Volume 29 Issue 1
HOH-LD-News
Vol. 29, Issue 1
October 6, 2006
Copyright (C) 2006 Hearing Loss Web. All rights reserved.
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Table of Contents
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- Article 1: Update on Petitions for Captioning Exemptions
- Article 2: Discrimination Testing: Understanding the Importance of This
Hearing Test - Part 1
- Article 3: Fremont, CA Gallaudet Alums Protest Fernandes
- Article 4: Short Takes
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Classified Section:
Two online stores and one employment opportunity
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Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 1: Update on Petitions for Captioning Exemptions
By Cheryl Heppner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editor: Here's the latest on the petitions for captioning exemptions, as
reported by Cheryl Heppner in NVRC News. You are welcome to share this
information, but please be sure to credit NVRC. Please see the credit at the
end of the article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've been working for several days on a detailed summary of what I found
in reviewing approximately 550 files of requests for captioning exemption
last week in the FCC's records room. The vast majority are from faith-based
organizations. Here are my general observations:
- Overall, it was stunning to see how little documentation had been
provided by the entities who requested exemptions. There may be more that
was not copied to the public files. Although my gut feeling is that there
are quite a few larger, healthier congregations among those petitions,
financial information that gave a clear picture was very hard to come by.
Only a few petitioners provided audits or IRS 990 forms.
- Many of the requests for waivers reminded me of the common complaint
from doctors that an interpreter costs more than they receive for an office
visit. The entities requesting captioning exemptions would provide financial
information about the cost of their broadcasts, and then talk about how the
additional cost of captioning was burdensome. An example was #0574, Siloam
Church in College Park, GA. They pay $10,800 a year to AIB TV for their
weekly program, and $43,200 yearly to Black TV. Their estimated cost to
caption was $470/week ($24,440/year)
- Quite a few of the entities requesting exemptions mentioned that the
news about their obligations to provide captioning didn't reach them until
late 2005 or the early months of 2006.
- The entities were all over the map in their claims about captioning
costs. Most didn't show that they had asked for bids and may not have tried
any negotiating. Some just used information from a brochure or a captioning
company website.
- I was struck by many concerns by faith-based organizations not just
about the cost of captioning but also the additional burden in production.
Church services are being recorded and then edited before showing on TV.
Using a captioning company would involve their having to ship a tape out and
not getting it back with captions in time for the air date. Others talked
about the need to purchase equipment, as if they planned to offer captioning
in-house. I really doubt that they understand how labor intensive captioning
can be if there is no electronic script to use.
- At least one savvy TV station sent out notices to all its religious
programming informing them of their obligations to provide captioning.
- It appears that a large number of faith-based organizations asking for
exemptions are using volunteers to do their filming and production.
- There seems to be a lot of confusion as to which captioning rules
apply. Many letters from faith-based organizations cited being under $3
million revenue per year, broadcasts having no repeat value (yet some do
rebroadcast or make tapes available), etc. Quite a few of the petitions
asked for an exemption with the "everything and the kitchen sink" approach,
sending arguments that they should qualify for a number of different
reasons.
- Some faith-based organizations mentioned that they provided sign
language interpreters or were looking at doing so instead of providing
captions. This is not an acceptable alternative.
- Several petitioners cited hardship caused by Hurricane Katrina as a
reason for not being able to afford captioning.
STILL TIME TO WRITE:
Send your comments and personal stories about why captioning is important to
you and you oppose granting exemptions to:
Kevin.Martin@fcc.gov
Michael.Copps@fcc.gov
Jonathan.Adelstein@fcc.gov
Deborah.Tate@fcc.gov
Robert.McDowell@fcc.gov
Monica.Desai@fcc.gov
~~~~~
(c)2006 by Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Persons (NVRC), 3951 Pender Drive, Suite 130, Fairfax, VA 22030;
www.nvrc.org Items in this newsletter are provided for information purposes
only; NVRC does not endorse products or services. You do not need permission
to share this information, but please be sure to credit NVRC
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 2: Discrimination Testing: Understanding the Importance of This
Hearing Test - Part 1
by Henry Smith
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editor: Here's a good discussion of presbycusis (age related hearing
loss), how it causes loss of speech discrimination, and what you should do
if you experience it. This is part one of two parts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The results from your latest hearing test may have shown that you were
experiencing some form of hearing loss, which, in general, happens gradually
as you age. The medical term for hearing loss related to aging is "presbyacusis,"
and both exposure to loud noises (tools, machinery, or guns, for example)
and genetics can contribute to certain types of hearing problems. Less
commonly in people over 55, hearing loss can be caused by infections or
inner ear injury.
No matter what the cause, hearing problems can take away the enjoyment
you have in day-to-day living. When you are suffering from any type of
hearing loss, you may not be able to understand friends, family, or
co-workers as they speak. You may still be able to hear general sounds, but
your ability to understand speech is lessened.
While a hearing aid can reduce your hearing problems dramatically, it
does have limitations that you must understand. But being able to accept and
enjoy what improvements a hearing aid will provide can bring you better
quality of life. A hearing test known as a discrimination test can offer you
an indication of what improvements you can expect.
The Causes of Hearing Problems
In your ears, there are hair cells that are responsible for sending sound
messages to your brain. The hair cells that are responsible for transmission
of sounds that have high pitch energy are very susceptible to damage
throughout one's lifetime. When these hair cells are damaged, a person will
notice he or she is developing hearing problems and losing the ability to
hear consonant sounds clearly. This means that person may be unable to
discriminate between different words that have similar sound, although he or
she might be able to hear the words enough to make a guess as to their
meaning. For example, "What time is it?" and "What kind is it?" may sound
the same to someone experiencing this type of hearing loss - questions that
require very different answers.
If you notice that you are experiencing hearing problems and having
difficulty hearing particular words or sounds, it is important to first
visit a local doctor or ENT in order to have any underlying medical issues
treated or ruled out. Once those issues have been resolved, and it is
determined that you do have hearing problems that need to be corrected, you
can take the next step toward purchasing a hearing aid. And that next step
should include a hearing test to measure discrimination.
What Is a Discrimination Test?
A discrimination test is a hearing test that measures how well you can
hear words isolated from the context of a sentence in an ideal situation -
the perfect volume, no external noise, no distractions, and so on. This type
of hearing test can be helpful for someone experiencing high frequency
hearing loss or other hearing problems.
When you have your hearing test, you will be placed in a soundproof booth
and you will be given headphones to wear. Next, the person conducting the
exam will adjust the volume of the headphones being used so that it is at a
comfortable level for you without being too loud or too soft. Then the
person conducting the hearing test will read you a list of words, one at a
time, from outside of the soundproof area. You will repeat each word back as
you hear it, and the administrator will score the percentage of words
repeated correctly. You will not have any visual cues to go along with the
words, so you will not be able to lip read, and you will not have any
context to the words in the way you might in a real world situation.
Separate lists will be used for each ear.
At the end of the hearing test, the administrator should take the time to
go over your results with you and explain what they mean for your particular
hearing problems. While in an ideal world you will score 90 percent or
higher on such a hearing test, you may instead find that, for example, you
scored only 60 percent on the test and that your hearing loss is more
severe.
What does this type of hearing test score mean? It means that in the most
ideal of conditions, when you are given individual words in isolation, you
will only be able to correctly understand 60 percent of the words you hear.
And therefore, that is the best percentage of words that you can expect to
be able to hear when you are using a hearing aid. Even with today's improved
technology, a hearing aid will never be able to give one with hearing
problems a better level of discrimination than was achieved in his or her
hearing test.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 3: Fremont, CA Gallaudet Alums Protest Fernandes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editor: We're just seeing reports that the tent city is back on the
Gallaudet campus in Washington, DC. Now we get word that the Fremont, CA
chapter of the Gallaudet University Alumni Association is hosting a protest!
Here's their notice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gallaudet University Alumni Association Chapter Hosts Tent City Rally in
Support of Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni (FSSA)'s Effort to Seek for
Social Justice including Removing Jane Fernandes, Gallaudet University's 9th
President.
Fremont, CA - On Wednesday, October 4, 2006 the deaf community of Bay
Area will be gathering at the soccer field by Walnut Avenue and Overracker
Avenue near Mission Blvd at 4:00 pm to protest the Gallaudet University's
selection of Jane Fernandes, the 9th president.
The Tent City, amply named after last spring when the students of
Gallaudet University protested loudly against the Board of Trustees'
decision to select Jane Fernandes and their unresponsiveness to the division
that is happening on the campus. During the period of unrest at Gallaudet
University, the students would pitch the tents across the university campus
to protest.
Among the complaints the students and faculty are bringing up are: Jane
Fernandes do not exhibit the quality as a solid leader to bring the deaf
community into the next level. The group also felt that the search process
was flawed and removed some more qualified candidates. One of them ended up
as the Executive Director of National Center on the Deafness at California
State University at Northridge.
The Tent City at California School for the Deaf will have several
speakers such as Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, a former Deaf President Now leader
who was part of the group protesting Elizabeth Zinser, a hearing person,
selection as the Gallaudet University president back in 1988. Tom Holcomb, a
professor at Ohlone College and Gallaudet University alumni and a parent of
two current Gallaudet students will be speaking to the group at local Tent
City in Fremont at 4 pm on Wednesday, October 4, 2006.
The deaf community of Bay Area is hoping to drum up support for the
Gallaudet University faculty and students in order to re-open the search
process and select a more qualified candidate to lead Gallaudet University
after I. King Jordan's retirement upcoming this winter.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 4: Short Takes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Businesses Benefit by Including Hearing Aid Insurance Coverage
Over 31 million people have some degree of hearing loss. More than 80% of
the hearing-loss population can improve their condition by being fitted with
hearing aids, reports the National Center of Health Statistics. So, why are
hearing plans such a forgotten benefit while dental and vision coverage is
considered standard? It could be because employees are reluctant to
recognize their diminished hearing or are too sheepish to ask about a
benefit. Employers who raise awareness of hearing problems and implement a
hearing benefit could see a major return on investment.
http://www.benefitnews.com/supplemental/detail.cfm?id=9579
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
India's CDAC develops $20 digital programmable hearing aid
The hardware-design group at India's government-funded CDAC (Center for
Development of Advanced Computing), in Thiruvananthapuram has developed a
low-cost DPHA (digital programmable hearing aid) that a user wears on his
body. The DPHA-1 device employs a proprietary ASIC and embedded DSP to
deliver stable amplification characteristics over a wide dynamic range.
Unlike conventional analog hearing aids, you can tailor DPHAs to improve
clarity of speech, reduce background noise, and help control unwanted
loudness. You can also program them to make automatic adjustments in a
variety of settings.
http://www.edn.com/article/CA6372842.html?spacedesc=newProducts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What's growing on your patients' hearing aids?
Many of the people who seek hearing healthcare services have compromised
immune systems that make them unusually susceptible to common microorganisms
that, under certain conditions, can cause localized infection or systemic
disease. Dispensing environments draw patients from all age and
socioeconomic groups and who come in with a wide range of underlying
diseases and history of pharmacologic interventions. These are all factors
with potential implications for a person's immune system. In a clinical
environment where patients may be especially vulnerable to opportunistic
infections, infection control procedures play a critical role in reducing
crosscontamination and the risk of disease.
http://tinyurl.com/o8cyz (pdf file)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Classifieds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two online stores and one employment opportunity appear in this issue.
(Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)
WCI. Providing Solutions for People with Hearing Loss.
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Potomac Technology. Everything You Need Under One Roof.
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Employment Opportunity
Various Positions
GLAD
Los Angeles
-------------------
WCI. Providing Solutions for People with Hearing Loss.
15% Savings on "Treats" in October!
http://www.weitbrecht.com
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15% Savings on "Treats" in October!
WCI makes it easy to be ready for the ghosts, goblins and all the other
Trick-or-Treaters at your door this Halloween! Take 15% off any of our
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Boogeyman to Superman! Call us now at 1-800-233-9130 (V/TTY) or visit us
online at http://www.weitbrecht.com (use code WCIH1006 when ordering).
To receive a copy of our WCI catalog, email sales@weitbrecht.com to
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Potomac Technology. Everything You Need Under One Roof.
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Employment Opportunity 1
Various Positions
GLAD
Los Angeles
-------------------
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.
* Case Manager - Los Angeles, CA
* Director of Human Services - Los Angeles, CA
* Community Interpreter - Riverside, CA
* Job Developer/Interpreter - Crenshaw, Norwalk and West Covina, CA
* Community Health Educator-Los Angeles, CA
* LIFESIGNS Dispatcher - Riverside, CA
* Field Coordinator - Los Angeles, CA
* Community Relations - Los Angeles, CA
* Accounts Receivable Specialist - Los Angeles, CA
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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