Volume 37 Issue 13

HOH-LD-News
Vol. 37, Issue 13
December 27, 2008

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Table of Contents
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- Article 1: Access Board Advisory Committee Reports on Vessel Alarm Systems

- Article 2: UI Physicians Perform Auditory Brainstem Implant

- Article 3: Can Vitamins Prevent Hearing Loss?

- 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:
YOUR AD HERE
Second Premium Placement:
Harris Communications Storewide Sale Ends Soon
Third Premium Placement:
Hearing Aid Repairs from Hearing Haven
Fourth Premium Placement:
MAXI Digital from Bellman Audio now at Sound Clarity, Inc.
Classified Section:
One Online Store, one Donation Request, and five Employment Opportunities

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Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
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If you're interested in getting your message out to people who are hard of hearing or late deafened, and to the people who serve them, you might consider a premium ad in this newsletter! Our rates are surprisingly affordable and we reach the movers and shakers in the hearing loss world. And this newsletter (unlike some of the others) is strictly "opt-in", which means that everyone who receives it WANTS to receive it!

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- Article 1: Access Board Advisory Committee Reports on Vessel Alarm Systems
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Editor: The Passenger Vessel Emergency Alarms Advisory Committee recently released its report on how to ensure that passengers with hearing loss are notified of emergencies while onboard ship. I'm disappointed to see that they didn't include the 500 Hz square wave audio signal that seems to be most effective for people with hearing loss. Let's hope they pick that up in the next report.

Here's the report from NVRC. Please note the republication information at the end of the article.

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The Passenger Vessel Emergency Alarms Advisory Committee presented its report on accessible vessel alarms systems at a meeting of the Board in September. The Board organized this committee last year to prepare recommendations on how new guidelines the Board is developing for passenger vessels should address emergency alarm systems for passengers with hearing impairments. The committee's membership included representatives from disability organizations, the vessel and cruise ship industry and trade groups, and the National Fire Protection Association, among others.

In the course of its work, the committee reviewed current emergency notification and safety practices, protocols, and standards adopted by the U.S. Coast Guard, international authorities, and other countries. Representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and industry representatives provided information for the committee's use on standard procedures for notifying passengers of emergencies aboard various types of vessels, including cruise ships, ferries, excursion vessels, and gaming boats. Disability organizations presented information on the population of people with hearing impairments and common methods and technologies for providing communication access.

The committee's report outlines consensus recommendations on providing access to vessel alarm systems in public use areas and to those located in passenger cabins. Based on its review of available signaling technologies, the committee recommends the incorporation of visual appliances so that audible alarm systems are equally accessible to passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Recommendations also address hazards flashing signals can pose to individuals with photosensitive epilepsy. In addition to alarms systems, the committee's report covers how access to safety briefings and evacuation instructions can be provided for passengers who are hard of hearing through available communication technologies, such as assistive listening systems. The committee identified areas where further research is needed and recommended that the Board coordinate it work on this issue with other authorities in the U.S. and abroad, such as the International Maritime Organization, the International Organization for Standardization, and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The Board will address access to emergency alarm systems according to the committee's recommendations in guidelines it is preparing for passenger vessels. These guidelines will be made available for public comment. Information on the work of the committee, including its report, is available on the Board's website at www.access-board.gov/pvaac/alarms/. For further information, contact Paul Beatty at pvag@access-board.gov, (202) 272-0012 (v), or (202) 272-0082 (TTY).

Passenger Vessel Emergency Alarms Advisory Committee
• Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network
• Cruise Lines International Association
• Epilepsy Foundation
• Gallaudet University
• Hearing Access Program
• Hearing Loss Association of America
• National Association of the Deaf
• National Fire Protection Association
• Passenger Vessel Association
• Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
Thanks to the Access Board's "Access Currents"

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Distributed 2008 by Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (NVRC), 3951 Pender Drive, Suite 130, Fairfax, VA 22030; www.nvrc.org. 703-352-9055 V, 703-352-9056 TTY, 703-352-9058 Fax. You do not need permission to share this information, but please be sure to credit NVRC.

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Harris Communications Storewide Sale Ends Soon
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Harris Communications wants to wish you a Happy New Year and remind you that our Storewide Holiday Sale is ending soon. Hurry to save 15% on most products in our store!*

Save on fun novelty items such as sign language mugs and board games. Save on informative books and DVDs such as "I've Lost My What?" by Shawn Lovely and "On the Job With Hearing Loss" by Becky Morris. Save on assistive products including the new Visit Wireless Alerting System by Bellman & Symfon and vibrating watches by Serene Innovations.

Check out our huge selection of products before this sales ends.

*Certain product exclusions apply. Sale ends January 5, 2009.

For more information, go to:
http://www.harriscomm.com/link/?www.harriscomm.com?sr=hlw8
or contact us at: mailto:info@harriscomm.com .
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- Article 2: UI Physicians Perform Auditory Brainstem Implant
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Editor: If you're familiar with NF2, you may also know something about the auditory brainstem implant. It's a cousin of the more common cochlear implant, but is inserted into the brainstem rather than the cochlea. It's the only treatment that can restore hearing for someone whose auditory nerve has been damaged or severed.

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Marisela Leon, 44, has neurofibromatosis type 2 -- a rare genetic condition that causes tumors to grow on nerves in the brain or spinal cord, but most commonly on the auditory nerve. Leon lost her hearing more than four years ago when surgery to remove a tumor damaged her auditory nerve.

NF2 affects an estimated one-in-15,000 to one-in-35,000 in the United States. It is characterized by the growth of benign tumors on the auditory nerve, hearing impairment, ringing or fullness in the ear, imbalance, and facial numbness or twitching. Left untreated, an NF2 tumor may compress the brain with fatal results. While surgery may be life saving, it may also result in damage to the auditory nerve that can cause deafness.

Leon had another NF2 tumor requiring surgical removal. Dr. G. Michael Lemole, UIC assistant professor of neurosurgery, removed the tumor, and Dr. Thomas Haberkamp, professor of otolaryngology head and neck surgery, implanted an auditory brainstem implant (ABI) device during the procedure on Dec. 15.

The implant bypasses the damaged auditory nerve and can restore sound perception. An implanted electrode array stimulates the cochlear nuclei in the brainstem, delivering coded signals transmitted from sounds picked up by a small microphone placed behind the patient's ear.

The auditory brainstem implant surgery has only been performed approximately 600 times worldwide, says David Klodd, assistant director of audiology, otolaryngology head and neck surgery.

"We will be following her progress closely to learn from her experience," Klodd said. "Because this treatment is so rare, it's important to study each individual's performance."

This is the first auditory brainstem implant at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago. Dr. William Hitzelberger of the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, who was part of the team that developed the ABI, will join the UIC team to observe the surgery.

Leon has been waiting for this surgery for years, Haberkamp said.

"UIC's comprehensive center for hearing healthcare, including hearing implants through to rehabilitation, is the ideal setting for this complex treatment," he said. "We have a unique skull base surgery team that includes experts in neurosurgery, otolaryngology, audiology, neuropsychiatry, radiation therapy, radiology and plastic surgery able to treat a broad patient population from children to adults."

The ABI system consists of a receiver/stimulator that is implanted into the temporal bone, a speech processor worn on the body, and a microphone. The device is similar in concept to the cochlear implant, except that the electrode design and surgical placement are aimed at the cochlear nuclei deep in the brainstem. Patients who have had the auditory nerve severed are not candidates for hearing aids or cochlear implants.

After implantation, a long period of rehabilitation begins, during which the patient works with an audiologist who programs the device. Using a computer, the device is first set to an appropriate loudness, said Klodd, who will work with Leon following the surgery. The audiologist will then work to adjust the pitch, relying on Leon's memory of sound.

Klodd will keep an elaborate scorecard that allows him to track performance with each set of electrode pairs.

Although the auditory brainstem implant does not restore normal hearing, with lip-reading most patients can once again communicate easily with their family and friends.

"In most cases, we can expect the auditory brainstem implant to continue to work for the rest of the patient's life," Klodd said. "The patient with the very first ABI still has the original implant more than 29 years later."

For more information about UIC, visit http://www.uic.edu

Editors Note: Picture of the ABI is available http://newsphoto.lib.uic.edu/main.php/earsurgery/

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- Article 3: Can Vitamins Prevent Hearing Loss?
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Editor: According to the folks at the University of Michigan, the answer just might be "Yes"! Here's their notice.

Used by permission of www.hear-it.org

Original article: http://www.hear-it.org/index.dsp?page=6079

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Some day in the not too distant future, you may just take a pill or eat a snack to prevent hearing damage before you go to a noisy event. Experiments with guinea pigs indicated that certain combinations of vitamins and magnesium may reduce or even prevent noise-induced hearing loss.

The prospect of high doses of vitamins and magnesium potentially preventing hearing damage from excessive noise exposure would be great news for industrial workers, farmers, musicians, pilots and other professional groups, exposed to loud noise. The same goes for all those among us who enjoy noisy leisure activities. So far, the beneficial effects of high doses of vitamins and magnesium have been demonstrated in experiments with guinea pigs, conducted by researchers at University of Michigan in the United States.

Guinea pigs fed vitamins

The American researchers fed mixtures of vitamins A, C and E and magnesium to the guinea pigs before the test animals were exposed to noise as loud as a jet plane on take-off. The guinea pigs continued to receive the vitamin and mineral mixture for another five days after the noise exposure.

Three guinea pig control groups were fed only magnesium, only vitamins or neither magnesium or vitamins for the same period of time. The guinea pigs receiving the mixture of vitamins and magnesium were found to have significantly less hearing loss than those in the control groups.

"The combination of vitamins and magnesium was found to effective," explained Colleen G. Le Prell, one of the scientists behind the experiment.

Effective and safe

The beneficial effect of the vitamins and magnesium mixture stems from the vitamins being antioxidants with the ability to combat so-called free radicals. Free radicals are molecules which break down the body's healthy chemicals and organs. Scientists have known for a long time that free radicals play a significant role in noise-induced hearing loss. They form during and after exposure to excessive noise and damage the inner ear.

Le Prell and her co-researchers describe the vitamin prevention as effective and safe. The three vitamins and magnesium are all well-known and harmless substances, already used in other connections than for the prevention of hearing loss.

Next step: Human trials

The next step will be testing the treatment on humans. If these trials are successful, the researchers believe that a hearing loss prevention product could be on the market within a few years, perhaps in the form of a pill or a snack.

Sources: Free Radical Biology & Medicine, vol. 42, 2007; University of Michigan

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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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Brain cell hope for hearing loss

Scientists believe a transplant of brain cells may one day be able to reverse a common form of hearing loss. Damage to hair cells in the inner ear due to ageing and overstimulation causes hearing problems in 10% of people worldwide. The cell loss is irreversible, but US scientists believe it may be possible to replace them with stem cells from a region of the brain. The study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The key ependymal cells come from the lining of the lateral ventricle of the brain. They share characteristics with inner ear hair cells - but crucially, unlike them, they have the ability to reproduce.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7770665.stm

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Magnetic Imaging Machines May Damage Cochlear Implants

Patients with cochlear implants may want to steer clear of certain magnetic imaging devices, such as 3T MRI machines, because the machines can demagnetize the patient's implant, according to new research published in the December 2008 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. . . . . The study, conducted by a team of German researchers from the International Neuroscience Institute, Hannover, and the Medical University of Hannover, and American researchers from Vanderbilt University, Nashvill, Tenn, tested several cochlear device magnets on a 3T MRI scanner with active shielding at a variety of angles (0º, 80º, 90º, 100º, 110º, and 180º). The researchers discovered that during routine use of 3T MRI machines at angles above 80º, an unacceptable level of demagnetization was reached, causing permanent damage to devices with non-removable magnets, and creating the potential of exposing patients to undesirable magnetic forces.

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=43625

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Live play captioning is a first for Rochester

In a first for off-Broadway entertainment in Rochester, one performance of Mamma Mia! at the Auditorium Theatre will have live captioning for hard-of-hearing and deaf audience members. An LED panel - similar to a "now boarding" sign at an airport gate - will be positioned to the left of the stage during the musical's matinee today. Three lines will scroll up the 4-foot-wide, 1-foot-tall screen, one line at a time, and be easily viewed from 20-some rows to house left. The 2-inch-high amber-colored text will be loaded into a laptop computer, but scrolled live, allowing any unscripted speech to be added. Rochester is known for having a large deaf population for its size. But significantly more people - likely more than 100,000 people in Monroe County - have some degree of hearing loss. Captioning can help people with varied levels of hearing, including those without hearing aids and those who don't know American Sign Language, as long as they can read English.

http://tinyurl.com/6vgluo

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- Classifieds
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One Online Store, one Donation Request, and five Employment Opportunities appear in this issue. (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

WCI. Providing Solutions for People with Hearing Loss.
WCI OFFERS FREE SHIPPING!
http://www.weitbrecht.com

Requesting Support for the Buea School for the Deaf

Employment Opportunity 1
Various Positions
GLAD
Various Southern California Locations

Employment Opportunity 2
Various Employment Opportunities
Georgia School for the Deaf
Cave Spring, GA

Employment Opportunity 3
Various Positions
Gallaudet University
Washington, DC

Employment Opportunity 4
Various Positions
The Complete Listing, LLC
Greater Indianapolis, IN Area

Employment Opportunity 5
Various Positions
Communication Access Center
Michigan, Indiana and Ohio

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WCI. Providing Solutions for People with Hearing Loss.
WCI OFFERS FREE SHIPPING!
http://www.weitbrecht.com
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Holiday shopping is easy with the help of WCI. Shop from the comfort of your home and get FREE GROUND SHIPPING on all orders over $50.00 for the entire month of December. That means extra money for you in your pocket. Visit us online at http://www.weitbrecht.com or call us now at 1-800-233-9130 (V/TTY). (use code WCI1208H when ordering).

To receive a copy of our catalog, email sales@weitbrecht.com to request it.

WCI. Providing Solutions for People with Hearing Loss.

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Requesting Support for the Buea School for the Deaf
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This past summer, we requested donations for the Buea School for the Deaf (BSD) in Cameroon, Central West Africa. Donations of over $1,500 helped purchase uniforms, bedding and supplies. Since then, the first five students graduated from BSD's primary program. All five passed the national qualifying examinations, demonstrating a solid curriculum and the abilities of deaf children. Enrollment is now at 100 students, and a secondary school program has been instituted. BSD is seeking continued donations to help with academic materials, sewing machines, and farm tools for their adolescent students. Donations are fully tax deductible. One hundred percent of the money goes to the school. See www.lanternprojects.com for more information. Send donations to Lantern Projects, 51 Glen Alpine Rd., Piedmont, CA, 94611. Indicate that your donation is for the Buea School for the Deaf, Project #112. Include your email address to receive an acknowledgment for purposes of tax exemption.

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Employment Opportunity 1
Various Positions
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, Crenshaw, Norwalk, Pacoima, Santa Ana, CA
* Community Interpreter - Los Angeles, Riverside, CA
* Administrative Assistant (Receptionist) - Bakersfield, CA
* Community Health Educator - Los Angeles, CA
* Network I.T. Administrator - 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
Various Employment Opportunities
Georgia School for the Deaf
Cave Spring, GA
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Currently accepting applications for the following positions:

Middle School Science Teacher (10 mth. position)*
Literacy Content Specialist - Pre K-12 (10 mth. position)*
Reading Content Specialist - Pre K-12 (10 mth. position)*
Graduation Coach (10 mth. position)*
Paraprofessional - Classroom (10 mth. positions)*
Paraprofessional - Residential Services (Two 10 mth. positions)*
Residential Advisor (Two 10 mth. positions)*
Speech Language Pathologist (10 mth. position)*
Substitute Teachers (hourly paid, based on credentials)
Occupational Therapist (hourly paid)
Physical Therapist (hourly paid)

*10 month employees work 200 days (10 months) but receive payroll checks during each of the 12 months of the year.

For more information about these positions, visit the Georgia Department of Education web site at http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_hr_jobsearch.aspx

Download Job Applications at:
http://www.spa.ga.gov/word/jobinfo/stateapp-emp.doc

Completed applications may be mailed, e-mailed, or faxed to:

Denise Clark
Georgia School for the Deaf
232 Perry Farm Rd. SW
Cave Spring, Georgia 30124
denise.clark@doe.k12.ga.us
Fax: (706) 777-2240

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Employment Opportunity 3
Various Positions
Gallaudet University
Washington, DC
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Gallaudet University serves deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students from many different backgrounds and seeks to develop a workforce that reflects the diversity of its student body.

Gallaudet is an EEO/AA employer and actively encourages deaf, hard of hearing, members of traditionally underrepresented groups, people with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply for open positions.

Pre-Tenure Track and/or Tenure Track:

- Art
- ASL/Deaf Studies
- Communication Studies
- Business
- Counseling
- Education
- Interpretation
- Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
- Educational Foundations
- Physical Education
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Social Work
- Gallaudet Research Institute

All positions contingent on funding

For detailed job descriptions, go to:
http://af.gallaudet.edu/hrs/hrsemp.asp
or contact mailto:rebecca.hogan@gallaudet.edu

Send letter of application, vitae, official graduate transcripts, and three letters of recommendation to:

Gallaudet University
Office of the Provost
Attn: Rebecca Hogan
Hall Memorial Bldg., S456
800 Florida Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002-3695

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Employment Opportunity 4
Various Positions
The Complete Listing, LLC
Greater Indianapolis, IN Area
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The Complete Listing, LLC is pleased to announce several job openings, located in Fishers, Indiana.

We are a multifunction agency that specializes in business-to-business industries to provide consulting & support in staffing, training, marketing, communications, public relations, and education.

The openings are posted till filled and the qualified candidates must presently reside in or be willing to relocate to the greater Indianapolis area to work out of our office.

Positions:
- Executive Assistant
- Administrative Support
- Account / Sales Managers (2-4)
- Account Managers (2)
- Independent Contractor

To learn more about these positions, please download the PDF at
http://www.thecompletelisting.com/TCLjobs.pdf

The Complete Listing is owned and operated by deaf and hard of hearing people.

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Employment Opportunity 5
Various Positions
Communication Access Center
Michigan, Indiana and Ohio
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CAC is Hiring!!

Communication Access Center is a non-profit organization helping the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community throughout the Midwest. We have over 170 openings available in 2009. We are excited to be offering professional and non-professional opportunities in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Join us and be a part of the largest outreach effort in our history!

Visit our website for information about these incredible opportunities and our services: www.cacdhh.org. To apply, contact:

Lisa Palo
lpalo@cacdhh.org: Call Center Managers, Facility Coordinators, Interpreters

Kimberly St.Onge
kstonge@cacdhh.org: Branch Managers, Case Managers, Job Developers/Recruiters

We are interviewing and hiring immediately. Don't delay, apply today!

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