Volta Voices March-April 2014 Magazine by Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

LISTENINGANDSPOKENL ANGUAGE .ORG

VOLUME 21 ISSUE 2 MAR/APR 2014

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ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING

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MAR/APR 2014 // VOLUME 21 // ISSUE 2

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FEATURES 1 4 Learning Disabilities and Hearing Loss: Where Does One End and the Other Begin? Read about learning disabilities in children who are deaf and hard of hearing and becoming aware of “red flags” that may indicate a learning difficulty. by krystyann krywko, ed.d. 1 8 Reading Aloud: Benefits Beyond Bedtime The benefits of reading aloud reach far beyond settling your child down for the night. by kristine k. ratliff, m.ed., lsls cert. aved 2 0 Cultivating Listening and Spoken Language with Dialogic Reading Dialogic reading changes passive, adult-directed reading into a shared interactive conversation with the toddler as a partner. by adrienne russell , m.dehs, lsls cert. aved 2 4 Honoring Individuals, Celebrating Visions: AG Bell Award Recipients Read about three remarkable individuals whose visions have changed our community for the better!

2 8 Health Care Reform and Health Insurance Coverage for Hearing Services Read about key health care insurance reforms mandated by the Affordable Care Act and their implications for individuals with hearing loss. by theresa morgan

KETPLACE MAR

IN EVERY ISSUE

DEPARTMENTS

2 Want to Write for Volta Voices?

7 Voices from AG Bell Learning to Listen, Learning to Read

1 1

9 Editor’s Note Reach for Success, Ignite Your Inspiration!

Voices Contributors

1 2 Sound Bites

3 2 What’s New in the Family Needs Assessment Survey Data Knowledge Center

3 8 Directory of Services 3 4 Tips for Parents Finding Language Inside Life 4 6 List of Advertisers 3 6 Hear Our Voices Using My Voice: From Public Speaking to Law School 4 8 Up Front on the Shehzaad Zaman, D.O. interview by anna karkovska mcglew, m.a. Back Page

ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING 3417 VOLTA PLACE, N.W., WASHINGTON, DC 20007 // LISTENINGANDSPOKENLANGUAGE.ORG

Want to Write for Volta Voices? Advancing Listening and Spoken Language for Individuals Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adopted by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Board of Directors, July 2013

ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING 3417 Volta Place, N.W., Washington, DC 20007 ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org VOICE 202.337.5220 TTY 202.337.5221 | FAX 202.337.8314 Volta Voices Staff Director of Communications and Marketing Susan Boswell, M.A., CAE Editor Anna Karkovska McGlew, M.A.

Submissions to Volta Voices Volta Voices welcomes submissions from both AG Bell members and nonmembers. The magazine is published six times annually. Its audience consists of individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing, parents of children who are deaf and hard of hearing, and professionals in fields related to hearing loss (audiology, speech-language pathology, psychology, otology, social services, education). For submission guidelines and to submit content, visit the Volta Voices page at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org. Subjects of Interest • Technology—related to hearing loss,

Advertising, Exhibit and Sponsorship Sales The Townsend Group Design and Layout GRAPHEK AG Bell Board of Directors President Donald M. Goldberg, Ph.D., LSLS Cert. AVT (OH) President-Elect Meredith Knueve Sugar, Esq. (OH) Immediate Past President Kathleen S. Treni (NJ) Secretary-Treasurer Ted Meyer, M.D., Ph.D. (SC) Interim Executive Director/CEO Judy Harrison (DC) Joni Y. Alberg, Ph.D. (NC) Corrine Altman (NV) Rachel Arfa, Esq. (IL) Jonathan Berger, Esq. (NY) Evan Brunell (MA) Wendy Deters, M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVEd (IL) Kevin Franck, Ph.D., MBA, CCC-A (MA)

•

new technology, improvements to or problems with existing technology, or how people are using existing technology, accommodations. Education—related to public or private schools through post-secondary education, new approaches and teaching methods, legal implications and issues, etc. Advocacy—information on legislation, hearing health, special or mainstream education, and accessibility. Health—audiology issues relating to children or adults with hearing loss and/or their families and friends. Action—stories about people with hearing loss who use spoken language as their primary mode of communication; deafness need not be the focal point of the article.

Editorial Guidelines The periodicals department reserves the right to edit material to fit the style and tone of Volta Voices and the space available. Articles are selected on a space-available and relevancy basis; submission of materials is not a guarantee of use.

Transfer of Copyright The revised copyright law, which went into effect in January 1978, provides that from the time a manuscript is written, statutory copyright is vested with the author(s). All authors whose articles have been accepted for publication in Volta Voices are requested to transfer copyright of their articles to AG Bell prior to publication. This copyright can be transferred only by written agreement. Without copyright ownership, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing cannot issue or disseminate reprints, authorize copying by individuals and libraries, or authorize indexing and abstracting services to use material from the magazine. Art Submission Guidelines Volta Voices prefers digital images over original artwork. When submitting electronic files, please provide them in the following formats: TIF, EPS or JPG (no BMP or GIF images). Digital images must be at least 300 dpi (at size).

SUBMIT ARTICLES/ITEMS TO: Volta Voices Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 3417 Volta Place, N.W. • Washington, DC 20007 Email: editor@agbell.org Submit online at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org

Letters to the Editor Let us know how we are doing. Write a Letter to the Editor, and you could see your comment in the next issue. Media Kit Visit ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org and select “About AG Bell” for advertising information.

Susan Lenihan, Ph.D., CED (MO) Catharine McNally (VA) Lyn Robertson, Ph.D. (OH) On the cover: Read about learning, reading and literacy for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

VOLTA VOICES Volume 21, Issue 2, March/April (ISSN 1074-8016) is published 6 times per year in J/F, M/A, M/J, J/A, S/O, and N/D for $50 per year by Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 3417 Volta Pl., N.W., Washington, DC, 20007. Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, DC, and other additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Volta Voices, Subscription Department, 3417 Volta Pl., N.W., 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 ©2014 by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., 3417 Volta Pl., N.W., Washington, DC 20007. Articles published in Volta Voices do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alexander Graham Bell 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

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VOICES FROM AG BELL

Learning to Listen, Learning to Read This issue focuses on reading and literacy, a critical concern for both parents of children who are deaf and hard of hearing as well as the professionals that support them. The importance of emergent literacy for children who are deaf and hard of hearing is reflected in its inclusion as one of the nine domains of knowledge for the Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS®) certification. The development of literacy skills is a focus for LSLS professionals who partner with parents to support the development of listening and spoken language skills that are the foundation for literacy skills and later school success. Auditory-verbal practice helps children learn the many dimensions of spoken language by preparing their parents to interact with them by using meaningful language in real-life situations, all of which prepares children for reading. A LSLS guides parents in doing this by intentionally using their own language facility. They support parents in helping their children to develop sounds, words and spoken language for everyday living according to Lyn Robertson in 101 FAQs About Auditory-Verbal Practice (2012). Young children are constantly learning words from parents, LSLS and other adult role models, and they use these words to expand their vocabulary and build concepts about the function of words—and the world around them. A LSLS uses a wide range of strategies, techniques and procedures to help children build the foundation for reading. Through the use of songs, poems and word play, a LSLS assists parents in helping their children learn the rhythms, rhymes, intonations and phonemic bases of reading. The practitioners and parents also

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build memory for language structures by helping the child talk in conversations so that the child learns the conventional word order for sentences, how to turn statements into questions or exclamations as well as a wide range of other skills (Robertson, 2012). This issue highlights the importance of listening to stories read aloud and pretend play and experiences in helping children to develop vocabulary for objects, actions, relationships and ideas. Long before they are able to label them, children who use spoken language acquire the language parts of speech and understand where to put them in sentences. They learn the ways that stories unfold when they are told, the pragmatic uses of language, and how to use words and talk in a variety of conversational settings (Robertson, 2012). A goal of listening and spoken language teaching is to build a foundation for literacy. Every auditory-verbal session adds to this foundation for learning to read by helping the child learn about the relationships between written and spoken language. Children learn to recognize words on the page and retrieve them from memory to write them. Children also learn to listen to and monitor their own speech, and to use spoken language to think and connect with written language (Robertson, 2012). To facilitate this process, it is critical for children with hearing loss to use appropriate hearing technology as soon as possible and for parents and practitioners to facilitate spoken language development right from the start (Robertson, 2012). Lack of access to sound and spoken language can have detrimental effects for children with—and without—hearing loss. The research shows that when children with typical hearing lack exposure to rich language experiences, they can rapidly lose ground in learning and the gap between them and peers with rich language experiences can widen substantially.

The gap between children in language-rich and language-poor environments can amount to as much as 30 million words by the time children enter kindergarten, according to a study by Hart and Risley (1995). Reading to children daily is one of the most important foundations for literacy. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends reading to a child starting the day after they are born. Reading stimulates the development of the brain, language and a closer emotional relationship with the child. The importance of getting children off to an early, successful start in reading cannot be overstated. Children who read well are likely to read more, setting an upward spiral of positive effects into motion that leads to better academic achievement (Cunningham & Stanovich, 1998). Parents and professionals alike will find a wealth of strategies and techniques that facilitate and enhance the interrelated connection between listening, spoken language and literacy development within these pages—and gain a perspective on red flags that indicate reading and learning challenges. Additional information on building reading and literacy skills can be found on the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center. My hope is that all professionals, parents and children will pick up their favorite book tonight. One of the greatest gifts that we can give to our children is a passion for reading. Sincerely,

Donald M. Goldberg Ph.D., CCC-SLP/A, FAAA, LSLS Cert. AVT President goldbed@ccf.org \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CONCERNS? Write to us: AG Bell 3417 Volta Place, N.W. Washington, DC 20007 Or email us: info@agbell.org Or online: ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org

2014 AG Bell Convention June 26-30, 2014 Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Orlando, Florida

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Back by popular demand! Up to two badges for just one registration fee (applies to families of children with hearing loss and adults with hearing loss) 10 pre-convention workshops and 48 concurrent sessions for families, individuals with hearing loss and professionals Over 70 exhibitors in the areas of hearing technology, education and materials Magical venue: Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort— stay where the magic is happening! Onsite Children’s Program Keynote presentation by Rosalind Wiseman, best-selling author and an internationally recognized expert on children, teens, parenting, bullying and social justice Research Symposium featuring the latest research on maximizing brain adaptability and enhancing listening for language development, speech perception and music appreciation Earn up to 22.5 hours of continuing education

EDITOR’S NOTE

Reach for Success, Ignite Your Inspiration! Greetings! The articles in this issue of Volta Voices focus broadly on learning, reading and literacy for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. We further provide you with information on AG Bell’s ground-breaking Family Needs Assessment survey and on the implications of the Affordable Care Act on health insurance coverage for hearing services. We also honor three remarkable individuals who are recent recipients of AG Bell’s prestigious awards. Our opening article “Learning Disabilities and Hearing Loss: Where Does One End and the Other Begin?” by Krystyann Krywko, Ed.D., sheds light on how to differentiate between learning difficulties that might be due to a child’s hearing loss, which is considered a perception problem, and difficulties that might be the result of a learning disability, which is considered a processing problem. Krywko helps both parents and professionals understand the difference and work to appropriately identify and assess learning difficulties which are not the result of hearing loss, so that intervention is both appropriate and helpful. In “Reading Aloud: Benefits Beyond Bedtime,” Kristine K. Ratliff, M.Ed., LSLS Cert. AVEd, reminds us of one of the most effective strategies to promote the development of listening and spoken language for children who are deaf and hard of hearing regardless of age—reading aloud. She provides parents with advice on how to choose books for reading aloud and with strategies to promote listening and language development. Adrienne Russell, M.DEHS, LSLS Cert. AVEd, writes about dialogic reading, an innovative and creative technique which

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Jillian Tweet, author of this issue’s “Tips for Parents” column, shares her experience and advice on finding language inside life in anything that she does and anywhere she goes. She coaxes readers to shift their perspective and stop asking “Am I doing enough?” and concentrate on finding ways to combine learning with fun and fun with learning. Kate Georgen, author of this issue’s “Hear Our Voices” column, writes about falling in love with public speaking, engaging in meaningful conversations and employing her penchant for communication and persuasive argument in new and impactful ways to bring about positive community change. Our “Up Front on the Back Page” column features Shehzaad Zaman, D.O., a physician and bilateral cochlear implant user, who loves the challenge of trying to solve an illness and being given the opportunity to transform a patient’s worst fears into strength and hope. As you may have noticed, Volta Voices has gotten a facelift and it feels like a makeover! We hope you enjoy the refreshed look and feel of the magazine, which includes a restructured and more intuitive table of contents, a new color palette, readerfriendly typefaces and other details that reenergize the publication to make it more inviting, engaging and personal to you—our valued readers. Thank you, as always, for reading. We hope that the following pages will provide you with new knowledge, tools and approaches, ignite your inspiration and creativity, and motivate you to reach for success! We welcome your comments, suggestions or story ideas! Please email editor@agbell.org.

changes passive, adult-directed reading into an active, dynamic and interactional framework with the toddler as a partner. Turning reading into a shared interactive conversation cultivates listening and spoken language for the child with hearing loss and builds a foundation for the toddler to eventually become a storyteller, underscoring the power of learning through listening. The AG Bell board of directors recently selected the recipients of the prestigious AG Bell awards. In “Honoring Individuals, Celebrating Visions,” we announce these three remarkable individuals—Jeanine Gleba, Jacob Landis and John Stanton, Esq.—united by their perseverance, enthusiasm and magnanimity in the face of obstacles to bring about positive change for all individuals with hearing loss who use listening and spoken language. Key health care insurance reforms mandated by the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010, went into effect at the start of this year. These reforms enable individuals, including individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing, to compare and purchase state and federally regulated health insurance products. Theresa Morgan provides a useful overview of these reforms and their implications. AG Bell recently conducted a groundbreaking Family Needs Assessment survey in an effort to gain insight on the Kind regards, perceptions of families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing about the quality and availability of services received, from both private and public providers. Anna Karkovska McGlew, M.A. Results from the survey are now available Editor, Volta Voices on the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center. Our “What’s New in the editor@agbell.org Knowledge Center” column provides an overview of the survey data and guides you through the information on our website.

VOICES CONTRIBUTORS

Frequently Asked Questions About Auditory-Verbal Practice New from the AG Bell Bookstore! do you have questions about auditory-verbal therapy and education? Find the answers 101 frequently asked questions from more than 100 listening and spoken language specialists. this book will help you: • learn about the history, philosophy, principles and outcomes of auditory-verbal practice • gain an understanding of contemporary issues and current trends in field • Build strong parent-professional partnerships that foster the development of listening, spoken language and literacy • Find hope, support and encouragement

Available in print and e-book format for all major e-readers ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/101FAQs

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listeningandspokenlanguage.org

VOICES CONTRIBUTORS Kate Georgen, author of this issue’s “Hear Our Voices” column, was born with a moderate-severe bilateral hearing loss and uses a digital bi-cross system to communicate. She grew up in Plymouth, Ind., where she was active in sports and was a drum major for the Plymouth High School Marching Band. She also competed in speech and debate, winning both state and national titles in original oratory. Georgen attended Rutgers University for college and rowed on the Division I women’s crew team all four years. After graduating, she served as an AmeriCorp volunteer before accepting a position as a disability rights advocate in Nashville, Tenn. She and her husband currently live in Ithaca, N.Y., where she is finishing her third year at Cornell Law School. Krystyann Krywko, Ed.D., author of “Learning Disabilities and Hearing Loss: Where Does One End and the Other Begin?,” is a writer and education researcher who specializes in hearing loss and the impact it has on children and families. Both she and her young son were diagnosed with hearing loss one year apart. She is the author of the e-book, “What to Do When Your Child Is Diagnosed with Late Onset Hearing Loss: A Parent’s Perspective,” available on Amazon. She also authors the blog, “After the Diagnosis: Helping Families with Hearing Loss.” She can be contacted through her website www.lateonsethearingloss.org. Theresa Morgan, author of “Health Care Reform and Health Insurance Coverage for Hearing Services,” is legislative director at Powers, Pyles, Sutter and Verville in Washington, D.C. She conducts research and analysis on legislative and regulatory issues for health care and education clients and has

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primary responsibility for the Washington Wire, the firm’s weekly newsletter on health care policy issues. Morgan also helps manage the ITEM Coalition, a group of 75 disability-related organizations with the mission of improving access to assistive devices for people with disabilities. She also staffs the Habilitation Benefits (HAB) Coalition, which coordinates national advocacy to advance coverage for habilitation benefits, and the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation (CPR), a coalition of 25 organizations interested in maintaining and improving coverage and access to rehabilitation services. Morgan was recently elected to sit on the board of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) and appointed as the Maryland volunteer for the National Patient Advocate Foundation’s elite President’s Council.

Education and Hearing Science program at the University of Texas Health Science Center – San Antonio. She has presented “AVT on a Shoestring,” “S.T.A.R.R.: 5 Points to Success,” and “Sound Beginnings: Coaching Families with LENA Feedback.”

Kristine K. Ratliff, M.Ed., LSLS Cert. AVEd, author of “Reading Aloud: Benefits Beyond Bedtime,” is the hearing impaired specialist for Dublin City Schools in Dublin, Ohio. She provides itinerant services to a caseload of students, preschool through 12th grade. Ratliff has been teaching students with hearing loss for 15 years, and loves the variety, challenges, collaboration and learning opportunities that her current position provides. Ratliff serves on the board for the Ohio chapter of AG Bell. She lives with her husband and three children, and enjoys reading and travel.

Shehzaad Zaman, D.O., was born in Long Island, N.Y., played tennis and squash at Haverford College, studied medicine at the University of New England, and trained at University of Massachusetts Medical Center, University of California Davis Medical Center and Long Beach Medical Center. He is active in the community and while in medical school, he advocated on Capitol Hill for patient’s rights, served as a disability coordinator for the American Medical Student Association, and was appointed to a U.S. Surgeon General committee on improving patient care. He now resides in Manhattan and enjoys tennis, skiing, working out, traveling and rooting for his New York teams including the Yankees, Knicks and NY Giants.

Adrienne Russell, M.DEHS, LSLS Cert. AVEd, author of “Cultivating Listening and Spoken Language with Dialogic Reading,” is a parent-infant advisor and mentor at the Sunshine Cottage School Parent-Infant Program in San Antonio, Texas, where she has provided auditoryverbal services since 2001. Russell co-teaches “Best Practices in LSL Early Intervention” for the Master’s in Deaf

Jillian Tweet, author of this issue’s “Tips for Parents” column, is an innovator in the changing world of information literacy for all ages. Her passion to find words in the world around her emerged through her youngest son’s journey to listening and spoken language. Tweet is a Clarke School parent and advocate, helping to guide other families through the world of listening and spoken language.

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NEWS BITES In Memoriam: Jacqueline St. Clair-Stokes On Christmas Eve 2013, the field of listening and spoken language lost Jacqueline St. ClairStokes, a pioneer of auditory-verbal practice who tirelessly worked in the 1980s to help listening and spoken language professionals and the services they offer gain recognition in England and abroad. As a founder of Auditory Verbal UK, her work has had a lasting influence on thousands of children and their families, providing them with the support that they needed in order to learn to listen, talk and thrive in the mainstream. “When she worked with babies and parents, she was incredibly energetic, insightful and joyfully creative in helping them solve the problems posed by learning to listen and talk in the course of playing and interacting. She will be sorely missed by many,” said Elizabeth B. Cole, Ed.D., director at CREC Soundbridge.

New Amtrak “Txt-a-Tip” Service Amtrak has launched a new method for reporting suspicious activity, crime or emergencies by introducing APD11 “Txta-Tip,” a program that allows contacting the Amtrak Police Department’s (APD) National Communications Center via SMS text messaging. Passengers can report suspected criminal or suspicious activity by sending a text to APD11 from a smart phone or to 27311 from a standard cell phone. Txt-a-Tip will especially benefit Amtrak passengers and station visitors who are deaf and hard of hearing by providing an easy and efficient method of communicating emergency information to the APD. Amtrak has also released a video on YouTube about the new service, which can be found by searching for “safety is in your hands too.”

Hearing Aids Coverage for Children with Hearing Loss in Georgia The recently released 2015 Fiscal Year Budget Report for Georgia announced updates to the State Health Benefit Plan, which include an $853,980 increase in funds to provide coverage for hearing aids for children effective January 1, 2015. This coverage will apply to more than 650,000 state employees in Georgia and will positively impact children who are hard of hearing in Georgia. Let Georgia Hear, the parent-led coalition advocating for a hearing aid insurance mandate in the state, is grateful to Chairman Richard Smith, chair of the House Insurance Committee, and Representative Edward Lindsey for their support. Coverage for children’s hearing aids by the State of Georgia will pave the way for individual insurance carriers and self-insured plans to follow suit and greatly increases the coalition’s chances of eventually passing legislation which will require insurance coverage for all privately insured children.

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COMPILED BY: ANNA KARKOVSKA MCGLEW, M.A.

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Michigan Chapter Professional Fall Conference Recap The Michigan chapter of AG Bell had its largest ever turnout for its professional fall conference last October with 165 professionals, parents, individuals of all ages who are deaf and hard of hearing, and exhibitors from all around the states of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Karen Anderson, Ph.D., author of Building Skills for Success in the Fast-Paced Classroom and creator of www.successforkidswithhearingloss.com, led a whole-day workshop focused on promoting positive self-concept, cultivating self-advocacy and parent advocacy skills, generating appropriate goals for students with hearing loss, and teaching social communication strategies. The conference also highlighted two Macomb County students with hearing loss and their inspiring stories of self-advocacy in the classroom. Brianna Franco, a high school junior, reflected on how difficult it was at first to let her teachers know what she needed in the classroom. She explained that it wasn’t until she became older that she realized that in order to be the best student she could be, she had to forget about how others may perceive her, and instead focus on what was best for her. Lila Hodgin, a 4th grader, wrote an essay based on her experiences in using the FM system at school. She highlighted her advocacy skills by discussing how she enlisted a volunteer student peer—whom she called an FM manager—to carry the FM system to class for her and make sure it was plugged in. By bringing her peers into her world and helping them understand her needs as a student with a hearing loss, her classmates feel like they are contributing to her success in the classroom.

Where Does One End and the Other Begin? Children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) are

What happens when a child has an appropriate

not immune to the specific learning disabilities (LD)

language model and the appropriate supports are in

that children with typical hearing experience and these

place but still has difficulties learning? Parents and

learning disabilities can have a profound impact on

professionals are often aware of the unique challenges

their academic achievement, behavior and social skills

that a child who is DHH faces in the classroom, and

(Edwards & Crocker, 2008). Universal newborn hearing

the fact that hearing loss by itself can often create

screening, appropriate hearing technology and early

learning difficulties. However, delayed academic

intervention combine to provide children who are DHH

progress is frequently attributed solely to the child’s

with the opportunity to develop a strong language

hearing loss, and the possibility of specific additional

foundation along with cognitive and communication

learning disabilities is not always considered (Edwards

skills. “Having a strong language foundation is central

& Crocker, 2008). Through an understanding of the

to learning,” says Elizabeth Adams, Ph.D., clinical

subtleties in the process of identifying additional

psychologist at The River School in Washington, D.C. “Without this strong foundation there can be some academic gaps; but if a child has a language model

learning disabilities in children who are DHH, parents, educators and other professionals can be aware of “red flags” that may indicate a learning difficulty.

they can access, they should be able to learn.”

SCHOOL BY KRYSTYANN KRYWKO, ED.D. 14

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Understanding Hearing Loss and Learning Disabilities: What Is the Relationship? It is difficult to pinpoint the frequency of learning disabilities among children who are DHH. Recent research suggests that there is a greater incidence of learning disabilities in children who are DHH than children with typical hearing (Marschark & Hauser, 2012). The Gallaudet Research Institute (2011) estimates that roughly eight percent of DHH students have a learning disability, yet some surveys have suggested the incidence could be as high as 23 percent (Marschark, 2007). The suggestion of a greater incidence of learning disabilities amongst children who are DHH (Marschark & Hauser, 2012; Marschark, 2007) may be due to the fact that most of the primary causes of hearing loss are also the primary causes of neurological dysfunction, which can lead to learning disabilities such as premature birth, meningitis, anoxia, maternal use of teratogenic medication and certain genetic syndromes (Morgan & Vernon, 1994; Marschark, 2007). It is important to approach these etiologies with caution as each condition is simply associated with learning disabilities and in no way predicts the eventual development of a learning disability (Mauk & Mauk, 1998).

Perceiving vs. Processing Hearing loss and learning disabilities both affect a child’s learning; however, they do so in different ways. Soukup & Feinstein (2007) stress the importance of determining whether the learning difficulties are the result of a perception problem (hearing loss) or a processing problem (learning disabilities). When a sensory function, such as hearing, is impaired, then there can be difficulties in identifying, receiving and interpreting information. Either the student is not hearing key parts of a teacher’s lesson, or there is unfamiliarity with part of the lesson, such as vocabulary, so the student is not interpreting the lesson correctly. Learning disabilities are a group of varying disorders that have a negative impact on learning. They may affect one’s ability to speak, listen, think, read, write,

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spell or compute (NCLD, 2013). Some of the more commonly diagnosed learning disabilities include dyslexia, dyspraxia and auditory processing disorder. When it comes to the issue of identifying learning disabilities, Stewart and Kluwin (2001) believe that they are a result of a processing problem, where the student receives the information they are reading in a textbook or working on in class, but the brain is unable to organize incoming information adequately. Examples of these types of processing problems are when a child can identify numbers but struggles with memorizing and organizing these numbers (dyscalculia) or if the child listens to a story, but then does not have the ability to retell it (dysphasia).

Diagnosing Learning Disabilities in Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing The diagnosis of a learning disability in a child who is DHH is difficult to navigate. In the past, children who were DHH were automatically assumed to have a learning disability due to the presence of a hearing loss or the lack of spoken language. As a result, PL 94-142 (reauthorized in 2004 and better known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA) states the classification of a learning disability, …does not include children who have learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor handicaps; mental retardation; emotional disturbance; or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).

It is understandable why there was a need to reduce the over-classification of learning disabilities in children who are DHH. According to Calderon (1998) using the two-year discrepancy between IQ and academic achievement would have resulted in classifying the majority of children who are DHH by the time they reached 3rd or 4th grade with a learning disability. “Thankfully the cognitiveacademic split is no longer used as an absolute indicator of a learning disability

(i.e., if children had it, LD was present; if not, there was assumed to be no LD present),” says Adams. “While a cognitiveacademic split would still be interesting, the current approach to testing is geared more towards pattern analysis across a number of different measures that assess various domains of functioning. It is through careful analysis of these patterns that strengths, weaknesses, functioning and diagnoses are identified.” This so-called IDEA “exclusion clause” serves as both a blessing and a curse when it comes to educating children who are DHH. On the one hand, it prevents the automatic assumption of a learning disability thereby focusing attention on the specific accommodations and needs related to hearing loss. However, the exclusion clause has also been interpreted by many states to mean that the learning difficulties of children who are DHH can only be the result of hearing loss and not a neurological dysfunction (Soukup & Feinstein, 2007). “It’s important to realize that my son’s learning disabilities would exist even if he heard perfectly,” says Christina, a mother, whose 16-year-old son is a bilateral cochlear implant user. “After a couple of false starts we were finally able to find a psychologist who was able to take his hearing loss into account while diagnosing his learning difficulties. That attention made all the difference in the world.” If you suspect your child might have an additional learning disability, it is critical to work with someone who has experience working with children who are DHH. “Children who are DHH are such a heterogeneous population,” says Lois Heymann, director of the Steven and Shelley Einhorn Communication Center in New York City, “that any evaluator needs to know the variables that are involved in hearing loss, such as: How serious is the loss? When was the child diagnosed? At what age were they aided? What about residual hearing? All these facets need to be taken into account as all that impacts what kind of therapy a child might need.”

Assessing Learning Disabilities in Children with Hearing Loss

Achievement Test, Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Peabody Individual Achievement Test, or the Woodcock-Johnson Morgan & Vernon (1994) state that Psycho-Educational Battery assessment for learning disabilities of a child who is DHH should include at 5. Results from neuropsychological screening instruments to evaluate least eight different areas of data: visual-motor integration skills such 1. A case history of the type and as the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt degree of hearing loss, age at Test and the Developmental Test of onset, cause of hearing loss, birth Visual-Motor Integration and medical history, age at which 6. Results from assessment of developmental milestones were adaptive behavior functioning achieved, family history, and any or classroom behavior with other disabilities instruments such as the Vineland 2. An educational history Adaptive Behavior Scale, the 3. Results from two measures AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale or of intellectual functioning (i.e., Connor’s Rating Scales Test of Nonverbal Intelligence 7. An audiologic evaluation and and the Wechsler Intelligence vision screening Scale for Children) 8. An assessment of the 4. Results from educational student’s communication achievement such as Stanford and language skills

While this list serves as a great starting point in collecting data and information about your child, it is important to remember that each child has individual circumstances and additional measures and sources of information might be needed. “I would also want to know a lot of information about the early intervention, language choices, language and education environments at home and school, and a really in-depth analysis of current speech and/or language functioning,” says Adams.

Rising to the Challenge: What Parents & Educators Need to Know Although it is challenging to diagnose a child who is DHH with a learning disability, this diagnosis is essential to ensure that a plan can be implemented to help him/her develop academically and emotionally. The frustration of having a child’s learning difficulties misdiagnosed is that interventions put in place will be neither appropriate nor helpful. “Years of academic frustration and failure can not only hinder a child’s

Online Professional Education for educators, parents and professionals who wish to expand their knowledge on topics related to children who are deaf and hard of hearing. • Online Seminars • Study Groups • Workshops • Education Materials Visit the Professional Education page on BoysTownHospital.org.

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ability to develop skills that will lead to independence and mastery,” says Soukup, “but can also hinder the development of healthy self-esteem.” The combination of hearing loss and learning disabilities presents a complex challenge to parents and professionals. However, none of the challenges are insurmountable as long as there is awareness and understanding on the part of parents, teachers and professionals that hearing loss and learning disabilities can coexist. As every child has unique needs, it is difficult to suggest a standardized approach to dealing with learning disabilities. It might take time, but it is important to find professionals who have

experiences working with children with hearing loss to make sure appropriate strategies are put into place. REFERENCES Calderon, R. (Winter 1998). “Learning disability, neuropsychology, and deaf youth: Theory, research, and practice.” Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 3(1), 1-3. Edwards, L., & Crocker, S. (2008). Psychological Processes in Deaf Children with Complex Needs: An Evidence-Based Practical Guide. London, United Kingdom: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Gallaudet Research Institute (2011). Annual Survey of Deaf & Hard of Hearing Youth. Retrieved from http://www.gallaudet. edu/gallaudet_research_institute/demographics.html Marschark, M. (2007). Raising and Educating a Deaf Child. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Marschark, M., & Hauser, P. (2012). How Deaf Children Learn. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Mauk, G., & Mauk, P. (Winter 1998). “Considerations, conceptualizations, and challenges in the study of concomitant learning disabilities among children and adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing.” Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 3(1), 15-34.

Morgan, A., & Vernon, M. (1994). “A guide to the diagnosis of learning disabilities in deaf and hard of hearing children and adults.” American Annals of the Deaf, 139(3), 358-369. NCLD, Editorial Team (2013). What Are Learning Disabilities? Retrieved from http://www.ncld.org/typeslearning-disabilities/what-is-ld/what-are-learning-disabilities Pollack, B. (1997). Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Additional Learning Problems. Reston, VA: ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. Document Reproduction Service No. ED#414666 Stewart, D., & Kluwin, T. (2001). “Classroom management and learning disabilities.” In D. Stewart and T. Kluwin, Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: Content, Strategies, and Curriculum (pp. 289-313). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Soukup, M., & Feinstein, S. (Spring 2007). “Identification, assessment, and intervention strategies for deaf and hard of hearing students with learning disabilities.” American Annals of the Deaf, 152(1), 56-62. United States Department of Education (2006). Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities. Retrieved September 2013 from http://idea.ed.gov/explore/ view/p/,root,dynamic,TopicalBrief,23

Tips for Parents A key component of moving towards the identification of a learning disability is awareness and keeping track of patterns over time. The following are some suggestions to help parents and educators ensure that children who are DHH receive the academic supports they need. • A child who is DHH should follow typical patterns of growth and achievement. Hearing loss is usually not accompanied by characteristics of the processing problems of learning disabilities such as visual-perceptual problems, attention deficits, perceptual-motor difficulties, severe inability to learn vocabulary, consistent retention and memory problems, or consistent distractive behavior and emotional factors. If any of these behaviors are present on a consistent basis in your child, then it is important to seek more information as to why these issues are occurring (Pollack, 1997). • Learning disabilities do not appear overnight. “There will likely be red flags along the way that a child will have been lagging behind from the start,” Heymann said. Parents should collect data about their child’s academic performance (assignments s/he has completed, struggles they have observed while helping her/him with homework, consistent difficulties highlighted on school reports) and then visit with their child’s teacher and share concerns. The teacher may try to implement strategies to address areas of concern. Other possibilities include the implementation of a response to intervention plan (RTI). RTI differs from the previous “abilityachievement discrepancy” that was used to identify children for special education. The idea is that education decisions will instead be based on the outcomes from targeted classroom interventions. One issue that arises from this approach is that school districts may keep a child in RTI and delay classification for special education services. As a parent you have the right to request an evaluation of your child at any time.

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• Some teachers are good at picking up subtleties in a child’s learning. Be careful not to dismiss a teacher’s concerns by immediately thinking that they don’t understand children who are DHH. Instead, work together with the teacher in looking for evidence as to what exact difficulties your child might have. • Pinpointing behaviors that might indicate a learning disability can be difficult in children who are DHH, but the following are signs to look for, according to Soukup. These challenges might include: difficulties processing visual information, extreme difficulty in learning and retaining vocabulary (reading and spelling), reading difficulties, challenges with handwriting, disorders in attention, problems with organization, and inappropriate social skills. • Children with learning difficulties demonstrate difficulties that are consistent and do not resolve over time. For example, “vocabulary will not grow the same way in a child who is DHH,” says Heymann, “but this is not a learning disability.” Similarly, Adams suggests that “if a child has a two-year language delay, of course there would be some difficulties in an academic setting, but that doesn’t mean there is a learning disability.” • Increased demands can unmask learning difficulties. “Some kids are really good at compensating in their environment,” says Adams, “and develop strategies that can get them by for awhile.” The amount of struggle a child has will impact whether they are identified with a learning disability and qualify for services. Sometimes there is not enough of a learning discrepancy to meet qualification standards.

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Choosing Books for Reading Aloud Choose books you like or liked as a child. Since you have a good memory associated with these books, it is important to share that with your child because it creates a new connection between you and your child. Take a trip to the library and explore books. Libraries often display award winners. Librarians can make recommendations for high-interest books, and your child can peruse and make choices as well. Don’t forget to include widely known classic fairytales such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears or Little Red Riding Hood to your reading aloud repertoire. These stories are referenced in other books, movies and TV shows, and knowledge of these fairytales is assumed in popular culture. Be sure to read a variety of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc. Different literature offers different benefits. Fictional books promote imagination, giving children the chance to explore places otherwise unknown, and allow readers to know the thoughts of characters, including animals. This insight can promote Theory of Mind, the ability to understand the emotions, thoughts, beliefs and intentions of others (Sapolsky, 2013). Theory of Mind is essential for successful social interaction. Fiction can also allow your child to develop an appreciation for a popular character, or characters, who appear in multiple books, such as Clifford in the Norman Bridwell books or Piggie and Gerald in the Mo Willems books. Non-fiction books promote vocabulary, background knowledge and critical thinking skills (Polette, 2004). Non-fiction can introduce a child to actual places, time periods and individuals. It can be used to foster or reinforce an interest, such as dinosaurs or China. Reading non-fiction also exposes your child to text features specific to non-fiction, such as photographs, captions and graphs. Reading poetry with your child exposes him or her to rich and unique uses of language. Humorous poetry, such as Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky, is highly engaging. Poetry with alliteration and repetition like Dr. Seuss can promote phonemic awareness, an early literacy skill distinguishing sounds in words and moving them to create new ones (Duursma, Augustyn, & Zuckerman, 2008). More

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reading. Reinforce new vocabulary by incorporating it into your daily conversation. For example, if you read the word Strategies to Promote Listening “pristine” in a book, look for opportunities When reading to your child, be sure s/he to use it; for instance, “Dad just cleaned is wearing functioning and appropriate the car, and it looks pristine!” amplification. You want to ensure your Pose open-ended questions to your child child has adequate access to sound to such as, “What would YOU do if…,” and hear you reading the book. involve them in the story. Ask questions to Sit with your child on your lap or beside promote Theory of Mind like, “Why might you. If hearing is better on one side, be he not tell his mom about the bully?” sure to sit on that side. Encourage your child to make predicSit in a comfortable spot with soft but tions by asking “What do you think will adequate lighting. This reinforces reading happen next?” as a pleasurable activity. Make connections, relating the story Read at a volume you would typically to experiences or other books, “This use for conversation; however your rate, or reminds me of…” speed, should be slower than your typical If the story lends itself well, plan a rate of conversational speech. Be sure to follow-up, related activity such as a craft model natural fluency (smooth reading) activity or day trip (Buehler, 2012; Keene & and intonation. Read with expression and Zimmermann, 1997). don’t be afraid to take on the voices of Lastly, reread, reread, reread. As adults, characters—this engages your listener. we read books once and move on. Children, Use acoustic highlighting to emphasize however, love to hear their favorite stories important words or phrases. Pause before again and again. Rereading books reinor after a key word and give it stress, forces exposure to concepts and vocabulary. making it more salient than the words “The single most important activity for around it. This draws a child’s attention to building knowledge for [children’s] eventual a word that is important to know. success in reading is reading aloud to chilUse auditory closure and “expectant dren” (Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, & Wilkinson, lean” strategies. Begin a predictable 1985). Establishing a daily or nightly routine sentence, then pause and expectantly of reading aloud to your child is a bonding lean towards your child as if waiting for a experience with lifelong benefits. Curl up response. This allows your child to “jump with a good book and enjoy! in” to complete the phrase. This works especially well with rhyming books, filling REFERENCES Anderson, R., Hiebert, H., Scott, J., & Wilkinson, I. (1985). Becoming a Nation of Readers. Washington, DC: in a rhyme, or repetitive books, such as U.S. Department of Education, The National Institute of Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin. Education. Buehler, V. (2012). Read to Me, Mama and Consider reading a page first, without Daddy. Retrieved 9/21/12 from http://www. always showing the pictures. This allows listeningandspokenlanguage.org/uploadedFiles/ Connect/Meetings/2012_Convention/Handouts/FCP1_ your child to create his/her own scenes in ReadtomeMamaandDaddy_Presentation.pdf his/her imagination. Duursma, E., Augustyn, M., & Zuckerman, B. (2008). “Reading aloud to children: The evidence.” Archives of If reading a novel with an older child, Disease in Childhood, 93(7), 554-557. get two copies—one for you and one for Keene, E., & Zimmermann, S. (1997). Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in a Reader’s Workshop. your child. Have your child visually track, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. or follow along with the text, as you read. Koralek, D. (2003). Reading Aloud with Children of All Ages. Retrieved 9/21/2012 from http://journal.naeyc.org/ Tracking can promote word recognition, btj/200303/readingaloud.pdf joint attention and practice with listening. Polette, K. (2004). Read & Write Out Loud: Guided Oral traditional forms of poetry may be read to expose rich language use on endless topics.

Strategies to Promote Language After you have finished reading, encourage your child to retell the story (Buehler, 2012). Discuss key vocabulary words or figures of speech found in the context. This can be done prior, during or after

Literacy Strategies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Sapolsky, R. (2013). “Another use for literature.” Los Angeles Times, 29 December 2013. Retrieved 1/11/2014 from http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/ la-oe-sapolsky-theory-of-mind-20131229,0,2431766. story#axzz2qffOMrRu Trelease, J. (2006). The Read-Aloud Handbook (6th ed.). New York: Penguin Books.

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s a parent, grandparent and parent-infant advisor at the Sunshine Cottage School in San Antonio, Texas, I have seen firsthand the importance of interactive dialogic reading to toddlers with hearing loss to encourage vocabulary growth and plant the seeds of future academic success. How children behave during book sharing with their parents, caregivers and listening and spoken language professionals depends on their experience with books in general. One toddler can sit through interactive readings of multiple books, often requesting a favorite book over and over again, while another toddler squirms and runs away and seems to exhibit no interest in the book sharing experience. The importance of reading aloud during the first three years of a child’s life cannot be overstated. During this time, parents are their child’s first and most important teachers providing the sound code or phonology for language development. Parents imprint their baby’s brain with the sound code of language using a technique called motherese/parentese to capture their child’s attention during the shared daily routines of life. Help and support from the adults in a child’s life build vocabulary skills (Mol, Bus, De Jong, & Smeets, 2008).

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How Reading Becomes Dialogic By using motherese/parentese when reading a book to their child, parents effectively capture the toddler’s attention and cultivate his/her future desire for reading, learning and exploring. In addition, by using props such as toys and recycled (or easily obtained) materials from around the house, parents and caregivers can make reading an inexpensive and highly rewarding stay-and-play activity with their toddler with hearing loss. Dialogic reading is a shared interactive conversation between a toddler and his/her parent/caregiver/listening and spoken language professional that should be fun (Lonigan, 2011). This technique changes passive, adult-directed reading into an active,

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dynamic and interactional framework with the toddler as a partner. When adults share books with toddlers, the child may be focused on looking at the book and not necessarily listening to the story. Dialogic reading builds a listening foundation for the toddler to eventually become a storyteller (Whitehurst, 1992) through gestures, single words, two-word combinations and phrases. This underscores the power of learning through listening, especially for children with hearing loss.

The PEER Sequence Families coached with the use of the PEER sequence when sharing books with their child are often pleased by the toddler’s increased attention span with the book.

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The increased attention span helps the toddler to absorb the language through listening. The reading technique using the PEER sequence encourages the adult to: • Prompt the child to vocalize or gesture (use wait time 8-10 seconds) • Evaluate the toddler’s response • Expand the toddler’s response with rephrasing using parentese/motherese • Repeat the prompt Books with props help the toddler and adult stay and play in a meaningful and fun listening interaction. The behavior change modeled by the parent (Mol et al., 2008) complements a behavior change in the toddler as they participate together in the shared book reading.

The Humpty Dumpty Routine: Dialogic Reading in Action Pairing props with actions is an effective way to cultivate listening and language development. I created the “Humpty Dumpty” kit, which consisted of a hard-boiled egg, Play-Doh, feathers, building bricks, markers and a tiny book. I use it in listening and spoken language sessions to teach parents dialogic reading techniques by facilitating turntaking strategies with the family to keep everyone engaged with creating Humpty Dumpty out of the hard-boiled egg and the other materials. The experience takes parents through the dialogic process by acoustically highlighting the selected language targets. It is important that professionals pace the activity according to the needs of the toddler. Below is an example of one of these sessions: Professional: “Uh-oh, Humpty has no eyes…let’s draw some eyes on Humpty.” Parent: “Where are your ears? (looking at the toddler) Where are Humpty’s ears?” Professional: “Uh-oh, Humpty has no legs. Let’s make Humpty legs. Roll the Play-Doh.” Parent: “Where are your arms? (talking to the toddler) Where are Humpty’s arms? He has no arms. Let’s roll the Play-Doh. Put one arm here. Where’s the other arm?” Professional: “Humpty needs a hat. Let’s make a hat. Put the hat on Humpty’s head.” Parent: “Humpty needs a feather for his hat.”

Once Humpty Dumpty is complete, professionals can proceed with the story by rocking Humpty Dumpty back and forth with their finger behind his hat as they sing the story while the parent turns the pages of the story. The professional can then hand over Humpty Dumpty— already cracked from his first fall—to the parent for another round of the song. Finally, the toddler can have his/her turn controlling Humpty and letting him fall and crack. Collectively creating Humpty during an auditory-verbal session is part of the rich language process before sharing the book and song. Playing with props captures the toddler’s attention and turns the book reading into many shared conversational turns (dialogic reading). It engages the toddler into a storytelling role by asking him to repeat the story after having heard it from both the professional and the parent. This is a strategy for expanding auditory memory from one critical item to two and beyond. For example, I always ended the reading dramatically with a different twist, by saying, “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great faaaaaaall, uh-oh, he’s cracked….so we ate him!”

Humpty Dumpty kit: a pen, a hard-boiled egg, blocks, a feather, some playdough and the book. credit : adrienne russell

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Resources for Parents and Professionals to Encourage Dialogic Reading Cole, E. B., & Flexer C. (2011). Children with Hearing Loss Developing Listening and Talking. San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing. Cullinan, B. E. (1992). Read to Me: Raising Kids Who Love to Read. New York, NY: Scholastic. Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2003). Einstein Never Used Flash Cards. How Our Children Really Learn – and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Inc. Horacek, P. (2005). Run, Mouse, Run! London, United Kingdom: Walker Books Ltd. Karp, H. (2004). The Happiest Toddler on the Block. New York, NY: Bantam Dell.

Mol, S. E., Bus, A. G., De Jong, M. T., & Smeets, D. J. H. (2008). Added Value of Dialogic Parent-Child Book Readings: A MetaAnalysis. Retrieved from https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/ bitstream/handle/1887/16211/Chapter3.pdf?sequence=8 Singer, D., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (Eds.) (2006). Play=Learning: How Play Motivates and Enhances Children’s Cognitive and Social-Emotional Growth. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Humpty Dumpty (1996). Montreal, Canada: The Five Mile Press Pty Ltd. Lonigan, C. (2011). Research on Dialogic Reading. [Video File] Retrieved from http://community.fpg.unc.edu/ connect-modules/resources/videos/video-6-2 Whitehurst, G. (1992). Dialogic Reading: An Effective Way to Read to Preschoolers. Retrieved from http://www. readingrockets.org/article/400/

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Run, Mouse, Run! The board book, Run, Mouse, Run! by Petr Horacek is great for exposing toddlers to actions and prepositions. The story required the following materials: a mouse toy, a chair, a table, a cup, a shoe, a cat toy and a tissue box. Sitting at the kitchen table, the professional, the mother and then the child take turns acting out the story with the props, page by page, making the mouse run over the chair, across the table, up and into a cup, down the table leg and into the tissue box. Next, the mouse runs out of the box and into the shoe and, finally, into a hole provided by the book away from the cat. The turntaking strategy allows the toddler to listen and see each phrase twice before it is his/her turn. This format provides an early interactional framework encompassing joint attention, turn-taking techniques and communicative intent. An added benefit of this technique is helping the toddler to learn self-regulation by waiting his/her turn. Depending on the toddlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age and language development, his/her speech may vary from matching syllables with vocalizations all the way to matching the words of the professional and the parent or caregiver. Some pre-verbal toddlers may only match the movements before coupling their vocalizations with the action. Be patient and repeat the experience. If toddlers are older, an added activity is to allow them to find the props for a story. Finding each prop is an opportunity

to engage the toddler in a meaningful way, spark his/her interest and invest them in reading. For example, while I was playing with my grandchildren ages 28 months and 3 Â˝ years, they brought me a book to read. I opened the book and asked Run, Mouse, Run book with them to go find a frog toy in their the mouse and box prop. room that matched the one in the credit : adrienne russell story. Off they ran to search for a frog and a minute later returned with one. Now they needed to find a mouse, so off they ran back to the bedroom to hunt for a mouse. This activity continued for every page of the story until we accumulated the full cast of characters. Such activities extend the time for book reading through play and make toddlers eager to participate in the actual reading of the book. Reading aloud to toddlers with hearing loss improves their ability to listen and imitate the sound code of spoken language. Remember, listening comes before talking. Dialogic reading promotes language development and helps with literacy development preparing toddlers for the wonderful world of reading. In order for this time to be meaningful to the toddler, it must be fun!

BUTTERFLY

Celebrating 100 years.

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HONORING CELEBRATING VISIONS AG BELL Award RECIPIENTS

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THE AG BELL BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECENTLY SELECTED THREE NOTABLE INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE THE PRESTIGIOUS AG BELL AWARDS. Jeanine Gleba, a mother of a daughter with hearing loss, was selected for the 2013 AG Bell Award of Distinction for her advocacy effort to pass Grace’s Law—New Jersey’s hearing aid insurance mandate. Jacob Landis, a young man with a cochlear implant and a passion for baseball and biking, is the 2014 recipient of the AG Bell Award of Distinction for his Jacob’s Ride, a 10,000-mile bike ride to 30 Major League Baseball stadiums to raise funds and awareness for cochlear implants. The AG Bell Award of Distinction recognizes an individual or organization outside the field of education or (re)habilitation of individuals with hearing loss that has made an outstanding contribution to hearing loss issues. John Stanton, Esq., a lawyer who is deaf and the current chair of the AG Bell Public Affairs Council, is the recipient of the Honors of the Association Award for his extraordinary contributions to AG Bell and its mission of advancing listening and spoken language for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. The Honors of the Association Award is presented in recognition of an outstanding individual in the field of listening and spoken language who has advanced the goals of AG Bell over many years of committed service. These individuals are united by their perseverance, enthusiasm and magnanimity in the face of obstacles to bring about positive change for all individuals with hearing loss who use listening and spoken language whether through a grassroots legislative effort, a 10,000-mile bike ride, or deep, committed legal expertise in the field of disability advocacy. Join us in learning more about and honoring these remarkable individuals and their visions!

2013 AG BELL AWARD OF DISTINCTION: JEANINE GLEBA Jeanine Gleba’s daughter, Gleba initiated a grassroots advocacy effort. It took nine years Grace, was born with a and numerous bills that had been introduced in six legislative severe sensorineural hearing sessions since 1999 until her legislative effort won the support loss in each ear, which was of 57 sponsors in both houses of the state legislature, which was discovered during a voluntary then signed into law on December 30, 2008. hearing screening that was She used strategies gathered from an advocacy summit hosted performed when she was by AG Bell to garner support for the bill, which was later renamed born in 1999 (mandated “Grace’s Law” in honor of her daughter. She mailed flyers with hearing screening in New updates and advocacy action items to supporters. Taking advantage Jeanine Gleba, right, and her daughter Grace. credit: gleba family Jersey took effect the following year). When Gleba began her journey to obtain early intervention services for her daughter, she found out that her employer’s self-funded health plan would not cover the cost of hearing aids for Grace. Gleba filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which ruled in her favor a year later. Gleba lives in New Jersey where approximately 1 in 1,000 children are born with a hearing loss. With newborn hearing Grace speaks at the Governor's Office as New Jersey Governor Jon screenings required by law in her state starting in 2000 and the Corzine looks on. credit: tim larsen subsequent identification of hearing loss for many children at birth, Gleba felt that newborn hearing screening by itself was futile if children with hearing loss could not get appropriate and of the burgeoning use of the Internet, she put together e-bulletins, affordable amplification. built a website with the help of a volunteer, and launched an After reading a newsletter article about a proposed hearing Internet petition that garnered 8,400 signatures. Gleba harnessed aid coverage law in her home state of New Jersey and befriendthe support and enthusiasm of other families, sought and gained ing Carol Granaldi, who founded the initial movement to enact media coverage, participated in awareness and fundraising activities hearing aid insurance legislation in New Jersey, Gleba became a related to hearing loss, and she and her daughter Grace never missed “mom on a mission.” a committee hearing related to the bill.

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Despite opposition from insurance companies and a general unwillingness among legislators to pass any legislation with a fiscal impact, the bill finally passed the full assembly in 2008, gaining sponsors from every district in the state. Signed into law on December 30, 2008, Grace’s Law requires all health insurers in the state of New Jersey to provide up to $1,000 coverage for each hearing aid prescribed for children 15 years old and younger, with the exception being self-funded plans which

are protected federally under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and do not have to follow state mandates. Gleba continues to work for expanded hearing aid coverage for children. Her dream is for insurance coverage for hearing aids to become a reality on the national level and to be standard inclusion for all policies. For more information on Grace’s Law and Jeanine Gleba, visit www.graceslaw.com.

2014 AG BELL AWARD OF DISTINCTION: JACOB LANDIS Jacob Landis started Jacob’s Ride in 2012, an effort to raise money for people who need a cochlear implant but cannot afford it. Jacob’s Ride combined his love of baseball and cycling and aimed to “hit a home run for hearing” by raising awareness of the difference cochlear implants can make in the life of people who are deaf Jacob Landis and hard of hearing. The ride, which encompassed 30 Major League Baseball parks stretched out over 10,000 miles, began at National’s Park in Washington, D.C. on April 3, 2013 and was scheduled to end on September 24, 2013 at Marlins’ Stadium in Miami, Fla. On September 22, 2013, four miles from his hotel and with only 2 days and 180 miles left to go, he was struck on U.S. Highway 27 South while cycling towards his last destination in Miami. Landis suffered a severe concussion along with other injuries. He still attended the finale at Marlins Stadium, though walking his bike in instead of pedaling. His endeavor raised over $150,000 and continues to receive donations. Landis has come to believe that his deafness has a special purpose. He is fully aware of the difference the implant has made in his life. Landis had progressive hearing loss as a child, which was identified at age 2, after his mother felt his speech development was slow. Over the next three years, Landis’s hearing continued to deteriorate and he was fitted with hearing aids. When hearing aids no longer provided him with a benefit, Landis went through the cochlear implant process and received a cochlear implant at age 10.

Landis went on to attend middle school, high school and college in the mainstream. He earned an associate degree from Anne Arundel Community College. Landis now works full time at Whole Foods in Annapolis, Md., while pursuing his Business Administration degree at the University of Maryland. Over the years, Landis has met with hundreds of cochlear implant candidates and their families. He has spoken at medical conferences and to college engineering students about the designing of devices for those with special needs. During his teenage years, Landis became a passionate baseball fan, holding season tickets with the Baltimore Orioles and attending between 20 and 30 games a year. He is also an avid cyclist, and by combining twin passions for baseball and bicycling, Jacob's ride was born. Landis is making plans for the future but knows that he will be working in some way to raise cochlear implant awareness for the rest of his life. To learn more about Jacob Landis, visit his website www.jacobsride.com. Jacob Landis with Dylan, a 9-year-old cochlear implant recipient, at the Brewers game in Milwaukee, Wisc., during Jacob's Ride. credit : jacob landis

2014 HONORS OF THE ASSOCIATION AWARD: JOHN STANTON, ESQ.

Jacob Landis, John Stanton and AG Bell board member Catherine McNally at National's Park in Washington, D.C. on the eve of Jacob's Ride. credit: ag bell

John Stanton is the current chair of the AG Bell Public Affairs Council. Stanton is a longtime volunteer with AG Bell—a tireless advocate for movie captioning as well as promoting CART in the classroom. He has generously contributed his legal talents and expertise over many years to advance issues of critical concern to people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Stanton is senior counsel at the Washington, D.C. law office of Holland & Knight, LLP, where he specializes in appellate advocacy litigation and has worked on numerous cases involving civil

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rights laws. He also has written extensively about the history of people with disabilities and has extensive pro bono experience in the field of disability advocacy, which he has put to full use in his tireless commitment to AG Bell’s advocacy and regulatory efforts. He graduated from Dartmouth College and the Georgetown John Stanton University Law Center. After obtaining his law degree, Stanton served as a judicial clerk for Judge Nathaniel Jones on the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Sixth Circuit. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, he worked at the Washington, D.C. office of Howrey, LLP. Stanton became deaf in early childhood and grew up using spoken language and speechreading, and received a cochlear implant in 2001. He has been a member of AG Bell since the mid-1990s and is a former member of the board of directors. He has drafted numerous petitions for certiorari, oppositions and amicus briefs filed in the U.S. Supreme Court. He has been involved in appeals in nearly every federal appellate court, as well as several state courts. As chair of the Public Affairs Council, Stanton is instrumental in establishing the direction of AG Bell’s public policy efforts. He has

also guided the association in cases where the association chooses to file amicus briefs or other petitions on behalf of individuals with hearing loss pursuing appropriate accommodations. He has worked with the association on the development of many of its position statements, including on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the first international treaty to address disability rights. One of Stanton’s most recent publications is a law review article on the history of lawyers who are deaf and hard of hearing. “Breaking the Sound Barriers: How the Americans With Disabilities Act and Technology Have Enabled Deaf Lawyers to Succeed” published in the Valparaiso Law Review recounts the history of lawyers who are deaf in the 19th century and discusses the obstacles that aspiring lawyers and law students who are deaf have encountered throughout most of the 20th century until the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. Stanton provides numerous examples of how increased awareness, greater legal protections and advanced technology have removed many of the barriers that lawyers who are deaf have faced throughout the decades by sharing his own experiences as well as those of many AG Bell members, including Rachel Arfa, Michael Tecklenburg, Bonnie Tucker, Laura Gold, Mac Gibson, Susan Harris, Michael Stein and Caitlin Parton. Look for more information about AG Bell awards in upcoming issues of Volta Voices.

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HEALTH CARE

REFORM AND HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE

FOR HE ARING SERVICES BY THERESA MORGAN

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Key health care insurance reforms mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010, went into effect at the start of this year. These reforms enable individuals, including individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing, to compare and purchase state and federally regulated health insurance products which by law must meet a number of new requirements.

For example, issuers are no longer allowed to deny people with hearing loss or other pre-existing conditions coverage under most new health insurance plans; certified qualified health plans (QHPs) must cover a minimum benefits package (including an array of hearing services which vary by state); and coverage limits under these plans cannot include annual and lifetime monetary coverage caps on essential health benefits (EHBs). On Tuesday, October 1, 2013, states and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened their health insurance exchanges, otherwise known as “marketplaces.” The marketplaces exist online and, when operating as intended, provide one-stop shops at which individuals and small groups can compare and purchase health insurance plans. Issuers display the various plans they are offering and consumers should be able to see what benefits are covered and at what cost, and choose the right plan for their circumstances. Although all states have the authority to run their own marketplace, over 30 states have elected or defaulted to a federally-run or “partnership” exchange

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in which HHS will have significant operational and legal responsibility over the state activity. Only 18 states will run their own exchange in 2014. In the first days and weeks of their debut, both HHS and state exchanges experienced significant technical difficulties, rendering the exchanges at least temporarily inaccessible. To date, HHS is reporting that at least 2 million individuals have purchased private insurance through the federal exchange. States are reporting varied success with enrollment. Starting this year, non-exempt individuals must show consistent enrollment in health insurance coverage or pay a fine. The ACA provides premium subsidies for individuals earning between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). These subsidies will vary in value depending on where the individual’s income falls within these limits. For those earning between 100 percent–250 percent of the FPL, subsidies for deductibles and copayments will also be available. Coverage purchased on the exchanges by individuals and small groups before the December 2013 deadlines became effective

on January 1, 2014. For each successive month, the deadline is the 15th in order to have coverage effective by the first of the next month. It is important for consumers to note that issuers only have to guarantee coverage during the initial enrollment period; after that initial deadline is passed, only consumers who have qualifying life events (i.e., marriage or having a baby), are guaranteed issue until the next open enrollment period.

Essential Health Benefits, the Benchmark Plan Process and Hearing Health The ACA requires that all non-grandfathered individual and small group health insurance plans, as well as Medicaid benchmark and benchmark-equivalent plans, cover essential health benefits (EHBs); most new small employer and individual plans must cover EHBs regardless of whether these plans are offered on an exchange. By law, there are 10 categories of EHBs, including ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, prescription drugs, rehabilitation and habilitation services and devices,

Health Care Reform and equal benefits to the benchmark plan Fluctuation in Medicaid in that state. Many states allow plans to Covered Services substitute actuarially equivalent benefits As of January 1, states have the option of within EHB categories. When they compare and purchase plan coverage, it is expanding Medicaid eligibility to all adults important for consumers to look carefully below 133 percent of the FPL. In states which expand Medicaid, newly eligible at the types of benefits covered within the EHB categories, as there will be some individuals will have access to Alternative Benefit Plans (ABPs) which must cover variation between plans even within the EHBs, including rehabilitative and habilisame state. Individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing should review plan docu- tative services and devices. Individuals ments which detail specific service cover- who are medically frail (i.e., have serious disabilities or chronic conditions) will have age, including coverage for rehabilitative a choice of the standard Medicaid plan in and habilitative services and devices. their state or an ABP. Some ABPs might States and the federally facilitated cover EHBs that would be considered exchanges have identified “navigators” in the community who can assist consumers “optional” for adults under the state plan (cochlear implantation, for example). with comparing and purchasing plans. States can use existing benchmark These navigators are independent of insurand benchmark equivalent plan authorance plans, and are not allowed to accept ity to develop ABPs to target a specific payment from consumers or insurance population. Just over half of the states plans. In addition, many states have offiare expanding their eligible Medicaid cials within the Department of Insurance population this year. But even those states who can answer consumer questions.

chronic care management and other categories of benefits. Neither the law nor the federal EHB regulations stipulate the specific benefits within each category that plans must cover. Instead, federal guidance to the states has directed state officials to select an existing typical small group plan to become that state’s benchmark plan for health care reform. When a benchmark plan within a state fails to cover one of the EHB categories (for example, habilitation services), the state and the issuer are required to ensure that the category is sufficiently covered moving forward. In addition, if a benchmark did not cover a state benefit mandate (such as hearing aids) in the past, the benchmark must include the benefit mandate as an EHB moving forward. However, this requirement only exists for mandates passed before January 1, 2012. All “qualified health plans” or “QHPs” in a state must cover substantially

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which are not expanding can build ABPs which must cover EHBs. States will remain extremely busy this year as they regulate—and legislate—differences into their Medicaid plans.

Marketplace Tiered Coverage and Small Employer Exchanges The marketplaces will offer five different categories of insurance plans: catastrophic, bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Catastrophic plans have low premiums, high cost-sharing and are available to individuals under the age of 30 who cannot find affordable insurance coverage elsewhere. Bronze, silver, gold and platinum plans cover 60 percent, 70 percent, 80 percent and 90 percent of the cost of care,

respectively. Bronze tier coverage will have the lowest premiums and platinum tier coverage will have the highest premiums. All of the plans cover the 10 essential health benefits required by the ACA. The ACA provides for the creation of health insurance marketplaces exclusively for small businesses, known as the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP). For most states operating their individual market exchanges through the federally facilitated exchange, HHS will run both a SHOP and an individual marketplace. Premium subsidies will be available for some employers on the SHOP marketplace. The subsidies scale with the size of the employer and the annual wages of their employees.

Useful Links Information on the health insurance exchanges https://www.healthcare.gov/getcovered-a-1-page-guide-to-thehealth-insurance-marketplace/ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Frequently Asked Questions http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/ Resources/Fact-Sheets-and-FAQs/ HHS ACA information http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/ rights/index.html

Chapter News: We will share a booth with Rosie’s Ranch and Listen Foundation at the Orlando AG Bell Conference. Come Visit Us!

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2014 Events to Look For: Family Zoo Event, Spring Walk 4 Hearing with the CO AG Bell Team, June Fundraising at Cherry Creek Arts Festival, July

Visit us at: www.coloradoagbell.org

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WHAT’S NEW IN THE KNOWLEDGE CENTER

Family Needs Assessment Survey Data The sky is the limit for today’s children with hearing loss whose families are pursuing a listening and spoken language outcome. Universal newborn hearing screening, timely and appropriate amplification with hearing technology, and sufficient and committed early intervention services help children who are deaf and hard of hearing to reach their full potential. Despite the success stories, many children are not receiving the full spectrum of services needed to ensure successful outcomes. Families have indicated that they often experience stress related to their chosen communication outcome for their child. There is a fear that at any moment the “rug will be pulled out from under them” and their child’s success will be in jeopardy. This stress has been expressed by parents through postings on AG Bell social media pages, emails sent to the AG Bell national office and discussions at the local level. Families also indicate a perceived lack of understanding as to how their child could be served throughout his or her developmental and educational years.

There have been no recent studies conducted as to how families feel about services or the lack of services they receive in regards to their child’s hearing loss. Recognizing this need, AG Bell commissioned the Family Needs Assessment survey in an effort to gain insight on the perceptions of families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing about the quality and availability of services received, from both private and public providers. The goal of the assessment was to understand the needs of families as they progress through the major phases of their child’s journey. The main topics addressed in the survey were: • Access to information • Emotional and support services • Early Intervention services (IFSP) • School-age years and the IEP • Financial considerations and barriers Results from the survey are now available on the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/ FamilyNeedsAssessment. This section provides a wealth of information and resources, replete with data and graphics, for families, professionals, students, policymakers, the media and the general public. The landing page introduces readers to the survey and how AG Bell is working to address the many needs of families noted in the survey. On the right side of the page, visitors will find links to other resources, including a booklet summarizing the survey as a downloadable PDF as well as AG Bell’s strategic plan finalized in late 2013 that addresses the needs of families. Navigation through the survey sections is easy and intuitive—visitors can use the menu on the left to select the specific section they would like to review or use the “previous” and “next” buttons at the bottom of each page.

Section 1—Respondent Demographics Examine the methodology behind the survey and the target population that AG Bell wanted to learn more about.

Section 2—Access to Information The first weeks or months after a child’s diagnosis of hearing loss are emotionally difficult for families. Families have to make important decisions early in the child’s life, making access to timely, unbiased, relevant and culturally sensitive information a fundamental need for families. Information in this section reveals how parents gathered and received information in the weeks and months after their child’s initial diagnosis of hearing loss.

Section 3—Emotional and Support Resources Availability of emotional, counseling and support resources in the local area varied widely. More than a quarter of respondents noted a challenge associated with the availability of such resources. In this section, visitors will learn how families used emotional and other support resources.

Section 4—Early Intervention Resources After a child is diagnosed with hearing loss and found eligible for Early Intervention services, the family and a team of providers meet to develop the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) administered under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with services focused on the needs of the entire family. This section details families’ experience with the development and implementation of IFSPs.

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ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/FamilyNeedsAssessment

Section 5—School-age Years Once the child turns 3 years old, educational services are provided under Part B of IDEA with the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which serves as the foundation of a child’s access to the general curriculum under special education. The IEP is focused on the needs of the child. This section discusses public school placement and the educational support services made available by the local public school.

Section 6—Financial Considerations In this section, visitors will learn about the areas posing the most significant financial barriers to families and where financial assistance would be most valuable.

Survey Highlights Overall, there were two primary findings drawn from the survey. The first was the variability in responses in terms of geography. The survey shows that there are significant differences both between states and within states. Further, while rural areas are often a challenge in terms of resources and service availability, a number of respondents from major cities also noted a lack of services and/or support.

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The second finding was that responses on many questions were quite polarized—with a bimodal distribution of responses for some questions. Many questions asked respondents to provide a rating on a scale of one to five. On a number of these questions, ratings of one or five dramatically outweighed ratings of two, three and four. This means families had a strongly positive or a strongly negative response to the same question. This polarity is important because it is a reminder to celebrate the successes that

families pursuing a listening and spoken language outcome are finding as we also seek to understand and meet the challenges that still exist for other families. Go to ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/ FamilyNeedsAssessment today to learn more about the Family Needs Assessment and spread the word through your social networks! Also, please remember to tell us what you think and provide your thoughts and feedback at info@agbell.org.

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TIPS FOR PARENTS

Finding Language Inside Life There are 365 days in a year, 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour... How are those minutes, hours and days spent? They probably feel busy and you are probably wishing on a regular basis that there were more hours in a day. My days certainly feel busy. I live in a household where I am the only one with typical hearing. My husband and youngest son are deaf and use bilateral cochlear implants. My oldest son has unilateral moderate swinging up to mild hearing loss, diagnosed only recently through genetic testing, and he currently uses no amplification. And then there is me—the keeper of their schedules. As a parent, I know that you might feel overwhelmed and anxious, while doing the best you know how, to ensure that your child has every opportunity to reach their full potential. For our family, that means juggling classes focused on listening and spoken language, which are located more than 90 miles from our home, mappings, and routine visits to specialists in addition to soccer practice and a myriad of other activities for our boys. Am I doing enough? I know you have asked yourself this same question many times. But in the midst of all the busyness, the juggling of schedules and that little voice in your head that wonders (and sometimes nags) if you are doing enough, there is the knowledge that language is everywhere you look—it is inside life in anything that you do and anywhere you go. The listening and spoken language professionals who guided our family on our youngest son’s journey to developing spoken language taught us to cover our home with language cues using sticky notes. Reminders to say “up, up, up” as we walked up the stairs and “down, down, down” as we walked down the stairs. And while that is a tried and tested way of cultivating language, its real power was

in empowering me to find language all around me and transmit it to my children! A few months into our youngest son’s cochlear implant journey, my husband, who has had a profound hearing loss since birth, decided that he too wanted to make the move and get a cochlear implant at age 31. He did not want our son to feel different, and he wanted him to have a role model in growing up with a cochlear implant. High five, Dad, because that set the tone for what was to come! The impact of my husband’s decision on our life has been amazing. We have watched their listening lives explode over the past year and a half. My youngest son received his cochlear implant at 13 months old and very quickly went through the stages toward spoken language and on to the typical funny toddler sentences. Some of my best hours are spent with him—four hours on the road, two days a week taking him to class—as I watch him brighten the world with his sweet voice. My husband has become an adult reporter in our circle of friends. He is able to share his experiences and often shed light on that of our children.

by jillian tweet

As you can imagine, the age at which my husband and my youngest son received their cochlear implants makes their experiences very different. Similar to the way a piece of chewing gum feels as you begin to chew, the ease and smoothness changes over time. The brain’s elasticity is explained in a similar way. For my husband, his excitement is in the small sounds that are all around us. Trickling water, bacon sizzling on the stove, the ocean waves crashing or coins in the pocket of someone walking by. Though he has always used listening and spoken language to communicate, the cochlear implant has amplified his life, positively improving his spoken language and overall self-confidence. The professionals that work with our children have only a slice of time with them; we, as parents, have the rest and we can use it in

Tweet boys reading and learning together. credit: jillian tweet

Tweet family photo.

credit : inspired and enchanted photography

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and share the things we hear. That might be a tiny pebble that rolls across the sidewalk or a plane roaring overhead. After both my husband and our son had their first activations, we took a trip to a local farm. They were able to explore the sounds of chickens, cows and sheep, and even heard the neighing of a horse! The memories of this day are special—I can still see them enjoying these new sounds together. Taking a "Listening Walk" at the beach. credit : jillian tweet

simple but creative ways that don’t involve finding more hours in a day or scheduling your own home therapy sessions. We, as a family, look for language everywhere and below are some ways that we encourage language through everyday activities.

Getting Dressed It is something we all do every day, so why not put words to it. Shirt, pants, socks and shoes are all names of things that children need to learn along with their body parts. “Right leg, left leg, pull up your pants.” Used repetitively and consistently it becomes second nature to talk through these steps and although this may seem so ordinary and even unnecessary, it gives our children more language and knowledge of their world.

Grocery Store Exploring the grocery store is one of my favorite activities to do with the boys. It is a whole new world for sound and language. There are fruits and vegetables of every color to explore, not to mention things to listen to as well. The freezer sections lend themselves to discussions of cold, and invite the introduction of new sounds like “brrr.” There are things to shake such as cereal boxes and bags of lentils, and listening for the sounds that come from inside the box or the packet. I am not suggesting you start squeezing the bread, but do have fun exploring!

Listening Walks Birds that chirp and wind that blows, leaves that crunch and dogs that bark. Just looking outside your window will give you plenty to talk about, but getting out and enjoying it will take you one step further. As a family, we go on “Listening Walks” where we listen

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ihear

online therapy

Riding in the Car I remember the first time I was able to hold a conversation with my son as I was driving down the road and he was buckled safely in his car seat behind me. Although I never imagined this being possible for him or even my husband, we now make sure to hold lots of conversations in the car. Talking through the sound of a car motor while not facing your child is a very useful way to introduce him/her to listening in situations with background noise where the acoustic environment is not ideal. Testing these boundaries together will help to prepare your children for times when they will need to advocate for themselves if they aren’t right by your side.

Exploring Books Together Reading books is a childhood must. They explore worlds outside of our imagination and present us the lessons of everyday life. Books cultivate literacy during every stage of life. Cuddling in with my boys at the end of a day with a story is something I plan to do for years to come, long after they have learned to read on their own. In addition to building knowledge and providing language, reading also encourages sharing, creating and exploring together. At the end of the day, instead of asking yourself “Am I doing enough?”, ask yourself “What is life really about?” For me, it comes down to two things: learning and having fun, and finding ways to combine learning with fun and fun with learning. Language and listening are the perfect opportunities to show your children, regardless of their hearing ability, where learning and having fun meet in this thing called life. My days are busy, but having a front row seat in this experience is worth every moment.

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HEAR OUR VOICES

Using My Voice: From Public Speaking to Law School

by kate georgen

The power of the human voice has always inspired me. Perhaps my greatest joy growing up was when I finally learned how to speak. I was born with moderate-to-severe bilateral hearing loss and received my first pair of analog hearing aids at 18 months old. Sign language was my first mode of communication; my teachers used it to teach me how to talk. The delight at understanding that my hands could convey meanings and ideas heightened my desire to use my voice in the same way, and I quickly transformed from shy hand gestures to piping out full sentences. It took me much longer to learn how to follow a conversation, let alone contribute to one. My path to spoken communication was nonetheless transformative and it helped inspire my choice to pursue a law degree. The capacity to understand the needs of people and, more importantly, their stories, has long been a personal joy and strength in many aspects of my life.

My Early Life: Learning to Talk & Finding My Way In elementary school, I wore an FM system, a box that was strapped to my chest with cords running up to my ear molds; my teachers all wore microphones. As a child wanting to make new friends, the device was my enemy. It was embarrassing to wear and it failed to adequately capture my collaborative classroom experiences. I spent most of my time at lunch and on the playground trying to guess if people were talking to me and, if so, what they were saying. To make matters worse, shortly after reaching middle school I unexpectedly lost all residual hearing in my left ear. The doctors speculated that the loss was due to Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome (EVAS), a condition that makes the fluid sac in the ear larger than normal. With EVAS, abnormal pressure in the head heightens the risk of hearing damage. I was left with one hearing aid, increasing the challenge to keep up in group discussions. I became wary

The George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law and Public Policy is for fulltime graduate students with a prelingual bilateral hearing loss in the moderately-severe to profound range who use listening and spoken language as their primary method of communication, and who are attending an accredited mainstream law school or a master’s or doctoral program in public policy or public administration. The George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law and Public Policy was established to recognize George H. Nofer’s service and generosity to the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and to the fields of law and deafness research and education. Mr. Nofer, a retired partner of the law firm of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP in Philadelphia, is a former member of the AG Bell board of directors. He is a former co-trustee of the Oberkotter Foundation and served for more than 15 years as its executive director. To learn more about the scholarship, visit the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org and search for Nofer.

Kate with her brother, Josh, at the Indiana State Speech Tournament in 2000. credit: paul georgen

of talking in group settings, for fear that my comments would be off-topic or repetitive of something that was already said.

My Brother, My Spark To overcome this limitation, my older brother Josh was a tremendous help. He sparked my motivation to become involved with public speaking. Josh was not only talented, he was someone who took the time and care to make sure I caught the sounds around me. He would often paraphrase or repeat what others said. I adored him. Naturally, I wanted to be just like my brother. It was thus unsurprising that I joined speech and debate—and a host of other activities, including sports, acting and marching band—after watching Josh participate in these activities in high school.

Public Speaking = Conversation Much to my delight, I fell in love with public speaking. For most people, public speaking is one of their greatest fears. For me, it was a chance to talk to people without feeling afraid that what I said was somehow stupid, irrelevant or misplaced. Through weaving together stories and facts in front of audiences, I learned to define my voice, shaping it as a powerful tool with which to communicate arguments in a clear and relevant way. I found the stage in front of

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an audience to be an oddly safe place where I could speak boldly and share my thoughts. It was also a much-needed training ground; my coaches were ceaseless in correcting my diction and my audiences taught me with their silent cues how to wield my voice, expressions and body language. In addition to learning how to deliver a speech, I also discovered that I had a knack for connecting with my audience. After years of watching people closely to help bluff my way through conversations, paying attention to and reading my audience felt like second nature. I naturally sought to relate to them and adjusted my delivery based on their nonverbal responses. As my speaking style matured, my ability to emotionally engage with my audience set me apart during competitions. By the end of high school I had delivered speeches from New York to California, twice receiving the honor of Indiana’s state title and, in 2002, the NFL National Championship in Oratory. Interestingly, even in light of these formal awards, my high school speech coach still swears that I never really gave a “speech” in my life—I simply engaged in meaningful conversations. The experience as a public speaker gave me an entirely new sense of self-confidence in my own ideas and my ability to effectively express them to a variety of audiences. In college, I shared my capacity for communication with others, teaching the art of speech writing and oratory to high school students across the nation. Public speaking became more than simply a way to converse with an audience. My students’ ability to be a voice—for themselves and others—struck me as a vital link between these young citizens and their communities. The priceless value of this skill became readily apparent once I left college.

The Decision to Go to Law School After receiving a degree in history and political science from Rutgers University, I accepted a job as a policy analyst and program coordinator at the Disability Law & Advocacy Center of Tennessee (DLAC). The job at DLAC appealed to me because, at the time, I thought I might want to pursue a career in disability education. At DLAC, I easily found a passion for advocacy. My job required meeting with

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lawmakers to educate them on particular legislative issues. Exposed to a wide range of issues, I clearly saw the importance of expert legal knowledge and my interest in law strengthened. At first, it seemed challenging to establish my credibility with older legislators. I was in my early 20s, fresh out of college—I seemed young to them. For the first time in a professional setting, I drew on the confidence and skill I gained from public speaking. It enabled me to interact with representatives in an articulate and poised manner, and allowed me to build relationships. Working alongside DLAC attorneys, I watched as businesses, law firms and medical practices changed their policies through the use of dialogue rather than litigation. With every conversation, I came to embrace dialogue as a way to contribute to my community. But I was also restless with the limited depth of expertise that I could offer. While I felt comfortable in my ability to converse with legislators and other lawyers, I wanted to offer more. I needed to couple my skill of conversation with a solid foundation in the language of law as I realized that this was the way I could transform social problems into fair and well-balanced solutions. I decided to pursue a J.D.

Life at Law School To my delight, I found law school to be a vibrant discourse on every subject imaginable. In the first year alone, I learned to understand the language of property, tort, criminal, constitutional and contract law. It is precisely the foundation I wanted.

Kate (third row from the bottom, far left) and the 2013 Cornell Law Moot Court Board. credit : 2013 cornell law moot court board

I also jumped at the chance to engage in moot court, an extracurricular activity where students participate in simulated court arguments. The experience pushes my public speaking training to a new level: my audience—the court—can ask me questions and challenge my arguments. It is a great way for me to learn how to be an effective speaker while listening for questions and delivering a persuasive response. I am thus learning to fuse my ability to write and deliver words with an equally strong ability to listen and think quickly on my feet. I am grateful to AG Bell for receiving the George H. Nofer Scholarship Award for Law and Public Policy (see box on page 36) in 2012 to help with my second year of law school. I am now in my last year of law school, having transferred from the University of Iowa Law School to Cornell Law School. At the time of this writing, my next steps after law school are still undetermined. Regardless of where they take me, I am excited to employ my penchant for communication and persuasive argument in a new and impactful way to bring about positive community change.

The Programs of

THE WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF Changing Lives Through Language & Learning

300 East Swissvale Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15218

412.371.7000

WPSD.ORG

DIRECTORY OF SERVICES

Directory of Services

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is not responsible for verifying the credentials of the service providers below. Listings do not constitute endorsements of establishments or individuals, nor do they guarantee quality.

California

Echo Center/Echo Horizon School, 3430 McManus Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232 • 310-838-2442 (voice) • 310-838-0479 (fax) • 310-202-7201 (tty) • vishida@echohorizon. org (email) • www.echohorizon.org (website) • Vicki Ishida, Echo Center Director. Private elementary school incorporating an auditory/oral mainstream program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Daily support provided by credentialed DHH teachers in speech, language, auditory skills and academic follow-up.

HEAR Center, 301 East Del Mar Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101 • 626-796-2016 (voice) • 626-796-2320 (fax) • Specializing in audiological services for all ages. AuditoryVerbal individual therapy, birth to 21 years. HEAR to Talk, 547 North June Street, Los Angeles, CA 90004 • 323-464-3040 (voice) • Sylvia@hear2talk.com (e-mail) • www.hear2talk. com • Sylvia Rotfleisch, M.Sc.A., CED, CCC, Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist®, LSLS Cert. AVT, Licensed Audiologist, California NPA Certified. Trained by Dr. Ling. Extensive expertise with cochlear implants and hearing aids. Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf, 3518 Jefferson Ave. Redwood City, Ca. 94062 • jwposd@jwposd.org (email) • www. deafkidstalk.org (website) • Kathleen Daniel Sussman–Executive Director–Pamela Hefner Musladin–Director of School A listening and spoken language program where deaf and hard of hearing children listen, think and talk! Cognitive based program from birth through Kindergarten. Students develop excellent language, listening and social skills with superior academic competencies. Services include educational programs, parent/infant, speech/language/auditory therapy, mainstream support, educational/clinical audiology, occupational therapy and Tele-therapy.

John Tracy Clinic, 806 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90007 • 213-748-5481 (voice) • 800-522-4582 · PALS@JTC.org • 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.

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 • tagkids@aol.com • www.tagkids. org. TAG provides exciting social opportunities through community service, field trips, weekly meetings, college prep and pre-employment workshops, guest speakers and parent-only workshops. site in the community. Group meetings and events offered to oral D/HoH children in 5th grade through high school seniors.

Colorado

Rosie’s Ranch: Ride! Listen! Speak! 303-257-5943 or 720-851-0927 • www. rosiesranch.com • RosiesRanch@comcast.net • 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!

Connecticut

CREC Soundbridge, 123 Progress Drive, Wethersfield, CT 06109 • 860- 529-4260 (voice/ TTY) • 860-257-8500 (fax) • www.crec.org/ soundbridge (website). Dr. Elizabeth B. Cole, Program Director. Comprehensive audiological and instructional services, birth through postsecondary, 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

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.

Florida

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/ Jacksonville, 9803 Old St. Augustine Road, Suite 7, Jacksonville, FL 32257 • 904-880-9001 • info@clarkeschools.org • www.clarkeschools. org. Alisa Demico, MS, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert AVT, and Cynthia Robinson, M.Ed., CED, LSLS Cert. AVEd, Co-Directors. A member of the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Comprehensive listening and spoken language programs prepare students for success in mainstream schools. Services include early intervention, toddler, preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, parent support, cochlear implant habilitation, and mainstream support. Summer Listening and Spoken language Program provides additional spoken language therapy for toddler and preschool-aged children. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.

Georgia

Atlanta Speech School—Katherine Hamm Center, 3160 Northside Parkway, NW Atlanta, GA 30327 • 404-233-5332 ext. 3119 (voice/ TTY) • 404-266-2175 (fax) • scarr@atlspsch.org (email) • www.atlantaspeechschool.org (website). A Listening and Spoken Language program serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing from infancy to early elementary school age. Children receive language-rich lessons and highly individualized literacy instruction in a nurturing environment. Teachers and staff work closely with parents to instill the knowledge and confidence children need to reach their full potential. Early intervention programs, audiological support services, auditory-verbal therapy, mainstreaming opportunities and independent education evaluations. Established in 1938.

Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 • 860-4551404 (voice) • 860-455-1396 (fax) • Diane Brackett. Serving infants, children and adults with all degrees of hearing loss. Speech, language, listening evaluation for children using hearing aids and cochlear implants. AuditoryVerbal therapy; Cochlear implant candidacy

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc.—Atlanta, Macon, Teletherapy—1901 Century Boulevard, Suite 20, Atlanta, GA 30345 OFFICE: 404633-8911 FAX: 404-633-6403 EMAIL: Listen@ avchears.org WEBSITE: www.avchears.org The Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc. (AVC) is a premier provider of comprehensive Auditory-Verbal and Audiological Services to infants, children, adults, and their families. Through the auditory verbal approach, we teach children with mild hearing loss to profound deafness to listen and speak WITHOUT the use of sign language or lip reading. AVC provides auditory-verbal therapy through their two main locations in Atlanta and Macon but also virtually through teletherapy. AVC also has a full Audiology & Hearing Aid Clinic at the Atlanta location that provides diagnostic testing, dispensing and repair of hearing aids and cochlear implant mapping for adults only.

Illinois

Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School (AGBMS) and Alternatives In Education for the Hearing Impaired (AEHI), www. agbms.org (website) • info@agbms.org (email) • 847-850-5490 (phone) • 847-1!50-5493 (fax) • 9300 Capitol Drive Wheeling, IL 60090 • AGBMS is a Montessori school educating children ages 15 months-12 who are deaf or hard of hearing or have other communicative challenges in a

mainstream environment with hearing peers. Teachers of Deaf/Speech/Language Pathologist / Reading Specialist/Classroom Teachers emphasize language development and literacy utilizing Cued Speech. Early Intervention Services available to children under 3. AEHI, a training center for Cued Speech, assists parents, educators, or advocates in verbal language development for children with language delays or who do not yet substantially benefit from auditory technology.

Child’s Voice School, 180 Hansen Court, Wood Dale, IL 60191 • (630) 565-8200 (voice) • (630) 565-8282 (fax) • info@childsvoice.org (email) • www.childsvoice.org (website). Michele Wilkins, Ed.D., LSLS Cert. AVEd., Executive Director. A Listening and Spoken Language program for children birth to age 8. Cochlear implant (re) habilitation, audiology services and mainstream support services provided. Early intervention for birth to age three with parent-infant and toddler classes and home based services offered in Wood Dale and Chicago. (Chicago– phone (773) 516-5720; fax (773) 516-5721) Parent Support/Education classes provided. Child’s Voice is a Certified Moog Program.

Indiana

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf– Indianapolis, 9192 Waldemar Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268 • (317) 471-8560 (voice) • (317) 471-8627 (fax) • www.sjid.org; touellette@sjid.org (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 Missouri for other campus information)

Maryland

The Hearing and Speech Agency’s Auditory/Oral Program: Little Ears, Big Voices, 5900 Metro Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215 • (voice) 410-318-6780 • (relay) 711 • (fax) 410318-6759 • Email: hasa@hasa.org • Website: www.hasa.org • Jill Berie, Educational Director; Olga Polites, Clinical Director; Erin Medley, Teacher of the Deaf. Auditory/Oral education and therapy program for infants and young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Early

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Code for free shipping: ABG14 Limited time offer.

* CapTel callers must register to use this service. When not using captions, max amplification is capped at 18dB. Although CapTel can be used for emergency calling, such emergency calling may not function the same as traditional 911/E911 services. By using CapTel for emergency calling you agree that Sprint is not responsible for any damages resulting from errors, defects, malfunctions, interruptions or failures in accessing or attempting to access emergency services through CapTel whether caused by the negligence VO LTA VO I CE S Sprint M A R /A P R 2014 of Sprint or otherwise. CapTel Phone Offer: While supplies last. The CapTel telephone is intended for use by people with hearing loss. Other restrictions apply. Sprint reserves the right to modify, extend or cancel offers at any time. See www.sprintcaptel.com for details. ©2014 Sprint. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.

DIRECTORY OF SERVICES intervention services are available for children birth to age 3 and a preschool program for children ages 3 through 5. Cheerful, spacious, state-of-the-art classrooms located in Gateway School are approved by the Maryland State Department of Education. Services include onsite audiology, speech-language therapy, family education and support. Applications are accepted year-round. Financial aid available.

(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, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.

Massachusetts

Northampton, MA 01060 • 413-584-3450 • info@clarkeschools.org • 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 school through 8th grade, cochlear implant assessment, summer programs, mainstream services (itinerant and consulting), evaluations for infants through high school students, audiological services, and a graduate degree program in teacher education.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/ Boston, 1 Whitman Road, Canton, MA 02021 • 781-821-3499 (voice) • 781-821-3904 • info@ clarkeschools.org • www.clarkeschools.org. Barbara Hecht, Ph.D., Director. A member of the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Comprehensive listening and spoken language programs prepare students for success in mainstream schools. Services include early intervention, preschool, kindergarten, speech and language services, parent support, cochlear implant habilitation, and an extensive mainstream services program

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.

Minnesota

Northeast Metro #916 Auditory/Oral Program, 1111 S. Holcombe Street, Stillwater MN

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/ Northampton, 45 Round Hill Road,

55082 • 651-351-4036 • auditory.oral@nemetro. k12.mn.us (email). The purpose of Northeast Metro 916’s Auditory/Oral Program is to provide a listening and spoken language education to children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Services strive to instill and develop receptive (listening) and expressive (speaking) English language skills within each student. Well-trained specialists carry the principles of this program forward using supportive, necessary and recognized curriculum. The program’s philosophy is that children who are deaf or hard of hearing can learn successfully within a typical classroom environment with peers who have typical hearing. This can be achieved when they are identified at an early age, receive appropriate amplification, and participate in an spoken language-specific early intervention program. Referrals are through the local school district in which the family lives.

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 support 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 office at 413.584.3450 or email info@clarkeschools.org.

Now offering 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.

40 Clarke

Early Intervention Volta Voice Half page

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES Mississippi

DuBard School for Language Disorders, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5215, Hattiesburg, MS 394060001 • 601-266-5223 (voice) • dubard@usm.edu (email) • www.usm.edu/dubard • Maureen K. Martin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, CALT, QI, Director. The DuBard School for Language Disorders is a clinical division of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at The University of Southern Mississippi. The school serves children from birth to age 13 in its state-of-the-art facility. Working collaboratively with 20 public school districts, the school specializes in coexisting language disorders, learning disabilities/ dyslexia and speech disorders, such as apraxia, through its non-graded, 11-month program. The DuBard Association Method®, an expanded and refined version of The Association Method, is the basis of the curriculum. Comprehensive evaluations, individual therapy, audiological services and professional development programs also are available. AA/EOE/ADAI.

Magnolia Speech School, Inc., 733 Flag Chapel Road, Jackson, MS 39209–601-922-5530 (voice), 601-922-5534 (fax)–anne.sullivan@ magnoliaspeechschool.org– Anne Sullivan, M.Ed. Executive Director. Magnolia Speech School serves children with hearing loss and/or severe speech and language disorders. Listening and Spoken Language instruction/therapy is offered to students 0 to 12 in a home-based early intervention program (free of charge), in classroom settings and in the Hackett Bower Clinic (full educational audiological services, speech pathology and occupational therapy). Assessments and outpatient therapy are also offered to the community through the Clinic.

Missouri

CID–Central Institute for the Deaf, 825 S. Taylor Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110 314-977-0132 (voice) • 314-977-0037 (tty) • lberkowitz@cid.edu (email) • www.cid.edu (website) Lynda Berkowitz/Barb Lanfer, coprincipals. Child- and family-friendly learning environment for children birth-12; exciting adapted curriculum incorporating mainstream content; Family Center for infants and toddlers; expert mainstream preparation in the CID pre-k and primary programs; workshops and educational tools for professionals; close affiliation with Washington University deaf education and audiology graduate programs.

The Moog Center for Deaf Education, 12300 South Forty Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141 • 314692-7172 (voice) • 314-692-8544 (fax) • www. moogcenter.org (website) • Betsy Moog Brooks, Executive Director, bbrooks@moogcenter.org. 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

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education and support groups, professional workshops, teacher education, and student teacher placements. The Moog Center for Deaf Education is a Certified Moog Program.

family education services available. Pediatric audiological services are available for children birth-21 and educational audiology and consultation is available for school districts.

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf–St. Louis, 1809 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, MO

New York

63017 • (636) 532-3211 (voice/TYY) • www.sjid. org • 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, ihear 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 Indiana for other campus information)

Avenue “M”, Brooklyn, NY 11234 • 718-5311800 (voice) • 718-421-5395 (fax) • info@ auditoryoral.org (email). Pnina Bravmann, Program Director. An Auditory/Oral Early Intervention and Preschool Program serving children with hearing loss and their families. Programs include: Early Intervention (centerbased and home-based), preschool, integrated preschool classes with children with normal hearing, multidisciplinary evaluations, parent support, auditory-verbal therapy (individual speech, language and listening therapy), complete audiological services, cochlear implant (re)habilitation, mainstreaming, ongoing support services following mainstreaming.

New Jersey

Auditory/Oral School of New York, 3321

HIP of Bergen County Special Services,

Center for Hearing and Communication,

Midland Park School District, 41 E. Center Street, Midland Park, NJ 07432. • Contact Kathleen Treni, Principal (201) 343-8982, kattre@bergen.org. An integrated, comprehensive pre-K through 6th grade auditory oral program. Services include AV Therapy, Cochlear Implant Habilitation, Parent Education and Audiology services. STARS Early Intervention for babies, 0 to 3, with Toddler and Baby and Me groups available. SOUND SOLUTIONS consulting teacher services for mainstream students in North Jersey public schools. Contact Lisa Stewart, Supervisor at 201-343-6000 ext 6511 for information about teacher of the deaf, speech and audiology services to public schools. SHIP is the state’s only 7 through 12th grade auditory oral program. CART (Computer Realtime Captioning) is provided in a supportive small high school environment and trained Social Worker is onsite to work with social skills and advocacy issues.

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.

Stephanie Shaeffer, M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT • 908-879-0404 • Chester, NJ • srshaeffer@comcast.net. 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 HearingImpaired Child, F.M. Kirby Center is an exclusively auditory-oral/auditory-verbal school for deaf and hard of hearing children located at 705 Central Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974 • 908-508-0011 (voice/TTY) • 908508-0012 (fax) • info@summitspeech.org (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/

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/ New York, 80 East End Avenue, New York, NY 10028 • 212-585-3500 • info@clarkeschools. org • www.clarkeschools.org. Meredith Berger, Director. A member of the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and 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

DIRECTORY OF SERVICES 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 Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.

Cleary School for the Deaf, 301 Smithtown Boulevard, Nesconset, NY 11767 • 631-5880530 (voice) • www.clearyschool.org Kenneth Morseon, Superintendent. Offers Parent Infant/ Toddler Program with services of Teacher of the Deaf, Speech Therapy & AV therapy. Transition Program into our Preschool Auditory-Oral Program. The primary focus of the AuditoryOral Program is to develop students’ ability to “listen to learn” along with developing age appropriate speech, language, and academic skills, this program offers intensive speech therapy services with a goal to mainstream students when they become school age. Additional services offered include: Music, Art, Library, OT, PT and Parent Support.

Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, 40 Frost Mill Road, Mill Neck, NY 11765 • (516) 922-4100 (voice). Francine Atlas Bogdanoff, Superintendent. State-supported school: Infant Toddler Program focusing on parent education and support including listening and spoken language training by a speech therapist and TOD. Certified AVEd and Audiological services onsite, integrated auditory-verbal preschool and kindergarten programs; comprehensive curriculum utilizes play, music, literacy and hands on experiences to promote listening and spoken language skills and academic standards. Speech, occupational and physical therapies, as well as counseling and Cochlear Implant MAPpings, are available onsite.

Rochester School for the Deaf, 1545 St. Paul Street, Rochester, NY 14621 • 585-544-1240 (voice/TTY) • 866-283-8810 (videophone) • info@RSDeaf.org • www.RSDeaf.org • Harold Mowl, Jr., Ph.D., Superintendent/CEO. Serving Western and Central New York State, Rochester School for the Deaf (RSD) is an inclusive, bilingual school where children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their families thrive. Established in 1876, RSD goes above and beyond all expectations to provide quality Pre-K through

12th grade academic programs, services and resources to ensure a satisfying and successful school experience for children with hearing loss.

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.

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Jefferson Street, Suite 110, PO Box 17646, Raleigh, NC 27605, 919-715-4092 (voice)–919-715-4093 (fax)–Raleigh@ncbegin.org (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.

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.

CASTLE- Center for Acquisition of Spoken Language Through Listening Enrichment, 5501 Fortunes Ridge Drive, Suite

Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 • 610-525-9600 • info@ clarkeschools.org • 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, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.

BEGINNINGS For Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Inc., 302

A, Chapel Hill, NC 27713 • 919-419-1428 (voice) • http://www.med.unc.edu/earandhearing/ castle (website) • CASTLE is a part of the UNC Ear & Hearing Center and the UNC Pediatric Cochlear Implant Team, Our mission is to provide a quality listening & spoken language program for children with hearing loss; empower parents as primary teachers and advocates; and train and coach specialists in listening and spoken language. We offer toddler classes, preschool language groups, Auditory-Verbal parent sessions, and distance therapy through UNC REACH. Hands-on training program for hearingrelated professionals/university students.

Oklahoma

Hearts for Hearing, 3525 NW 56th Street, Suite A-150, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 • 405-5484300 • 405-548-4350(Fax) • Comprehensive hearing health care for children and adults with an emphasis on listening and spoken language outcomes. Our family-centered team includes audiologists, LSLS Cert. AVTs, speech-language pathologists, physicians and educators working closely with families for optimal listening and spoken language outcomes. Services include newborn hearing testing, pediatric and adult audiological evaluations, hearing aid fittings, cochlear implant evaluations and mapping. Auditory-verbal therapy as well as cochlear implant habilitation is offered by Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS®), as well as an auditory-oral preschool, parenttoddler group and a summer enrichment program. Continuing education and consulting available. www.heartsforhearing.org.

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Center for Childhood Communication at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/ Pennsylvania, 455 South Roberts Road,

Delaware County Intermediate Unit # 25, Hearing and Language Programs, 200 Yale Avenue, Morton, PA 19070 • 610-938-9000, ext. 2277, 610-938-9886 (fax) • sdoyle@dciu.org • Program Highlights: A publicly funded program for children with hearing loss in local schools. Serving children from birth through 21 years of age. Teachers of the deaf provide resource room support and itinerant hearing therapy throughout Delaware County, PA. Services also include audiology, speech therapy, cochlear implant habilitation (which includes LSLS Cert. AVT and LSLS Cert. AVEd), psychology and social work.

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, 6202 Alder Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 • 412-924-1012 (voice) • 412-924-1036 (fax) • www.depaulhearingandspeech.org (website) • nl@depaulhearingandspeech.org (email) • Mimi Loughead, Early Childhood Coordinator. DePaul School is the only school in the western Pennsylvania tri-state region that provides Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) education to children who are deaf or hard of hearing. DePaul School serves children in Pennsylvania and from Ohio and West Virginia. A State Approved Private School, most programs are tuition-free to approved students. DePaul School provides early intervention services for children (birth to age 5); a center-based toddler program (ages 18–36 months); a preschool program (ages 3–5) and a comprehensive academic program grades K-8. DePaul School provides clinical services including audiology, Auditory-Verbal and speech therapy, cochlear implant MAPping and habilitation, physical and occupational therapy, mainstreaming support and parent education and support programs. Most children who participate in DePaul School’s early intervention programs gain the Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) skills needed to succeed and transition to their neighborhood schools by first grade.

South Carolina

The University of South Carolina Speech and Hearing Research Center, 1601 St. Julian Place, Columbia, SC, 29204 • (803) 777-2614 (voice) • (803) 253-4143 (fax) • Center Director: Danielle Varnedoe, daniell@mailbox.sc.edu. The center provides audiology services, speechlanguage therapy, adult aural (re)habilitation therapy, and Auditory-Verbal Therapy. Our audiology services include comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, hearing aid evaluations and services, and cochlear implant evaluations and programming. The University also provides a training program for AV therapy and cochlear implant management for professional/university students. Additional contacts for the AVT or CI programs include Wendy Potts, CI Program Coordinator (803-777-2642), Melissa Hall (803777-1698), Nikki Herrod-Burrows (803-7772669), Gina Crosby-Quinatoa (803) 777-2671, and Jamy Claire Archer (803-777-1734).

Tennessee

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf, 7901 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, TN 38138 • 901-758-2228 (voice) • 901-531-6735 (fax) • www.mosdkids.org (website) • tschwarz@ mosdkids.org (email). Teresa Schwartz, Executive Director. Services: Family Training Program (birth-age 3), Auditory/Oral Day School (ages 2-6), Audiological Testing, Hearing Aid Programming, Cochlear Implant Mapping and Therapy, Aural (Re)Habilitation, SpeechLanguage Therapy, Mainstream Service.

DIRECTORY OF SERVICES Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center National Center for Childhood Deafness and Family Communication, Medical

Texas

Center East South Tower, 1215 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232-8718 • 615-9365000 (voice) • 615-936-1225 (fax) • nccdfc@ vanderbilt.edu (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.

1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75235 • Main number: 214-905-3000 • Appointments: 214-905-3030. Callier-Richardson Facility: 811 Synergy Park Blvd., Richardson, TX 75080 • Main number: 972-883-3630 • Appointments: 972-883-3630 • calliercenter@utdallas.edu (email) • www.utdallas.edu/calliercenter. For half a century, the Callier Center has been dedicated to helping children and adults with speech, language and hearing disorders connect with the world. We transform lives by providing leading-edge clinical services, conducting innovative research into new treatments and technologies, and training the next generation of caring clinical providers. Callier provides hearing services, Auditory-Verbal therapy, and speech-language pathology services for all ages. Audiology services include hearing evaluations, hearing aid dispensing, assistive devices, protective devices and tinnitus therapy. We are a partner of the Dallas Cochlear Implant Program, a joint enterprise among the Callier Center, UT Southwestern Medical

Callier Center for Communication Disorders/UT Dallas, Callier - Dallas Facility:

Center and Children’s Medical Center. Callier specializes in cochlear implant evaluations and post-surgical treatment for children from birth to 18 years. Our nationally accredited Child Development Program serves children developing typically and allows for the inclusive education of children with hearing impairments.

The Center for Hearing and Speech, 3636 West Dallas, Houston, TX 77019 • 713-523-3633 (voice) • 713-874-1173 (TTY) • 713-523-8399 (fax) - info@centerhearingandspeech.org (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.

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf

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.org for more information on our locations and services

Indianapolis Campus ihear- Internet Therapy St. Louis Campus 9192 Waldemar Rd. Indianpolis, IN 46268 (317) 471-8560

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ihearlearning.org (636) 532-2672

1809 Clarkson Rd St. Louis, MO 63017 (636) 532-3211

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children, 603 E. Hildebrand Ave., San Antonio,

Utah

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 (preschool through fifth grade on campus and in mainstream settings), Habilitative Services, Speech Language Pathology, Counseling, and Assessment Services. Pre- and postcochlear 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.

1000 Old Main Hill • Logan, UT • 84322-1000 • 435-797-9235 (voice) • 435-797-7519 (fax) • www.soundbeginnings.usu.edu • stacy. wentz@usu.edu (email) • Stacy Wentz, MS, Sound Beginnings Program Coordinator • Kristina.blasier@usu.edu (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 five; 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 deaf/hard-of-hearing children aged three through five, parent training, and mainstreaming opportunities. The Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education offers the interdisciplinary Listening and Spoken Language graduate training program in

Sound Beginnings at Utah State University,

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.

Make AG Bell your first stop for resources to help children with hearing loss learn to listen and talk. Shop online at www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org for everything you need for your practice or classroom on these topics and more: n

Auditory-Verbal Therapy

Early Intervention

Educational Management of Children with Hearing Loss

Speech Development

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LIST OF ADVERTISERS Advanced Bionics Corporation................ Inside Front Cover Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc............................................................13

I NTERNATIONAL Canada

Children’s Hearing and Speech Centre of British Columbia , 3575 Kaslo Street,

Vancouver, British Columbia, V5M 3H4, Canada • 604-437-0255 (voice) • 604-437-0260 (fax) • www.childrenshearing.ca (website) • Janet Weil, Principal and Executive Director, jweil@childrenshearing.ca. Celebrating our 50th year, our listening and spoken language clinical educational centre serves children and families from birth through Grade 12 including audiology, SLP, OT, First Words family guidance, preschool and primary classes, itinerant services and video-conferencing/tele-therapy.

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

England

The Speech, Language and Hearing Centre–Christopher Place, 1-5 Christopher Place, Chalton Street, Euston, London NW1 1JF, England • 0114-207-383-3834 (voice) • 0114-207-383-3099 (fax) • info@speechlang. org.uk (email) • www.speech-lang.org.uk (website) • Assessment, nursery school and therapeutic centre for children under 5 with hearing impairment, speech/language or communication difficulties, including autism. • We have a Child Psychologist and a Child Psychotherapist. • Auditory-Verbal Therapy is also provided by a LSLS Cert. AVT.

Boys Town National Research Hospital.....................................16 CapTel.......................................................................................................... 3 Central Institute for the Deaf..........................................................23 Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech....................................40 Cochlear Americas.............................................Inside Back Cover Colorado AG Bell..................................................................................31 Ear Technology Corp. (Dry & Store)...........................................30 Hal Fishbein............................................................................................27 Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf........33 MED-EL Corporation.......................................................Back Cover National Technical Institute for the Deaf—RIT.......................42 Oticon..................................................................................................... 4–5 Sprint CapTel..........................................................................................39 St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf...........................................35, 44 Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children............................46 UT Health Science Center San Antonio....................................... 6 Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.............................37 AG Bell 101 FAQs.................................................................................10 AG Bell Bookstore................................................................................45 AG Bell Convention............................................................................... 8

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ZAMAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 48 to enjoy the little things in life—high frequency sounds I had never heard before such as birds chirping, being able to listen to Yankee games on the radio and have telephone conversations. Career wise, I knew I wanted to either be a lawyer or a doctor and taking advantage of the best available technology for my hearing would help to reduce some of the potential challenges I could face in a field that is heavily dependent on good communication. As a physician, you are expected to control the communication encounter with your patients. It helps that most of my interactions are in a one-on-one setting in an environment with reduced background noise. Additionally, communication assistants are part of the medicine culture today, whether they are providing translation services for a non English-speaking patient or serving as a medical assistant. While a noisy hospital environment may give you less control, it is all about helping each other and working together to provide the best care.

he was very inspired and told me that I would make a big impact on patients. He even wrote a letter of recommendation later on my behalf, which was unexpected and caught me off guard. From that moment on, I knew I could become a doctor and never looked back. I am now constantly reminded of that day.

At first, I was fearful about going into medicine because of my hearing loss. Ten years ago, I sat in Dr. Oz’s office and told him about growing up deaf, my new life with a cochlear implant and that I wasn’t sure if I was crazy for trying to become a doctor. I was expecting to hear the blunt truth that it would be very challenging, take a physical toll and that I should consider law school instead, but somehow

My advice to teens, tweens and young adults with hearing loss is be proactive academically and introduce yourself to teachers and school staff before the start of the school year. Always believe in yourself and find a way to stay connected with your peers whether it is through a sport or an after-school organization. Don’t forget to take advantage of the resources and support systems available to you!

Discussing patients with Dr. William Lipsky (right). credit : jen garcia

In Grand Teton National Park with Bernie, a 2-year-old Labradoodle. credit: annie robertson

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I chose the University of New England for my medical studies because of its track record, cohesive study body, and the willingness of the school administration and faculty to work with me. They were up to the challenge and a few weeks before I started classes, the administration even organized a training to prep the faculty for my arrival. This gave me the opportunity to introduce myself and meet with different professors. It was a smooth transition. In class, I received remote captioning, a notetaker and an FM system. Prior to my surgical rotation, my school also helped arrange a day in the operating room to allow me to experiment with different communication strategies such as sign language interpreter vs. clear surgical mask vs. FM microphone. It was also important for me to have a good working relationship with the dean’s office so that they would be easily accessible if I encountered any barriers to obtaining medical information. I truly enjoyed living on the coast of Maine and visit often—if you have the chance, go visit!

UP FRONT ON THE BACK PAGE Shehzaad Zaman On Asking for and Receiving Support, Becoming and Being a Physician, and Believing in Yourself interview by anna karkovska mcglew, m.a. The people who inspire me the most are those who believe in themselves despite adversity. One example I love to use is Jim Abbott, a major league pitcher born with one hand and despite many people telling him along the way that there was no way he could play pro ball, he not only became a pitcher, but also tossed a no-hitter for the Yankees. He believed in himself and paved the road for others. I chose to go into medicine because I received support from countless individuals who helped me get to where I am today. I love learning about people, how the human body works, the challenge of trying to solve an illness and being given an opportunity to transform a patient’s worst fears into strength and hope. It is a very gratifying feeling when you know that you are making a difference and have an opportunity to give back. I have to start with thanking my parents first and foremost—it is not an easy task to raise a child. Add to that raising a child with a severe to profound hearing loss prior to the availability of cochlear implants. My parents always wanted to make the most of the resources and never once told me that there was something I could not do because of my hearing loss. They always supported me 100 percent.

Enjoying Tuolumne Meadows at Yosemite National Park. Top: Shehzaad, left, practicing in the operating room during medical school. credit: annie robertson

While I initially felt conflicted about transitioning into a mainstream school environment and leaving the comfort where my classmates were also deaf and in the same boat as me, it was the best decision my parents ever made. I quickly learned how to adapt and be comfortable in the hearing world. My parents were proactive and would meet with the school district to ensure that my teachers were prepared from the get-go. As for the social aspect, I was athletic and played a variety of sports, which allowed me to make friends easily and it was important to have a good sense of humor. I was diagnosed with a severe to profound hearing loss at 18 months old. I wore hearing aids from the time of diagnosis until I received my first cochlear implant when I was 17. I finally decided to get a second cochlear implant when I was 30 as I had nothing to lose. While I felt I did well

enough with one cochlear implant, I felt that becoming a bilateral cochlear implant user would further fine tune my brain to the world of sound. I have noticed improvement in localizing voices, better understanding in environments with background noise and better ability to deal with accents. In addition, the quality of sound is much richer to me and I now love being able to use the Bluetooth in my car for phone calls. I’m always listening to talk radio such as ESPN radio, NPR or the latest traffic report, although I still end up getting stuck in traffic! Prior to getting my first cochlear implant, I was in high school when I realized what my life was going to be like ahead and I wasn’t satisfied. I had zero speech discrimination and I wanted to be able to understand spoken language without needing to speechread. I also wanted CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

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WE WANT YOU ON THE BACK PAGE! Read the entire interview online on the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/BackPage. If you have stories to tell, experiences to share and a perspective on hearing loss for this column, please send an email to editor@agbell.org and tell us a bit about yourself.

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THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT HEARING LOSS. GOOD THING HE DIDN’T LISTEN. What drove Dr. Graeme Clark to invent the first multi-channel cochlear implant over 30 years ago? What kept him going when others called him crazy and sometimes worse? His father was profoundly deaf and growing up, all he wanted was to find some way to help. His invention came too late for his dad, but for the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives he helped change, it’s been nothing short of a miracle. Let there be sound. Today they can hear because one man chose not to listen. Read their stories at Cochlear.com/US/Hear. Or to connect with a Cochlear Concierge call 800-483-3123 or email Concierge@Cochlear.com.

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