Volume 23 Issue 8

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- Advertisers in this Issue
First Premium Placement: Harris Communications
Second Premium Placement: NAD Eye on Washington
Third Premium Placement: Hearing Loss Network: Serving Southern California
Classified Section: Five Employment Opportunities

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Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
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----- Nathie Marbury Documentary at Harris Communications ------
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"No Hand-Me-Downs" is a full-length documentary of Nathie Marbury, a
Black Deaf woman who is considered a legend by many people. Nathie grew
up in a family that didn't believe in the importance of education but
was able to earn a bachelor's and two masters' degrees. This DVD
consists of Nathie sharing stories about her upbringing and her insights
on the human condition. Also included are her powerful ASL poems. Find
out more at
http://www.harriscomm.com/link/?www.harriscomm.com?sr=hohnews or contact
us at mailto:info@harriscomm.com
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- Article 1: Patterns in the Employment and Vocational Rehabilitation of Hard of Hearing Persons - A WSD Workshop - Part 2
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This is part 2 of 2 parts. Part 1 was presented last week.

Characteristics of the Work Environment

Hard of hearing people were less likely than the general public to be employed by a private company, and more likely to be employed by government, non-profit organizations, schools, and hospitals. They were also more likely to be self-employed.

Most HOH employees reported that their hearing co-workers frequently act positively towards them by being friendly, communicating clearly, and being inclusive. But a significant minority also reported negative behaviors, including being impatient, excessive teasing, criticism, and ignoring them while talking.

In general HOH employees felt that their supervisors are supportive and that they are treated fairly on the job. Those who have a less severe hearing loss and are more assertive viewed their supervisors as more supportive. Assertiveness has a greater impact than the degree of hearing loss on the supervisor relationship.

Many HOH workers are aware of the value of phone amplifiers, email and pagers, but many are unaware of other important accommodations. Assertive workers, those with a college degree, those under 55 years old, and those who work in organizations with more than 15 employees are more aware of a greater variety of accommodations. Assertiveness and education level were the most influential traits.

Dr. Schroedel pointed out that 80% of HOH workers do not use hearing aids, and that even a mild hearing loss can be a disability if unaided.

Most HOH workers do not get together with others who are hard of hearing, and if they do, they generally do not talk about hearing loss!

Employment Outcomes

The average earnings of HOH male workers were virtually identical to those of hearing males (about $40,000), while the average earnings of HOH females were significantly below those of their hearing counterparts ($21,700 vs. $23,550).

HOH people reported high levels of job satisfaction.
- 87% are satisfied with their overall job
- 52% are satisfied with pay, benefits, and prospects for promotion or new training
- 76% are satisfied with their boss, safety, co-workers, job security, and fair treatment
- 87% are satisfied with the importance and interest of their job and with levels of working independently and with responsibility

Two keys to job satisfaction were having a supportive supervisor and not having experienced a job setback.

HOH Workers Experiences with and Need for Vocational Rehabilitation

The conventional wisdom is that HOH workers (compared to Deaf workers) are much less aware of and much less likely to be served by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). This study confirmed those beliefs, but also revealed that the participation of HOH workers in VR programs is increasing much faster than the participation of Deaf workers and all disabled workers. Comparing successful closures of VR cases in 2002 compared to 1992, the increase for people with all disabilities was 15%, the increase for Deaf folks was 22%, and the increase for HOH folks was 54%.

The researchers had no firm conclusions regarding the reason for the greater increase for the HOH population. But they did note that despite this increase, the numbers still represent only a tiny fraction of all HOH workers. Survey results indicated that only 29% of HOH workers are aware of VR services, and that only 8% had contacted VR in the last 25 years.

Several reasons were disclosed for the poor participation rate of HOH workers in VR programs. These included being unaware of the services, not knowing how to apply, not feeling the need for VR services, and negative attitudes towards VR.

Dr. Schroedel emphasized his conviction that HOH people do not consider themselves disabled and are unlikely to take advantage of services targeted at the disabled population. He stated that VR counselors do not know how to serve HOH clients, and that they must trained on the distinct characteristics and needs of HOH people if we expect HOH folks to use VR services.

Another interesting result of this study is that the VR services needed by HOH people are completely different from those needed by Deaf people and by people with other disabilities. While virtually everyone else contacts VR for employment services (finding a job, keeping a job, job training, etc.), HOH people contact VR primarily for communications services, including:
- getting a hearing aid - 34%
- getting a hearing test - 24%
- getting other communications devices - 20%
- evaluating my communications skills - 16%
- counseling to cope with hearing loss - 13%

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------- Eye on Washington --------------------------------
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Stay informed and protect your rights! The Eye on
Washington (EOW) is a national advocacy ezine published by
the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) that focuses on
activities occuring on Capitol Hill that affect deaf and
hard of hearing civil rights.

The EOW is open to all, members and non-members. It is
distributed once a month, sometimes more.
http://www.nad.org/eNewsletters
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- Article 2: Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids - Part 2
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 2 of 4 parts.

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The intention of the petitioners was to introduce a line of OTC hearing aids to sell for somewhere between $100 and $300. This would not be a toy or a cheap piece of junk. From what I understand, it would include an advanced compression circuit (the K-Amp), with an undistorted output of about 108 dB SPL with a frequency range extending from 200 to 10,000 Hz. It is designed to be a "one size fits most" type of hearing aid, specifically (as stated above) for people with mild to moderate hearing losses. It would be, I'm confident, a high-performance hearing aid.

The question now is, will the provision of a low-cost, easy to acquire hearing aid actually produce an increase in the number of people wearing hearing aids? Nobody can answer that now, but it does seem a likely inference to make. We can shed further light on this question by determining the proportion of people using hearing aids in some European countries in which the cost of a hearing aid is covered in all or part by National Health Services. These figures vary from country to country, with some (such as the United Kingdom and Denmark) reporting relatively high percentages, while others (Sweden, Norway, and Finland) report somewhat lower percentages. In a reasonable interpretation of the estimates I received, an average of about 3% of the population in these countries wear hearing aids, compared to a figure in our country of 2%. While this difference may not sound like much, it would translate into approximately 1.5 million more people wearing hearing aids here. If we assume fairly similar cultural attitudes toward hearing loss and hearing aids in these cited European countries, then it does appear that cost considerations do deter many people from wearing hearing aids in the U.S.

If higher costs were unambiguously related to greater hearing aid satisfaction by consumers, then the high price of hearing aids could more easily be justified. An article by Sergei Kochkin (the "guru" of hearing aid demographics) in the February 2003 issue of The Hearing Review bears directly on this question. In this article, Kochkin reviews a number of factors associated with customer satisfaction. Many, such as reliability, sound quality, and hearing in background noise were highly related to satisfaction with hearing aids. This is not surprising. Insofar as price is concerned, however, he points out that he has (in numerous studies) found no practical correlation between overall satisfaction and the cost of hearing aids. On further analysis, however, the situation does get a bit more complicated.

Kochkin distinguishes between a person's satisfaction with the perceived benefit derived from a hearing aid (how much it actually helps improve hearing) and the satisfaction felt with the perception of the value of the aid relative to the price paid. In other words, it is perfectly possible for people to feel that a hearing aid benefits them, but to question whether the benefit they obtain is worth the price they paid. In terms of benefit, there is a slight positive correlation with price: the more a person pays, the greater the apparent benefit. However, as was pointed out in the article, this is a very weak correlation. In terms of perceived value, the relationship between satisfaction and price is slightly downward: i.e., the more people pay, the less likely they are to be satisfied with the value of the hearing aid.

This result seems perfectly understandable. With higher prices, one is able to include features not available in lower-cost hearing aids, such as directional microphones. Thus the greater benefit. For example, a number of studies have demonstrated that people are able to derive additional benefit from hearing aids that incorporate directional microphones. It has also been found that satisfaction is greater with this type of aid than with aids that lack this feature. Other features may be particularly important for a specific person, consequently increasing the benefit and perceived value of the hearing aid for this person. When people pay a great deal of money for their hearing aids, then they rightfully expect a great deal more benefit from them. According to Kochkin, however, only about half the people surveyed are satisfied with how their hearing aids function considering the price paid for them.

Does this mean that OTC hearing aids, considering their relatively low cost, will provide sufficient aided benefit to those with mild to moderate hearing losses to justify their purchase? For many people, undoubtedly. After all, many of these people can get noticeable hearing help simply by turning the volume up on the TV or stereo. (Of course, this may mean that their family will have to leave the room!) A simple amplifier that just increases the audibility of the sound signal will provide some help to people with this degree of hearing loss. I have two mail order catalogues in front of me that advertise hearing aids (labeled as "sound amplifiers" rather than "hearing aids"): one costs $19.99 for a body unit while the price of the other one is $39.99 for an in-the-ear model. I've seen these ads for years and they must be selling these devices to somebody. Undoubtedly, some people who purchase them probably feel that they are helping reduce their hearing difficulties. (Please note that these mail order devices are a far cry from responsible Internet sources that can provide top-of-the-line hearing aids at a substantially reduced cost, including some sort of professional consultation.)

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------ Hearing Loss Network: Serving Southern California -------
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Looking for hearing loss help in Southern California?

Hearing Loss Network is here to meet your needs. We provide coping and communications workshops, computer classes, a speakers bureau, an advisors bureau, and community outreach. And let us know if there's a needed service that isn't being provided. We'll see what we can do to help!

Email info@hearinglossnetwork.org or
visit us at www.hearinglossnetwork.org
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- Article 3: ADA Implementation Project Request for Proposals
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Editor: The National Council on Disability (NCD) is accepting proposals for programs to identify problems with the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I think we can all come up with examples that demonstrate that the intent of the ADA is not being met. Here's a chance for an organization to formalize this procedure, and get paid for it!

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WASHINGTON-The National Council on Disability (NCD) today published a request for proposals on Federal Business Opportunities (http://www.fedbizopps.gov/) for an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Implementation Project (Solicitation Number NCD05-04).

NCD is responsible for gathering information about the implementation, effectiveness, and impact of ADA. NCD's work in this area over the past three years has focused on identifying problems or gaps in ADA implementation and understanding what factors enhance or impede ADA implementation. In the 2003-2004 "Righting the ADA" project, NCD analyzed the effects of unfavorable Supreme Court interpretations in ADA cases and developed legislative recommendations for restoring ADA to its original intent. NCD is currently conducting an ADA impact study, gathering information about the impact of ADA and determining whether the law's goals are being achieved. Building on findings from this earlier work, NCD would like to bring together ADA stakeholders to develop recommendations on how to improve ADA implementation and make its goals a reality for individuals with disabilities.

The contractor will establish a mechanism whereby ADA stakeholders, including people with disabilities, businesses, employers, state and local governments, and federal agencies, can engage in a national dialogue on ADA and examine strategies for more effectively implementing it. The contractor must demonstrate the ability to successfully identify and reach out to relevant stakeholders, facilitate consensus building among groups with different perspectives and interests, and assist NCD in developing an effective public information and awareness campaign. Based on stakeholder input, the contractor will prepare a final report with specific recommendations for improving ADA implementation.

The estimated contract period is 12 months. NCD will expect interested parties to submit their responses by June 20, 2005. Copies of the RFP may be requested by mail or picked up at NCD. All requests must reference the RFP number (NCD05-04) and title (Americans with Disabilities Act Implementation Project). For more information, contact Julie Carroll, jcarroll@ncd.gov, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004; 202-272-2004 or 202-272-2074 TTY.

Mark S. Quigley
Director of Communications
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850
Washington, DC 20004
202-272-2008
202-272-2074 TTY
202-272-2022 fax
mquigley@ncd.gov
www.ncd.gov

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- Article 4: FCC Modifies Email News Service
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Editor: I've been getting items from the FCC for years, and many of them have ended up in the pages of this newsletter (including this one ;-) Now they've introduced a new service that allows subscribers to tailor the content they receive to more closely match their interests. The previous service will be discontinued. So whether or not you previously received the FCC releases, if you want to get them in the future you have to sign up for this new service. Here's the release.

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The FCC is launching its new "Consumer Information Registry," which is an expanded and improved e-mail service that will deliver to subscribers customized information about the FCC's actions and related developments in telecommunications, disability issues, and other communications services.

The Registry can be customized to deliver information on whatever topics the subscriber chooses. Whether it's Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), closed captioning, disability issues, or any other subject in the communications field or disability arena, the latest information will be available through this Registry.

In order to keep receiving disability related e-mails, you must subscribe by going to: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/contacts/ and click on subscribe and fill in the requested information. Also, don't forget to include your interests of choice to ensure that you are getting only the information that you want.

Once you have subscribed, you will receive an e-mail from the FCC Consumer Information Registry confirming your subscription and listing your interests of choice.

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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
Preschool Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
South Dakota School for the Deaf
Sioux Falls, SD

Employment Opportunity 2
Chief Executive Officer
DCARA
San Leandro, CA

Employment Opportunity 3
Multiple Positions
Kansas School for the Deaf
Olathe, KS

Employment Opportunity 4
Multiple Positions
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
Pittsburgh, PA

Employment Opportunity 5
Assistant Professor-English
Specialization in teaching Deaf students
San Diego Mesa Community College
San Diego, CA

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Employment Opportunity 1
Preschool Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
South Dakota School for the Deaf
Sioux Falls, SD
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Preschool Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(9-month, full-time Faculty Unit Position to begin August 2005)

QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT:

1. Minimum of Bachelor's Degree.
2. Eligible for South Dakota Teacher Certificate with endorsement in "Birth-PK Education" or willing to work toward this certification.
3. Fluent in sign language.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Provide classroom instruction.
- Develop and maintain a classroom environment conducive to effective learning.
- Attend IEP meetings and other meetings required for the delivery of educational services.
- Provide relevant information and appropriate supportive services to parents.
- Participate in committees and other job related activities.
- Perform other duties as requested, which are pertinent to the effective and efficient operation of the program.

SALARY: To be determined by education and experience (1st year, bachelor- degreed teacher begins at $29,500).

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications will be screened as received and will continue to be accepted until position is filled.

SEND RESUME, TRANSCRIPTS AND THREE (3) WORK REFERENCES TO:

Office of Human Resources at the South Dakota School for the Deaf
2001 East 8th Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57103- 1899
(605) 367- 5200 (Voice/TDD) or (605) 367- 5209 (Fax)

COMMENTS:
- Incumbent will be required to undergo a background investigation and submit a certification of health signed by a licensed physician within 10 days after first being employed.
- Employment at SD School for the Deaf qualifies for cancellation of "Federal Perkins Loan" (see terms and conditions of promissory note).

The South Dakota School for the Deaf will provide reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants upon request. The South Dakota School for the Deaf does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of service.

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Employment Opportunity 2
Chief Executive Officer
DCARA
San Leandro, CA
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Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency (DCARA) is a non-profit, community-based social service agency serving the Deaf community of the San Francisco Bay Area and 14 counties in Northern California. DCARA's mission is to promote self-determination, independence, and celebration of American Sign Language among a diverse Deaf community, regardless of their communication background, through its services and programs.

For the position of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), DCARA is seeking a strong and dynamic leader to build on over 40 years of continuous growth and evolution of the agency and maintain a staff that is stable and proud of the services they provide to the Deaf community, including Deafened, Deaf-Blind, and hard-of-hearing members. The CEO will report directly to the Board of Directors and will be responsible for all aspects of the agency's operations, programs, finances, and personnel. The CEO will also provide direction and leadership towards the achievement of the agency's philosophy, mission, strategies, and goals.

For further information on DCARA, visit www.dcara.org

DCARA is looking for a person of integrity with strong interpersonal skills who maintains effective partnerships with community, staff, and the Board of Directors. DCARA is also looking for an inspiring organizational leader who motivates and challenges the staff and community to continue growing.

The successful candidate will possess the following strengths:
- Solid track record in Deaf leadership and financial management
- Ability to recruit, manage, and team-build
- Positive outlook on Deafhood and American Sign Language (ASL)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Fluency in ASL; ability to communicate with persons of all social, economic and language levels
- Strong background in social service programs for the Deaf
- Bachelor's degree; a major in a Deaf-related field and/or a Master's degree preferred
- Five years of experience in non-profit, community-based management and supervision of a large staff
- Professional experience with grant procurement, project management, and fundraising efforts

SALARY: Starting at $75,000; with excellent benefits

Each applicant will need to submit the following: resume, cover letter, application (available at www.dcara.org), and a 2-minute video (conducted in ASL) explaining her/his interest in this position. DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2005. Screened applicants must be willing to interview in person during late June. Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Please e-mail complete application package to searchchair@dcara.org and mail the video to the attention of: Liz Brading, DCARA Search Committee Chair; 14895 East 14th Street, Suite 200; San Leandro, CA 94578

DCARA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
POSTED: APRIL 29, 2005

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Employment Opportunity 3
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 4
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 5
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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- Contact Information and Disclaimers
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