Hearing Loss Association of America, Judy Oliver Worked Diligently in Her Hometown to Get What She Needed to Hear

Volume 30, Number 2

COVER STORY Page 7 9 HLAA Convention 2009 in Nashville By Nancy Macklin Join us for the time of your life—all in a communication accessible setting with friends, trade show exhibits, workshops, and much more.

HEARING AIDS 17 Working it Out: The Problems Inherent to High-Frequency Hearing Loss By Mark Ross “I can hear but I can’t understand” is a familiar complaint. Here’s why.

COCHLEAR IMPLANTS 20 Learning a Second Language—Potentials and Diverse Possibilities By Ellen A. Rhoades Christian and Liam—two delightful children—show us how language is possible.

LIFESTYLE 24 Why is Everyone So Mad? Getting a Grip on Hearing Loss Page 20 By Sam Trychin Your pulse quickens, your blood pressure rises, then you carry the anger with you. A psychologist puts anger and hearing loss into perspective.

WALK4HEARING Page 24 28 Step Up for People with Hearing Loss By Ronnie Adler The 2008 Walk4Hearing proves to be a huge success with people all over the country creating awareness about hearing loss in their hometowns.

TECHNOLOGY 32 Free Captioned Telephone Has People Talking By Anne Girard As an HLAA Corporate Member, Hamilton CapTel® explains how, when and why you would use a Web captioned telephone.

ACCESS 42 The Sweet Sight of Success Hearing Loss Magazine (ISSN 1090-6215) is published By Joan Kleinrock bimonthly by the Hearing Loss Association of America, Judy Oliver worked diligently in her hometown to get what she needed to hear. 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. Annual Membership Dues are: USA—Individual $35, Family $45, Professional $60, Student $20, Libraries & Nonprofit Organization $50, Corporate $300. Canadian and DEPARTMENTS overseas memberships are also available. Members receive a complimentary copy of Hearing Loss Magazine. Single copies of Hearing Loss Magazine are available to non-members for 6 President’s Message By Michael Stone a $5.25 shipping and handling charge.

Opinions expressed in articles appearing in Hearing Loss 8 From the Executive Director’s Desk By Brenda Battat Magazine are those of the author. Mention of goods or services in articles or advertisements does not mean Hearing Loss Association of America endorsement, nor should exclusion 36 National Update: Caption Quality By Lise Hamlin suggest disapproval. Manuscripts, photographs and artwork are welcome for review. Request the “Authors’ Guidelines” from the Editor or view them on www.hearingloss.org. 38 Hearing Loss Association of America Chapters The Hearing Loss Association of America cannot be held responsible for loss or damage of unsolicited materials. Letters of Hearing Loss Magazine interest may be published unless the writer requests otherwise. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission of Hearing Loss Association of America. ©2009 The Hearing Loss Association of America.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Hearing Loss Magazine, 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20814.

FOUNDER i>À}ÊÃÃ Hearing Loss Association of America Howard E. “Rocky” Stone ÊÊÊÊÃÃV>Ì 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200 (1925-2004) vÊiÀV> Bethesda, MD 20814 In 1979, Rocky Stone founded 301/657-2248 Voice the organization as Self Help 301/657-2249 TTY for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH). 301/913-9413 Fax www.hearingloss.org The thinking behind the self-help philosophy for SHHH was to enhance [email protected] each of us as human beings. Hearing loss was an important but secondary consideration. Once we accept responsibility for ourselves, we have to The Hearing Loss Association of America is the learn to love ourselves, and then, each other. —Rocky Stone nation’s foremost membership and advocacy organization for people with hearing loss. Hearing Loss Association of America opens the world of communication to people with hearing loss through For advertising information, contact Stephanie Bunsick at [email protected]. information, education, support and advocacy. The national support network includes the Washington, D.C., area office, 14 state organizations, and 200 BOARD OF TRUSTEES George Schindler LEGAL ADVISOR local chapters. Our clear, straightforward message President, CGI Federal has changed the lives of thousands of people: Michael Stone, D.C. Henry Fader Hearing loss is a daily challenge you can overcome. President Donna Sorkin Pepper Hamilton LLP You do not have to hide your hearing loss. You do not have to face hearing loss alone. Jeannette Kanter, NY Vice President of Consumer Affairs Cochlear Americas TECHNICAL ADVISORS Vice President Executive Director Michelle Talutto Judith Harkins, Ph.D. Brenda Battat Deb Charlea Baker, VT Gallaudet University Secretary Global Channels & Advocacy Deputy Executive Director Groups Program Manager Mead Killion, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief IBM Peter Fackler, NY Etymotic Research Barbara Kelley Treasurer Patricia Trautwein Harry Levitt, Ph.D. Director of Development & Education Brenda Battat, ex-officio Director of Auditory RERC, Gallaudet University Christopher T. Sutton Francis Beecher, FL Training & Education Kathy Borzell, FL Advanced Bionics EDUCATION/CHILDREN’S Director of Member Services & Teresa Burke, NM ISSUES ADVISORS Chapter Development Linda V. Bryan, OH MEDICAL ADVISORS Toni Barrient David Crocker, VA Carol Flexer, Ph.D. Paul Lurie, IL Paul Hammerschlag, M.D. University of Akron Director of Public Policy Vic Matsui, VA New York University & State Development Medical Center Julia Davis, Ph.D. Richard Melia, VA Lise Hamlin Steve Noroian, CA University of Minnesota John W. House, M.D. Anne T. Pope, NY Director of Events & Operations House Ear Institute/Clinic PARENTS’ ISSUES ADVISOR Tommie Wells, TX Nancy Macklin Michael D. Seidman, M.D. John Flanders, Esq. BUSINESS Henry Ford Hospital National Walk4Hearing Manager ADVISORY BOARD Ronnie Adler MENTAL HEALTH/ HEARING ASSISTIVE James Cross, M.D. REHABILITATION ADVISOR TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Web Designer

Head of National Medical Ron Vickery Susan Parras Policy & Operations Samuel Trychin, Ph.D. Aetna Financial Services Coordinator & Controller AUDIOLOGY ADVISORS CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR Sean Smith Cathy Jones Jane R. Madell, Ph.D. Executive Director New York Eye & Ear Infirmary Joan Kleinrock Assistant to the Controller of Corporate Relations Rachel Trask Phonak Jennifer Yeagle CAPTIONING (CART) The Listening Center ADVISOR Program Assistants Anne Pope Johns Hopkins Barbara Miller Hearing Loss Association Deanna Baker, RMR, FAPR Colleen Reeping of America Past President Connie Savage Liaison to Board of Trustees Academy Curriculum Consultant ECO BOX Scott J. Bally, Ph.D.

Hearing Loss Magazine text and cover pages are printed Hearing Loss Association of America using SFI certified Anthem Matte paper using soy ink. Billie Ahrens David Gayle • SFI certified products come from North American forests Manell Brice Meyer Gordon managed to rigorous environmental standards. • SFI standards conserve biodiversity and protect soil and water quality, as well as wildlife habitats. Graphic design by Cindy Dyer/Dyer Design • SFI forests are audited by independent experts to ensure www.cindydyer.com/DyerDesignGallery proper adherence to the SFI Standard. www.cindydyer.wordpress.com • SFI participants also plant more than 650 million trees each year to keep these forests thriving.

By Michael Stone Your HLAA Board of Trustees is charged with the responsibility of governing the Association which includes approving a strategic plan, nominating candi- dates to the Board, approving the annual budget, and overseeing the overall operations of the organization. On the next page is a ballot to elect a regional representative to the Board of Trustees from the Northeast Region. The role of regional representatives is to listen to your concerns and issues and present them to the Board. They also help in the development of each region working closely with state and chapter organizations as well as the membership at large. HLAA is hard at work to unify our organization. Only if every member understands our mission and we work together will we be able to open the world of communication to all hard of hearing people. If it is time for the region you live in to vote for your representative to the HLAA Board of Trustees, let us know that you are listening by voting in this election.

Michael Stone is the president of the Board of Trustees and lives in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at [email protected]. © Cindy Dyer President’s Deb Charlea Baker Message Northeast Region Candidate for Re-election Vote by May 1, 2009 if you live in this Region

Deb Charlea Baker is seeking re-election to the Board of Trustees as the Northeast Regional Representative. She has been a member of HLAA since 1988 and has served on the Board since 2006. She is currently serving as secretary for the 2008-2009 term. She also serves on the CNPC (Chapter National Partnership Committee) and Rocky Stone Remembrance Committee. Deb was a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for over 20 years, working with people who are hard of hearing, late-deafened and Deaf. She holds a master’s degree in Community Psychology from Springfield College, and is a long-time member of the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association (ADARA). She currently serves on the Vermont Hearing Aid Task Force. Over the years, she has been involved with a number of community initiatives and programs working to improve services for all Vermonters with hearing loss. The experience she brings to the board includes expertise in advocacy, young adult hard of hearing issues, hearing assistive technology, alternate listening and communication strategies, and an understanding of audiological and medical issues related to hearing loss. During her first term Deb kept in close touch with the HLAA Chapter leaders and individual members in the Northeast Region through frequent e-mail correspondence, Walk4Hearing activities and by giving presentations at several chapter meetings in different parts of the region.

6 Hearing Loss Magazine HLAA BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2009 ELECTION OFFICIAL BALLOT

Member Identification Number: Zip Code: (Appears on label of Hearing Loss Magazine) Hearing Loss Association of America Board of Trustees 2009 Election for Northeast Regional Representative Please return by mail or fax, postmarked by May 1, 2009, to: HLAA National Elections • 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20814 • Fax: 301/913-9413

Deb Charlea Baker is presented for election to the HLAA Board of Trustees. The Board will hold a meeting during the 2009 HLAA Convention where new board members will be installed.

1. Only current national members who live in the Northeast Region may vote. 2. Use only this ballot. 3. Write membership number and zip code or vote will be disqualified. 4. In the case of a Couple or Family Membership, both spouses have one vote. Spouses vote in the second column where indicated.

NORTHEAST REGION — ME, NH, VT, MA, NY, RI, CT, NJ, PA, DE, MD and the District of Columbia

SPOUSE VOTE YES NO YES NO Deb Charlea Baker o o o o

March/April 2009 7

By Brenda Battat On January 18, 2009, the eve of Martin Luther King Day and two days before the presidential inauguration, 1,000 people celebrated at the first-ever Disabil- ity Inaugural Ball–“Disability Power & Pride.” The Hearing Loss Association of America was a supporter of the ball and several members of the HLAA staff attended the event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., along with many other representatives of consumer organizations from all disability groups. Tony Coelho, former congressional representative from California’s Central Valley, was the master of ceremonies for the event. Speakers included Senator Harkin and Representative Steny Hoyer, both champions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Melody C. Barnes, recently appointed director of the Domestic Policy Council. Senator Harkin (Iowa) noted the progress that people with disabilities have made since the ADA was passed, but he reminded us that there is one exception—employment. Sixty three percent of people with disabilities are still unemployed—that is shameful in a society such as ours. We know that people often retire early because of hearing loss. In this way valuable employees are lost, because stigma prevents them from being open about their hearing loss in the workplace; therefore, they do not get the help that is available to them to continue working productively. © Cindy Dyer Cindy © President Barack Obama’s campaign with its message of change captured the hope and imagination of many including people with disabilities. Change is From the linked to hope for better things and people with hearing loss are ready to work for the kind of change they need to be included in society and for a better life. HLAA is ready to work for change in health care to ensure that hearing health Executive is given the attention and resources that it deserves. It‘s time to consider hearing loss a health issue just as we do any other health condition. It should be routine Director’s to screen our hearing regularly throughout our life spans, not just at birth. We should have the freedom from stigma to allow us, if we are diagnosed with Desk hearing loss, to confidently and without embarrassment seek the treatment we need. Through insurance coverage, whether a private or government program, everyone should have access to the hearing devices and associated services needed to treat his or her hearing loss no matter their age or economic situation.

This is the change we seek. © Barbara Kelley Barbara © Brenda Battat is executive director of From left: Brenda Battat, Lauren and Larry Goldberg, and Christopher T. Sutton, HLAA director Hearing Loss Association of America of development and education. Larry Goldberg is the director of The Media Access Group at and wears both a hearing aid and a WGBH in Boston. The Media Access Group produces captions and video descriptions for all cochlear implant. She lives in Bethesda, media. Through its Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media, they conduct research and development, develop guidelines and standards, and author publications— MD, with her husband Joe. She can be all in an effort to make media and technology accessible to people with disabilities in their reached at [email protected]. homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.

8 Hearing Loss Magazine Don’t Miss This! Hearing Loss June 18–21, 2009 Association of Gaylord Opryland Resort America Convention and Convention Center 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee By Nancy Macklin

You’re invited! Join us in Nashville as we celebrate 30 years of extraordinary accomplishments and look to the future with an eagerness and determination to make the world a better place for people with hearing loss. Convention 2009 promises to be a memorable event, to say the least. With so much to do and see, you’ll want to make sure you bring your most comfortable walking shoes (or cowboy boots).

Our communication accessible program includes top researchers and professionals presenting on a variety of topics, including a track of workshops especially for young adults with hearing loss.

It’s no secret that the Internet is one of the greatest inventions of all time, so plan to attend the Opening Session to hear keynote speaker Dr. Vinton Cerf, a “Father of the Internet.”

You won’t want to miss this year’s Research Symposium sponsored by the Deafness Research Foundation titled, “An Update on the Latest Hair Cell Regeneration Research.”

Peruse the Exhibit Hall with a wide assortment of hearing loss related products, services and information, as well as afternoon socials.

Join HLAA staff, Board of Trustees members, and distinguished guests as we celebrate in grand style at the HLAA 30th Birthday Celebration.

Oh, and of course, save some time to meet up with both old and new acquaintances.

March/April 2009 9 Communication Access for People With Hearing Loss Research Symposium: All sessions, workshops, and major events at the convention are real-time An Update on the Latest Hair Cell captioned. Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are provided free of charge by Regeneration Research request at the HLAA Registration Desk. Sign language interpreting services are Sponsored by the Deafness Research Foundation provided at all major events. If you have assistive listening devices that George A. Gates, M.D., medical director of the Deafness you can use during the convention, Research Foundation, will moderate the symposium and intro- please bring them with you. duce his distinguished colleagues. Dr. Gates’ research includes work on the biology of presbycusis and Meniere’s disease, and he Workshop Topics Covered has conducted clinical trials in otitis media and Meniere’s disease. in Five Tracks: Healthy Living and Working Relationships and Communication Hearing Technology Neil Segil, Ph.D., joined the House Ear Institute in 1996 and is Advocacy and Access currently director of the Division of Cell Biology and Genetics. Young Adult Issues—NEW! He also holds the position of research associate professor in the Department of Cell and Neurobiology at the University of The complete workshop schedule is Southern California, Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Segil’s research available on www.hearingloss.org. at House Ear Institute is focused on developmental aspects of cell Look for the entire Program Book cycle regulation and cellular differentiation as they relate to the to be posted by the end of May. inner ear, hearing loss and regeneration.

Dr. Vinton G. Cerf—Opening Session Keynote Speaker Douglas A. Cotanche, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and HLAA is pleased to welcome Vinton Anatomy & Neurobiology at Boston University School of Medi- G. Cerf, Ph.D. as the keynote speaker cine, a lecturer in the Department of Otology & Laryngology at for the Opening Session. As vice Harvard Medical School, and a member of the Affiliated Faculty president and Chief Internet Evangelist of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. for Google, Dr. Cerf is responsible for Dr. Cotanche’s research has focused on the development and identifying new enabling technologies regeneration of hair cells and the tectorial membrane in the and applications on the Internet and avian and mammalian cochlea. other platforms for the company. Dr. Cerf is the co-designer, with Robert In 1986 he co-discovered that birds can regenerate their cochlear hair cells Kahn, Ph.D., of TCP/IP protocols and after sound damage and regain their hearing. He has continued his research the basic architecture of the Internet. on regeneration and has been a prominent force in the drive to develop hair In 1997 President Clinton recog- cell regeneration as a potential treatment for sensorineural deafness. Currently nized their work with the U.S. National the work in his lab is also exploring the therapeutic potential of stem cell Medal of Technology. In 2005, they transplantation into the damaged mammalian cochlea. received the highest civilian honor bestowed in the U.S., the Hinrich Staecker, M.D., Ph.D., completed his residency in Presidential otolaryngology at Montefiore Medical Center, and went on to a Medal of fellowship in Otology and Neurotology at Massachusetts Eye and Freedom. Dr. Ear Infirmary. His clinical interests include cochlear implantation Cerf will be and treatment of sensorineural hearing loss. He initiated clinical speaking about studies including evaluation of balance function in implant technologies for patients and music listening skill of cochlear implant patients accessibility and with residual hearing. Dr. Staecker’s current basic science research the Internet. interests are focusing on the application of gene therapy for inner ear disorders. He is currently a tenured associate professor in the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

10 Hearing Loss Magazine Convention and that you are a member HLAA 30th Birthday Celebration of HLAA (or join at the time you send Please join us for a special evening of fabulous food in the application). and entertainment. We’ll start out the evening with Three grants are available. Each strolling magician Tom Vorjohan who has been delight- will provide a $500 check and free ing audiences for over 30 years (since he was 12!). registration including the 30th Birthday We’ll present 30 years in pictures with a DVD Celebration and special events. You must attend the convention or return generously donated and produced by Richard 1979–2009 McCollough of the American Abilities Television Network the check. Self-nomination is accepted, (mirusmedia.com), recount the major accomplishments of HLAA, or chapters and individuals may and listen to a few anecdotes from HLAA members. nominate a candidate. Then get ready to kick up your heals to the hottest country show band in Nashville, Bruce and Kristi Cline and the Music City Wranglers. Welcome United States Veterans Line dancing, anyone? of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

HLAA would like to show its support Many of you remember our founder, Rocky Stone, of the U.S. military by offering a wearing his trademark cowboy hat—honor him by free registration and a one-year wearing a cowboy hat to the celebration. Ticket membership to HLAA to those availability is limited so please register in advance. who have service-related hearing loss Birthday Celebration tickets are included in the cost from Operation Iraqi Freedom or of the Full Activity Package. If you are purchasing Operation Enduring Freedom. your tickets separately, the cost is $65 in advance Over 58,000 military personnel or $70 at the convention. have returned with a hearing loss in the last few years. Convention 2009 is a perfect place for veterans to learn Exhibit Hall more about all aspects of hearing loss. The Opry is the longest-running In addition, there will be a workshop HLAA takes pride in being the largest radio show in history, with its first on- to address the educational needs of communication accessible consumer air performance in 1925, just five years veterans, conducted by Dr. Gerald tradeshow for people with hearing loss, after the birth of commercial radio in Buckley, assistant vice president, Dr. their family, friends, and professionals. the United States. Interestingly, the Alan Hurwitz, president, and Larry Come see the latest in cutting-edge lineup for each show is not completely Scott, professor, all of the National technology in hearing loss related finalized until just a few days before the Technical Institute on Deafness (NTID) products and services. show; artists are posted on the Opry at Rochester Institute of Technology. The Demo Room will be housed website (www.opry.com). This is sure HLAA is a partner with NTID on a in the Exhibit Hall and this is where to be a night to remember! new initiative to serve military veterans vendors will hold interactive demon- Tickets must be purchased by May with hearing loss who are returning strations of their products. Don’t miss 1, 2009. Complete the Convention from recent conflicts. This presentation the afternoon socials in the Exhibit Registration Form on pages 15–16, or will include a summary of the informa- Hall on Friday and Saturday. online at www.hearingloss.org. Busses tion known to serve them and an over- will begin departing from the Gaylord view of the services that will be pro- Block Party Opryland’s Magnolia Lobby at 6 p.m. vided, including access to more than Here’s your chance to be an “HLAA for the 7 p.m. performance. 200 career programs and majors at RIT. Idol!” Come test your vocal chords with This pilot project is set to begin in fall a little Karaoke on Thursday, June 18, Rocky Stone 2009. Veterans interested in attending 2009, from 8:30–11 p.m. What a great Endowment Scholarship the convention should contact Nancy way to catch up with old friends and It is time to send your application Macklin at [email protected] meet new ones. We have a few surprises for the Rocky Stone Endowment for registration information. up our sleeve for this event! Scholarship to attend Convention 2009. See the application and criteria Chapter Development Room Saturday Night at at www.hearingloss.org. Stop by the Chapter Development room the Grand Ole Opry The Rocky Stone Endowment to check out the treasures displayed by You can’t go to Nashville without Committee would like to encourage many chapters including newsletters, going to the Grand Ole Opry, so pull young people with hearing loss or the brochures and flyers. In addition, on your cowboy boots and get set for a parents of a minor child with a hearing chapter-related workshops will be communication accessible performance. loss to apply. However, all applicants held on creating and editing chapter Even if you are not a die-hard country will be considered, regardless of age. newsletters, starting a new chapter, music fan, the energy and excitement The main criteria are that you and chapter development. in the air at the Opry is exhilarating. have never attended a National HLAA continued on page 12

March/April 2009 11 Simply stated, the Gaylord Opryland is magnificent! With acres and acres, nine to be exact, of lush indoor gardens, cascading waterfalls and its own indoor river, you’ll never want to leave! It’s located on the Cumberland River, just minutes from the Nashville International Airport and a short drive to the honky-tonks of downtown Nashville.

You’ll discover casual restaurants as well as fine dining, tons of shopping, and a spa and fitness center. There’s even late-night entertainment at the Fuse Nightclub. The hotel has 2,881 guest rooms and every room features high-speed wireless Internet access and two phones, including one cordless.

Hotel Accommodations HLAA has reserved a block of rooms at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center; reservations must be received by Friday, May 15, 2009, in order to receive the $145 single/double rate. An additional daily resort fee of $15 is added to the cost of each sleeping room; this fee covers several amenities which include: • Wired and wireless high-speed Internet access • Fitness Center access • Designated complimentary in-room beverages • Local shuttle service • Daily newspapers • Local and toll-free 800 telephone calls (20 minutes per call)

Making Your Reservations Making your hotel reservations has never been easier—you may reserve your room online or by calling the hotel directly.

Online Reservations Go to http://www.hearingloss.org/convention/index.asp, then click the link on the right-hand side, “Make your reservation at the Gaylord Opryland Resort.”

Reservations by Phone

Call 888-777-6779 and mention the Group Code N-HLA9.

Transportation and the Airport Shuttle If you intend to fly to Nashville, do yourself a favor and check out airfares at www.hlaatravel.org. Save on ground travel to and from the airport by reserving a shuttle ticket online: simply go to the Convention page on the HLAA website where you will find a link to the Gaylord Transportation Service. The shuttle operates daily from 5 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. If you are a guest of the Gaylord Opryland Resort, there is a fee for parking

Join us as we experience GAYLORD OpRYLAND RESORT & CONVENTION CENTER of $18 per day. There is a special lot just for recreational vehicles (RVs) where the energy and excitement parking is free. of Music City at the Local Host Committee Gaylord Resort and Local HLAA member volunteers will make you feel welcome in the Music City. Convention Center, With their hard work and enthusiasm, this Convention is sure to be among the best. the flagship property of the Gaylord Hotels Family.

12 Hearing Loss Magazine Fun Facts About Schedule-at-a-Glance Nashville Here’s a brief look at what we’re planning. n Nashville is located within 650 miles of 50 percent Thursday, June 18, 2009 of the U.S. population.

• Exhibit Hall Opens, 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. n Nashville is ranked tenth most affordable places to retire • Workshops, 1 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. (each workshop will be 1¼ hours this year) by Yahoo! Real Estate. • Exhibit Hall Grand Opening, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. n The Gaylord Opryland Resort • Opening Session featuring keynote speaker, Vinton G. Cerf, Ph.D., and Convention Center is known as a “Father of the Internet,” 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. conveniently located at the intersection of three • Get Acquainted Party, 8:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. major interstates, allowing individuals to drive there in under a day. Friday, June 19, 2009 n Nashville is located on the • Research Symposium sponsored by the Deafness Research Foundation, Cumberland River in Davidson An Update on the Latest Hair Cell Regeneration Research County in the north-central part of the state. • Workshops in the afternoon starting at 1 p.m. n Nashville is home to the • Exhibit Hall Social—Sugar Rush, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Grand Ole Opry, the longest • HLAA 30th Birthday Celebration, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. running radio show in history. n Nashville is a major hub Saturday, June 20, 2009 for the healthcare, music, publishing, banking and • Workshops begin at 8:30 a.m. transportation industries.

• Exhibit Hall Social—Happy Hour, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. n Roy Acuff is known as the King of Country. • Saturday Night at the Grand Ole Opry—communication accessible! (busses leave from the Magnolia entrance at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. performance) n Country music entertainers, Jimmy Dean and George Jones, went into the sausage Sunday, June 21, 2009 business.

• Awards Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. n The Country Music Hall of Fame houses Elvis’s gold Cadillac and piano.

n Theodore Roosevelt, after drinking a cup of locally produced coffee in Nashville, coined the phrase “good to the last drop!”

March/April 2009 13 WHAT TO DO IN NASHVILLE…

Many of Nashville’s attractions are located downtown Cheekwood Botanical Gardens & Museum of Art is within walking distance of each other. There are many a 55-acre estate with the former mansion of the Cheek free attractions around town including the Tennessee family, among the founders of Maxwell House Coffee. State Museum, Fort Negley and several art galleries. Go to www.cheekwood.org for more information. Gaylord Opryland Tours is offering tour packages to Nashville attractions. Tour descriptions and rates are Country Music Hall of Fame available at www.hearingloss.org. Located near the historic Ryman Auditorium and the honky- tonks of Lower Broadway, the Country Music Hall of Fame Vanderbilt University is home to a vast collection including Elvis’s gold Cadillac Vanderbilt University was established in 1873 and sits and piano. Historic country video clips, recorded music, on a 330-acre campus which is home to a wide variety of exhibits, live performances, and live satellite radio broad- theater and dance performances, restaurants, a national casts, all help to make a visit here unforgettable. Visit arboretum featuring more than 300 varieties of trees www.countrymusichalloffame.com for more information. and shrubs, and the Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery. Convention News and Updates HLAA Welcomes Presenters from Vanderbilt www.hearingloss.org/convention From the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center for Visit our website frequently for the latest convention Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, HLAA updates. Sign up for the free online E-news and get all welcomes presenters David Haynes, M.D., director of the latest HLAA news in your in-box every two weeks. Neurotology; George Wanna, M.D.; Tamala Bradham, Ph.D., associate director of the National Center on Nancy Macklin is HLAA director of events Childhood Deafness; William W. Dickinson, Au.D., and she has pulled together an amazing and assistant professor, Hearing Aid Product Line Manager, fun program for Nashville. Nancy knows Department Hearing and Speech Science; and Andrea about fun—she lives with her husband and Hedley Williams, Au.D., pediatric cochlear implant three boys in Silver Spring, Maryland, where audiologist at the National Center for Childhood the fun and action never ends! Come meet Deafness and Family Communication. her and all your friends (old and new) in Nashville. Frist Center for the Visual Arts is a non-profit art exhibit center dedicated to presenting the finest visual art from local, state and regional artists as well as Convention Sponsors major U.S. and international exhibitions. You’ll find plenty of activities for all ages in this family-friendly museum where art is taught through activity. Children 18 and under are free. For more information, go to www.fristcenter.org.

The Parthenon is a full-scale replica of the original in Athens and is the only exact replica in existence. The Parthenon houses a permanent collection of 63 paintings by 19th- and 20th-century American artists.

The Hermitage, a national historic landmark, was home of President Andrew Jackson. The mansion houses furniture purchased by the Jackson family as well as many personal items. Visitors can see three of the original slave cabins, Jackson’s tomb, the formal garden, and an 1804 log cabin. For additional information, go to www.thehermitage.com.

Would You Like to Exhibit or Sponsor an Event? Contact Christopher T. Sutton at [email protected] or call 301.657.2248 CONVENTION REGISTRATION FORM Hearing Loss Association of America Convention 2009

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center • June 18–21 • Nashville, Tennessee Please complete and return registration form by May 24, 2009.

______Primary Registrant (name as it will appear on badge) HLAA Member ID#

______Second Registrant HLAA Member ID#

______Providing your e-mail address Company / Organization helps us in our effort to “Go Green” and allows us to e-mail convention ______updates as they occur. Address

______City State Zip

______Daytime Phone E-mail

For quick and secure registration, go online to: www.hearingloss.org/convention

VALUE PACKAGES By 5.24.09 Onsite

o Full Activity Package (Best Value) Hearing Loss Association Convention Full Activity Package includes: Member o $ 319 o N/A • Unlimited Entry to the Exhibit Hall During Expo & Session Hours Member Couple o $ 558 o N/A • All Workshops, Demonstrations, & Featured Speakers • Research Symposium • Opening Session & Exhibit Grand Hall Opening • Block Party • Awards Breakfast • Exhibit Hall Socials • HLAA 30th Birthday Celebration and Dinner Ticket(s) Special Dietary Requests o Vegetarian o Kosher o Diabetic

o Education Package (Does not include Birthday Celebration) By 5.24.09 Onsite Hearing Loss Association Convention Education Package includes: • Unlimited Entry to the Exhibit Hall During Expo & Session Hours Member o $ 259 o $ 319 • All Workshops, Demonstrations, & Featured Speakers Member Couple o $ 439 o $ 499 • Research Symposium Non-Member o $ 309 o $ 369 • Opening Session & Exhibit Grand Hall Opening Student o $ 200 o $ 225 • Block Party • Awards Breakfast • Exhibit Hall Socials

More packages on reverse side. INDIVIDUAL ONE DAY PACKAGES (Does not include Birthday Celebration) By 5.24.09 Onsite o June 18 — Thursday Package • Unlimited Entry to the Exhibit Hall during Expo Hours o $ 150 o $ 175 • Demonstrations & Featured Speakers & Book Signings • Opening Session & Exhibit Hall Grand Opening • Block Party

o June 19 — Friday Package • Unlimited Entry to the Exhibit Hall & Session Hours o $ 150 o $ 175 • All Workshops, Demonstrations, Featured Speakers & Book Signings • Exhibit Hall Social—“Sugar Rush”

o June 20 — Saturday Package o $ 150 o $ 175 • Unlimited Entry to the Exhibit Hall & Session Hours • All Workshops, Demonstrations, Featured Speakers & Book Signings • Exhibit Hall Social—“Happy Hour”

o June 21 — Sunday Package FREE • Awards Breakfast Do you plan to attend the Awards Breakfast? o Yes o No Package Total $ ______

Additional Individual Tickets o HLAA 30th Birthday Celebration & Dinner $65 x ______Special Dietary Requests o Vegetarian o Kosher o Diabetic o Saturday Night at the Grand Ole Opry $45 x ______Individual Tickets Total $ ______

Membership o Individual $35 o Professional $60 o Couple/Family $45 o Student* $20 * Please enclose photocopy of current student identification card. Membership Total $ ______Contribution Contributions help support the education, advocacy, and support efforts of the Hearing Loss Association of America throughout the year. Donors will be listed in the Convention Program if received by April 18, 2009. Contribution $ ______

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By Mark Ross By Sam Trychin o $ 150 o $ 175 “I can hear but I just don’t understand hearing. Because such children cannot a feedback-suppression feature the words,” is a common problem with hear the high frequencies very well, in the hearing aid). people who wear hearing aids. Certain their speech, language and academic Complicating the situation is the kinds of hearing loss create more of skills are often deficient. possibility that cochlear dead regions a problem when it comes to word Given the importance of the /s/ may exist at the frequencies where o $ 150 o $ 175 comprehension. Mark Ross explains phoneme, it is ironic that it is precisely thresholds are in excess of about why this is and what can possibly this sound which contains the highest 70 db. That is, the measured hearing be done to help. frequency acoustic elements of any thresholds may reflect the responses The most common type of sound in the English language, and of a lower portion on the basilar hearing loss is a high-frequency loss is thus the most challenging for the membrane (the inner ear structure (i.e., perception of higher frequencies average listener with hearing loss. An supporting the hair cells) and not is poorer than that of lower ones). analysis of the acoustic spectrum of /s/ the specific frequency being tested. People with this type of problem shows that it has most of its significant Because of the possibility of distortion, often complain of hearing but not energy well above 4,000 Hz, ranging delivering amplified sounds to this understanding. While the deleterious from 4,500 Hz to more than 8,000 Hz. region may actually be detrimental to effect of noise occurs for a number This suggests that most people comprehension (or at best ineffective). of reasons, a primary one is the fact with a high-frequency hearing loss that such individuals cannot perceive must depend upon the lower frequen- Shifting the Frequencies many of the high frequency voiceless cy elements of this and other high- The combination of all these factors, consonants, such as the /t/, /k/, /f/, frequency voiceless consonants —i.e., a high-frequency hearing /th/, /sh/, and /s/ sounds. in order to barely perceive them. loss, the acoustic spectrum of the Yet in order to fully, or easily, Hard of hearing adults are able to voiceless consonants (in particular comprehend speech it is crucial that unconsciously call upon their normal the /s/), the difficulty in providing these sounds be heard. In fact, it has linguistic development to fill in the sufficient amplification to the higher been known for some time within acoustic gaps when the actual cues are frequencies, the possibility of cochlear the field of audiology that speech missing or minimal, albeit imperfectly dead regions and the upper frequency comprehension depends more upon and with considerable effort. The limits of hearing aids—led to the hearing the higher, as opposed to situation is much more difficult for concept of hearing aids that would the lower, frequencies in the speech hard of hearing children who lack shift the high frequencies of speech spectrum. this normal background. to the lower ones. The reasoning was that if the The Challenging /s/ Phoneme High-Frequency Limitations speech energy in the high frequencies In addition to their importance for Audiologists are well aware of the could somehow be shifted to the speech perception, some of these importance of the high frequencies lower frequencies, where the hearing high frequency consonants convey in general, and the /s/ phoneme in thresholds were better, then this important grammatical information. particular. When fitting a hearing aid, high-frequency information would at For example, consider the /s/ sound they do try to ensure that the high least be audible, though considerably in signaling plurals (book, books), frequencies are as audible as possible, modified and sounding somewhat contractions (it is, it’s), possession but are limited by the extent of the “unnatural.” The challenge was— (Jake’s book) and third person high-frequency hearing loss and the and is—to reach this goal without singular (Ben walks home while his upper frequency range of most hearing simultaneously obscuring or unduly sister takes the bus). In each of these aids. Generally, the greater the degree of degrading the acoustic information examples, important semantic as well high-frequency hearing loss, the more being delivered to the lower as grammatical information is being difficult it is to properly fit a hearing aid. frequencies. transmitted by the /s/ phoneme. This For some people it may be impossible Currently, there appear to be has particular significance for hard of to provide the necessary degree of at least three different techniques hearing children, who are in the process high-frequency amplification without incorporated in commercially of developing speech and language via incurring acoustic squeal (even with continued on page 18

March/April 2009 17 Working it Out continued from page 17 Dr. Francis Kuk of Widex, who has written extensively on the AE, states available hearing aids designed to do improvement with this feature, while that while hearing aid users may this (there may be others, but I’ve seen the other half obtained similar scores in experience some initial “masking/ no published reports on them).By Brad Ingraothe treated and untreated conditions. confusion,” within two weeks to two For example, in the last such study months the initial confusion apparently Three Systems Improve to be reported, two of the six subjects diminishes and performance begins to High-Frequency Audibility showed significant improvement improve. At this time, most evaluations in their speech perception scores of the efficacy of the AE have been The AVR Sonovation ImpaCt BTE while using frequency compression, undertaken by Widex personnel who (Frequency Compression) with three others showing minimal report generally favorable results, In 1998, the AVR Sonovation Company improvements in the noise condition. particularly with consonant recogni- introduced the ImpaCt BTE (behind- tion and after an adaptation period. the-ear) hearing aid (following an The Widex Inteo (Audibility Extender) earlier body-aid version). Although one Several years ago, Widex introduced The Phonak Naída (SoundRecover) doesn’t hear much from this company what they term the Audibility Extender The latest entry into the frequency- lately, for a number of years they were (AE) feature in their Inteo hearing aid. lowering realm is the SoundRecover the only one that offered this concept Essentially, the Audibility Extender (SR) feature offered in Phonak’s to consumers. The company still exists transposes unaidable high-frequency Naída hearing aid. This aid appears and markets several aids that include sounds to usable low-frequency regions. to combine aspects of the two previous what they term “Dynamic Speech In the first step of the process, the devices in that it both compresses high- Recoding” or Frequency Compression. hearing aid selects a “start” frequency. frequency signals and shifts them to a When a voiceless sound is detected This is the frequency point at which the lower-frequency region. (predominance of energy in the higher AE program determines (based on the The SoundRecover (SR) feature frequencies), for that moment in time person’s stored thresholds) that aidable compresses speech signals above some the entire spectrum is compressed and hearing ends and unaidable begins. pre-selected cut-off frequency and thus, essentially, shifted to the lower For example, 2,000 Hz could shifts this high frequency sound into frequencies. All energy peaks within the be the start frequency for someone a frequency region in which there is signal are shifted proportionately (for whose thresholds drop off sharply at usable residual hearing. example, with a frequency compress- this frequency and whose hearing, For example, in a case reported by ion ratio of 2, sounds at 6,000 Hz are therefore, is not usable above this the University of Western Ontario, the shifted to 3,000 Hz, while 3,000 Hz point. The program then identifies a cut-off frequency was 2,900 Hz and sounds are moved to 1,500 Hz and peak frequency within the non-aidable the compression ratio was 4:1. What so on). The system works extremely octave above the start frequency (in this means is that all the speech energy rapidly and lower frequencies are not this case, from 2,000 Hz to 4,000 above this frequency (extending to supposed to be affected. Essentially, Hz), then shifts and filters it—and the limits of the hearing aid response) what the system does is match the the sounds surrounding it—to fit in would be divided by four and shifted to bandwidth of the incoming speech the octave below the start frequency the area slightly higher than 2,900 Hz spectrum to the damaged ear’s more (i.e., from 1,000 Hz and 2,000 Hz). It (at which there was still usable residual limited, but usable, intact hearing. The is important to properly identify the hearing). The idea is to ensure that the degree of frequency compression and start frequency, a point the company important information contained in the crossover frequency are adjustable, stresses in its publications. If it is set the very high frequencies is available depending upon the configuration of too low, then usable hearing will not to the hearing aid user. The selected the hearing loss. be aided normally; if set too high, then cut-off frequency and compression As ever in instances of a new or potentially important information ratio both depend upon the user’s different hearing aid feature, the final will not be transposed. The program hearing loss, and may be modified test is whether it actually improves allows for wide individual variations to reflect a person’s listening experi- speech perception. There have been (in start frequency, number of octaves ences. Frequencies lower than 2,900 Hz a number of published studies that transposed, etc.) (in this example) would be amplified investigated the efficacy of this feature, Essentially, then, the transposed as they would be normally. with the latest appearing just a year high frequencies are laid over and The concept of the SR has been ago. On average, these studies have may co-exist in the frequency region investigated in several studies, with reported generally favorable results. one octave below the selected start the most recent efforts conducted at However, the findings on all of them frequency. On the surface, this appears the University of Western Ontario. display large individual differences; to increase the likelihood of signal Researchers looked at the results about half the subjects show clear distortion and confusion. However, obtained for both children and adults

1618 Hearing Loss Magazine with varying degrees of hearing loss, listen through one of these systems and with and without the SR enabled. The expect the resulting auditory sensations results showed that on average, the to be “normal.” But it does seem that A Note to Our Readers feature improved the recognition of some adaptation is possible with each from Mark Ross high-frequency consonants and plural of them. Of course, a large degree of words without adversely affecting vowel individual variation can be expected. n the sidebar accompanying my recognition. The benefit was generally For reasons not fully understood, some I January/February article, our gra- greater for individuals with the more people seem to benefit more than cious Editor Barbara Kelley describ- severe hearing losses as well as for others. Children, perhaps because of ed some of my past and current activi- children. much greater neural plasticity, seem ties and paid me some wonderful As appears to be the rule in such to benefit more than adults. compliments as a contributor to research, a great deal of individual At this time, we have then three the field of audiology. Being human, variability was observed. What I found methods of improving the audibility I loved them, but I do think it neces- particularly interesting in one of the of high-frequency sounds. What we sary for me to qualify one of the studies were figures that displayed, via don’t have, but should, is a compari- statements that were made. real-ear tests, the improved audibility son of all three methods tested on Just to set the record straight, of the /s/ sound with the SR feature the same group of hearing aid users. in no way can I be described as enabled compared to when it was It seems pretty straightforward “The Father of Audiology.” There turned off. Without the feature, the to me. However, I doubt that the are people now alive, and many acoustic spectrum of /s/ clearly fell manufacturers of the three different who are no longer with us, who below someone’s hearing thresholds systems would undertake such a deserve this appellation much more at the high frequencies. With the SR project; they’re not about to conduct than I do. It embarrasses me to turned on, it could be visually observed a study that may prove their product think what some of my colleagues that the energy in the /s/ sound was inferior to the other two. Instead, may think when they read this obviously audible, albeit at a lower this project should be undertaken statement. While I often note that frequency than it would be normally. by someone or some group in the my introduction to the field of I find this kind of demonstration par- audiological community. It may be audiology was in January 1952, ticularly compelling. We know that that all three methods are fairly equal, it was when I was a patient at the people vary in their ability to utilize but in any case it is information that Army Aural Rehabilitation Center these modified high-frequency con- would be helpful to hard of hearing at Walter Reed Hospital. At the time, sonants, but this procedure demon- people. Hopefully, this project will be this was a two-month residential strates that at the least they can be undertaken soon! program and my experiences there heard. were very educational and, personal- Mark Ross, Ph.D., ly, very helpful. But I was a patient. What We Know and is an audiologist It was not until June 1957, on receiv- and associate at What We Should Know ing my B.A., that I began my pro-

the Rehabilita- © Cindy Dyer Some observations can be made fessional career. So, actually, I’m a tion Engineering that apply to all three methods of second-generation audiologist and Research Center frequency-lowering. With each one hardly the progenitor of the field. (RERC) at of them improved detection of high Still, I do have to say that I’ve had Gallaudet frequency sounds is observed. This is a wonderful career, and I feel fortunate University. He was a natural consequence of a technology that, on my “retirement,” that I can awarded the HLAA Lifetime Achievement that detects and lowers high frequency still continue to offer information and Award in June 2008. He and his wife, sounds (via compression, shifting, or assistance to people with hearing loss. Helen, live in Storrs, Connecticut. transposition) to a lower frequency. And I hope to continue doing so for To find more Dr. Ross articles on The more important question, some more years. however, concerns how well the technology for consumers, go to processed speech is understood and www.hearingresearch.org. accepted. The auditory sensations Editor’s Note This article was developed under a grant produced by all three systems are To Mark Ross and all the others who from the Department of Education, NIDRR initially rather strange. The cochlea is came before and after him in the field, grant number H133EO80006. However, not “tuned” to hear high-frequency we owe you a debt of gratitude for the contents do not necessarily represent the sounds delivered to lower points on your research, your thoughts, and your policy of the Department of Education, and the cochlea. A period of adaptation is compassion in helping people with you should not assume endorsement by the therefore recommended, regardless of hearing loss use technology. which technique is used. One does not Federal Government.

March/April 2009 19 Two children with cochlear implants travel different roads that reveal the language diversity in our world. Meet Christian and Liam, one bilingual child and one language- savvy child.

By Ellen A. Rhoades

Learning a Second Language Potentials and Diverse Possibilities

20 Hearing Loss Magazine Christian in Germany While bilingualism may not Liam in Maui “Christian is crazy about soccer. Our be a realistic goal for all A couple of years later, Eileen from Australian au pair is super but she is Maui contacted me because she children, we can certainly not really into soccer. So last month, heard about Christian’s success as Christian made it his goal to explain enable children to appreciate a bilingual preschooler. Her three- things to her. ‘See, THIS is the German linguistic diversity and, month-old son, Liam, had recently goalie. He is a really good goalie because in so doing, become familiar been diagnosed as having congenital usually he gets all the balls but you know, bilateral profound deafness and just what can he do if his defenders let him with the sounds and prosodic began wearing high-powered binau- down?’ elements of different languages. ral hearing aids. This bilingual mom “Since he became six years old, expressed a desire for her infant son to everything has been about soccer; clear, consistent, sufficient, and within eventually speak English as well as her Christian knows all the players of the meaningful context. I also learned native language Filipino. However, the German premier league, knows all the that researchers found that native only language that her husband, Bill, rules and can explain them.” languages were often lost because speaks is English. His mother, Sabine, goes on to the second language, typically the Serving as their long-distance say, “Usually, the children at recess one considered the minority in any auditory-verbal consultant, my priori- have teams with both native German culture, is not actively and positively ties were to first guide Liam’s parents and native English speakers and he supported by the child’s parents. toward early cochlear implantation switches languages while checking Clearly, for any language to develop and early immersion in an audi- who has the ball (pass, pass here, I’m with relative ease, ongoing immersion tory-verbal life style. Although they here; schieß hierher, ich bin hier), while is the order of the day. could not get Liam implanted until dribbling at high speed, complaining Armed with some basic guidelines he was 11 months old, we embarked about unfair behavior of the opponent and a deep faith that typical children on immersing him in English within team both in German and English; with hearing loss, with consistent use earshot. this always depends on whom he of effective hearing prostheses, can During the time we were waiting talks to.” learn as do normal hearing children, I for Liam to begin hearing better with Christian just turned seven years strongly supported Christian’s parents. a cochlear implant, we implemented old. Born in Cologne, he lost his hear- I advised them to speak only German activities designed to minimize his ing and almost died from meningitis at home, and have their au pair speak atypical behaviors, the goal being that at six months of age. At 10 months of only English at home. In this way, he would become more neurologically age, he became the first infant in the I knew he would at least develop a ready for rapid language learning. By world to be simultaneously implanted familiarity with the English language the time Liam was a year old and with with cochlear implants [one in each before starting English-only preschool access to soft conversational sound as ear]. Since then, Christian rapidly at three years of age. a result of his cochlear implant, spo- learned his parents’ native language, That this proved successful is an ken language began to develop rather German, as did his three typical broth- understatement. Within a year, he was quickly. ers, one older and two younger. already understanding two languages Because I knew that second It was the following year, when and engaging in some typical language languages are much easier to learn Christian was just two, that Sabine mixing. Christian now has two native during the first few years of life, I contacted me wondering if it was languages and he is communicatively began gently pestering Eileen to have possible for Christian to also learn competent in both. The outcome was her parents, who traveled from the English, the minority language in her beyond anything the parents ever Philippines to stay with them every country. She and her husband, Diet- expected and they are incredibly elated winter, speak only Filipino to Liam. rich, had already made sure that their about how well Christian does, both Consequently, Liam learned some older son was becoming bilingual by academically and socially. songs and simple expressions from his employing an English-speaking au Christian has many close friends, grandmother while Bill, in particular, pair and by enrolling him in an Eng- some of whom speak only English daily immersed him in the English lish-speaking preschool. This was the and others who speak only German. language. first time parents had conveyed such Conversationally fluent in both spoken Although I suggested to Eileen a strong desire for bilingualism to me, languages, he is also reading in both that she begin speaking only Filipino so I did some online investigating of languages. In fact, he is learning Span- at home, this did not sufficiently how this typically occurs with normal ish as a third language—but this one is materialize. So, when Liam’s maternal hearing children. being acquired sequentially and so the grandparents were not visiting, Eng- I learned that situational bound- rate of learning is not as great for this lish was the only language spoken at aries for language learners should be part of his curriculum. continued on page 22

March/April 2009 21 Language continued from page 21 heritage languages are spoken. effective hearing prostheses; the ad- Popular stories such as The Cat vent of cochlear implants during the home. Parental attitudes toward dual in the Hat are published in at least first three years of life has dramatically language learning were not strong ten different languages and can be altered our expectations. Moreover, enough. Because Liam was not consis- obtained online and read to chil- globalism has engendered changing tently immersed in his mother’s native dren who are already familiar with perspectives on the need for people language, he came to understand and the story in English or their heritage from many countries and cultures speak just English quite well by the language. The Internet offers a won- to effectively communicate with time he was three years old, as did derful resource for anyone who needs each other. his older brother. In fact, language assistance learning other languages. assessments indicate that Liam has For example, to see the words of Ellen A. Rhoades, no delays whatsoever. a particular song in a language other Ed.S., Cert. AVT, As Eileen said, “We have cer- than English, go to http://www.ingeb. is a certified tainly not given up on Liam becoming org/Lieder/bruderja/html. auditory verbal bilingual. If there were a Spanish or Employ childcare workers who therapist who Filipino immersion preschool program speak a different language. Cultivate provides training on Maui, Liam’s there in a heartbeat!” long-lasting friendships with children workshops and The lack of minority language or who speak a language other than consultations for dual language schools makes it rather English. Enroll the child in a dual families, school difficult to learn a minority language language school. Believe that bilin- systems, and clinics around the world. within any culture speaking the ma- gualism is possible for the child in She established and directed four audi- jority language. Clearly, the attraction your care and buy into it by making tory-verbal programs for children with of using only the majority language it a reality. As Sabine said, “Imagine hearing loss during the past 30 years, is powerful; this, in turn, continually if we had believed people who told us has received many awards including puts minority languages at risk. that two languages were not possible Outstanding Professional of the Year However, all is not lost with the for Christian. What a waste that would and Program of the Year from A.G. Bell hoped-for ideal of bilingualism. have been—and we would not have Association, Outstanding Auditory Verbal While Liam is linguistically compe- even known!” Clinician of the Year from Auditory Ver- tent in just one language, he has be- While bilingualism may not be a bal International, and Nitchie Award in come ‘language-savvy.’ His grandpar- realistic goal for all children, we can Human Communication from the League ents continue to travel to Maui from certainly enable children to appreciate for the Hard of Hearing. She has also the Philippines and to speak in their linguistic diversity and, in so doing, served on the board of directors of many native language some of the time. become familiar with the sounds and organizations, published in a variety Liam has developed a familiarity with prosodic elements of different lan- of peer-review journals, and taught at Filipino and Spanish, the latter as a guages. The language landscape has the university level. She can be reached result of attending a preschool where changed for our children, partly through her website www.Auditory Spanish is exposed to the children. because they now have access to VerbalTraining.com. Becoming ‘language-savvy’ is a minimal but very worthy goal for all children who have access to soft Understanding the Language Terms conversational sound, even if both parents speak only English. Bilingualism—One is conversationally fluent in two spoken languages. Con- Minority Languages versational fluency involves being able to “code switch” from one language to Within a Majority Culture another. A bilingual person is often described as having oral cohesion in two languages. It should be noted that the typical bilingual person is not equally Parents and auditory-based therapists proficient in two languages; that is, one language tends to predominate. can create “language-savvy” children Intelligence (IQ) is not a variable in learning either a first or second lan- who will better appreciate diversity. guage. Bilingualism is a lifelong process that parents must actively encourage; Speak each child’s name, sing songs, it does not “just happen.” The “use it or lose it” dictum applies to bilingualism. say common expressions, and greet There is a complex interrelationship between attitude, use, and proficiency. children in different languages each day of the week. Read books and use Simultaneous bilingualism—Two languages each develop prior to age three. formulaic expressions in a minority language. Visit communities and Sequential bilingualism—The second language begins developing after families where English is not spoken. age three. Take holidays in countries where

22 Hearing Loss Magazine Welcome Veterans! Do you have a hearing loss due to military service? A report from the Department of Veterans Affairs esti- mates that more than 59,000 military members are on disability for hearing loss from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is here to help. Visit www.hearingloss.org and click on the American flag.

March/April 2009 23 No matter how you define it, anger feels bad. The blood pressure and pulse rate rise, and emotionally, it takes its toll. Sam Trychin looks closely at anger associated with hearing loss.

My dictionary indicates that the Latin, Greek and other language roots Why is Everyone of the word “anger” have the various meanings of distress, sorrow, constricted, narrow, and tight. So Mad? My Webster’s Dictionary defines anger as, “A feeling of displeasure Getting a Grip on Hearing Loss resulting from injury, mistreatment, opposition, etc. and usually showing itself in a desire to fight back at the supposed cause of this feeling.” A second, and particularly interesting definition thatWebster offers is, “An inflammation of a sore or wound.” Related to hearing loss, there is a risk that anger related to a com- By Sam Trychin munication problem can linger in the person’s mind long after the event occurred and appear to fester, similar to an infected, unattended wound. What Causes Anger Associated With Hearing Loss? Hearing loss can produce anger for some people in a variety of ways, and that anger can be manifested in how people feel, the kinds of thoughts and images they experience, what they will or will not do, how they interact with others, and how their bodies respond physically. Anger, or other manifestations of tension, may be an automatic reaction for some people when people are cut off from or have difficulties with significant events in the environment. Such difficulties include times when it is difficult or impossible to understand what someone is saying, when a driver hears a siren from an emergency vehicle, but can’t determine its loca- tion, or when a person is concerned about the inability to hear the ringing of a telephone or alarm clock while staying at a hotel or are otherwise away from home as on a business trip. Hearing loss, being a communication disorder that affects everyone in

24 Hearing Loss Magazine the communication situation, can also In fact, Mary is busy doing her mind, often exaggerating the insult or produce anger or irritation in people night-school homework and simply misinterpreting the offender’s motives. who are attempting to communicate failed to remember that John doesn’t Anger can also result in inability to something to a person who is unable understand what Mary is saying when think clearly, resulting in an inability to easily understand what is being said. he is unable to see her face. to take effective action to resolve the problem. Does This Exchange Our Anger Reactions Sound Familiar? When a person is angry, his or her phys- Behavioral Results Anger can also result when a family ical system, thoughts, feelings, behavior, When angry, the individual’s behav- member assumes that the person who and social relationships are affected, ior may be directed at attacking the has hearing loss had understood a often in a way that is not good either offender in some way by injuring, request and later, when it is too late, for the individual experiencing the intimidating/threatening (physical or finds out that the person, in fact, had anger or for those in his or her vicinity. verbal), belittling, undermining, guilt not understood, as in the following Even when the individual attempts to tripping, or some other means. Alter- exchange. hide the anger, it spills over and affects natively the angered individual may others by tone of voice, body language, resort to withhold something of value Dad (typically hearing): “John, and facial expression. to the offender by leaving the scene, did you take out the garbage last There is evidence that anger and resorting to “the silent treatment,” night as I asked?” other emotions can also be transmit- emotional distancing, of failing Sam (hard of hearing): “I never ted directly from one person to another to comply with requests. heard you ask me to do that.” by electrophysiological heart rhythm Social relationships are negatively Dad (exasperated): “Well, darn it, signals that are directly transmitted affected by anger in a broad sense the garbage truck went by five and received across a limited space because other people want to avoid minutes ago.” (perhaps eight feet or so). or escape from situations and people who display the characteristics indi- Anger too often results in negative Anger, or other manifestations cated in the previous paragraphs. effects for both the person who directly of tension, may be an auto- Sometimes, others are so intimi- experiences the emotion and for those matic reaction for some people dated by the person’s display of anger who may be the recipients of its verbal that they attempt to comply with the when people are cut off from or nonverbal expression. For these rea- angry individual’s every wish, result- sons it is important to understand what or have difficulties with signifi- ing in a relationship that is so out anger is, the effect of anger, and what cant events in the environment. of balance that it cannot endure. A to do to prevent or manage anger. related danger of displaying anger is Anger can be a normal human Physical Reactions that, when it succeeds; i.e., when the emotion that serves to stimulate a per- The major physical reactions to anger person feels better or gets what he or son to take action to deal with the situ- produce a heightened state of activa- she wants after its display, the rein- ation that evoked the angry reaction. tion that prepares the person to take forcing effect may lead to the develop- When the reaction is appropriate for action to deal with the situation or to ment of an “angry habit.” the situation, anger can be an adaptive escape from it. Heart rate is disordered, Another very common social response. and stress hormones are released in effect of anger is that other people However, when anger is an inap- abundance, having the effect of putting respond in kind, sometimes, leading propriate reaction to the situation, it one’s body in overdrive and, if con- to dangerous escalations and some- is most often a maladaptive response, tinued or frequent, leading to exhaus- one getting hurt. resulting in personal and social nega- tion and vulnerability to stress-related tive consequences. For example, people diseases. Typical anger sources or triggers are: sometimes make erroneous attribu- An additional problem is that a. Experiencing frustration in the tions about the motives of others as is the person can become addicted to attempts to achieve one’s goals; the case with John (hard of hearing) the adrenaline “rush” and later seek b. Impatience with self or others; and, who may believe that his wife, Mary, ways to become angry in order to c. Real or imagined insults or threats. who is speaking to him from another re-experience it. room: In addition, we live in an envi- Cognitive Reactions ronment that is laden with expres- a. Does not wish to take the The cognitive component of anger is an sions of angry behavior displayed in necessary time; over-focus on the situation that produc- newspaper articles, news reports, TV b. Does not care if he understands; or, es the anger and a tendency to replay programs, and movies. Another factor c. Does not love him anymore. the situation over and over in one’s continued on page 26

March/April 2009 25 Why Is Everyone So Mad? to communication difficulties. Some doing, we will reduce a large amount continued from page 25 examples are as follows: of the anger we experience otherwise. to consider is the individual’s genetic 1. “She knows I have a hearing loss, Two Ways to Get a Grip disposition to be either calm and but keeps talking to me from the Focus on the reality of the person’s relaxed or easily aroused. This disposi- other room.” behavior can lead to thinking about tion is often evident in the behaviors 2. “I’ve told the boss that I have a hear- ways to improve the situation. Thinking of infants soon after birth. ing loss, but he just won’t make about what others should do or ought to any attempt to help me understand be doing implies that they really know People With Hearing Loss what he is saying.” better, when they often don’t. It is important to point out that within 3. “If she wants me to participate in Resorting to using the word should the population of people who have the discussion she should set up also casts an unnecessary moralistic hearing loss there is great variability the situation so I can see the other tone to the situation; e.g., the implica- in the experience and expression of participants.” tion is that people are bad, inferior, anger. Some people are rarely ever an- stupid, etc. if they are not doing gered, others appear to be angry much In example number one, people what they should. of the time, with most people falling who have hearing loss often make the There are two major paths to somewhere in between these extremes. mistake of believing that other people preventing or reducing angry reactions As stated previously, hearing loss keep the fact of our hearing loss firmly for those people with hearing loss. The has a set of anger triggers related in mind at all times. In fact, others first has already been mentioned and to frustrations resulting from com- easily forget about the hearing loss involves learning how to manage communication difficulties that affect because, being human, they have munication situations. This involves not only the person who has hearing other things on their mind and the the learning of tactics and strategies for loss but also those with whom he hearing loss is only important for them preventing or reducing communication or she communicates. These frustra- to remember when in our presence. breakdowns and knowing what to do tions are unique in terms of their We have to remind them often and to repair communication problems frequency of occurrence; i.e., people model the behavior we want from when they do occur. with normal hearing also experience them; e.g., always go to where they There are books and DVDs avail- frustration in difficult communication are when we want to talk to them. able that deal with these issues that are situations, but they experience it much In example number two, people focused on problems specific to hearing less often than those of us who have who have hearing loss often make the loss. (See Resource section.) hearing loss. mistake of believing that if someone The second path involves learn- knows we have a hearing loss, they ing how to manage oneself in difficult Beware of Faulty Assumptions should also know what to do to accom- communication situations. Even when In my experience of working with modate it. This is a false assumption people use the most effective commu- people who have hearing loss and because, except for very few individuals, nication tactics and strategies, prob- their family members, friends, and no one has been taught anything about lem situations will arise on occasion. co-workers is that many, many people hearing loss and what to do to accom- Instead of feeling helpless and frus- do not know what to do to prevent or modate it. trated when that happens, it is better to reduce communication problems. Others, including most profession- practice self-management procedures The result is that they accept such als—teachers, physicians, mental health to minimize unnecessary emotional difficulties as part of life,“It just goes providers, rehabilitation counselors, turmoil and self-defeating thoughts. with hearing loss,” and don’t attempt to etc.—need to be taught what to do in There are a wide variety of relax- take positive action to improve com- order to be understood. People who ation-focused procedures available munication. Negative feelings such have hearing loss are the ones to do that can be learned in a relatively brief as anger, anxiety, depression, and/or the teaching. period of time (several weeks) if prac- guilt, and damaged relationships are In example number three, there ticed faithfully. Breath control, muscle too often the result. is also the faulty assumption that the relaxation, meditation, and Tai Chi I believe that it is worthwhile to other person “knows what to do, but are a few examples. elaborate further on the issue. I believe doesn’t do it.” There is an additional There is also an abundance of negative feelings to be the major cause issue that is very common that pertains books on the market that are helpful of anger for those people who have to the word should. That word produces in dealing with anger and other stress- hearing loss. From my experience, a more problems for people than almost related experiences, but that do not case can be made that the major cause any other word. If we can focus on focus on hearing loss. I have listed of anger is faulty assumptions about what people are or are not doing instead several of these that I have found other people’s behavior in regard of some notion of what they should be to be most useful.

2426 Hearing Loss Magazine If you think you and your families and friends are the only ones who get Resources angry about the hearing loss and its Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames (2001) by Thich Nhat Hanh, communication obstacles, you are not Riverhead Books alone. I hope this discussion sheds some light on the topic. Transforming Anger (2003) by Childre, D. and Rozman, D. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Sam Trychin, Ph.D., is A New Guide to Rational Living (1961) by Ellis, A. and Harper, R.A., a lecturer at the Penn Wilshire Book Co. State, Erie, Behrend College. Prior to that Other Books Focused on Hearing Loss he was the director of For help in managing communication situations: training at the Mental Health Research and Living With Hearing Loss: Workbook (2006) by Sam Trychin, available Training Center for from Sam Trychin, www.trychin.com (click on Bookstore) Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened Adults, For help in managing oneself: California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego, California. Previous to that, he Relaxation Training manual and DVD (1986) by Sam Trychin, was professor of psychology and director of available from Sam Trychin www.trychin.com (click on Bookstore) the Living with Hearing Loss Program, Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C. Dr. Trychin currently conducts training i>À}ÊÃÃ Tell us about your experiences with hearing loss programs, classes, and workshops for people in the workplace and be a part of Hearing Loss who are hard of hearing, their families, and ÊÊÊÊÃÃV>Ì Magazine! Author submission guidelines can be professionals who provide services to them. vÊiÀV> found on our website at www.hearingloss.org. His specialty is the application of psychologi- For more information, e-mail Editor Barbara cal concepts, principles, and procedures to We want you! Kelley at [email protected]. problems and issues related to hearing loss.

March/April 2009 27 The Walk4Hearing™ produced by the Hearing Loss Association of America is the nation’s largest series of walks of its kind. It is a collaborative walkathon program with the goal Little ones Christian Marmor (left) of raising awareness and generating and Ryan Perez (right) ride for hearing at the National Capital funds for national and local programs Area Walk4Hearing. and services for people with hearing loss and their families. HLAA Chapters along with community volunteers and businesses are involved at the local level to organize walks and to put monies raised toward programs in home Pete Eichel, audiologist, and son Will, towns and cities. Whether it’s the Boy hand out water at the Columbus, Ohio, Scouts, hearing care professionals, Walk4Hearing. businesses who care about the people in their communities, children with Stepping Up for A baby walker at the Houston Walk4Hearing People with Hearing Loss

By Ronnie Adler The Moose Run Walk was held in southeast Michigan: From left: Frank Gordon, Mike Peterson, Jan Monroe, Barb Quart, Steve Quart, Kaitlyn Chagnon with her dog Shakira, Tracy, and Jackie Chagnon, hearing loss, their families, they all come together to support the Walk4Hearing in their towns and cities. And, we thank you. In 2006, the first year, 1,500 people at six sites participated and raised over $300,000. In 2007, the walk had 15 sites with 3,000 participants and raised more than $600,000. In 2008, more than 3,500 people walked in 17 cities and raised $760,000.

Rochester Walk4Hearing participants

28 Hearing Loss Magazine What is the Money Raised For? Examples of How Local “Our ultimate goal is to ease the Monies raised from the Walk4Hearing Chapters Use the Funds stigma associated with hearing loss are split equally between the local in our society. We should have the chapters/communities and the • Pay for captioning at chapter freedom from stigma to allow us, HLAA national organization. monthly meetings so that all attendees can hear and participate if we are diagnosed with hearing Examples of How HLAA • Purchase assistive listening loss, to confidently and without equipment so that attendees at National Uses the Funds embarrassment seek the treatment monthly meetings can hear and we need. Through insurance coverage, • Give information and support participate fully whether a private or government to thousands of people and their • Outreach to veterans with hearing families who are trying to cope loss returning from Iraq and program, we should have access to with hearing loss Afghanistan the hearing devices and associated • Award scholarships for students • Pass a tax credit for hearing aids services to treat our hearing loss no with hearing loss toward college • Provide and encourage more matter our age or economic situation. information to consumers about tuition It‘s time to consider hearing loss a purchasing their hearing aids • Funding for state residents to take • Push for greater protection for an online, self-paced, training health issue just as we do any consumers when purchasing course in understanding hearing other health condition. It should loss better hearing aids, including best be routine to screen our hearing • Outreach to audiologists practices in dispensing aids regularly throughout our life spans • Push for captioned movies and • Produce outreach materials to as well as at birth.” video material on the Internet advise parents what to do when their baby fails the newborn and cell phones —HLAA Executive Director Brenda Battat hearing screening Stepping Up for People with Hearing Loss HLAA’s Walk4Hearing Reports Huge Success

• Advocate for visual information • Have booths at local community What’s to Come This Year? display systems at airline gates health fairs We have a 2009 Walk4Hearing goal to be standard procedure • Help pay for hearing aids and of $1 million. At press time, we • Change the fire code to include devices for people who cannot have national sponsorships from standards for smoke alarms that afford them the following companies: Advanced have been proven to wake up • Install assistive listening tech- Bionics, IBM, Sorenson, and T- people with hearing loss nology (an audio loop system) Mobile. The walk locations are • Educate hospital staff about com- in the community rooms on www.hearingloss.org and are municating with patients with • Purchase subscriptions of continually updated. hearing loss the Hearing Loss Magazine The success of the Walk4Hearing • Ensure telephones are made to for local libraries program truly shows the support be hearing aid compatible we get from people all over country. • Get assistive listening systems put We are certainly on our way to into places of worship, court rooms, making hearing loss an issue of and other public assembly places national concern. • Pass legislation requiring improved For more information about the acoustical standards in classrooms walk and to find a walk near you, go to www.walk4hearing.org.

March/April 2009 2 9 Sally Edwards of Redwood City, California Wins Congratulations to Congratulations to Mexican Vacation in the 2008 Top Walkers the 2008 Top Teams Top Walker Drawing Jeff Greenstein $6,820, New York City Pope Gang $14,435 Anne Pope $6,360, New York City Karen Ratner $6,295, City Slickers $8,919 ally Edwards, a retired nurse from S Westchester/Mid-Hudson (NY) Redwood City, returned from a medi- Roo’s Crew $7,840 John Pope $6,273, New York City cal mission in Peru last December to Sally Edwards $4,317, the news that she was the national Team Lexi $7,513 Northern California winner of a Mexican vacation for Roberta Seidner $4,073, Grace’s Law $7,067 being a top fundraiser for the 2008 Westchester/Mid-Hudson (NY) Walk4Hearing. Team MZG $6,820 Olivia Milward $4,010, “I’ve never won anything be- Northern California fore,” exclaimed Edwards, 66, who Ask Arlene $6,806 Ira Romoff $3,800, Garden State (NJ) wears hearing aids and has a cochlear Sheri Susa $3,721, New York City The Rat Pack $6,295 implant. “This is especially sweet be- Toni Iacolucci $3,435, New York City cause last year our six-year-old grand- Borzell’s Boosters $5,245 Jeannette Kanter $3,369, Rochester, NY daughter, Hadley, was diagnosed with Michael Ratner $3,225, New York City permanent hearing loss. While heart- The Nationals $5,105 Meredith Colin-Reiman $3,161, breaking, I knew she would be able New York City Go Gators! $5,100 to get the help she needed because of Don Ray $3,052, Northern California organizations like HLAA. International Foody’s Comrades $4,996 Danielle Nicosia $3,005, medical missions are an integral part New York City of our lives and we have been blessed Team Ratner: Michael Jacqueline Freidewald $2,950, to serve others in this way and win and Marilyn $4,886 New York City the trip,” says Edwards. Paul Lurie $2,897, Chicago Anna Bella’s Hot Chili Steppers Edwards raised $4,300 from Corlys Fine $2,745, Chicago $4,475 family and friends who sponsored Donna Sorkin $2,675, Edwards and her granddaughter in the National Capital Area (DC) San Francisco Miracles $4,260 2008 Walk4Hearing held in the fall in Lynn Rousseau $2,655, Florida San Francisco. She was one of the top Childs Voice School Team PI $4,170 Dr. Paul Hammerschlag $2,630, fundraisers nationwide, making her New York City eligible for the drawing for the Mexi- Sally and Hadley’s Gang $4,127 Alexia Harman $2,600, can vacation prize, a one-week stay Garden State (NJ) M.J. Diaz & family $4,020 for two at the award-winning Hotel Woody Waga $2,525, New York City Ixtapan Spa and Golf Resort. Sally and Kelly Richardson $2,515, Chicago Team E.A.R. $3,981 her husband Ron are planning to go Kate Schwerin $2,500, to Ixtapan in the spring. Team Total Caption $3,963 Westchester/Mid-Hudson (NY) Note: Board members, family members, staff, Barb Law $2,475, Rochester, NY Danny’s Team $3,821 advisory council members, etc., were exempt Ellen Semel $2,468, New York City from the top walker raffle drawing. Report on Ann Liming $2,457, SE Michigan Gecko’s Dream Team $3,740 Sally Edwards contributed by Marilyn Ratner. Carolyn Lance $2,445, Garden State (NJ) Lise & Koso’s Kilometer Pam Foody $2,360, Kickers $3,720 Westchester/Mid-Hudson (NY) Eastern Suffolk BOCES $3,716 Arlene Romoff $2,256, Garden State (NJ) Will’s Team $3,625 Michelle Waddington $2,210, Garden State (NJ)

Would You Like to be a National Sponsor? Walk sponsors receive wide exposure in a variety of venues and on all printed and website materials. A final list of 2008 sponsors was printed in the January/ Sally Edwards and granddaughter, Hadley February 2009 Hearing Loss Magazine. If you would like to be a sponsor of the Walk4Hearing at the national level, contact Christopher T. Sutton, director of development and education, at [email protected]. 30 Hearing Loss Magazine How About These Did You See Them Ronnie Adler is the Cool Team Names? Walking in Your Town? national Walk4Hearing Congratulations and thank you to the manager. She has been a Enthusiasm is rampant and the Walkers and Sponsors of the 2008 Walks. member of HLAA since teams show display their personality 1989 and now manages in many ways, some starting with 2008 Walk Locations the national program. their team name. Atlanta, GA (9K) She and her husband, Chicago, IL (72K) Mitch, and their six- Columbus, OH (32K) Bionic Moms year-old son, Chase, live Florida (53K) in Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania. If you Can You Hear Me Now? Garden State, NJ (57K) want to start a walk or get involved in Houston (21K) Turn On MY Ears! the walk, she would love to hear from Longmont, CO (17K) you at [email protected]. Let’s Hear It for Kids National Capital Area, She has the toolkit to get you started Washington, DC (35K) and will cheer you along the way! Go Gators! New England (17K) Pawsitive Ears New York City (124K) Northern CA (46K) Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Permian Basin, TX (10K) Superheroes Rochester, NY (46K) Southeast Michigan (28K) Horton Hears A Who St Louis, MO (31K) You Can do Moore Westchester/Mid-Hudson, NY (70K) West Michigan (22K) Pettey’s Pedestrians Champions for Hearing Ear-Resistible Ann Liming knows the power of giving. Music to Our Ears When I was introduced to the Hearing Loss Asso- Over the Hill ciation of America (HLAA) it was a life-changing “ event. Before coming to terms with my hearing 1WAY4GRAN2HEAR loss I felt very much alone and isolated. Not only Lise and Koso’s Kilometer Kickers did HLAA teach me about my hearing loss and my communication needs, but over time I gained a Boston Stompers support system in my community, state and across Amplified the country. Donating to HLAA is a way for me to express Anna Bella’s Hot Chili Steppers my personal gratitude and to contribute to the con- Boomers with Hearing Loss tinuing impact HLAA has on individual lives. HLAA enables all people with hearing loss to experience Not Hearing, Not Broken life to its fullest. Being a member of the Premier Club allows me to make a major annual impact Roselle’s Million $ Babies with a modest monthly donation. Selective Hearing Aids Gift Options ” Phackler’s Phanatics Consider joining a special group of people like Ann to ensure HLAA is able to Sassy Sisters and Company continue its work for years to come. Learn about the Premier Club and the many other gift options available to you to help HLAA continue to be the nation’s lead- Hear 4U ing organization for people with hearing loss. Metro’s Village People Walking to Impower Visit www.hearingloss.org or contact i>À}ÊÃÃ Christopher T. Sutton, director of devel- The Rat Pack opment and education, at 301.657.2248 ÊÊÊÊÃÃV>Ì or [email protected]. Hot Women Cruisin’ vÊiÀV>

March/April 2009 31 By Anne Girard Free Captioned Telephone Has People Talking

Hamilton CapTel is a corporate member of the Hearing Loss Association of America. To find out more about corporate membership, contact Christopher T. Sutton [email protected] g or call 301.657.2248.

“I feel so disconnected—and sometimes, From the earliest Telecommunica- enlarge the captions on their computer tions Device for the Deaf (TDD) or Tele- so alone—not being able to hear when I screen for easier viewing. In addition, typewriter (TTY) to Telecommunica- the captions of the outside caller’s pick up the phone. Why does something tions Relay Services (TRS), Internet words can be saved or even printed so simple have to be so hard for me?” Relay, Video Relay and more, technol- for later reference. ogy has always led the development of Because this service is provided It’s a common feeling among the assistive products and services. These through the Internet, long-distance approximately 31 million Americans services enable people with profound charges and other standard telephone who experience some degree of hear- hearing loss to contact hearing indivi- service fees are eliminated. Web ing loss. Even with the most advanced duals who use standard telephones. CapTel® does not require the purchase digital hearing aids and cochlear im- However, they have not been ideal for of special equipment or software. plant technologies available, conducting a much larger group of people—those meaningful telephone conversations with mild, moderate or significant How Web CapTel® Works can still be difficult, if not frustrating. hearing loss. To begin using this free service, users A vicious cycle develops. Situations To address this ever-growing user must first register for Web CapTel® using a telephone are often avoided. audience, in 2003, Ultratec, Inc., de- by creating a user name and password The result is a loss of freedom—and veloped Captioned Telephone or via www.hamiltonwebcaptel.com. worse, the feeling of being disconnect- CapTel®. Allowing users to employ In order to receive captioned ed and out of the mainstream. their residual hearing to listen, this inbound calls or to make outgoing technology provides written captions calls, the user must log on to www. An Historic Look at of what an outside caller is saying for hamiltonwebcaptel.com. This ensures Assistive Listening Devices the CapTel® user to read. Captions are that the call is connected through a displayed on a specially designed screen In 1990, Title IV of the Americans Captioning Assistant (CA). that is featured on a landline analog with Disabilities Act (ADA) required The CA does not interact directly telephone. that assistive listening technologies with either caller. The CA only hears be developed and made available to and then re-voices the outside caller’s Web CapTel® Adds Mobility individuals who are profoundly deaf words. This gives the Web CapTel® or experience hearing loss. and Convenience user complete control of the call. Closed Captioning (CC), original- As our society has become more mobile, Using advanced Voice Recogni- ly developed primarily for individuals our need for connectivity has increased, tion (VR) technology calibrated to the with hearing loss, quickly became almost disproportionately. specific CA, the re-voiced words are mainstream. Today, it is common place To address the need for more transformed into sounds, which are on scrolling news tickers, high-rise mobile and convenient captioned sent in “IP” packets over the Internet. buildings, and on giant plasma screens telephone options for those with hear- The words are displayed as captions ® in noisy airports, restaurants and ing loss, Web CapTel was introduced on the Web CapTel® user’s computer elsewhere. in March 2008. This revolutionary new screen. Web CapTel® service is available service allows individuals to place or in English 24 hours a day, seven days a receive captioned calls anywhere they week. Spanish service is available daily “I’ve spent an awful lot of time asking have access to a standard or mobile from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. CST. people to repeat, especially when phone and a high-speed Internet I was trying to get confirmation connection. The Future of CapTel® Services numbers for an airline ticket or Along with the added freedom and While Web CapTel® is an exciting and for a hotel reservation.” mobility to make and receive captioned necessary improvement to assistive —Marcia, Penn Yan, NY phone calls virtually anywhere at any listening technology, it is not a resting time, Web CapTel® allows users to point. CapTel® engineers are constantly

32 Hearing Loss Magazine By Anne Girard as increased memory and computing “Even with the cochlear implant, there power systemwide. were still many sounds and frequencies As ADA Title IV mandates, cap- that were indistinguishable to me on tioning availability has expanded to the phone that made it hard for me devices as small as 4-inch cell phone to keep in touch with customers. And screens, personal electronic notebooks and DVD players. Today, legislation that made me start to lose confidence is in discussion that would augment in my ability to do my job.” these mandates to keep pace with — Danny, New Orleans, LA the changing technology of the 21st century. This legislation would require Hearing Loss captioning services or similar options Association of on all new communications devices America (HLAA) as soon as they become available. co-leader When enacted, the new legislation Hamilton Web CapTel® service provides Rosemary Tuite individuals with hearing loss the independence uses Web CapTel® may also directly benefit Web CapTel® and confidence to use the telephone again. service on a daily users. It may allow eligible consumers It allows users to listen to and read captions basis to assist her with disabilities to apply a possible of what the other party is saying over their with telephone Universal Service Fund (USF) discount computer screen. conversations and advocates toward the use of high-speed Internet the service to her services. A cochlear implant two years ago HLAA members. helped even more. Despite his suc- Web CapTel® Means cessful implant, using the telephone enhancing and expanding Captioned Independence still proved to be a challenge. Telephone services to keep pace with For 82-year old Bill Schaffer, Web “I wasn’t alone. Many hearing aid ever-changing technologies. CapTel proved to be a major lifestyle and cochlear implant users still have As future VR technologies are change in the improvement in his a hearing gap,” Schaffer says. “With developed, for example, larger ability to use the telephone. Due to Web CapTel®, I love being able to vocabularies and data libraries are an autoimmune disease, Schaffer first read the conversation of the caller on being added to Web CapTel® voice began to lose his hearing 35 years ago. my computer. It’s a great aid to better recognition systems. Languages, The disease progressed until he lost all communication.” technical jargon and new words that but two percent of his hearing. Schaffer said he found the large invariably come into popular use Initially, hearing aids increased screen and printing capabilities to be over time are being added, as well Bill’s hearing capacity to 35 percent. a tremendous help. “Since the message appears on my computer screen, I can save or print the conversation for further reference.” “Web CapTel® is a service that every person with hearing loss should use,” Schaffer added. “I tell everyone to tell their friends about Web CapTel®, so that they can communicate with others better than they ever have before.”

Hearing Professionals Play a Key Role One of the biggest obstacles facing those with hearing loss is that many are not aware they are experiencing hearing loss—nor are they aware of the wide range of assistive technology that is available. As the baby boomer generation Bill Schaffer thinks Web CapTel® is a Godsend. “With Web CapTel, I love being able to read the reluctantly charges toward retirement conversation of the caller on my computer. It’s a great aid to better communication.” continued on page 34

March/April 2009 33 Web Captioned Telephone continued from page 33 age, the rock concerts they subjected their ears to as teens and young adults have started coming back to haunt them. They begin to realize that they don’t hear very well on the phone anymore. Often, they ask to have words—and even entire sentences— repeated. People ask why they speak so loudly all the time. This usually prompts a visit to the audiologist for a hearing test. Whether a hearing aid is recommended or Requiring only a standard or mobile telephone and a computer with a high-speed Internet not, this is the ideal time for hearing connection, Hamilton Web Captioned Telephone (Web CapTel ®) allows individuals with hearing professionals to let their patients loss to converse virtually anywhere over the telephone. know about Web CapTel®. Audiologists and other hearing who are able to provide more informa- Local HLAA leaders Rosemary specialists are integral to the continu- tion on assistive listening services such Tuite in Phoenix, Arizona, and Barbara ing patient education process. Serving as Web CapTel®. Chertok in Sarasota, Florida, have as trusted counselors, professionals Educational brochures, DVDs and introduced scores of interested people can help advise patients about tech- other resources are offered by CapTel® to both CapTel® and Web CapTel® nologies that best fit individual needs. and Web CapTel® providers. These services. Many other HLAA members The Hearing Loss Association of can be found at many audiologists’ across the country provide the same America (HLAA) maintains a current and hearing professionals’ offices. service in their respective regions. list of audiologists and hearing pro- Additional information on Web As Rosemary enthusiastically fessionals on www.hearingloss.org. CapTel® accessibility is also provided said, “It is my hope that more and through provider Web sites, such as more audiologists will learn about www.hamiltonwebcaptel.com. Web CapTel® and present it to their “When you have people who talk hearing aid users. I was so impressed real soft or have a foreign language Spreading the Word with how easy it was to log on and to or they have an accent, it’s really Probably one of the most effective ways begin the call. It went so smoothly.” difficult to hear and understand.” to spread the word about Web CapTel® She added, “I think Web CapTel® —Ken, Park Ridge, IL is via word-of-mouth. is awesome. It truly makes using the Louise Allen, of Long Beach, phone stress free.” California, never hesitates to tell people “We would make every effort to keep about Web CapTel®. “I’ll ask, ‘Do you Anne Girard is direct- in contact by the phone but it was have any trouble using the telephone or of marketing for hard. I’d have to ask for repeats and with your hearing loss?’ Hamilton CapTel®. For they’d get discouraged and it really And if they say yes, I’ll ask if they information, visit www. slows things down. They’ve got busy have a computer. If they do, I say ‘I hamiltoncaptel.com lives and they’re more interested in have just the thing for you.’ Then I or call 888.514.7933. keeping things going than spending an tell them about Web CapTel®: how it Anne may be reach- hour talking to mom about things.” works, how easy it is, that it’s free and ed at agirard@ how much I have enjoyed it.” hamiltoncaptel.com. —Louise, Long Beach, CA

“Numbers were impossible to get. A Help Us Celebrate HLAA’s 30th three and a two are the same thing Birthday at Convention 2009! to me. So when they would say it, I would say “1-2? 1-2-3?” trying to get When? Friday, June 19, 2009 them to tell me what the number Where? Nashville, Opryland Hotel was.” —Carrie, Augusta, GA 1979–2009 For details, visit www.hearingloss.org.

34 Hearing Loss Magazine When? Friday, June 19, 2009 Where? Nashville, Opryland Hotel

For details, visit www.hearingloss.org. You don’t have to have a hearing loss By Lise Hamlin When was the last time you turned to find closed captioning useful: many on your television, ready to settle in for people for whom English is a second some serious tube watching, only to find language use captions to get a better the captions so garbled they were worse grasp of English, and children’s reading than useless? What about the time you is enhanced with the use of captions. watched the whole program, only to As of January 1, 2006, the Federal find the captions disappear in the last Communications Commission (FCC) 15 minutes of the program? You know, required all “new” English language the 15 minutes where all is revealed. programming (that is, analog pro- If you were one of the 14.6 million gramming aired after January 1, 1998, viewers of the Golden Globe awards, you and digital programming first aired on had an opportunity to watch captioning or after July 1, 2002) to be captioned, that lagged so far behind the speeches it with some exceptions. To find out about was disconcerting to try to connect the the exceptions and more information audio with the video. Then again, the about the requirements for closed captions were right on top of the faces of captioning of video programming visit the actors anyway, so there was no way the FCC’s website, www.fcc.gov/cgb/ to figure out who was doing the talking, dro/caption.html. let alone what was said. It was a great leap forward to reach 100 percent captioning of non-exempt © Cindy Dyer Captioning and CART programming in 2006. For many, 100 Even for long time users, some termi- percent captioning meant we finally had nology can be confusing. Here’s a equal access to television. It didn’t quite Caption quick primer: turn out that way. Broadcasters who Captioning: verbatim (word for had been depending on government Quality word) text of the audio portion of a subsidies through the U.S. Department video or film shown directly on the of Education found these subsidies video or film, often on the bottom of dwindle as Congress complained about the screen. This may include not only federal dollars subsidizing what they the words, but the sounds that are im- felt the television industry should be portant to understand and the source doing. Promises of voice recognition of the sound like a telephone. technology that would greatly reduce Open captions: captions that are the cost of captioning have yet to pan “burned” into video or movie; they out. Consumers found that finding cannot be turned off. good captions was more like a game Closed captions: captions which are of roulette than the equal access they not visible unless they are decoded and had hoped for. turned on. In 2005, responding to chronic CART: (Communication Access problems with captioning on broad- Real-Time Translation): Verbatim text of cast and cable television, the Hear- spoken presentations provided live. The ing Loss Association along with the text is provided on a computer screen or Association of Late Deafened Adults projected for display on a larger screen. (ALDA), Deaf and Hard of Hearing C-Print and Typewell: “meaning for Consumer Advocacy Network meaning” rather than “word for word” (DHHCAN), and the National summary of what is being said. It is Association of the Deaf (NAD) joined presented only as text. forces with Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TDI) Television and Closed Captioning in their petition to the FCC. Closed captioning on television critical The petition asked that the FCC to people who are hard of hearing or address longstanding quality issues in deaf. Television is the sole source of local closed captioning of all broadcast, cable information in an emergency for many and satellite television programming for people. It’s also clearly a source of infor- viewers. It asked for greater enforcement mation, education and entertainment. mechanisms, increased accountability

36 Hearing Loss Magazine for noncompliance with the rules, and satellite installers may or may company right next to your television. creation of measures to ensure that not know how to turn on the captions Call or e-mail them when a problem the occurrence of technical problems with their systems. Many manufacturers happens. If there is no solution, write would be minimized and to ensure and service providers fail to include the FCC and let them know there is a that when technical problems did written instructions on how to make problem. www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/tips_ occur, that they were remedied efficient- the connections work, even where to on_filing_cc_complaint.html ly and expeditiously. In addition, the find the menu to turn on the captions. You can also write the caption petition asserted that the FCC must And even if they do, the broadcaster companies and their advertisers. Let adopt quality of service standards. may still send out a signal without a them know you appreciate their efforts That petition can be found on the decodable caption. and are glad they are there, but you HLAA website at www.hearingloss. DTV transition has been delayed can’t do that unless the captions work. org/docs/FCCreplyCC.pdf. to June 12, 2009. No matter. When- And of course, send along a compli- ever the transition happens unless ment when things go well, too. Caption Quality Issues, Anyone? all the players are working together We need better captions. Each of Yes, We Have a Few to ensure captioning works—from us individually can help make that Four long years later, we are still wait- the television manufacturers, to the happen. We just have to get up off ing for a response from the FCC. If broadcast station to the cable and that couch to do it! anything, the problems have increas- satellite networks—consumers will ed in the intervening years. Captions find once again, there are overwhelm- Lise Hamlin is director of public policy are not always there, are garbled or ing barriers to receiving clear and and state development. She joined misplaced. Even in emergencies. readable captions. the staff in April 2008 after being a Now we have digital television long-time advocate and HLAA Board to contend with. HDTVs show beauti- Here is What You Can Do member. She formerly worked at the ful pictures, but we are encountering Consumers can no longer afford League for the Hard of Hearing and most some bizarre new caption problems to sit silently when bad captions recently, the Northern Virginia Resource never seen before. We have reports of happen. We need to provide feedback, Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing captions that overlap, captions that information and yes, complaints. Persons. Lise lives in Rockville, Maryland, bounce all over the screen, and even Keep a list of local broadcasters and can be reached at lhamlin@ captions that fill the screen. FiOS, cable and/or your FiOS, cable or satellite hearingloss.org.

March/April 2009 37 Hearing Loss Association of America Chapters Coming to a town near you!

Are you looking for mutual support that people are not getting the help history at the Auditorium Theater as and information about hearing loss? they need for their hearing loss.’ the first ever captioned live theater Hearing Loss Association of America “Teri replied to the same performance in Rochester. Funded has more than 200 chapters and 14 question: ‘No one else wanted to by proceeds from the Hearing state organizations. For a chapter near run, and I wanted to keep the chapter Loss Association of America’s you, go to www.hearingloss.org. going. I knew if I had a co-president Walk4Hearing and with discount- Share your good news. If you that the two of us could put some priced tickets made possible by a have news about what is happening in new life into the chapter. We want to generous gift from an anonymous chapters or state organizations, send offer programs to attract more people, donor, 110 tickets for seats well- 400 or less words and JPG photos especially younger people who are positioned to take advantage of (300 dpi) to Editor Barbara Kelley looking for others in the same boat.’” the captions were sold. at [email protected]. Asked what they would like to see The production was made happen for the chapter in 2009, both possible with the enthusiastic Kansas City, Here We Come! agree they want fresh insight and new cooperation of Shannon Struzik A new chapter of the Hearing Loss ideas, exciting new programs, more and her colleagues at the Rochester Association of America (HLAA) will publicity, and increased membership. Broadway Theater League (RBTL) soon be forming in Kansas City, Susanna passionately believes after a year of exploratory talks Missouri. Persons with hearing loss or hearing loss need not be a stigma and between HLA-Rochester and RBTL. parents of children with hearing loss will provide youth and lots of energy. Technical support and advice dur- are invited to participate. For more They have changed the venue and ing were provided by Lisa Carling information contact: Shanna Bartlett meeting time, and have four exciting of Theater Development Fund, Groves, 816-289-5655 or sgrovesuss@ programs lined up—the Walk4Hearing New York City. Captions for the msn.com, or Jess Shea, sigmajcl@ date is set and a special-event March performance of Mamma Mia! yahoo.com. 2009 workshop is in the works. were provided by Donald R. DePew Congratulations Houston! and the c2 (caption coalition), Inc. Houston is Hot Read more about the chapter in their of New York. Teri Wathen and Susanna Dussling January 2009 newsletter issue at The December 14 matinee are the new co-presidents of the HLA www.hearingloss-Houston.org. showing of Mamma Mia! was billed Houston (TX) Chapter. Newsletter as an experimental first effort at using editor Mary Honomichl published A Salute to San Antonio captioning at the Auditorium Theater an interview with the co-presidents The people who package and send to provide superior access to live in their January newsletter. to AnySoldier.com were amazed staged performance theater for people “When asked why did you run and overwhelmed with what HLA- with hearing loss. Promotional for co-president Susanna said; ‘To San Antonio Chapter collected. outreach to support ticket sales was make a positive difference! In the HLAA salutes San Antonio Chapter restricted because of a limited supply past year, I did not like the way members for their participation in of well-positioned seats adjacent cochlear implants have been por- AnySoldier.com. The bags of goodies to the captions screen. Our Theater trayed in the media. Quickly, I are taken to the church that mails Committee and RBTL will review discovered my purpose in life—to them to the military chaplains over- survey comments provided by theater- advocate for hard of hearing people, seas for distribution to the troops. goers in considering how to proceed increase awareness of hearing loss for future seasons. An early review of and cochlear implants and to pro- Mamma Mia! Performance patrons’ reactions to the captioned vide hope and inspiration for all Makes History Here performance indicated enthusiastic people facing similar challenges. By Pete Fackler support for this first effort. As co-president I will be able to HLA-Rochester (NY) Chapter: Pete Fackler is a member of HLA- accomplish these goals. I truly want The December 14, 2008 matinee Rochester and is treasurer of the national to help people as it affects me deeply performance of Mamma Mia! made HLAA Board of Trustees.

2038 Hearing Loss Magazine HLA-Fredericksburg Chapter Virginia is a better place to live due Member Honored for Advocacy to Arva Priola.” The Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) Hearing Loss Association of and Virginia Relay, the free public Florida Call for Applications service that enables people who are The Hearing Loss Association of deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind Florida (HLA-FL) is seeking qualified and speech-impaired to place and individuals to serve on the HLA-FL receive calls via a standard telephone Board of Trustees for a three-year line, awarded Outreach Specialist term beginning October 3, 2009. Arva Priola a commendation from Applications must be returned no the Senate of the Commonwealth of later than August 14, 2009. Virginia for her advocacy work in the Application forms are available hard of hearing and deaf community. by contacting Richard Herring, Virginia Senator Edd Houck presented Chair, Nominating Committee, 1317 the award to Arva on November 15. Caloosa Lake Court., Sun City Center, Priola, an active member of the Florida 33573-4869 or by e-mail at Fredericksburg Chapter, has worked [email protected]. as an outreach specialist for the disAbility Resource Center in Fred- CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ericksburg and Virginia Relay for 13 years, ensuring that communication Cochlear_Implant_Technology access is available to people with (CIT) is for consumers of all brands hearing loss. of the cochlear implant and anyone She has been especially success- interested in the technology. ful in encouraging Virginia businesses http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ to participate in the Virginia Relay cochlear_implant_technology/ Partner program—a program designed to educate business leaders and employees on how to use Virginia Relay’s assistive devices and services. Since the program’s inception in 2005, Priola has enlisted more than 60 businesses in the program—far more than any other Virginia Relay outreach specialist. This is the second Commenda- tion the Virginia Senate has awarded to Priola. She received the first in 2001 in recognition of being the first person to receive the Advocacy Award from the Hearing Loss Association of America. “Throughout my many years of working with Arva in my role as a special education administrator, a hospital administrator or as a legislator, she is always advocating for equal communication access for everyone,” said Senator Edd Houck. “Whether it was testifying before an unfriendly Senate committee or pushing me to do what was right, Arva’s pursuit of fairness and justice for all has been constant. She deserves great credit for her tireless work.

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40 Hearing Loss Magazine Index of Advertisers We Are Family! ADCO Hearing Products 40 Hearing loss doesn’t just affect the person who Advanced Bionics 44 has it but also friends and family. If you would American Academy of Hearing like to tell us about how you deal with hearing Loss Support Specialists 37 loss in your family (you can have a hearing loss Cochlear_Implant_Technology 39 or be a hearing person), please send us your Comfort Audio, Inc. 35 story. Send 500 words or less in Word doc to Dry & Store 7 Editor Barbara Kelley at bkelley@hearingloss. Harris Communications 7 org. Include a color photo (you or your family) Med-El 40 in high resolution jpg format with a caption. Oticon Inc. 2 © Cindy Dyer Siemens 5 Sorenson SIPRelay 23 SoundAid 39 Sound Clarity 39 Sprint WebCapTel 43 Teltex 23 Life. Uninterrupted. Unitron 41 Weitbrect Communications 27

Opinions expressed in articles appearing in Hearing Loss Magazine are those of the author. Mention of goods or services in advertisements does not mean Hearing Loss Association of America endorsement, nor should exclusion suggest disapproval.

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March/April 2009 41 Judy Oliver lives in Twinsburg, Ohio. She began to lose her hearing while still in elemen- By Joan Kleinrock tary school. Worsening as she got older, today she has a moderate-to-severe hearing loss in each ear.

When most Twinsburg residents want to learn what happened at the latest city council meeting they have two options: They can attend the actual meeting in City Hall or they can tune to channel 27 at 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. any day and hear everything said at the meeting. Judy did not have either choice. Neither the televised meetings nor the live meetings were captioned. A rezoning issue involving a high-density development affecting her neighborhood and property values triggered the realization that she and others with hearing loss had no access to any public meetings, hearings, or discussions concerning the proposed development. In fact, they had no access to any city issues. Judy decided it was time to advocate. For six months she communicated with city council members by e-mail requesting that they provide closed captioning for city council meetings. Finally, encouraged by her area councilman, she addressed the full council presenting the case for CART (Computer Assisted Real-Time Transcription) service at meetings. At her insistence, a CART provider was present, giving all who attended the first Judy Oliver taste of CART! After an explanation of her background and hearing limitations, along with her desire to participate, yet without access to do so, Judy read Title II of the The Sweet Americans with Disabilities Act, ending with a formal request that the city of Twinsburg provide closed captions for all city council meeting broadcast on cable TV. In addition, she asked that if someone requested access to the live meetings Sight of that there should be CART available. Six weeks later, CART funding was officially approved by the Twinsburg Success City Council on a per-meeting, as-requested basis. Judy had hoped the council would agree to provide closed captions for their cable broadcasts also, but the The Story of council decided they could not afford to do both. They voted to have CART at live meetings to give citizens a chance to participate, ask questions, and address Judy Oliver the council. Judy has asked two local newspaper reporters to publicize and promote the availability of CART so other residents will know what it is and how to obtain it. The city mayor agreed to an announcement in the next in-house newsletter mailed to every resident in the city and a videotaped announcement on the cable TV program, “The Mayor’s Report,” aired repeatedly for a month. Judy has a parting message for HLAA members. “I hope my success in convincing Twinsburg to make CART available for city council meetings will empower other people with hearing loss in other cities to present their own appeals for equal access.”

Judy Oliver can be reached at [email protected].

Joan Kleinrock is the HLAA professional advisor for chapter development. She can be reached at [email protected].

42 Hearing Loss Magazine