Volume 27 Issue 2

HOH-LD-News
Vol. 27, Issue 2
April 8, 2006

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Table of Contents
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- Article 1: Texas Professor Developing PDA-CI Interface

- Article 2: Now Hear This - Part 2

- Article 3: C-Print Demand Increases at NTID

- Article 4: Short Takes

Our advertisers make it possible for us to provide HOH-LD-News as a free service. Please let them know you appreciate their support, and please mention that you saw their message in HOH-LD-News.

- Advertisers in this Issue
First Premium Placement:
Free Shipping from Sound Clarity
Second Premium Placement:
ReStore Hearing Aid Drying Case at Harris Communications
Third Premium Placement:
IHHD Online Educational Opportunities
Classified Section:
Two online stores, one youth leadership opportunity, one captioning company, and two employment opportunities

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Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
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- Article 1: Texas Professor Developing PDA-CI Interface
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Editor: You've seen a similar idea in HOH-LD-News before, and we're excited to see additional interest now. A Dallas professor will be developing an interface between a PDA (personal digital assistant, e.g. a Palm Pilot) and a cochlear implant. The idea is for the PDA to do all the processing and transmit the results wirelessly to a CI. Such a system would open up all sorts of additional possibilities! Here are portions of the press release.

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University of Texas at Dallas Professor Awarded $1.3-Million NIH Contract to Build PDA Interface for Hearing Impaired; Three-Year Project Will Make Cochlear Implant Technology Portable, Affordable for Those With Profound Hearing Loss

Dr. Philip C. Loizou, an electrical engineering professor in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), has been awarded a three-year, $1.3-million contract from The National Institutes of Health (NIH) to build an interface that will enable personal digital assistants, or PDAs, to transmit sounds to an implant worn in the inner ear of deaf individuals.

"This will no doubt have a profound impact on the life of hearing impaired people," Loizou said. "To them, this PDA processor could not only be a speech processor, but a PC, a phone, an assistive listening device, a GPS device, an Internet browser and a music player - all integrated into one device."

PDAs have grown in popularity as personal data organizers, Web browsers, cell phones and music players. Loizou, who directs both the Cochlear Implant Laboratory and the Speech Processing Lab at UTD, said the new interface he hopes to develop will allow PDAs to process acoustic signals - such as speech - through a microphone that is worn behind an individual's ear. The signal would then be transmitted wirelessly into a cochlear implant in the inner ear.

According to Loizou, technology currently exists to transmit sounds to cochlear implant users, but it is costly and relies on custom-made speech processors. Replacing the speech processors with PDAs will make the technology more affordable, and the flexibility of PDAs will make the technology more accessible.

"The goal is to develop the PDA as a research processor that is portable, flexible and easy to use, and make it available to researchers interested in clinical studies," Loizou added. "Open access to such a PDA processor could accelerate the research at a faster pace. PDAs provide powerful computing ability and have excellent wireless connectivity options, and this will make cochlear implant technology accessible to all, including the hearing impaired population in Third-World countries."

The team that will work on the project draws from several areas of expertise and includes four faculty members from UTD's electrical engineering department, including Dr. Hoi Lee, Dr. Murat Torlak, Dr. Nasser Kehrtarnavaz and Loizou. Dr. Anu Sharma, who also will collaborate on the project, is from UTD's School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and has extensive clinical experience in neurophysiology.

[snip]

ABOUT UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor(r), enrolls nearly 14,500 students. The school's freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university's web site at http://www.utdallas.edu/

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- Article 2: Now Hear This - Part 2
By Jim Lemonds
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Editor: Jim Lemonds has written this very insightful article on how hearing loss affects people, and on some of the things we can do to reduce the impact of hearing loss. Jim is a freelance writer and editor located in Castle Rock, Washington. His website is accessible at www.writeteknorthwest.com.

This article is reprinted with Jim's kind permission. This is part 2 of 2 parts.

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Teacher disguised childhood hearing loss

R. A. Long history teacher Mike Polis, 56, has lived with hearing loss since childhood.

"It probably started when I was 4 or 5," Polis said. "The doctors think it was caused by mumps or measles."

To compensate, Polis did what most people with hearing loss do. He made sure he faced speakers directly; he relied on situational context to determine meaning; and he became an accomplished lip reader.

"I got through school by reading lips," he said.

Things got complicated when Polis was a teenager. "I was trying to talk to girls on the phone, and it didn't work very well. My parents bought me a hearing aid. It was big and fit over the ear. I wore it around the house a little bit, but I never wore it to school."

Polis, who has been teaching since 1975, did not wear a hearing aid during the first ten years of his career. He finally purchased a single hearing aid during the mid-1980s. He has gone through five in 20 years. Some were lost. Others went through the washing machine.

"The new ones are 10 times better than the old ones," Polis said. "They have a lot less feedback," the whistling sound heard by microphones with feedback.

The hearing aid made a difference in the classroom. "I still have to ask kids to repeat things, but I get most of it." In fact, Polis said he catches more conversation than his students realize.

Solutions abound, but not perfection

Hearing aids come in many types. The most common are behind-the-ear (BTE); in-the-ear (ITE), which may completely fill the canal; in-the-canal (ITC), most often in the shape of a split conch shell; and completely-in-the-canal (CIC), which are smaller and less noticeable.

Some older patients or those with physical disabilities cannot be fitted with smaller devices that require a good deal of dexterity. Simply changing the battery --- which is half the size of an aspirin in the smaller devices --- can be a struggle.

When hearing loss is extremely severe, a larger receiver and battery pack, such as those found in behind-the-ear devices, must be used.

The advent of digital technology in the '90s was a leap forward. Digital hearing aids rely on a computer chip to translate sound into algorithms, interpret that sound according to programmed specifications, and then release the sound into the ear canal.

"It's pretty amazing when you think that all of this is being done in real time," said Dr. Bradly Edgerton, an audiologist at Longview's Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic of the Northwest.

Digital hearing aids can be fine-tuned to a greater degree than the earlier analog devices. Volume, bass, and treble can be increased or decreased. Sound filters can be adjusted. But no device solves all problems.

"They've come a long way," said Moor, "but no hearing aid can eliminate all background noise."

Occlusion, a feeling akin to having your ears plugged with water, is a major complaint among hearing-aid wearers. A new device, dubbed "open-fit," has provided some relief. Open-fit hearing aids feature a small receiver that tucks behind the ear and thin, nearly invisible tubing that runs to the ear canal.

Dan Smith, a consultant at Miracle Ear in Kelso, said the open-fit devices, which have been on the market for a few months, are proving popular with customers. "Not only is the sound quality good," Smith said, "but they're a great solution for people who have problems with occlusion."

One drawback, Smith said, is that open-fit aids are not effective for people with significant hearing loss that affects lower tones.

Hearing aids: a help and a nuisance

Chris Moor cites inconsistent use as the most frequent obstacle to success with hearing aids. "It takes six months or more for the brain to adapt to the hearing aids," he said. "When you get them, you start 'alerting' to things you didn't hear before. It can be very fatiguing. The brain needs time to relearn what sounds to ignore. It can't do that unless you wear the hearing aids regularly."

Moor said that some patients choose to wear their hearing aids only for specific occasions -- attending church or meeting with clients, for example. As a result, they never give their brains a chance to fully adapt.

Although Seifert and Polis wear their hearing aids on a regular basis, both say they are much happier without the devices.

"I'm a lot more comfortable with my hearing aids out," Seifert said. "It's like having cotton in your ears. You can't ignore them."

Polis said when he wears them at home, "my wife doesn't have to repeat things as much and the TV doesn't have to be on as loud. But having everything amplified so much drives me crazy."

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- Article 3: C-Print Demand Increases at NTID
By Greg Livadas
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Editor: You've probably heard of C-Print, a captioning technology that supports a "concept for concept" philosophy, rather than a "word for word" philosophy. The technology was developed at NTID and has been used there for years. Now there's a growing demand for these services, an indication that NTID students are increasingly prefering captioning.

This story was originally published by The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, and is reprinted with their kind permission.

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Growing C-Print closes the hearing gap digitally - Demand rises for laptop-based class captioning

When Steve Forsthoefel attends a class at Rochester Institute of Technology, he tries to sit as close to the teacher as possible in an attempt to read lips.

Forsthoefel, 33, of Allentown, Pa., is deaf. But instead of always relying on an interpreter during class, he prefers to follow the discussion with C-Print, a device that allows him to read what is said by glancing at a nearby laptop computer.

"C-Print provides me with valuable information," he said. "It helps me with lip reading."

Cathy Benedict, a C-Print captionist, sits next to Forsthoefel in his European history class and plugs in her IBM Notepads. She places one on her desk and one next to him.

After class, Benedict edits the notes and posts them on a secure Web site.

"It's a useful tool to study for exams," Forsthoefel said.

C-Print was developed at RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf as an educational option. It has been in classrooms at RIT and in public schools and colleges around the country for about 10 years.

NTID earlier this year was awarded a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education for additional research for interactive learning, enabling students to add their own notes during class, which could include graphic illustrations for math and science classes.

Steve Nelson, director of NTID's access services, said plans are in the works to double the nearly 30 C-Print captionists at RIT by the fall. About 35 students use C-Print on campus now; they used about 10,000 hours of C-Print services last year.

"The need is growing fast," Nelson said.

More deaf and hard-of-hearing students are coming from mainstreamed schools and may not know sign language, have cochlear implants or more powerful hearing aids that allow them to use the hearing they have rather than rely on an interpreter.

Forsthoefel, who didn't know sign language in high school, said, "I missed a lot. It was impossible to understand every word before."

Pam Francis, coordinator for C-Print development at RIT, said the job is appealing to most captionists.

"It's a very rewarding task, going into the classroom and knowing that what they're doing is really helping another individual," she said.

Captionists are usually limited to 50 minutes of typing to avoid repetitive motion ailments. They carry (or wheel behind them like luggage) about 15 pounds of equipment.

They type on a laptop keyboard, not a steno machine used in courts or for closed captioning. Their training isn't as complex as a court reporter's because the words aren't typed verbatim.

The computer software, developed at RIT, uses phonetic rules to give the captionists shortcuts. They only need to write "abrvx," for example, and the word "abbreviation" will appear on the screen.

The system has a dictionary of more than 10,000 words, and each captionist may add specialized words.

Captionists can use a wireless network at RIT for students who want to blend into the middle of a classroom, not necessarily be seated in front of the teacher or be tethered to the captionist.

The cost of a C-Print captionist is about two-thirds of an interpreter, Nelson said. Another plus using C-Print is that the notes are retained and can be accessed after the class.

"Even a great interpretation, once you've delivered it, just like the speech, it's gone," Nelson said.

Some have wondered whether C-Print will make interpreters obsolete in the classroom. That fear is unfounded, Francis said. "There is a need for everybody."

Of the estimated 300 sign language interpreters in Rochester, RIT has 105 on staff and hires about 100 others as needed.

"That's still not enough," Nelson said. "There's still a shortage of interpreters."

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- Article 4: Short Takes
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Editor: Here are our picks of some additional stories that you may find interesting. For more, please point your browser to:
http://www.hearinglossweb.com/news/curr.htm

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How to Get a Human on the Phone

It seems that voice menu systems are popping up everywhere - you know, the systems that ask you to press one for sales, two for service, etc. Of course, they're horrible systems for people with hearing loss. I seem to recall an effort a year or so ago to establish a standard number sequence to bypass the menu system and get directly to a human, but I haven't heard anything about it in a long time.

But there is a website that tells you how to get to a live person when you call many commonly called organizations. You might want to save this one in your "Favorites".

http://www.gethuman.com/us

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Kids With "Hearing Problems" May Suffer From CAPD

Specialist Dr. Larry Medwetsky said that more people are becoming aware of the possibility that a problem with the child's behavior may be CAPD rather than ADHD. Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) is often misunderstood because it can be confused with certain learning disabilities like ADHD. Kids with CAPD have normal hearing, but they can't process information they hear in the same way as others do, because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate. Think of it as a short from the ear to the brain.

http://tinyurl.com/g5cpa

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Aging ears get bionic boost

Cochlear implants may not be just for the profoundly deaf anymore: Iowa scientists are developing the next generation, a "hybrid implant" to combine the best of bionics with regular hearing aids for age-related hearing loss. If it works -- and early study results are promising -- it one day may help thousands of older Americans. The key difference: Unlike regular cochlear implants, the hybrid model would let people keep their natural music appreciation even as it helps them hear speech more clearly again.

http://tinyurl.com/k9ko3

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- Classifieds
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Two online stores, one youth leadership opportunity, one captioning company, and two employment opportunities appear in this issue. (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

WCI - Your Single Source for Assistive Technology
Simplicity Products 20% off and Free Shipping
http://www.weitbrecht.com

Potomac Technology - Everything You Need Under One Roof!
Free Shipping & 15% off Clarity Phones!
http://www.potomactech.com

AG Bell Leadership Opportunities for Teens
Westin Convention Center
Pittsburgh, Pa.
June 20-June 24, 2006

Sawyer Court Reporting
Closed Captioning Services for the hearing impaired
http://www.sawyercourtreporting.com/contact_info.cfm

Employment Opportunity 1
Various Opportunities
GLAD
Various Southern California Locations

Employment Opportunity 2
Various Positions
South Dakota School for the Deaf
Sioux Falls, SD

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WCI. Providing Solutions for People with Hearing Loss.
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To receive a copy of our catalog, all you have to do is email sales@weitbrecht.com to request it.

WCI. Providing Solutions for People with Hearing Loss.

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Potomac Technology - Everything You Need Under One Roof!
Free Shipping & 15% off Clarity Phones!
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If you missed 15% off Clarity Phones in March, don't worry! Due to popular demand, we're extending the 15% off Clarity Phones AGAIN during April. On top of that you also get free shipping on orders over $50.00! This is no April Fools! Get the Clarity phone of your choice, like the new cordless CLS45i with speakerphone capabilities in both the handset and phone base. That's only the beginning. With free shipping, Potomac Technology is ready to help you save.

Visit us online at http://www.potomactech.com or call 1-800-433-2838 (V/TTY). (Use code "PTEC406H" for free shipping).

Potomac Technology. Everything You Need Under One Roof!

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AG Bell Leadership Opportunities for Teens
Westin Convention Center
Pittsburgh, Pa.
June 20-June 24, 2006
-------------------

Leadership Opportunities for Teens is a four-day leadership workshop hosted by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for teens with hearing loss entering grades 9-12 who use spoken communication as their primary mode of communication. Teens will have the opportunity to participate in group and individual activities, explore models of leadership, and develop new skills in areas such as self-advocacy and self-esteem, team-building and conflict resolution.

Applications are due April 15, 2006. Find out more at http://www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?p=Leadership_Opportunities_for_Teens

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Sawyer Court Reporting
Closed Captioning Services for the hearing impaired
http://www.sawyercourtreporting.com/contact_info.cfm
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news, weather, sports and meetings

eight years experience working in closed captioning in captioning broadcast news, sports (soccer), arts and entertainment, and history international shows live for several companies

for more information on rates and scheduling appointments, click on:
http://www.sawyercourtreporting.com/contact_info.cfm

to reach Sawyer Court Reporting via relay:
voice: 816.761.5536 cell: 816.916.8042

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Employment Opportunity 1
Various Opportunities
GLAD
Various Southern California Locations
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GLAD is an Affirmative Action Employer with equal opportunity for men, women and people with disabilities. For more information on the following positions, please go to: www.gladinc.org. The status of all positions is: Regular, Full-time, Non-Exempt, Full Fringe Benefits unless otherwise noted. All positions are open until filled.

* JOB DEVELOPER/INTERPRETER - Anaheim, Norwalk

* COMMUNITY INTERPRETER - Riverside

* HARD OF HEARING SPECIALIST - Riverside

* LIFESIGNS DIRECTOR - Los Angeles

If interested for any of these positions then please submit resume and application to:

Jeff Fetterman
Human Resources Specialist
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc.
2222 Laverna Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90041
V/TDD: (323) 550-4207
Fax #: (323)550-4204
E-mail: jfetterman@gladinc.org

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Employment Opportunity 2
Various Positions
South Dakota School for the Deaf
Sioux Falls, SD
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The South Dakota School for the Deaf is seeking applicants for:

- Speech Language Pathologist (9-mo. position) for 2006/2007. Master's degree and ASHA CCC-SLP required.
- K-12 Permanent Substitute Teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (9-mo. position) for 2006/2007. Bachelor's Degree, South Dakota Teacher Certification and sign language skills required.
- Preschool Auditory Oral Teacher for Cochlear Implant Students (9-mo. position) for 2006/2007. Bachelor's Degree and South Dakota Teacher Certification required.
- Preschool Teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (9-mo. position) for 2006/2007. Bachelor's Degree, South Dakota Teacher Certification and fluency in American Sign Language required.

Applications will be screened as received and will continue to be accepted until position is filled. Send resume, certification, transcripts, and three (3) work references to:

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

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