Volume 23 Issue 11

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- Advertisers in this Issue
First Premium Placement: Harris Communications
Second Premium Placement: NAD Book on Your Legal Rights
Third Premium Placement: Hearing Loss Web Resource Directory
Classified Section: One online captioner and three employment opportunities

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Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
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"How Hearing Loss Impacts Relationships" at Harris Communications
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- Article 1: Effects of Unserved College Students with Hearing Loss on Program Planning - a WSD Workshop
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This workshop was presented at the Western Symposium on Deafness (WSD) in San Diego in April, 2005. The presenters were Dr. John Schroedel and Dr. Douglas Watson of the University of Arkansas Research and Training Center (RRTC) for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

Dr. Watson began this presentation by noting that the last ten or 12 years have witnessed an explosion of studies of college students with hearing loss, but that these studies have focused on people with profound hearing loss, who rely heavily on interpreters, notetakers, etc. The corollary to that observation is that not much attention has been paid to the needs of the much larger number of students with less severe hearing loss. We've actually done a pretty good job of providing for the needs of the Deaf population, but have not done so well for people who are hard of hearing (HOH).

Dr. Schroedel identified himself as a member of this unserved population; he was a HOH college student in the early 1960s. At that time official estimates of the number of HOH people was dismally inaccurate - on the order of about a quarter of a million people in the US. The publication of an accurate census in 1974 revealed the true incidence of hearing loss in this country - about 13.5 million at that time. There were a lot more HOH students than we realized back then.

The current best estimate of the number of Americans with hearing loss is about 29 million. The incidence among working age people ranges from about 3.2% of people between the ages of 18 and 24 (roughly a million people) to about 16% of people between the ages of 55 and 64 (nearly 5 million people). About 15 million working age adults have hearing loss.

PEPNet has historically conducted surveys of college administrators to determine the number of college students with hearing loss. These surveys have documented a steadily increasing number, growing from 20,000 in 1993 to 28,000 in 2002. Unfortunately, these surveys grossly understate the number of students with hearing loss, primarily because they rely on administrators' estimates rather than self-identification by students. More reliable surveys of the students themselves reveal a hearing loss population of about 350,000. So things haven't changed all that much from the 1960s. There are still a lot more hard of hearing students than people think. Most of these students have mild hearing loss, and the vast majority do NOT wear hearing aids.

These numbers demonstrate a clear need for people in all professions to be trained in dealing with HOH people; that need is especially great in educational facilities, where the results of failure to understand and accommodate the needs of this population can have profound and enduring consequences.

One critical issue with the current situation is that it's very difficult for the student with a mild hearing loss to get help. Students and administrators can't identify them, so they are unable to offer assistance. And mildly HOH students don't request help, because they don't know it's available! The following policies exacerbate this situation.

1. At colleges that evaluate applicants for admission (as opposed to open admission colleges) it is illegal for college administrators to ask students if they have a hearing loss.
2. The departments that provide services are typically called something like "Disabled Student Services". Because people with mild hearing loss do NOT consider themselves disabled, the very name of the organization that is intended to assist them prevents them from seeking help. As a result we fail to serve the vast majority of students with special needs. A simple name change might do wonders to improve this situation!

The remainder of the workshop was devoted to questions and comments from the floor.

Comment: Perhaps colleges with audiology programs could implement a policy that every student has a hearing screening. Once students with hearing loss are identified they can be counseled about available services.

Comment: It's not surprising that HOH students are not getting services, because they're not used to getting them. We need to start identifying and serving these kids in public schools, so they get used to getting what they need.

Dr. Schroedel: There are approximately 800,000 students with hearing loss in K - 12. Only 7% of them get services under IDEA, because no one recognizes the problem.

Comment: We also need to educate parents, so they can advocate for services for their kids.

Dr. Schroedel: HOH kids demonstrate a very identifiable set of behaviors. We must train educators at all levels to recognize them.

Comment: We need to make it attractive for HOH kids to self-identify. One idea might be to have a question about hearing loss in grant and loan applications, and to increase the amounts provided to students with hearing loss.

I also want to point out that thinking about having to provide accommodations for so many more people makes colleges and agencies a little nervous.

Dr. Watson: The State Vocational Rehabilitation directors met last week, and one of their focuses is to train counselors to serve HOH people. They've seen a large increase in HOH clients and successful outcomes.

PEPNet has been a wonderfully successful program and a good model for other programs. I'd like to see them serve more HOH people.

Comment: A program for HOH students really needs to start in Kindergarten and continue through grade 12. The question is, where do we get the money for that program?

Comment: I've watched HOH kids who have had services K-12 go on to college and refuse services there!

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--------------- NAD Book on Your Legal Rights ------------------
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"Legal Rights: The Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People"
Safeguard your civil rights! Learn about deaf and hard of
hearing rights in the workplace, in the hospital, in the legal
system, and more.

Download the NAD Store catalog from:
http://www.nad.org/store/index.html

For more information contact Donna Morris at sales@nad.org
TTY: 301-587-6283 Voice: 301-587-6282 FAX: 301-587-4873
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- Article 2: Reader Feedback on Recent Articles
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Thanks to those of you who take the time to give me your thoughts on the contents of our newsletters!

Mark Ross' article on over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids and the article on the Newsweek story provoked a number of thoughtful responses, and the writers graciously allowed me to share their thoughts with you!

Regarding OTC hearing aids, Jan Christensen used the comparison of OTC reading glasses (like those I'm using to prepare this article ;-) to argue that hearing aids should be similarly available. She said:

"If we can buy magnifying eyeglasses over the counter without a prescription, then why not hearing aids? There are many eye diseases that can be helped by medical intervention, but the FDA is not concerned about that, apparently. Providing a brochure recommending seeing a doctor first to check for wax and/or an infection or any other medical condition is better than denying people aids entirely, isn't it?"

Curtis Dickinson responds to Dr. Ross' concern that people who don't seek professional advice might settle for one hearing aid when two would be more beneficial:

"It's wrong to assume people wouldn't want two hearing aids rather then one. I think people who buy OTC hearing aids would most likely buy two because they would be cheaper to purchase. As it stands now, it takes a lot of convincing to get a customer to shell out another $3000 for a second hearing aid. And this is after they were convinced to shell out $3000 for one, after living seven years with a hearing loss and no aids! But with OTC aids they could have two high-tech digitals for $300. Now wouldn't that be nice?"

One of Dr. Ross' reservations about OTC hearing aids is that people who have a bad experience with them may refrain from getting aids from a professional at a later date. Here is Jan Christensen's response:

"The danger of bad experience preventing someone from buying audi-supplied aids is probably no worse than people simply not buying them in the first place because of their cost. Since such a really small percentage of people in America who need hearing aids purchase them, and many, many do not do so because of cost, I think over-the-counter hearing aids should be allowed.

"I also believe that the competition for customers will help sell many more aids, which should drive down the costs even further and will be good for all people with hearing loss, because it will increase public awareness of the problem."

Jan also takes exception to the idea that hearing aid professionals provide additional information to help people cope with their hearing loss. Here's her experience:

"Dr. Ross supposes that all present owners of hearing aids get wonderful counseling from their dispensers/audiologists. But one of the major complaints I hear from those who do purchase hearing aids is that they do not get enough information and are more apt to find out things from others with a hearing loss.

"This happened to me. I found out about assistive listening devices (ALDs) and SHHH when I joined the SayWhatClub. I had never heard of either and had been going annually to either purchase new hearing aids or get tune ups on old ones, plus at other odd times for repairs and cleanings for FIFTEEN YEARS. I went to four different 'practices' and saw quite a few different dispensers/audiologists, and none of them mentioned ALDs or SHHH!"

Paula Bonilla responded to the recent Newsweek article on hearing loss with a letter to the editor in which she addressed the US hearing aid industry. Her comments included:

"David Noonan's excellent article on hearing points out the huge discrepancy between the number of people in the US with hearing difficulties (28 million) and the number of people choosing NOT to wear hearing aids (21 million).

"Citing cost, discomfort and stigma as possible reasons only one-fourth of this potential market utilizes available technology, Noonan should also add that hard-of-hearing people are largely uneducated about their options.

"Hence, market demand remains sluggish, keeping prices artificially high, and consumers are left quietly in the dark. Not many people are willing to plunk down thousands of dollars without knowing what they're buying and a guarantee of adequate adjustment time."

And here's Curtis to close out the discussion with a general comment on the hearing aid industry.

"The current selling protocol of hearing aids is the most prominent reason millions of Americans are not getting hearing aids. And many who do get hearing aids don't have much good to say about the process. It leaves us very discouraged. Have you ever met anyone who dances on the way to an audiologist?"

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Paula Bonilla is the former editor/publisher of "Hearing Health" magazine. You can contact her at pbonillas@cableone.net

Jan Christensen is an author and full-time RVer. You've met her before in this newsletter. Please contact her at willwriteforfood@mindspring.com , or visit her website at http://www.janchristensen.com/

And you've met Curtis before, as well. You can contact him at hearmeco@earthlink.net . Curtis also sells assistive listening devices, alerting devices, etc. Check it out at http://www.hearing-loss-help-co.com/ .

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-------------- Hearing Loss Web Resource Directory -------------
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Looking for an amplified phone? How about a hearing aid?
Whether you just want some information or are looking for the
right place to buy products or services, take a minute to visit
the Hearing Loss Web Resource Directory. Our goal is to provide
a comprehensive listing of national and local resources of
interest to people with hearing loss. Please check it out at
http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/res.htm

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- Article 3: FCC Continues Support for Hearing Aid Compatible Digital Wireless Phones
By Cheryl Heppner
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Editor: I don't normally publish FCC statements in their entirety, because I think they contain a bit more detail than most readers want. But some of their statements are really important to people with hearing loss, and I've found it very difficult to do a decent job of editing them. I was in a quandary about what to do about with the recent FCC statement regarding hearing aid compatible (HAC) digital wireless phones, and I had pretty much decided to go with it, when Cheryl Heppner came to my rescue (yet again ;-). Here are Cheryl's comments on these rulings. I'm sure you'll agree they're much more readable than the FCC statement. (Thanks, Cheryl)

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At an Open Meeting today, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin and his three fellow Commissioners addressed a number of petitions that were filed by the wireless telephone industry, asking the FCC to reconsider its ruling in the 2003 Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) Order. The Commissioners voted unanimously to hold fast to most of the items in their previous ruling and allowed modifications for others. They are also asking for public comment on two things.

Angela Giancarlo, Associate Chief of the FCC's Public Safety & Critical Infrastructure Division presented the proposed rules to the Commissioners on behalf of a collaborative effort by the Wireless Bureau and Engineering & Technology Office.

Here are the results of today's ruling:

CHANGES TO THE 2003 ORDER
- The five largest wireless carriers ("Tier 1" carriers) must, per air interface, must make either four HAC handset models available, or ensure that 25% of their handset models are HAC by September 1, 2005.

- The same Tier 1 carriers must, per air interface, make either five HAC handset models available, or ensure that 25% of their handset models are HAC by September 15, 2006.

- The wireless carriers who are replacing older TDMA networks with a different technology have until September 18, 2006 to comply with HAC requirements, provided they meet certain conditions.

REAFFIRMED (NO CHANGE DESPITE IINDUSTRY REQUEST TO RECONSIDER)
- All wireless carriers must ensure that 50% of their handset models are HAC by February 18, 2008.

- HAC digital wireless phones must have prominent labeling on the exterior to show the handset's technical rating.

- More detailed information must be included inside the package. (NEW: The information must allow a consumer to determine quickly and easily which phones are compatible with his or her hearing aid).

- American National Standards Institute's ANSI C63.19 is the appropriate technical standard and should be applied as a 'performance-based' standard to measure the actual performance, rather than a 'build-to' standard that applies only to how devices are manufactured.

- Any future versions of ANSI C63.19 or other proposed performance measures that would meet the criteria will be reviewed expeditiously by the FCC to determine their suitability under the HAC rules.

- Carriers and manufacturers are required to monitor the deployment efforts and provide information to consumers that may be useful in making decisions on their choice of wireless services and handsets.

- The states have the authority to enforce HAC rules, but the FCC retains exclusive jurisdiction over the technical standards for HAC. States must refer questions about whether equipment complies with the technical standards to the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology.

OTHER ACTION
The FCC:
- Recognized that wireless carriers plan to include HAC information on 'call-out cards' included in the handset display in retail stores.

- Clarified that all carrier-owned and operated retail outlets must make live, in-store consumer testing available.

- Clarified that wireless carriers, service providers and handset manufacturers are exempt from HAC rules only if they offer two or less digital wireless handset models on a particular air interface -- but sought comment about whether this should be reduced to just one handset per air interface.

- Encouraged thirty days of 'real-world' testing and flexible return policies to ensure consumers have enough time to identify suitable wireless phones and become comfortable with them.

- Recognized the commitment by wireless carriers to ensure that available HAC handsets will be both 'low-end' (inexpensive, basic features) and 'high-end' (more expensive, advanced features).

- Sought comment on extending the in-store testing requirements to more types of outlets that sell wireless services.

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- Article 4: Noise and Carbon Monoxide Increase Hearing Loss
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Editor: Researchers at the University of Montreal have discovered that the presence of carbon monoxide causes increased hearing loss to people exposed to loud noises. The following article from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (cbc.ca) is reproduced with their kind permission.

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Cocktail of noise and carbon monoxide increases hearing loss: study

MONTREAL - Garage mechanics, firefighters and truckers, listen up: a new study shows chronic exposure to noise plus carbon monoxide increases hearing loss.

The Université de Montréal study of 8,600 workers between 1983 and 1996 is the first to link carbon monoxide and hearing loss in humans. It is to be published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America by early next year.

Lead researcher Adriana Lacerda is to present the study on Wednesday in Vancouver at the society's annual meeting.

The results revealed that workers who were exposed to carbon monoxide and noise levels above 90 decibels - the sound of a chainsaw - had trouble hearing high frequencies (from three to six kilohertz). A larger shift was observed among workers with 25-29 years of noise exposure in the workplace.

These workers would not be able to hear birds singing or telephones ringing, study supervisor Tony Leroux told CBC News Online.

"They are not deaf but they have a larger hearing loss than we would expect if they were just exposed to noise," Leroux said.

The hearing loss took place over decades. Most workers did not show significant hearing loss until after 20 years in the work place.

The study suggested hearing loss was caused by lower levels of oxygen in the blood stream, which accelerates the deterioration of the sensory cells of the inner ear.

"The inner ear that contains the sensory cells needs a lot of oxygen to operate," Leroux said. "They are suffering from anoxia, a lack of oxygen."

Another theory is that both noise and carbon monoxide produce free radicals - atoms that attack the bonds of chemical reactions - which damage cells.

The U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health estimates that nearly one million workers are exposed to significant levels of carbon monoxide. Those at risk include welders, fork lift operators, foundry workers, industrial mechanics, diesel engine operators and miners.

Leroux said rock musicians in smoky bars would appear to be candidates for increased hearing loss, but were not studied because carbon monoxide is just one component of cigarette smoke.

Wearing earplugs is not enough to stop the damage, Leroux said. Alternative energy sources should be found for many of these workers who work with motors, he said.

And he said a growing pastime in Quebec, indoor go-cart racing, is ripe for hearing loss. Part of the solution could be powerful ventilation systems and mufflers. "But carts have to make noise to be fun," he noted.

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- Classifieds
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One Online Captioner and three Employment Opportunities appear in this issue. (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

CaptionsOnline
Live Captioning on the Internet!
www.captions-online.com

Employment Opportunity 1
Teacher of the Deaf
Brazos Valley Regional Day School for the Deaf
Bryan, Texas

Employment Opportunity 2
Multiple Positions
Kansas School for the Deaf
Olathe, Kansas

Employment Opportunity 3
Multiple Positions
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
Pittsburgh, PA

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CaptionsOnline
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Employment Opportunity 1
Teacher of the Deaf
Brazos Valley Regional Day School for the Deaf
Bryan, Texas
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Brazos Valley Regional Day School for the Deaf has one teacher vacancy for the 2005-06 school year. BVRDSD supports Bilingual-Bicultural education. Applications are filed online at www.bryanisd.org. Information about our school district, salaries, benefits and the deaf education program are located on the same website. Bryan, Texas offers a small town atmosphere with large city amenities. Outdoor recreation options are plentiful. Texas A&M, located in our sister city, offers further educational opportunities. Email Connie Ferguson at connief@bryanisd.org for more information or to schedule an interview. Bryan ISD is an equal opportunity employer.

Connie Ferguson, Supervisor
Brazos Valley Regional Day School for the Deaf
2200 Villa Maria Rd.
Bryan, Texas 77802
(979) 209-7010

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Employment Opportunity 2
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 3
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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