Volta Voices May-June 2009 Magazine by Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

VOICES A l e x a n d e r G r a h a m B e l l A s s o c i at i o n f o r t h e D e a f a n d Ha r d o f H e a r i n g

The Future of of hearing science EXECUTIVE FUNCTION in Children with CIs

May/June 2009 W W W. AGBELL .ORG • VOL 16, ISSUE 3

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M AY/ J U NE 2 0 0 9 VO LU M E 16 ISS U E 3

VOICES V

Features 14

Advances in Hearing Science Require Determination, Collaboration

Research Supports Hearing Loss as a Neurological Emergency

By Jessica Ripper

By Dimity Dornan, A.M., Ba.Sp.Th., F.S.P.A.A., LSLS Cert. AVT, Cp. SP.

Learn about some of the cutting-edge research and technology development focused on improving access to sound for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

In Every Issue 2 6 36 48

Want to Write for VV? Contributors Directory of Services List of Advertisers

Departments Voices from AG Bell 3 | Defending the Lines of Communication By Jay Wyant

9 | Conversations With Alex 2 Graham 30 | Tips for Parents: Why Should You Participate in a Formal Research Study? By Melody Felzien

in this issue 5 | Advances in Science By Melody Felzien

Executive Function in Children with Cochlear Implants: The Role of Organizational-Integrative Processes By Jessica Beer, Ph.D., David B. Pisoni, Ph.D. and William Kronenberger, Ph.D.

A preview to AG Bell’s 2009 Listening & Spoken Language Symposium, read about how Executive Function processes are affected by hearing loss and how this is an important area for further exploration for children who do not benefit solely from the use of cochlear implants.

22 The Volta Review Celebrates Its 110th Anniversary By Melody Felzien

Read about the history of The Volta Review and how the publication of articles supporting speech and language development, literacy skills, hearing technology, education and early intervention have cemented it as the preeminent journal in the field of listening and spoken language research.

This article introduces a body of research that supports intervention at infancy for children with hearing loss to ensure optimal listening and spoken language development.

ENGLISH VERSION

Why Should You Participate in a Formal Research Study? By Melody Felzien

Read about one parent’s experience participating in a research project and how other parents can benefit from participation in these types of studies.

VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

¿Por qué debería participar en un estudio de investigación formal? By Melody Felzien

Lea acerca de la experiencia de un padre que toma parte en un proyecto de investigación y cómo otros padres pueden beneficiarse de la participación en estos tipos de estudios.

8 | Soundbites Kids zone 34 | Around the World By Sarah Crum

Alex ander Graham Bell A s s o c i a t i o n f o r t h e D e a f a n d Ha r d o f H e a r i n g

3417 volta pl ace, nw, was hington, dc 20 0 07 • w w w. agbell .org

VOICES Advocating Independence through Listening and Talking

— Adopted by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Board of Directors, November 8, 1998

Ale x ander Gr aham Bell As sociation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

3417 Volta Place, NW, Washington, DC 20007 www.agbell.org | voice 202.337.5220 tty 202.337.5221 | fax 202.337.8314

Volta Voices Staff Production and Editing Manager Melody Felzien Director of Communications Catherine Murphy Manager of Advertising and Exhibit Sales Garrett W. Yates

Want to Write for Volta Volta Voices? Voices? Submissions to Volta Voices Volta Voices welcomes submissions from both AG Bell members and non-members. The magazine is published six times annually. Its audience consists of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and professionals in fields related to hearing loss (audiology, speech-language pathology, psychology, otology, social services, education). Visit the Volta Voices page at www.agbell.org for submission guidelines and to submit content. Subjects of Interest n Technology – related to hearing loss, new technology, improvements to or problems with existing technology, or how people are using existing technology, accommodations.

Design and Layout Alix Shutello and Jake Needham EEI Communications

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

individuals and libraries, or authorize indexing and abstracting services to use material from the magazine.

AG Bell Board of Directors

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

Art Submission Guidelines

President John R. “Jay” Wyant (MN) President-Elect Kathleen S. Treni (NJ) Secretary-Treasurer Christine Anthony, M.B.A., M.E.M. (IL) Immediate Past President Karen Youdelman, Ed.D. (OH) Executive Director Alexander T. Graham (VA) Donald M. Goldberg, Ph.D. (OH) Irene W. Leigh, Ph.D. (MD) Michael A. Novak, M.D. (IL) Dan Salvucci, M.Ed., Ed.M., CCC-A (MA) J. Paul Sommer, M.B.A. (MA) Peter S. Steyger, Ph.D. (OR) Joanne Travers (MA)

n Health – audiology issues relating to children or adults with hearing loss and/or their families and friends. n Action – stories about people with hearing loss who use spoken language as their primary mode of communication; deafness need not be the focal point of the article.

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, NW • Washington, DC 20007 Email: editor@agbell.org Submit online at www.agbell.org

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

VOICES 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 www.agbell.org and select “About AG Bell” for advertising information.

Volta Voices (ISSN 1074-8016) is published six times a year. Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, DC, and other additional offices. Copyright ©2009 by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., 3417 Volta Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20007. Postmaster: Send address changes to Volta Voices, Subscription Department, 3417 Volta Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202/337-5220 (voice) or 202/337-5221 (TTY). Claims for undelivered issues must be made within 4 months of publication. Volta Voices is sent to all members of the association. Yearly individual membership dues are $50. Volta Voices comprises $30 of membership dues. Subscriptions for schools, libraries and institutions are $62 plus $12 for international postage where applicable. Back issues, when available, are $7.50 plus shipping and handling. Articles published in Volta Voices do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Acceptance of advertising by Volta Voices does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, their products or services, nor does Volta Voices make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertisers’ offer. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40624074 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6

VOICES FROM AG BELL

Defending the Lines of Communication Dear Fellow Members,

fter a recent AG Bell Update announcement about a planned demonstration at AG Bell national headquarters, I received an email from a long-standing AG Bell member questioning my use of sign during the last part of a videotaped interview I gave at the AG Bell Convention last June. As we all know, communication approaches for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing have been a controversial topic in this community for well over 100 years. As a result, AG Bell is often put in

Listening and Spoken Language

AG Bell’s mission is Advocating Independence through Listening and Talking. This mission, however articulated, has been consistent since Dr. Bell helped form the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf (AAPTSD, the precursor to AG Bell) 119 years ago. To further this mission, our Board of Directors identifies appropriate strategies for implementation through AG Bell staff and volunteers. One example is the “litmus test” our Public Affairs Council uses to determine AG Bell’s level of

Let’s reaffirm our commitment to AG Bell’s mission by respecting those who choose another outcome, even if a few of them don’t always respect our choice. the position of having to defend our mission from critics at both ends of the communication spectrum – those who fault AG Bell for not promoting sign language as a communication option and those who believe we don’t adhere to our mission strongly enough. In response to this email and in light of the recent demonstration at AG Bell headquarters, I’d like to clarify AG Bell’s mission as well as its approach regarding the various communication options available to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

involvement in specific initiatives. In order for an issue to warrant volunteer and staff time and resources, it must successfully answer the question: “How does this initiative directly advance listening and spoken language for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing?” Let’s apply that litmus test to Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) legislation. Research studies have shown time and time again that the earlier a child is identified with hearing loss and receives appropriate intervention

services, the greater the potential for successful language outcomes. That would be considered an issue we would wholeheartedly commit to – and we have. Now, let’s take an issue such as communications access; we, of course, support initiatives that promote access. Should we commit a substantial amount of staff time and resources to this objective? Based on how it answers the litmus test question, probably not. Instead, our most efficient approach is for AG Bell to seek joint efforts with other organizations for which access is a focus. Until the happy day comes when we have unlimited resources to devote to the full spectrum of issues that affect the deaf and hard of hearing community, we need to be responsible stewards of AG Bell’s primary mission. Part of a Larger Community

We also have to remember that we are a part of a larger community that uses a variety of methods to communicate. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may use one or a combination of multiple communication modes that may include Spoken Language, Cued Speech, American Sign Language, Total Communication or Signed Exact English. Many of our members are conversant in other modes in addition to spoken language for the simple reason that different situations may call for different solutions. We must be able to work with a variety of stakeholders in the larger deaf community and we should use whatever tools we have available to establish common ground. Just as we should not marginalize someone who grew up in a Spanish-speaking

VOICES FROM AG BELL household, we should respect the communication method of someone who has chosen a different path. As for my use of sign for part of that interview, it was appropriate for the context in which it was presented. Simply because I used a method of communication that the interviewer favors does not mean it is my preferred method. A little history may be useful here. Dr. Bell was an adept user of sign, and when conversing in social settings that included at least one deaf signer, he was known to act as an informal translator to ensure inclusion. When founding and becoming the first president of AAPTSD, Bell recognized that organizations played a different role in public discourse than individuals and took care that AAPTSD maintained a neutral posi-

tion concerning other communication modes, just as we do today. Defense Is a Distraction

It takes a lot of resources and time to manage events such as demonstrations and respond to unfounded, and in many cases untrue, accusations. In the case of the deaf community, these types of demonstrations only serve to undermine the good works that many people and organizations are doing to help all individuals who are deaf. Being called upon to defend our actions and our commitment to AG Bell’s mission only serves to distract us from the real work at hand. As we mark the 110-year anniversary of Dr. Bell’s preeminent research journal on spoken language, The Volta Review, let’s reaffirm our commit-

ment to AG Bell’s mission Advocating Independence Through Listening and Talking by respecting those who choose another outcome, even if a few of them don’t always respect our choice.

Jay Wyant President

QUESTIONS? C O MMEN T S ? C O N C ERN S ? Write to us: AG Bell 3417 Volta Place NW, Washington DC 20007 Or email us: voltavoices@agbell.org

VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

EDITOR’S NOTE

Advances in Science

his issue of Volta Voices explores advances in hearing loss research and the technology available to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, their families and the professionals that work with them to achieve a listening and spoken language outcome. The current age of technology continues to create new and exciting avenues to achieving listening and spoken language. In “Advances in Hearing Science Require Determination, Collaboration,” Jessica Ripper explores some of the cuttingedge research and technology developments focused on improving access to sound for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Through published studies and interviews with the researchers developing this technology, Ripper provides an excellent snapshot into what may be possible and accessible for those with hearing loss in the not-so-distant future. In preparation for AG Bell’s Listening & Spoken Language Symposium, July 23-25, 2009, one of the Symposium’s keynote speakers, David Pisoni, Ph.D., and his colleagues at Indiana University provide an enticing preview in “Executive Function in Children with Cochlear Implants.” Understanding Executive Function (EF) can help professionals identify where cognitive breakdowns occur. Dr. Pisoni and his colleagues explain how EF processes are affected by hearing loss and propose EF as an area for further exploration for children who do not gain sufficient benefit from cochlear implants. For more on the Symposium, please visit www.listeningandspokenlanguage.com. Further research supporting the early neurodevelopment of children with hearing loss is found in “Research Supports Hearing Loss as a Neurological Emergency,” by Dimity Dornan of Australia’s Hear and Say Centre. This

VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

article introduces a body of research compiled by Dornan that supports intervention for hearing loss during infancy. We have also included two articles to support the further development of research about listening and spoken language outcomes for individuals with hearing loss. “The Volta Review Celebrates its 110th Anniversary” provides a dialogue about the importance and place of AG Bell’s preeminent journal in the field of hearing loss research. In “Tips for Parents,” one parent discusses her experience participating in a research project and how other parents can benefit from participation in these types of studies. This issue also includes another “Conversations” between AG Bell Executive Director Alex Graham and Steve Matthew, the operations manager for Deaf Education through Listening and Talking (DELTA), which is based in the UK. Read about how DELTA and AG Bell share a similar mission and learn more about what Matthew is doing to support listening and spoken language in the UK. In “Around the World,” we introduce you to Ava Petty, a 3-year-old living in Schofield Barracks army base near

Honolulu, Hawaii. Read about how her parents overcame their daughter’s late diagnosis of moderate-to-severe hearing loss to pursue a spoken language outcome in an area that has limited resources available for this communication option. As a final note, I would like to introduce you to the new design and layout of Volta Voices. While the association has faced many exciting changes recently, Volta Voices has been a constant in providing information about hearing loss and spoken language outcomes to parents, professionals and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is my hope that this facelift will enhance the information and content provided to loyal readers of the magazine. If you have any questions or comments about the new design, or would like to contribute an article for publication, please contact me at editor@agbell.org. Best regards,

Melody Felzien Editor, Volta Voices

Voices contributors Jessica Beer, Ph.D., co-author of “Executive Function in Children with Cochlear Implants: The Role of OrganizationalIntegrative Processes,” is a National Institutes of Health post-doctoral research fellow at the Indiana University School of Medicine, DeVault Otologic Research Laboratory. She received her Ph.D. from The Graduate Center at the City University of New York. Dr. Beer has published research in the area of event memory in preschoolers. Her research is broadly focused on the development of higher cognitive processes that are mediated by language in children with atypical language and/or social experiences. Dr. Beer has active research projects in the areas of social cognition, peer conversations and executive function in children with hearing loss. Sarah Crum, author of “Around the World” and “SoundBites,” is a student intern at AG Bell. She is a sophomore at Georgetown University working toward a degree in American Musical Culture. Crum plans to pursue a career in journalism. Dimity Dornan A.M., Ba.Sp.Th., F.S.P.A.A., LSLS Cert. AVT, CP. SP, author of “Research Supports Hearing Loss as a Neurological Emergency,” is a speech pathologist, and managing director and founder of the Hear and Say Centre in Brisbane, Australia. For her work with children with hearing loss and their families, she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in 1998, Australian of the Year for

Queensland in 2002 and Australian Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005. Dornan is a past board member of the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. Alexander T. Graham, author of “Conversations,” is the executive director of AG Bell. Before joining AG Bell in October 2007, Graham served as the executive director for the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals. Graham’s experience includes managing financial, human resource and strategic planning programs as well as membership, marketing, government/public affairs and conference development. In addition to earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Va., Graham has a Master of Science degree in Organizational Effectiveness and a Master of Business Administration degree from Marymount University in Arlington, Va. His late mother had a hearing loss as a result of a childhood illness. William G. Kronenberger, Ph.D., co-author of “Executive Function in Children with Cochlear Implants: The Role of Organizational-Integrative Processes,” is the director of the Section of Psychology and an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine. He is also chief of the Psychological Testing Clinic and cochief of the ADHD-Disruptive Behavior Disorders Clinic at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Ind. Dr. Kronenberger has published and presented numerous papers in the areas of attention, learning and executive

functioning, medication treatments of undercontrolled behavior, and media violence exposure. Dr. Kronenberger has active research projects in the areas of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder evaluation and treatment, media violence exposure, and attention and executive functioning in children with cochlear implants. David B. Pisoni, Ph.D., co-author of “Executive Function in Children with Cochlear Implants: The Role of OrganizationalIntegrative Processes,” is the Chancellor’s Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science, the director of the Speech Research Laboratory and the program director of the Speech Research Laboratory at Indiana University. Dr. Pisoni is a former National Institutes of Health post-doctoral fellow in the Speech Group at the Research Laboratory of Electronics at MIT, as well as a past recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Acoustical Society of America and the Association of Psychological Science. He was recently elected to the Society of Experimental Psychologists (SEP). Dr. Pisoni has a B.A. in Psychology, magna cum laude, from Queens College of City University of New York and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Michigan. Jessica Ripper, author of “Advances in Hearing Science Require Determination, Collaboration,” is the former senior director of marketing and communications for AG Bell. She currently works for the Annie E. Casey Foundation/Casey Family Services and is a regular contributor to Volta Voices.

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VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

SOUND NEWS BITES 2009 Election for AG Bell Board Members From May 8-22, 2009, AG Bell will accept electronic votes for its Board of Directors election. Watch your email for the announcement and link. If you wish to submit your vote using a paper ballot, please contact info@agbell.org with your member number, name and mailing address. All paper ballots must be postmarked by May 20, 2009. AG Bell Academy Announces 2009 LSLS Certification Exam Schedule The AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language has announced the Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS) certification exam schedule for 2009. These test sessions are open to all aspiring LSLS candidates, including new applicants and re-testers. Please visit www.agbellacademy.org for more information about LSLS certification as well as test session dates and locations. CID Receives Two Grants for Literary Instruction The Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) has been awarded two grants to support the school’s literacy programs. A grant of $10,000 from the Allen P. and Josephine B. Green Foundation will help support literacy programs provided by CID for children with hearing loss and their families. In addition, the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation has awarded a $2,500

CALENDAR OF EVENTS gift to support early literacy instruction for preschoolers. For more information about CID, visit www.cid.edu.

Hearing Aid Tax Credit Legislation Introduced in the House of Representatives On March 19, legislation for a federal Hearing Aid Tax Credit was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Vern Ehlers (R-MI). If enacted, the Hearing Aid Tax Credit (H.R. 1646) will provide a $500 per hearing aid tax credit for dependents and people over age 55. The Hearing Aid Tax Credit is actively supported by AG Bell, the Hearing Loss Association of America, American Academy of Audiology, American SpeechLanguage-Hearing Association, International Hearing Society and Hearing Industries Association. Visit www.hearingaidtaxcredit.org for more information. NTID/RIT Welcomes Veterans with Hearing Loss The National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID/RIT), has established the Military Veterans with Hearing Loss Project to reach out to U.S. troops who have suffered significant hearing loss as a result of exposure to gunfire and explosions. Veterans with hearing loss can earn bachelor or graduate-level degrees at NTID/RIT while receiving education services, such as real-time captioning and notetaking in the classroom. The

7/5-9 The 2009 Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program will take place July 5-9 on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C. One of AG Bell’s most acclaimed programs, LOFT is open to teens age 15-18 years old who are deaf or hard of hearing, use spoken language and who are interested in becoming more involved in their surroundings as leaders and role models. For more information, visit www.agbell.org.

7/23-25

AG Bell will host its 2009 Listening & Spoken Language Symposium at the Union Station Marriott July 23-25 in St. Louis, Mo. The theme for the 2009 Symposium will be “Executive Function” (EF). Vital to the development of problem solving, social competence and academic readiness, EF is a cognitive or thinking process that influences and controls behavior such as working memory, organizational strategies and inhibition. Understanding EF can help professionals identify where cognitive breakdowns occur, and may also help highlight a child or adult’s areas of strength and talent. Symposium attendees will also have the opportunity to explore techniques and strategies in applying EF to their respective practices. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will also be offered. For more information about the event or to register, visit www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org or call (866) 337-5220.

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BITES first enrollees in this program will attend an orientation session this summer and begin taking classes this fall. For more information about the initiative and details about the services, visit www.rit.edu/ntid/veterans.

Studies Focus on the Quality of Life of Cochlear Implant Users In February 2009, the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research published a study demonstrating that children who receive cochlear implants perceive an improved quality of life. The study, titled “Quality of Life for Children with Cochlear Implants: Perceived Benefits and Problems and the Perception of Single Words and Emotional Sounds,” was conducted by Efrat A. Schorr, Froma P. Roth and Nathan A. Fox of the University of Maryland, College Park. The study examined the responses of 37 children born congenitally deaf and using cochlear implants to a quality-oflife questionnaire. The children, ages 5-14, reported significant improvement in quality of life because of their cochlear implants and low levels of concern about typical problems associated with wearing a cochlear implant. The full study can be viewed online at http://journals.asha.org.

in the 4-7 and 8-12 years age group rated their quality of life higher than their parents did, and at the same level as the children without hearing loss. Researchers have presented the results at multiple conferences and participants are being recruited for a second part to the study. For more information, visit www.utdallas.edu/ news/2009/02/18-002.php.

Compiled by: Melody Felzien and Sarah Crum

Books Promote Advantages of Cochlear Implants and Spoken Language Douglas Grady explores the advantages of using a cochlear implant in his recently published book, Hear Now. Grady’s book traces his life story from his frustrations and difficulties as a child with hearing loss to the opportunities having a cochlear implant has provided. “I wrote the book to strongly encourage people to consider a cochlear implant. I just could not believe how satisfied and happy I am,” he said. For more information, visit www.hearnow-with-cochlearimplant.com. In We Were Relentless: A Family’s Journey to Overcome Disability, Martin J. Levin shares the struggles and triumphs of his son, Jordan, in overcoming the challenges of a hearing loss. Jordan was born premature and after several complicated operations, he was diagnosed with a

In addition, researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas Callier Center for Communication Disorders and their colleagues with the Dallas Cochlear Implant Program recently conducted a study examining cochlear implants and the perceived improvement in quality of life. About 150 children ranging in age from 4-16 years old, their parents and a small group of same age children without a hearing loss participated in the study. Results indicate that children VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

SOUND BITES profound hearing loss. With help and encouragement from his parents and aided by hearing aids, Jordan learned to speak, graduated from college and embarked on a career as a motivational speaker and personal trainer. The book is Jordan’s story of his triumph over disability and an account of his parents’ love for their son. For more information, visit www.wewererelentless.com.

Web Site Helps Parents Make Informed Decisions The Deafness and Family Communication Center (DFCC) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has developed a Web site called Raising Deaf Kids to help parents of children

who are deaf and hard of hearing make informed decisions about their child’s hearing loss. The site provides information and resources on hearing loss and stories from other parents and families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing. One section of the Web site, “Growing Up With Hearing Loss,” presents key points for parents and provides information about what to expect from their child during each stage of life. The DFCC provides clinical services for children and teenagers who are deaf and hard of hearing, engaging in research that displays how hearing loss affects children and teenagers and their families. For more information, visit www.raisingdeafkids.org.

Rehabilitation Programs Expand BRIDGE to Better Communication Program MED-EL Corporation recently announced a new rehabilitative initiative, “SoundScape,” part of the company’s BRIDGE to Better Communication program. The interactive listening activities are designed for various age groups and offer cochlear implant users, parents, therapists and teachers an engaging way to practice listening therapy. Each activity includes downloadable materials, and new games will be added over time to motivate children and adults with a hearing loss to improve their listening skills. The games are accessible from MED-EL’s Web site, www.medel.com.

For Single-Sided Deafness

Finally hear what you’ve been missing. Do you have single-sided deafness or know someone who does? Ask about TransEar®. Your hearing healthcare provider can help you decide. For more information about single-sided deafness visit www.transear.com or call 1.888.382.9327

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VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

CHAPTERS Photo Credit: Nevada Chapter of AG Bell

Canadian Technology Helps Deaf and Hard of Hearing Experience Music Researchers at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, have developed two multimedia systems, the Emoti-Chair and the MusicViz, to help people who are deaf and hard of hearing experience music. The Emoti-Chair translates each musical note into a high or low frequency vibration, allowing the person in the chair to experience a broad range of music. The MusicViz presents sound as a series of images, graphics and colors, which seek to portray the emotion present within music. The research team began experimenting with ways to interpret sound using visualization in combination with auditory and physical senses about three years ago, and was able to find a connection between the way nerve cells in the

Hear Indiana, AG Bell’s Indiana Chapter, hosted its 6th Annual Talk-Walk-Run event May 9, 2009. The event recognized children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their parents as well as the professionals who support them. This year’s event also commemorated the 10th anniversary of a federal mandate for newborn hearing screening of all infants born in the United States. The Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent was this year’s lead supporter. Visit www.hearindiana.org for more information. Parker Wasilevich, age 3, applauds

The Nevada Chapter of AG Bell recently held its after launching a ball down the lane. annual Bowl-a-thon fundraiser at Sam’s Town Bowling Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Over 140 people participated in the event, which raised $2,700 in pledges for the chapter. Door prizes included movie tickets, family packs for free games of bowling, and three bowling balls and bags donated by the bowling center. Ken Keegan, president of K&K Bowling Supplies, pitched in a $150 gift card and $2 for each participating bowler. The chapter has great hopes that next year’s event will be even bigger, allowing more opportunity to spread the word about early detection for hearing loss, intervention options and the possibilities for listening, talking and thriving with a spoken language outcome.

SOUND BITES People in the News

IN MEMORIAM

AG Bell Director of Programs Judy Harrison and AG Bell Executive Director Alexander T. Graham recently gave a presentation entitled “Listening and Spoken Language Specialists” during the 8th Annual EHDI Conference March 9-10, 2009, in Dallas, Texas. The session provided an overview of the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language as well as eligibility requirements for certification as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist. In addition, Harrison co-presented for the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH), providing an update on a subcommittee that is developing a position statement on “Best Practices for Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers with Hearing Loss” (working title), as well as a poster on the Communication Outreach Research Project, available online at www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?p=SearchArticle.

AG Bell member and dedicated educator of the deaf Cornelia “Connie” J. Dwyer Cahill passed away in January 2009. She was the principal of the Camelot Center in Fairfax County, Va., from 1980 to 1996 and was an active member of AG Bell’s professional section. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from D’Youville College and received a Master of Arts in Education of the Deaf from the University of Buffalo. Her entire career was devoted to the education of children who are deaf and hard of hearing, and the programs she developed for the Fairfax County School System received national recognition. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Corpus Christi Catholic Church Building Fund, 2350 Augusta Hwy., Lexington, SC 29072.

A large contingent of AG Bell supporters also presented at the EHDI conference, including AG Bell board members Irene Leigh and Peter Steyger, AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language board members Teresa Caraway and Jean Moog, and AG Bell members Melody Harrison, Helen Morrison, Mary Ellen Nevins, Allison Sedey, and Kathleen Sussman, among others. An op-ed by AG Bell member Lisa A. Goldstein was published Saturday, March 14, in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In “First Person: I Can So Talk!,” Goldstein comments on the perception of the deaf and hard of hearing in mainstream media, noting that the media tends to portray individuals with hearing loss as unable to speak when in actuality there are many individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing who can listen and talk. To read the full editorial, please visit www.post-gazette.com/pg/09073/955418-109.stm. cochlea absorb sound frequencies and the way nerves in the skin react to touch. For more information, visit www.ryerson.ca/smart.

Carolina Summer Institute to Focus on AVT Practice The 12th Annual Carolina Summer Institute in Auditory-Verbal Therapy will be held June 15-26, 2009, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Presented by the Carolina Children’s Communicative Disorders Program/Center for Acquisition of Spoken Language through Listening Enrichment, this educational opportunity offers a hands-on approach specific to auditory-verbal therapy, one of the designations of the listening and spoken language certification program. Special topics for discussion include planning and implementing an auditory-verbal session, strategies

for speech and language targets, and onsite coaching provided by LSLS Cert. AVTs. Training will be provided by various lectures, discussions, videotape analysis and hands-on experience with children who are enrolled in auditoryverbal therapy and their families. For additional information, visit www.uncearandhearing.com.

Summer Camp for Girls with Hearing Loss The National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID/RIT), is offering a summer camp geared towards girls entering 7th, 8th or 9th grade and who have a hearing loss. The camp, TechGirlz, will take place August 2-8, 2009, at NTID/RIT and is designed to help girls learn about and consider jobs and careers in science and technology. Campers will learn through hands-on activities, such

as building their own computer to take home, meet other girls with similar interests and receive their own lab coats. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2009. For more information, visit www.rit.edu/ntid/techgirlz.

Correction In the March/April section of “SoundBites,” Volta Voices incorrectly referenced a new gene linked to deafness as “the first example of a mutated gene causing a hereditary disorder.” In actuality, this is the first identification of a fusion gene (where two proteins fuse together) causing hereditary deafness. Several other genetic mutations where one gene makes two different proteins have already been identified. The human body has roughly 20,000-25,000 genes, and for the most part each gene is believed to be responsible for encoding one particular protein. VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

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dvances in newborn hearing screening, early hearing detection and intervention are giving more children with hearing loss the opportunity to learn to listen, talk and thrive along with their hearing peers. That’s why AG Bell offers programs designed to support children and youth with hearing loss who are pursuing spoken language education.

PRE SCHOOL-AGE FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM DEADLINE: JULY 31, 2009

Eligibility criteria, program deadlines and applications are available at www.agbell.org. Email requests for an application to financialaid@agbell.org or fax to 202.337.8314.

TEL 202.204.4681 • TTY 202.337.5221 EMAIL FINANCIALAID@AGBELL.ORG • ONLINE WWW.AGBELL.ORG

By Jessica Ripper

“M

edical advances don’t happen by chance.” You would expect that quote to come from Alexander Graham Bell, Jonas Salk or the surgeon general. Instead, it came at the end of a recent conversation with Robert Shannon, Ph.D., head of the department of auditory implants and perception at the House Ear Institute and a leader in the scientific exploration of the auditory system. Dr. Shannon’s succinct reminder underscores the need for scientists, medical doctors and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to work together to better understand how the ear works and to develop techniques and technologies that restore hearing to a functional level. Consider the complexity of the inner ear, which converts sound waves into speech that human beings decode as meaningful interaction. Sound waves

first reach the outer ear, known as the auricle or pinna, which helps localize the origin of the sound. As those waves reach the middle ear, or tympanic membrane, vibrations are transmitted to the inner ear, in which three small bones act in concert to convert mechanical energy into neural stimulation. The cochlear nerve fibers transmit the stimulus to the brain stem, then to various stations along the brain center up to the cortex, where they are finally understood as speech and sound. (See image opposite.) In fact, this process is so complex that a primer written by the Tulane School of Medicine suggests that developing an equivalent sound system in such a small, inaccessible place would be a feat of modern engineering. Yet, scientists and medical doctors in labs and hospitals around the world are working to overcome those challenges, from improving the function of cochlear

implants to gene therapy to the invention of entirely new prosthetics for the ear. Vision, determination and, most of all, collaboration are critical to many of these scientific breakthroughs.

Improving Cochlear Implant Function In 1972, Dr. William House invented the first commercially available cochlear implant (CI). Although the device only offered a single channel for stimulating the auditory nerve, the breakthrough marked the beginning of an era for individuals who had not benefitted from hearing aids. Since that time, researchers have expanded the number of channels available for auditory stimulation and developed speech processor coding strategies to improve CI performance. However, attempts to reproduce the quality of sound people with typical hearing experience have proven elusive. VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

One approach to improving the function of CIs may be close to fruition if the work of Claus-Peter Richter, M.D., Ph.D., and fellow researchers at Northwestern University proves successful. Their research focuses on replacing the electrical stimulation strategies employed by today’s CIs with laser stimulation. Why use laser stimulation? As Dr. Richter explains, the current design of CI speech processors assumes that each electrode has a distinct point of contact and that areas of stimulation do not overlap. In actuality, electrode interaction does occur such that only seven to 10 electrode contacts (out of 14-24, depending on the device manufacturer) in an implant can be considered independent. Yet, speech recognition in noisy environments benefits from an increasing number of independent listening channels. Researchers at Vanderbilt University have already demonstrated that highly selective neural stimulation of specific cell populations can be achieved with optical radiation. Richter’s team is applying those results to the stimulation of spiral ganglion cells that reside in the spiral structure of the cochlea. So far, Dr. Richter’s team has identified the basic parameters for laser stimulation, including the wavelength, pulse length and power needed to optimally stimulate auditory neurons. The team was able to demonstrate in an animal model that low energy laser light can be used to increase stimulation selectivity, as compared to electrical stimulation, and that the stimulation is as selective as observed in natural acoustical stimuli. In January 2008, the team made another step forward, working with surgeon Dr. Andrew Fishman to conduct the first intraoperative stimulation of the human auditory nerve using pulsed infrared optical radiation. Because optical radiation spreads little in tissue and allows stimulation of small, discrete neuron populations, it could eventually expand the number of available implant channels and improve implant performance in noisy VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

Photo Credit: Hain, TC. http://www.dizziness-and-hearing.com. 10 March 2009 http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/images/master-ear.jpg.

Laser Stimulation of Cochlear Implants

The parts of the outer, middle and inner human ear.

environments and when listening to music. Currently, the team is testing the hypothesis that heat absorbed by water is the most likely cause for laser stimulation of the nerve cells. As a follow-up to experiments conducted at Vanderbilt University, Dr. Richter’s team conducted their own experiments in mice. These results suggest that ion channels are involved in the mechanism by which infrared laser pulses stimulate neurons. “Our timeframe for using these technologies in human subjects depends on safety studies, which are on the way,” said Dr. Richter of the team’s progress. “If the safety studies are successful, we plan to have a human prototype in less than five years.”

Gene and Stem Cell Therapy While many people with hearing loss will benefit from improvements to the function of CIs, others may someday have the opportunity to benefit from gene and stem cell therapy. Instead of focusing on device design, these technologies seek to understand how different parts of the ear can be transformed to improve hearing.

Hair Cell Induction A protein gene known in the hearing research community as Atoh1 plays a critical role in the formation of sensory hair cells in the inner ear. For individuals with hearing loss, those cells no longer function properly and are unable to convert sound into electrical signals for the brain. Yet, a recent issue of Nature featured an article that described how, when used in utero gene transfer methodology, Atoh1 can direct the formation of mechanically sensitive sensory hair cells. The work, conducted by John Brigande, Ph.D., assistant professor of otolaryngology, and his team at the Oregon Hearing Research Center, opens up a brand new way to study gene function. Through their work, the team has come to realize that the more they understand about how the healthy inner ear forms, the better they can understand inner ear disease. To introduce a specific gene, the team injected a microscopic life-form called an expression plasmid, or DNA, into a target cell in a mouse in utero. They then applied a direct current to the embryonic inner ear to generate an electrical field, which caused an increase in plasmid uptake by the cell membrane and drove the plasmid into

Advances in Hearing Science Require Determination, Collaboration the developing organ of Corti, a structure located on the inner surface of the basilar membrane of the cochlea. Results demonstrated the team’s ability not only to grow sensory hair cells, but also to grow hair cells that are capable of mechanotrasduction, an essential function underlying audition, during the first postnatal week of life. In collaboration with Dr. Anthony Ricci of Stanford University, an expert on hair cell biophysics, the research also evaluated basolateral currents, which

Stem Cell Therapy Recently, Bryony Coleman, Ph.D., an otolaryngological fellow at the Eye and Ear Hospital of the University of Melbourne, made yet another step toward improving the benefits of a CI when she was able to use stem cells to grow replacement hair cells in the precise location where they need to connect to the brain. “Given that auditory neurons are the target cells for CIs, a greater complement of these neurons may improve the clini-

“For research efforts to succeed, you need visionaries in the medical and scientific communities who are willing to take a chance and try something not proven.” are involved in the hair cell’s communication with its innervating neuron, and showed that these currents were also present, just like control hair cells. Currently, the goal of Dr. Brigande’s team is to determine if Atoh1 generates functional hair cells, not to define a therapeutic intervention for hearing loss or deafness. They also seek to discover whether those hair cells actually contribute to auditory perception. “So far, our research suggests that the hair cells we’ve made are wired properly and have at least the core synaptic element necessary to communicate with innervating neurons,” said Brigande. “Our hope is that these hair cells can send information to the brain that will be interpreted as meaningful sound.”

cal performance of the device,” Coleman stated. “Getting the cells to grow in the right place is one of the major challenges of this research, so we use a special technique to make the transplanted cells appear green when viewed under fluorescent light. That way, we’re able to see the precise location of the cells after they are transplanted.” Although research is still years away from clinical trials, Coleman hopes that her work will eventually result in improving how a CI replicates sound quality, especially for users listening to music.

New Hearing Assistive Devices A third area of exploration in hearing research and medical science is

the development of new prosthetic devices to fill needs not met by today’s CIs or hearing aids. Two such devices may one day enable people without an intact cochlea or auditory nerve to hear, much like the CI has helped restore partial hearing to, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), more than 120,000 people around the world.

Auditory Nerve Implant Researchers first conceived of direct stimulation of the auditory nerve with implanted electrodes around the same time they began experimenting with the CI, but it was the latter concept that took off. John Middlebrooks, Ph.D., a researcher and professor of otolaryngology in the University of California at Irvine Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, has since revisited auditory nerve stimulation – in part because technology borrowed from the semiconductor industry now allows for a design with a much higher density of electrodes without harming the auditory nerve. The primary candidates for the auditory nerve implant are people whose cochleas are filled with bone, a condition that is not typically conducive to using a conventional CI. In animal trials, the intraneural implant performed better than a CI in terms of lower threshold, greater frequency specificity, access to a broader range of frequencies and reduced interference among channels. Dr. Middlebrooks speculates that those results may lead to better speech recognition, improved recognition of sounds in the presence of competing noise, greater pitch discrimination and, in cases of bilateral implantation, improved spatial hearing. Dr. Middlebrooks’ team recently submitted a paper to Hearing Research that described an intracranial approach to the ear, but the team’s findings suggest that fitting the implant using a side approach to the auditory nerve through the ear will prove more practical. “If VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

auditory nerve implants turn out to be clinically practical, patients probably would choose between the cochlear implant and auditory nerve implant,” said Dr. Middlebrooks. “People who already had a cochlear implant would be able to remove it and ‘upgrade’ to the auditory nerve implant.” Preliminary results of another study by the team suggest that transmission of timing information is enhanced using the auditory nerve implant compared to a conventional CI, a result that has implications for speech perception and spatial hearing. Dr. Middlebrooks reported that, to date, CI companies have expressed interest in the possibilities offered by the new device, but want to see results from long-term animal testing before investing in intraneural technology.

Auditory Brainstem Implant According to Dr. Shannon, individuals who do not benefit from a cochlear or auditory nerve implant may still benefit from an auditory brainstem implant (ABI), a prosthetic device placed directly on the cochlear nucleus at the base of the brain and intended to restore some degree of hearing function, typically to persons deafened by neurofibromatosis type II, a condition that occurs once in every 40,000 births and is characterized by tumors on the eighth cranial nerve (or the auditory and vestibular nerve complex). Since its initial development at the House Ear Institute in 1979, the ABI has been implanted in more than 500 people worldwide and received FDA approval in 2000. Although people generally gain some benefit related to improved speech perception, the technology is not yet refined enough to allow users to talk on the phone as many CI users are able to do. “We experimented with a Penetrating Electrode Auditory Brainstem Implant [PABI], which allowed stimulation of cells inside the cochlear nucleus, not just on the surface as in the ABI,” said Dr. Shannon. VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

“Unfortunately, the PABI did not improve users’ speech perception so we revisited work with the ABI.” A few years ago, Vittorio Colletti, Ph.D., a surgeon at the University of Verona and a collaborator with Dr. Shannon, discovered positive results with the ABI in people with brain injuries not related to neurofibromatosis. Based on those findings, Drs. Colletti and Shannon, and a third collaborator, Thomas Lenarz, Ph.D., professor and chairman of the Medical University of Hannover Department of Otolaryngology, believe that the limitations of ABI trials so far are specific to people with neurofibromatosis and not a result of the ABI. Typically, the symptoms of neurofibromatosis do not appear until people reach their teens or twenties, and a diagnosis may not require surgery until age 50. Shannon is currently conducting detailed testing of people’s perceptual ability to listen on each electrode using very precise measures of loudness, pitch and timing. He then compares results across patients in an effort to understand why some patients do well with the ABI while others do not. He indicated that future considerations include performing the surgery at a younger age or changing the surgical approach to limit damage to the inner ear. Shannon is also working with Colletti and Lenarz on testing speech percep-

tion for the Auditory Midbrain Implant, a new design that follows principles similar to the ABI except that the device targets the auditory centers in the midbrain.

Conclusion As researchers continue to understand how the ear works and what can be done when it does not, they often find themselves tackling new problems and exploring the cutting edge of existing knowledge. It often takes years, if not decades, of sensitive and time-consuming experimentation with failures generally far outweighing successes. “For research efforts to succeed, you need visionaries in the medical and scientific communities who are willing to take a chance and try something not proven,” recalled Dr. Shannon. “You also need to remember the true pioneers, people who are altruistic enough to volunteer for research that may never benefit them directly but will help future generations.” Author’s Note: This article is not a comprehensive review of current research in hearing health and technology, but serves to highlight recent breakthroughs and draw attention to future opportunities for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing and choose a spoken language outcome.

By Jessica Beer, Ph.D., David B. Pisoni, Ph.D. and William Kronenberger, Ph.D.

hen a child with hearing loss receives a cochlear implant (CI) and learns to use spoken language well enough to be enrolled in a mainstream kindergarten classroom, parents, physicians, therapists and educators are all thrilled. However, although CIs work well for many children who have a profound hearing loss, they do not always provide optimal benefits to all children with hearing loss. Some children continue to struggle throughout childhood in speech and language performance, learning, and verbal fluency after they receive the implant. Why are these children “poor performers,” and is there anything we can do to predict, and ultimately increase, the effectiveness of CIs for these children? The promise of progress may lie in a neurocognitive approach to individual differences in outcomes, explicitly recognizing that all behavior, in this case speech and language processing, heavily depends on the functional connectivity of multiple brain areas working together as a complex integrated system (Luria, 1973; Nauta, 1964). In addition to hearing loss, a child who is deaf or hard of hearing is likely to have neural, cognitive, and affec-

tive delays and disturbances as a result of early auditory deprivation and/or delayed language development. These delays or disturbances can contribute differentially to speech and language development as well as learning, memory and cognition. Thus, the enormous variability observed in speech and language outcomes may not be due solely to access of sound or the early sensory encoding of speech (Hawker et al., 2008). Heavy reliance on traditional, product-oriented endpoint measures of speech and language performance has prevented researchers from exploring the role of more basic, fundamental and underlying core neurocognitive processes, such as working memory, attention and processing speed – elementary information processing operations used in speech perception, production and spoken language processing. Many children with CIs may not show age-appropriate scores on a variety of neuropsychological tests that appear to have little, if anything, to do with domain-specific aspects of hearing or speech perception and spoken language processing. Instead, the scores reflect domain-general, non-linguistic neurocognitive processes. We believe it is precisely these executive-organizationalintegrative (EOI) abilities that must

be assessed both before and after CI surgery through developmental-longitudinal research designs to obtain new knowledge about core, domain-general neurocognitive processes associated with successful outcomes in CI users, and to select an optimal approach to habilitation and therapy for CI users not responding favorably.

Executive Function and OrganizationalIntegrative Processes Executive function (EF) refers to a diverse collection of cognitive control and self-regulatory processes (e.g., attention, inhibition of a response, initiation of a behavior, planning and organizing behaviors and ideas, working memory, and self-monitoring) that enable us to manage our behavior and monitor our thoughts during active, goal-directed problem solving (Figure 1) (Dawson & Guare, 2004; Miller & Cohen, 2001). EOI processing is defined here as a broad cluster of related abilities involving cognitive control, direction, concentration and construction of cognitive representations from details (part-to-whole relationships). These abilities reflect the need for sustained, purposefully organized processing in the service of producing a unified, coordinated response from VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

complex stimuli (Figure 2). Executive skills begin to develop in early infancy and continue to develop through adolescence (Rhoades, 2009). These processes are mediated by regions of the prefrontal cortex, which has extensive functional connectivity with several other brain regions (McNab & Klingberg, 2008). It is likely that EOI abilities are particularly important for speech-language development following CI surgery because of the dynamic relationship among early auditory experiences, the development of spoken language processing skills and the development of EF abilities (Figure 3) (Deary, Strand, Smith, & Fernandes, 2007; Hohm, Jennen-Steinmetz, Schmidt, & Laucht, 2007). Because hearing loss, even mild hearing loss, interferes with critical early spoken language experiences and activities, it is very likely that the development of core EOI abilities may also be at high risk in children with hearing loss. Emerging research indicates four key EOI areas that may be involved in speech-language outcomes following cochlear implantation: memory, fluency-efficiency-speed, concentrationvigilance-inhibition and organizationintegration (Burkholder & Pisoni, 2003; Cleary & Pisoni, 2002; Cleary, Pisoni, & Kirk, 2005; Conway, Karpicke, & Pisoni, In preparation; Pisoni & Cleary, 2003;

Thinking Skills

Behavioral Control Skills

Planning

Response inhibition

Organization

Self-regulation of affect

Time management

Task initiation

Working memory

Flexibility

Metacognition

Goal-directed persistence

Figure 1 – Executive Function skills (Dawson & Guare, 2004).

EOI Processes

Description

Memory

Verbal and non-verbal working memory; visual memory

Fluency-efficiency-speed

Speed of visual-motor reproduction; word naming; visual recognition; visual matching

Concentration-vigilance-inhibition

Inhibition of automatic/overlearned responses

Organization-integration

Perceptual-organizational skills; visual-motor integration; visual organization planning skills

Figure 2 – Executive-organizational-integrative processes involved in speech perception and spoken language processing.

Pisoni et al., 2008). These core abilities allow spoken language to be processed rapidly (fluency-efficiency-speed) into meaningful units (organizationintegration), stored (memory), and actively assigned meaning (organizationintegration and working memory) while the individual maintains a focus on the relevant information (concentrationvigilance) and resists distracting

impulses (inhibition). The need to process enormous amounts of novel, auditory sensory input in the development of speech-language skills following CI surgery draws very heavily on these domain-general EOI areas, and the individual’s ability to effectively coordinate and utilize these EOI abilities will likely impact speech and language outcomes.

Figure 3 – Dynamic relationship between language and EOI processes. VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

Executive Function in Children with Cochlear Implants Executive Function in Children after Receiving a Cochlear Implant The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) (Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000) is a behavior rating form used by parents to assess aspects of their childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EF and self regulation as recognized in everyday, real world activities. The BRIEF consists of eight clinical subscales that assess inhibition, shifting of attention, emotional control, initiation, working memory, planning and organization, organization of materials, and monitoring behavior. Scores are used to construct three composite indices of EF â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1) Behavioral Regulation, 2) Metacognition and 3) a Global Executive Composite score, which is a summary measure of EF. In a number of recent studies, the BRIEF has proven useful in evaluating children with a wide spectrum of developmental and acquired neurocognitive conditions, although it has not been used yet with children who have a hearing loss and use CIs (Gioia et al., 2000). In a recent study, we carried out an analysis of BRIEF scores obtained from 12 children using CIs and matched the results with a control group of children with typical hearing. The results showed that children with hearing loss had elevated scores on all three composite indices of the BRIEF and that their scores on these indices were significantly higher (indicating executive dysfunction) than the scores of children with typical hearing. An item analysis indicated that the children who use CIs showed significant problems in shifting, emotional control, initiation, working memory, planning and organization, and organization of materials compared to the control group (Conway et al., In preparation; Pisoni et al., 2008).

processes. Additional findings from research currently underway at the Indiana University School of Medicine using BRIEF data from 38 children with CIs, ages 5 to 18, revealed no differences in language ability or vocabulary for children elevated on the BRIEF compared to those not elevated on the BRIEF. However, when the results were compared to other language evaluation scales, children who scored above the mean in overall language ability as measured by the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF) (Semel, Wiig, & Secord, 2003) had significantly lower scores (better EF) on the Global Executive Composite score, the behavioral regulation index and the emotional control and initiation domains of EF than children who scored below the mean. The same benefits in EF were not found when comparing performance above and below the mean on receptive vocabulary as measured using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) (Dunn & Dunn, 1997). One explanation of these findings is that complex language-processing tasks, such as sentence parsing and comprehension operating in the high average range, may provide the necessary scaffolding to support EF development, particularly with regard to behavioral regulation and emotional control, whereas knowledge of vocabulary does not serve this same function. From this perspective, language may provide a self-regulatory, highly adaptive function for both cognitive and behavioral control. However, this interpretation assumes a unidirectional relationship between language and EF when in all likelihood an efficient executive system is what promotes better language ability in the first place, suggesting the operation of bidirectionality reciprocal relations between language processing and EF (Bodrova & Leong, 2007).

Executive Function and Spoken Language Processing

Executive Function and Speech Perception

Considering that children with CIs may have elevated risks in particular areas of EF, the next step is to investigate how EF may be related to speech and language

We also found that children who showed elevated scores on the metacognitive index, the global executive composite and the working memory and monitoring

domains of the BRIEF had significantly lower HINT-C in noise scores than children who were not elevated in these domains (Nilsson, Soli, & Gelnett, 1996). The number of words correctly repeated by children elevated in these domains was, on average, 20 percentage points lower than children not elevated in these domains. There were no differences, however, on the HINT-C in quiet for children with hearing loss elevated on the BRIEF. It is possible that children with hearing loss may be particularly vulnerable to executive dysfunction in processing tasks that have a high cognitive load, as would be expected when speech is presented in noise.

Conclusion The research we are conducting on EOI processes provides additional converging evidence for the proposal that multiple processing systems are linked together in development, and that disturbances resulting from hearing loss and language delays are not domainspecific and narrowly restricted only to hearing, speech perception and processing spoken language. Broadening conventional outcome measures to include other neurocognitive domains, such as attention, working memory, learning, problem solving, metacognition and especially theory of mind, may provide novel insights into the cognitive and neural underpinnings that are responsible for the large individual differences in outcomes and benefits following CI surgery. Advances in our understanding of neurocognitive development in children using CIs may lead to an explanation of the difficulties these children experience in literacy development, even though they test in the normal range in language and have adequate speech perception. These new findings on EF and cognitive control have important clinical implications for developing novel methods of intervention that are targeted at specific processing domains, such as perceptual encoding, working memory capacity, controlled attention and inhibition. VOLTA VOICES â&#x20AC;˘ M A Y /J U NE 2009

References Bodrova, E., & Leong, D.J. (2007). Tools of the Mind. Columbus, OH: PersonMerrill Prentice Hall. Burkholder, R.A., & Pisoni, D.B. (2003). Speech timing and working memory in profoundly deaf children after cochlear implantation. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 85, 63-88. Cleary, M., & Pisoni, D.B. (2002). Talker discrimination by prelingually-deaf children with cochlear implants: Preliminary results. Annals of Otology, Thinology, & Laryngology Supplement-Preceedings of the 8th Symposium on Cochlear Implants in Children, 111, 113-118. Cleary, M., Pisoni, D.B., & Kirk, K.I. (2005). Influence of voice similarity on talker discrimination in normal-hearing children and hearing-impaired children with cochlear implants. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 48, 204-223. Conway, C.M., Karpicke, J., & Pisoni, D.B. (In preparation). Executive function in hearing children and deaf children with cochlear implants. Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2004). Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents. A Practical Guide to Assessment and Intervention. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Deary, I.J., Strand, S., Smith, P., & Fernandes, C. (2007). Intelligence and educational achievement. Intelligence, 35, 13-21. Dunn, L.M., & Dunn, L. (1997). Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service. Gioia, G.A., Isquith, P.K., Guy, S.C., & Kenworthy, L. (2000). BRIEF TM: Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Psychological Publications, Inc. Hawker, K., Ramirez-Inscoe, J., Bishop, D.V.M., Tworney, T., Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donoghue, G.M., & Moore, D.R. (2008). Disproportionate language impairment in children using cochlear implants. Ear & Hearing, 29, 467-471. Hohm, E., Jennen-Steinmetz, C., Schmidt, M.H., & Laucht, M. (2007). Language development at ten months. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 16, 149-156. Luria, A.R. (1973). The Working Brain: An Introduction to Neuropsychology. New York, NY: Basic Books. McNab, F., & Klingberg, T. (2008). Prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia control access to working memory. Nature Neuroscience, 11, 103-107. Miller, E.K., & Cohen, J.D. (2001). An integrative theory of prefrontal cortex function. Annual Reviews in Neuroscience, 24, 167-202. Nauta, W.J.H. (1964). Discussion of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;retardation and faciliatation in learning by stimulation of frontal cortex in monkeys.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; In J.M. Warren & K. Akert (Eds.), The Frontal Granular Cortex and Behavior (pp. 125). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Nilsson, M.J., Soli, S.D., & Gelnett, D.J. (1996). Development of the Hearing in Noise Test for Children (HINT-C). Los Angeles, CA: House Ear Institute. Pisoni, D.B., & Cleary, M. (2003). Rehearsal speech in deaf children after cochlear implantation. Ear & Hearing, 24(18), 106S-120S. Pisoni, D.B., Conway, C.M., Kronenberger, W., Horn, D.L., Karpicke, J., & Henning, S. (2008). Efficacy and effectiveness of cochlear implants in deaf children. In M. Marschark (Ed.), Deaf Cognition: Foundations and Outcomes (pp. 52-101). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Rhoades, E.A. (2009). What can the neurosciences tell us about adolescent development? Volta Voices, 16(1), 16-21. Semel, E., Wiig, E. H., & Secord, W. (2003). Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Fourth Edition. San Antonio: TX: Psychological Corporation.

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VOLTA VOICES â&#x20AC;˘ MAY/J UNE 2009

&OR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW DEAFEDUCATIONCENTRE ORG

By Melody Felzien

his year marks the 110th anniversary of The Volta Review. While the publication itself has seen many changes, the constant presence of research and science has always cemented it as the preeminent journal for hearing loss and listening and spoken language.

A Brief History Alexander Graham Bell founded the American Association for the Promotion of the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf (now AG Bell) in 1890. The Volta Review was first published in 1899 as the “Association Review” and included an overview of the association’s activities. For 77 years, The Volta Review continued to publish the current news of the association, features, and technical and scientific articles of interest, with many of AG Bell’s past presidents and executive directors serving as editors. In 1976, the strategy of AG Bell’s publications changed gears. Newsletters were developed to cater to specific sections and needs (today, these newsletters have been combined to form Volta Voices), and The Volta Review’s focus shifted from an allencompassing association review to a publication of rigorous scientific and technical studies exploring hearing loss. One hundred and ten years after

its first publication, The Volta Review continues to be the preeminent scholarly research and scientific journal in the field of hearing loss, publishing research on topics such as speech and language development, literacy skills, hearing technology, education, early intervention and health care, among others.

Impact on Professionals Last year, The Volta Review welcomed the appointment of its 14th editor, Joseph Smaldino, Ph.D. One of Dr. Smaldino’s first items of business was to appoint Kathryn L. Schmitz, Ph.D., as the journal’s Senior Associate

Editor. Volta Voices recently sat down with Dr. Smaldino; Dr. Schmitz; Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., who is a regular contributor and reviewer for the journal; and Melody Harrison, Ph.D., who is a past member of the editorial board, a former monograph editor and current reviewer, to learn why they are compelled to support The Volta Review in such an active role. Volta Voices: Why is The Volta Review valuable to you? Why is it valuable to the field? Joseph Smaldino: The Volta Review is valuable because the articles that appear in it not only educate, but inspire further reading and/or research

VOLTA VOICES • MA Y /J U NE 2009

clinicians who have adopted auditory intervention practices. MH: Across the years, The Volta Review has maintained a focus on the development of audition and oral language learning and yet has broadened its scope to include research on all the technologies and strategies available to promote listen and spoken language development, regardless of whether it was in the field of education, audiology, speech-language pathology or psychology.

in important areas focused on understanding hearing loss and its effects on speech/language development and psychosocial function. The value of The Volta Review to the fields of hearing loss and hearing loss (re)habilitation is that the journal often addresses topics that do not frequently appear in other mainstream journals in the field. Kathryn Schmitz: The Volta Review was an essential part of my literature review for my doctoral dissertation. It addresses areas of auditory, speech and language development that other journals don’t focus on to the same degree, and this information is essential for a well-rounded body of knowledge in the field of hearing loss and deaf education.

education of children with hearing loss. I think it is valuable to the field as it is one resource, particularly for therapists/ educators, that provides clinically relevant and often practical information on current topics in the field. VV: Why do you think The Volta Review has continued to thrive in an ever-changing world of hearing loss technology and access? EF: The journal continues to provide current and clinically relevant information from a variety of perspectives – audiologists, speech-language pathologists, educators and psychologists. It is the only journal of its type for

JS: Many people grew up depending on The Volta Review as a resource for information not available anywhere else. Its unique blend of rigorous and translational research allows the journal to focus on current events in a way that makes information especially accessible to a broad readership. KS: I think The Volta Review has thrived because of all the changes in hearing loss technology and access, which have provided opportunities for professionals to investigate the relationship of past experience with future potential in a solid, research-based way. VV: What do you think Dr. Bell would say about the journal if he were alive today? JS: I believe Dr. Bell would be proud of The Volta Review because many groundbreaking research articles have been published over the years that have

Melody Harrison: As an academic, I use The Volta Review almost every week of the year. It is an excellent resource for course preparation, assisting me in incorporating the latest research into lectures. As an instructor, I assign numerous readings from The Volta Review. My hope is that the speech-language pathologists and audiologists we educate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will continue to rely upon the journal as a source of information regarding the broad range of research related to hearing loss as they enter their professions. Elizabeth Fitzpatrick: The Volta Review is one resource where all the material is highly related to the oral VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

The Volta Review Celebrates Its 110th Anniversary been often cited and used to progress understanding concerning hearing loss. In addition, The Volta Review has served to educate professionals and nonprofessionals alike about the latest advances and state-of-the-art technologies that can be used in the evaluation of and intervention for hearing loss. MH: As an innovator and inventor, I think Dr. Bell would be pleased to see The Volta Review available as an electronic resource through indexed databases and eJournal services, accessible to a wide range of professionals interested in hearing loss. I also expect he would push to make the information available to a wider range of people beyond professionals. KS: I think Dr. Bell would appreciate the continued focus on auditory and

speech and language development that the journal presents, particularly with its emphasis on assuring the success of children and adults with hearing loss in the hearing world. EF: Dr. Bell would be happy to see that the journal has become an important and practical resource for all interested in the listening and spoken communication of individuals with hearing loss. Editor’s Note: The Volta Review is currently accepting submissions on a variety of topics, including literacy skills development, speech and language development, education, early intervention, hearing technology and communication strategies. To submit a manuscript for consideration, please contact Melody Felzien, the journal’s managing editor, at periodicals@agbell.org.

Editors of The Volta Review 1899-1909

Frank W. Booth

1910-1912

F.K. Noyes

1912

Edited by committee

1912-1920

Ernest Gregory

1920-1953 Josephine Timberlake 1953-1957

Alice Dunlap

1957-1962

Jeanette N. Johnson

1962-1976

George W. Fellendorf

1976-1979

Wilbert L. Pronovost

1980-1985

Richard Kretschmer

1986-1991

Richard G. Stoker

1991-1996

David F. Conway

1997-2002

Nancy Tye Murray

2003-2008

Patricia M. Chute

2008-Present Joseph Smaldino

VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

Build Your Listening and Spoken Language Library Today! The AG Bell bookstore offers reading materials suggested by the AG Bell Academy for Listening & Spoken Language for LSLS Cert. AVT and Cert. AVEd certification test preparation. In addition, the bookstore carries a wide selection of books, videos and resource materials on deafness and spoken language. AG Bell members receive a 15% discount on every title. Bulk purchases are also eligible for a discount.

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By Dimity Dornan, A.M., Ba.Sp.Th., F.S.P.A.A., LSLS Cert. AVT, Cp. SP.

neuroscience and hearing innovation. To support this initiative, I have authored a fully referenced paper, titled, “Hearing Loss in Infants Is a Neurological Emergency,” which contains a significant amount of the research and details available about neurodevelopment. The paper’s research focuses on a neuroscientific explanation for the urgency underpinning early diagnosis and intervention for infants with hearing loss. It is my hope that the paper will spark the interest of other clini-

cians, researchers and professionals to become interested in the application of neuroscience findings. The following are highlights of research that supports important developmental milestones and key research areas for further exploration.

Research Summary Neuroscientists have found that early auditory brain access is critical for the development of listening, spoken language and literacy skills. Recent research shows that for neonates with

Photo Credit: Dimity Dornan

n integral part of AG Bell’s mission for over 100 years has been the support and recognition of individuals with hearing loss who choose spoken language, their families and the professionals who support them. The technology and educational tools required to achieve a listening and spoken language outcome have certainly seen significant advances over that time period. Prior to universal newborn hearing screening and the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants during infancy, many individuals and families overcame obstacles and challenges, such as late diagnosis, to achieve spoken language outcomes. It is partly due to their efforts and successes that we now have research and intervention practices that support the value of beginning the intervention process during infancy. This article highlights that research. AG Bell’s 2007 Talk for a Lifetime conference focused on neurodevelopmental research. The conference inspired me to initiate an innovative developmental research unit at the Hear and Say Centre called “I HEAR Innovation.” The unit, based at RiverCity Private Hospital in Auchenflower, Brisbane, focuses on two main areas of research:

(From left to right) Professor Rob Shepherd, director of The Bionic Ear Institute, Melbourne; Dimity Dornan, founder and managing director of the Hear and Say Centre; and Tim Hughes holding his son Ned, who is the poster child for I HEAR Innovation. VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

Photo Credit: Dimity Dornan

Gabriella Constantinescu, research coordinator for I HEAR Innovation.

typical hearing, the auditory brain commences its development in-utero and is “pre-wired” to accept and process sound (Flexer, 1999). If stimulated through meaningful listening, the auditory brain etches the neural pathways permanently. “Pre-wiring” that is not used (stimulated) is diminished (removed, truncated, reassigned for other functions or atrophied) over time until it is no longer available for optimal stimulation. The time span during which this neural connecting and pruning of auditory nerves is at its maximum is called the optimal developmental period of the brain for audition. Learning to listen is a timebound issue; therefore, a child with hearing loss is starting from a point of neurological emergency. A baby born with significant hearing loss has already missed out on approximately 20 weeks of auditory VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

stimulation and significant activation of auditory neural pathways. If the baby is to develop optimal speech and language, that child must be diagnosed early, preferably before 6 months of age (Yoshinaga-Itano, Sedey, Coulter, & Mehl, 1998), and have early access to sound through prompt fitting of modern hearing technology, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants. Evidence about neural development of the auditory pathways may be obtained from Auditory Evoked Responses, which serve as clinical indicators of central auditory maturation in children. Early development of auditory brain pathways is a necessary precursor for developing speech, spoken language and literacy skills. Early diagnosis, providing immediate access to sound and being placed in an education program quickly ensures that the infant’s auditory brain pathways can be developed within the optimal developmental

Research Supports Hearing Loss as a Neurological Emergency periods for listening (from birth to 3.5 months of age). The exact length of optimal developmental periods for various listening skills is unknown, but phonological processing, the precursor for literacy, is very likely to have early closing windows of time. If parents desire a listening and spoken language outcome for their child with hearing loss, an educational approach that emphasizes the development of auditory brain pathways through listening and spoken language is necessary (Cole & Flexer, 2007). It is important to note that infants and toddlers whose hearing loss is diagnosed late still have the opportunity to develop listening and spoken language. Although it will likely require a remedial approach to intervention, rather than the more efficient developmental model supported by

the paper introduced here, it is not impossible. Parents who have a child with hearing loss who was diagnosed late should not be discouraged from considering a spoken language communication option.

Conclusion Infants born with hearing loss have a limited amount of time in which to develop auditory skills. Therefore, the focus must be on early detection, amplification and enhanced listening experiences to urgently establish auditory neural connections. This is necessary in order to maximize the optimal developmental periods for auditory brain growth. Editor’s Note: Readers interested in reading all of Dornan’s findings should visit the AG Bell Web site at

www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx? p=Early_Identification_of_Hearing_Loss to access the full research paper. For more information about the “I HEAR Innovation” project, please visit www.hearandsaycentre.com.au/ research-projects.html. More information about AG Bell’s 2007 Talk for a Lifetime conference is available at www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx? p=Talk_for_a_Lifetime_Conference.

References Cole, E., & Flexer, C. (2007). Children with Hearing Loss: Developing Listening and Talking Birth to Six. San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing. Flexer, C. (1999). Facilitating Hearing and Listening in Young Children (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing Group. Yoshinaga-Itano, C., Sedey, A.L., Coulter, D.K., & Mehl, A.L. (1998). Language of early- and later-identified children with hearing loss. Pediatrics, 102(5), 1161-1171.

VOLTA VOICES • MA Y /J U NE 2009

VOICES FROM AG BELL

Conversations With Alex Graham

“C

onversations” continues in this issue of Volta Voices with Steve Matthews, operations manager of Deaf Education through Listening and Talking (DELTA), located in the United Kingdom (www.deafeducation.org.uk). DELTA was founded in 1980 when a volunteer-based organization formed an association to support families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing, young adults who are deaf or hard of hearing and the education professionals that serve them. Sound a lot like the work of AG Bell? Steve, who is profoundly deaf, has made the journey from volunteer leader to professional staff member at DELTA. As DELTA’s operations manager, Steve combines years of direct service to children and nearly a decade of business experience working in the retail food service industry with the knowledge and experience of an individual living with hearing loss. I had the pleasure of meeting Steve on a visit he made to Washington, D.C., as part of a vacation, or “holiday,” as he likes to say. Our conversation was spirited and led us to realize that DELTA and AG Bell share much in common – a

worthy and relevant mission, a need for resources in tough economic times, and the benefit of having committed and talented volunteer leaders. As a result of our first meeting, Steve agreed to allow me to cover our conversation in Volta Voices. Alex Graham: How did you get in involved with DELTA? Steve Matthews: Whilst training as a nursery nurse [a type of child care worker in the UK], I was asked whether I would help out working with children on an annual DELTA sponsored summer school camp.

Photo credit: Cochlear Europe

AG: Outside of your work at DELTA, what motivates you?

AG: How has this leadership role impacted other areas of your life?

SM: My family life is very important to me as I come from a large family and it’s not often that we all can get together, so I like to go round and see all of them. However, the distances can often be a challenge in a busy world. I am also involved in my local church and can often be found greeting people at the doors or working in the huge gardens of the church. I am a keen walker and I enjoy international travel and organizing social weekends for my fellow peers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

SM: Whilst being a leader for DELTA, I have since been elected to serve on another board of trustees for the United Kingdom Council on Deafness. This is one of the larger charities serving individuals who are deaf or hard

AG: In your opinion, what are the most pressing issues facing individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing who choose a listening and spoken language outcome in the United Kingdom and globally?

AG: What are the three things you hope to accomplish as a leader? SM: Three simple words sum up what I hope to accomplish: unity, equality and attainment for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Who is Steve Mathews? Born profoundly deaf in the early 1970s, Steve was diagnosed with hearing loss at age 3½ years. Fitted with hearing aids, Steve attended mainstream school for the majority of his school years and went on to study for the National Nursery Examination Board. He worked with children either within a nursery setting or as a nanny. The second part of Steve’s career was working in retail management for Waitrose and Sainsbury’s – wellknown UK grocery stores. In June 2006, Steve Steve Matthews and his fiancée, Caroline, received a cochlear implant and reports a at their home in the UK. high level of success with that decision. After serving as a volunteer, Steve rose through the leadership ranks of DELTA to become chair of its board of directors. In 2007, Steve was appointed as the operations manager – a professional staff position.

VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

of hearing in the UK and functions to serve the interest of ALL people with hearing loss. The Council’s aim is for all people with hearing loss to have the opportunity to participate fully in society, and they work with policy-making organizations such as the government, National Health Service, education department, and so on.

SM: Despite the national newborn hearing screening program in the UK, parents continue to be told that sign is the preferred and, often, only option. Most babies who are profoundly deaf are born to hearing families and the majority of these infants can achieve successful spoken language outcomes. Today is an exciting time to be deaf; current technology has enabled greater degrees of hearing outcomes, thus enabling more individual successes. If I was born deaf in 1974, fitted with hearing aids at 4 years old and spoke at a typical level at 7 years old, then surely today’s children with hearing loss have greater opportunities to succeed.

tips for parents

Why Should You Participate in a Formal Research Study? By Melody Felzien

arents of young children who are deaf or hard of hearing are constantly seeking new resources to help them and their children adapt to living with a hearing loss. One of the most overlooked ways to get much needed information and garner support is from participation in research studies focused on hearing loss. Participating in studies can open up new ways of viewing your child’s hearing loss, introduce you to a network of other parents and children with whom you can share this journey, allow you to take advantage of new technologies not yet on the market, and may even provide financial or educational support you would be unable to get otherwise. Volta Voices recently sat down with Vanessa Simmons to discuss her experience of participating in a research study with her son Justin, who is profoundly deaf. Justin participated in a long-term outcomes study of 112 adolescents who were among the first children to receive a cochlear implant at a young age. This longitudinal study examines auditory, speech, language and literacy skill development between primary grades and high school across a wide range of geographical regions, implant centers and educational programs.

VV: Please describe your experience. What part of the experience was the most positive? VS: The study we participated in is a longitudinal study. The first study session was at the end of Justin’s second grade year in 2001, and we completed a follow-up session last summer. I remember that the first time around we were so new to everything and amazed at all the different choices being made by families with children who are deaf, from oral communication to total communication, and by the different types of sound amplification, from hearing aids to the various types of cochlear implants. The experience was quite an eye opener. I think it was very good for us to see what seemed to be working and to just share information with other parents.

VV: What were you unprepared for? VS: The first time around, we took for granted that we would need to stay in touch with others. We have since learned that keeping in touch is not only good for the parents, but for the kids so that they do not start to feel like they are isolated and alone. The negative part of participating in the study was losing contact with the other families. The second time around we all exchanged email addresses. The kids are teens now and communicate with each other via Facebook and other social media outlets. VV: How has this experience benefitted you and Justin today? How do you think it will benefit him in the future? VS: My children have a network now, and so do my husband and I. Although

Vanessa Simmons: We became involved when our audiologist, Cindy Warner at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, informed us of the study. We also know another parent whose son participated the year before we did.

Photo credit: Simmons Family

Volta Voices: How did you and Justin hear about the research study you participated in?

Justin and Jasmine share a rare brother-sister hug before attending their homecoming dance in the fall of 2008. VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

Photo credit: Simmons Family

Justin Simmons competing during the 2008 cross country season.

Jasmine, Justin’s younger sister, who is also profoundly deaf, did not formally participate in the study, she attended both sessions and benefited from her attendance with a network of friends. More important, Justin and Jasmine have contacts so that when they have a tough day at school or at a sports practice, they can chat with someone who understands what they are going through, other than mom and dad.

THE SIMMONS FAMILY Julian and Vanessa Simmons reside in Pickerington, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. They are the proud parents of Justin, 16, and Jasmine, 14. Justin was born deaf and formally diagnosed at 6 months. He received his first cochlear implant at 2 years old and received a second implant 4 years ago. Jasmine was also born profoundly deaf and formally diagnosed at 4 months. She also uses bilateral cochlear implants.

VV: What do you wish you had known before participating in the research study that you did not know at the time? VS: Again, just the importance of having a support group. We didn’t understand at first the value of having a network. Later on, there were situations that came up when we really needed a support group in place. I cannot stress this enough to parents of young children with hearing loss. No matter how well your child is doing now, as they get older they will meet challenges that we as parents can never fully understand and sharing that with someone else traveling the same road is sometimes the best solution to learning to deal with these challenges.

VV: Would you participate in a research study again? VS: In a heartbeat. It was very positive for us and our children. Editor’s Note: Please note the study in which Justin participated was a unique research study because it brought children and parents together in groups for testing and interaction. Most research studies do not use this type of design and are geared toward individual participation at their school, clinic or implant center. The rewards of this type of research to the individuals and their families are not quite as powerful – but if the researchers are doing their job, families should feel like they are making a contribution to future knowledge about how children who are deaf or hard of hearing develop and learn.

Both kids use spoken language to communicate and are fully mainstreamed. Justin is currently a sophomore at Pickerington North High School and runs cross country. His freshman year, he qualified for the state cross country finals. Justin is also on the varsity track team and lettered in track and cross country, and has received an academic letter. Jasmine is a freshman at the same high school and plays on the freshman girls' basketball team. She plans to throw shot and disc this spring for the school’s girls track team. Both Justin and Jasmine’s future plans include college.

VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

tips for parents

¿Por qué debería participar en un estudio de investigación formal?

os padres de niños pequeños con sordera o dificultades auditivas constantemente buscan nuevos recursos para ayudar a sus hijos a aprender a vivir con una pérdida auditiva. Uno de los recursos menos tenidos en cuenta a la hora de obtener la información necesaria y conseguir apoyo es la participación en estudios de investigación centrados en la pérdida auditiva. Participar en estos estudios puede abrirle nuevos caminos a la hora de analizar la pérdida auditiva de su hijo, introducirlo en un círculo de padres y niños con los que puede compartir este recorrido, permitirle sacar ventaja de los avances tecnológicos que aún no han salido al mercado e incluso proporcionarle apoyo educativo o financiero que no podría conseguir de otra manera. Recientemente, Volta Voices entrevistó a Vanessa Simmons para conversar sobre su experiencia tras haber participado en un estudio de investigación junto con su hijo Justin, totalmente sordo. Justin participó en un estudio de resultados a largo plazo junto con otros 112 adolescentes, que estuvieron entre los primeros niños que recibieron un implante coclear a temprana edad. Este estudio longitudinal examina el desarrollo de las capacidades auditiva, oral, lingüística y de alfabetización entre los grados inferiores y la secundaria, en una amplia variedad de regiones geográficas, centros de implantes y programas educativos. Volta Voices: ¿Cómo se enteraron usted y Justin del estudio de investigación en el que participaron? Vanessa Simmons: Decidimos participar cuando nuestra audióloga, Cindy Warner, del Nationwide Children’s

Hospital en Columbus, Ohio, nos informó acerca del estudio. Además, conocemos a otros padres cuyo hijo había participado el año anterior a la participación de mi hijo. VV: Descríbanos su experiencia. ¿Qué parte de la experiencia fue la más positiva? VS: El estudio en el Antes de asistir a su baile de bienvenida en el otoño de que participamos es 2008, Justin y Jasmine comparten un curioso abrazo entre un estudio longituhermanos. dinal. Realizamos la los padres, sino también para los niños, primera sesión del para que no se sientan solos y aislados. estudio a fines del segundo año de La parte negativa de haber particiJustin en 2001 y completamos una pado en el estudio fue que perdimos sesión de seguimiento el verano el contacto con las otras familias. La pasado. Recuerdo que la primera vez segunda vez que fuimos, todos interque fuimos todo era tan nuevo que cambiamos nuestras direcciones de quedamos asombrados de la diferentes correo electrónico. Ahora los niños son elecciones que hacían las familias con adolescentes, y se comunican entre ellos niños sordos, desde la comunicación mediante Facebook y otros medios de oral hasta la comunicación total, y por comunicación social. los diferentes tipos de amplificación del sonido, desde audífonos hasta VV: ¿Qué beneficios ven hoy Justin varios tipos de implantes cocleares. La y usted de esta experiencia? ¿Cómo experiencia fue toda una revelación. piensa que lo beneficiará en el futuro? Creo que fue muy bueno para nosotros VS: Mis hijos pertenecen a un círculo ver qué recursos parecían funcionar y ahora, al igual que mi marido y yo. simplemente compartir información Aunque Jasmine, la hermanita de con otros padres. Justin, que también es totalmente VV: ¿Para qué cosas no estaban sorda, no participó formalmente en el preparados? estudio, asistió a ambas sesiones y se benefició así con un círculo de amigos. VS: La primera vez que fuimos, dimos Lo más importante es que Justin y por sentado que necesitaríamos estar Jasmine han establecido contactos, así en contacto con las demás personas. que cuando tienen un día difícil en la Desde entonces, hemos aprendido que escuela o en una práctica de deportes, estar en contacto no sólo es bueno para VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

Photo credit: Simmons Family

By Melody Felzien

pueden comunicarse con personas, aparte de papá y mamá, que comprenden lo que están pasando. VV: Antes de participar en el estudio de investigación, ¿qué cosas que no sabía en ese momento le hubiera gustado saber? VS: Nuevamente, la importancia de tener un grupo de apoyo. Al principio no entendíamos la importancia de pertenecer a un círculo. Posteriormente, fueron surgiendo situaciones en las que realmente necesitábamos contar con un grupo de apoyo. No puedo recalcar esto lo suficiente a los padres de los niños con pérdida auditiva. No importa cuán bien están tus hijos ahora; a medida que crezcan, se les presentarán desafíos que nosotros, como padres, no podremos comprender por completo, y compartir eso con otras personas que pasan por lo mismo a veces es la mejor solución a la hora de aprender a enfrentar esos desafíos.

VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

Nota de recuadro: La familia Simmons Julian y Vanessa Simmons viven en Pickerington, Ohio, una ciudad vecina de Columbus, Ohio. Son los orgullosos padres de Justin, de 16 años, y de Jasmine, de 14 años. Justin nació sordo, y se lo diagnosticaron formalmente a los 6 meses. Recibió su primer implante coclear a los 2 años de edad y un segundo implante hace 4 años. Jasmine también nació totalmente sorda y se lo diagnosticaron formalmente a los 4 meses. Ella también tiene implantes cocleares bilaterales. Ambos niños desarrollaron sus capacidades orales y están totalmente integrados. Actualmente, Justin es estudiante de segundo año en Pickerington North High School y corre carreras a campo traviesa. Durante su primer año, clasificó para la final estatal de carreras a campo traviesa. Justin también forma parte del equipo de atletismo escolar y está inscrito en las carreras en pista y a campo traviesa; también ha recibido una letra académica. Jasmine es estudiante de primer año en el mismo colegio secundario y juega en el equipo femenino de baloncesto de primer año. Planea realizar lanzamientos de bala y disco esta primavera para el equipo femenino de atletismo del colegio. Tanto Justin como Jasmine planean asistir a la universidad.

VV: ¿Volvería a participar en un estudio de investigación? VS: En un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Fue muy positivo para nosotros y nuestros hijos. Nota del editor: Tenga en cuenta que el estudio en el que Justin participó fue un estudio de investigación único, que acercó a los niños y a sus padres, y los reunió en grupos de prueba e interacción. La mayoría de los estudios de inves-

tigación no aplican este tipo de diseño y están orientados a la participación individual, ya sea en la escuela, la clínica o el centro de implantes. Las recompensas de este tipo de investigación para los individuos y sus familias no son tan gratificantes, pero si los investigadores hacen su trabajo, las familias deberían sentir que contribuyen a los conocimientos futuros acerca de cómo se desarrollan y aprenden los niños con sordera o dificultades auditivas.

kid’s zone

Around the World

va Cristina Petty is a fun and sociable 3½ year old who lives with her family in the Schofield Barracks army base near Honolulu, Hawaii. She is caring with her peers and family members, and accepts her hearing loss as a normal part of life. “Her friends always comment on her ‘pretty earrings,’ or her hearing aids, and she seems proud to show them off,” said Ava’s mother, Melissa Trapp-Petty. “She loves accessories, and the hearing aids are an important accessory.” Prior to the identification of Ava’s hearing loss, things were not always this easy. Ava was diagnosed late, just shy of 3 years old, and her diagnosis was difficult to obtain. “I kept asking her civilian physicians, while her dad was deployed to Iraq, why she wasn’t speaking yet. They told me that some kids just develop late,” Melissa explained. But Ava didn’t appear to understand basic explanations or instructions, and the frequency of her temper tantrums was increasing. After her father, Major Thomas “Chris” Petty, returned from Iraq, a

hearing test was performed. By this time, “Ava’s vocabulary had decreased to four words, and she was having about 10-12 temper tantrums daily,” said Melissa. Ava was diagnosed with a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, moderate in the right ear and severe in the left ear. “Learning that a child has a hearing loss is difficult news for any parent,” said Melissa. Ava’s audiologist, Amy Hines, who works out of the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, fitted Ava with hearing aids and became Ava’s care coordinator. Hines helped Melissa and Chris make medical and lifestyle decisions about Ava’s hearing loss, and presented them with research studies and materials about hearing loss. Melissa and Chris then began to explore communication options for Ava. Initially, Melissa did not think spoken language was an option for her daughter. “We thought that sign language was really our only option because that was what we were told,” she said. According to Melissa, there are limited resources in Hawaii for listening and spoken

Photo credit: Petty Family

By Sarah Crum

Ava posing in one of her ballet outfits at her home in Hawaii.

language programs. However, Melissa and Chris were determined to find spoken language opportunities for Ava. “We found out about spoken language options through our own research. Information from the John Tracy Clinic (JTC) and research material on reading levels within the deaf community with a sign language approach drove us to pursue other

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V OL T A V OIC E S • M A Y /J U N E 2009

Photo credit: Petty Family

Ava, at age 20 months, Melissa and Chris at the Beaches Resort in the Turks and Caicos island chain during Chris’s mid-tour leave from Iraq.

some American Sign Language (ASL), said Melissa. Ava likes arts and crafts, such as painting and cutting, because they are messy and fun. Ava is a compassionate and perceptive child, which makes her unique. “Ava has an amazing level of intuition about how others feel and has a way of empathizing with them and making them feel better,” boasted Melissa. Melissa and Chris have learned that knowledge is an important aspect in raising a child who has a hearing loss. “We are immersed in educating ourselves on speech, languages and the needs of a child with hearing loss,” she

explained. This process takes time, as Melissa notes patience is one thing she has learned is a must. But knowing the various resources available also helps with the adjustment. “It is amazing how quickly you adapt when you realize that it is your child who needs you, and you will make decisions that impact their development. You learn quickly!” she said. Melissa and Chris hope that Ava will first learn spoken English, with ASL as an eventual second language. According to Melissa, “Ava will be able to do anything she deems interesting to her and will be able to push herself as far as possible.”

Photo credit: Petty Family

communication avenues beyond sign language,” said Melissa. Melissa and Chris have also found support by communicating with others who are in similar situations. “The JTC has some wonderful parent classes that we have taken and recommended to our interested family members. We have a neighbor whose son is profoundly deaf. He is 9, aided and speaks so well! They do practice some sign at home, as he has a progressive loss, but his communication skills are a wonderful motivator for us,” said Melissa. Ava currently attends a mainstream preschool at Hale Kula Elementary on Schofield Barracks army base. She uses hearing aids and attends speech therapy three times a week through her school, one time a week privately and almost every day with her one of her parents. Ava is beginning to speak in sentences and her neurologist estimates that she will have age-appropriate communication skills in about one year. With the help of supplemental materials from JTC in Los Angeles, Calif., and the Sunshine Cottage School for the Deaf in San Antonio, Texas, Ava’s parents and teachers have been able to evaluate and supplement her education based on her needs and language skills. Today, Ava enjoys playing with her friends in the neighborhood, kayaking, going to the beach with her family and playing with animals. She takes ballet, her favorite activity, two times a week and her father is teaching her to swim. Because of the nearby beach and swimming activities, Ava has many opportunities to learn other methods of communication, such as lip reading and

Ava catching some waves on her boogie board at the beach near her house in Oahu.

VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

Directory of Services

Directory of Services n Alabama Alabama Ear Institute, 300 Office Park Drive, Suite

210, Birmingham, AL 35223 • 205-879-4234 (voice) • 205-879-4233 (fax) • www.alabamaearinstitute.org • The AEI Auditory-Verbal Mentoring Program: ongoing professional development / AVI curriculum / Mentoring by Cert. AVTs®. “The AEI Summer Institute in AuditoryVerbal Therapy” - Two weeks of intense A-V training; AVI Modules and Practicum; hands-on practice of A-V Therapy. Education, research, public policy, family & culturally oriented programs & services.

n Arizona Desert Voices, 3426 E. Shea Blvd., Phoenix, AZ

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

n California Auditory Oral School of San Francisco, 1234

Divisadero, San Francisco, CA 94115 • 415-921-7658 (voice) • 415-921-2243 (fax) • Offers auditory-oral day classes for toddlers, PreKindergarten and K-2 levels with daily individual therapy. Also consultation and itinerant teacher of the deaf services; aural rehabilitation for children and adults; family education groups; and workshops. Our experienced staff includes credentialed teachers of the deaf and speech therapists, all with specialized training in CI technologies. Contact Janet Christensen, M.A., at jan@auditoryoralsf.org.

Auditory-Verbal Services, 10623 Emerson

Bend, Tustin, CA 92782 • 714-573-2143 (voice) • email KarenatAVS@aol.com • Karen Rothwell-Vivian, M.S.ED. M.A. CCC-A. LSLS-Cert.AVT. Listening and Spoken Language Specialist - Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist providing Auditory-Verbal Therapy and both audiological and educational consultation for children from infancy through college age. Auditory Rehabilitation is also provided for adults. Extensive expertise with amplification, cochlear implants, and FM systems.

Auditory-Verbal Therapy Services, 980 E.

Mountain Street, Pasadena, CA 91104 • 626-798-3903 (voice) • bsackett_certavt@live.com (e-mail). Beatriz Sackett, M.S. Ed., LSLS Cert AVT, bilingual English and Español. Offering Auditory-Verbal Therapy services to children ages six and above and their families. Services provided to children with hearing aids and/or cochlear implants. Llámeme para hablar de su hijo(a) y de cómo la terapia Auditiva-Verbal les podría ayudar.

Echo Horizon School, 3430 McManus Ave., Culver

City, CA 90232 • 310-838-2442 (voice) • 310-838-0479 (fax) • 310-202-7201 (TTY) • www.oraldeafed.org/ schools/echo/index.html • www.echohorizon.org • Vicki Ishida, Echo Center Director. Private elementary school, incorporating an auditory/oral mainstream program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Daily resource support in speech, language, auditory training and academic follow-up.

HEAR Center, 301 East Del Mar Blvd., Pasadena,

CA 91101 • 626-796-2016 (voice) • 626-796-2320 (fax) • Specializing in audiological services for all ages. Auditory-Verbal individual therapy, birth to 21 years.

HEAR to Talk, 547 North June St., 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®, Licensed Audiologist, California NPA Certified. Trained by Dr. Ling. Extensive expertise with cochlear implants and hearing aids.

InSight Cinema - The Audience is Reading,

2800 28th Street, Suite 380, Santa Monica, CA 90405 • 310-452-8700 (voice) • 310-452-8711 (fax) • www. insightcinema.org • The “Go To” place for all forms of captioned entertainment - blockbuster movies, live theatre, opera, museums, lectures and much more in your area! InSight Cinema is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing Captioned Entertainment Experiences to the 31 million deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons in the U.S. Captioning the Imagination of Audiences Nationwide. Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf, 3518 Jefferson Avenue, Redwood City, CA

94062 • 650-365-7500 (voice) • jwposd@jwposd.org (e-mail) • www.oraldeafed.org/schools/jwposd (website) • Kathleen Daniel Sussman, Executive Director; Kathy Berger, Principal. An auditory/oral program where deaf and hard of hearing children listen, think and talk! Cognitive based program from birth through mainstreaming into 1st or 2nd grade. Students develop excellent language, listening and social skills with superior academic competencies. Cochlear Implant Habilitation, mainstream support services and Family Center offering special services for infants, toddlers and their families.

John Tracy Clinic, 806 West Adams Blvd., L.A.,CA 90007 • 213-748-5481 (voice) • 213-747-2924 (TTY) • 800-522-4582 (parents) • www.jtc.org • Since 1942, free Worldwide Correspondence Education and onsite comprehensive audiological, counseling and educational services for families with children ages birth to 5 years. Intensive 3-week Summer Sessions (ages 2-5), with sibling program. Online and on-campus options for an accredited Master’s and Credential in Deaf Education. Let’s Talk About It, 800 Santa Ynez Street, San

Gabriel, CA 91775 • 626-451-9920 (voice) • bk-avt@ sbcglobal.net (e-mail) • Bridgette Klaus, M.S. Ed., Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist®. Providing Auditory-Verbal therapy for children with a hearing loss and their families. Services for individuals with hearing aids and/or cochlear implants, infancy through adulthood. 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.

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.

No Limits Speech and Language Educational Center and Theatre Program, 9801 Washington

Blvd., 2nd Floor, Culver City, CA 90232 • 310-280-0878, 800-948-7712 • www.nolimitsspeaksout.org • Free individual auditory, speech and language therapy for dhh children between the ages of five-and-eighteen as well as a biweekly literacy program, computer training, weekly parent classes and a nationwide theatrical program. Oralingua School for the Hearing Impaired,

North Campus – 7056 S. Washington Avenue, Whittier, CA 90602 • 562-945-8391 (voice) • 562-945-0361 (fax) • info@oralingua.org (email) • www.oralingua. org (website) South Campus – 221 Pawnee Street, San Marcos, CA 92078 • 760-471-5187 (voice) • 760-5914631 (fax) Where children are listening and talking. An auditory/oral program serving children from infancy to 10 years. Audiological, Speech, Itinerant, AVI Therapy, and other related Designated Instructional Services available. Contact Elisa J. Roche, Executive Director.

West Coast Cued Speech Programs, 348 Cernon St., Suite D, Vacaville, CA 95688 • 707-448-4060 (voice/TTY) • www.cuedspeech.org • A resource center serving deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families. Cued Speech training available to schools/ agencies.

n Colorado Bill Daniels Center for Children’s Hearing, The Children’s Hospital - Colorado, Depart ment of Audiology, Speech Pathology and Learning Services, 13123 East 16th Avenue,

B030 Aurora, CO 80045 • www.thechildrenshospital. org (website) • 720-777-6531(voice) • 720-777-6886 (TTY). We provide comprehensive audiology and speech-language services for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (ages birth through 21years). Our pediatric team specializes in family-centered care and includes audiologists, speech-language pathologists, a deaf educator, family consultant, and clinical social worker. Individual, group and parent educational support and programs are designed to meet each family desire for their preference of communication needs. We also provide advanced technology hearing aid fitting and cochlear implant services.

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

n Connecticut CREC Soundbridge, 123 Progress Dr., Wethersfield, CT 06109 • 860- 529-4260 (voice/TTY) • 860-2578500 (fax) • www.crec.org/soundbridge (website). Dr. Elizabeth B. Cole, Program Director. Comprehensive audiological and instructional services, VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

Directory of Services birth through post-secondary, public school settings. Focus on providing cutting-edge technology for optimal auditory access and listening in educational settings and at home, development of spoken language, development of self advocacy – all to support each individual’s realization of social, academic and vocational potential. Birth to Three, Auditory-Verbal Therapy, integrated preschool, intensive day program, direct educational and consulting services in schools, educational audiology support services in all settings, cochlear implant mapping and habilitation, diagnostic assessments, and summer programs. New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation (NECHEAR), 354 Hartford

Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 • 860-455-1404 (voice) • 860-455-1396 (fax) • Diane Brackett. Serving infants, children and adults with all degrees of hearing loss. Speech, language, listening evaluation for children using hearing aids and cochlear implants. Auditory-Verbal therapy; Cochlear implant candidacy evaluation, pre- and post-rehabilitation, and creative individualized mapping. Post-implant rehabilitation for adults with cochlear implants, specializing in prelingual onset. Mainstream school support, including onsite consultation with educational team, rehabilitation planning and classroom observation. Comprehensive audiological evaluation, amplification validation and classroom listening system assessment.

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n Florida Bolesta Center, Inc, 7205 North Habana Avenue,

Tampa, FL 33614 • 813-932-1184 (voice) • 813-9329583 (fax) • jhorvath@bolestacenter.org (email) • www. bolestacenter.org (website) • Non-profit Listening and Spoken Language Center dedicated to teaching children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and speak. No family turned away based on ability to pay. Services provided to families, professionals, and school districts. Specializing in auditory-verbal therapy, educational outreach, and professional development programs. Kids and professionals immersion and summer programs available. Talk to us about our success with late implanted children! Contact Judy Horvath, LSL Cert. AVEd. Clarke Jacksonville Auditory/Oral Center,

9857 St. Augustine Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32257 • 904880-9001 (voice/TTY) • info@clarkeschool.org (email) • www.clarkeschool.org (website). Susan G. Allen, Director. A program of Clarke School for the Deaf/ Center for Oral Education, serving families with young children with hearing loss. Auditory/ Oral programs include early intervention, preschool, toddler PreK/ kindergarten, primary, parent support, individual listening, speech and language services, cochlear implant habilitation.

Orange County Auditory-Oral Program for the Hearing Impaired, Kaley Elementary School,

1600 East Kaley St., Orlando, FL 32806 • 407-897-6420 (voice) • 407-897-2407 (fax) • www.eak.ocps.k12.fl.us • Available to residents of Orange and Lake Counties. We have self-contained classes PreK (3 & 4 yrs) to 5th grade with partial and full-time mainstream options.

n 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) • eestes@atlspsch.org (e-mail) • www.atlantaspeechschool.org • An auditory/oral and Auditory-Verbal program serving children who are deaf or heard of hearing from infancy to elementary school age. Children receive language-rich lessons and highly individualized instruction in a nuturing environment. Teachers and staff work closely with parents to instill the knowledge and confidence children need to reach their full potential. Early intervention programs, audiological support services, Auditory-Verbal therapy, mainstreaming opportunities and independent educational evaluations. Established in 1938.

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

outreach programs. Options include auditory/oral programs for children using spoken language birth through second grade. Audiology, speech instruction, auditory development and cochlear implant habilitation is provided.

Georgia Relay, 866-787-6710 (voice) • garelay@ hamiltonrelay.com (email) • www.georgiarelay.org (website). Georgia Relay provides services that enable people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and speech impaired to place and receive calls via a standard telephone. Free specialized telephones are available to applicants who financially and medically qualify through the Georgia Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (TEDP). Georgia Relay is easily accessed by dialing 7-1-1 and is overseen by the Georgia Public Service Commission.

297-3206 (voice) • info@aehi.org (email) • 2020 E. Camp McDonald Road, Mount Prospect, Il 60056 • 847297-4660. AGBMS is a Montessori school educating children ages 3-12 who are deaf or hard of hearing or have other communicative challenges in a mainstream environment with hearing peers. Teacher of Deaf/ Speech/Language Pathologist/ Reading Specialist/ Classroom Teachers emphasize language development and literacy utilizing Cued Speech. 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.

n Idaho Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind,

450 Main Street, Gooding, ID 83330 • 208-934 4457 (V/TTY) • 208-934 8352 (fax) • isdb@isdb.idaho.gov (e-mail). ISDB serves birth to 21 year old youth with hearing loss through parent-infant, on-site, and

n Illinois Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School (AGBMS), www.agbms.org • 847-297-4660 (voice) • agbms1@comcast.net (email). Alternatives in Education for the Hearing Impaired (AEHI) • www.aehi.org (website) • 847-

Child’s Voice School, 180 Hansen Court, Wood

Dale, IL 60191 • (630) 595-8200 (voice) • (630) 595-8282 (fax) • info@childsvoice.org (email) • www. childsvoiceschool.org (website). Michele Wilkins,

Ed.D., Executive Director. An auditory/oral school for children ages 3-8. Cochlear implant (re) habilitation, mainstream support services and audiology services provided. Early intervention for birth to age three with parent-infant and toddler classes. Child’s Voice is a Moog Curriculum school. St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf – Carle, 809 West Park St., Urbana, IL 61801 • 217-326-2824 (voice) • 217-344-7524 (fax) • carle@sjid.org (e-mail) • danielle. edmondson@carle.com (e-mail) • www.sjid.org • Danielle Edmondson, M.A., CCC-A, Director. St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf – Carle, a campus of the St. Joseph Institute system, serves children with hearing loss, birth to age 6. Auditory/ oral programs include early intervention, nursery and preschool classes, cochlear implant rehabilitation, daily speech therapy and mainstream support services. Challenging speech, personal development and academic programs are offered in a nurturing environment. Early intervention credentialed and Illinois State Board of Education approved. (See Indiana, Kansas and Missouri.)

n Indiana St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf – Indianapolis, 9192 Waldemar Road, Indianapolis,

IN 46268 • 317-471-8560 (voice) • 317-471-8627 (fax) • touellette@sjid.org (e-mail) • www.sjid.org • Teri Ouellette, M.S. Ed., Director. St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf – Indianapolis, a campus of the St. Joseph Institute system, serves children with hearing

VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009

Directory of Services loss, birth to age 6. Auditory/oral programs include early intervention, toddler and preschool classes, cochlear implant rehabilitation and daily speech therapy. Challenging speech, personal development and academic programs are offered in a nurturing environment. First Steps Provider. (See Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri.)

n Kansas St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Kansas City Campus, 8835 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS 66215 •

913-383-3535 (voice) • 913-383-0320 (fax) • www.sjid. org • jfredriksen@sjid.org • Jeanne Fredriksen, M.S., Ed., Director. St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Kansas City, a campus of the St. Joseph Institute system, serves hearing-impaired children, birth to age 6. Auditoryoral programs include early intervention, toddler and preschool classes, cochlear implant rehabilitation and daily speech therapy. Challenging speech, personal development and academic programs are offered in a nurturing environment. (See Illinois, Indiana and Missouri).

n Maine hear ME now, 19 Yarmouth Drive, Suite 201,

Yarmouth Hall, Pineland Farms, New Gloucester, ME 04260 • 207-688-4544 (voice) • 207-688-4548 (fax) • info@hear-me-now.org (e-mail) • www.hear-me-now.org • Maine’s Oral Deaf Learning Center. Maine’s

VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

only OPTION school for infants and children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Utilizing specially trained staff in promoting spoken language and developing listening skills, our loaner hearing aid program, parent infant, toddler, preschool and kindergarten offers the opportunity for children with hearing loss to develop spoken language at a rate similar to their normal hearing peers without sign language support. Auditory/ oral and Auditory-Verbal programming available.

n Maryland The Hearing and Speech Agency’s Oral Center, 5900 Metro Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215

• 410-318-6780 (voice) • 410-318-6758 (TTY) • 410318-6759 (fax) • hasa@hasa.org (e-mail) • www.hasa. org • Jill Berie, Educational Director, Olga Polites, Clinical Director, Heather Eisgrau, Teacher of the Deaf/ Coordinator. Auditory-oral education and therapy program for young children who are deaf or hard of hearing ages three through five with early intervention services for birth to age 3. Self-contained state-of-theart classrooms located in the Gateway School approved by the Maryland State Department of Education. Additional services include speech-language therapy, family education and support, pre- and post-cochlear implant habilitation, collaboration and support of inclusion and audiological management. Applications are accepted year-round. Families are encouraged to apply for scholarships and financial assistance. HASA is a direct service provider, information resource center

and advocate for people of all ages who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have speech and language disorders.

n Massachusetts Auditory-Verbal Communication Center (AVCC), 544 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA,

01930 • 978-282-0025 (phone) • avcc@avcclisten.com (e-mail) • www.avcclisten.com • Listening and Spoken Language Specialists: James G. Watson, MSc, CED, Cert. AVT, and Lea D. Watson, MS, CCC-SLP, Cert. AVT. AVCC is a husband-wife team offering parent guidance for infants and preschoolers, school support, adult therapy, world-wide consultation for programs, distance (online) therapy for families, supervision and training (online) for professionals aiming at certification from the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language.

Clarke School East, 1 Whitman Road, Canton, MA 02021 • 781-821-3499 (voice) • 781-821-3904 (tty) • info@clarkeschool.org (email) • www.clarkeschool.org (website). Cara Jordan, Director. A program of Clarke School for the Deaf/Center for Oral Education, serving families with young children. Auditory/Oral programs include early intervention, preschool, kindergarten, parent support, cochlear implant habilitation, and support for mainstream placements.

Directory of Services The Clarke School for the Deaf - Center for Oral Education, 47 Round Hill Road,

Northampton, MA 01060 • 413-584-3450 (voice/tty) • info@clarkeschool.org (email) • www.clarkeschool.org (website). Bill Corwin, President. Early intervention, preschool, day, and boarding school, cochlear implant assessments, summer programs, mainstream support, evaluations for infants through school age children, audiological services, assistive devices, graduateteacher-education program.

June A. Reynolds, Inc., Auditory-Verbal Inclusion

Program for Hearing Impaired Children, 10 Yale Blvd. Beverly, MA 01915 • June Reynolds, M.Ed., CED, Cert. AVT® • 978-927-2765 (voice) • 978-921-9459 (fax) • jreyno2727@aol.com (e-mail) • www.juneareynolds. com. Comprehensive auditory program providing parent-infant A-V therapy, licensed preschool program, cochlear implant habilitation, mainstream support services, preschool through high school.

SoundWorks for Children, 18 South Main

Street, Topsfield, MA 01983 • 978-887-1284 (voice) • soundworksforchildren@verizon.net (e-mail) • Jane E. Driscoll, MED, Director. Satellite program serving Southern Maine. Katelyn Driscoll, MED, Program Coordinator. A comprehensive non-profit program dedicated to the development of auditory-oral skills in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Specializing in cochlear implant habilitation and offering a full continuum of inclusionary support models from preschool through high school. Early Intervention services and social/self-advocacy groups for mainstreamed students are offered at our Family Center. Summer programs, in-service training, and consultation available.

n Michigan Monroe County Program for Hearing Impaired Children, 3145 Prairie St., Ida, MI 48140-

9778 • 734-269-3875 (voice/TTY) • 734-269-3885 (fax) • whitman@ida.k12.mi.us (e-mail) • www.misd.k12. mi.us • Kathleen Whitman, Supervisor. Auditory/oral program, full continuum of services, birth to 25 years. Staff: 21.

Redford Union Oral Program for Children with Hearing Impairments, 18499 Beech Daly Rd.

Redford, MI 48240 • 313-242-3510 (voice) • 313-2423595 (fax) • 313-242-6286 (tty) • Dorothea B. French, Ph.D., Director. Auditory/oral day program serves 80 center students/250 teacher consultant students. Birth to 25 years of age.

n Minnesota Northeast Metro #916 Auditory / Oral Program, 701 West County Road “B”, Roseville,

Minnesota 55113 • 651-415-5399 (voice). The mission of the program is to provide an intensive oral education to children with impaired hearing. Centered-based services are provided in a least restrictive public school environment, combining oral specific early intervention services within the mainstream setting for students pre-school through kindergarten age. Birth to 3 services and parent/child groups are tailored to meet identified needs. Parent and professional workshops are offered. Referrals are through the local school district in which the family live.

Northern Voices, 1660 West County Road B,

Roseville, MN 55113-1714 • 651-639-2535 (voice) • 651639-1996 (fax) • director@northernvoices.org (e-mail) • Kristina Blaiser, Executive Director. Northern Voices is a nonprofit early education center focused on creating a positive environment where children with hearing loss and their families learn to communicate through

the use of spoken language. Our goal is for students to become fluent oral communicators and to join their hearing peers in a traditional classroom at their neighborhood schools.

n Mississippi DuBard School for Language Disorders, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #10035, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 • 601-2665223 (voice) • dubard@usm.edu (e-mail) • www.usm. edu/dubard • Maureen K. Martin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, Director • The school is a clinical division of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and serves children from birth to age 13 in its state-of-the-art facility. Working collaboratively with 22 public school districts, the school specializes in coexisting language disorders, learning disabilities/dyslexia and speech disorders, such as apraxia, through its non-graded, 11-month program. The Association Method, as refined, and expanded by the late Dr. Etoile DuBard and the staff of the school, is the basis of the curriculum. Comprehensive evaluations, individual therapy, audiological services and professional development programs also are available. AA/EOE/ADAI

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf – St. Louis, 1809 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017

• 636-532-3211 (voice/TYY) • 636-532-4560 (fax) • mdaniels@sjid.org (e-mail) • www.sjid.org • Mary Daniels, M.A., Principal. An independent, Catholic auditory/oral, day and residential school serving children with hearing loss ages birth through the eighth grade. Auditory-oral programs include early intervention, toddler and preschool classes, K-8th grade, on-site audiology clinic, full evaluations, mainstream consultancy, summer camp, after-school enhancement program, financial aid. Fontbonne University graduate and undergraduate practicum site. Mainstream academic accreditations (ISACS and NCA), Approved private agent of Missouri Department of Education.

n New Hampshire HEAR in New Hampshire, 11 Kimball Drive, Suite

103, Hooksett, NH 03106 • 603-624-4464 (voice) • www.HEARinNH.org • Lynda S. French, Director. New Hampshire’s only auditory-oral school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. HEAR in NH serves children with all degrees of hearing loss from infancy through high school. Programs offered include parent/child play groups, preschool, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and itinerant services for children in their community schools. Summer services, parent education/support, speech/language services and professional workshops are available.

Magnolia Speech School, Inc., 733 Flag Chapel Rd., Jackson, MS 39209 • 601-922-5530 (voice) • 601-922-5534 (fax) • sullivandirector@comcast.net (e-mail) • www.oraldeaf.org • Anne Sullivan, M.Ed. Family Services (age 0 to 3 served free), Auditory/oral classrooms, association method classroom, audiological services, mainstream services, evaluations and outpatient services available in an 11-month school year.

n New Jersey

n Missouri

HIP and SHIP of Bergen County Special Services - Midland Park School District, 41

CID – Central Institute for the Deaf, 825 South Taylor Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110 • 314977-0135 (voice) • 314-977-0037 (tty) • lberkowitz@ cid.edu (email) • www.cid.edu (website) • Child- and family-friendly learning environment for children birth-12; exciting adapted curriculum incorporating mainstream content, emphasizing early literacy and childhood development; family center for parents and babies; expert mainstream preparation; professional workshops, consulting and in-services for schools, auditory learning and educational materials; close affiliation with Washington University deaf education and audiology programs. The Moog Center for Deaf Education, 12300

South Forty Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141 • 314-692-7172 (voice) • 314-692-8544 (fax) • Betsy Moog Brooks, Director of School and Family School • bbrooks@ moogcenter.org (e-mail) • 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 to 9 years), Audiology (including cochlear implant programming), mainstÚdam seÚoices, educational evaluations, parent education and support groups, professional workshops, teacher education and student teacher placements.

The Moog School at Columbia, 3301 West

Broadway, Columbia, MO 65203 • 573-446-1981(voice) • 573-446-2031 (fax) • Judith S. Harper, CCC SLP, Director • jharper@moogschool.org (e-mail). Services provided to children who are deaf and hard-of hearing from birth to kindergarten. Programs include the Family School (birth to 3). School (3 years to kindergarten). Mainstream services (speech therapy/ academic tutoring) ,educational evaluations, parent education, support groups, and student teacher placements. The Moog School—Columbia is a Moog Curriculum School.

E. Center Street, Midland Park, N.J. 07432 • 201-3438982 (voice) • kattre@bergen.org (email) • Kathleen Treni, Principal. An integrated, comprehensive preK-12th grade auditory oral program in public schools. Services include Auditory Verbal and Speech Therapy, Cochlear Implant habilitation, Parent Education, and Educational Audiological services. Consulting teacher services are available for mainstream students in home districts. Early Intervention services provided for babies from birth to three. SHIP is the state’s only 7-12th grade auditory oral program. CART (Computer Real Time Captioning) is provided in a supportive, small high school environment. The Ivy Hall Program at Lake Drive, 10 Lake

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

Speech Partners, Inc., 26 West High Street,

Somerville, NJ 08876 • 908-231-9090 (voice) • nancyschumann@hotmail.com (email) • Nancy V. Schumann, M.A., CCC-SLP, Cert.AVT. Auditory-Verbal Therapy, Communication Evaluations, SpeechLanguage Therapy and Aural Rehabilitation, School Consultation, Mentoring, Workshops.

Summit Speech School for the HearingImpaired Child, F.M. Kirby Center, 705 Central

Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974 • 908-508-0011 (voice/ TTY) • 908-508-0012 (fax) • info@summitspeech.com (e-mail) • www.summit-speech.org • Pamela Paskowitz, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Executive Director. Auditory/ oral services for deaf and hard of hearing children. Programs include Parent Infant (0 to 3 years), Preschool

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Directory of Services (3 to 5 years) and itinerant services for children in their home districts. Speech and language, OT and PT services available.

n New Mexico Presbyterian Ear Institute – Albuquerque,

415 Cedar Street SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 • 505-224-7020 (voice) • 505-224-7023 (fax) • Contact: Bettye Pressley, Executive Director. A cochlear implant center, auditory/oral school for deaf and hard-ofhearing children and parent infant program. Serves children from infancy to early elementary school years. Comprehensive audiology, diagnostic and speech therapy services. Presbyterian Ear Institute is a Moog Curriculum School.

n New York Anne Kearney, M.S., LSLS Cert. AVT, CCCSpeech Language Pathology, 401 Littleworth

Lane, Sea Cliff, Long Island, NY 11579 • 516-671-9057 (voice). Auditory/Oral School of New York, 2164 Ralph Avenue & 3321 Avenue “M,” Brooklyn, NY 11234 • 718-531-1800 (voice) • 718-421-5395 (fax) • info@ auditoryoral.org (e-mail) • Pnina Bravmann, Program Director. A premier auditory/oral early intervention and

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preschool program servicing hearing impaired children and their families. Programs include: StriVright Early Intervention (home-based and center-based), preschool, integrated preschool classes with children with normal hearing, multidisciplinary evaluations, parent support, Auditory-Verbal Therapy, complete audiological services, cochlear implant habilitation, central auditory processing (CAPD) testing and therapy, mainstreaming, ongoing support services following mainstreaming. Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center-Oral Deaf Education Program, 50 E. North Street, Buffalo,

NY 14203 • 716-885-8318 (voice) • 716-885-4229 (fax) • lshea@askbhsc.org (e-mail) • www.askbhsc.org • Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center is a non-for profit organization that offers a auditory/oral program for children ages birth to 5 years who are deaf and hard of hearing. The Oral Deaf Education Program consists of parent/infant program, early intervention classroom and a preschool program. BHSC also offers innovative services to children and adults with communication and educational needs including a cochlear implant center and comprehensive audiological services. Our dedicated and skilled staff is focused on the mission of improving the quality of life for adults, children and infants in need of speech, hearing or educational services. The Oral Deaf Education Program is a Moog Curriculum School.

Center for Hearing and Communication (formerly the League for the Hard of Hearing), 50 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY

10004 • 917 305-7700 (voice) • 917-305-7888 (TTY) • 917-305-7999 (fax) • http://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 are hard of hearing or deaf. Comprehensive array of services include: audiology, otology, hearing aid evaluation, fitting and sales, communication therapy, cochlear implant training, assistive technology consultation, emotional health and wellness, public education, support groups and Mobile Hearing Test Units. Visit http://www.chchearing.org to access our vast library of information about hearing loss and hearing conservation. For more information or to make an appointment, contact us at info@ chchearing.org.

Clarke School - New York, 80 East End Avenue,

New York, NY 10028 • 212-585-3500 (voice/tty) • info@ clarke-nyc.org (email) • www.clarkeschool.org (website) • Dan Salvucci, Acting Director. A program of Clarke School for the Deaf/Center for Oral Education, serving families of young deaf and hard of hearing children. Auditory/oral programs include early intervention, preschool, kindergarten, comprehensive evaluations, hearing aid and FM system dispensing and related services including occupational, physical and speechlanguage therapies.

Directory of Services Cleary School for the Deaf, 301 Smithtown Boulevard, Nesconset, New York 11767 • 631-588-0530 (voice/TTY) • 631-588-0016 (fax) • www.clearyschool. org • Kenneth Morseon, Superintendent; Ellen McCarthy, Principal. A state-supported program serving hearing impaired children birth to 21. Auditory/oral programs include Parent-Infant Program (school and home based) for children birth to 3, Auditory-Oral Reverse Inclusion Preschool Program for children 3 to 5 and Transition Program for children with cochlear implants who have a sign language base. Auditory/oral programs include daily individual auditory-based speech and language therapy, daily speech push-in, annual and on-going audiological and speech-language evaluations and parent training/ support. The mission of the Reverse Inclusion AuditoryOral Preschool Program is to best prepare children to enter kindergarten in their own school district. Classes consist of children with hearing loss and their normal hearing peers. Lexington School for the Deaf, 26-26 75th Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11370 • 718-350-3300 (voice/tty) • 718-899-9846 (fax) • www.lexnyc.org • Dr. Regina Carroll, Superintendent, Ronni Hollander, Principal - rhollander@lexnyc.org (email). A statesupported program serving hearing impaired children in the Greater New York area from infancy through age 21. Auditory-Oral programs include the Deaf Infant Program (ages 0-3), Preschool classes (ages 3-6) and early Elementary classes. Auditory-Oral programs include daily speech, listening and language services, ongoing audiological support, coordination

with hospital implant centers, evaluations and parent support. The school’s academic program follows the New York State standards. Music/Dance, Physical Education (and swimming), Art, Library, as well as technology are part of the school schedule. Long Island Jewish Medical Center Hearing & Speech Center, 430 Lakeville Road, New Hyde

Park, NY 11042 • 718-470-8910 (voice) • 718-470-1679 (fax) • The Long Island Jewish Hearing and Speech Center provides services for individuals of all ages with communication disorders. The Center serves two tertiary care hospitals, Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital, providing both in-patient and outpatient services. As the largest hearing and speech center on Long Island, the Center accepts referrals from physicians, schools, community speech pathologists and audiologists, and self-referrals from Long Island and New York City. The professional staff consists of 14 audiologists, 10 speech-language pathologists, a social worker and a deaf educator. Audiologic services available at Center include complete diagnostic and habilitative services, a cochlear implant program, a voice and laryngeal laboratory and a hearing aid dispensary.

Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, GOALS (Growing Oral/Aural Language Skills) Program, 40 Frost Mill Road, Mill Neck, NY 11765

• 516-922-4100 (voice) • Mark R. Prowatzke, Ph.D., Executive Director, Francine Bogdanoff, Assistant Superintendent. Publicly-funded integrated preschool

program, serving Deaf and hard of hearing children (ages 3-5) on Long Island. Literacy-based program with auditory/oral approach, curriculum aligned with NY State Preschool Standards, art, music, library, audiology, speech, language therapy, related support services and family programs. Nassau BOCES Program for Hearing and Vision Services, 740 Edgewood Drive, Westbury,

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

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Directory of Services Comprehensive audiological services are provided to all students enrolled in the program, utilizing state of the art technology, FM assistive technology to maximize access to sound within the classroom, and cochlear implant expertise. Additionally, cochlear implant mapping support provided by local hospital audiology team will be delivered on site at the school. New York Eye & Ear Cochlear Implant and Hearing & Learning Centers, (formerly Beth Israel/New York Eye Ear program). New Location: 380 Second Avenue at 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010 • 646-438-7800 (voice). Comprehensive diagnostic and rehabilitative services for infants, children and adults including audiology services, amplification and FM evaluation and dispensing, cochlear implants, auditory/oral therapy, otolaryngology and counseling.

n North Carolina BEGINNINGS For Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Inc., 3714-A

Benson Drive, PO Box 17646, Raleigh, NC 27619 • 919-850-2746 (voice) • 919-850-2804 (fax) • raleigh@ ncbegin.org (e-mail) • Joni Alberg, Executive Director. BEGINNINGS provides emotional support, unbiased information, and technical assistance to parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf parents with hearing children and professionals serving those families. BEGINNINGS assists parents of children from birth through age 21 by providing information and support that will empower them as informed decision makers, helping them access the services they

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need for their child, and promoting the importance of early intervention and other educational programs. BEGINNINGS believes that given accurate, objective information about hearing loss, parents can make sound decisions for their child about educational placement, communication methodology and related service needs. CASTLE- Center for Acquisition of Spoken Language Through Listening Enrichment,

5501-A Fortunes Ridge Drive, Suite A, Durham, NC 27713 • 919-419-1428 (voice) • www.uncearandhearing. com/pedsprogs/castle An auditory/oral center for parent and professional education. Preschool and Early intervention services for young children including Auditory Verbal parent participation sessions. Hands-on training program for hearing-related professionals/ university students including internships, two week summer institute and Auditory Verbal Modules.

n Ohio Millridge Center/Mayfield Auditory Oral Program, 950 Millridge Road, Highland Heights, OH

44143-3113 • 440-995-7300 (phone) • 440-995-7305 (fax) • www.mayfieldschools.org • Louis A. Kindervater, Principal. Auditory/oral program with a ful continuum of services, birth to 22 years of age. Serving 31 public school districts in northeast Ohio. Early intervention; preschool with typically developing peers; parent support; individual speech, language, and listening therapy; audiological services; cochlear

implant habilitation; and mainstreaming in the general education classrooms of Mayfield City School District. Ohio Valley Voices, 6642 Branch Hill Guinea Pike, Loveland, OH 45140 • 513-791-1458 (voice) • 513-791-4326 (fax) • mainoffice@ohiovalleyvoices. org (e-mail) • www.ohiovalleyvoices.org (website). Ohio Valley Voices teaches deaf and hearing-impaired children to use spoken language as their primary means of communication. The vast majority of our students utilize cochlear implants to give them access to sound, which in turn, allows them to learn to speak when combined with intensive speech therapy. We offer a birth-to-3 program, a preschool through second grade program, a full array of on-site audiological services, parent education and support resources. Ohio Valley Voices is a Moog Curriculum School.

n Oklahoma Hearts for Hearing, 3525 NW 56th Street, Suite A-150, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 • 405-5484300 • 405-548-4350(Fax) • Teresa H. Caraway, Ph.D.,CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT and Joanna T. Smith, M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, Jace Wolfe, Ph.D., CCC-A. Comprehensive hearing healthcare program which includes pediatric audiological evaluations, management and cochlear implant mapping. AuditoryVerbal therapy, cochlear implant habilitation, early intervention, pre-school, summer enrichment services and family support workshops are also provided. Opportunities for family, professional education and consultations. www.heartsforhearing.org

Directory of Services n Oregon Tucker-Maxon Oral School, 2860 S.E. Holgate,

Portland, OR 97202 • 503-235-6551(voice) • 503-2351711 (TTY) • tminfo@tmos.org (e-mail) • www.tmos. org (website) • Established in 1947, Tucker-Maxon is an intensive auditory-oral school that co-enrolls children with hearing loss and children with normal hearing in every class. Each class is taught by a regular educator or early childhood specialist and a teacher of deaf children. Programs for children with hearing loss start at birth and continue through 5th grade. Tucker-Maxon provides comprehensive pediatric audiology evaluations, cochlear implant management, habilitation and mapping, early intervention, and speech pathology services.

n Pennsylvania Archbishop Ryan School for Children with Hearing Impairment, 233 Mohawk Ave., Norwood,

PA 19074 • 610-586-7044 (voice) • 610-586-7053 (fax) • Our Oral Academy is located within a regular elementary school enabling some children to learn with hearing peers in a mainstream classroom with the support of a Deaf educator. Some children learn in selfcontained classrooms with other deaf children. We offer a full academic program from preschool through age 14. For more information visit www.ces-msa.org, click registry and our school by name.

Bucks County Schools Intermediate Unit #22, Hearing Support Program, 705 North

Shady Retreat Road, Doylestown, PA 18901 • 215-3482940 x1240 (voice) • 215-340-1639 (fax) • kmiller@ bucksiu.org • Kevin J. Miller, Ed.D., CCC-SP, CED, Supervisor. A publicly-funded program serving local school districts with deaf or hard of hearing students (birth -12th Grade). Services include itinerant support, resource rooms, audiology, speech-language therapy, auditory-verbal therapy, C-Print captioning, and cochlear implant habilitation. Center for Childhood Communication at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3405 Civic

Center Boulevard, Philadelphia 19104 • 800-551-5480 (voice) • 215-590-5641 (fax) • www.chop.edu/ccc • Judith S. Gravel, Ph.D., Director. The CCC provides children with audiology, amplification, speech-language and cochlear implant services and offers support through our Family Wellness Program. We serve families at our main campus in Philadelphia and at our Pennsylvania satellite offices in Bucks County, Exton, King of Prussia, Springfield, and at our New Jersey satellite offices in Voorhees, Mays Landing and Princeton.

Clarke Pennsylvania Auditory/Oral Center,

455 South Roberts Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 • 610525-9600 (voice/tty) • info@clarkeschool.org (email) • www.clarkeschool.org (website). Judith Sexton, Director. A program of Clarke School for the Deaf/Center for Oral Education, serving families with young children with hearing loss. Auditory/Oral programs

include early intervention, preschool, parent support, individual auditory speech and language services, cochlear implant habilitation, audiological support, and mainstream support. Delaware County Intermediate Unit #25, Hearing and Language Programs, 200 Yale

Avenue, Morton, PA 19070 • 610-938-9000, ext. 2277 • 610938-9886 (fax) • mdworkin@dciu.org • Program Highlights: A publicly funded program for children with hearing loss in local schools. Serving children from birth through high school. Services include audiology, speech therapy, cochlear implant habilitation (which includes auditory-verbal therapy),psychology and social work. DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, 6202 Alder Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 • (412)924-1012 (voice/TTY) • mk@depaulinst.com (email) • www. speakmiracles.org (website) • Mary Beth Kernan - Family Service Coordinator. DePaul is Western Pennsylvania’s only auditory-oral school serving families for 100 years. A state-approved, private magnet school, DePaul’s programs are tuition-free to parents and caregivers of approved students. Program includes: early intervention services for children birth to 3 years; a center-based toddler program for children ages 18 months to 3 years; a preschool for children ages 3-5 years and a comprehensive academic program for grades K-8. Clinical services include speech therapy, cochlear implant habilitation services, audiological support including cochlear implant mapping, physical and occupational therapy, mainstreaming support, parent education programs and a parent support group.

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Directory of Services Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf,

300 East Swissvale Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218 • 412-244-4207 (voice) • 412-244-4251 (fax) • vcherney@ wpsd.org (e-mail) • www.wpsd.org.The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf is a non-profit school with high academic expectations. WPSD, located in Pittsburgh since 1869, has provided quality educational services, cutting-edge technology and a complete extracurricular program to deaf and hard-of-hearing children from birth through grade 12. Serving over 250 day and residential students, from more than 100 school districts and 30 counties, WPSD is the largest comprehensive center for deaf education in the state. For more information: wpsd.org

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

Columbia, SC 29204 • 803-777-2614 (voice) • 803253-4143 (fax) • Center Director: Danielle Varnedoe, daniell@sc.edu (e-mail). The center provides audiology services, speech-language therapy, adult aural rehabilitation therapy and Auditory-Verbal therapy. Our audiology services include comprehensive evaluations, CAPD evaluations, and cochlear implant evaluations and programming. The University also provides a training program for AVT and cochlear implant management for professional/ university students. Additional contacts for the AVT or CI programs include: Nikki Burrows (803-777-2669), Wendy Potts (803-777-2642) or Cheryl Rogers (803777-2702).

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n South Dakota

n Tennessee

South Dakota School for the Deaf (SDSD),

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf, 7901 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, TN 38138 • 901-758-2228 (voice) • 901-531-7050 (fax) • www.mosdkids.org (website) • tschwartz@mosdkids.org (email). Teresa Schwartz, Executive Director. Parent-infant program, auditory/ oral day school (ages 2 to 6), speech-language and cochlear implant therapy, mainstream services.

2001 East Eighth Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 • 605-367-5200 (V/TTY) • 605-36705209 (fax) •sdsd@ sdbor.edu (e-mail). Serving children and youth with hearing loss by offering services on site and through its outreach program. Academic option includes auditory/ oral program for students using spoken language and are preschool through third grade. SDSD utilizes the Sioux Falls School District Curriculum and prepares students to meet state standards. Instructional support in other areas is available as dictated by the IEP, including parent/child education, speech language pathology, auditory training and special education. Arranges for dual enrollment of students in their local schools to expand curricular and social options. Outreach staff provides support to families with newborns and children through the ages of 2 years and continues to work with the families and school district personnel of older students who are either remaining in or returning to their local districts. Any student in South Dakota with a documented hearing loss can take advantage of services offered through SDSD, including audiological testing, speech evaluation, and triennial multidisciplinary assessment.

Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center - National Center for Childhood Deafness and Family Communication, Medical Center East South Tower,

1215 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232-8105 • 615-936-5000 (voice) • 615-936-1225 (fax) • nccdfc@ vanderbilt.edu (email) • www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ root/vumc.php?site=hearing (web). Tamala Bradham, Ph.D., Director. The NCCDFC Service Program is an auditory/oral learning program serving children with hearing loss from birth through 18 years. Services include educational services at the Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt as well as audiological and speech-language pathology services. Specifically, the Service Program includes audiological evaluations, hearing aid services, cochlear implant evaluations and programming, parent-infant program, individual speech, language, and listening therapy, educational assessments, toddler program, all day preschool through kindergarten educational program itinerant/ academic tutoring services, parent support groups, and summer enrichment programs.

Directory of Services n Texas Bliss Speech and Hearing Services, Inc.,

12700 Hillcrest Rd., Suite 207, Dallas, TX 75230 • 972387-2824 • 972-387-9097 (fax) • blisspeech@aol.com (e-mail) • Brenda Weinfeld Bliss, M.S., CCC-SLP/A, Cert. AVT®. Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist® providing parent-infant training, cochlear implant rehabilitation, aural rehabilitation, school visits, mainstreaming consultations, information, and orientation to deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their parents. Callier Center for Communication Disorders/UT Dallas, Callier-Dallas Facility,

1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX, 75235 • 214-905-3000 (voice) • 214-905-3005 (tty) • Callier-Richardson Facility: 811 Synergy Park Blvd., Richardson, TX, 75080 • 972-883-3630 (voice) • 972-883-3605 (tty) • eloyce@utdallas.edu (email) • www.callier.utdallas.edu • Nonprofit organization, hearing evaluations, hearing aid dispensing, assistive devices, cochlear implant evaluations, psychology services, speech-language pathology services, child development program for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

The Center for Hearing and Speech, 3636 West Dallas, Houston, TX 77019 • 713-523-3633 (voice) • 713-874-1173 (TTY) • 713-523-8399 (fax) • info@centerhearingandspeech.org (email) • www. centerhearingandspeech.org (website) • CHS serves children with hearing impairments from birth to 18 years. Services include auditory/oral preschool;

Audiology Clinic providing comprehensive hearing evaluations, diagnostic ABR, hearing aid and FM evaluations and fittings, cochlear implant evaluations and follow-up mappings; Speech-Language Pathology Clinic providing Parent-Infant therapy, Auditory-Verbal therapy, speech therapy, aural (re)habilitation; family support services. All services offered on sliding fee scale and many services offered in Spanish. Denise A. Gage, M.A., CCC, Cert. AVT© - Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist, 3111 West

Arkansas Lane, Arlington, TX 76016-0378 • 817-4600378 (voice) • 817-469-1195 (metro/fax) • denise@ denisegage.com (email) • www.denisegage.com • Over 25 years experience providing services for children and adults with hearing loss. Services include cochlear implant rehabilitation, parent-infant training, individual therapy, educational consultation, onsite and offsite Fast ForWord training.

Speech and Hearing Therapy Services,

North Dallas • 214-458-0575 (voice) • speechandhearingtherapy@yahoo.com (e-mail) • www. speechandhearingtherapy.com (website) • Tammi Galley, MA, CCC-SLP, Aural Habilitation Specialist. Comprehensive Aural Habilitation therapy, specializing in pediatric populations, cochlear implant habiltation, parent-infant/child and individual therapy, AuditoryVerbal therapy, auditory/oral, or total communication offered with strong emphasis on auditory skill development. Home visits or office visits.

Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children,

103 Tuleta Dr., San Antonio, TX 78212 • 210-8240579 • 210-826-0436 (fax). Founded in 1947, the auditory/oral school promotes early identification of hearing loss and subsequent intervention, working with parents and children from infancy through high school. Audiological services include diagnostic hearing evaluations for children of all ages, hearing aid fitting, cochlear implant programming and habilitation, maintenance of soundfield and FM equipment in the classroom. Programs include the Newborn Hearing Evaluation Center, Parent-Infant Program, Hearing Aid Loaner and Scholarship Programs, and Educational Programs (three years of age through 12th grade mainstream), Speech Pathology, Counseling, and Assessment Services. For more information visit www. sunshinecottage.org.

n Utah Sound Beginnings of Cache Valley, Utah State University, 1000 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT

84322-1000 • 435-797-0434 (voice) • 435-797-0221 (fax) • www.soundbeginnings.usu.edu • lauri.nelson@ usu.edu (email) • Lauri Nelson, Ph.D., Sound Beginnings Director • todd.houston@usu.edu (email) • K. Todd Houston, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, Graduate Studies Director. A comprehensive auditory learning program serving children with hearing loss and their families from birth through age five; early intervention services include home- and center-based services,

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Directory of Services parent training, a weekly toddler group, pediatric audiology, and Auditory-Verbal Therapy. The preschool, housed in an innovative public lab school, provides self-contained Auditory-Oral classes for children aged three through five, parent training, and mainstreaming opportunities with hearing peers. The Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education offers an interdisciplinary graduate training program in SpeechLanguage Pathology, Audiology, and Deaf Education that emphasizes auditory learning and spoken language for young children with hearing loss. Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, 742

Harrison Boulevard, Ogden, UT 84404 • 801-6294700 (voice) • 801-629-4701 (tty) • www.usdv.org • A state-funded program for children with hearing loss (birth through high school) serving students in various settings including local district classes throughout the state and residential options. Audiology, speech instruction, auditory verbal development and cochlear implant habilitation provided.

degrees of hearing loss to listen, speak, and think in preparation for inclusion in neighborhood schools. Services include early intervention (0 to 3 yrs), Auditory-Verbal therapy (3 to school age), blended pre-school/pre-K classes (3 to 5 yrs), and consultations. A summer program is offered in addition to services provided during the school year. The Listen For Life Center at Virginia Mason, 1100 9th Ave. MS X10-ON Seattle, WA 98111

• 206-223-8802 (voice) • 206-223-6362 (tty) • 206223-2388 (fax) • lsnforlife@vmmc.org (email) • www. vmmc.org/listen (website) • Non-profit organization offering comprehensive diagnostic and rehabilitation services from infancy through senior years. Audiology, otolaryngology, hearing aids, implantable hearing aids, cochlear implants, communication classes, assistive listening devices, Aural Rehabilitation, counseling, support groups, school consultations, professional training workshops, community days, library.

The Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children, 3575 Kaslo Street, Vancouver, British

Columbia, V5M 3H4, Canada • 604-437-0255 (voice) • 604-437-1251 (tty) • 604-437-0260 (fax) • www. deafeducationcentre.org (website) • Our auditory-oral program includes: on-site audiology, cochlear implant mapping, parent-infant guidance, auditory-verbal therapy, music therapy, preschool, K, Primary 1-3; itinerant services.

n England The Speech, Language and Hearing Centre,

Christopher Place, 1-5 Christopher Place, Chalton Street, Euston, London NW1 1JF, England • 0114-207383-3834 (voice) • 0114-207-383-3099 (fax) • info@ speechlang.org.uk (e-mail) • www.speech-lang.org.uk • Assessment, nursery school and therapeutic centre for children under 5 with hearing impairment or speech/ language difficulties.

n Wisconsin n Virginia Chattering Children – Richmond Center,

1307 Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, VA 23228 • 804-290-0475 (voice) • NOVA Center, 1495 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 100, McLean, VA 22101 • www.chatteringchildren.org (website) • adavis@ chatteringchildren.org (email). Chattering Children, Empowering hearing-impaired children through spoken communication. Infants through school age. Parent-Infant Program, AV Therapy, mainstream support. SPEAK UP (an auditory oral school). Familycentered conversational approach. In-service training and an internship program for graduate students. NoVa Center: 1495 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 100, McLean, VA 22101 (Metro DC area), Tel: (571) 6330770. Richmond Center: SPEAK UP auditory-oral school and auditory-verbal therapy: 1307 Lakeside Ave Richmond VA 23228. Tel: (804) 290-0475. Contact Anne Davis, Executive Director, Anne Davis, adavis@ chatteringchildren.org. Listen Hear Audiology, 1101 S. Arlington Ridge

Rd. #117, Arlington, VA 22202 • 202-997-4045 (voice) • listenhearaudiology@yahoo.com (e-mail) • www. listenhear.net • Rachel Cohen, Au.D., CCC-A • Auditory/ oral services provided to children or adults who are hard-of-hearing or deaf using preferred methodology (Auditory/oral, Cued, TC, or ASL) when needed. Auditory (re)habiliation is provided in your home/ natural environment or at my office. Birth through geriatric cochlear implant habiliation, aural (re) habilitation, assistive listening device information, parent-infant training and consultation. Lynchburg Speech Therapy, Inc., 1049

Claymont Drive, Lynchburg, VA 24502 • 434-8456355 (voice) • 434-845-5854 (fax) • dclappavt@aol. com (e-mail) • Denice D. Clapp, M.S., CCC-SLP, Cert. AVT®, Director. Auditory-Verbal habilitation services provided for hearing impaired children with all degrees of hearing loss and their families to develop spoken language through listening. Auditory re(habilitation) provided for older children through adults who use cochlear implants to access hearing. Consultations and mainstream educational support for children and their families. Early inter-vention provided in the home.

n Washington Listen and Talk – Education for Children with Hearing Loss, 8610 8th Avenue, NE, Seattle,

WA, 98115 • 206-985-6646 (voice) • 206-985-6687 (fax) • hear@listentalk.org (e-mail) • www.listentalk. org (website). Maura Berndsen, Educational Director. Family-centered program teaches children with all VOLTA VOICES • MAY/J UNE 2009

Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing,

10243 W. National Avenue, West Allis, WI 53227 · 414604-2200 (Voice) 414-604-7200 (Fax) · www.cdhh.org (Website) · Amy Peters Lalios, M.A., CCC-A, Cert.AVT®, as well as five certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS). Nonprofit agency located in the Milwaukee area serving individuals with hearing loss, from infants to the elderly. The Birth to Three program works with children from throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, providing both auditory-oral and auditoryverbal therapies, including education in the home, toddler communication groups, and individual speech therapy. AV therapy is also provided to school-age children. Pre- and post-cochlear implant training is provided for adults and communication strategy and speechreading is offered in individual as well as small group sessions.

INTERNATIONAL n Australia Telethon Speech & Hearing Centre for Children WA (Inc), 36 Dodd Street, Wembley

WA 6014, Australia • 61-08-9387-9888 (phone) • 61-08-9387-9888 (fax) • speech@tsh.org.au • www. tsh.org.au • Our oral language programs include: hearing impairment programs for children under 5 and school support services, Talkabout program for children with delayed speech and language, audiology services, Ear Clinic for hard to treat middle ear problems, Variety WA Mobile Children’s Ear Clinic, newborn hearing screening and Cochlear Implant program for overseas children.

n Canada 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.

Saskatchewan Pediatric Auditory Rehabilitation Center (SPARC), Room 21, Ellis

Hall, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada • 306-655-1320 (voice) • 306-655-1316 (fax) • lynne.brewster@usask.ca (e-mail) • www.usask. ca/healthsci/sparc • Rehabilitative services including Auditory-Verbal Therapy for children with hearing impairments. (Birth through school age).

Directory of Services List of Advertisers Advanced Bionics.......................................................................................................... Back Cover Auditory-Oral School of San Francisco.......................................................................................37 Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc (Atlanta)............................................................................................ 17 Central Institute for the Deaf ....................................................................................................... 45 Clarke School for the Deaf ............................................................................................................ 4 DePaul School for Hearing and Speech .................................................................................... 31 DuBard School for Language Disorders ....................................................................................34 Ear Technology Corporation........................................................................................................ 10 Harris Communications................................................................................................................ 28 Jean Weingarten School.................................................................................................................5 John Tracy Clinic .......................................................................................................................... 44 Logital Company, Ltd. ................................................................................................................. 38 Moog Center for Deaf Education....................................................................................... 9, 27, 39 National Technical Institute for the Deaf/RIT.............................................................................. 46 National Cued Speech Association.............................................................................................35 Oticon...................................................................................................................Inside Front Cover St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf.................................................................................................. 43 Sorenson Communications ........................................................................................................ 11 Sound Aid Hearing Aid Warranties ............................................................................................ 41 Sprint Relay .................................................................................................................................... 7 Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children.............................................................................. 33 Tucker-Maxon Oral School.......................................................................................................... 24 University of Hartford/CREC....................................................................................................... 42 Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children....................................................................................21 AG Bell – Book Store ................................................................................................................... 25 AG Bell – Financial Aid . ............................................................................................................... 13 AG Bell – Listening & Spoken Language Symposium....................................Inside Back Cover AG Bell – Online Career Center .................................................................................................... 7

VOLTA VOICES • M A Y /J U NE 2009