Volta Voices November-December 2013 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

November/December 2013

Strategies for Career Success Volume 20, Issue 6

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Every Everychild child deserves deservesthe thebest best

Empower Empowerchildren childrenat at every everystage stageof ofchildhood childhood

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November/December 2013

ISS U E 6

VOICES V

VO L U ME 2 0

Departments

Features

Voices from AG Bell 7 Advancing Listening and Spoken Language for Individuals Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing 11 Loud and Clear 12 To the Editor

Tips for Parents 42 Using Creativity and Arts for Language Development Hear Our Voices 44 Beauty in Every Obstacle Up Front on the Back Page 60 Carrie Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A

In Every Issue voices Contributors

Soundbites

Directory of Services

List of Advertisers

“Lean In” to a Promotion By Pauline T. Newton, Ph.D.

Read about getting a promotion at work with hearing loss.

Developing Speech Skills for Children Who Come Late to Listening or Have Other Special Needs By Christina Perigoe, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT

Daniel Ling’s legacy can help children with hearing loss who are “late starters” or have additional special needs develop listening and spoken language.

Trading Signals: My Decision to Go Bilateral with Cochlear Implants By Samuel R. Atcherson, Ph.D.

Read about considerations for bilateral cochlear implants and life with bilateral electric hearing. VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

Señales de operación: Mi decisión para colocarme implantes cocleares bilaterales Por Samuel R. Atcherson, Ph.D.

4 Want to Write for Volta Voices? 15

LOFT in Action: Voices of Leadership By Anna Karkovska McGlew, M.A., and Wendy Will

2013 LOFT participants developed and facilitated a two-and-halfhour “Teens & Tweens” program for middle school students who are deaf and hard of hearing and their parents.

Ken Levinson: The LOFT Counselor Perspective

Interview by Christina Perigoe, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT

Ken Levinson, the lead counselor and co-founder of LOFT, provides an historical perspective on the program and his thoughts on its impact and future.

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.li s tening and s pokenl anguage.org

VOICES Advancing Listening and Spoken Language for Individuals Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

— Adopted by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Board of Directors, July 2013

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

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

Volta Voices Staff Director of Communications and Marketing Susan Boswell, CAE Editor Anna Karkovska McGlew Advertising, Exhibit and Sponsorship Sales The Townsend Group Design and Layout EEI Communications AG Bell Board of Directors President Donald M. Goldberg, Ph.D., LSLS Cert. AVT (OH) President-Elect Meredith Knueve Sugar, Esq. (OH) Immediate Past President Kathleen S. Treni (NJ) Secretary-Treasurer Ted Meyer, M.D., Ph.D. (SC) Interim Executive Director/CEO Judy Harrison (DC) Joni Y. Alberg, Ph.D. (NC) Corrine Altman (NV) Rachel Arfa, Esq. (IL) Jonathan Berger, Esq. (NY) Evan Brunell (MA) Wendy Deters, M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVEd (IL) Kevin Franck, Ph.D., MBA, CCC-A (MA) Susan Lenihan, Ph.D., CED (MO) Catharine McNally (VA) Lyn Robertson, Ph.D. (OH)

Want to Write for Volta Voices? Volta Voices? Submissions to Volta Voices Volta Voices welcomes submissions from both AG Bell members and nonmembers. The magazine is published six times annually. Its audience consists of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and professionals in fields related to hearing loss (audiology, speech-language pathology, psychology, otology, social services, education). Visit the Volta Voices page at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org for submission guidelines and to submit content. Subjects of Interest n Technology – related to hearing loss, new technology, improvements to or problems with existing technology, or how people are using existing technology, accommodations. n Education – related to public or private schools through post-secondary education, new approaches and teaching methods, legal implications and issues, etc. n Advocacy – information on legislation, hearing health, special or mainstream education, and accessibility. n Health – audiology issues relating to children or adults with hearing loss and/or their families and friends. n Action – stories about people with hearing loss who use spoken language as their primary mode of communication; deafness need not be the focal point of the article. Editorial Guidelines The periodicals department reserves the right to edit material to fit the style and tone of Volta Voices and the space available. Articles are selected on a space-available and relevancy basis; submission of materials is not a guarantee of use. Transfer of Copyright The revised copyright law, which went into effect in January 1978, provides that from the time a manuscript is written, statutory copyright is vested with the author(s). All authors whose articles have been accepted for publication in Volta Voices are requested to transfer copyright of their articles to AG Bell prior to publication. This copyright can be transferred only by written agreement.

Without copyright ownership, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing cannot issue or disseminate reprints, authorize copying by individuals and libraries, or authorize indexing and abstracting services to use material from the magazine. Art Submission Guidelines Volta Voices prefers digital images over original artwork. When submitting electronic files, please provide them in the following formats: TIF, EPS or JPG (no BMP or GIF images). Digital images must be at least 300 dpi (at size).

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 ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org

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 ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org and select “About AG Bell” for advertising information.

VOLTA VOICES Volume 20, Issue 6, November/December (ISSN 1074-8016) is published 6 times per year in J/F, M/A, M/J, J/A, S/O, and N/D for $50 per year by Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 3417 Volta Pl, NW, Washington, DC, 20007. Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, DC, and other additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Volta Voices, Subscription Department, 3417 Volta Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202/337-5220 (voice) or 202/337-5221 (TTY). Claims for undelivered issues must be made within 4 months of publication. Volta Voices is sent to all members of the association. Yearly individual membership dues are $50. Volta Voices comprises $30 of membership dues. Subscriptions for schools, libraries and institutions are $115 domestic and $135 international (postage included in both prices). Back issues, when available, are $7.50 plus shipping and handling. Copyright ©2013 by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., 3417 Volta Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20007. Articles published in Volta Voices do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Acceptance of advertising by Volta Voices does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, their products or services, nor does Volta Voices make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertisers’ offer. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40624074 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6

On the cover: image courtesy of shutterstock.com/wavebreakmedia

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VOICES FROM AG BELL

Advancing Listening and Spoken Language for Individuals Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

hink about a world where infants and young children who are deaf and hard of hearing receive timely diagnosis, access to appropriate technology and qualified services. Families raising children who are deaf and hard of hearing receive all of the information, education and support needed to make confident, well-informed decisions throughout their child’s educational and life transitions. Envision a world in which teens with hearing loss receive peer support and learn to be self-advocates as they transition to adulthood. Adults who are deaf and hard of hearing conduct professional and personal lives free of barriers and discrimination. The professionals supporting these adults and families are knowledgeable and effective, and the Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS®) certification is the standard of care for services provided to infants, toddlers and school-aged children whose families elect a listening and spoken language outcome. Most of all think about a world where the public understands that people with hearing loss can listen and talk. This describes AG Bell’s envisioned future for the listening and spoken language community that it serves. In July 2013, the AG Bell board of directors took a bold step toward this envisioned future by adopting a strategic plan that refines the mission of the organization and establishes a set of core values and strategic objectives that will guide the way that the organization will provide services to children and adults with hearing loss, their families and the professionals that support them. AG Bell has redefined its core purpose and mission to “advance listening and spoken language for individuals who are deaf

and hard of hearing.” This mission captures the fundamentally unique identity of the association within the marketplace as well as the unique identity of the children and adults it represents. This revised mission focuses attention on the increasing need to advocate for the needs and rights of families who have chosen a listening and spoken language outcome.

Core Values The Board of Directors also has identified a set of timeless guiding principles that characterize the association and form the foundation on which staff and members carry out their work. The following core values represent the AG Bell association: ʶʶ Empowering and Respectful. Demonstrated by empowering families to make informed choices, respecting all choices, valuing the contributions of those who are deaf and hard of hearing and advancing leaders who are reflective of the communities we serve. ʶʶ Forward-Thinking and Innovative. Demonstrated by appreciating AG Bell’s heritage while actively anticipating and adapting to the changing environment, promoting access to technology and valuing visionary leadership. ʶʶ Inclusive and Supportive. Demonstrated by members and supporters dedicated to listening and spoken language and devoted to promoting a supportive, inclusive environment for all who are deaf and hard of hearing. ʶʶ Dependable and Knowledgeable. Demonstrated by an earned reputation for providing evidence-based, reliable, accurate information about listening and spoken language.

VOLTA VOICES • N ov embe r/De c e mbe r 201 3

Serving Our Community To chart the course toward our envisioned future, the AG Bell board of directors has adopted the following key goals for serving members and the public and will undertake a number of major initiatives over the next several months and years to achieve these goals. The following are key audiences and priorities: ʶʶ Families and children will be provided with a wide array of resources that support raising independent and successful children. Children who are deaf and hard of hearing will have timely access to appropriate interventions to achieve their full potential. AG Bell has launched a large-scale project designed to provide greater insight into how families perceive the quality and quantity of available services—and to identify areas of unmet need. The organization will be advocating for the needs of children and families by developing recommendations for school-based services and professional qualifications in major educational legislation and regulations, and will be a strong advocate on Capitol Hill for the needs of children and families who are pursuing a listening and spoken language outcome. ʶʶ Adults who are deaf and hard of hearing will connect and build a community that enables them to work together to advance equal access. Adults have valuable insights to share on successful strategies for living with hearing loss and they will serve as mentors to the next generation, continuing the cycle of involvement in the organization throughout their lives. The talents of young adults will be tapped as emerging leaders through a leadership track. AG Bell will increase collabora-

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VOICES FROM AG BELL tive efforts among organizations that represent the hearing loss community to promote awareness and advocacy. ʶʶ Professionals will be provided with professional development, credentialing opportunities and greater awareness of the theory and applications of listening and spoken language for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. AG Bell will seek to increase the number of Listening and Spoken Language Specialists to meet the needs of children and families and raise awareness of the services that these professionals provide across diverse settings. ʶʶ The public will know that people who are deaf and hard of hearing can listen and use spoken language by seeing individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing who listen and talk in the media. Through young people, AG Bell will help the public understand what it means to grow up with hearing loss today—which is radically different than the experiences of previous generations, thanks to early hearing detection and intervention and technological advances. AG Bell seeks to increase visibility of people who are deaf and hard of hearing who use listening and spoken language and change longstanding public perceptions.

Strategy as a Starting Point In the words of renowned academic and author on business and management Henry Mintzberg, “strategy is not the consequence of planning, but the opposite: its starting point.” With this in mind, AG Bell has embraced an approach of planning strategically, rather than adopting a strategic plan with set beginning and ending dates. Through this process, the association will increase its value to those it serves by continually reviewing the plan to provide a roadmap for strategic direction in navigating a changing environment and the unique landscape of hearing loss. The insight of AG Bell members is a valued part of the strategic planning process. Members provided input into the plan by describing the landscape in which the association exists and identifying

key issues of concern. A strategic planning survey generated a strong response rate with more than 1,300 responses. Among all participants—parents, adults and professionals—the top issues of concern were: access to quality education and educational advocacy, the cost of hearing technology, and access to early intervention and qualified professionals. Participants also valued the connection to a community that AG Bell offers. As the strategic plan evolves over time, your insight is valued and appreciated. I welcome your comments and feedback as we move forward on this journey together.

Farewell to Alex Graham The resignation of our Executive Director Alexander T. Graham was accepted with regret. Our loss is a gain for the Council of Exceptional Children, where Alex has become executive director. We wish Alex all of the best and thank him wholeheartedly for a job very well done! Judy Harrison has been appointed as the interim executive director/chief executive officer, and we are pleased to have a dedicated staff lead the organization during this time of transition. She has been the director of programs at AG Bell for eight years. Harrison represents AG Bell on the Joint Committee for Infant Hearing and the Council on Education of the Deaf. AG Bell has contracted with a search firm to conduct a national search for an executive director and CEO. As progress is made with the search, I will keep you up to date. Sincerely,

Donald M. Goldberg, Ph.D., CCCSLP/A, FAAA, LSLS Cert. AVT President goldbed@ccf.org 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: info@agbell.org Or online: ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org

VOLTA VOICES • N ov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Loud and Clear

reetings! The articles in this issue of Volta Voices celebrate the diverse voices of the many constituencies—and individuals—that make up the AG Bell community: successful professionals with hearing loss who contribute to society in their communities as well as the field of hearing loss; teenagers with hearing loss who teach younger children who are deaf and hard of hearing about self-advocacy and confidence; parents with typical hearing who tirelessly make sure that their child with hearing loss has a voice to communicate and engage with the world; and AG Bell volunteers who share their passion for listening and spoken language. Hear their voices! Our opening article by Pauline T. Newton, Ph.D., reviews Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In, which encourages women to network and advocate for better pay and flexible hours in order to maintain a work-life balance. Newton uses the book to answer a question that may be on many of our readers’ minds: Do individuals with hearing loss face a similar glass ceiling that hinders their climb to promotion in the workplace? In “Developing Speech Skills for Children Who Come Late to Listening or Have Other Special Needs,” Christina Perigoe, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT, discusses approaches for speech and language development for children with hearing loss who have come late to listening or have additional identified special needs. She reminds us of Daniel Ling’s legacy and his vision that children with hearing loss can learn to listen, speak and thrive. Samuel R. Atcherson, Ph.D., writes about “Trading Signals: My Decision to Go Bilateral with Cochlear Implants.” He discusses his considerations about getting his first cochlear implant, his life as a bimodal hearing aid and cochlear implant

user, and his eventual decision to get a second cochlear implant. “LOFT in Action: Voices of Leadership” profiles some of the special programming from the July 2013 sessions of the AG Bell Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program, which had this year’s LOFT participants develop and facilitate a “Teens & Tweens” program for middle school students who are deaf and hard of hearing and their parents, demonstrating what LOFT is about—providing specific, tangible opportunities for the LOFT teens to develop into confident leaders, effective advocates and inspirational role models. As a supplement to this article, Christina Perigoe, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT, interviews the lead counselor and co-founder of LOFT, Ken Levinson, who provides an historical perspective on the program and his thoughts on its impact and future. In “Beauty in Every Obstacle,” Alana Nichols writes about embracing herself to the fullest, including her deafness, by advocating for herself, surrounding herself with positive people and ultimately learning to find happiness and laughter on a daily basis.

VOLTA VOICES • N ov embe r/De c e mbe r 201 3

In our “Tips for Parents” column, Lexi Logan writes about using her natural creativity and arts background to cultivate language and speech for her son Phoenix, 11, who is deaf and is a burgeoning actor! Our “Up Front on the Back Page” column features Carrie Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A, a hearing aid user and an educational audiologist, who feels her career has come together with a purpose. She offers heartfelt advice to teens with hearing loss and shares her experience growing up in the mainstream, choosing audiology as her profession and advocating on behalf of children with hearing loss. Thank you, as always, for reading. It is our hope that the following pages will put a smile on your face and provide you with inspiration and motivation to thrive in the New Year! We are in the process of editorial planning for 2014. We welcome your comments, suggestions or story ideas! Please email editor@agbell.org. Kind regards,

Anna Karkovska McGlew Editor, Volta Voices

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To the Editor

write in response to “State Laws for Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing” (Volta Voices July/August 2013). First, thank you for bringing attention to these laws, which are designed to clarify and enhance the protections of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The article rightly points out that Deaf Children’s Bills of Rights (DCBRs) support access to sign language. It then says that sign language is “not relevant to the majority of students who are deaf and hard of hearing in the public schools” and “52 percent of students who are deaf and hard of hearing nationwide are educated in environments which focus on listening and spoken language.” Doing the math, this leaves 48 percent who are not placed in such environments, such as those who are in settings that include sign language. In my view we should celebrate—not criticize—DCBRs’ attempts to protect all the ways deaf students communicate, regardless of majority/minority status. The article also incorrectly states that the language in some state laws “runs counter to federal laws,” using as an example the suggestion that determination of least restrictive environment (LRE) “take into account the unique communication needs of children who are deaf and hard of hearing.” In fact, longstanding IDEA interpretation and policy support this provision. For example, the U.S. Education Department has declared: “Any setting that does not meet the communication and related needs of a child who is deaf does not allow for the

provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and cannot be considered the LRE for that child. Just as the IDEA requires placement in the regular educational setting when it is appropriate for the unique needs of a child who is deaf, it also requires placement outside of the regular educational setting when the child’s needs cannot be met in that setting” (Letter to Stern, September 30, 2011). On another topic, we are pleased that the article provides information on the proposed Alice Cogswell Act. If passed, this law would strengthen state accountability for meeting the language and communication needs of each deaf and hard of hearing student, whether a student communicates through spoken language and listening, sign language, or, as is the case with many deaf and hard of hearing students, both. Interested advocates can read more at http://ceasd.org/childfirst/alice-cogswell. I may be reached for questions or comments about this at baraimondo@me.com. Thank you for your initiatives to educate parents, professionals, and policy makers about students’ rights to have their language and communication needs met in school. Respectfully,

Barbara Raimondo, Esq. Government Relations Liaison Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD)

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V OLTA V OIC E S • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

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

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Voices contributors Samuel R. Atcherson, Ph.D., is associate professor in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in consortium with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Atcherson is a bilateral cochlear implant user. He is the author of over 70 publications, including two books and 27 peer-reviewed articles, and has given over 120 presentations on topics involving auditory rehabilitation, assistive technology, clinical electrophysiology, age-related hearing loss, auditory processing disorders and health literacy. He is past president of the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses. He lives in Little Rock, Ark., with his wife and two daughters. When he is not working, he enjoys woodworking, cooking and outdoor sports. Lexi Logan was raised in Bucks County, Pa., on a bucolic sheep farm in the valleys of Cuttalossa. Educated in Quaker Schools, Logan was surrounded by artists throughout her life. She followed her love of art to New York City, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Fine Art and Art Education from New York University. After graduating with honors, Lexi worked in Manhattan for 10 years creating art, teaching and immersing herself in the city life. In 2000, she returned to Bucks County with her Australian husband, Andrew Logan, an internationally recognized sculptor. Together they have three children, Phoenix, 11, Fiona, 8, and Roman, 5. The family lives on an “Art Farm” in Buckingham, Pa. Logan spends much of her time parenting her three children, painting, scouring thrift shops and documenting it all with her digital camera.

Pauline Newton, Ph.D., teaches introductory academic writing courses at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. Her specialty is American Literature, and this academic year she is teaching courses on graphic novels and travel narratives. She was born with a bilateral severe-to-profound hearing loss, and visited the Helen H. Beebe Speech and Hearing Center when she was a child. She lived in Latin America during those childhood years, but spent summers in Easton, Pa., living at the Larry Jarrett House and in the Welches’ house (a summer rental from a Lafayette College professor). Alana Nichols was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. Profoundly deaf in both ears due to a common cavity malformation, she underwent experimental surgery and received auditory-verbal therapy while growing up. After their experiences with Alana, her parents started the Children’s Hearing Foundation in Taiwan, which has since expanded its resources to China and Japan, helping thousands of children with hearing loss. Her mother, Joanna Nichols, was the 2010 recipient of AG Bell’s prestigious Volta Award. Christina Perigoe, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT, is the coordinator of the Early Oral Intervention graduate program at The University of Southern Mississippi. She is a certified teacher, a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, a speech-language pathologist, and a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS ®). Perigoe is an

VOLTA VOICES • N ov embe r/De c e mbe r 201 3

international presenter and co-edited The Volta Review monographs, “Multiple Challenges: Multiple Solutions” (2004), and “Professional Preparation for Listening and Spoken Language Practitioners” (2010). Perigoe is a founding member of the Ling Consortium dedicated to continuing Daniel Ling’s vision that children with hearing loss can learn to listen and speak. She will be doing a series of workshops on Speech Assessment and Intervention in Australia and New Zealand in conjunction with the RIDBC Renwick Centre and Cochlear Australia/New Zealand in November-December 2013. Carrie Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A, has worked with school districts providing educational audiology services for over 13 years. She is currently employed at The University of Akron School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. In addition to her professional expertise, she brings personal experience as she successfully lives with hearing loss. Spangler provides presentations nationally and internationally and is the co-author of the GAP program (Guide to Access Planning), a transition program for teens with hearing loss, and the LIFE-R (Listening Inventory for Education-Revised). She is the chairperson for the State of Ohio Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Committee and advocated successfully for budget funding for hearing aids for children in the state of Ohio. Spangler is the 2012 recipient of the Cheryl DeConde-Johnson Award for Best Practices in Pediatric/ Educational Audiology. She can be reached at cls132@uakron.edu.

SOUND NEWS BITES Volta Voices Receives 2013 APEX Award The Volta Voices article “The Changing Landscape of Deaf Education” by Krystyann Krywko, Ed.D., is a 2013 APEX Awards winner! The article, which appeared as a feature piece in the November/December 2012 issue, was selected for an Award of Excellence in the feature writing category. The APEX Awards recognize excellence in publications work by professional communicators and the 2013 competition featured a pool of some 2,400 entries. IDEA Task Force AG Bell recently formed a task force to assess and make recommendations about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as it pertains to children who are deaf and hard of hearing who use listening and spoken language. The task force will also make recommendations related to the qualifications of professionals who support these children in school-based settings. These recommendations will form the basis for a position statement and model legislative language for the eventual reauthorization of IDEA. The taskforce will be chaired by Bruce Goldstein, Esq., a senior partner at Goldstein, Ackerhalt & Pletcher, LLP. He has more than 30 years of experience and concentrates his practice in the areas of education law, disability law, estate planning, not-forprofit corporation law and health law. Goldstein is a past president of AG Bell and a recipient of AG Bell’s prestigious Honors of the Association award. Look for more information on the IDEA task force soon!

CHAPTERS Hear the Roar! Summer Fest at the Detroit Zoo The third annual summer event of the Michigan chapter of AG Bell—Hear the Roar—was held at the Detroit Zoo on a hot day in June, which didn’t stop the 115 attendees (or zoo animals!) from having a good time! The event kicked off with two fantastic icebreakers. Families gathered in a large circle and introduced themselves to one another by autographing a beach ball, sharing how hearing loss has touched their lives, and then tossing the ball to another family, until all families were introduced. The second activity was geared toward children with hearing loss and adults with hearing loss. Each adult received a bag of beads. Each child had an empty necklace. To facilitate communication across generations, the children were encouraged to initiate conversation with an adult with hearing loss. After chatting for a while, the adults gave beads to the children to string on their necklaces. The children all went home with a reminder that they are never alone and have a strong community behind them. Other activities for children included making and decorating visors and other animal-themed arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, and a wild relay race. Summer Camp for Students with Hearing Loss The Michigan chapter of AG Bell provided scholarships to 13 students who are deaf and hard of hearing this year to attend summer camp. The YMCA Storer camp gives students with hearing loss the opportunity to go to camp with peers with typical hearing. Staff from the Michigan chapter attends the camp in order to train the YMCA camp staff on hearing loss, troubleshoot the students’ equipment such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, provide daily language-based activities for the students, and assist where needed throughout the two weeks of camp. For many of the students with hearing loss, this was their first camp experience and they were able to learn and participate in activities they had never done before. Brooklyn DeRyckere wrote, “I loved the rock wall because I went all the way to the top. My family will be happy for me because I was on the top!” Other students have been returning to camp year after year and have grown to appreciate the friendships and relationships they are able to form while at camp. Darionna Bell has returned to camp for four years now and enjoys being able to make lots of new friends and sleep in a cabin. Camp is an experience like none other for students with hearing loss because it provides a great amount of responsibility, language and self-advocacy, along with the fun-filled activities, meaningful relationships and leadership opportunities. If you are a student with hearing loss who lives in Michigan, consider applying for a scholarship to attend YMCA Storer camp in July 2014!

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BITES Oral Deaf Adults Section (ODAS) 50th Anniversary Celebration In recognition of AG Bell’s original oral deaf adult group, two 50th anniversary celebrations will be held in 2014. The first celebration will take place in a retreat on March 14-16, 2014 where it all began—the 1964 Convention in Salt Lake City. The 50th anniversary will

also be celebrated in Orlando during the AG Bell 2014 Convention where attendees can see and hear highlights from our time in Salt Lake City and attend tributes to the ODAS founders and members and their achievements. ODAS was founded by four remarkable men: Arthur Simon, James Marsters, Latham Bruenig and Richard Thompson. In this day and age, with

In Memoriam: George W. Fellendorf George W. Fellendorf, Ed.D., of Keene, N.H., passed away on Thursday, September 12, of acute leukemia. He was 88 years old. He served as the executive director of AG Bell and as the editor of the association’s peer-reviewed journal, The Volta Review, from 1962 until 1978. Dr. Fellendorf and his wife Hazel first became involved with AG Bell when their middle daughter, Linda, was born with severe hearing loss. The Fellendorfs chose a listening and spoken language outcome for their daughter, so that she could attend local public schools alongside her sisters. In 1962, Fellendorf accepted an offer to become the executive director of AG Bell. It was a position for which he was uniquely prepared as he understood the needs of parents of children with hearing loss. Fellendorf’s 16 years of service coincided with gradual but dramatic changes in the field of listening and spoken language. In 1973, the Rehabilitation Act passed, one of the first major civil rights laws which created and extended rights to individuals with disabilities, increasing the number of students who are deaf and hard of hearing attending mainstream schools. Richard H. Israel, Ph.D., who worked as director of professional services and programs at AG Bell from 1971 to 1975, vividly remembered two of Dr. Fellendorf’s lasting legacies to the association and children with hearing loss, “George was a major force behind the AG Bell scholarship program and formulated the ‘Hearing Alert’ program to foster early identification of hearing loss in babies and young children. The legacy of this program is the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening program that is mandated in most states of the United States.” Fellendorf then continued to be active in the field of listening and spoken language, mentoring and guiding other parents of children with hearing loss, contributing to AG Bell publications, and serving as an inspiration to individuals living with hearing loss and the professionals that serve them. George W. Fellendorf’s life was celebrated in a memorial service on October 1 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Keene, N.H.

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Compiled by: Anna Karkovska McGlew

amazing technology like digital hearing aids, cochlear implants and the never-ending influence of computers, smart phones, videophones and other communication modes, more and more children who are deaf and hard of hearing are succeeding in this modern world. As Richard Thompson said at the 1965 regional ODAS meeting in Toronto, “We are more concerned with how we make the most of what we have and how we have learned to live with our limitations.” In later years, the ODAS name was changed twice, first to the Oral Hearing Impaired Section (OHIS) and then to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Section (DHHS). Now our voices are heard all over the world through the Internet like Facebook, SpeakUp or LipSpeak. We have come a long way since that first meeting in Salt Lake City 50 years ago and have much to celebrate and remember! For reservation information for the Salt Lake City retreat, please contact Karen Kirby at kmtkirby@ gmail.com or Carol Ban at chban43@ gmail.com.

Medical Student Wins CART Case In a recent decision, a federal court ruled that Creighton University violated federal law by not providing computerassisted realtime transcription (CART) to Michael Argenyi, a medical student who is deaf and uses a cochlear implant to communicate. The case was profiled in the July/August 2013 issue of Volta Voices. “Michael Argenyi wanted to be a doctor and ended up a hero for people who are deaf and hard of

SOUND BITES CHAPTERS New NY Chapter Website The New York chapter of AG Bell has unveiled its newly redesigned website: www.agbellnewyork.org. The website features extensive information on understanding hearing loss, achieving a listening and spoken language outcome for your child with hearing loss, a New York state events calendar, ways to get involved and connected, and much more! hearing. He fought for four years for the right to learn – to full and equal access to education – and never gave up,” said attorney Mary Vargas who represented Argenyi in the case. “The jury verdict is an historic validation of the rights of people who are deaf and hard of hearing to follow their dreams.”

When Creighton University did not grant Argenyi’s request for CART so he could understand what was being said in classes and during medical rounds, Argenyi brought suit against Creighton in federal court in Nebraska alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. However, the district court ruled

in the school’s favor, holding that Argenyi had not been denied access to the medical school because he was passing his classes—albeit while paying for his own interpreting. Argenyi appealed to the 8th Circuit, at which time AG Bell filed an amicus brief in his support. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) also filed a brief in this case largely agreeing with AG Bell’s arguments. In a unanimous decision, the 8th Circuit agreed with the plaintiff, AG Bell and the DOJ that Creighton had violated federal accessibility statutes by denying CART to Argenyi. The court stated that accommodations are “necessary” if they “ensure that all people have ‘full and equal enjoyment’ of public accom-

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VOLTA VOICES • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

modations [i.e., schools] regardless of disability.” Because Argenyi could not fully understand lectures and rounds without CART, he had stated a viable claim under federal accessibility statutes. The 8th Circuit remanded the case to the district court for a trial under the proper standards, which Argenyi won. To access additional background and information on the case, go to http://bit. ly/18cO8it. Correction The picture accompanying the SoundBites story “Connecting Families Through Listening and Spoken Language” in the September/October issue should have had the following caption: Left to right: Susan Dillmuth-Miller, Elizabeth Kellenberger, Michele Flower, Carla Cabanas, Lisa Goldstein, Judy Sexton, Debbie Johnston and Lillian Lippencott.

MEMBERS IN THE MEDIA Young AG Bell Member in Toys R Us Catalog Makayla, 3, or “MeiMei” as everyone knows her, was born with hearing loss in both ears and Down Syndrome. She started wearing hearing aids at 6 months and received a cochlear implant in her right ear in September 2012. She attends an integrated preschool program and loves to sing and dance. Through the Clarke School for Hearing and Speech where she was receiving speech therapy, her family received an application for the Toys R Us catalog where Makayla recently appeared!

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“Lean In” to a Promotion By Pauline T. Newton, Ph.D.

ast summer, I obtained a copy of Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In, which encourages women to network and advocate for better pay and flexible hours in order to maintain a work-life balance. Sandberg has remarkable credentials: two Harvard degrees, a position as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Facebook and a former vicepresidential position at Google. At times, her advice, while rightfully encouraging, seems daunting not only to women who are not COOs, but also to individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) and who gratefully grip their desks once hired, knowing they’ve beaten great odds by landing a position.

As I read Lean In, I kept scribbling notes. Sandberg’s suggestions were excellent, but they did not address a question that has vexed me, a bilateral cochlear implant user, for years. Putting the gender question aside for a moment, do individuals with hearing loss face a similar glass ceiling that hinders their climb to promotion in the workplace? Mulling this question as I continued to read, my mind wandered to tennis player Venus Williams, who relentlessly pushed, with the help of Billie Jean King and others, for equal prize money at Wimbledon. As she battled for this purse, Venus not only advocated for herself but for other women in different professions.

Advocating for Ourselves Like Sandberg, Williams stands at the top of the “jungle gym,” but women and men with hearing loss—not just COOs of Facebook and professional tennis players—need to do the same: advocate. They are not just speaking up for themselves; they are paving the way for others who follow in their footsteps. I still bite my nails at times when I request CART for specific lectures at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where I work. “Is it really necessary?,” I ask myself in a little voice. Then I think of the others that might come after me: SMU students with cochlear implants

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Images courtesy of shutterstock.com/wavebreakmedia

True. Few recognize that diligent coworker in the corner. Toot your own horn (but don’t blast it). Sandberg notes that women are less likely to advocate for themselves. She cites an example of this failure to speak up. When she was finishing a lecture, she noted that she would take two more questions. At that point, all the women put their hands down. The men kept theirs up. I fear the same rings true for people with hearing loss. We’re grateful that we have titles that label us as employed. We dutifully sit with our work. We don’t keep our hands in the air when an opportunity arises.

promotion initially bumps up the salary minimally. Individuals with hearing loss need to speak up and volunteer themselves for better positions. However, are individuals with hearing loss overlooked, because a promotion might, say, include more communication via telephone?

Don’t Wait to Request Support

It’s possible that a supervisor or boss may believe that a person who is D/HH cannot succeed with a promotion because it requires skills that may seem difficult to master with a hearing loss. For example, if a promotion requires an individual who is D/HH to communicate in a variety of Timidity Costs Dearly Failure to promote oneself can be costly. For group settings, an employer may wonder if the candidate will struggle. example, women are less likely to negotiate The best thing to do is to ask. Both for a higher salary when offered a job, an parties should ask questions of the other, error that can impact one’s income over a lifetime. According to the WAGE (Women respectfully. Journalist Lisa Goldstein, who worked at a bookstore in the 1990s, Are Getting Even) Project, if Candidate A doesn’t negotiate his/her salary before being found herself in this position. She was not hired, Candidate B, who negotiates and who promoted to manager, and someone hired starts out making only a few hundred more after her received a promotion. If an individual with a hearing loss like Goldstein than Candidate A, can make more than $1 recognizes that s/he was overlooked, s/he million more over a lifetime. should discuss it with a supervisor. This The same proves true for promotions; may prove awkward, given the sensitive if a person who is D/HH does not get a promotion, then s/he will earn considerably nature of the topic—an employee doesn’t want to sound like s/he is accusing a superless over a lifetime than a colleague who visor of discrimination without concrete was hired at the same time for the same evidence—but the employee should conpay and who was promoted—even if the

or colleagues who might gradually or suddenly lose their hearing due to aging or a head injury. The same goes for promotion. I was relieved when I landed my job at SMU, which, at the time, was a one-year lecturer position. I quietly followed the rules. I reported enrolled students who never came to class. I met with students in my office for extra conferences. I attended departmental meetings and worked with interdisciplinary committees. And yet, one day, I mentioned to a mentor that I had not been considered for a teaching opportunity. He replied, “Don’t assume that you’re being ignored. Step forward and volunteer yourself.”

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sider addressing any potential concerns in a circumspect manner by demonstrating that s/he can fulfill the requirements. For example, if conference calls might be part of a promotion, then s/he should make sure her/his boss knows about services that transcribe such calls. In fact, a supervisor (or the appropriate contact in human resources) should know about such resources early on in the hiring process. If I had not requested CART during my first years at SMU, my contact in the office of access and equity might have wondered why I had waited so long to request it. By the time the promotion arises, the supervisor then ideally should have no qualms about the candidate’s performance. In Lean In, Sandberg aggressively addresses awkward questions, too, though she clearly wears the supervisor’s hat. In her case, she asked more than one of her team players whether she was turning down a promotion because she was considering having a baby. Sandberg argues that a woman with a promotion will return to work happier after maternity

leave, knowing that she is being mentally challenged. Likewise for the individual with hearing loss: if one’s company is not tapping potential, the individual who is D/ HH may become frustrated or even bitter. The employee and the company will thrive if the employee is challenged and encouraged as s/he grows into a new position. The deaf community—not to mention women—needs more team leaders like Sandberg who address awkward issues compassionately, but until then, it must educate employers, early and often, so that, given certain reasonable accommodations, the individual who is D/HH can perform just as well as anyone on the team.

Two Types of Mentors A mentor can enable an employee to navigate such uncomfortable moments. If a mentor can communicate to a supervisor that a person who is D/HH can perform well with the promotion, that provides that individual with an advocate in his/ her quest for professional growth. In “Perceptions of Women in Management:

A Thematic Analysis of Razing the Glass Ceiling,” Mindy S. Baumgartner and David E. Schneider stress the importance of informal mentoring, and their suggestions apply to the individual with hearing loss. The women they interviewed encourage mentees to “select ‘someone who has been where you want to go.’” An individual who is D/HH may need two mentors: one who has a hearing loss and one who works in his/her profession. If an individual is looking for a promotion and s/he thinks that a supervisor may have qualms about her/his hearing loss, s/he can learn what mentors who are deaf have done. S/He can network on Facebook and via email. From time to time, I have contacted both types of mentors. I belong to a listserv for academics who are deaf and hard of hearing. I have also queried my mentors with typical hearing about applying for specific roles or grants within the university. Christine Anthony, cofounder and COO of Altra Interactive, who has a hearing loss, practiced this advice when

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she was up for a promotion during her consulting days. When she applied for a promotion as a manager, there were five or six candidates but only three positions. All candidates were qualified but the ones that got promoted were those who had bosses and colleagues present an argument and advocate on their behalf. Anthony got the promotion because her supervisor at the time and a former boss both made strong arguments in her favor. “The reason they were happy to argue for me (in addition to my being qualified) was that I made it clear from the beginning that I wanted to be promoted and worked with both people to show I deserved it and asked for their help and support. I kept them in the loop on all the things that I accomplished so they had ammunition to argue. Self-advertising works!” said Anthony.

Take the Long Road Anthony emphasizes that this self-advertising must occur over a long period of time, and not just before the promotion.

She suggests making a list of strengths and skills: “It helps to write this down in a formal list or report; that way, you have clear and logical arguments for a promotion.” She adds, “You can also share the report with someone else to see if they are convinced by your arguments.” Anthony also cautions against blaming hearing loss for not being promoted, arguing that “people can feel ‘entitled’ to a promotion and when they don’t get it, their first reaction is to blame ‘something else’ like hearing loss, bad boss, etc.” A list of strengths and skills then becomes an impartial way to self-evaluate and to show your supervisor your abilities. However, “hearing loss makes it hard sometimes to be in the loop with people and conversations (think a business dinner in a noisy restaurant!). When you don’t have the right connections and are not able to ‘schmooze’ in every environment, then the path is more difficult,” acknowledges Anthony. Often business decisions and connections occur outside the boardroom—in a bar or at a baseball game.

A mentor in the Baumgartner and Schneider article suggests that women should “learn how to golf or play tennis. Don’t be afraid to initiate meetings, lunch or to include yourself and show that you are aggressive.” People with hearing loss could follow this advice. Finally, consider the words of Rabbi Darby Leigh, a strong advocate. During an interview with a hiring committee, Rabbi Leigh said, “I may not hear very well, but I really know how to listen.”

References Baumgartner, M. S., & Schneider, D. E. (2010). Perceptions of women in management: A thematic analysis of razing the glass ceiling. Journal of Career Development, 37(2), 559-576. Sandberg, S. (2013). Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. New York, NY: Knopf. Ungar-Sargon, B. (2013). Deaf rabbi prepares to lead a hearing congregation in Massachusetts. Tablet Magazine, July 2013. Retrieved from http://www.tabletmag.com/ jewish-life-and-religion/139163/deaf-rabbi WAGE Project (n.d.). What Are the Costs of the Wage Gap? Retrieved from http://wageproject. org/files/costs.php

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Developing Speech Skills

for Children Who Come Late to Listening or Have Other Special Needs By Christina Perigoe, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT

hildren with typical hearing and development learn to speak by listening to those around them. In addition to learning the vocabulary (semantics) and grammar (syntax) of the language, children learn how to use it (pragmatics) and they learn their mother tongue’s unique pronunciation of speech sounds and words–its phonology. Phonology is best learned through listening. That’s why children will speak what they hear. They will speak like their parents, their siblings or their friends in the community. Children with hearing loss will also speak the way that they hear. If certain speech sounds are not getting to

the child’s ears (and his/her brain) or if the sounds are not clear, then the child will have difficulty saying those speech sounds clearly. With newborn hearing screening, early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs, intensive audiological management, appropriate listening and spoken language intervention, and family support, infants and young children who are deaf and hard of hearing have an opportunity to follow the typical trajectory of listening, speech and language development. These children not only learn to listen, but learn to speak like their typically developing peers (Cole & Flexer, 2011).

However, some children with hearing loss may not be developing speech skills on par with their hearing peers. These children may be “late starters.” They may have additional challenges. Or they may be children who are both starting late and dealing with additional special needs.

“Late Starters” “Late starters” are children who have come late to listening due to a variety of reasons such as late, missed or ignored diagnosis; lack of universal newborn hearing screening in a particular geographic area or country; inconsistent use of amplification; or early emphasis on visual languages and later transition to an auditory-verbal

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shutterstock.com/K. Miri Photography

approach. The latter sometimes happens after a child in a visual language program receives a cochlear implant. For the child who is coming late to listening, but who is otherwise developing typically, speech remediation can be quite successful, especially when the child learns to use hearing to process speech and spoken language. The later the child starts receiving auditory input and speech remediation, the slower the progress will be.

Additional Special Needs

hearing have additional identified special needs (Gallaudet Research Institute, 2008). These additional special needs may range from mild to very severe, as can their effect on the child’s ability to process and produce speech sounds. Some possible causes include genetic disorders, prematurity, accidents or illnesses to the child or to the mother during pregnancy. Sometimes, the cause of the additional disability, as well as the hearing loss, is unknown. What is important to remember is that additional special needs may occur and be diagnosed at any age, with any amount of severity and in any combination. Often disabilities that are less severe are diagnosed later, since they are not as obvious. Some additional special needs that may adversely influence speech production are related specifically to speech. These may be atypical speech structures (e.g., cleft palate), difficulty coordinating mouth movements (e.g., childhood apraxia/dyspraxia of speech), weak speech muscles and/or poor muscle movement (e.g., dysarthria), difficulty pronouncing words (e.g., articulation or phonological disorders), problems with vocal cords/phonation, poor sensory feedback in the mouth, or dysfluency (stuttering) (Daniel & Ritter, 2012). Others may be related to cognitive functioning or communication (e.g., autism spectrum disorder). Understanding the child’s additional challenges will help the professional determine the best approach for remediation of speech. A team approach is essential, so that parents, teachers and therapists have consistent goals and expectations. For children with hearing loss and additional special needs, especially if they are starting late, remedial speech teaching is often necessary. The approach might emphasize audition but use other modalities, such as vision and tactile cues, to make teaching clearer to the child. Repetition and practice is often necessary, as these children may have missed opportunities for typical speech babble practice in infancy.

Daniel Ling’s Legacy

It is estimated that approximately 40 per- Daniel Ling, OC, Ph.D., developed a cent of children who are deaf and hard of highly organized and sequential system

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of speech assessment and intervention for children with hearing loss (Ling, 2002). Ling’s system is based on optimizing the use of audition to develop speech. It was first introduced in the 1970s, but has been used for decades. The strength of the program is its emphasis on the relationship between speech perception (what the child can hear) and speech production (what the child can say). When acoustic cues are not available to the child, the use of visual and tactile cues can provide the information necessary for the development of most sounds. After using a visual or tactile cue, the teacher/therapist should ‘put the sound back into hearing.’ Ling’s system is particularly useful in working with children who need remediation of speech skills and with children who are progressing slowly. It can also be adapted for a more developmental approach. By using the Ling Six Sound Test and knowledge of speech acoustics, the teacher/practitioner can predict which speech sounds the child is most likely to hear and which sounds may be problematic (Ling, 2006). A functional listening assessment and an assessment of the child’s speech production abilities in syllables, words and spontaneous speech will help in selecting listening and speaking goals. The Ling Phonetic Level Evaluation (1976) is the established tool for assessing speech production at the syllable level. The results of the Phonetic Level Evaluation should be compared first to how the child performs on a word test such as Identifying Early Phonological Needs (Paden & Brown, 1992) or the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-2 (Goldman & Fristoe, 2000), and then to how the child uses speech sounds in connected spoken language. Ling’s Phonologic Level Evaluation (1976) was designed to assess the child’s speech in connected language. Once speech goals are selected, the child’s progress should be charted in detail. Syllable practice (phonetic level) seeks to establish four principal components of the child’s ability to master non-meaningful speech sounds: accuracy, speed, flexibility and economy of effort (Ling, 2002). Phonologic level practice

Considerations for Teachers, Therapists and Parents During Speech Remediation Does the child have sufficient hearing at required frequencies to hear the speech sound? If not, why not? Can that be changed? Is the child’s hearing technology working reliably? Is the child using it consistently? What speech skills can the child already produce in syllables, in words, in connected language? Does the child have the prerequisite knowledge and skills to produce the speech sound or do we need to go back to an earlier skill level? Are the materials appropriate for the speech skill being developed? Are the strategies being used effective? Would a different strategy be better?

focuses on the child’s ability to transfer phonetic (syllable) level skills to use in words, phrases, sentences and connected spoken language. Ling stressed the importance of incorporating suprasegmental aspects of speech (duration, intensity and pitch) into both levels, with appropriate breath support and vocal quality, so that children develop natural-sounding voices. With early intervention and the use of improved hearing technologies, children with hearing loss can use listening skills to develop better voice quality than when Ling first devised his system. Ling has a wealth of speech strategies for every sound outlined in his books (1976; 1989; 2002) and in the Ling Speech Cards (Ling & North, 2009). These strategies are predicated on using the most appropriate sense modality (usually audition), ensuring that the child has the necessary prerequisite speech skills, progressing from what the child knows to what is unknown and working from easy to more difficult sounds. The teacher/ therapist should give clear feedback to the child about whether the speech

Is the child receiving enough practice to learn the speech sound? Is it being reinforced appropriately? Are both phonetic (syllable) level and phonologic (word, phrase and sentence) level skills being developed? Is the child using learned speech sounds in spontaneous spoken language? Are there appropriate carryover activities for practice of speech at home? Are parents involved in the process? Are speech skills, once they are learned, being retained? Is the rate of progress acceptable? If not, what factors might be impeding progress? What speech sounds should be developed next?

production is correct and reinforce the child appropriately and in the context of communication. Syllable practice should be quick and interesting, and be related as soon as possible to functional spoken language in real-life settings (Perigoe, 1992). Further, carryover of speech skills into function words, such as prepositions, articles and conjunctions, can help improve language (Perigoe & Ling, 1986). Also, Ling recommends the use of multiple speech targets and practice several times a day. Informal strategies are suitable for younger children and more formal strategies can be used with older children of school age.

Collaboration Is Key Success in working with children who need a more remedial method of speechlanguage intervention is only possible with a cooperative effort between professionals and parents/caregivers. This starts and ends with the parents. They know their child best and can provide both abundant auditory input of language and opportunities for the child to use spoken language in daily life.

Audiologists, speech-language pathologists, teachers of the deaf, and Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS ®) have important roles to play in both assessment and intervention. In addition, for those children with additional special needs, other professionals, such as occupational therapists, physical therapists and feeding specialists, can be valuable colleagues in helping the child develop foundational skills that can support the acquisition of speech. As a listening and spoken language professional, I became more knowledgeable about oral motor intervention by observing and learning from occupational therapists and other speechlanguage pathologists. However, I would recommend that any oral motor practice have an immediate application to speech. For example, work on blowing should be immediately followed by speech practice of unvoiced fricative speech sounds, such as “h”, “th”, “f ”, etc. The use of non-speech oral motor exercises to improve speech has not been supported by research. The current trend is away from the practice of non-speech oral motor movements toward those that are more directly related to speech production (Lof, 2006).

Cued Speech Work with colleagues in Cued Speech assisted me in teaching some students who used Cued Speech, but needed additional intervention to improve their speech production skills. I found that Ling’s model for speech development worked very well with these students (Perigoe & LeBlanc, 1994). I later used this as a springboard for teaching a child with a profound hearing loss who was a late starter and also diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. After receiving a cochlear implant, the child was able to detect and process speech through audition alone. However, speech production remained a challenge and the student found Cued Speech confusing. My solution was to develop a unique cueing system that made sense to the student and that used a different hand shape for each sound. The student’s speech became more intelligible when self-cueing was used.

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The Association Method My supervision of graduate students doing their practicum at Magnolia Speech School in Jackson, Miss., has helped me learn more about the Association Method (Sullivan & Perigoe, 2004) and how it is implemented at the school. Mildred McGinnis developed the Association Method in the 1920s and 1930s to work with veterans who had suffered head injuries and she later adapted the method to work with children with hearing loss. It is a multi-modality, remedial approach with the goal of teaching children to attend, process, store and retrieve spoken and written language. It is used with children who have been diagnosed with certain speech and language disorders, particularly those with childhood apraxia of speech and those with reading disabilities. The method has also been used with children who are deaf and hard of hearing who are late starters or who have additional special needs. Children learning with the Association Method each have a personalized “sound book” for the practice of speech sounds, which links listening and speaking to phonics and print. Clinical data indicate that students using this method have shown improvement, but the approach needs more formal

research to evaluate its effectiveness. The DuBard School for Language Disorders in Hattiesburg, Miss., offers annual courses for professionals interested in learning about the Association Method. Children who come to hearing late and/or have additional special needs may need a structured, remedial approach to speech treatment. Ling’s model offers a systematic approach to assessment and intervention, which has a strong foundation in the use of audition to develop speech skills. Teachers, therapists and parents need to ask some key questions when evaluating the child’s speech program to ensure that optimal progress is being made (see sidebar on page 26). When working in collaborative teams, professionals and parents can support each other to individualize a child’s speech program and make it both enjoyable and effective for the child. Speech is a way to encode language for spoken communication. Therefore, practice of speech sounds or nonsense syllables needs to be linked to meaning in spoken language. In this way, the child with hearing loss can use speech to communicate information, ideas, desires and feelings. Ultimately, speech becomes successful for a child when it serves his/

her purpose of communicating with others. As Daniel Ling used to say, “When a child asks for milk and gets it, that’s its own reward. You don’t have to say ‘Good speech!’” And don’t forget to ask the important question—“Are we having fun yet?”

References Cole, E. B., & Flexer, C. (2011). Children with Hearing Loss: Developing Listening and Talking – Birth to Six (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing. Daniel, L., & Ritter, K. (2012). What is the role of the listening and spoken language professional with children who have multiple challenges and their families? In W. Estabrooks (Ed.), 101 Frequently Asked Questions About AuditoryVerbal Practice: Promoting Listening and Spoken Language for Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Their Families, (pp. 232-236). Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Gallaudet Research Institute (November 2008). Regional and National Summary Report of Data from the 2007-08 Annual Survey of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Youth. Washington, DC: GRI, Gallaudet University. Goldman, R., & Fristoe, M. (2000). Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-2 (GFTA-2). Circle Pines, MN: Pearson. Ling, D. (2006). The six-sound test. In W. Estabrooks (Ed.). Auditory-Verbal Therapy and Practice, (pp. 307-310). Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Ling, D. (2002). Speech and the Hearing-Impaired Child: Theory and Practice (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Ling, D. (1989). Foundations of Spoken Language for Hearing-Impaired Children. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Ling, D. (1976). Speech and the Hearing-Impaired Child: Theory and Practice. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Ling, D., & North, S. (2009). Ling Speech Cards. Los Angeles, CA: John Tracy Clinic. Available through John Tracy Clinic at http://www.jtc.org/uploads/ docs/LingSpeech_Cards_Flyer10_10.pdf Lof, G. L. (2006). Logic, theory, and evidence against using non-speech oral motor exercises. ASHA Annual Convention, Miami Beach. Convention presentation handout. Retrieved September 12, 2013 from http:// www.speech-language therapy.com/index. php?option=com_content&view=article&id= 49:readings&catid=11:admin&Itemid=108 Paden, E. P., & Brown, C. J. (1992). Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children with Hearing Impairment. MED-EL. Perigoe, C. (1992). Strategies for the remediation of speech of hearing-impaired children. The Volta Review, 94, 95-118.

Jackie Dowling

Perigoe, C., & LeBlanc, B. (1994). Cued speech and the Ling speech model: Building blocks for intelligible speech. Cued Speech Journal, V, 30-36. Perigoe, C., & Ling, D. (1986). Generalization of speech skills in hearing-impaired children. The Volta Review, 98, 351-366.

Christina Perigoe and student: creating a listening environment for speech.

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Sullivan, A., & Perigoe, C. (2004). The Association Method for children with hearing loss and special needs. The Volta Review, 104 (4) 339-348.

Trading Signals:

My Decision to Go Bilateral with Cochlear Implants

By Samuel R. Atcherson, Ph.D.

am a bilateral cochlear implant user, but this wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always the case. My journey with cochlear implants began at age 26 in 2001 when I was doing my doctorate in audiology at the University of Memphis. My hearing loss, caused by large vestibular aqueducts, was one that became progressively worse as the years wore on. I needed stronger and stronger hearing aids with each change in my hearing. I wore many different kinds of hearing aids to compensate. I experienced changes from analog hearing aids to digitally-programmable analog ones to fully digital hearing aids. With a caring family, good educational support, speech therapy and assistive listening devices (ALD) in the

classroom, I attended mainstream public schools and succeeded academically. During that time, even ALDs changed. I remember when they were body worn, strapped around my back with wires connected to earmolds. In college, I used a much smaller ALD with a telecoil loop. While a freshman and sophomore in college, two local audiologists who managed my hearing aids encouraged me to consider becoming an audiologist. They knew I was a pre-medical technology major, but somehow they saw high potential in me to make a difference in the lives of others with hearing loss. After some convincing, I switched majors, studied communication sciences and disorders,

and eventually became an audiologist and university professor. My decision to pursue a cochlear implant was not one that I made lightly. I received my first cochlear implant from the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles, Calif. Even as an audiologist in training at the University of Memphis, I was dreadfully afraid of the whole process.

Cochlear Implant Considerations Beyond the surgery, I knew that most, if not all, residual hearing I had left in my right ear would be gone or drastically worse. Would the cochlear implant work? What if it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t? As someone who enjoys

VOLTA VOICES â&#x20AC;˘ N ov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

tion, hearing aids would never sound the same. In fact, as I began considering a cochlear implant for my right ear, it was clear within the weeks and months that followed that my hearing aids could not compensate for the amount of hearing loss I had.

Although my audiogram was not showing much change, I felt that the hearing in my left ear was functionally worse than it had been in the past or that the demands on my life were more challenging that I needed a boost. Perhaps it was a little bit of both. With two cochlear implants, I thought about how I might have the ability First Cochlear Implant to localize sound and see some improveGetting the first cochlear implant in my ment in my ability to understand speech in right ear changed my life, literally. After noisy environments. My wife, who is also an two years of auditory training once or twice a week, I regained my confidence and audiologist with hearing loss, supported my decision to move forward and go bilateral. was prepared well for a career as a uniWhen I made the conscious decision versity professor and clinical audiologist. to go bilateral, that feeling of being scared I thank clinical faculty and graduate students of the Memphis Speech and Hearing returned. It didn’t matter that I had gone through this once before and that everything Clinic and an audiologist at the Memphis turned out alright. What was forefront on my Oral School for their help. During this mind was the almost prophetic knowledge time, I continued to wear a hearing aid that I would be taking a few hearing steps in my left ear and was still getting benefit backward before things started looking up. from it. Even the thought that the cochlear My brain learned to use the two different implant would fail in my left ear went signals from my cochlear implant and hearing aid. Yes, they sounded different, but they through my mind. With all my work and family demands, I dreaded having to complimented each other well. My hearing aid delivered a rich, low pitch acoustic sound, suffer through a transitional period, and I didn’t want anyone else to suffer for my while my cochlear implant through electric stimulation delivered that crisp, clean, higher choices either. I had control over getting a second cochlear implant; but I did not have pitch sound that made speech pop out. control over my hearing in my left ear. My cochlear implant made certain sounds audible again that I had long forgotten about. With that mental crossroad, I forged ahead and made appointments to obtain cochlear I operated this way for 11 years, but I implant candidacy. knew deep down inside that the hearing in my left ear would eventually get worse. I certainly did not expect it to take as long The Cochlear as it did. Year after year, people would ask, Implant Process “Have you considered going bilateral?” My I already had years of knowledge that my answer was usually, “Yes, I have considered left ear hearing status was well within going bilateral, but I don’t feel any need the criteria for cochlear implantation and I knew from the first CT scan back in playing the piano and guitar, I worried that to get a second one right now. My hearing isn’t any better or any worse and I’m happy 2001 that my left cochlea would be fine to music would never sound good again. with my life as it is.” implant. Nevertheless, another medical In spite of my profound hearing loss, consultation with an otologist and compreI felt I did well with my hearing aids and hensive hearing evaluation with an audispeechreading skills. However, I felt for the Decision to Go Bilateral first time in my life that I was struggling in I do not really remember the exact moment, ologist was necessary to start the process. Although I’m no stranger to audiology the classroom. I could pass courses by read- or if there ever was a moment, when the and otology because of my lifelong hearing ing and studying material outside of class, seeds of going bilateral were planted. loss and my chosen profession, I have always but my understanding and comprehension Sometime late in 2011 or early 2012, I of the material during class time was not the began reflecting on my hearing loss journey enjoyed being on the other side of the fence. Rather than project my own professional same as it seemed previously. Plus, there was and my life. During the time of being a knowledge too much into the process, I also the threat of not being able to practice bimodal cochlear implant and hearing aid let my cochlear implant surgeon at the comfortably and confidently as an audiolouser, I received my Ph.D. in audiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences gist upon graduation. These were my own worked at two different universities, got and my audiologist at Arkansas Children’s concerns and worries, not anyone else’s. married and had two children. The more I Unlike hearing aids, you can’t try differthought about it, the more I began to realize Hospital do what I knew they already did best. I gave them my full trust, and I knew ent cochlear implants. Following implantathat the demands in my life had changed. Erin Dawson

Sam with his wife, Rebecca Atcherson (left) and his cochlear implant audiologist, Dr. Jordan King (right).

VOLTA VOICES • N ov embe r/De c e mbe r 201 3

Bilateral Electric Hearing On October 9, 2012, I became, officially, a bilateral cochlear implant user. That is, I had gone about three weeks wearing only the new left cochlear implant to give my audiologist time to tune my map specifically for my left ear, and to give my brain a little time to figure out what this new signal was. Even though I knew better, I secretly hoped that getting the left cochlear implant would be easy, like turning on a light bulb. After all, my brain had 11 years to learn how to interpret electric signals from a cochlear implant. Instead, my hearing initially was worse than with my hearing aid, and nowhere near what I could accomplish with my right cochlear implant. It was depressing, but at least I was familiar with the experience. It happened just the same as 11 years before. What was different this time was the perception that everything was now too loud or annoying. With my first cochlear implant, one of the first things I noticed was greater sound awareness and detection. Whispers, my clothes crinkling with every move, the scuffle of feet, and chimes and beeps around me. Although I couldn’t always tell what I was hearing, I was impressed and fascinated with the sounds I was hearing for a second time as an adult. They had faded from my life long ago as a young child. With the second implant, my focus wasn’t on sound awareness and detection. Rather, I envisioned clarity of sound and

Rebecca Atcherson

that they would return the favor by providing me with information that is given to all patients and their families. Although I was always well aware of the steps I needed to take from surgery to recovery and from activation to rehabilitation, I appreciated that they made no assumptions with me because of my professional background. The surgery went better than I expected, and I went home the same day of the surgery. After the first surgery, it took me a lot longer to come out of anesthesia and I had this horrible feeling in my head every time I moved that felt like that sensation after hitting your funny bone. Fortunately, that funny bone feeling did not last more than a couple of hours. Nevertheless, the transition—trading signals from acoustic hearing to electric hearing in both ears—was finally complete.

Sam and his cochlear implant surgeon, Dr. John Dornhoffer.

had a strong expectation of experiencing the harmony and oneness of the two cochlear implants working seamlessly together. What I got was two clearly different sounds in each ear and confusion in my brain. For several months, every time my daughters laughed, screamed or cried, or something in the environment was loud, I wanted to cringe and escape. Being annoyed made my blood pressure rise to the point that I had a short fuse and was overly anxious. It wasn’t the maps or the adjustments my audiologist made for me. It was a battle in my brain. I pictured this as a highway operation involving new roads, exits and detours from my left ear to the auditory areas in my brain, and contractual handshakes and agreements of countless neurons connected to each ear for shared resources. Each day and month became easier and easier, and sounds were less harsh with increasingly greater balance between the two ears. More importantly, my irritability began to dissipate.

Life with Two Cochlear Implants At the time of this writing, I am one year post-activation for my left ear and 12 years post-activation for my right ear. Getting the cochlear implant is a process, a journey. I am reminded that there is never really a good time to get a cochlear implant. You just have to do it. I’m feeling good, and I do not regret my decision to pursue bilateral cochlear implants, even if they were 11 years apart, each with rocky starts. It’s the little things that bring a smile to my face. I love it when I hear a sound and

look in the direction from where it came. I am amazed at how less tired I am at the end of the day because I am not straining to hear or listen. Now, when I’m tired, it’s because I’m physically tired from manual labor or mentally tired from a long day at work. Listening in noise is a little easier than it was before, but far from perfect. Since I know that plenty of people with typical hearing have their struggles in noisy environments at times, I don’t really expect listening in noise to be perfect anymore. Music is different now, and in an exciting way. Before my cochlear implants, music was essentially flat sounding and it was pretty difficult to tell the vocals apart from the musical instruments. Although I still can’t make out the lyrics to a song without seeing the lyrics on paper, I am amazed that I can pick out more instruments and musical nuances that I had not noticed before. Speaking of music, I love it when I can communicate in the car with my 5-yearold daughter who is my co-pilot in the backseat. I can’t always understand her little high-pitched voice without looking at her from time to time, but whenever she starts singing a song, my heart melts. And my 21-month-old daughter, whose language is emerging, is a joy to listen to as she sounds out words and mimics the sounds she hears around her. The remaining challenge for me is adapting and learning to use the phone in my left ear with a new signal, even if I can always use my right ear. My right ear could use the break. After all, it did get 12 years of practice.

VOLTA VOICES • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

Mom ’s Cho Awar ice ds Gold Winn er! author a

Abo ut the Author Wen

nd her d

dy Kupfer know s Almigal’s story well. Doctors diagnosed her da ughter Ali at th e age of 10 mon with a profound ths hearing loss and predicted she would never spea k, but the doctor s underestimated this unbeatable mother-daughter team. Wendy ’s dedication and dr ive, paired with Ali’s hard work and determinatio n, produced one spunky, confident “chatterbox” and two passionate ad vocates for the deaf and hard of hearing. Be sure to visit Wendy an Almigal at www d .wendykupfer.com .

? lmigal yet A t e m u o Have y

PRAISE FOR LET’S HEAR IT FOR ALMIGAL “ Let’s Hear It For Almigal shines a spotlight on children with hearing loss and reminds young readers to celebrate their differences, while nurturing self-esteem. Beautifully illustrated, this is a book that children will want to read again and again.” Lee Woodruff, NY Times Bestselling Author and CBS This Morning Contributor “A children’s picturebook with a powerful message...not to be missed for picturebook collections focusing on disabilities.” The Midwest Book Review “Beautifully illustrated by Tammie Lyon...It’s easy to identify with Almigal, a child full of energy, enthusiasm, and mischief.” ForeWord Review

5% of sa les d ea f c h i s u p p o r t s ldren

aughter

“Cheerful inclusiveness...celebrates uniqueness, while the delightful, fullpage illustrations show the lively heroine and her friends and family enjoying their differences...charming story.” Kirkus Reviews “Almigal is a delightful child whose attitude about life and not letting even a morsel of it pass her by, is totally endearing. I am a big proponent of celebrating differences, and Almigal’s appreciation of the diversity among her friends presents an ideal model for both parents and children.” Dr. Dale V. Atkins, a licensed psychologist and popular commentator on NBC’s Today Show and author of Sanity Savers

Contact Wendy Kupfer at wendyk@almigal.com or 561-654-8680.

Meet Almigal, a spunky little girl with a BIG personality who’s determined to hear “every single sound in the whole entire universe!” But most of all, Almigal wants to hear her Mommy and Daddy whisper “We love you, Almigal” when they tuck her into bed at night. Almigal’s spirit and her cotton-candy pink cochlear implants will have everyone shouting “Let’s Hear It For Almigal!”

Available through Small Press United (a division of IPG), Amazon, Barnes&Nobel, Ingram, Baker &Taylor and almigal.com ISBN: 978-0-9838294-0-9

Señales de operación:

Mi decisión para colocarme implantes cocleares bilaterales Por Samuel R. Atcherson, Ph.D.

oy usuario de implantes cocleares bilaterales, pero esto no fue siempre así. Mi trayectoria con implantes cocleares empezó a los 26 años en el 2001 cuando estaba haciendo mi doctorado de audiología en la Universidad de Memphis. Mi pérdida auditiva, provocada por mis acueductos vestibulares aumentados, fue la que me hizo empeorar progresivamente a medida que transcurrían los años. Necesitaba audífonos más potentes a medida que se producía un cambio en la audición. Utilicé diferentes tipos de audífonos para lograr compensarla. Experimenté cambios con lo que utilicé desde audífonos analógicos hasta

analógicos programables digitalmente y audífonos totalmente digitales. Con el cuidado de mi familia, un buen apoyo educativo, una terapia del habla y dispositivos de audición asistida (ALD, por sus siglas en inglés) en la clase, pude asistir a escuelas públicas convencionales y alcanzar el éxito académicamente. Durante este tiempo, incluso cambiaron los ALD. Recuerdo cuando se colocaban por el cuerpo, con cables por la espalda conectados a los moldes del oído. En la universidad, utilicé un ALD mucho más pequeño con un loop de telebobina. Durante mi primer y segundo año en la universidad, dos audiólogos locales que gestionaban mis audífonos me

animaron a que considerase la posibilidad de ser audiólogo. Sabían que estaba en la especialidad de la tecnología premédica, pero de alguna manera encontraron un gran potencial en mí y creyeron que podría cambiar la situación de las vidas de otros individuos con pérdida auditiva. Después de unas charlas convincentes, cambié de especialidad, estudié ciencias de la comunicación y trastornos comunicativos y finalmente me convertí en audiólogo y profesor de la universidad. Mi decisión de adquirir un implante coclear no fue una decisión que tomé a la ligera. Recibí mi primer implante coclear de House Ear Clinic en Los Ángeles, California. Aunque era un audiólogo en

VOLTA VOICES • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

embargo, por primera vez en mi vida sentí que estaba luchando en clase. Podía pasarme el curso leyendo y estudiando el material fuera de clase, pero mi entendimiento y comprensión del material durante la clase no era la misma que al principio. Además, también estaba el miedo de no ser capaz de practicar con comodidad y confianza como audiólogo después de la graduación. Estas eran mis preocupaciones e inquietudes, de nadie más. A diferencia de los audífonos, no puedes probarte diferentes implantes cocleares. Después del implante, los audífonos nunca sonarán igual. De hecho, cuando empecé a tener en cuenta un implante coclear para el oído derecho, fue cuando era evidente que con el paso de las semanas y de los meses mis audífonos no podrían compensar la cantidad de pérdida auditiva que había tenido.

Primer implante coclear

Erin Dawson

Al hacerme el primer implante coclear en el oído derecho, cambió mi vida, literalmente. Después de dos años de entrenamiento auditivo una o dos veces a la semana, recuperé la confianza y ya estaba bien preparado para realizar una carrera de profesor universitario y audiólogo clínico. Agradezco a la facultad clínica y a los estudiantes graduados de la Speech and Hearing Clinic de Memphis y a un audiólogo del Oral School de Memphis por su ayuda. Durante este tiempo, continué utilizando un audífono en el oído izquierdo ya que aún seguía obteniendo beneficios de él. Mi cerebro aprendía a utilizar las dos señales diferentes del implante coclear y formación en la Universidad de Memphis, del audífono. Sí, suenan diferentes, pero se tenía pánico de todo el proceso. complementan perfectamente. El audífono Cosas que hay que tener emitía un sonido acústico grave y rico, en cuenta en un implante mientras que el implante coclear mediante la estimulación eléctrica emitía un sonido coclear agudo, claro y nítido que hacía que saliese el Más allá de la cirugía, sabía que la mayor habla. El implante coclear volvía a producir parte, si no toda, de la audición residual que algunos sonidos audibles de los que ya hacía aún conservaba en el oído derecho podría tiempo que me había olvidado. perderla o podría ir a peor drásticamente. Me manejé de este modo durante 11 ¿Funcionaría el implante coclear? ¿Y si no años, pero en mi fuero interno sabía que la funcionaba? Como alguien que disfruta tocando el piano y la guitarra, me preocupaba audición del oído izquierdo estaba yendo a peor. Realmente no esperaba que fuese que no pudiese volver a oír la música. A pesar de mi profunda pérdida auditiva, a durar tanto tiempo como lo hizo. Año tras año la gente me preguntaba: “¿Has sentía que había acertado con los audífonos barajado la opción de colocarte un implante y mis habilidades para leer los labios. Sin

VOLTA VOICES • N ov embe r/De c e mbe r 201 3

bilateral?”. Mi respuesta siempre era: “Sí, he barajado esa opción, pero de momento no siento la necesidad de ponerme el segundo. Mi audición no es mejor ni peor y estoy feliz como es mi vida ahora”.

Decisión de colocarse un implante bilateral Realmente no recuerdo el momento exacto o si hubo un momento en el que se sembraron las semillas para colocarme el implante bilateral. En algún momento de finales del 2011 o principios del 2012, empecé a reflexionar acerca de la trayectoria de mi pérdida auditiva y de mi vida. Durante el momento en el que tuve un implante coclear bimodal y fui un usuario de audífonos, conseguí doctorarme en audiología, trabajé en dos universidades diferentes, me casé y tuve dos hijos. Cuanto más pensaba en eso, más me daba cuenta de que las demandas en mi vida habían cambiado. Aunque mi audiograma no mostraba muchos cambios, sentía que la audición en mi oído izquierdo era peor funcionalmente de lo que lo había sido en el pasado o que las demandas de mi vida eran más exigentes y que lo necesitaba desesperadamente. Quizás era un poco de ambos. Con dos implantes cocleares, pensaba acerca de cómo podría tener la capacidad para localizar sonidos y ver mejoras en mi capacidad para entender el habla en entornos ruidosos. Mi esposa, que también es una audióloga con pérdida auditiva, apoyaba mi decisión de avanzar y colocarme un implante bilateral. Cuando tomé la decisión consciente de colocarme el otro implante, volví a sentirme asustado. No importaba que ya hubiese pasado por eso una vez y que todo había ido bien. Lo primero en lo que pensaba era en el conocimiento profético de que tendría que retroceder unos pasos en la audición antes de que las cosas empezasen a mejorar. Incluso pensaba en que el implante coclear podría fallar en el oído izquierdo. Con todas las demandas laborales y familiares, temía tener que pasar por un período de transición y no quería que nadie sufriese por mis elecciones. Tenía el control sobre hacerme un segundo implante coclear, pero no tenía el control sobre la audición del oído izquierdo. Con esta encrucijada mental, seguí adelante y concerté citas para conseguir ser un candidato para el implante coclear.

El proceso del implante coclear Ya hace años que sé que el estado del oído izquierdo está bien dentro del criterio de los implantes cocleares y desde mi primer escáner CT del 2001 supe que la cóclea izquierda está lista para el implante. No obstante, fue necesaria otra consulta médica con un otorrino y realizar una evaluación completa de la audición con un audiólogo para iniciar el proceso. Aunque no desconozco la audiología y la otología debido a mi pérdida auditiva permanente, siempre me ha gustado estar en el otro lado de la cerca. En lugar de proyectar mi propio conocimiento personal en el proceso, dejé que mi cirujano de implantes cocleares de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad de Arkansas y mi audiólogo del Hospital Infantil de Arkansas hiciesen lo que sabía que iban a hacer. Confié totalmente en ellos y sabía que me devolverían el favor proporcionándome la información que se les da a todos los pacientes y a sus familiares. Aunque siempre fui plenamente consciente de los pasos que tenía que dar desde la cirugía hasta la recuperación y desde la activación hasta la rehabilitación, aprecié que no hubiesen hecho hipótesis conmigo debido a mi formación profesional. La cirugía fue mejor de lo que esperaba y volví a casa el mismo día. Después de la primera cirugía, me costó más salir de la anestesia y tenía una sensación horrible en la cabeza cada vez que la movía que es como lo que sientes después de golpearte el hueso del codo. Afortunadamente, esa sensación no dura más de un par de horas. No obstante, la transición (señales de operación desde la audición acústica a la audición eléctrica en ambos oídos) se completó finalmente.

Audición eléctrica bilateral El 9 de octubre del 2012, me convertí oficialmente en un usuario de implante coclear bilateral. Me pasé tres semanas llevando solamente el nuevo implante coclear izquierdo para darle tiempo a mi audiólogo para que sintonice específicamente el mapa para el oído izquierdo y así darle un poco de tiempo a mi cerebro para que averiguase que era

esa nueva señal. Aunque lo sabía mejor, secretamente esperaba que colocar el implante coclear izquierdo fuese fácil, como encender una bombilla. Después de todo mi cerebro estuvo 11 años aprendiendo cómo interpretar las señales eléctricas de un implante coclear. En cambio, al principio mi audición fue peor que con el audífono, no se pareció para nada a lo que pude lograr con el implante coclear derecho. Fue deprimente, pero al menos estaba familiarizado con la experiencia. Ocurrió lo mismo que hace 11 años atrás. Lo que esta vez fue diferente fue la percepción de que ahora todo era demasiado ruidoso y molesto. Con el primer implante coclear, una de las primeras cosas de las que me di cuenta fue el mayor reconocimiento y detección del sonido. Susurros, el movimiento de la ropa, los pasos, las campanadas y los pitidos que me rodeaban. Aunque no siempre sabía lo que estaba escuchando, estaba impresionado y fascinado con los sonidos que estaba oyendo por segunda vez como un adulto. Habían desaparecido de mi vida hacía mucho tiempo desde que era un niño. Con el segundo implante, no me centré en el reconocimiento y la detección del sonido. En su lugar, concebí la claridad del sonido y tenía grandes expectativas de sentir la armonía y la singularidad de los dos implantes cocleares funcionando simultáneamente. Lo que conseguí fueron dos sonidos claramente diferentes en cada oído y confusión en el cerebro. Durante varios meses, cada vez que mis hijas reían, gritaban o lloraban o si algo en el entorno producía un ruido fuerte, quería esconderme y escapar. Al estar enfadado, la presión arterial aumentó hasta el punto de que tenía pequeñas rabietas y estaba demasiado ansioso. No fueron los mapas o los ajustes que hizo mi audiólogo. Fue la batalla en mi cerebro. Lo representaba como una autopista con carreteras nuevas, salidas y desvíos desde el oído izquierdo a las áreas auditivas del cerebro y apretones de manos contractuales y acuerdos de innumerables neuronas conectadas a cada oído para compartir recursos. Cada día y cada mes era más sencillo, los sonidos fueron menos bruscos y los dos oídos se iban equilibrando. Lo que es más importante, mi irritabilidad empezó a desaparecer.

La vida con dos implantes cocleares En el momento de redactar este artículo, hace un año que activé el oído izquierdo y 12 que activé el derecho. Colocarse un implante coclear es un proceso, una trayectoria. Nunca es un buen momento para colocarse un implante coclear. Solo tienes que hacerlo. Me siento bien y no me arrepiento por haber tomado la decisión de colocarme implantes cocleares bilaterales, incluso si fue hace 11 años, a pesar de los duros comienzos. Son las pequeñas cosas que hacen que aparezca una sonrisa en mi cara. Me encanta cuando escucho un sonido y veo en la dirección de donde viene. Me sorprende lo menos cansado que me siento al final del día porque no tengo que esforzarme para oír o escuchar. Ahora, cuando estoy cansado, es porque estoy físicamente cansado por una labor manual o mentalmente cansado por un largo día de trabajo. Escuchar con ruido es un poco más fácil que antes, pero está lejos de ser perfecto. Desde que supe que muchas personas con una audición normal tienen que esforzarse a veces en entornos ruidosos, realmente no espero escuchar con ruido para ser perfecto. Ahora la música es diferente, divertida. Antes de los implantes cocleares, la música era esencialmente un sonido plano y era muy difícil discernir las vocales aparte de los instrumentos musicales. Aunque aún no puedo sacar la letra de una canción sin ver la letra en papel, estoy sorprendido de que puedo diferenciar más instrumentos y matices musicales de lo que nunca antes me había dado cuenta. Hablando de música, me encanta cuando me puedo comunicar en el coche con mi hija de 5 años que es mi copiloto en el asiento trasero. Nunca pude entender su pequeña voz aguda sin verla de vez en cuando, pero ahora siempre que empieza a cantar una canción, mi corazón se derrite. Con mi hija de 21 meses, que está aprendiendo a hablar, es un placer escuchar cómo pronuncia palabras y cómo hace la mímica de los sonidos que escucha a su alrededor. Mi último desafío es adaptarme y aprender a utilizar un teléfono con el oído izquierdo con una nueva señal, aunque siempre puedo utilizar el oído derecho. Mi oído derecho podría descansar. Después de todo, tiene 12 años de práctica.

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LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENS (LOFT) 2014

LOFT

is for high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing and use listening and spoken language as their primary mode of communication. This four-day sleep-away program is designed for participants to develop skills in individual leadership, teamwork, understanding group dynamics and communication, public speaking, and self-advocacy. The program provides a supportive and structured environment in which participants increase their self-confidence and understanding of their own strengths and abilities through activities designed to challenge them to work outside of their comfort zone. LOFT is a great opportunity for high school and college-bound teens interested in a leadership experience away from home with their peers.

At LOFT I grew out of my quiet shell and I learned to embrace who I am. This experience helped me gain confidence and taught me not to take a back seat in everything.

,, ,,

LOFT was amazing. I met a lot of great people who could relate to me. The counselors were encouraging and entertaining. I left LOFT feeling more confident in myself and better prepared for the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;grown upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; world.

Two sessions are being planned in Orlando, Florida.

JULY 1-5, 2014 JULY 7-11, 2014

Information and an application packet are available on the AG Bell website at www.ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/LOFT

Applications are due February 26, 2014.

LOFT in Action:

Voices of Leadership

By Anna Karkovska McGlew, M.A., and Wendy Will

he Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program is one of AG Bell’s most popular, established and transformative programs. It provides teens who are deaf and hard of hearing with opportunities and experiences that build their confidence and develop their leadership and self-advocacy skills—possibly for the first time in their lives. Since its founding in 1996, LOFT has served nearly 300 teens, with half of those in the last five years. In a safe and supportive environment, they learn about communication and self-advocacy through individual, small team and full group activities designed to challenge them in

stepping outside their comfort zone to discover not only new skills and abilities but also build the confidence to navigate life independently. LOFT teens often tell AG Bell staff and volunteer counselors that, within weeks of returning home, they are already using skills and knowledge they learned during the program.

Expansion and New Leadership Activities This year in the summer, two sessions of LOFT were conducted in Los Angeles, Calif. As a pilot, in order to test some new programming ideas, the program was expanded from four to five days, which gave each group of teens the opportunity to work together on

a project that challenged them to articulate and showcase their leadership skills. The second group of LOFT participants developed and facilitated a two-and-halfhour “Teens & Tweens” program for middle school students who are deaf and hard of hearing and their parents. The program, which drew 35 individuals, was extremely well-received, especially by the parents and was the perfect venue to test some ideas about serving middle school students who are deaf and hard of hearing. The LOFT teens developed the content for the program entirely on their own, while the framework for the event was conceptualized by AG Bell staff and LOFT’s volunteer counselors in partnership with the Training

VOLTA VOICES • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

About LOFT

Teens on one of the panels during the “Teens and Tweens” program answer questions from parents in the audience. Panel left to right: Miranda Meyers, moderator, Ryne Beachley, Cate Senior, Ravi Malpani and David Mooney.

Photos by Matthew Browne

The Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program is a multi-day program for high-school teens who are deaf and hard of hearing and use listening and spoken language to communicate. LOFT is a structured and supportive environment in which teens increase their self-confidence and understanding of their own strengths and leadership skills through individual and team-based activities designed to challenge them. The curriculum is designed to develop skills in the areas of leadership, teamwork, communication,

and Advocacy Group (TAG) based in Los Angeles, which promoted the “Teens & Tweens” program to their contacts and network of individuals and organizations in the Los Angeles area from April through July. This project demonstrated what LOFT is about—providing specific, tangible opportunities for the LOFT teens to develop into confident leaders, effective advocates and inspirational role models.

as the audience and one aimed at their parents. For each of the next several days, the teens spent a few hours refining their presentations, simulating questions and practicing for each of the programs. On the morning of the event, the LOFT teens—easily identifiable with their LOFT T-shirts—welcomed guests as they arrived. After introductions and housekeeping issues were taken care of, the teens took over, confidently leading each group—tweens and their parents— to their meeting location where they launched each program.

Parent Takeaways The teens who worked with the parents of the tweens began by presenting a specific challenge they had personally faced as well as one way they advocated for themselves to manage or meet that challenge. “I learned that my 11-year-old daughter will be okay, and how important it is for me to

Go-Time Upon learning about their LOFT project, the teens swung into action. They dove right into brainstorming ideas for the program, splitting into two groups—one focusing on the middle school students

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public speaking and self-advocacy. Activities, discussions and even free time is designed to encourage teens to share ideas, build trust in and respect for each other, understand cultural and personal differences, and celebrate their own abilities. The key leaders for LOFT are adults with hearing loss who help plan the program and serve as counselors and role models for teens in the program. Information about LOFT 2014 will be posted on the AG Bell Knowledge Center in December 2013.

teach her to advocate for herself,” commented one parent. Next, the teens divided into several panels—each focused on a general area such as sports, academics and self-advocacy. Each panel gave a brief presentation on that topic and then took questions from the parent audience. “The LOFT participants were excellent and the panels were awesome. They discussed topics that are relevant to what my son is experiencing right now,” noted a parent. The last piece of this program was a “meet and greet” giving parents the opportunity to talk individually with one or more LOFT teens. The teens had prepared a poster that presented at-a-glance each teen and the areas in which they had experience such as marching band, chess club, athletics, travel, language (Arabic, German, Spanish and French), etc. One parent spoke for many in the room when she said: “The teens sharing their

Video Project The first group of LOFT teens was tasked with developing short videos to be used as resources on the AG Bell website for other teens and pre-teens with hearing loss and their parents. With great enthusiasm and confidence, the teens identified topics that they—as teens who are deaf and hard of hearing—find challenging. The teens then split into several small groups so each group could focus on a specific situation and brainstormed for tips or strategies for

managing these situations. The teens spent a few hours every day refining their ideas, tips and scripts, planning the presentation, selecting their wardrobes, and finding or creating props they would use in the videos. These videos are now posted on the AG Bell Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center as a resource for teens and pre-teens, their parents and teachers. Check them out at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/ TeenTips.

personal experience helped a lot with my concerns for my child. I also received information that I did not even know existed. The ‘meet and greet’ was awesome. I loved seeing the different personalities and how the teens carried themselves with such great confidence.” “While answering the parent’s questions, I felt like my opinion was valued. It made me feel good that people wanted to depend on me and my experiences,” said Ravi Malpani, a LOFT 2013 participant. Parents came away from the event with many insights and tips on how to help their tweens with hearing loss be more independent. “The most important thing I learned is that I don’t have to have all the answers; I just have to continue to support my son so he can achieve his goals,” concluded one parent.

Caroline Quinn, 2013 LOFTee, interacts with one of the parent attendees.

Find What You Love

LOFT 2013 participant Ruben Ramanathan talks about his technology with a parent.

Similar to the parent group, the teens working with the middle school students began by discussing a challenge they had each faced as well as one way they advocated for themselves to manage or meet that challenge. Then, the LOFT teens had the tweens introduce themselves, followed with a dynamic mix of team activities, Q&A, discussions about high school, challenges and self-advocacy. High school is a new experience and a different environment from middle school: children become more independent from their parents and develop into their own, but this means they need to advocate for themselves and become more involved. The session gave tweens practical advice on succeeding in high school: “Don’t procrastinate! If you have homework or an essay that’s due later this week or next week, make sure you complete it before it’s due,” advised a LOFT teen.

Great Advice

“The important thing is to always follow your heart. Don’t let anybody – not even your parents or your friends – take away or discourage your dreams. And don’t let your own inner voices or doubts drown out your passion. There are three things you can control – you can control your mind, you Mind can control your body and you can control your heart. And if you Body combine these three things together, you will find what you love.” Heart

– Daniel Chang, 2013 LOFT participant VOLTA VOICES • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

Navigating the social scene in high school is challenging for any teen with or without hearing loss. “There will be people who don’t like or respect you. That’s okay. Choose to spend time with people who like and accept you for who you are,” commented a LOFT participant. Above all, LOFT teens encouraged the tweens to aim high for their goals and dreams. One participant summed it up: “You can do anything you want. Your hearing loss shouldn’t stop you from joining clubs or sports you want to play. Be involved. Use this opportunity to meet lots of people and learn what you are good at (and what you’re not good at), and what you love to do. This is a good way of finding yourself.”

Giving Is Receiving The Teens and Tweens program was rewarding for everyone involved, including the LOFT teens themselves. One of the core purposes of LOFT is to demonstrate to the teen participants that they have what they need to succeed in the real world beyond high school. What they may have needed is the confidence in their own abilities and skills, which LOFT as a program is so good at cultivating. One of the best ways to build one’s confidence is to realize that your experience matters. “What I loved most about the “Teens and Tweens” program was that I felt like I had an impact on someone else’s life, and that was the first time I was really proud of

LOFT teens talk with parents during the “meet and greet” portion of the “Teens & Tweens” event.

my hearing loss. Instead of just dealing with it, I learned to embrace it,” said Caroline Quinn, LOFT 2013 participant. By empowering the tweens and their parents for the transition from middle to high school, the LOFT teens gained insight about themselves: “My favorite part about developing it was having to think about how

LOFT 2013 teen Mimi Steiger talks with a parent at the “Teens & Tweens” event.

VOLTA VOICES • N ov embe r/De c e mbe r 201 3

I advocate for myself in real life—it helped me realize how I really need to advocate more. I had a lot of fun hearing everyone’s ideas and being creative about how we presented information,” said Miranda Meyers, a LOFT 2013 participant. A lot of teens discovered that they enjoyed public speaking! The experience allowed LOFT teens to generate ideas about future advocacy activities. “I discovered that I can inspire younger people and help them see it’s okay to be different,” said JJ McCou. “It’s awesome to know that people look up to us. I want to take that and use it to help other kids who are deaf,” added Miranda Meyers. The LOFT counselors observed that the LOFT teens truly shine when they are leading. When asked to step up and lead, these teens developed a program for middle school students with hearing loss and their parents, revealing what they are capable of to themselves and others. While this specific program may or may not be repeated in the near future, AG Bell staff and LOFT counselors gained a lot of valuable information that will inform the development of materials and resources for middle school students who are deaf and hard of hearing, their parents and teachers.

Ken Levinson:

The LOFT Counselor Perspective

Interview by Christina Perigoe, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT

en Levinson, lead counselor and co-founder of LOFT, provides an historical perspective on the program and his thoughts on its impact and future in this interview conducted by Christina Perigoe, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT. Christina Perigoe (CP): What is the LOFT program and what do you see as its major goals? Ken Levinson (KL): LOFT, or Leadership Opportunities for Teens, is designed to help high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing build leadership skills and develop the confi-

dence to navigate a variety of real world situations. We believe many of the teens have the skill set to thrive in the real world and accomplish great things, but LOFT helps them develop the confidence and motivation to do so.

LOFT counselors: Nate Paterson, Ken Levinson, Catharine McNally and Kevin Meirose.

started to have LOFT every year. Since 2012, we are offering the program twice a year. The most recent session in July 2013 gave us the opportunity to explore new and expanded programming, which we may be able to consider in the future as funding becomes available to do so.

CP: Can you tell me a little bit about the history of the LOFT program and how long you have been involved in it?

CP: How have you seen the LOFT program change over the years?

KL: With help from Donna Dickman, then executive director of AG Bell, I started LOFT in 1996 at the Snowbird Convention in Utah. From then until 2008, we had LOFT every other year during AG Bell conventions. In 2009, we

KL: There have been a few significant changes. One is technology. It has really made inroads in the communication abilities of the LOFT participants. The LOFT teens today are much more reliant on listening and their spoken language skills

VOLTA VOICES â&#x20AC;˘ Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

Wendy Will

are amazing. Most of the teens can even hear better than I can. A second change is the nature of assimilation of the LOFT teens. When we first started, almost all of the participants stated their major role model was their parents or other members of their family. Today, the teens tell us about all kinds of role models, including athletes, famous artists, literary characters, friends, and yes, parents and members of the family. This leads me to a third major change: the activities in which the teens participate in their mainstream environments. We are seeing more and more activities in mainstream environments where the participants are engaged in a variety of “clubs” or “teams,” ranging from sports to arts to farm groups to science clubs, etc.

others, of course. A few have even looked me up when they’ve been in San Francisco. And as you might guess, I always look forward to seeing LOFTees at AG Bell conventions! Some LOFTees also stay in touch with their LOFT counselors and with various AG Bell staff members. We often hear of LOFTees’ activities and achievements through Facebook and the grapevine. In 2010, we did a Volta Voices article in the January/February issue following up with four LOFTees from various classes—it’s still one of my favorite articles and one I point people to as a good way to learn about the impact LOFT can have. As an organization, AG Bell would like to improve the communication with past LOFT participants; it’s a topic we’ll be discussing this fall.

CP: What do you see as the most important contribution that LOFT makes to the lives of these young people?

CP: What has been some of your feedback from the young people who have come through the LOFT program?

KL: LOFT has consistently changed the lives of these teens as evidenced by the feedback we have gotten from both the teens and parents. When these young individuals come together during LOFT, two things invariably happen. First, they gain the confidence to be themselves and to accept their hearing loss as a part of who they are, but not the defining part of who they are. As I mentioned earlier, these teens have the skills to be leaders and to advocate for themselves, but LOFT gives them the confidence to do so. Second, and probably the most important benefit, is the development of lifetime friendships with 19 other teens who “get it.” Every LOFT kid is immediately accepted into the group and no explanations are needed in terms of communication or other “hearing loss” related items. AG Bell sets up a private Facebook page for each LOFT group, which is inundated with comments, pictures and other items reinforcing that friendship.

KL: Nothing but positive comments and the one most frequent comment is that LOFT was the best week of their lives.

CP: Do you keep in touch with some of the teens who have come through the LOFT program and see what they are doing with their lives now? KL: Yes, I’ve been in contact with many LOFTees over the years—some more than

CP: Do you see the skills developed by the teens as lasting—ones they will continue to use later in life? KL: Absolutely. We have seen LOFT participants move into leadership roles on campus, for example, but we need to do a better job of tracking teens’ progress after the program. Just this year, we started an Outcomes Measurement Tool. The post-questionnaire hasn’t been done yet (it will be 90 days after the program), so we don’t have results, but this is one way we are working to enhance our follow-up. My personal observations show that there is definitely an increased level of confidence in the way they handle situations they face. We have anecdotal evidence that participants feel LOFT’s positive impact for many years after attending the program. CP: What has your involvement in LOFT done for you personally? KL: It has been the most gratifying experience for me and it has given me a passion I did not know existed. Nothing is more

VOLTA VOICES • N ov embe r/De c e mbe r 201 3

rewarding than interacting with the teens and watching them grow through the LOFT experience and then getting the kind of enthusiastic and positive responses we do get. It is a great feeling to know you have changed people’s lives and have had a positive impact on their thinking and perception of themselves as individuals with hearing loss. CP: What do you see as the future of the LOFT program? KL: There will always be a need for LOFT and I see LOFT changing as the environment and the needs of teens who are deaf and hard of hearing change. While I would also love to see LOFT grow internationally, the expense and quality control aspects of such expansion are beyond our immediate grasp. I am available, however, to consult with international organizations in establishing their own leadership programs. CP: How can the AG Bell community support LOFT? KL: There are two ways the AG Bell community can help support LOFT. One is very simple: fundraising. The success of the program, particularly when it comes to making it available to more teens, is finding more funding sources. The other way for the community to help support LOFT is to publicize the program among teens who are deaf and hard of hearing that are in the mainstream, both in private and public schools. While more applicants can make it difficult for us to decide who will attend, greater numbers of applications can be an effective measure for fundraising purposes. CP: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about LOFT? KL: I will say that without the help of AG Bell staff, particularly Wendy Will, LOFT would not be a success. The same goes for the volunteer counselors we have. One measure of our success is that six of the eight individuals that are the current LOFT counselors are LOFT graduates themselves. This, to me, speaks loud and clear about the positive impact that LOFT has on teens with hearing loss.

tips for parents

Using Creativity and Arts for Language Development By Lexi Logan

Creativity, Exploration and Language From an early age, we exposed Phoenix to a lot of creative activity. Inherently, when you are creating something, there is a process of exploration. This is the perfect outlet for language. My top goal was always speech, so whatever we were doing,

Lexi Logan

had the best seat in the house. It was my third time seeing the show, but this time I was backstage with my eyeball pressed up against a small peephole on the wall of a 200-year-old theater in Bucks County, Pa. I was watching the cast of Charlotte’s Web take their bows at the final show of the summer. The applause was roaring, the actors were beaming, and I stood backstage with a small tear running down my cheek. All the parents were proud of their children, but my 11-year-old son had achieved something extraordinary. He worked harder to get to this place than most people would ever understand. He was Templeton, the Rat, in his costume and whiskers, and he is deaf. After I learned that my child was deaf, beyond the initial confusion and bewilderment, I swung into action. We named him Phoenix: a child that would rise from turmoil and soar into life with passion. He has lived up to his spirited name—nothing can stop this enthusiastic child. Phoenix was properly aided at 3 months old and got his first cochlear implant at age 2 1/2. At 5 years old, he received a second implant in his left ear at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. People ask me, “How do you do it? How do you raise a child with hearing loss who has a flare for theater arts and a passion for show business?”

Phoenix reading through his script for Charlotte’s Web at home, while his brother and sister play in the background.

he was getting my auditory-verbal boost within earshot. At times it felt overwhelming to take on this challenge knowing that, in the end, it was mine and my husband’s job to teach him how to listen and speak. We had the help of auditory-verbal therapists and family, but ultimately it was up to us—his parents—to facilitate Phoenix’s language development. Our constant involvement was the fuel that helped my son develop language, and we tried to be creative about how he learned to listen and speak.

Create a Stage My husband and I are naturally animated people; we are expressive and passionate, and use a lot of gestures. Looking back I can see a direct connection between our temperament and Phoenix’s fantastical

behavior. Although he was born with his own sense of drama and love of the arts, we definitely helped nurture this side of him. Before Phoenix could barely even walk, we saw a twinkle in his eye that was energetic and clever, and this often made him entertaining. When you have a child who is deaf and wants to express himself, you offer him a daily stage and show him the vocabulary to convey his message. Year round, we surrounded him with puppet shows, a box full of costumes and musical instruments. I love scouring thrift shops, yard sales and eBay for special toys to add to Phoenix’s collections. I bought discounted costumes for him after Halloween to stock up on our repertoire of makebelieve stories. We would raid the special treasure chests and act out scenes from his favorite books or movies. I used the props

VOLTA VOICES • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

to match the sound. It was organized, but inherently spontaneous. I followed his lead and made it entertaining. We would swap out the toys each week to make it fun, and the lessons got more challenging as he got better at listening. This activity was a huge boost to Phoenix’s language building skills. It reinforced all his auditory-verbal therapy, and kept him interested in learning to listen and speak.

Lexi Logan

Find Opportunities

Phoenix backstage at the Town and Country Players theater, applying make-up for his role as Templeton the Rat.

to help Phoenix associate words with items, as well as to teach him actions: “Oh no! The dragon is coming! Hide the sword under the blue cape!” or “Pick out which tool could help you fix your broken rocket ship.” I found these props brought learning to life, and he became instantly interested in our lessons. Rotating the costumes and props kept him eager and excited to discover new meaning to familiar objects.

Music as an Experience We play music but only at specific times: it was (and still is) difficult for him to hear me when the music is on. We stopped listening to background music, or having talk radio/TV just “on” in the house. We consciously stripped away anything that would hinder his ability to hear and understand. At the same time, we exposed him to targeted music experiences. My husband would sit with him and play classical guitar. I took him to music class. Papa, Phoenix’s grandfather, would play the “Andrew Sisters” and dance in the living room. This kind of concentrated musical experience worked for us, and I feel it helped Phoenix’s listening skills tremendously.

Journal for Perspective During Phoenix’s younger years, I wrote a newsletter to my family and friends. It was a combination of a journal, a medical

diary and a way to dissect my actions with Phoenix. I would describe our world to my loved ones, and in turn it guided me towards meaningful activities. I highly recommend journaling for parents of children with hearing loss. In the beginning, I remember the paper being soaked with my tears while I was writing, but these are such valuable experiences for parents. As parents, we need to process and express all of these new emotions in order to properly help our children become their best selves. Even when my heart was breaking, it was growing larger every day. It was my mission to make this world a stage for him to show his spirit.

The Suitcase Game One of Phoenix’s favorite activities as a toddler was my suitcase game. I bought a small, old leather suitcase, and filled it with small action figures, colorful Happy Meal toys and wooden animals. The suitcase was high up on the shelf so he didn’t have access to it whenever he wanted (like his other toys). It was a “special” game that we played daily for 20 minutes. This always had him coming back for more! It was my home version of auditory-verbal therapy. Every toy had a sound associated with it. I would hide the toys under the desk as I made a sound. I would then line up three or four toys on the table and cover my mouth for him to find the right one

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Phoenix was always mainstreamed in public school, and I took advantage of every service available. Also, I am a proud parent graduate of the John Tracy Clinic program in California, a correspondence course for parents of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. When I learned about the arts and science award for summer programs from the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, we felt like we hit the jackpot! With this award, Phoenix could spend time in theater and art camps during the summer that we could have never afforded on our own. For these opportunities, we are eternally grateful. Throughout the years, Phoenix has had the opportunity to act in some Scholastic Book DVDs and toy commercials, and he reads often at church. I have searched out opportunities, both large and small, for him to get exposure to theater and film. We have a dear friend in the “movie business” mentoring him, and encouraging his passions. When Phoenix was younger, he wasn’t considered for the speaking parts, but was brilliant at the acting. As he matured and his speech became clearer, he took the acting and voice over work! In the third grade, his IEP omitted speech therapy altogether. It was at that moment we knew we had come a long way. Having Phoenix work in a professional theater company this summer was simply magnificent. Not just for him, or for us as parents, but also for everyone who is deaf or hard of hearing. It’s a celebration for every child that is born deaf, and works to learn all the skills necessary to achieve their goals. Children with hearing loss can thrive in any area they desire. With dedication, passion and proper access to sound, each and every child can get a chance to stand up and take their bows.

Hear Our Voices

Beauty in Every Obstacle By Alana Nichols

“

o thine own self, be true.” In my opinion, those were some of the greatest words Shakespeare wrote and serves as one of the strongest values I live by. There is no one more you than yourself on this planet and therefore I try to embrace who I am to the fullest. That, of course, includes embracing my deafness. Through learning to appreciate my identity as a deaf person, I learned significant life values that are important to all people, not just to those that are deaf and hard of hearing, such as advocating for myself, surrounding myself with positive people, and ultimately learning to find happiness and laughter on a daily basis. These three core values serve as my guiding stars on this journey called life.

Self-Advocacy and Self-Respect If there is one value my parents spent the most effort ingraining in me, it would be learning to advocate for myself. For as long as I can remember, my parents made me responsible for informing teachers, classmates, friends and even strangers about my deafness and taking the necessary actions to compensate for any information I may miss as a result. Naturally this became an incredibly valuable tool in school where I learned to sit in the front, ask the teacher to face the class when teaching, and ask when I did not understand information. However, advocating for myself became most valuable when it came to forming genuine friendships and respecting myself. Life offers everyone obstacles and I believe it is how we respond in tough situations that reveals the strength of our character. I do not have any memories of being bullied but friends and family members have told me schoolmates tried to. I think I never recognized the attempts as bullying because I always stopped the situation

Alana celebrating Christmas with her father and sister in 2012.

before it was allowed to escalate. If an insult or rude remark came from someone I did not know well, I knew not to take it personally because I recognized it in no manner reflected who I was. A useful strategy I learned at an early age is to respond with “Why?” I often find if I ask this simple question a few times, the person who directed the insult often finds themselves at a loss for words. This question can be tweaked to fit the situation such as “Why would you say that?” or “Why would you ask that?” After I have asked this simple question a few times and recognized there was no constructive reasoning behind it, I usually say one simple statement that respects and advocates for myself, then walk away. This is a crucial skill not only for students with hearing loss, but for all children to learn when it comes to standing up for and respecting themselves. A few times, I found myself in situations where I could not walk away, such as working with others on class projects. I used this circumstance as an opportunity to be playful. A particular situation

I never forgot was being told to “shut up” by a classmate in middle school during a project when I was asking someone else to repeat what was being said. In this situation, I saw an opportunity to combine my deafness with what I refer to as the ‘wall strategy,’ which involves continuously repeating a single word or phrase in response regardless of what the other person is saying. Every time this particular classmate made a negative comment to me, I would pretend I was not able to hear, responding with “What did you say? I am deaf and cannot always hear well.” To my amusement, my classmate would repeat louder and louder until the teacher came over to scold her. Fortunately she never bothered me again, and I believe this is because bullies often pick on victims they believe they can negatively affect or suppress. In her eyes, she believed I was not hearing any of her insults which therefore rendered them useless. Furthermore, she got in trouble in the process. I believe in the value of recog-

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nizing a potentially negative situation and turning it into a positive or humorous one.

Each Coin Has Two Sides In many ways I have viewed my deafness as a blessing. It has forced me to surround myself with people who are kind, patient and willing to accept my deafness and repeat for me. There is no way I can be friends with people who are not willing to repeat information for me because I cannot be a part of their conversation. Therefore, my deafness has forced me to surround myself with positive people who accept me for exactly who I am and I am extremely grateful to have them in my life. Fortunately I have met many kind people who are more than happy to repeat what they said when I explain to them that I am deaf and cannot always hear well, especially in noisy environments. I often find that they are curious about my deafness and how my cochlear implant works. Furthermore, many seem to find it fascinating that I have a magnet in my head and that I can control my hearing by turning it on and off or adjusting the volume. In one or two circumstances, I have joked with strangers that it is an ear device for a spy organization and proceeded to walk away muttering “Agent Sparrow is on the move now.” I always found their shocked or amused expressions humorous. I strongly believe it is important to find humor in everyday situations where appropriate. While I appreciate and welcome people’s interest in my deafness, I believe it is important that people always respect it and view me as an individual who happens to have a cochlear implant. I once had a classmate who was so overly enthusiastic about my deafness and ability to speak that he repeatedly asked to film me talking because he found it fascinating. His enthusiasm was akin to discovering a talking puppy. Anytime our paths crossed, I was quickly bombarded with questions and comments relating to my deafness, many of which implied my learning and speaking ability should be lower than that of people with typical hearing. I quickly recognized that in his eyes, I was viewed as a walking and talking deaf object. In our last encounter, I calmly but assertively told him “Everything you have done, I had the opportunity to do as well. I am

Alana accepting the Volta Award in 2010 on behalf of her mother, Joanna Nichols. Alana’s parents founded the Children’s Hearing Foundation, which helps children with hearing loss in Asia learn to listen and talk.

an individual and a person first, please start treating me like one.” In addition to confronting him, I also recognized this was not a person I wanted to be around. Therefore I made sure to develop a polite but distant friendship with him. I appreciate people’s interest in my deafness, but I will not let myself or anyone decide that it is my entire identity.

Humor and Positivity Ultimately, I believe many of the life values that being deaf has taught me are critical for people from all walks of life including people with typical hearing. How you view yourself is going to have a big impact on how others view you. The same goes for how you view your hearing loss. I have learned that how others respond to my deafness is often reflected in the example I set through my attitudes and actions. If I view deafness as a difficult obstacle that holds me back, I find that others will also see it as a hindrance. However, I learned from an early age that it is easy to have fun with my unique trait of being deaf. Although it is called a disability, I frequently find myself benefiting from the advantages that being deaf offers me. My sister, who has acutely sharp hearing, has endured many sleepless nights and unpleasant mornings when construction disturbed the peaceful silence of the morning. I have one particularly fond memory of happily waking up late on a summer morning around 11 a.m. to find her lying on the living room sofa with her face scrunched between pillows, desperately trying to get more sleep. Apparently

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the noise from the construction in the apartment above ours had started roaring at 5:30 that morning. “I want you hearing…” she moaned between pillows. I smiled and took a photo of the moment which now serves as a humorous reminder on my wall to remain grateful for the advantages and fortunes I have. The same scenario happened at my college where a new dorm was being built behind my dorm but I did not discover this until the end of the semester despite the fact that construction had started at 7 a.m. every morning that semester. As previously mentioned, I believe it is especially important to find laughter and humor in all aspects of my life including situations relating to my deafness. I am especially grateful for my family. They taught me to advocate for myself from an early age which contributed enormously to the success I experienced in my academic and social life. Furthermore, through different situations they taught me the importance of laughter and staying positive regardless of the situation that unfolds before us. By recognizing how strongly, beautifully and positively they had affected my life, my parents went on to utilize the tools they gained as parents of a child with hearing loss and started the Children’s Hearing Foundation in Taiwan, which has now helped thousands of children who are deaf and hard of hearing in Asia learn to listen and talk successfully. It is because of them, my friends and my extraordinary deafness that I have come to realize the importance of Shakespeare’s six short words.

Directory of Services

Directory of Services n California Echo Center/Echo Horizon School,

3430 McManus Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232 • 310-838-2442 (voice) • 310838-0479 (fax) • 310-202-7201 (tty) • vishida@echohorizon.org (email) • www. echohorizon.org (website) • Vicki Ishida, Echo Center Director. Private elementary school incorporating an auditory/ oral mainstream program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Daily support provided by credentialed DHH teachers in speech, language, auditory skills and academic follow-up. HEAR Center, 301 East Del Mar Blvd.,

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

HEAR to Talk, 547 North June Street,

Los Angeles, CA 90004 • 323-464-3040 (voice) • Sylvia@hear2talk.com (e-mail) • www.hear2talk.com • Sylvia Rotfleisch, M.Sc.A., CED, CCC, Certified AuditoryVerbal Therapist®, LSLS Cert. AVT, Licensed Audiologist, California NPA Certified. Trained by Dr. Ling. Extensive expertise with cochlear implants and hearing aids.

John Tracy Clinic, 806 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90007 · 213748-5481 (voice) · 800-522-4582 · PALS@ JTC.org · www.jtc.org & www.youtube. com/johntracyclinic. Early detection, school readiness and parent empowerment since 1942. Worldwide Parent Distance Education and onsite comprehensive audiological, counseling and educational services for families with children ages birth-5 years old. Intensive Summer Sessions (children ages 2-5 and parents), with sibling program. Online and on-campus options for an accredited Master’s and Credential in Deaf Education. Training and Advocacy Group (TAG) for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children and Teens, Leah Ilan, Executive Director

• 11693 San Vicente Blvd. #559, Los Angeles, CA 90049 • 310-339-7678 • tagkids@aol.com • www.tagkids.org. TAG provides exciting social opportunities through community service, field trips, weekly meetings, college prep and pre-employment workshops, guest speakers and parent-only workshops. site in the community. Group meetings and events offered to oral D/HoH children in 5th grade through high school seniors.

n Colorado Rosie’s Ranch: Ride! Listen! Speak!

Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf, 3518 Jefferson Ave.

Redwood City, Ca. 94062 • jwposd@jwposd. org ( email ) • www.deafkidstalk.org ( website ) • Kathleen Daniel Sussman – Executive Director – Pamela Hefner Musladin – Director of School A listening and spoken language program where deaf and hard of hearing children listen, think and talk ! Cognitive based program from birth through Kindergarten. Students develop excellent language, listening and social skills with superior academic competencies. Services include educational programs, parent/infant, speech / language/auditory therapy, mainstream support, educational/clinical audiology, occupational therapy and Tele-therapy.

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

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.

n Connecticut CREC Soundbridge, 123 Progress Drive,

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

New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation (NECHEAR), 354

Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 • 860-455-1404 (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 postrehabilitation, and creative individualized mapping. Post-implant rehabilitation for adults with cochlear implants, specializing in prelingual onset. Mainstream school support, including onsite consultation with educational team, rehabilitation planning and classroom observation. Comprehensive audiological evaluation, amplification validation and classroom listening system assessment.

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Directory of Services n Florida Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Jacksonville, 9803 Old St.

Augustine Road, Suite 7, Jacksonville, FL 32257 • 904-880-9001 • info@clarkeschools. org • www.clarkeschools.org. Alisa Demico, MS, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert AVT, and Cynthia Robinson, M.Ed., CED, LSLS Cert. AVEd, Co-Directors. A member of the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Comprehensive listening and spoken language programs prepare students for success in mainstream schools. Services include early intervention, toddler, preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, parent support, cochlear implant habilitation, and mainstream support. Summer Listening and Spoken language Program provides additional spoken language therapy for toddler and preschool-aged children. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia. 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) • scarr@atlspsch.org (email) • www. atlantaspeechschool.org (website). A Listening and Spoken Language program serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing from infancy to early elementary school age. Children receive language-rich lessons and highly individualized literacy instruction in a nurturing environment. Teachers and staff work closely with parents to instill the knowledge and confidence children need to reach their full potential. Early intervention programs, audiological support services, auditory-verbal therapy, mainstreaming opportunities and independent education evaluations. Established in 1938.

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Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc.—Atlanta, Macon, Teletherapy —1901 Century

n Indiana

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

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

n Illinois

The Hearing and Speech Agency’s Auditory/Oral Program: Little Ears, Big Voices, 5900 Metro Drive, Baltimore,

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

agbms.org (email) • 847-850-5490 (phone) • 847-1!50-5493 (fax) • 9300 Capitol Drive Wheeling, IL 60090 • AGBMS is a Montessori school educating children ages 15 months-12 who are deaf or hard of hearing or have other communicative challenges in a mainstream environment with hearing peers. Teachers of Deaf/Speech/Language Pathologist / Reading Specialist/Classroom Teachers emphasize language development and literacy utilizing Cued Speech. Early Intervention Services available to children under 3. AEHI, a training center for Cued Speech, assists parents, educators, or advocates in verbal language development for children with language delays or who do not yet substantially benefit from auditory technology.

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

n Maryland

MD 21215 • (voice) 410-318-6780 • (relay) 711 • (fax) 410-318-6759 • Email: hasa@ hasa.org • Website: www.hasa.org • Jill Berie, Educational Director; Olga Polites, Clinical Director; Erin Medley, Teacher of the Deaf. Auditory/Oral education and therapy program for infants and young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Early intervention services are available for children birth to age 3 and a preschool program for children ages 3 through 5. Cheerful, spacious, stateof-the-art classrooms located in Gateway School are approved by the Maryland State Department of Education. Services include onsite audiology, speech-language therapy, family education and support. Applications are accepted year-round. Financial aid available.

Child’s Voice School, 180 Hansen Court,

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

Directory of Services n Massachusetts

n Minnesota

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Boston, 1 Whitman Road,

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

Canton, MA 02021 • 781-821-3499 (voice) • 781-821-3904 • info@clarkeschools.org • www.clarkeschools.org. Barbara Hecht, Ph.D., Director. A member of the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Comprehensive listening and spoken language programs prepare students for success in mainstream schools. Services include early intervention, preschool, kindergarten, speech and language services, parent support, cochlear implant habilitation, and an extensive mainstream services program (itinerant and consulting). Children and families come to our campus from throughout Eastern and Central Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, Maine and New Hampshire for services. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.

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

Road, Northampton, MA 01060 • 413584-3450 • info@clarkeschools.org • www. clarkeschools.org. Bill Corwin, President. A member of the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Comprehensive listening and spoken language programs prepare students for success in mainstream schools. Services include early intervention, preschool, day school through 8th grade, cochlear implant assessment, summer programs, mainstream services (itinerant and consulting), evaluations for infants through high school students, audiological services, and a graduate degree program in teacher education. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.

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

n Mississippi DuBard School for Language Disorders, The University of Southern

Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5215, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 • 601-266-5223 (voice) • dubard@usm.edu (email) • www. usm.edu/dubard • Maureen K. Martin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, CALT, QI, Director. The DuBard School for Language Disorders is a clinical division of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at The University of Southern Mississippi. The school serves children from birth to age 13 in its stateof-the-art facility. Working collaboratively with 20 public school districts, the school specializes in coexisting language disorders, learning disabilities/dyslexia and speech disorders, such as apraxia, through its nongraded, 11-month program. The DuBard Association Method®, an expanded and refined version of The Association Method, is the basis of the curriculum. Comprehensive evaluations, individual therapy, audiological services and professional development programs also are available. AA/EOE/ADAI.

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

n Missouri CID – Central Institute for the Deaf,

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

12300 South Forty Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141 • 314-692-7172 (voice) • 314-6928544 (fax) • www.moogcenter.org (website) • Betsy Moog Brooks, Executive Director, bbrooks@moogcenter.org. Services provided to children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing from birth to 9 years of age. Programs include the Family School (birth to 3), School (3-9 years), Audiology (including cochlear implant programming), mainstream services, educational evaluations, parent education and support groups, professional workshops, teacher education, and student teacher placements. The Moog Center for Deaf Education is a Certified Moog Program.

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Directory of Services St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf – St. Louis, 1809 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield,

MO 63017 • (636) 532-3211 (voice/TYY) • www.sjid.org • An independent, Catholic school serving children with hearing loss birth through the eighth grade. Listening and Spoken Language programs include early intervention, toddler and preschool classes, K-8th grade, ihear internet therapy, audiology clinic, evaluations, mainstream consultancy, and summer school. Challenging speech, academic programs and personal development are offered in a supportive environment. ISACS accredited. Approved private agency of Missouri Department of Education and Illinois Department of Education. (See Indiana for other campus information)

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n New Jersey Stephanie Shaeffer, M.S., CCCSLP, LSLS Cert. AVT • 908-879-

0404 • Chester, NJ • srshaeffer@comcast. net. Speech and Language Therapy and Communication Evaluations. Auditory-Verbal Therapy, Aural Rehabilitation, Facilitating the Auditory Building Blocks Necessary for Reading. Fluency and Comprehension.

Summit Speech School for the Hearing-Impaired Child, F.M. Kirby Center is an exclusively auditory-oral/

auditory-verbal school for deaf and hard of hearing children located at 705 Central Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974 • 908508-0011 (voice/TTY) • 908-508-0012 (fax) • info@summitspeech.org (email) • www.summitspeech.org (website) • Pamela Paskowitz, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Executive Director. Programs include Early Intervention/ Parent Infant (0-3 years), Preschool (3-5 years) and Itinerant Mainstream Support Services for children in their home districts. Speech and language, OT and PT and family support/ family education services available. Pediatric audiological services are available for children birth-21 and educational audiology and consultation is available for school districts.

Directory of Services Center for Hearing and Communication, 50 Broadway, 6th Floor,

n New York Auditory/Oral School of New York,

3321 Avenue “M”, Brooklyn, NY 11234 • 718-531-1800 (voice) • 718-421-5395 (fax) • info@auditoryoral.org (email). Pnina Bravmann, Program Director. An Auditory/ Oral Early Intervention and Preschool Program serving children with hearing loss and their families. Programs include: Early Intervention (center-based and homebased), preschool, integrated preschool classes with children with normal hearing, multidisciplinary evaluations, parent support, auditory-verbal therapy (individual speech, language and listening therapy), complete audiological services, cochlear implant (re)habilitation, mainstreaming, ongoing support services following mainstreaming.

New York, NY 10004 • 917 305-7700 (voice) • 917-305-7888 (TTY) • 917-305-7999 (fax) • www.CHChearing.org (website). Florida Office: 2900 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 3, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309 • 954601-1930 (Voice) • 954-601-1938 (TTY) • 954-601-1399 (Fax). A leading center for hearing and communication services for people of all ages who have a hearing loss as well as children with listening and learning challenges. Our acclaimed services for children include pediatric hearing evaluation and hearing aid fitting; auditory-oral therapy; and the evaluation and treatment of auditory processing disorder (APD). Comprehensive services for all ages include hearing evaluation; hearing aid evaluation, fitting and sales; cochlear implant training; communication therapy; assistive technology consultation; tinnitus treatment, emotional health and wellness; and Mobile Hearing Test Unit. Visit www.CHChearing.org to access our vast library of information about hearing loss and hearing conservation.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/New York, 80 East End Avenue,

New York, NY 10028 • 212-585-3500 • info@ clarkeschools.org • www.clarkeschools.org. Meredith Berger, Director. A member of the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Comprehensive listening and spoken language programs prepare students for success in mainstream schools. Clarke’s New York campus is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and serves children age birth-5 years old from New York City and Westchester County. Clarke is an approved provider of early intervention evaluations and services, service coordination, and pre-school classes (self-contained and integrated). There are typically little or no out of pocket expenses for families attending Clarke New York. Our expert staff includes teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing, speech language pathologists, audiologists, social workers/service coordinators and occupational and physical therapists.

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

Auditory-Verbal Therapy

Early Intervention

Educational Management of Children with Hearing Loss

Speech Development

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Children’s Hearing Foundation helped more than 3,000 Hearing-impaired children to listen and speak for the past 17 years!

We cannot lead Taiwan’s hearing-impaired children starting to speak and listen alone without your help! Please continue to give us your support and allow us to continue the missions of giving deaf and hearing-impaired children opportunities to listen and speak! Please send your donation to: CHF Charity Foundation 501(c)(3)non-pro�it organization 70 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Morgantown. PA 19543,USA

Directory of Services Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia. Cleary School for the Deaf, 301 Smithtown Boulevard, Nesconset, NY 11767 • 631-588-0530 (voice) • www.clearyschool. org Kenneth Morseon, Superintendent. Offers Parent Infant/Toddler Program with services of Teacher of the Deaf, Speech Therapy & AV therapy. Transition Program into our Preschool Auditory-Oral Program. The primary focus of the Auditory-Oral Program is to develop students’ ability to “listen to learn” along with developing age appropriate speech, language, and academic skills, this program offers intensive speech therapy services with a goal to mainstream students when they become school age. Additional services offered include: Music, Art, Library, OT, PT and Parent Support.

Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf,

Rochester School for the Deaf,

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

1545 St. Paul Street, Rochester, NY 14621 • 585-544-1240 (voice/TTY) • 866283-8810 (videophone) • info@RSDeaf. org • www.RSDeaf.org • Harold Mowl, Jr., Ph.D., Superintendent/CEO. Serving Western and Central New York State, Rochester School for the Deaf (RSD) is an inclusive, bilingual school where children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their families thrive. Established in 1876, RSD goes above and beyond all expectations to provide quality Pre-K through 12th grade academic programs, services and resources to ensure a satisfying and successful school experience for children with hearing loss.

Learn & earn

The Volta Review is pleased to offer readers continuing education units (CEUs) for self-study of the journal. Complete the assessment and earn up to 2.0 CEUs per assessment toward certification or recertification with the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. You can earn CEUs at your own time and pace for each issue – just by reading and completing an assessment!

The Volta Review CEU program offers: • No waiting – receive instant notification of grade and auto-generated certificate • Learn the correct answer as you take the assessment • Access to a PDF of the journal text • Ability to earn CEUs at your own time and pace

The Volta Review CeU Opportunity RegisteR to take the assessment today Online assessments are provided through AG Bell’s online learning community. Visit ListeningandspokenLanguage.org/tVRCeU to take advantage of this program today.

VOLTA VOICES • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

Directory of Services The Children’s Hearing Institute,

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

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n North Carolina BEGINNINGS For Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Inc., 302 Jefferson Street, Suite 110, PO Box

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

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

Suite A, Chapel Hill, NC 27713 • 919-4191428 (voice) • http://www.med.unc.edu/ earandhearing/castle (website) • CASTLE is a part of the UNC Ear & Hearing Center and the UNC Pediatric Cochlear Implant Team, Our mission is to provide a quality listening & spoken language program for children with hearing loss; empower parents as primary teachers and advocates; and train and coach specialists in listening and spoken language. We offer toddler classes, preschool language groups, Auditory-Verbal parent sessions, and distance therapy through UNC REACH. Hands-on training program for hearingrelated professionals/university students.

Directory of Services n Oklahoma

n Pennsylvania

Hearts for Hearing, 3525 NW 56th Street, Suite A-150, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 • 405-548-4300 • 405-548-4350(Fax) • Comprehensive hearing health care for children and adults with an emphasis on listening and spoken language outcomes. Our family-centered team includes audiologists, LSLS Cert. AVTs, speech-language pathologists, physicians and educators working closely with families for optimal listening and spoken language outcomes. Services include newborn hearing testing, pediatric and adult audiological evaluations, hearing aid fittings, cochlear implant evaluations and mapping. Auditory-verbal therapy as well as cochlear implant habilitation is offered by Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS®), as well as an auditory-oral preschool, parent-toddler group and a summer enrichment program. Continuing education and consulting available. www.heartsforhearing.org.

Center for Childhood Communication at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3405 Civic Center

Boulevard, Philadelphia 19104 • (800) 5515480 (voice) • (215) 590-5641 (fax) • www. chop.edu/ccc (website). The CCC provides Audiology, Speech-Language and Cochlear Implant services and offers support through CATIPIHLER, an interdisciplinary program including mental health and educational services for children with hearing loss and their families from time of diagnosis through transition into school-aged services. In addition to serving families at our main campus in Philadelphia, satellite offices are located in Bucks County, Exton, King of Prussia, and Springfield, PA and in Voorhees, Mays Landing, and Princeton, NJ. Professional Preparation in Cochlear Implants (PPCI), a continuing education training program for teachers and speech-language pathologists, is also headquartered at the CCC.

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

Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 • 610-525-9600 • info@clarkeschools.org • www.clarkeschools. org. Judith Sexton, MS, CED, LSLS Cert AVEd, Director. A member of the Option Schools network, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Comprehensive listening and spoken language programs prepare students for success in mainstream schools. Locations in Bryn Mawr and Philadelphia. Services include early intervention, preschool, parent education, individual auditory speech and language services, cochlear implant habilitation for children and adults, audiological services, and mainstream services including itinerant teaching and consulting. Specially trained staff includes LSLS Cert. AVEd and LSL Cert. AVT professionals, teachers of the deaf, special educators, speech language pathologists and a staff audiologist.

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Directory of Services Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has locations in Boston, Bryn Mawr, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia. Delaware County Intermediate Unit # 25, Hearing and Language Programs,

200 Yale Avenue, Morton, PA 19070 • 610938-9000, ext. 2277, 610-938-9886 (fax) • sdoyle@dciu.org • Program Highlights: A publicly funded program for children with hearing loss in local schools. Serving children from birth through 21 years of age. Teachers of the deaf provide resource room support and itinerant hearing therapy throughout Delaware County, PA. Services also include audiology, speech therapy, cochlear implant habilitation (which includes LSLS Cert. AVT and LSLS Cert. AVEd), psychology and social work.

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DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, 6202 Alder Street, Pittsburgh,

PA 15206 • 412-924-1012 (voice) • 412924-1036 (fax) • www.speakmiracles.org (website) • ll@depaulinst.com (email) • Lillian Rountree Lippencott, Director of Outreach & Development. As western Pennsylvania’s only auditory-oral school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, DePaul School provides Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) education to children in Pennsylvania, and from Ohio and West Virginia. A State Approved Private School, most programs are tuition-free to approved students. DePaul School provides early intervention services for children (birth to age 5); a center-based toddler program (ages 18-36 months); a preschool program (ages 3-5) and a comprehensive academic program grades K-8. DePaul School provides clinical services including audiology, Auditory-Verbal and speech therapy, cochlear implant MAPping and habilitation, physical and occupational therapy, mainstreaming support and parent education and support programs. Most children who participate in DePaul School’s early intervention programs gain the listening and spoken language

skills needed to succeed and transition to their neighborhood schools by first grade. n South Carolina The University of South Carolina Speech and Hearing Research Center, 1601 St. Julian Place, Columbia,

SC, 29204 • (803) 777-2614 (voice) • (803) 253-4143 (fax) • Center Director: Danielle Varnedoe, daniell@mailbox.sc.edu. The center provides audiology services, speech-language therapy, adult aural (re)habilitation therapy, and Auditory-Verbal Therapy. Our audiology services include comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, hearing aid evaluations and services, and cochlear implant evaluations and programming. The University also provides a training program for AV therapy and cochlear implant management for professional/university students. Additional contacts for the AVT or CI programs include Wendy Potts, CI Program Coordinator (803777-2642), Melissa Hall (803-777-1698), Nikki Herrod-Burrows (803-777-2669), Gina Crosby-Quinatoa (803) 777-2671, and Jamy Claire Archer (803-777-1734).

Directory of Services n Tennessee

n Texas

n Utah

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf,

The Center for Hearing and Speech,

7901 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, TN 38138 • 901-758-2228 (voice) • 901-5316735 (fax) • www.mosdkids.org (website) • tschwarz@mosdkids.org (email). Teresa Schwartz, Executive Director. Services: Family Training Program (birth-age 3), Auditory/Oral Day School (ages 2-6), Audiological Testing, Hearing Aid Programming, Cochlear Implant Mapping and Therapy, Aural (Re)Habilitation, SpeechLanguage Therapy, Mainstream Service.

3636 West Dallas, Houston, TX 77019 • 713-523-3633 (voice) • 713-874-1173 (TTY) • 713-523-8399 (fax) - info@ centerhearingandspeech.org (email) www. centerhearingandspeech.org (website) CHS serves children with hearing impairments from birth to 18 years. Services include: auditory/oral preschool; Audiology Clinic providing comprehensive hearing evaluations, diagnostic ABR, hearing aid and FM evaluations and fittings, cochlear implant evaluations and follow-up mapping; SpeechLanguage Pathology Clinic providing Parent-Infant therapy, Auditory-Verbal therapy, aural(re) habilitation; family support services. All services offered on sliding fee scale and many services offered in Spanish.

Sound Beginnings at Utah State University, 1000 Old Main Hill, Logan,

Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center - National Center for Childhood Deafness and Family Communication,

Medical Center East South Tower, 1215 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232-8718 • 615-936-5000 (voice) • 615-936-1225 (fax) • nccdfc@vanderbilt. edu (email) • www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ VanderbiltBillWilkersonCenter (web). Tamala Bradham, Ph.D., Associate Director in Clinical Services. The NCCDFC Service Division is an auditory learning program serving children with hearing loss from birth through 21 years. Services include educational services at the Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt as well as audiological and speech-language pathology services. Specifically, services includes audiological evaluations, hearing aid services, cochlear implant evaluations and programming, speech, language, and listening therapy, educational assessments, parent-infant program, toddler program, all day preschool through kindergarten educational program, itinerant/ academic tutoring services, parent support groups, and summer enrichment programs.

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

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

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

Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB), 742 Harrison Boulevard,

Ogden UT 84404 - 801-629-4712 (voice) 801629-4701 (TTY) - www.udsb.org (website). USDB is a state funded program for children with hearing loss (birth through high school) serving students in various settings including local district classes and direct educational and consulting services throughout the state. USDB language and communication options include Listening and Spoken Language. USDB has a comprehensive hearing healthcare program which includes an emphasis on hearing technology for optimal auditory access, pediatric audiological evaluations, and cochlear implant management. Services also include Early Intervention, full-day preschool and Kindergarten, intensive day programs, and related services including speech/ language pathology and aural habilitation.

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CLICK SWIPE SHARE LEARN JTC’S EXPERTISE IN YOUNG CHILDREN (AGES 0-5) WITH HEARING LOSS IS ONLINE

Parents: WWW.JTC.ORG/PALS

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Professionals: WWW.JTC.ORG/RESOURCES

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Directory of Services I NTERNATIONAL

n England

Montreal Oral School for the Deaf,

n Canada Children’s Hearing and Speech Centre of British Columbia , 3575

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

4670 St. Catherine Street, West, Westmount, QC, Canada H3Z 1S5 • 514-488-4946 (voice/ tty) • 514-488-0802 (fax) • info@ montrealoralschool.com (email) • www. montrealoralschool.com (website). Parentinfant program (0-3 years old). Full-time educational program (3-12 years old). Mainstreaming program in regular schools (elementary and secondary). Audiology, cochlear implant and other support services.

The Speech, Language and Hearing Centre – Christopher Place,

1-5 Christopher Place, Chalton Street, Euston, London NW1 1JF, England • 0114-207-383-3834 (voice) • 0114-207383-3099 (fax) • info@speechlang.org. uk (email) • www.speech-lang.org.uk (website) • Assessment, nursery school and therapeutic centre for children under 5 with hearing impairment, speech/language or communication difficulties, including autism. • We have a Child Psychologist and a Child Psychotherapist. • Auditory-Verbal Therapy is also provided by a LSLS Cert. AVT.

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SPAnGLER continued from page 60

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I also recently was involved in a group which successfully advocated for the addition of a line item to the Ohio budget, which helps fund hearing aids for children with hearing loss in Ohio. This funding was recently allocated and rules are in the process of being adopted. The intent is to assist families who do not qualify for public assistance (Medicaid) but fall within 200-400 percent of the poverty level. This funding is for the first set of hearing aids for children ages birth to 21 and it is a step in the right direction. My advice to teens and tweens with hearing loss is to get connected! Find something that you are interested in and join a group. This creates a network of friends who share a common interest. It is also helpful to have one good friend that understands a little more about your hearing loss. I had a good friend who was often my extra ear and would stand up for me if someone else was teasing. Also, know what your communication barriers are in the social scene and brainstorm ways that you can try to overcome some of those situations. I was always shy about telling anyone that I wore hearing aids and at times felt excluded from social situations because I did not feel a part of the conversations. I wish I had more confidence at an earlier age to advocate for some of my listening needs. Teens and tweens with hearing loss need to know that there are others like them who understand what it is like to walk in their shoes. I will never forget the day I met the first person with hearing loss who was close to my age. Karen MacIver-Lux was assigned to me as a patient when she was a graduate student at The University of Akron. I remember thinking, “Here is this beautiful young college student who is wearing hearing aids and uses a personal FM system and she is training to be an audiologist! I want to be just like her!” I continuously educate my own children about what it is like to have a hearing loss and what they need to do in order to effectively communicate with mom. I also know that as a parent, I need to be sure that I can meet their needs and communicate effectively. I am continuously exploring assistive technology and communication strategies in order to keep in the loop with my own kids.

Advanced Bionics Corporation............................................... Inside Back Cover

VOLTA VOICES • N ov embe r/De c e mbe r 201 3

Boys Town National Research Hospital..............................................................2 CapTel.................................................................................................................10 Central Institute for the Deaf............................................................................. 54 Children’s Hearing Foundation..........................................................................51 Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech...........................................................22 Cochlear Americas.............................................................................................13 DePaul School for Hearing and Speech .............................................................5 DuBard School for Language Disorders...........................................................58 Ear Technology Corp. (Dry & Store)...................................................................19 Harris Communications.....................................................................................12 Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf.......................................11 John Tracy Clinic .........................................................................................18, 57 Let’s Hear It For Almigal.....................................................................................31 MED-EL Corporation.......................................................................... Back Cover National Technical Institute for the Deaf - RIT...................................................49 Oticon...................................................................................... Inside Front Cover Sprint CapTel........................................................................................................6 St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf................................................................... 8, 23 Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children.................................................9, 53 Tucker-Maxon School for the Deaf....................................................................55 UT Health Science Center San Antonio............................................................14 AG Bell Bookstore..............................................................................................50 AG Bell Learn & Earn..........................................................................................52 AG Bell LOFT......................................................................................................35

Up Front

on the Back Page

Educational audiologist with hearing loss speaks about her career, advocacy efforts and life with hearing loss Interview by Anna Karkovska McGlew

feel blessed that I have a career that has come together with a purpose. I experienced many challenges along the way before I clearly understood what this purpose was, but sometimes weathering the storms makes you appreciate your purpose in a much greater way. My hearing loss is a bilateral mild sloping to profound sensorineural hearing loss, which was caused by trauma and lack of oxygen at birth. Upon receiving my hearing aids at age 4, I remember leaving the audiologist’s office and hearing my footsteps on the hard floor as my parents and I walked outside. I then wanted my parents to roll down the windows of the car so that I could hear the wind blowing. This was just the beginning of many more appointments and sessions of auditory-verbal therapy to begin the process of developing clear spoken language. I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions growing up in a mainstream setting with hearing loss, especially in middle and high school. As with any teenager, I just wanted to fit in and be part of a group. I was already one of the tallest girls in my class, had braces, a horrible perm for my hair…add to that the hearing aids and talking funny. I certainly felt like an outsider and had some really “down” moments during this time of my life. As professionals, we talk a lot about the grief cycle that parents go through when they find out that their

Carrie Spangler

Spangler with a student showing off their decorative hearing aid technology. Inset: Spangler with a patient at the Red Bird Mission/ Hear the World Foundation humanitarian audiology program where hearing aids are fitted on patients who otherwise could not afford the purchase on their own.

child has a hearing loss. I found that I went through many components of this grief cycle as a teenager trying to accept my hearing loss as a part of who I was. I was mad at God for making me different and went through some periods of depression. The field of audiology never crossed my mind until my senior year of high school. I was at The University of Akron as a patient to have my hearing assessed and hearing aids adjusted. The audiologist put a little bug in my ear and said, “You should consider becoming an audiologist.” I started talking to other professionals and mentors in the field of speech-language pathology and audiology and decided that this was something I wanted to do. I am a much better audiologist because of my personal journey with hearing loss. Having both professional and personal knowledge of living life with hearing loss shows immediate empathy and creates an amazing connection with the students and families I work with. Personal experience paired together with

professional knowledge gives credibility to the counseling, IEP suggestions, modifications, advocacy training and other programming that is helpful for students who have hearing loss. Hearing aids are my connection to the world, to people and to my family—this inspires me to advocate for the hearing and listening needs of others, especially children who may not have the ability or knowledge to advocate for themselves. As I looked back at my life, I recognize that being identified late at the age of 4 resulted in many extra years of speech and language therapy sessions as well as additional special education services to help with my academics and catch me up with my peers with typical hearing. Professionally, I was working with parents who were retelling my story of late identification of hearing loss for their own children in the year 2002. This motivated me to advocate on behalf of families in Ohio for universal newborn hearing screening. Continued on page 59

We Want You on the Back Page! Read the entire interview online on the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center at ListeningandSpokenLanguage.org/BackPage. If you have stories to tell, experiences to share and a perspective on hearing loss for this column, please send an email to editor@agbell.org and tell us a bit about yourself.

VOLTA VOICES • Nov e m be r / De c e m b er 201 3

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