-US

Performance and dependability for young lives

Ad_BtB_Nios_S_H2O_VV.indd 1 1/19/12 1:55 PM

volta voices september-october 2012 magazine

Documents