Volta Voices November-December 2014 Magazine

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VOLUME VOLUME21 21 ISSUE ISSUE66 NOV/DEC NOV/DEC2014 2014

EXPLORING THE PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF HEARING LOSS

ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING

NOV/DEC 2014 // VOLUME 21 // ISSUE 6

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FEATURES 1 0 Adolescence Through the Lens of an Auditory-Verbal Therapist with Hearing Differences Read about psychosocial issues associated with hearing loss and helping youth who are deaf and hard of hearing construct an affirmative self-identity, develop prosocial skills, and attain positive outcomes.

BY ELLEN A. RHOADES, ED.S., LSLS CERT. AVT

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1 4 I AM GREAT: Self-esteem Basics from Independence to Tickling As teachers and parents, it becomes incumbent on us to make sure that greatness is promoted in each and every child. Learn about the I AM GREAT model and what the acronym stands for. BY KEN LEVINSON, CPA 1 8 Are You Deaf or Hard of Hearing or?

Perceptions of Identity in Students with Hearing Loss and Their Families Read about the latest peer-reviewed research on identity and hearing loss, which paints a picture of fluidity, connection and resilience.

BY MEGAN A. KEMMERY, PH.D.

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2 2 Overcoming Challenges with Group Conversations Teaching children with hearing loss how to be effective self-advocates in group social interactions as early as possible is key to helping them become effective and confident communicators. BY JAY R. LUCKER, ED.D., CCC-A/SLP, FAAA, AND ANNE T. MOLLOY, PSY.D.

IN EVERY ISSUE

DEPARTMENTS

2 Want to Write for Volta Voices?

3 Voices from AG Bell Exploring the Psychosocial Aspects of Hearing Loss: A Parent’s Perspective

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Voices Contributors

8 Sound Bites 3 1 Directory of Services 4 1

5 Editor’s Note Self-concept, Identity and Self-esteem with Hearing Loss 2 7 LSL Knowledge Center

Advocacy Resources Online

2 8 Tips for Parents

Game On! Playing Sports with Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids

List of Advertisers

4 4 Up Front on the Back Page ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING 3417 VOLTA PLACE, N.W., WASHINGTON, DC 20007 // LISTENINGANDSPOKENLANGUAGE.ORG

Carol Ban and Karen Kirby INTERVIEW BY ANNA KARKOVSKA MCGLEW, M.A.

Want to Write for Volta Voices?

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

ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING 3417 Volta Place, N.W., Washington, DC 20007 ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org VOICE 202.337.5220 TTY 202.337.5221 | FAX 202.337.8314 Volta Voices Staff Director of Communications and Marketing Susan Boswell, M.A., CAE Editor Anna Karkovska McGlew, M.A. Advertising, Exhibit and Sponsorship Sales The Townsend Group Design and Layout GRAPHEK AG Bell Board of Directors President Meredith K. Sugar, Esq. (OH) President-Elect Ted Meyer, M.D., Ph.D. (SC) Immediate Past President Donald M. Goldberg, Ph.D., LSLS Cert. AVT (OH) Secretary-Treasurer Catharine McNally (VA) Chief Executive Officer Emilio Alonso-Mendoza, J.D., CFRE Corrine Altman (NV) Rachel Arfa, Esq. (IL) Jonathan Berger, Esq. (NY) Evan Brunell (MA) Kevin Franck, Ph.D., MBA, CCC-A (MA) Donna Grossman, M.A. (VA) Susan Lenihan, Ph.D., CED (MO)

Submissions to Volta Voices Volta Voices welcomes submissions from both AG Bell members and nonmembers. The magazine is published six times annually. Its audience consists of individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing, parents of children who are deaf and hard of hearing, and professionals in fields related to hearing loss (audiology, speech-language pathology, psychology, otology, social services, education).

For submission guidelines and to submit content, visit the Volta Voices page at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org.

Subjects of Interest • Technology—related to hearing loss, new technology, improvements to or problems with existing technology, or how people are using existing technology, accommodations.

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

• Advocacy—information on legislation, hearing health, special or mainstream education, and accessibility.

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

• Action—stories about people with hearing loss who use spoken language as their primary mode of communication; deafness need not be the focal point of the article.

Editorial Guidelines The periodicals department reserves the right to edit material to fit the style and tone of Volta Voices and the space available.

Articles are selected on a space-available and relevancy basis; submission of materials is not a guarantee of use.

Transfer of Copyright The revised copyright law, which went into effect in January 1978, provides that from the time a manuscript is written, statutory copyright is vested with the author(s). All authors whose articles have been accepted for publication in Volta Voices are requested to transfer copyright of their articles to AG Bell prior to publication. This copyright can be transferred only by written agreement.

Without copyright ownership, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing cannot issue or disseminate reprints, authorize copying by individuals and libraries, or authorize indexing and abstracting services to use material from the magazine.

Art Submission Guidelines Volta Voices prefers digital images over original artwork. When submitting electronic files, please provide them in the following formats: TIF, EPS or JPG (no BMP or GIF images). Digital images must be at least 300 dpi (at size).

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.

Catharine McNally (VA) Teri Ouellette, M.S.Ed., LSLS Cert. AVEd (IN)

On the cover: Exploring the Psychosocial Aspects of Hearing Loss

VOLTA VOICES Volume 21, Issue 6, November/December (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.

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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

VOICES FROM AG BELL

Exploring the Psychosocial Aspects of Hearing Loss: A Parent’s Perspective When the theme of “Exploring the Psychosocial Aspects of Hearing Loss” was selected for this issue, I knew I’d have much to contribute! I have considered the issues of self-esteem, identity and self-concept from the perspective of my now 8-year-old son Jonah who has hearing loss, as well as from the vantage point of his siblings. The emotions and issues have shifted over time and it’s a continual journey.

I always say that I would give anything to spend five minutes in my son’s head, to hear how he hears and truly understand how he feels about being deaf and wearing cochlear implants. Our family bolsters Jonah’s image of his hearing loss, telling him he has “magic ears,” and that he’s a “hero” for getting cochlear implants and helping other kids learn all about them.

We paint his entire picture of it in a very positive light. This has been easier to do given his young age.

A big part of me wonders how he will feel when he is age 12 or 15 and older.

When Jonah was about age 6, he asked me whether he’d “always have to wear his special ears,” or whether, when he grows up, he will just “have normal ears like everyone else.” Another time, I heard a boy at a baseball game say to Jonah, “you may be OK at baseball, but you’ll never be really good with those ears.” While I silently shed a tear, Jonah just looked away. He later knocked out a couple of homeruns, after which the boy never bothered him again.

I asked him afterward whether he’d have wanted me to say anything to the boy, and I was beyond proud when Jonah told me he could “handle these things himself.”

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I know that Jonah’s hearing loss weighs on him from time to time. Overall he does a fabulous job of conveying a very positive attitude about his hearing loss. We have taught him that all people have differences and this is what makes us unique and positively perfect in our own unique way.

My own journey began with denial after Jonah failed his newborn hearing screen.

After a follow-up otoacoustic emissions test (OAE) at 1 week of age and three auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests from 1 week to 3 weeks of age, I finally started to come to grips with the idea of hearing loss.

When he was 8 months old, Jonah had a fully sedated ABR and an auditory steady state response (ASSR) test, and we were told that his hearing loss had progressed to profound and we should seek cochlear implants. I began to feel empowered, elated and excited about his opportunity to access sound. The years of therapy and mappings following the cochlear implants, which Jonah received at 11 months of age, were exhausting and took a toll on the entire family. Yet we forged ahead with hope as we saw Jonah immediately responding to sounds. When he started school at age 3, he quickly went from 10 words to hundreds.

Once Jonah began reading and his speech really took off, our emotions turned to absolute pride. We are proud of his deafness, proud of his hard work to access sound, and proud of the fact that he gives back to others, always telling people about his ears and always happy to meet another child who is considering cochlear implants.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the impact that Jonah’s hearing loss has had on his siblings. Jonah has the gift of having two older brothers who themselves attended those therapy sessions with Jonah for years. To this day I remind Jack and Luke that they are the reason Jonah speaks

so well, that they taught him to talk through their modeling and their patience and their tremendous love for their baby brother.

The psychological issues surrounding hearing loss affect the entire family. I still have times when Jonah’s battery will die and it breaks my heart that one of his ears is off even for just a few minutes. But right afterward a song will come on the radio and Jonah will say, “I don’t want Britney!

I want Rihanna!” We all end up laughing and marveling in the gift of hearing he’s been given.

We are fortunate to have been able to identify the support services that we needed that helped us on our journey. The AG Bell Family Needs Assessment showed how vital these support services are for families of newly identified children. Of the families surveyed, 63 percent chose to use support services and they said that being able to meet other parents on the same journey was the biggest benefit received.

AG Bell is a connection point for families at the national level with the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center and its social media communities that connect parents across the nation, giving busy parents resources and responses from others at their fingertips. AG Bell state chapters are another invaluable local connection for parents and offer support programs for children of all ages. I invite you to reflect on the many gifts that your child has been given and to celebrate the milestones as we reach out to other parents everywhere.

Sincerely,

eredith Sugar, Esq. M President

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Every child deserves the best chance to learn

Study proves effectiveness of Oticon’s advanced adaptive FM strategy, VoicePriority i ™ A recent study* by Erin Schafer, PhD, a leading expert in educational audiology and FM research, has validated the ability of VoicePriority i ™ to support hearing in background noise. Her team showed that Oticon Sensei with VoicePriority i ™ provides a significant increase in speech recognition in complex listening environments compared to traditional FM systems or a hearing instrument alone – particularly in localized noise.

Integrated into Oticon Sensei, VoicePriority i ™ automatically adjusts the gain of the incoming FM signal to optimize the signal to noise level at the child’s ear. This advanced adaptive FM strategy instantly responds to changing noise levels, ensuring consistent speech recognition wherever the child is located. And the more a child understands, the better her learning opportunities.

It’s as simple as that.

*) Peer-reviewed & accepted for publication in Journal of Educational Audiology, Schafer EC, Sanders K, Bryant D, Keeney K, & Baldus N (2013) Effects of Voice Priority in FM Systems for Children with Hearing Aids.

To learn more about Sensei, VoicePriority i ™ and Dr. Schafer’s study, contact your Hearing Care Professional or visit oticonusa.com/children

EDITOR’S NOTE

Self-concept, Identity and Self-esteem with Hearing Loss Research shows that more than half of girls experience a drop in confidence around puberty and that most girls consider the phrase “like a girl” to be an insult. The research, which was commissioned by the feminine care products line Always, fostered the creation of an inspiring commercial that seeks to change the concept behind this expression and empower young women to “run like a girl.” The commercial went viral on the Internet and received 48 million views on YouTube and 400,000 likes on the product’s Facebook page.

This edition of Volta Voices is dedicated to exploring issues that are fundamental to all children and teens—girls and boys— especially for young people who are deaf and hard of hearing: How can we foster a sense of self-confidence? How can we promote positive self-esteem? How do our children who are deaf and hard of hearing and living in the mainstream develop self-identity?

Much has been written about the psychology of hearing loss, but much less research has been devoted to the exploration of these issues related to those who are deaf and hard of hearing and use listening and spoken language, according to researcher Megan Kemmery. In this issue, she explores the perceptions of identity from the perspectives of students who have hearing loss and use listening and spoken language.

The results of the study reinforce the right of an individual to choose a preferred identity, but are intriguing in that they show that identity is not a fixed concept, but rather one that is fluid.

Ellen Rhoades discusses the psychological issues that she encounters in her work with teens as a Listening and Spoken Language

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Specialist and shares the many strategies that she uses to instill in them a sense of learned optimism and to teach them to view themselves from a strength-based perspective. She also discusses the language development involved in the social skills that are critical in adolescence.

As the co-creator and lead counselor for the Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program, Ken Levinson shares strategies for fostering self-esteem in young adults who are deaf and hard of hearing with a model that can be summed up through the acronym “I AM GREAT!” and involves everything from attitude to tickling.

An audiologist and a psychologist team up to address an issue that is often challenging for children and teens: group conversations.

They provide solid strategies for selfadvocacy in dealing with the rapid-fire dialogues and changing social dynamics that can be tricky for many teens, particularly those with hearing loss.

Several of the authors in this edition are deaf and hard of hearing themselves and bring a personal perspective to these issues as well as a professional background in psychology or education of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. These issues also resonate with me as the result of my personal and professional background.

As a child, I had a mild hearing loss in my better ear and experienced sudden hearing loss. As I learned to navigate the corridors of my junior high school, I was simultaneously learning to navigate the new world of deafness. The articles that I read as a teenager and young adult on the psychosocial aspects of hearing loss served as guideposts along the way. They gave me insight and provided a framework for my thoughts. None of these articles exist on the Internet today and few books specifically speak to young people who are deaf and hard of hearing and living in the

mainstream. It is my hope that the articles in this issue will serve as guideposts for another generation of children, families and teens.

As we look ahead to another year, there are exciting changes on the horizon for AG Bell publications. The Volta Voices magazine will streamline its print presence, coming to your mailbox quarterly, while expanding its web presence on the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center to provide a digital publication that will remain available and searchable in the future. Each issue will be announced in your e-mail inbox with an e-newsletter that highlights print and web features. We will place a greater focus on delivering great content that is designed to provide practical tips and take-away strategies and also focuses on supporting new parents in understanding their child’s hearing loss and listening and spoken language development. We’ll also highlight the work of AG Bell state chapters and explore ways that you can become involved and connect locally.

AG Bell is currently seeking articles on topics that relate to literacy and language development, multiculturalism and success in school and beyond. If you’re interested in authoring an article, please send an e-mail to editor@agbell.org with a brief description. of your article idea.

Susan Boswell

Director of Communications and Marketing \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CONCERNS? Write to us: AG Bell 3417 Volta Place, N.W. Washington, DC 20007 Or email us: editor@agbell.org Or online: ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org

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VOICES CONTRIBUTORS Carol Ban, MT(ASCP), is a retired senior medical technologist. She has profound sensorineural hearing loss from birth and is a bilateral cochlear implant user. Ban has been deeply involved with AG Bell since the 1970s. She was a membership secretary for AG Bell’s Oral Deaf Adults Section (ODAS), the local arrangements co-chair for ODAS at the 1986 AG Bell Convention in Chicago, and the co-organizer of the 35th, 40th and 50th ODAS reunion anniversary celebrations. Ban is now the newsletter editor as well as a board member of the Illinois Cochlear Implant Club, a chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America, a mentor for Advanced Bionics, and a volunteer at Child's Voice in Wood Dale, Illinois, a listening and spoken language school for children with hearing loss.

Megan A. Kemmery, Ph.D., is assistant professor in the Education Department at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio. Prior to earning her doctorate, Kemmery was an itinerant teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing for seven years.

She holds a master’s degree in elementary education and a bachelor’s degree in the education of people with hearing loss.

Her research interests lie in perceptions of identity, self-advocacy, learned helplessness, itinerant teaching, and collaboration among special education and general education teachers.

Karen Kirby has been an educator in public schools for 35 years and is currently a guidance counselor at William Penn Elementary School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has profound sensorineural hearing loss from progressive loss since 3 years of age and is a bilateral cochlear implant user. Kirby has been deeply involved with AG Bell since the 1970s. She has been a member of the AG Bell board of directors, chair and secretary for AG Bell’s Oral Deaf Adults Section (ODAS), the

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local arrangements co-chair for ODAS at the 1988 and 1998 AG Bell conventions in Orlando and Little Rock, and the co-organizer of the 35th, 40th and 50th ODAS reunion anniversary celebrations. She has also served on the boards of directors of the Florida and Texas chapters of AG Bell.

Ken Levinson, CPA, is the co-creator and lead counselor of AG Bell’s Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a partner in an accounting firm in San Francisco, California. Prior to that, Levinson was the executive director of The Children’s Hearing Institute in New York and a partner in another accounting practice in Los Angeles. He is currently the president of the board of directors of the Weingarten Children's Center. Levinson is a past president of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and has extensive current and past service on the boards of many other organizations. He is the 2006 recipient of AG Bell’s Honors of the Association award. Levinson is available to present on the I AM GREAT model.

Jay R. Lucker, Ed.D., CCC-A/ SLP, FAAA, is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He specializes in auditory processing issues in all populations, including children who are deaf and hard of hearing and use listening and spoken language. He works with families, schools and professionals in developing appropriate clinical and educational programming for children with hearing loss. He has published and presented on many topics related to speech and communication understanding.

He can be contacted at apddrj@verizon.net.

Anne T. Molloy, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist with the U.S. Department of Defense working at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda,

Maryland. She has mentored teens who are deaf and hard of hearing and use listening and spoken language.

Ellen A. Rhoades, Ed.S., LSLS Cert. AVT, is an international consultant, speaker and mentor in the field of listening and spoken language who has established and directed four auditory-verbal programs in the United States. She has received numerous awards, including Outstanding Auditory-Verbal Clinician of the Year from AVI, Outstanding Professional of the Year and Outstanding Program of the Year from AG Bell, and the Nitchie Award in Human Communications from the League for the Hard of Hearing.

Rhoades is the co-author of Auditory (re) habilitation for adolescents with hearing loss and is co-editor of Auditory-verbal practice: Toward a family-centered approach. She can be contacted through her website, www.auditoryverbaltraining.com.

Megan Hopkins, Jennifer Kyzer, Kristin Matta and Lorrie Dunkelberger are all moms who have helped their kids navigate the waters of playing sports with hearing aids and cochlear implants. Hopkins’ daughter, Madalyn, is a freshman in high school who plays golf and volleyball. She has bilateral cochlear implants and loves to be active. Kyzer’s son, Zach, is a junior in high school and currently plays basketball and baseball. He received his cochlear implant 15 years ago and has been active in various sports since he was 3 years old. Matta’s son, Garrett, a cochlear implant user for 12 years, is a sophomore in high school and is a member of both the soccer and ski teams. He has been involved in organized sports since he was 4 years old. Dunkelberger has two daughters, Victoria and Julianna. Victoria is in sixth grade, has a cochlear implant, and has played softball, basketball, tennis and danced since age 3. Julianna is in fourth grade and wears hearing aids. She has been involved in dance, cheer and gymnastics since the age of 5.

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NEWS BITES

Volta Voices Wins GDUSA Award The March/April 2014 issue of Volta Voices has won an American Graphic Design Award from Graphic Design USA! The competition is open to advertising agencies, graphic design firms and more. It honors outstanding new work in print, internet, interactive and motion graphics.

Jane Madell Joins the AG Bell Academy Board of Directors The AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language is pleased to announce the appointment of Jane R. Madell, Ph.D., CCC-A/ SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, to its board of directors for the 2014-2016 term beginning November 7.

Madell is a certified audiologist, speech-language pathologist, and a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist. She has been a pediatric audiologist for more than 45 years. Currently, she is the director of Pediatric Audiology Consulting. She was formerly director of the Hearing and Learning Center and co-director of the Cochlear Implant Center at The Ear Institute, New York Eye and Ear infirmary and Beth Israel Medical Center. Learn more at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/JaneMadellBOD. Congratulations New Listening and Spoken Language Specialists!

The AG Bell Academy is pleased to congratulate the following individuals, who have recently earned the Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS®) certification: • Ann Franklin, LSLS Cert. AVT • Cindy Gonzales Urbina, LSLS Cert. AVT • Janani Jeyaraman, LSLS Cert. AVT • Kaylea Mattern, LSLS Cert. AVEd • Kacey Modlin, LSLS Cert. AVEd • Sara Norwood, LSLS Cert. AVT • Heidi Padilla, LSLS Cert. AVEd • Laura Perlman, LSLS Cert. AVT • Aneesha Pretto, LSLS Cert. AVT • Catherine Reckord, LSLS Cert. AVT • Amy McConkey Robbins, LSLS Cert. AVT • Elizabeth Rosenzweig, LSLS Cert. AVT • Tracy Vale, LSLS Cert. AVT • Katelyn Welch, LSLS Cert. AVEd

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Eleanor Vorce Celebrates Centennial Eleanor Vorce, author of Teaching Speech to Deaf Children and Speech in the Preschool for the Deaf, turned 100 years old on October 23. Back in the 1960s, Vorce was a tenacious and passionate proponent of teaching children with hearing loss to listen and speak, and taught the course “Teaching Speech to the Deaf ” in the combined Columbia University/ Lexington School for the Deaf teacher training program. Karen Youdelman, Ed.D., a past AG Bell president and board member, reminisced about Vorce as her mentor and teacher at the time: "Eleanor Vorce was instrumental in introducing me to AG Bell. At our first session in 1965, she announced to the class, 'If you are going to be a professional in the field of deafness then you will join AG Bell.'” Further, "Ms. Vorce's approach to teaching speech to children with hearing loss back in the 1960s embodied many of the same principles of the listening and spoken language approach we use today. She taught us how to do it most practically, efficiently and effectively, stressing the importance of the interrelationships among language, thought and perception," added Youdelman. Happy 100th birthday to Eleanor Vorce!

Fly-inspired Hearing Aids When it comes to animals with good hearing, flies might not immediately come to mind. The Ormia ochracea fly, however, has a unique hearing mechanism that allows it to precisely determine the location of a cricket based on its chirps in order to deposit its larvae on the cricket. Scientists at the University of Texas Austin have now duplicated that mechanism, with hopes that it could find use in applications such as next-generation compact low-power hearing aids that are better able to discern conversations from background noise. A paper on the research was recently published in the journal Applied Physics Letters.

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COMPILED BY: ANNA KARKOVSKA MCGLEW, M.A.

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New Rules Require Captioning of Certain Online Video Clips Beginning in 2016 The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved new rules that will require closed captioning of video clips that are posted online. The new rules further the purpose of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) by helping to ensure equal access to all forms of programming by individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing when they watch video content online.

Specifically, the rules extend the FCC’s IP closed captioning rules adopted in 2012, which cover full-length videos online, to video clips if the original programming was shown on television in the United States with captions.

The new rules apply to video programming distributors that air programming—including broadcasters and cable and satellite distributors—on television and then post clips of that programming on their own website or via their own mobile app. The new rules do not extend to third party websites or apps. Compliance deadlines will vary based on the type of video clip.

Members in the Media LOFT Graduate Featured in Local Media Paige Arbeiter, from Glen Rock, New Jersey, was recently featured on the NorthJersey. com news website. Arbeiter, who is a 2014 Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) graduate and is a bilateral cochlear implant user, is currently a freshman at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with the aim to become an educational audiologist.

Paige’s motto "I came, I heard, I conquered" truly speaks to her character and attitude in life. In honor of her achievements, the Hearing Loss Association of New Jersey (HLAA-NJ) this year presented Paige with its prestigious College Scholarship Award.

Mobile App Shows Sound Alerts on Smartphones OtoSense, a developer of sound recognition software, launched a mobile app that identifies and distinguishes the source of incoming audio alerts such as alarms, sirens, timers, bells and other sounds, turning smartphones and tablets into assistive alerting devices for people with hearing loss.

Visit www.otosense.com to learn more.

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CHAPTERS Idaho Chapter of AG Bell Receives 501(c)3 Status The Idaho Chapter of AG Bell is pleased to announce that the Internal Revenue Service has awarded it a 501(c)3 status.

As such, AG Bell Idaho will now have the opportunity to pursue grants, as well as other fundraising opportunities, restricted only to nonprofits with this status.

AG Bell Idaho has several projects under consideration, including a summer camp, fun run, movie night and a hearing aid giveaway. Stay tuned with chapter developments through www.agbellidaho.com.

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By Ellen A. Rhoades, Ed.S., LSLS Cert. AVT

was born with bilateral 85 dB hearing loss and wore a high-powered unilateral hearing aid since 2 years of age, way back in 1947.

Having developed effective listening and spoken language skills, I was a functionally hearing student and was mainstreamed in the first grade.

I eventually became an elementary school teacher and realized that I had a passion for working with children and adolescents who also had hearing differences like me. When I took my first audiology course in graduate school, I learned that I was audiometrically deaf. Since then, I have been keenly interested in psychosocial issues associated with hearing loss. Immediately after obtaining my master's degree in 1972, I began providing auditory-verbal therapy (AVT) and was among the first practitioners recruited by Helen Beebe, Ciwa Griffiths and Doreen Pollack to organize the discipline then known as AVT in 1977. When the certification process was established, I naturally became certified as an auditory-verbal therapist.

In 1993, I received a cochlear implant after losing some of my residual hearing. Since then, I have established several auditory-verbal programs and authored professional articles and books.

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When I work with and counsel youth with hearing loss and their parents, I immediately begin to elevate expectation levels and move to reframe labeling issues associated with stigma, stereotypes and self-fulfilling prophecies which are documented in the evidence-based literature (Rhoades, 2010).

I also work to identify each child's positive dispositional traits which are among the personal resources necessary for good psychosocial and physical health as well as effective learning (Froh, Huebner, Youssef, & Conte, 2011). Both are complex psychosocial issues integral to the framework for my auditory-verbal intervention with students of all ages.

Realistic Optimism and Reframing Circumstances An important dispositional trait that enables children and adolescents to thrive is that of realistic optimism. We know that a positive outlook influences how we interact with others (Lount, 2010). Optimism, associated with positive thinking, also has to do with favorable expectancies for the future (Carver & Scheier, 2014). This dispositional trait can be learned (Peters et al., 2010). Therefore, repeatedly promoting a sense of optimism is one of my goal-based issues across therapy sessions.

The ability to reframe any situation or event in a positive light is essential to optimism (Alter et al., 2010). Giving youth with hearing loss opportunities to engage in the reframing process can be relatively simple by showering them with optimistic proverbs and metaphorical expressions (Pierro et al., 2012). Examples include: • Every cloud has a silver lining.

• My glass is half full, not half empty.

• There are two sides to every coin.

• Living on earth may be expensive, but it includes a trip around the sun each year.

When I hear adults with typical hearing make pessimistic statements, I am cheerfully reminded that my father did the right thing by persistently changing my outlook on the dilemmas of life.

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Fortunately-Unfortunately I often play a game with students called Fortunately-Unfortunately. Either the practitioner and student or two students can play, taking turns with each other. One is designated to be the optimist and the other person is the pessimist. One person makes a statement that reflects either a positive or negative viewpoint, depending on their designated disposition. Alternating turns, each statement made should continue in a somewhat similar thread so that a story develops.

For example, person A (the designated optimist) says, “Fortunately, the bed is comfortable.” Then, person B (the designated pessimist) says, “Unfortunately, the bed was very small.” Person A continues: “Fortunately, the bed had side bars so I did not fall off.” Person B chimes in: “The side bars were smelly.” And so on.

The Importance of Traveling Well There is something that can be learned from each difficult situation or event experienced by students. I have a list of adverse situations that I present to students, challenging them to find one positive aspect that can be extracted from each situation. Along with practicing the art of reframing, youth with hearing loss can learn that failure is instructive and that for every limitation a strength can be perceived or something can be learned. Failing well can stand us well.

Although the importance of having conversations about pain, adversity and mistakes cannot be underestimated, it is equally important to generate vivid positive mental imagery of the future; this helps youth with hearing loss focus on goals and problem solving (Blackwell et al., 2013). As a practitioner, I try to praise students' efforts more than their outcomes or achievements (Young et al., 2008). To promote positive dispositional traits, praise the process rather than the product.

In helping students become strengthbased, I engage them in written or verbal activities whereby they complete these statements: I have ___. I am ___. I can ___.

I also give each student a copy of “Ten Rules For My Well Being” (Figure 1).

Over time, we discuss each rule and my goal is to have them understand and

buy into those rules. Rather than blaming others for our problems, we work to normalize adversities and accept them as part of life. This means we see dilemmas as typical experiences that help us grow and become more confident. A “can do” spirit is promoted when we place youth with hearing loss in situations whereby they must persevere to learn new skills. As children mature, they become increasingly flexible by embracing the “new normal.”

xploring and Constructing E a Fluid Self-Identity Self-affirmation activities encourage youth with hearing loss to engage in selfreflection (Stinson et al., 2011). This means thinking about those values they deem important, and explaining why those values are relevant to them (Kaplan & Flum, 2012).

Examples of probing questions that can elicit thoughtful responses and promote self-awareness include: • Why is this belief important to you?

• Of all your values, which one is most important to you?

• What does it mean to be...?

• How do you feel about these labels: hearing impaired, hard of hearing, deaf, hearing disabled, atypical hearing?

I take great care to convey to students that I respect all viewpoints in a confidential, safe and non-judgmental way (Renshawa, Choob, & emerald, 2014).

Figure 1. Ten rules for my well-being* 1. I belong.

2. I am unique and that is good.

3. I can change my brain; I can and will construct my own reality.

4. I recognize my own strengths and weaknesses.

5. I sometimes request help, but always take responsibility for my successes and failures.

6. I believe that failure is instructive, so I will learn from my mistakes.

7. I will be persistently optimistic, even in the face of adversity.

8. I do and always will try to laugh at myself.

9. I must continue being receptive to new ideas.

10. I understand that anything is possible, so I create my own future.

* Rhoades, E. A. (2003). Ten rules for my well-being. Auditoryverbal intervention for adolescents workshop. Minneapolis, MN.

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In spite of congenital deafness and my personal experiences, I make a concerted effort to avoid viewing each student through that same lens. Although hearing status may not be the primary definer for either me or some students with hearing differences, it may be so for other students (Punch & Hyde, 2011). Sometimes, hearing status is viewed as a deficit-based facet of one's identity.

This type of discussion lends itself well to alternative ways we might solve problems such as remedying those situations where understanding others is difficult.

Because identities are fluid and evolving as we mature, it is critical to understand the multidimensionality of who we are (Sinai, Kaplan, & Flum, 2012). The exploration and construction of self-identity is a topic worthy of discussion with all adolescents (Kaplan & Flum, 2012). Each one of us is a product of our respective families, parental attitudes and ethnic heritages as well as socioeconomic conditions, and all young children can benefit from learning about such diversity (Ramsey, 2008). For many adolescents, the language used at home or the student's physical appearance is of greater importance than their hearing differences, particularly when those facets deviate from the norm of the majority culture (Erb & Gebert, 2014).

At any rate, among all students, cultural explorations tend to foster greater understanding and appreciation of differences (Schwartz, Kurtines, & Montgomery, 2005). Each adolescent tends to view the self in terms of multiple or nested selves that are renegotiated, depending on circumstances (Crawford, 2007). One enjoyable and interesting activity for me and the students is visually showing our nested identities on paper, and the relative importance that we ascribe to each facet; this project can result in creative images.

I encourage students to share their inner stories—how they feel before, during and after challenging situations.

Exploratory vehicles include reading and telling identityrelated stories or poems, writing essays, developing

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goals and potential solutions to problematic situations, having small group discussions, participating in group projects, roleplaying conflicts, creating puppet shows, attending cultural events, controlling specific impulses, and engaging in formal mock debates.

Fitting in and Staying True to Self Adolescents with hearing differences, just like adolescents with typical hearing, are complex individuals reflecting great heterogeneity (Leigh et al., 2009).

Unfortunately, some adolescents do not feel socially connected to their peers (Pijl & Frostad, 2010). Group affiliation and acceptance is a fundamental human need.

Adolescents who experience social rejection may feel dehumanized (Bastian & Haslam, 2010). Those who don't “fit in” may be distrusted, stereotyped and homogenized (Ellemers, 2012). We tend to like those who are similar to us, who look and sound and think like us. So I urge students feeling excluded to take the extra step in kindness.

Toward that end, we either discuss or reenact interpersonal situations (see Figure 2 for a sample of such situations).

Because disengaged students are at great risk for poor developmental outcomes (Cruwys et al., 2013), I make a concerted effort to collaborate with parents and other established service providers so as to meet each adolescent's needs. Efforts are made to find an acceptable group for each student, and this can involve after-school leisure activities such as team sports, civic

clubs and art classes as well as programs such as AG Bell’s Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) and AG Bell chapter activities. Positive social interactions can mitigate previous negative attitudes (Hergenrather & Rhodes, 2007).

With at-risk students, I focus on their unique and positive attributes so they can realize they are valued. At the same time, I embark on the quest of improving their goal-directed problem solving skills as well as their prosocial skills, which are behaviors that benefit other people or society as a whole. More often than not, isolated students have insufficient communication skills (Stevenson et al., 2010). The nature and extent of my therapy sessions changes with those students who lack that sense of belonging so crucial to identity construction and healthy self-esteem.

Developing Prosocial Skills: Theory of Mind On the face of it, promoting prosocial skills may seem rather simple in that we just need to teach students how to share and use the niceties of spoken language (Brownell, 2013). But it is a bit more complicated than that. There are ample data demonstrating that some adolescents with hearing differences, relative to their peers with typical hearing, have not developed sufficient Theory of Mind (e.g., Schorr, 2006). This means that some youth with hearing loss need to be taught how to attribute mental states to oneself and to understand that others have beliefs, desires

Figure 2. Sample of interpersonal situations • offering help to another • hosting a social gathering • resolving a physical fight without being aggressive • assisting someone who erred • teaching someone how to improve certain skills • giving and accepting feedback • making discrete, direct, tactful comments • engaging taciturn others in conversation • effectively leading a group to complete a project

• serving as motivational team leader in a sport • engaging in a debate • facilitating a brainstorming session in a group • enhancing cohesion from multicultural group of peers • serving as peer mediator on verbal level • making small talk that elicits conversation from others • effectively changing a topic • joining in on a conversation • asking for help

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and intentions that are different from their own. This construct, Theory of Mind (Frith & Frith, 2006), may also be referred to as mentalizing (Blakemore et al., 2007), cultural intelligence (Hermann et al., 2007), socioemotional intelligence (Goleman, 2006) or social cognition (Striano & Reid, 2009).

Figure 3. Sample of a mentalistic lexicon assertive competent clearly deceive deception disappointed evidently exuberant guilt imagine interpret

The Four Social Cognitive Skills At the least, there are four important social cognitive skills underlying effective prosocial skills. Two of them are typically learned before or during the elementary grades: perspective-taking and empathy.

However, counterfactual thinking and sarcasm perception are typically not well learned until adolescence; these laterdeveloping social cognitive skills are heavily vested in communicative competency.

For my at-risk students, I recommend a full neuropsychological evaluation.

However, considerable time may lapse between my recommendation and receiving the psychologist's report. So, in order to know in which direction my therapy sessions should quickly go, I first ascertain whether the student has a sufficient “mentalistic lexicon” (see Figure 3 for a sample of such vocabulary). Understanding words that describe how people feel and think is needed for social inclusion (Morgan et al., 2014).

Perspective-taking I also quickly determine whether my at-risk students understand perspective-taking on emotional and cognitive levels. A picture book that I often use refers to the classic Hindu fable about six blind men and an elephant. Can the student coherently relate to me why and how each blind man views the elephant in a different light?

Then, using sequence pictures of faceless characters, I ask questions about how each character might have felt. Does the student understand that different people can have different perspectives about the same situation? Does the adolescent know what it means when people feel conflicted in certain situations? I also encourage students to take opposite positions in varied problematic situations as well as across racial and socioeconomic conditions

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judge perhaps perplexing perspective realize self-conscious suggest supposedly undoubtedly viewpoint vulnerable

(Gillespie & Richardson, 2011).

Empathy Based on my brief evaluation, we may work toward improving the student's mental state talk (mentalistic lexicon) as well as facilitating a sense of empathy. As needed, I use hearing differences as a means of sensitizing students to negative feelings.

Any experiences that students may have had with social rejection can help them better understand others (Seery, 2011). To facilitate their perspective-taking skills, I provide adolescents with multiple activities in multiple contexts. During this ongoing process, we work on understanding social blunders. We also practice the art of anticipation and prediction—figuring out how people will behave based on what we have learned about their feelings.

Counterfactual Thinking When these skills are in place, my therapeutic focus shifts to promoting counterfactual thinking. This involves considering how a past event could have been better or worse (i.e., what might have been). The linguistic pattern typically used in developing this skill is “If..., then...” which can involve blame and responsibility. For example, “If he does not do his homework, then he may fail the course.” Initially developed across the childhood years, counterfactual thinking

is

associated with causal reasoning (Beck & Riggs, 2014). When engaged in problem solving, adolescents are encouraged to think about how outcomes could be different (counterfactual alternatives).

Figurative Language Subsequent to this, I'll use much figurative language, particularly engaging students in the art of sarcasm and irony (this can include painless teasing). Making snarky comments is a hallmark of adolescent communication and social cognition. While developing their knowledge of non-literal language (metaphors, similes, puns, idioms, analogies), we also learn about such paralinguistic cues as facial expressions and tone of voice in order to broaden their understanding of sarcasm (Nicholson et al., 2013). To facilitate ease with linguistic ambiguity, we share jokes, riddles and proverbs (Duncan, Rhoades, & Fitzpatrick, 2014).

The ultimate goal is to enable youth with hearing loss to become capable of attaining positive outcomes. Irrespective of hearing differences, youth should be able to thrive despite the many challenges they encounter in life. They should independently undertake important responsibilities and feel motivated with a sense of belonging and appropriate future-focused mindset.

Each person should become an effective goal-directed problem solver with strong self-awareness, healthy self-esteem and a positive outlook on life.

SELECTED REFERENCES Duncan, J., Rhoades, E. A., & Fitzpatrick, E. M. (2014).

Auditory (re)habilitation for adolescents with hearing loss.

New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Froh, J. J., Huebner, E. S., Youssef, A-J., & Conte, V. (2011). Acknowledging and appreciating the full spectrum of the human condition: School psychology's limited focus on positive psychological functioning. Psychology in the Schools, 48, 110-123.

Gillespie, A., & Richardson, B. (2011). Exchanging social positions: Enhancing perspective taking within a cooperative problem solving task. European Journal of Social Psychology, 41, 608-616.

Kaplan, A., & Flum, H. (2012). Identity formation in educational settings: A critical focus for education in the 21st century. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 37, 171-175.

To access the article as well as the full reference list, visit ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/Adolescence

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Self-esteem Basics from Independence to Tickling

Photos in this article are from AG Bell's Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program. See page 30 for more information.

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By Ken Levinson, CPA

As co-creator and lead counselor for AG Bell’s Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program, I have been fortunate to speak to several groups about fostering self-esteem in teens and young adults who are deaf and hard of hearing, particularly about the “I AM GREAT” model. I do not profess to be a psychologist, trained counselor or any other professional expert with a background in teenage behavior. The model is based on my experiences and the self-advocacy discussions I have observed over the years among the LOFT teens.

Before we dive into the model, it is necessary to point out two things. First, there is nothing different between children with typical hearing and children who are deaf and hard of hearing when it comes to self-esteem. They are children first and deaf and hard of hearing second.

Second, each child is unique and experiences vary from child to child and from family to family. There are different hearing losses, family support systems, neighbors, teachers, religious values, uses of technology, to name just a few factors, which intertwine to create one’s distinct and individual ecology. And that really matters.

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The acronym for the model originates with two prominent sports figures from several years ago. A young boxer, Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, would always proclaim before a match: “I am the greatest.” And he was. A few years later, Joe Namath, then a quarterback for the New York Jets, bragged he was the greatest quarterback in professional football. And he was.

It comes down to one word: confidence.

To put it in terms of what Joe Namath and Muhammad Ali always said: I AM GREAT. The phrase I AM GREAT is the acronym for the model. If the reader remembers one thing from this article, remember I AM GREAT.

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Independence I is for Independence. In LOFT, we can immediately see which teens have doting “helicopter” parents and which do not.

Establishing independence is letting these teens experience as much as they can at the earliest possible age. It is through experience that we develop a sense of who we are and begin our journey to individualization. We want these experiences to be as positive as possible. If experiences are negative—and there will always be some of those—we go to the other letters in the model and use those elements to foster self-esteem in a positive way.

Parents get so hung up on emotional harm, it prevents them from allowing their children to have some “hurt.” Of course, you would not want them to be traumatized by a significant event such as constant verbal abuse, but other than that, almost anything can be overcome with repeated efforts.

Attitude A is for Attitude. People say: “Attitude is the greatest disability” and they are usually referring to nondisabled people and their attitudes toward people with disabilities. When it comes to socialization, however, it is different. Turn it around. What is my attitude? Is it bitter or upbeat? I don’t think it matters if we are deaf or hard of hearing—or not—people are attracted to others with more positive attitudes. It’s that simple.

A is for Attitude. credit: wendy will

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I is for Independence. credit : catharine mcnally

Groups G is for Groups: finding and getting to know others like you.

Teenagers are teenagers. That is their group. Whether it is sports, horseback riding, art, music, science or computer games, it is about finding groups that support you and the way you live.

LOFT takes this bonding to another level. Most of the teens are from mainstream environments and/or know very few others who are deaf and hard of hearing. What we see in every session is the incredible bonding with others like themselves.

Every year, we wonder if the need for LOFT will disappear as the teens become better and better in using their technology and are more adept in their interactions with hearing peers. It never changes. These teens have something in common that no one else has. It doesn’t have to be LOFT per se. It can be any group of teens with hearing loss. What matters is the idea they all understand one another instantly.

To quote one parent: “I wanted to reach out and let you know just how much LOFT exceeded our expectations, as well as our daughter’s. It wasn’t just the connections and friendships that she will have and cherish for the rest of her life. It was the kindling of the inner glow in her, that quiet confidence that parents hope their kids find. And I expect the rest of the LOFT participants had a similar experience.”

Mistakes Are OK

Respect

M is for Mistakes are OK. This hardly needs elaboration. It is doubly important, however, for children who are deaf and hard of hearing to understand because if they should make a mistake, they may often look at their hearing loss as the reason why people judge them in certain ways.

As a parent or professional, show them it is okay by teaching them to acknowledge their mistakes, especially as it happens.

Embarrass yourselves, and teach your students and children to be able to do so themselves.

R is for Respect. Respect is essential to a positive self-esteem because it is something that makes you feel valued. When we discuss issues and challenges in LOFT, it is important the other teens listen and respond in a respectful manner. We have had teens with cerebral palsy, other motor or balance issues, Usher syndrome, etc. Most of the teens have been teased or bullied at some points in their young lives. We constantly observe the respect shown when they realize they are not alone in their challenges or issues.

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Certainly we would want respect for ourselves, but by having your child learn how to respect others, we can hope to get that respect in return. It is similar to having a positive attitude.

Rather than “attacking” someone who may be ignorant, wouldn’t it make more sense to take a more respectful approach and take him or her off the offensive?

Going back to independence, when you allow them to experience things they want to try, despite some fears you may have, you are showing them respect by allowing them to prove to you they are worthy. So, it is not just about developing respect. It is also about showing respect.

Even more so, what about role models that are deaf and hard of hearing? AG Bell conventions, state chapter conferences, LOFT and other venues all offer opportunities for children to meet role models. All the LOFT counselors are deaf and hard of hearing, with most of them being former LOFT graduates.

It is important for teens to see they can become successful as adults, not just in the things they aspire to, but knowing they can do it, despite their hearing loss. It is really amazing how far people who are deaf and hard of hearing have come. Adults who are deaf and hard of hearing are successful doctors, lawyers, engineers, college professors, audiologists, CPAs, business owners, etc.

Tickle Them Last, but certainly not least, T is for Tickle Them. One of the most powerful means of developing good socialization skills is a good sense of humor. Make fun of yourself. Nothing puts another person at ease more than this. Poking fun at yourself is a universal thing, and is a very effective means of enhancing that positive attitude discussed earlier. We all have something we can use as a target for others at which to poke.

R is for Respect. credit: danielle paquin

Expectations E is for Expectations. How often do we hear how important it is to set your expectations as high as possible? As King Jordan, the first deaf president of Gallaudet University, stated in his famous quote: “Deaf people can do anything, except hear.” Expectations are set through allowing your child to experience things and to achieve whatever goals they wish and have set for themselves rather than the ones you think they can achieve.

There is nothing your child should NOT try. I wouldn’t recommend sky diving right away, but unless they try, they will never know they could possibly accomplish whatever it is they try. Go for it. Don’t keep your children back because of their hearing loss.

To quote a LOFT graduate: “The important thing is to follow your heart. Don’t let anybody….take away or discourage your dreams. And don’t let your inner voices or doubts drown out your passion…..”

As parents and professionals, shouldn’t we foster this in our children?

Adults Another A for Adults. During LOFT, the teens make four presentations on different topics, one of which is on the most important person or role model in their lives. When I first started LOFT, almost all role models were parents. Today’s teens pick sports heroes, famous artists and scientists, literary figures, a family friend, a brother or sister. Parents are still in the mix, but just not as much. Teens today are functioning so much better in the mainstream that they are now looking outside their immediate family and to the larger community for role models.

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T is for Tickle Them. credit: matthew browne

I-A-M-G-R-E-A-T What are the lessons? Allow kids to develop independence by experiencing everything and taking chances to find out about various situations by making mistakes and learning from them.

Help them develop a positive attitude and a constant behavior of showing respect. Get them involved in groups with others that help develop strong bonds. Find good role models, particularly those who are deaf and hard of hearing, and let them see other successful people like themselves. Set expectations high and don’t deny them the opportunity to try anything for which they are capable. Laugh them silly, but laugh at yourself even more.

And the final lesson? I AM GREAT. And so is every child, whether they are deaf, hard of hearing or typically hearing. As teachers and parents, it becomes incumbent on us to make sure that greatness is promoted in each and every child.

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ARE YOU DEAF?

OR

HARD OF HEARING OR?

PERCEPTIONS OF IDENTITY IN STUDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS AND THEIR FAMILIES New Research from The Volta Review

By Megan A. Kemmery, Ph.D. 18

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Have you ever judged a book by its cover only to find out, after getting to know the characters, the setting and the plot, that what you thought the book was about is different from what is on the cover? We all do it—we make assumptions based on obvious first impressions. Everybody reading this issue of Volta Voices can probably think of a time where the way they perceived themselves differed from how others characterized them.

With this in mind, we set out to explore perceptions of identity related to hearing loss. The complete results of our study are available in the Fall/Winter 2014 issue of AG Bell’s peer-reviewed scholarly journal The Volta Review.

We were able to examine perspectives of identity related to perceptions of hearing loss in 10 participants—four students (ages 12 to 17) and their six caregivers/parents. The student participants all had hearing loss, communicated through listening and spoken language, and were educated in the general education setting.

The participants answered questions about their identity and their hearing loss through in-depth interviews. Caregivers/ parents of the students were included in the study because research shows they play a critical and crucial role in the identity development of their children (Cole & Edelmann, 1991; Jackson, Traub, & Turnbull, 2008; Schlesinger & Meadow, 1972).

DeaF or HearinG The results of our study showcased a fluid continuum of identity types that included (a) hearing, (b) person with hearing loss, (c) hard of hearing, (d) hearing impaired and (e) deaf (medical definition). These identity types are in agreement with the earlier findings of other researchers (Glickman, 1986, 1996; Grushkin, 2003; McIlroy and Storbeck, 2011) and have already been established within the literature on deafness.

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interactions with others hearing person with hearing loss hard of hearing

life experiences

hearing impaired deaf (medical) setting/ context

hearing identity type, even though he/ she has hearing loss and wears hearing aids. Yet in the noisy setting of the school cafeteria, the same student may struggle to access communication among his/ her peers and may select a deaf or a hard of hearing identity type. This example illustrates that identity is fluid and can change depending on these three factors.

Other findings in our study also point out that self-determined identity types, the notion of identity as a fluid concept, and a sense of management as well as a sense of resiliency all exist when selecting an identity type related to hearing loss.

Right to Choose One’s Identity caregivers/ parents

McIlroy and Storbeck (2011) define the DeaF identity type as the cultural space from which individuals with hearing loss transition within and between both the D/deaf community and the hearing community, thereby encompassing a fluid view of identity—one where individuals can move from one identity type to another as they choose depending on the roles, interactions, and contexts or settings in which the individual engages. The capital F highlights the individual’s fluid interactions with his or her family members with typical hearing, whereas during social interactions with peers who have hearing loss and who use American Sign Language the individual is able to fluidly connect and identify with members of the D/deaf community/culture which results in a cross-cultural bicultural dialogue between sign language and a spoken or written language (McIlroy, 2010).

However, the majority of the participants in our study chose the hearing identity type as the strived for or sought after identity type. To borrow from McIlroy and Storbeck’s DeaF identity type (2011), one could derive a new identity type used as the reference point for the current study participants as the HearinG identity type in that participants perceived identity—as related to hearing loss—as how well the students “fit in” with the hearing world. The capital G highlights

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the fluidity that exists when the students shift from one identity type to another depending upon interactions with others, the context/setting and life experiences.

Factors Affecting the Fluidity of Identity The present study found three main factors that influenced which identity type was selected: interactions with others, environment/setting/context and life experiences (both those in the past and those they currently face). For example, for a student in a quiet classroom setting where he/she can access instruction and hear the teacher, he/she may select the

Irrespective of level of hearing loss, the presence of listening technology or mode of communication, individuals have the right to select their own identity and define their own identity type. A diagnosis of moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss does not automatically mean this individual or his/her caregivers/ parents will choose the deaf or hard of hearing identity type. In choosing the hearing identity type, for example, the participants in the present study minimized the hearing loss by choosing not to recognize that aspect or trait of self (e.g., multicultural competence) or by compartmentalizing themselves, thus activating multiple identities through a process of differentiation and isolation based on context or situation (Roccas & Brewer, 2002). Thus, in certain contexts, one group membership (e.g., the hearing

An individual may choose to identify as one identity type in one context and as a different identity type in another context or within differing interactions (Mead, 1934) despite the hearing loss remaining the same.

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identity type) becomes the primary basis of social identity, whereas other group identities (e.g., student, son, person with hearing loss identity type, baseball player) become primary in different contexts.

For example, a caregiver/parent participant spoke of being proud of his son for overcoming obstacles and limitations but also spoke of his son’s hearing loss as not being a major factor by stating his son was just like others (without hearing loss).

To bridge any potential gaps in self-determined identity types, communication is critical in trying to understand the perspectives of others.

Tajfel (1982) reiterates that an individual’s identity derives from his/her knowledge of membership in a group combined with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership. This is especially important to note due to others having a tendency to label the individual with hearing loss by the hearing loss which was incongruent with the individual’s perception of him/herself in multiple flexible ways as can be seen in the findings of this study.

Always in Motion An individual may choose to identify as one identity type in one context and as a different identity type in another context or within differing interactions (Mead, 1934) despite the hearing loss remaining the same. Thus, one of the implications of the present research is for caregivers/ parents, teachers and counselors to provide supports that foster independence and self-determination skills, and embrace all students as independent individuals who have the right to form their own identities.

Further, expectations for students with hearing loss should be increased, and respect and acceptance of all individuals as fully capable human beings, regardless of hearing status, should be promoted.

Manage and Persevere Management of hearing loss and one’s being able to persevere and “bounce back” from setbacks encountered was crucial.

Through a sense of resiliency, student participants were able to more closely align with the hearing identity type and overcome difficulties associated with the

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hearing loss through use of technology, accommodations and information sharing pertaining to the specifics of the hearing loss, further underscoring the importance of teaching self-advocacy skills to caregivers/ parents and students. Through reciprocity and exchanging of information related to hearing loss and communication needs,

themselves and be able to apply this understanding to students in other populations (e.g., students with learning disabilities, autism, from other cultural and religious backgrounds). No matter whom we are studying or communicating with in life we must realize people are people first and not judge a book by its cover.

"My hearing loss is a part of me and contributes to my overall perception of myself…I can appreciate and recognize everything that I am, including the parts that make me me."

others will gain a better understanding of how individuals with hearing loss perceive themselves and how hearing loss is but one factor of who they are.

Finally, one must completely accept and understand oneself for advocacy, growth and change to occur for that individual (Landreth, 2002). Through recognizing all one is, or knowing how one identifies self, one is able to truly be the best version of oneself as can be seen by this statement from a student participant: My hearing loss is a part of me and contributes to my overall perception of myself…I can appreciate and recognize everything that I am, including the parts that make me me.

When perceiving others—regardless of disability, special need, hearing loss or any other trait that distinguishes us— we must realize our perceptions may differ from the perceptions of the individuals and be respectful of differences. To be self-actualized individuals who advocate for ourselves we have to know how we define ourselves and be able to convey that to others.

Caregivers/parents, teachers, counselors and other school professionals need to realize the way they view children may differ from the children’s own view of

REFERENCES Cole, S. H., & Edelmann, R. J. (1991). Identity patterns and self- and teacher-perceptions of problems for deaf adolescents: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 32, 1159–1165.

Glickman, N. S. (1986). Cultural identity, deafness, and mental health. Journal of Rehabilitation of the Deaf, 20, 1–10.

Glickman, N. S. (1996). The development of culturally deaf identities. In N. S. Glickman & M. A. Harvey (Eds.), Culturally affirmative psychotherapy with deaf persons (pp.

115–154). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Grushkin, D. A. (2003). The dilemma of the hard of hearing within the U.S. deaf community. In L. Monaghan, C. Schmaling, K. Nakamura, & G. H. Turner (Eds.), Many ways to be deaf: International variation in deaf communities (pp.

114–140). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.

Jackson, C. W., Traub, R. J., & Turnbull, A. P. (2008).

Parents’ experiences with childhood deafness: Implications for family-centered services. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 29, 82–98.

Landreth, G. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship. New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.

McIlroy, G. (2010). Discovering deaf identities: A narrative exploration of educational experiences on deaf identity. Saarbrucken, Germany: Lambert Academic Publishers.

McIlroy, G., & Storbeck, C. (2011). Development of deaf identity: An ethnographic study. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 16, 494–511.

Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, self & society from the standpoint of a social behaviorist. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Roccas, S., & Brewer, M. B. (2002). Social identity complexity. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 6, 88–106.

Schlesinger, H. S., & Meadow, K. P. (1972). Sound and sign: Childhood deafness and mental health. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Tajfel, H. (1982). Interindividual behavior and intergroup behavior. In H. Tajfel (Ed.), Differentiation between social groups: Studies in the social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 27–60). London, United Kingdom: Academic.

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overcoming challenges group conversations

By Jay R. Lucker, Ed.D., CCC-A/SLP, FAAA, and Anne T. Molloy, Psy.D.

One concern parents often bring to professionals is that their children with hearing loss have few friends or find themselves left out of social situations, especially groups of children.

Significant challenges with

group communication become more obvious as children transition into their teen years—middle and high school.

Many professionals tell

parents this is due to the hearing loss, which makes social interactions difficult.

But hearing loss may not be the only reason. One factor may

be that children with hearing loss have not learned how to advocate effectively for themselves in group social situations.

Children with hearing loss often shy away from group communication situations hoping that no one will ask them a question or insist that they join in on the conversation. In contrast, they usually find it comfortable communicating with only one person at a time, especially when that person is a close friend who has learned how to communicate effectively with them. When teens reach middle and high school they find significant challenges with group communication. Rather than being part of a group, these teens often state that they prefer to be alone or with one other person having a conversation.

Parents, and even professionals, attribute these group communication challenges to the difficulties these children and teens have because of their hearing loss. This is true,

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but the presence of the hearing loss should not be an excuse to avoid participating in group conversations. Self-advocacy skills are important for children with hearing loss. Children who may expect that someone will always be there to intervene for them in communication situations they find difficult may grow up not knowing what to do in order to communicate successfully in these situations.

When we think about how we teach children with hearing loss how to communicate, we usually do so in a one-on-one situation. If this instruction occurs in a group format, the leader of the group tends to speak directly to each individual child and controls the communication so that only one person speaks at a time. In the real world when children and teens interact, this is not the way communication and interaction occur.

If you think about a situation in which you could not understand a person, such as on a cell phone with a bad connection, wouldn’t you let the person on the other end of the conversation know why you are having difficulty understanding what they are saying? Similarly, we need to teach children with hearing loss to inform others about their difficulties communicating and understanding without embarrassing themselves.

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A goal that must be included in the child’s educational plan and speech-language/communication therapy provided for children with hearing loss is to teach them self-advocacy skills for dealing with group conversations. These advocacy skills need to be taught to children and practiced in group conversations long before they are teenagers so that they can lead successful lives communicating with their peers when they reach that important age of peer interaction starting around upper elementary school and particularly in middle and high school. These advocacy skills should be socially appropriate and not embarrassing to the child with hearing loss. The following are self-advocacy skills we have used successfully in our clinical work with many children who have hearing loss.

Many children with hearing loss may feel uncomfortable revealing their hearing loss and communication challenges to others. Yet, what they do not realize is that most people with whom they will interact throughout their lives do not understand the impact of hearing loss on communication. Children with hearing loss typically grow up with parents, teachers and others who eventually learn how to adapt to the child’s hearing loss and thus modify how they communicate with the child. For example,

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parents of children with hearing loss automatically face and remain facing the child when speaking with the child in order to provide needed visual cues for speechreading. Thus, when these children meet another child at the playground or at school, they might expect that the child will also face them and continue to face them while speaking with them.

The children with hearing loss do not realize that the other child may have absolutely no understanding of hearing loss and what a child with a hearing loss requires for successful communication.

In teaching children with hearing loss to self-advocate, the first thing a child with a hearing loss needs to learn is that most people they meet will not know that they have a hearing loss and will not understand how to successfully communicate with them. This is true not only for other children they meet but also for adults with whom they come in contact. Children with hearing loss need to understand how to explain to others that they have a hearing loss and that they may have difficulties communicating with others, and especially with understanding what they are saying. Children with hearing loss also need to learn how to explain to others

what they think they understood in order to ensure that they are following the conversation. Again, the focus is that the other person’s conversation is important and the child wants to be sure he/she understands what was said. Then, during the conversation, the child has to learn

and teens who tend to be somewhat selfcentered, especially during conversations.

In the beginning, these self-advocacy skills should be taught and practiced in one-on-one interactions where it is easier to begin applying these advocacy skills in everyday conversations. Once the child

how to summarize what other people say.

A third strategy is for the child with hearing loss to let others know that he or she has difficulty realizing when the topic of the conversation has changed.

The child needs to ask others to state that the conversation has moved to a new topic and to let him/her know what the new topic is. In educating others about this need, using wording such as, “I really want to follow what you are saying, so let

has learned to do this on a regular basis, it is easy to use these strategies during group conversations. These skills can be taught by therapists working with the child—speech-language pathologists, psychologists or educators such as teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing.

The focus is to help people, especially in group situations, understand the needs of the person with hearing loss until they get to be familiar with that person. However, even if they are very familiar, it is not a bad idea to teach the teen to remind the people in the group, “Remember please, I really want to join in the conversation, but I have a hearing loss. So, please……” giving some key things needed for successful communication.

It is important that we develop self-advocacy skills in our children with hearing loss as early as possible. Waiting until problems get out of hand before introducing such skills may be too late. At such times, the child or teen may become negatively emotionally involved and will not want to admit the hearing loss and instead opt to avoid group communication situations altogether. The key is to start as soon as possible, using wording that is appropriate to the child’s age and self-understanding of hearing loss. In the end, the child will feel more comfortable in and be more successful during group communication situations.

" the major theme in all of these strategies is to teach the child with hearing loss to focus on the importance of the other person ’s

"

conversation and the desire to follow what that person is saying .

their strategies for successful communication, such as, “Please face me when you speak with me. What you are saying is important. I need to see your face when you speak in order to understand what you are saying.” Presenting a statement in this manner lets the other person know that you are interested in and want to understand what that person is saying.

Another strategy is to teach children with hearing loss to tell other people that they may periodically summarize

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me know if you change topics so I can follow along.”

The major theme in all of these strategies is to teach the child with hearing loss to focus on the importance of the other person’s conversation and the desire to follow what that person is saying. People tend to be more receptive and understanding when the requested accommodation focuses on them and not the need of the person asking for the accommodation.

This is especially true for young children

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Children’s Hearing Foundation helped more than 3,000 hearing-impaired children to listen and speak for the past 18 years!

We cannot lead Taiwan’s hearing-impaired children starting to speak and listen alone without your help! Please continue to give us your support and allow us to continue the missions of giving deaf and hearing-impaired children opportunities to listen and speak!

For more information, please visit www.chfn.org.tw Phone +886-2-26272877

Your financial supports are greatly appreciated: CHF Charity Foundation 501(c)(3)non-profit organization 70 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Morgantown.

PA 19543,USA

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Opportunities Abound: • Early identification, amplification and intervention before 6 months of age means better outcomes for children with hearing loss • 90% of parents choose a listening and spoken language for their child with hearing loss • 52% of children with hearing loss are in school settings that focus on listening and spoken language

Challenges Remain…

Help Children

Hear

Talk and

JOIN A NEW TRADITION OF GENEROSITY #HearandTalk Your gift helps us in our work of informing families, raising awareness, preparing professionals and building communities that will help our children to Listen, Speak and Succeed.

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• 50% of the children who are screened for hearing loss do not receive a timely diagnosis or intervention • 50% of the children that could benefit from a cochlear implant receive this life-changing technology • 24% of parents said that the cost of listening and spoken language services was a significant barrier, according to the AG Bell Family Needs Assessment survey

Your gift means that together we will: • Further our mission to Advance Listening and Spoken Language for Individuals Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing at diagnosis and transitions throughout life.

• Help families, students and young adults through our scholarship programs.

• Provide culturally relevant and sensitive materials for families and children.

• Increase access to professionals who hold the Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS®) certification.

ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/Donate

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LSL KNOWLEDGE CENTER

More information POTENTIAL SELFADVOCACY SITUATIONS

on advocacy resources online through the AG Bell YouTube channel:

Thinking about and preparing for situations where people may question your legal rights can help you in many ways if and when a potential situation arises. www.ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/ Potential_Self-Advocacy_Situations SELF-ADVOCACY TIPS FROM TEENS Watch these awesome videos made for teens by teens to navigate challenging situations when living with hearing loss. bit.ly/1rpPzUN

INCORPORATING SELF-ADVOCACY SKILLS It is vital that even the youngest children begin to advocate for their needs as early as 3 years of age. Auditory access at all times ensures academic and social interaction. www.ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/ Incorporating_Self-Advocacy_Skills

INDEPENDENT TEEN WITH HEARING LOSS Brian is a teenager who is deaf who is independent thanks to his bilateral cochlear implants. bit.ly/1ptkhrW

CAN YOU SPEAK UP: HOW TO BUILD AND FOSTER SELF-ADVOCACY SKILLS Presented at the 2014 AG Bell Convention, this session provided specific examples of IEP-friendly advocacy objectives and demonstrated projects and ideas that have worked successfully. www.ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/uploadedFiles/ CanYouSpeakUp.pdf

TRANSPORTATION ANNOUNCEMENTS Noisy airports and train stations can make traveling challenging for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Watch this for some ideas and solutions! youtu.be/lK3y_gXUuWI

LET’S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING:

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TIPS FOR PARENTS

Game On! Playing Sports with Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids

BY MEGAN HOPKINS, JENNIFER KYZER, KRISTIN MATTA AND LORRIE DUNKELBERGER

To play or not to play? This is a question that parents of children with hearing loss may ask themselves when weighing the risks and rewards of playing sports.

There are many physical benefits to playing sports, including improved cardiovascular fitness and coordination, stronger bones and muscles, and better sleep.

Children who play sports at an early age are more likely to remain active as teens and adults. Physical movement affects the brain’s physiology and is associated with improved attention. Most important for our children, however, are the psychological and social benefits of playing sports.

Through sports, children can learn the value of teamwork. Sports further encourage positive relationships with adults and peers. Youth learn important life skills such as leadership, goal-setting, determination, discipline and emotional control. Sports help teach children to safely navigate between right and wrong.

The social benefits for youth who participate in sports include higher grades, positive expectations for the future and stronger peer relationships. Children typically have greater confidence and self-esteem. The school years can be difficult for all children, and can be especially challenging for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Playing sports can help reduce anxiety and give them an

optimistic outlook on life. When they feel confident, children are less likely to conform to social pressures and determine for themselves who they want to become.

Madalyn Hopkins, 14, says that playing golf at the varsity level as a freshman has validated her effort and commitment over the years. “Being deaf and having cochlear implants has not kept me from accomplishing any of my goals. If anything, I think it makes me work harder to prove to myself and to others that I can do whatever I set my mind to.”

Zach Kyzer, 16, says that “[p]laying sports since I was 3 years old has helped me gain confidence over the years to believe in myself and that I can be a leader in my baseball and basketball teams. All of the sports that I have played over the last 13 years, whether it was football, swimming, baseball, soccer or basketball, have given me the opportunity to meet and make new friends, feel more confident, and know that I can do anything I set my mind and heart to do.”

Victoria Dunkelberger, 12, has been playing sports since she was 3 years old. She believes sports have helped her because “I have always been around other kids so there have not been as many questions about my hearing loss. Over the years, my parents have helped me learn how to explain it. I am now in sixth grade and play on the travel basketball and softball teams. I feel like I am a leader because I can show other people that people who are deaf can do it. It makes me feel good that I can do it as the only girl who is deaf to ever play on either team.”

In order to harness the huge potential of playing sports in fostering positive self-image and robust self-esteem in children with hearing loss, playing sports needs to be a positive experience for youth who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Communication with coaches and teammates is vital. Depending on the age of the child, this can be done by either the parent or player him/herself. Encourage coaches to have patience with your child. Help them understand that they need to have your child’s attention before giving directions, and they should speak slowly and clearly, and confirm understanding. Coaches need a strategy or mechanism for getting the child’s attention during play such as using a loud voice or waving a flag. Above all, coaches should be reminded to treat all players the same and that they should not single out or treat a child with hearing loss any differently.

After explaining to coaches some ways to help instruct a child with hearing loss, parents and/or players should help make the teammates aware of the hearing loss.

Children are curious by nature, and once they understand the devices and what they can do to help, they are typically very willing to step up. As with the coaches, other players may need to be reminded that children who are deaf and hard of hearing have difficulty hearing in the distance and localizing sound.

Different environments present even more issues, such as gym acoustics for example.

Allow teammates to ask questions and decide what should be shared with team parents.

The team should discuss any necessary accommodations and strategies that they have developed over time.

As parents of children who have played many sports, we have come up with a few tips and tricks of our own. These strategies and modifications are not endorsed by any cochlear implant or other hearing device manufacturer. They have been developed as creative ways to solve some unusual challenges.

Zach Kyzer pitches for the ECB Black Knights in summer 2014. credit: jennifer kyzer

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Madalyn Hopkins at age 8 after she received her first set of golf clubs. credit : megan hopkins

Baseball/Softball If the player is caught in a rain shower during a game, turn his/her baseball cap sideways so the bill of the hat shields the device. Wear a Sweatband™ or Ear Gear cover in hot or humid climates over the external unit to cut down on sweat damage.

Press n’ Seal plastic wrap, which can be found in the grocery store, can be wrapped around the hearing device for a waterproof seal and is easy to put on and remove. A regular sweatband worn around the head will also help with sweat and help keep the processor from falling off.

For kids who use cochlear implants with an active wear option, use it to keep the processor off the ear and away from the sweat. Attach the unit to a collar or baseball cap. Players can use double-sided toupee or wig tape that sticks to the processor and skin behind the ear, ensuring that it stays in place.

Keep a clean towel handy to help dry the head and hair between innings. Be sure to have a back-up unit available at the games.

Golf FM systems can help the player receive instructions and coaching at the driving range or during practice rounds. Wind and rain can compromise a player’s ability to hear on the course. Be prepared with hats and rain jackets with hoods. Placing a cochlear implant in a sealable plastic sandwich bag will allow the player to wear the device for golf and other sports in rainy conditions with a cap for retention. Keep an OtterBox in the golf bag for times when the processor needs to be removed.

Soccer Communication between coaches, players and officials is critical. Consider both verbal

and non-verbal communication options. FM systems may be an option, but be sure to consult local soccer club bylaws and rules.

Inform the officials before a game that the player is wearing a hearing device. Have a plan in place if the hearing device should happen to be knocked off during play (i.e., the player immediately takes a knee).

Skeleton ear molds are effective ways to keep cochlear implants in place. Player substitutions can require a physical tag between incoming and outgoing players.

Ski caps can help in windy conditions, and headgear can help prevent injuries as well.

Football When the child is learning plays or getting instructions on the field, have him keep his helmet off in order to clearly hear the coach. The player can wear an armband that contains all the plays by number. The coach can then signal the plays from the sideline or players can signal numbers in the huddle.

Coaches and staff can wave a flag from the sideline to get the child’s attention. Use a designated on-field “buddy” to assist in any changes, timeouts, play stoppage, etc.

Some players actually wear the processor or hearing device under the helmet. Keep the unit in place by wearing a sweatband or skull cap.

Skiing Make sure to have a properly fitting ski helmet. This not only can reduce head injuries, but can protect the hearing device and provide added warmth. Helmets with mesh earflaps help to secure the hearing device and may make hearing through the helmet easier. For other snow sports such as cross country skiing, look for ski hats that tie under the chin.

Basketball/Volleyball Players can wear a sweatband around their head to cut down on sweat entering the processor and to hold the coil/processor in place. A Sweatband™ or Ear Gear sleeve can be used also for moisture.

Ear molds can be attached to processors to keep them secure during fast-moving plays. Have the coach number the plays and use a whiteboard on the sidelines when possible. Written copies of plays can be provided before practices.

Teammates are a great resource to facilitate communication. When a referee blows the whistle, everyone stops motion on the court to signal play has stopped. The referee can also hold up a flag to signal that play has stopped.

Cycling It’s all about the helmet with this sport.

Make sure helmets fit properly. Newer helmets have retention systems with a dial in the back to adjust the fit. Most are made of expanded polystyrene foam or EPS for short.

EPS foam is single-use only and doesn’t recover from being crushed.

Lower-priced helmets are typically one-size-fits-all; to size them, adjust the internal strap to get the helmet snug.

Higher-priced helmets are available in a variety of sizes. Make sure to wear the helmet properly—low, level and snug. Try on several helmets to ensure a good fit while wearing the cochlear implant.

Dance Use an FM system or video the instructor so the child can watch again at home. Get a copy of the music. Ask the teacher to count loudly and consistently in class. Turn the music volume up slightly louder than normal. Clip glasses holders to the dancer’s hair to hold hearing aids or implant processors. One student placed an FM transmitter on her tap shoes to more clearly distinguish the sounds which are critical to dance.

While children who are deaf and hard of hearing can face certain challenges in their lives, there is no reason that they cannot participate in sports. Using a few simple tricks can help level the playing field and ensure they benefit from this healthy outlet.

Participating in sports will go a long way in helping to instill confidence, strengthen peer and family relationships, and provide an overall sense of well-being and positive view of life. To the question of “To play or not to play?” our children answer with a unanimous “Game on!”

Julianna Dunkelberger enjoying sports time. credit: lorrie dunkelberger

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Leadership OppOrTuniTies FOr Teens (LOFT)

LOFT

2O15 is for high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing and use

listening and spoken language as their

2 SESSIONS: WASHINGTON DC JuLy 26-30 | auGusT 1-5 | 2015 Meeting new people with hearing loss who go through the same struggles as I do made me feel empowered.

There wasn’t a barrier that kept us from being able to socialize at all.

It was a comfortable environment where I could share my feelings without being judged.

LOFT Teen parTicipanT

primary mode of communication.

This four-day sleep-away program is designed for participants to develop or strengthen skills

in individual leadership, teamwork, group dynamics, public speaking and self-advocacy. The program provides a supportive and structured

environment in which participants increase their self-confidence and understanding of their own strengths and abilities through activities designed to challenge them.

LOFT builds connections, respect and camaraderie among teens who share a common bond. This is a great opportunity for high school and college-bound teens interested in an

enlightening and

confidence-building experience away from home with their peers.

I feel more accepted and comfortable in my skin.

It wasn’t just that I was with other people like me – it was also the supportive and warm environment LOFT had. I was less hesitant and a more confident individual.

I plan to take that and use it in my life.

LOFT Teen parTicipanT

appLicaTiOns are due

MARCH 5, 2015

information and an application packet are available on the aG Bell website at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/LOFT

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 • 310-8382442 (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

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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.

Listen and Learn, 4340 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 107, San Jose, CA 95129 • 408-345-4949 • Marsha A. Haines, M.A., CED, Cert. AVT, and Sandra Hamaguchi Hocker, M.A., CED • Auditory-verbal therapy for the child and family from infancy. Services also include aural habilitation for older students and adults with cochlear implants. Extensive experience and expertise with cochlear implants, single and

bilateral. Mainstream support services, school consultation and assessment for children in their neighborhood school. California NPA certified.

No Limits Speech and Language Educational Center and Theatre Program, 9801 Washington Blvd., 2nd Floor, Culver City, CA 90232 310/ 2800878, 800/ 948-7712 www.nolimitsspeaksout. org. Free individual auditory, speech and language therapy for dhh children between the ages of five-and-eighteen as well as a biweekly literacy program, computer training, weekly parent classes and a nationwide theatrical program.

Training and Advocacy Group (TAG) for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children and Teens, Leah Ilan, Executive Director • 11693 San Vicente Blvd. #559, Los Angeles, CA 90049 • 310-339-7678 • 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.

USC Center for Childhood Communication (C3), 806 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007. USC C3 provides state of the art diagnostic audiology services, hearing aids, and implantable devices to children from birth to adulthood, speech language therapy and auditory verbal therapy, and educational counseling and

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES

ihear

®

online therapy

support. Located on the campus of the John Tracy Clinic, USC C3 is part of the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine.

Otologic and surgical services are provided by John Niparko, M.D., and Rick Friedman, M.D. For appointments: 855-222-3093. Fax-213-7642899. For inquiries regarding services: margaret. winter@med.usc.edu or call 213-764-2801.

Connecticut

CREC Soundbridge, 123 Progress Drive,

family centered, convenient, outcomes oriented, HIPAA compliant online therapy using a computer, webcam and high speed internet connection.

ihear is changing livesare you ready?

Wethersfield, CT 06109 • 860- 529-4260 (voice/ TTY) • 860-257-8500 (fax) • www.crec.org/ soundbridge (website). Dr. Elizabeth B. Cole, Program Director. Comprehensive audiological and instructional services, birth through post-secondary, public school settings. Focus on providing cuttingedge technology for optimal auditory access and listening in educational settings and at home, development of spoken language, development of self advocacy–all to support each individual’s realization of social, academic and vocational potential. Birth to Three, auditory-verbal therapy, integrated preschool, intensive day program, direct educational and consulting services in schools, educational audiology support services in all settings, cochlear implant mapping and habilitation, diagnostic assessments, and summer programs.

New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation (NECHEAR), 354 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 • 860-4551404 (voice) • 860-455-1396 (fax) • Diane Brackett. Serving infants, children and adults with all degrees of hearing loss. Speech, language, listening evaluation for children using hearing aids and cochlear implants. AuditoryVerbal therapy; Cochlear implant candidacy evaluation, pre- and postrehabilitation, and creative individualized mapping. Post-implant rehabilitation for adults with cochlear implants, specializing in prelingual onset. Mainstream school support, including onsite consultation with educational team, rehabilitation planning and classroom observation. Comprehensive audiological evaluation, amplification validation and classroom listening system assessment.

Florida

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/ Jacksonville, 9803 Old St. Augustine Road, Suite

ihearlearning.org 636.532.2672

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, CoDirectors. 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.

Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc.—Atlanta, Macon, Teletherapy—1901 Century Boulevard, Suite 20, Atlanta, GA 30345 • OFFICE: 404-6338911 • EMAIL: Listen@avchears.org • WEBSITE: www.avchears.org AVC provides Auditory-Verbal Therapy that teaches children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and speak WITHOUT the use of sign language or lip reading. AVC provides AV therapy expertly by their Listening & Spoken Language Specialists (LSLSTM) through their two main locations in Atlanta and Macon but also virtually through teletherapy. Together, the LSLS and the parents work together to maximize each child’s listening and spoken language skills. AVC also has a full Audiology & Hearing Aid Clinic that provides diagnostic testing, dispensing and repair of hearing aids and cochlear implant mapping for adults. Additional offices: 2720 Sheraton Drive, Suite D-240, Macon, GA 31204, 478-471-0019 (voice)

Illinois

Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School (AGBMS) and Alternatives In Education for the Hearing Impaired (AEHI), www. agbms.org (website) • 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.

A program by St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES Child’s Voice School, 180 Hansen Court, Wood Dale, IL 60191 • (630) 565-8200 (voice) • (630) 5658282 (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.

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) 410-318-6759 • 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 intervention services are available for children birth to age 3 and a preschool program for children ages 3 through 5. Cheerful, spacious, state-of-the-art classrooms located in Gateway School are approved by the Maryland

State Department of Education. Services include onsite audiology, speech-language therapy, family education and support. Applications are accepted year-round. Financial aid available.

Massachusetts

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 (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.

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

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES strive to instill and develop receptive (listening) and expressive (speaking) English language skills within each student. Well-trained specialists carry the principles of this program forward using supportive, necessary and recognized curriculum.

The program’s philosophy is that children who are deaf or hard of hearing can learn successfully within a typical classroom environment with peers who have typical hearing. This can be achieved when they are identified at an early age, receive appropriate amplification, and participate in an spoken language-specific early intervention program. Referrals are through the local school district in which the family lives.

SoundWorks for Children, 18 South Main Street, Topsfield, MA 01983 • 978-887-8674 (voice) • soundworksforchildren@verizon. net (e-mail) • Jane E. Driscoll, MED, Director. A comprehensive, non-profit program dedicated to the development of auditory-verbal skills in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Specializing in cochlear implant habilitation and offering a full continuum of inclusionary support models from preschool through high school. Early Intervention services and social/self-advocacy groups for mainstreamed students are offered at our Family Center. Summer programs, inservice training, and consultation available.

Mississippi

DuBard School for Language Disorders, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5215, Hattiesburg, MS 394060001 • 601-266-5223 (voice) • 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 South Taylor Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110 • 314-977–0132 (voice) • cid@cid.edu (e-mail) • http://cid.edu (website) • Lynda Berkowitz/Barb Lanfer, co-principals • Child- and family-friendly environment for children learning to listen, talk, read and succeed; individualized, adaptive curriculum incorporates mainstream content/ standards; EI family center for infants/toddlers; language-rich, play-based pre-k/k; mainstream preparation through age 12; on-site educational audiology, SLP and OT services • Close affiliation with university deaf education and audiology graduate programs; CEU workshops and webinars; educational tools for professionals at learn.cid.edu.

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), Teleschool, mainstream services, educational evaluations, parent education and support groups, professional workshops, teacher education, and student teacher placements. The Moog Center for Deaf Education is a Certified Moog Program.

Weingarten Children's Center is the new name for Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf located in Redwood City, California. The new name reflects our expansion of services to children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their families.

Our programs include:

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES New Jersey

HIP of Bergen County Special Services, 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.

summitspeech.org (website) • Pamela Paskowitz, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Executive Director. Programs include Early Intervention/Parent Infant (0-3 years), Preschool (3-5 years) and Itinerant Mainstream Support Services for children in their home districts. Speech and language, OT and PT and family support/family education services available.

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

school services. Speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and counseling. Art therapy, music therapy and literacy. Parent and alumni education and support groups. Continuing Education workshops and professional mentoring. Comprehensive pediatric and adult audiological services on premises including central auditory processing evaluations and cochlear implant habilitation.

New York

50 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10004 • 917 305-7700 (voice) • 917-305-7888 (TTY) • 917305-7999 (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.

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

Auditory Oral School of NY/ Strivright, 3321 Avenue M, Brooklyn, NY 11210. 718-5311800. www.strivright.org. info@strivright.org.

Program Director, Pnina Bravmann, AuD, CCC/ SLPA, TSHH, SAS, LSLS, CERT AVT. A Listening and Spoken Language Early Intervention and Preschool Program for children ages 0-5 with hearing loss, auditory processing, and language delays. Services include home-based and center-based evaluations and therapy. Parent/ infant groups, mainstream support and after

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) • 908-508-0012 (fax) • info@summitspeech.org (email) • www.

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES org to access our vast library of information about hearing loss and hearing conservation.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/ New York, 80 East End Avenue, New York, NY 10028 • 212-585-3500 • 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 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, 631-588-0530 (voice) www.clearyschool.org Jacqueline Simms, Executive Director. Auditory Oral Programs include Parent-Infant and Integrated Preschool.

Offers Teachers of the Deaf, Speech Therapists and Auditory-Verbal Therapists. Primary focus: develop students’ ability to “listen to learn” along with age appropriate language and academic skills. These programs offer intensive speech therapy within a nurturing environment comprised of deaf, hard of hearing, and typical hearing peers. The programs prepare students for life long learning. Additional services: Autism Resource, Audiological, Music, Art, Library, OT, PT, PROMPT Therapy and Parent Support/Education.

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.

St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf, 1000 Hutchinson River Pkwy., Bronx, NY 10465 • 718-828-9000 (Voice) • 718-828-1671 (TTY) • 347-479-1271 (Video Phone) • www.sjsdny. org. Debra Arles, Executive Director. SJSD has a long history of providing academically rich programs for students with hearing loss from birth to 8th grade. All students receive individual and/or small group speech therapy sessions.

Individual and sound field FM systems are utilized throughout the school day. Onsite audiological services (assessments and amplification fitting/

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES maintenance) are available in addition to occupation and physical therapies, and counseling. Our ParentInfant Program offers individual family sessions and a weekly group session, and emphasizes language acquisition, development of spoken language and auditory skills. In addition, our vibrant, multi-lingual Parent Education program provides practical information and peer support to empower parents raising a child with hearing loss.

North Carolina

CASTLE- Center for Acquisition of Spoken Language Through Listening Enrichment, 5501 Fortunes Ridge Drive, Suite A, Chapel Hill, NC 27713 • 919-419-1428 (voice) • http://www.med. unc.edu/earandhearing/castle (website) • CASTLE is a part of the UNC Ear & Hearing Center and the UNC Pediatric Cochlear Implant Team, Our mission is to provide a quality listening & spoken language program for children with hearing loss; empower parents as primary teachers and advocates; and train and coach specialists in listening and spoken language. We offer toddler classes, preschool language groups, Auditory-Verbal parent sessions, and distance therapy through UNC REACH. Hands-on training program for hearing-related professionals/university students.

OHIO

Ohio Valley Voices • 6642 Branch Hill-Guinea Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45140 • 513-791-1458 (voice) • 513-791-4326 (fax) • mainoffice@ohiovalleyvoices. org (email) • www.ohiovalleyvoices.org (website).

Ohio Valley Voices’ mission is to teach children with hearing loss to listen and talk. Our primary goal is for children with hearing impairment to leave our program speaking within normal limits and reading at or above grade level. Our vision is for all children with hearing loss to have a bright future with endless possibilities. We provide early intervention, oral deaf education through 2nd grade, intensive speech/ language therapy, parent education, and support groups for families. We offer a 1:3 therapist to child ratio and complete audiology services, including daily maintenance/repairs on children’s cochlear implants and/or hearing aids.

Oklahoma

Hearts for Hearing, 3525 NW 56th Street, Suite A-150, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 • 405-548-4300 • 405-548-4350(Fax) • Comprehensive hearing health care for children and adults with an emphasis on listening and spoken language outcomes.

Our family-centered team includes audiologists, LSLS Cert. AVTs, speech-language pathologists, physicians and educators working closely with families for optimal listening and spoken

language outcomes. Services include newborn hearing testing, pediatric and adult audiological evaluations, hearing aid fittings, cochlear implant evaluations and mapping. Auditory-verbal therapy as well as cochlear implant habilitation is offered by Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS®), as well as an auditory-oral preschool, parent-toddler group and a summer enrichment program. Continuing education and consulting available. www.heartsforhearing.org.

OREGON

Butte Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 1329, Hillsboro, OR 97123 • 866 312-8883 • www.

ButtePublications.com. Butte Publications is an educational publisher focused on the needs of deaf or hard-of-hearing students, their families, teachers and other professionals. At Butte, you’ll find time tested as well as new titles covering language skill building, professional resources, and other interesting and informative publications.

Visit our website to see the scope of our line.

Tucker Maxon Oral School, 2860 SE Holgate Blvd., Portland, OR 97202.(503) 235-6551. info@ tuckermaxon.org. www.tuckermaxon.org. Glen Gilbert, Executive Director. Linda Goodwin, Principal. Founded in 1947, Tucker-Maxon is an OPTION-accredited school offering early

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.

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES intervention, tele-intervention, preschool, and K-5 education for deaf and hearing-impaired children with a focus on listening and speaking. On-site audiology and speech-language pathology provide cochlear implant and hearing aid assessment and assistance. Our collaborative, family-centered approach develops children’s listening and speaking abilities while supporting the family in providing a language-rich environment at home.

Our small classes with an average 8:1 student-toteacher ratio and co-enrollment with typically hearing children results in improved listening and speaking skills. Art, Music and PE programs augment our focus on building communication, problem-solving and scholastic achievement.

Pennsylvania

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

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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.

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.

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

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech,

The University of South Carolina Speech and Hearing Research Center, 1601 St. Julian Place,

6202 Alder Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 • 412924-1012 (voice) • 412-924-1036 (fax) • www.

Columbia, SC, 29204 • (803) 777-2614 (voice) • (803) 253-4143 (fax) • Center Director: Danielle

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES Varnedoe, daniell@mailbox.sc.edu. The center provides audiology services, speech-language therapy, adult aural (re)habilitation therapy, and Auditory-Verbal Therapy. Our audiology services include comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, hearing aid evaluations and services, and cochlear implant evaluations and programming. The University also provides a training program for AV therapy and cochlear implant management for professional/university students. Additional contacts for the AVT or CI programs include Wendy Potts, CI Program Coordinator (803-777-2642), Melissa Hall (803-777-1698), Nikki Herrod-Burrows (803-777-2669), Gina Crosby-Quinatoa (803) 777-2671, and Jamy Claire Archer (803-777-1734).

Tennessee

Child Hearing Services (CHS) - University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 578 South Stadium Hall • Knoxville, TN 37996 • 865-974-5451 (voice) • 865-974-1793 (fax) • http://www.uthsc. edu/allied/asp/hsc/chs.php (website) • Eclark1@ uthsc.edu (email) • Emily Noss, M.A. CCC-SLP • CHS provides aural re/habilitation services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing ranging in age from birth-21. Group and individual treatment as well as aural/oral communication assessments, pre and post cochlear implant assessments, auditory training, adult cochlear implant training,

and parent guidance are offered. The objectives of CHS are for each child to develop listening and spoken language skills commensurate with their peers. CHS is also a training program for audiology and speech-language pathology students.

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf, 7901 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, TN 38138 • 901-758-2228 (voice) • 901-531-6735 (fax) • www.mosdkids. org (website) • tschwarz@mosdkids.org (email).

Teresa Schwartz, Executive Director. Services: Family Training Program (birth-age 3), Auditory/ Oral Day School (ages 2-6), Audiological Testing, Hearing Aid Programming, Cochlear Implant Mapping and Therapy, Aural (Re)Habilitation, Speech-Language Therapy, Mainstream Service.

Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center - National Center for Childhood Deafness and Family Communication, Medical Center East South Tower, 1215 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232-8718 • www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ VanderbiltBillWilkersonCenter (web). Fred Bess, Ph.D., Director NCCDFC fred.h.bess@vanderbilt. edu; Michael Douglas, M.S., Principal, Mama Lere Hearing School William.m.douglas@vanderbilt.edu; Lynn Hayes, Ed.D., Director, Master’s in Education of the Deaf Program lynn.hayes@vanderbilt.edu; Anne Marie Tharpe, Ph.D., Associate Director of

Education, NCCDFC anne.m.tharpe@vanderbilt.edu.

The National Center for Childhood Deafness and Family Communication (NCCDFC) at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center houses a comprehensive program of research, education, and service for infants and children (birth through 18 years) with hearing loss and their families. Early intervention services include newborn hearing screening, full range of pediatric audiology services (diagnostic services, hearing aid fittings, and cochlear implant program), infant-family training, and toddler group. The Mama Lere Hearing School provides preschool educational services for listening and spoken language development. Telepractice services, including deaf education, speech-language intervention, audiology services, and professional coaching are available. The Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences offers an innovative, highly-ranked, interdisciplinary graduate program for audiology, speech-language pathology, and deaf education students. The NCCDFC is engaged in cutting-edge, basic and applied research in the area of childhood hearing loss.

Texas

Callier Center for Communication Disorders/ UT Dallas, Callier - Dallas Facility: 1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75235 • Main number: 214905-3000 • Appointments: 214-905-3030.

Listen, Talk, and Grow Preschool programs at Clarke enhance children’s listening, speech, language and pre-literacy skills while fostering their social, emotional, cognitive, and creative development.

Register Today! clarkeschools.org/preschool

“When I first observed a Clarke classroom, I saw immediately that the children were really involved and asking thoughtful questions. There was an emphasis not just on language, but on thinking and building confidence. I knew this would be the place for my daughter because I saw how accepting and wonderful the teachers were. I knew she would blossom at Clarke.”

—Parent, Boston campus

Boston • Jacksonville • New York • Northampton • Philadelphia

At Clarke, we teach children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and talk.

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info@clarkeschools.org

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES 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 speechlanguage pathology services for all ages. Audiology services include hearing evaluations, hearing aid dispensing, assistive devices, protective devices and tinnitus therapy. We are a partner of the Dallas Cochlear Implant Program, a joint enterprise among the Callier Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Medical Center.

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

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.

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

2620 Old Main Hill • Logan, UT • 84322-2620 • 435-797-9235 (voice) • 435-797-7519 (fax) • www. soundbeginnings.usu.edu • Ali Devey, MA, Sound

TX 78212; 210/824-0579; fax 210/826-0436.

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Utah

Sound Beginnings at Utah State University,

Beginnings Program Coordinator, ali.devey@usu. edu • Kristina Blaiser, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, kristina. blaiser@usu.edu • Listening and Spoken Language Graduate Program. A comprehensive listening and spoken language program serving children with hearing loss and their families. Services include early intervention, parent training, toddler and preschool classrooms, pediatric audiology, tele-intervention and individual therapy. The Department of Communicated Disorders offers an interdisciplinary Listening and Spoken Language graduate training program in Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Deaf Education. Sound Beginnings partners with the Utah School for the Deaf.

Wisconsin

Center for Communication Hearing & Deafness, 10243 W. National Avenue • West Allis, WI 53227 • 414-604-2200 •414-604-7200(Fax) • www.cchdwi.org • Amy Peters Lalios, M.A,.

CCC-A, LSLS Cert. AVT, Director, Therapy Services.

Private non-profit agency, near Milwaukee, providing quality, state-of-the-art comprehensive therapy services to individuals, of all ages, who have hearing loss. Highly qualified professionals at CCHD include: LSLS certified practitioners; speech-language pathologists (including bilingualSpanish); audiologists; teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing; and social worker. Services include family-focused, culturally responsive individualized

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DIRECTORY OF SERVICES early intervention; parent education; auditoryverbal therapy; tele-therapy via ConnectHear Program; speech-language therapy; toddler communication groups with typically hearing peers; pre- post cochlear implant therapy for all ages; specialized instruction; consultations; professional mentoring as well as agency related programs, resources, ongoing educational and parent-to-parent events.

INTERNATIONAL

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

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.

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LIST OF ADVERTISERS Advanced Bionics Corporation..........................Inside Front Cover Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc.................................................................. 31 Boys Town National Research Hospital...........................................37 CapTel.................................................................................................................6 Central Institute for the Deaf................................................................40 Children's Hearing Foundation............................................................25 Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech.......................................... 39

The Speech, Language and Hearing Centre–Christopher Place, 1-5 Christopher

Cochlear Americas....................................................Inside Back Cover

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.

Ear Technology Corp. (Dry & Store).................................................36

Colorado AG Bell........................................................................................33 MED-EL Corporation............................................................. Back Cover National Technical Institute for the Deaf—RIT.............................38 Oticon.................................................................................................................4 Sprint CapTel................................................................................................35 St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf..................................................32, 41 University of Texas Health Science Center.................................... 42 USC-CHLA Center for Childhood Communication....................34 Weingarten Children's Center..............................................................34 AG Bell LOFT................................................................................................30 AG Bell Hear and Talk...............................................................................26

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BAN AND KIRBY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44 Ban: A defining memory I have of my childhood and which probably gave me a sense of humor about my deafness was when I started first grade. I had fallen down the stairs in front of the house and scraped my nose quite a bit a few days earlier. I walked into the classroom with one hand on my nose and the other on my ear, trembling with nervousness. The principal introduced me. The kids started laughing at how I was holding my nose and ear. I suddenly realized how silly I looked and I started laughing too! Surely that broke the ice for me and for the kids.

Kirby: When I was in second or third grade, I remember telling my greatgrandmother I didn’t want to wear my hearing aids anymore (due to feedbacks, the inconvenience of the body pack and feeling conscious of being different). She asked me, “Why do people wear braces on their teeth?,” and I responded, “So they could have straighter teeth.” “Why do people wear braces on their legs [back in the days of polio]?”, to which I responded, “So they could walk.” Last but not the least important question, “So why do you wear your hearing aids?,” and I said, “So I could hear well!” She then said that everyone is different, has special talents and can be anything they want to be as long as you work hard and are yourself. She was my most positive guide throughout my youth.

Ban: I got my bachelor of science degree in Biology/Medical Technology at American University in Washington, D.C. My senior year at American University was the year of internship in Medical Technology. Before I was to start in the program, I met with the director of that program, and during the course of the interview, she looked at me doubtfully and said, “We have never had a deaf student before.” It was my moment of truth and certainty. “Try me, I can be the first one,” I said… I just recently retired as a senior technologist in hematology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago after 37 years.

Kirby: I have been an educator in public schools for 35 years, both as a classroom teacher and later as a guidance counselor.

In between, I worked as a mainstreamed

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resource teacher (and provided counseling as needed) at an option school for seven years.

I worked closely with my students to dream and work hard for their achievements. The All smiles and cheers celebrating the 50th anniversary of ODAS students with hearing in Salt Lake City, Utah in March 2014. loss with whom I worked closely were encouraged to seek their dreams, with the understanding country in odd-numbered years. I visited they needed to be open within their several option schools and saw the great community about their hearing loss and work these schools did with children. I to teach the world that “they can” and not decided after retirement to help out at allow their deafness to hinder their future.

Child’s Voice in Wood Dale, Illinois. I started two years ago and volunteer mostly with Ban: After I moved to Chicago, when Andy the 3-5-year-old group. I attended the and I got married, we started a group with graduation of these children last May and members of AG Bell and with friends from I was so proud of them and how confident Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana. We they had all become. Each one stood on organized ODAS family weekend retreats, that podium and talked with such poise and picnics, scrabble game nights and, most spoke so well. And that is where parents of importantly, the 1986 AG Bell Convention in children with hearing loss can play such an Chicago! We had an ODAS welcome party important role in fostering self-confidence, on the first night of the convention at the self-assurance and self-control with dignity world famous Gino’s East pizzeria where and grace. This may sound trivial but many members got their first taste of deep my mother always said that wearing my dish pizza. Here we were, in this private hearing aid is like wearing eyeglasses. That room with the walls, tables and benches all helped me be more confident, brave and inscribed with names and comments from all determined. And that is what I saw in the over the world, and everyone enjoying each children that graduated from Child’s Voice other’s company. The laughter and the sense this past May. of camaraderie bouncing off the walls there started one of the best conventions ever!

Kirby: The biggest advocacy challenge for young people with hearing loss today Kirby: This year, Carol and I were asked is the right to hold a career of their choice to co-host the 50th Anniversary of ODAS by educating those around them of their and we chose Salt Lake City, Utah, for our ability, not limited to disability. To parents celebration because that was where it all of children with hearing loss, treat your began in 1964. We focused on the changes child as an individual first and as someone in the last 50 years—from hearing aids to with hearing loss last. Teach them with firm cochlear implants to the mainstreaming guidance, but allow them to make mistakes. of education for people who are deaf and Encourage them to try anything and they hard of hearing (IDEA, ADA & Section 504), will overcome any obstacles in their paths. to general advances in technology which Get them involved with extracurricular have benefited individuals with hearing activities for social skills, and support them loss tremendously (such as TTY, computers, in whatever endeavor they choose for pagers, iPads, etc.). All these changes have their future. Reassure your child/children improved the quality of my life and the life that mistakes are OK, and nurture them of countless others with hearing loss. emotionally as needed. Be sure to get them involved with leadership opportunities, Ban: When there were no AG Bell because they need to know they are not conventions, the ODAS board started alone. The can, and they will, succeed. retreats at option schools all over the

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UP FRONT ON THE BACK PAGE Carol Ban and Karen Kirby On being themselves and the unbreakable bonds of ODAS INTERVIEW BY ANNA KARKOVSKA MCGLEW, M.A.

This year marked the 50 th anniversary of AG Bell’s deaf adult group, which first met at the 1964 AG Bell Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded as the Oral Deaf Adults Section (ODAS), the group changed its name twice over the years—first to the Oral Hearing Impaired Section (OHIS) and then to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Section (DHHS).

The anniversary celebration was held on March 14–16, 2014, in Salt Lake City, Utah, where it all began 50 years ago.

The event recognized the history and accomplishments of adults who are deaf and hard of hearing within AG Bell as well as the strong bonds that have brought the group together—and continue to connect members over the years.

The celebration was organized by Carol Ban and Karen Kirby, who presented a slide show that highlighted the long history of the group at AG Bell conventions where the group gathered at receptions, spoke to local school children, and celebrated birthdays and anniversaries together. Ban and Kirby first met at the 1974 AG Bell Convention in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ban: Until I graduated from college, I really did not know any other people with hearing loss. I decided it was time for me to broaden my horizons. I joined the Community for the Hearing Impaired (CHI) under the auspices

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Karen Kirby and Carol Ban (second and third respectively from the left) with other friends at the 50th ODAS anniversary celebration in Salt Lake City, Utah in March 2014.

Inset: The two organizers at the anniversary event.

of AG Bell in Maryland through a speech therapist I was working with. There I met adults with hearing loss for the first time in my life and, through them, I learned so much more about myself.

I went to my first AG Bell convention in Atlanta in 1974, and there I met more wonderful people and developed lifetime friendships with Karen Kirby and many others. And of course, that is where I met my future husband, Andy Ban! Kirby: When I came to the AG Bell convention in 1974, I met so many wonderful adults with hearing loss who used listening and spoken language and who were members of AG Bell’s ODAS. I was simply overwhelmed in finding out about their careers as lawyer, architect, orthodontist, teacher, nurse, chemist, etc. I didn’t have deaf adult role models growing up, so these folks really inspired me. Their encouragement, advices and friendship is what kept me involved with AG Bell.

Because of them, I have dedicated my life to

serve as a volunteer in any capacity within the association.

Ban: I’ve always said to myself, “I am me and no one can be me but me,” especially at times when I needed a boost of confidence or faith in myself. Every one of us is unique and individual. To this day, I admire the older members of ODAS, whom I first met 40 years ago in Atlanta, and the way they comported themselves at the meetings, workshops and panel discussions. They believed strongly in the mission of AG Bell.

And they had such a wonderful sense of humor about life and how they dealt with its ups and downs.

Kirby: Never give up! No matter what you want to do or be in your life, know what obstacles could be ahead, keep your resources and leadership skills handy, and you can succeed in anything! Most importantly, be yourself!

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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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