Volume 29 Issue 11

HOH-LD-News
Vol. 29, Issue 11
December 16, 2006

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Table of Contents
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- Article 1: Expanding Access Through Captioned Radio - Part 2

- Article 2: All I Want for Christmas Is ... a Toy with a Mute Button

- Article 3: Gallaudet University names Robert Davila interim president

- 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.

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Classified Section:
Two online stores 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: Expanding Access Through Captioned Radio - Part 2
Presented by Stephen Foster
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Steven Foster is the Founder and CEO of iMAT (iMobile Access Technologies), which focuses on providing media access to populations that are currently excluded.

This is part two of two parts.

This article is part of our coverage of the 2006 ALDAcon. For more coverage of this great convention, please point your browser to http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/hlorg/alda/cn/2006/2006.htm

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Q. Are you doing anything to improve accessibility for things like churches?
A. No. That's not really our market, at least right now.

Q. What about people who already wear glasses?
A. Our system can overlay existing glasses. There will be a very thin cord that goes from the receiver to the eyepiece. We're also looking at how to provide accessibility to people with low vision. They will probably not be using the eyepiece, so we'll need the ability to provide various output devices.

Q. So this will be basically a floating display, out in front of you?
A. Yes, much like some of the new cars that have a speedometer projected on the windshield. We don't recommend using our system while you're driving. But we're looking at plugging the system into a dashboard, and having the display projected onto the windshield.

Q. One market you might want to look at are people with normal hearing who may want to get this type of information inconspicuously - e.g. getting stock quotes while in a meeting at work.
A. Some people listen to a baseball broadcast while at the game. What people like about that is that they can hear the broadcast and the enjoy the game ambience at the same time. Keep in mind that we are in the content business. How can we deliver content to users in alternate formats?

Q. Does your system work with polarized sunglasses?
A. Yes. We've done that test.

Q. Aren't you worried about information overload? Like watching sports on TV now, there's the game and the captions and a couple of "runners" and a scroll. It's too much.
A. We intend to allow the user to control how much content is in the system.

C. ESPN had a throwback broadcast recently, and the broadcast was like it was 10 years ago. It was at a very relaxed pace, and I liked it better than current broadcasts.

Q. Are you also planning to have something like a PDA as an output device?
A. We're looking at that. We have to provide guarantees of quantities to interest manufactures, but we may have something like that.

Q. How will the user be able to control what he gets on his captioned radio?
A. We'll have channels, just like on current audio radio.

Q. Who is your focus group? Who is represented?
A. The purpose of a focus group is to allow early design changes, before we create the beta product. We will have 100 or 200 people who have prototypes, and get their feedback before we proceed.

Q. When you presented this in Boston, I remember some of the hearing people had doubts about this system, especially how you can wear an eyepiece while you're driving.
A. My response is that media is becoming more mobile. We don't want our system to be fixed to the car, so that you can only use in the car. People have lots of choices, and we need to see how they will use it.

Q. Where are all these captions coming from? Is it like CART?
A. Captioning will be provided just like it is with the CapTel phone, and we need to synch it with the audio. We expect a delay of about three seconds for live programming, just like you see now with live captioning.

Q. Is this something that could be provided free on the Internet?
A. Absolutely. Our challenge is to convince the industry that there is an audience for this. Until that time, it will have to be supported by the users. I have to say that I'm not a big fan of shoving things down people's throats. But I also think that this market could be mandated. If that happens, it will probably be a consumer driven model.

Q. It seems that emergency situations provide a good case for mandating this service.
A. I agree, but we need to have a viable product before we can approach the FCC about mandating.

Q. CSPAN has television with captions and a simultaneous radio program. Could you get the television captions and use that for your radio captions?
A. Yes

Q. We've talked about the dangers of using it in the car. But I don't see why a passenger couldn't use it in the car, just like people in the back seat can watch TV.
A. Absolutely.

Q. About 95% of people with hearing loss are hard of hearing, and most of us can hear amplified speech. I'm wondering who your market really is. Are you primarily focusing on the people who can't discriminate speech?
A. I think it's very hard to know that. We are targeting anyone who relies on captioning for access. We don't use the "28 million" number. We use the non-ASL population. For one reason, we think the ASL population may not be able to afford this, may not be comfortable with English grammar, may not be interested in what's on the radio.

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- Article 2: All I Want for Christmas Is ... a Toy with a Mute Button
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Editor: It's not just adults who suffer from noise induced hearing loss, and it's not only loud work environments that cause it. Kids also suffer from it, and the cause may be loud toys. Here's the story from the University of Michigan Health System.

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In the mock-documentary "This is Spinal Tap," a member of the world's loudest band tried to secure the distinction by using amplifiers that went higher than the standard "10" setting on the volume control. He pointed out that his amps went to 11 - which, he said, was "one louder."

As parents do their holiday shopping this year, they may wonder if making the volume go to 11 was the inspiration behind many children's toys. From traditional noisemakers such as toy guns and musical instruments to talking dolls and animated stuffed animals, many toys are loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage, says a University of Michigan Health System expert.

"With the holidays approaching, parents need to be concerned and selective regarding the toys they purchase, in particular toys that produce some kind of a sound," says Paul R. Kileny, Ph.D., director of audiology and electrophysiology at the U-M Health System's Department of Otolaryngology. "These can be toys that are fairly high tech, or some very low-tech toys, such as whistles and accordions."

Kileny notes that children's hearing is particularly sensitive. While the inner ear is completely developed at birth and has the complete complement of hair cells, the ear canal is much smaller, and sounds entering the ear canal become louder because they develop in a smaller space.

That can translate into as much as a 20-decibel difference between adult and infant ears; thus, infant ears can be damaged more easily than adults' hearing. In addition, children tend to hold toys or games closer to their ears because of the short reach of their arms. Dolls and stuffed animals are often held directly up to the ear-region.

"When you make a judgment about a toy or a game, about whether to buy it or not, you really have to hold it up close to your ear," Kileny says. "If a toy sounds loud to an adult, it'll sound much louder to a child."

In general, Kileny says, it is best if toys do not exceed 80 to 85 decibels (the measure of the intensity of a sound). A normal conversation is about 60 decibels, lawnmowers and shop tools run at 90 decibels or so, a chainsaw at 100, a rock concert at 115, and a jet engine at 120 or higher.

Following a recent day in which he shopped in a toy store, Kileny tested the decibel output of numerous toys, including musical instruments, dolls, MP3 and CD players, and more. He found that many of the toys exceeded the 80-85 level at which it is safe for children to be exposed to the sound for extended periods of time.

"There are some toys and games that produce sounds as loud as a jet plane taking off," Kileny says. "That amount of output can cause immediate and permanent hearing loss."

Some musical instruments and music players designed specifically for children ages 3 to 5 can be excessively loud, he notes. An MP3 player marketed to toddlers, for instance, measured in at a peak of 120 decibels. Computer games often exceed 110 decibels. Musical instruments can peak at those levels as well.

In some instances, though, toy manufacturers seem to be taking notice of the need to make quieter toys. Some toys now come with controls parents can set to limit the noise output, for example. Kileny hopes more toy manufacturers will follow suit in the future.

The hearing damage caused by toys may not manifest itself until later in life, either in the teenage years or even beyond that, when a person experiences early hearing loss. A recent Zogby International poll commissioned by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association found that more than half of high school-aged people who responded to the survey reported at least temporary signs and symptoms that may be associated with hearing loss, Kileny says - damage that for some of them likely began when they were very young.

Kileny notes that in addition to hearing screens that are performed on newborns, parents also can ask their doctors about possible changes in their children's hearing. "If you've made observations that your child doesn't hear as well as your other children or friends, or that he or she doesn't hear as well as six months ago," Kileny advises, "bring this to your physician's attention and request referral to a licensed audiologist to determine the hearing status."

Information about noisy toys and hearing loss:

• Many toys for toddlers exceed safe sound levels, with some peaking at decibel levels as high as a jet engine taking off.

• Noisy toys can come in many varieties - a toy as simple as a whistle or complex as an MP3 player, fire engines and dolls, cap guns and musical instruments.

• Children's ears are more susceptible to the effects of loud noises than are adults' ears. Additionally, children often hold toys and games close to their ears. Adults should listen to a toy close to their ear to hear if it sounds too loud before they purchase it.

• If children already own noisy toys, parents can consider taking out the batteries.

• Hearing loss from loud toys is permanent.

For more information, visit these Web sites: UMHS Health Topics A-Z: Childhood hearing loss http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_hearing_hhg.htm

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communicable Disorders: Noise-induced hearing loss http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noise.asp

American Academy of Family Physicians: How to prevent noise-induced hearing loss www.aafp.org/afp/20000501/2759ph.html

KidsHealth: Choosing safe toys http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/safe_toys.html

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: Noisy toys, dangerous play http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/noisy_toys.htm

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- Article 3: Gallaudet University names Robert Davila interim president
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Editor: Dr. Robert Davila will be Gallaudet's interim president. He's expected to serve for up to two years, which should give the Board plenty of time to select a permanent president. Here's Gallaudet's press release.

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Today, Gallaudet University Board of Trustees Chair Pamela Holmes announced the selection of Robert R. Davila as interim president of the university.

Dr. Davila, who is deaf, served from 1996-2004 as vice president for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, one of seven colleges of Rochester Institute of Technology. In 1989, he began a four-year appointment as Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the Department of Education where he was the federal government's chief advisor on federal policy affecting the education and vocational rehabilitation of the nation's 40 million persons with disabilities.

"Gallaudet is extremely fortunate to have Dr. Robert Davila as its interim president," said Ms. Holmes. "He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Gallaudet at a time when the University faces many opportunities, as well as many challenges."

Dr. Davila, who holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology from Syracuse University, is no stranger to Gallaudet. Not only is he an alumnus [Class of 1953], but he worked on campus from 1972-1989, during which time he held progressively more responsible teaching and administrative positions, including as a member of the university's Department of Education faculty, director of the Kendall School, acting dean of the Model Secondary School for the Deaf and, for eleven years, vice president of the University's Pre-College Programs.

"I am honored to once again serve my alma mater," Dr. Davila said. "I am fortunate to possess the energy, drive and dedication that will be required to lead our University over the coming months. I will seek to bring support and benefit to all constituent groups on campus and beyond."

Dr. Davila officially assumes his presidential duties January 2, 2007.

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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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Hybrid Cochlear Implant Provides Hearing Solution

But this new "hybrid" cochlear implant was designed specifically for partial hearing loss - so that users could enjoy both their own natural hearing plus bionic hearing for sounds where they need an extra boost. Five years after surgery that implanted the device in her inner ear, 34-year-old Yeoman of Humboldt, Iowa, sometimes even forgets it's turned on. "Everything sounds so crystal-clear," she says.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/y6kawj

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T-Coils: Beyond the Telephone

T-coils (also called induction pick-up coils, or magnetic induction systems) have existed within personal hearing aids since the late 1940s (Ross, 2004). T-coils can be thought of as mini-antennas, which receive magnetic information. T-coils are in the majority of new hearing aids and their popularity continues to rise. In 2001, only 37% of all dispensed hearing aids contained T-coils, whereas in 2004, 52% of dispensed units contained T-coils (Kirkwood, 2005) . . . . Unfortunately, telephone-centric names ("T-coil," "t-coil," "telecoil," etc.) infer the primary application of this technology is indeed, telephone-based. Although certainly telephone-based communication was the primary impetus for Lybarger's development of the T-coil almost 60 years ago, and telephone use is by far the most popular current application, T-coils in 2006 offer far greater application than their telephone-based names imply (see Ross, 2006).

http://preview.tinyurl.com/y4vkjd

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Court Overturns Cochlear Implant Denial

A health plan administrator acted unreasonably in denying coverage of a plan participant's cochlear implant, according to an Oct. 23 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The court ruled in Carolina Care Plan Inc. v. McKenzie that the plan abused its discretion in denying the participant's claim. The ruling appears to be an important victory for patients. But one audiologist who has been long involved in cochlear implants said she is not sure how far-reaching the case may be.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/sn5ez

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- Classifieds
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Two online stores and two employment opportunities appear in this issue. (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

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Employment Opportunity 2
Member Services & Information Technology Officer
TDI
Silver Spring, MD

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Employment Opportunity 1
Various Positions
GLAD
Los Angeles
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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.

* Building Manager - Los Angeles, CA
* Regional Director - Riverside, CA
* Community Interpreter - Riverside, CA
* Job Developer/Interpreter - Crenshaw, Norwalk, Riverside and West Covina, CA
* Community Health Educator-Los Angeles, CA
* Grant Writer - Los Angeles, CA
* Accounts Receivable Specialist - Los Angeles, CA
* Program Assistant/Interpreter - 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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Employment Opportunity 2
Member Services & Information Technology Officer
TDI
Silver Spring, MD
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General Description: Member Services & Information Technology Officer is responsible for member services, webmaster/layout design activities, and information technology for TDI's publications, websites, and related programs/services.

Salary: Negotiable, commensurate with experience & education
Organization: TDI
Type of Appointment: Full-time
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Posting Date: 12/11/2006
Closing Date: Open until position is filled.

Duties & Responsibilities:

* Maintain membership database on a regular basis. Resolve member/subscriber service issues.
* Conduct layout/graphic design services for the Blue Book, the GA-SK Newsmagazine, TDI's website, biennial TDI Conference, and any other TDI operations including but not limited to: brochures, membership and subscription application/renewal forms, promotional cards, program books, power point presentations, and video clip productions.
* Assess information technology needs of TDI's operations, develop plans, and implement action to accomplish these needs.
* Represent TDI at various events hosted by consumer, industry and/or government groups.
* Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

* Required - Substantial knowledge of techniques, tools, and other resources in database management, online SQL experience preferred.
* Required - Ability to create and layout written material for websites, publications, information and referral program, and outreach/training activities.
* Required - Ability to produce video clips and other interactive features for TDI's in-house and remote websites.
* Required - Substantial knowledge of techniques, tools, and other resources in database management, and information technology.
* Required - Excellent personal interaction skills with diverse individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, deaf-blind or hearing.
* Required - Excellent writing and research skills.
* Required - Excellent computer skills including familiarity with Word, Excel, Publisher, Power Point, and Access. Experience with Web design and/or database management software preferred.
* Required - Self-starting ability, and planning and organizing skills in nonprofit management environment.
* Required - Experience with user interface web design and architecture.
* Required - Knowledge and application of web accessibility features required by Section 508 and by W3C/WAI.
* Required - Skills in HTML, SQL, and JavaScript development.
* Required - Familiarity with SQL and other database programming languages.
* Preferred - ASP.NET or PHP programming experience.
* Preferred - Familiarity with the latest Internet technologies (Flash, multimedia video).
* Preferred - Knowledge of accessibility regulations, policies and procedures in telecommunications, media, and information technology for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, or deaf-blind and their families.
* Preferred - General knowledge of resources in hearing loss at local, state, and national levels in relation to telecommunications, media, and information technology

Training and Experience Requirements:

Preferably a Master's degree in communications, computer science, engineering, mathematics, information technology, or related curriculum and one year of experience; or a bachelor's degree in one of the above fields and three years of experience. Experience in database administration, technical writing, and design documentation.

How to Apply:
All applicants must submit a letter of interest and a resume to TDI. Applications must be received at the TDI office by 5:00 p.m. on or before the closing date. Email submissions are welcome. No phone calls please.

TDI selects applicants for employment based on job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.

Contact Person: Claude L. Stout, Executive Director
Contact Agency: TDI
Contact Address:
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 604, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3803
Contact Numbers:
TTY: (301) 589-3006; Voice: (301) 589-3786; Fax: (301) 589-3797
WWW & Email: www.tdi-online.org tdiexdir@aol.com

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