Volume 23 Issue 10

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- Advertisers in this Issue
First Premium Placement: Harris Communications
Second Premium Placement: NAD Members Only Area
Third Premium Placement: Hearing Loss Web Local Directories
Classified Section: Five Employment Opportunities

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Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
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- Article 1: Newsweek Cover Story on Hearing Loss
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We've recently published a series of articles on the "Awakening Oral Hearing Loss (OHL)" community. The premise of these articles is that, with the aging of the baby boomers and the assault on our hearing from our increasingly noisy world, hearing loss is gaining focus as an issue that needs to be addressed. As if to verify these perceptions the cover story of the current issue of Newsweek is on hearing loss!

The main article is a fairly comprehensive look at many aspects of hearing loss. It discusses the growing number of people affected (projected 78 million Americans by 2030), how noise contributes to hearing loss, some common and not-so-common treatments, and medical and scientific research that will hopefully yield better treatments. It also profiles three people who have been affected by hearing loss. (One is my wife, but that's NOT why I think this is such an important article ;-)

The online article is available at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8017906/site/newsweek/. The print version contains, in addition to the main article, sidebars on how hearing works, hearing aids, cochlear implants, the BAHA hearing aid, the acoustic brainstem implant, and ways to prevent noise induced hearing loss. It may still be on the newsstand, or drop by your local library.

Those of us who are passionate about advocating for people with hearing loss often lament the ignorance of the general public, the dearth of resources for the OHL community, and the unwillingness of people with hearing loss to really get involved. The causes and effects of these situations are deeply intertwined, and resolving any requires resolving all.

The decision by the major media to start telling the story will have profound implications over the next few years. It may seem like a small thing, but the publication of this article is just the final episode in a long drama that requires a bunch of influential people to achieve new understanding. By the time something like this appears in a major magazine, underlying change is well underway.

Hang on for the ride!

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Go to http://www.nad.org and click on "Members Only Area."

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- Article 2: Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids - Part 4
by Mark Ross, Ph.D.
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Editor: The topic of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids is heating up again! There was a spike in interest last summer/fall with the Wall Street Journal article and petition to the Food and Drug Administration, and then things settled down again. Now I'm starting to see new activity on this issue.

Here with a dispassionate look at the topic is Dr. Mark Ross. We would be very interested in publishing responsible articles with additional points of view on this topic!

This article first appeared in the September/October 2004 issue of "Hearing Loss"; it is reprinted here with Dr. Ross' kind permission.

This is part 4 of 4 parts.

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We do know that OTC hearing aids will not include many of the advanced features now incorporated in top-of-the-line hearing aids. Additionally, right now there does not appear to be any plan to include telecoils in these hearing aids. Of course, not including these features is one reason why they could be sold for a relatively modest sum. Presumably, people with mild to moderate hearing losses will have less (or no) need of many of the special features found in current hearing aids (such as feedback management and wide-dynamic range compression). But even people with moderate hearing losses could hear better in noise with directional microphones, a feature that would probably not be included in OTC hearing aids.

With OTC hearing aids there would not be any personal involvement by any professional. Frankly, this worries me. It's not that I think that professional hearing aid dispensers "prescribe" a unique set of performance characteristics for each of their clients that only a professional can accomplish. (I have no doubt, however, that most sincerely believe they do.) Hearing aid prescriptions (or targets) are not that finely drawn. There are a number of them out there, each somewhat different from others, and none of them are set in concrete. All of them often partake of a post-fitting trial and error process; none have consistently demonstrated a clear-cut superiority over the others, but all seem to help most of the people fit with them. Indeed, I would be willing to bet that if a number of audiologists were asked to fit a trial subject with hearing aids from different companies, the range of the final performance characteristics of the hearing aids would vary greatly. None would necessarily be "wrong," since human beings are usually very tolerant of and can adjust to minor differences in the performance characteristics of their hearing aids. No, it's not the actual fitting process that worries me.

What does concern me is the rest of the hearing aid selection process. Hearing aid users need to have an understanding professional to whom they can relate their hearing problems. We know that, regardless of the type of hearing aid, a person's hearing aid satisfaction increases with the number of hours devoted to counseling. This can take the form of information sharing about hearing loss and other types of devices, hearing tactics and repair strategies, resolving problems with the hearing aids, etc. Just because someone has a mild to moderate hearing loss does not mean that he or she cannot also benefit from this type of information. Personal perception of one's communication problems may well be greater than the audiogram would suggest.

Of course this statement has a corollary, and that is the need for hearing aid dispensers to actually provide the kind of information and counseling that people require. This is, indeed, one of the major rationales given by hearing aid dispensers for the high cost of hearing aids, that they do provide the range of personal services that people with hearing loss require. The reality today, however, is that hearing aid dispensers spend the overwhelming majority of their time on issues relating directly to the fitting process (testing, earmolds, etc.) and little on what could be called the "rehabilitative process." In a study reported in this journal in May/June 2002, we reported on the services that 942 people recall receiving from their hearing aid dispenser. Half the people did not recall receiving information about telecoils, and only 31% received information about other hearing assistive technologies. Only 20% reported that their hearing aid dispenser discussed the specifics of the hearing loss with them and with a family member. Even fewer reported receiving information about communication or coping strategies. Finally, only about 5% of hearing aid dispensers offered their clients an opportunity to participate in a group hearing aid orientation program (as recommended by one of the SHHH position papers).

So what can we conclude from this discussion? As noted above, this is not a black and white issue; the color gray may be a more realistic descriptor. I think the basic rationale presented by the petitioners is indisputable: hearing aids are expensive, and this does deter some unknown number of people from purchasing their first or replacement aids. Many of these people can undoubtedly be helped with OTC hearing aids. Furthermore, if someone was one of the "ideal" candidates no cerumen in the ear canal and a relatively flat audiogram I suspect that he or she could achieve as much measurable benefit from an OTC aid as from a more costly, personally fit hearing aid. (One exception I would make is aids that contain effective directional microphones.) I can also see where experienced hearing aid users who have some basis to compare their performance with previous hearing aids, may find an OTC aid worth a try. This is not a trivial number, since they comprise some 57% of new hearing aid sales. But for new users, who may have little idea of the configuration and nature of their hearing loss, particularly those who have needs that transcend what a simple amplifier can do, an OTC is probably not a good idea.

Perhaps this debate will help serve as a wake-up call to the dispensing community. The provision of services beyond the actual hearing aid fitting is what justifies the high prices paid for hearing aids. A hard-of-hearing person sees an audiologist not so much to purchase a hearing aid, but for help with his or her hearing problems. These may require services that extend beyond the help that hearing aids can provide. To the extent that hearing aid dispensers restrict their focus to hearing aids, they are easily replaceable by OTC hearing aids, internet outlets, and automatic computer fitting of some sort (plug the audiogram in and out comes a hearing aid incorporating some recommended "prescription"). However, understanding and responding to the many life-inhibiting consequences of a hearing loss is something that can only be done by a human being. The challenge facing the hearing industry is how to accomplish this, and still provide lower cost alternatives to the many people presently unserved who require hearing aids but cannot afford them.

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---------- Hearing Loss Web Local Resource Directories ---------
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Hopefully you've visited our new Resource Directory at
http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/res.htm to check out phones,
ALDs, CART info, etc. But did you know that we also provide
Local resource directories to help you find a hearing loss
professional, local support group, or captioned movie? If you
live in southern California, Denver, Chicago, Portland, OR,
Washington DC, or in Vancouver or Vancouver Island, Canada,
your directory is up and running. Visit
http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/lcl/lcl.htm.

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- Article 3: FCC Issues Fines for Failure to Make Emergency Information Available to People with Hearing Loss
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Several months ago the FCC fined three San Diego television stations for failure to provide critical emergency information to people with hearing loss. Those were the first such fines, and we stated at the time that we believed and hoped that the FCC would levy additional fines for the ongoing failures of television stations to comply with their rules.

Last week we witnessed the second set of fines for this infraction. These were against three Washington, D.C. area stations for failure to provide appropriate emergency information regarding a thunderstorm/tornado watch on May 25, 2004. The complaints that led to the investigations and fines were filed by NVRC on behalf of people with hearing loss in the Washington, D.C. area.

We provide two critical paragraphs from the rulings below. If you'd like to read the rulings in their entirety, please point your browser to:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-1511A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-1512A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-1513A1.doc

This first paragraph discusses the growing population of Americans with hearing loss and the increasing need to provide emergency information visually.

"Approximately one in ten Americans - 28 million - has some level of hearing loss; in the population of people over 65 years of age, that number increases to one in three. As the median age of the population continues to rise, the proportion of Americans with hearing loss will likely increase. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, '[t]he number of Americans with a hearing loss has evidentially doubled during the past 30 years. Data gleaned from Federal surveys illustrate the following trend of prevalence [of hearing loss] for individuals aged three years or older: 13.2 million (1971), 14.2 million (1977), 20.3 million (1991), and 24.2 million (1993).' Access to television information in an emergency is critical for all Americans, including this important and growing segment of our population."

The next paragraph points out that the rules do NOT require closed captioning, but allow for virtually any visual method that provides the same information that is provided orally.

'The Commission's rules do not require closed captioning, but allow for other methods of visual presentation, including, but not limited to, open captioning, crawls, or scrolls. The Commission stated that it was permitting these alternatives because it was concerned about the limited 'real-time' captioning resources available and their current costs. The Commission made clear, however, that regardless of the method of visual presentation used, video programming distributors must 'use [a] method of visual presentation [that] ensure[s] the same accessibility [to emergency information] for persons with hearing disabilities as for any other viewer, as required by the rule.' This could include already prepared signs or charts or handwritten information contained on a white board. The Commission mandated equal accessibility because emergency information is of 'equal or greater importance to persons with hearing disabilities, and television plays a critical role in its dissemination.' Further, it is clear from the Commission's definition of emergency information, i.e., information about a "current" emergency that provides critical details concerning 'how to respond to the emergency,' that the Commission required video programming distributors to display emergency information in a timely manner so that viewers can respond to a current emergency before becoming endangered. The Commission long ago recognized the importance of timeliness of providing emergency information, noting that 'if visual notification is delayed, it should not be unreasonably delayed so that a hearing impaired person would not have time to take reasonable and constructive precautions with regard to the emergency.' "

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- Article 4: Digital TVs and Captioning
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Editor: You've probably heard the buzz about digital TV, and may have wondered what's involved in upgrading to this new technology. Oh, and are captions required, as they are for "regular" TV? Here's an article from NVRC News with answers to these questions and more. You might want to save this article. I bet it won't be long before you start thinking about one of the new sets!

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The FCC Requirements

Starting July 1, 2002 digital TVs were required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include an 'EIA-708B' (DTVCC) captioning decoder. Digital TV programs also must meet the same requirements as conventional analog TVs. This means that all new TV programs must be captioned 75% of the time for both digital and analog TVs - and that goes up to 100% as of January 1, 2006. There are exceptions for some commercials, for programs between 2 and 6 am, and for some older programs.

Buying a Digital TV

Buying a digital TV can be complicated if you depend on captions some or all of the time. It's rare to find a store where the sales people know how to operate all the new captioning features in digital televisions. It's also rare to find one that will connect its digital televisions to real broadcasts rather than something on tape. This means you may not get the complete ability to see how crisp and readable the captions are, and how they compare with other digital TV choices. You will have to be prepared to return the digital TV.

Helpful Hints From the FCC

The FCC has a website that is very helpful in understanding digital TV. You can enter your zip code and then view a schedule of all the digital programs being broadcast in your area. There's a section that explains all the digital TV terms and a DTV Shoppers Guide. You can find it at:

http://www.dtv.gov/

One of the sections also has tips you should know about DTV before you buy, such as:

Compare DTV picture quality. DTV comes in several levels of picture quality. The most common are: High Definition Television (HDTV), Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV) and Standard Definition Television (SDTV). HDTV is DTV at its finest. With HDTV, you can enjoy a true home theater experience. EDTV is a step up from basic television. SDTV is the basic display.

Make sure you have all the DTV equipment you need. DTV equipment can be purchased as an integrated set or as separate components. "Integrated" digital televisions have built-in tuners and a monitor to display the programming. If you buy a DTV monitor (without an integrated tuner), you will need a stand-alone tuner, cable set-top box, or satellite set-top box to watch DTV.

HDTV is not the same as DTV. HDTV requires special equipment, so make sure to ask about HDTV-capable equipment and talk to your cable or satellite provider to verify you have the proper set-top box to view HDTV.

"Digital cable ready" (or "plug-and-play") televisions are also available. These can be used to receive digital cable TV (and often HD over cable) without a separate set-top box. A CableCARD is needed to watch certain cable programming. These televisions do not work directly with satellite - you still need a set-top box to view satellite programming.

Compare screen types. You have a choice in DTV screens. Today, the primary options are: Cathode ray tube (CRT) screens - traditional color television screens updated for digital; Rear Projection TVs - rear projection TVs can create brilliant, wide angle pictures on ever-larger screens; LCD screens - are very thin and produce extremely clear pictures, but are currently expensive and limited in size; Plasma screens - create a bright, clear picture up to enormous sizes while remaining very thin.

Ask what connectors you need to make sure your new DTV set works with your other electronic equipment (DVD player, digital video recorder (DVR), camcorder, VCR, computer, video games, and other equipment). The electronic equipment you have now should work with your new DTV, but you may need new connectors. Make a list of what you have now and ask your retailer what you need to connect the components.

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- Classifieds
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Five Employment Opportunities appear in this issue. (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

Employment Opportunity 1
Multiple Positions
Kansas School for the Deaf
Olathe, Kansas

Employment Opportunity 2
Multiple Positions
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
Pittsburgh, PA

Employment Opportunity 3
Assistant Professor-English
Specialization in teaching Deaf students
San Diego Mesa Community College
San Diego, CA

Employment Opportunity 4
Engineering and Information Technology Positions
Various Locations
Access Disability

Employment Opportunity 5
Social Worker/Case Manager
Goodwill Industries of Northern New England
Portland, ME

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Employment Opportunity 1
Multiple Positions
Kansas School for the Deaf
Olathe, Kansas
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KANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
POSITION VACANCIES

The Kansas School for the Deaf, 450 East Park St., Olathe, KS 66061, is currently seeking qualified individuals for the following positions for the 2005 - 2006 school year:

Full-Time Dormitory Teachers
Paraprofessional - Early Childhood
Teacher, Dormitory and Paraprofessional Substitutes
School Counselor
House Parents for Weekend Residence Facility
Teacher - Elementary
Curriculum Assessment Coordinator

Placement made within agency guidelines on salary schedule depending upon professional background and experience. KSD offers excellent benefits. Applicants will be screened and the most highly qualified applicants will be invited for an interview session. Positions are open until filled. KSD is located in the Heartland of the USA, part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. For area info on excellent schools and affordable housing check out: www.kcmo.org/ and www.olatheks.org/.

For an application and a job announcement on each of these positions, please refer to our website at www.ksdeaf.org or contact Teresa Chandler, Human Resources Office, at (913) 791-0501 (V/TTY) for further details on the positions. E-mail: tchandler@ksd.state.ks.us Fax #: 913/780-6563

An Equal Employment/Educational Opportunities Agency

Tobacco Free Campus

"KSD Embraces Diversity"

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Employment Opportunity 2
Multiple Positions
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
Pittsburgh, PA
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The Western PA School for the Deaf

The Western PA School for the Deaf is a residential school located in Pittsburgh on a beautiful 17 acre campus. We are searching for top-notch candidates to fill the following openings:

Teacher of the Deaf

Full Time classroom instructors for deaf and hard-of hearing students. Dual PA certification In Hearing Impaired and either Elementary Education or content area are required. (Info. on PA teaching certification found on www.pde.state.pa.us). Intermediate or higher sign skills required.

Media Services Coordinator

Full time 199-day technical position requiring experience in the use of digital still and video film technologies, video production and postproduction editing. Must have broad knowledge of the latest audio-visual and media equipment. A Bachelors or equivalent experience in a related field required. Novice Plus or higher sign skills required.

Excellent salary and benefit packages available. Criminal and Child Abuse clearances required.

Send letter and resume to:
Director of Human Resources
Western PA School for the Deaf
300 East Swissvale Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15218-1469
Fax (412) 244-4211
Email: hshirey@wpsd.org

EOE

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Employment Opportunity 3
Assistant Professor-English
Specialization in teaching Deaf students
San Diego Mesa Community College
San Diego, CA
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10 month tenure track position

Application deadline June 9

For full job description information and application procedures please see
www.sdccd.net/employment/. Go to: current openings; (academic, mesa college);
Assistant Professor-English with a Specialization in Teaching Deaf students:
Download Application Forms; Job Flyer, etc.

Must meet minimum qualification in English Or ESOL Or Equivalent. To learn
more about California Community College minimum qualifications please see
www.cccregistry.org. Go to link for minimum qualifications.

Additional questions to lbailey@sdccd.edu

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Employment Opportunity 4
Engineering and Information Technology Positions
Various Locations
Access Disability
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* WANTED: ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TALENT *

Access Solutions LLC is seeking Information Technology talent and engineers with specialization in the following fields:
- Mechanical
- Electrical
- Systems
- RF
- Packaging
- Software
- Design
- CAD 2D/3D

Individuals with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply. E-mail resumes to shawk@accessdisability.com.

For more information, please visit www.accessdisability.com.

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Employment Opportunity 5
Social Worker/Case Manager
Goodwill Industries of Northern New England
Portland, ME
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Goodwill Industries of Northern New England is seeking a full time Social Worker/Case Manager to join our Deaf Services team providing services to individuals with MR/DD and/or MI. This individual will be working with our Community based programs in the Portland area under the direction of a LCPC. We offer competitive salary, excellent benefits and one of the State's most extensive training programs. BA/BS or equivalent experience and fluency in ASL is required. Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to:

Employee Resources
Goodwill Industries of NNE
PO Box 8600
Portland, ME 04104
Fax 761-8460
Email jobs@ginne.org

EOE

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- Contact Information and Disclaimers
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