Volume 38 Issue 1

HOH-LD-News
Vol. 38, Issue 1
January 3, 2009

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Table of Contents
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Article 1: Rear Window Captioning Makes Digital Cinema Debut

- Article 2: NJ Law Requires Insurance Coverage For Children's Hearing Aids

- Article 3: Taking Your Hearing Dog on a Cruise

- 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:
New Serene Innovations Vibrating Watch
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 and five Employment Opportunities

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----------------------------------------------------------
YOUR AD HERE
----------------------------------------------------------
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!

For more information please point your browser to: http://www.hearinglossweb.com/res/pub/nsltr/hln/adv.htm
or contact larry@hearinglossweb.com
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 1: Rear Window Captioning Makes Digital Cinema Debut
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: Chances are that you're familiar with the Rear Window captioning system that provides movie access for people with hearing loss. Well, that system had been available only for analog movies until just recently. Here's the WGBH press release about the first installation of Rear Window system for digital movies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Omaha Grandmother Takes Accessible Movies into the Future, with "Bedtime Stories"

Movie fans heading to the theaters this holiday season can expect thrills, chills, laughter, some tears...and captions in digital cinema! Rear Window Captioning, a system that enables patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing to read captioning discretely displayed at their seat, has been available in select theaters since 1997. While closed captioning has been "almost done" for digitally equipped theaters, a gift from a grandmother named Phyllis Glazer in Omaha ultimately helped push the technology over the goal line.

With the installation of the Rear Window equipment at the Rave Motion Pictures Westroads 14 in Omaha, and through close collaboration by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Technicolor, Doremi Labs and WGBH, Rear Window Captioning for digital cinema debuted on Christmas Day with Walt Disney Pictures' "Bedtime Stories."

To date, more than 300 movie auditoriums screening 35mm films in the U.S. and Canada are equipped with Rear Window and its companion system for moviegoers who are blind or have low vision, DVS Theatrical (collectively known as Motion Picture Access/MoPix(r); see http://www.mopix.org for information, locations and accessible film titles). Mrs. Glazer, who was familiar with the Rear Window system, approached Rave, and asked that they consider installing a system at their new all-digital multiplex in Omaha for her grandson and others to enjoy. She then went a step further and, with her husband, donated the funding for the installation.

MoPix was developed by Boston public broadcaster and media access pioneer WGBH in the early '90s for the 35mm film marketplace. Captioning and description data for 35mm films is sent to equipped theaters on special CDs which, when loaded into a server, sync the access features with the film.

With digital cinema (or dcinema), movies are comprised not of film reels, but digital "packages" of images, sound and data that are compressed, encrypted and transported to theaters via satellite, the Internet, or external hard drives that are downloaded into computer servers. Theater chains and movie studios have been collaborating to convert screens from 35mm film projection to dcinema projection over the last few years. The transition of most screens to dcinema is expected over the next few years.

While a complete roll-out of access-compatible dcinema systems will take place over time, the first major installation of Rear Window is complete and the last major barrier for Rear Window has been overcome. Work continues on DVS Theatrical migration to dcinema, awaiting work underway within the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) on a standard for playout of ancillary audio tracks in dcinema packages. WGBH will continue to work with exhibitors, studios and manufacturers so that dcinema-equipped theaters will be able to welcome all movie patrons in the near future.

Links to companies mentioned:
Walt Disney Pictures < http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/ >
Doremi <doremilabs.com/>
Technicolor <technicolor.com>
Rave Cinemas <www.ravemotionpictures.com/>
WGBH <access.wgbh.org>

About WGBH

WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcaster, producing such celebrated national PBS series as Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur, Curious George and more than a dozen other award-winning primetime, lifestyle and children's series. WGBH is the leading producer of online content for pbs.org-one of the most-visited dot-org sites on the Internet-a major producer for public radio and a pioneer in developing educational multimedia and new technologies that make media accessible for people with disabilities. For its efforts, WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors, including Oscars, Emmys, Peabodys and duPont-Columbia Journalism Awards. Visit WGBH on the Web at www.wgbh.org.

----------------------------------------------------------
New Serene Innovations Vibrating Watch
----------------------------------------------------------
With impeccable style, precision engineering, and meticulous craftsmanship, the Serene Innovations Vibrating Watch is for the sophisticated individual wanting a quality vibrating watch. The latest men's watch from Serene Innovations has a black face and raised gold-tone hour marks. In a timeless, classic style, it features Japanese quartz movement for precision and reliability, fluorescent hands for easy night viewing and a strong vibration alert.

To introduce the new Serene Innovations Vibrating Watch, Black Face (HC-VW200-B), Harris Communications has it on sale for $99.95 (regularly $129.95). Sale ends January 8, 2009.

For more information, go to:
http://www.harriscomm.com/link/?www.harriscomm.com?sr=hlw9
or contact us at: mailto:info@harriscomm.com .
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 2: NJ Law Requires Insurance Coverage For Children's Hearing Aids
By CNoel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: New Jersey has just enacted a new law that requires health insurance to cover children's hearing aids. It's far from the universal coverage advocates are proposing, but it is a start! Here's the press release.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Noting that health insurers have a responsibility to provide coverage for necessary health care expenses, Acting Governor Richard J. Codey today signed legislation which will require all State-regulated health insurers to cover the cost of medically-necessary hearing aids for children 15 years old and younger.

"With today's bill signing, we are making sure that the gift of hearing is not out-of-reach for New Jersey children living with hearing loss," said Acting Governor Codey. "No child should be without access to medically-necessary hearing aids, which are especially critical in the formative years when kids develop the skills to speak and communicate. This new law is about guaranteeing children a level playing field to succeed, and build the skills they need to do well in life."

The bill, S-467 / A-1571, known as "Grace's Law," will require all health insurers in the State of New Jersey to provide coverage for medically-necessary hearing aids for children 15 years of age and younger. The bill requires insurers to provide this coverage every 24 months, and provide up to $1,000 per hearing aid. Under the bill, a covered individual could opt for a hearing aid priced higher than the maximum payable benefit, but would have to pay the difference.

"The signing of this law will give New Jersey's hearing impaired children a fair chance to reach their full developmental and educational potential," said Senator Barbara Buono, D-Middlesex, a prime sponsor of the bill in the State Senate.

"Principal credit for enactment of this important legislation belongs to Grace Gleba, who advocated for all hearing-impaired children in New Jersey," said Senator Leonard Lance, R-Hunterdon and Warren, and a sponsor of the bill in the Senate. "We are very proud of Grace and grateful for her sense of civic duty at such a young age."

According to national health care statistics, two or three of every thousands babies nationwide are born with partial hearing loss, making it the number one birth defect in America. If not treated early, hearing loss can impede speech, language and cognitive development, which can result in significant educational delays and increased educational costs. Research has indicated that children with unilateral hearing loss - which is defined as hearing loss in one ear - are ten times more likely to be held back at least one grade compared to children with normal hearing. Other reports show that detecting and treating hearing loss at birth saves $400,000 per child in special education costs by the time that child graduates from high school.

"The treatment of hearing loss in children with hearing aids is not a luxury," said Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr., D-Camden, and prime sponsor in the General Assembly of "Grace's Law." "It's unimaginable that insurers can effectively deny hearing-impaired children the opportunity to learn to hear, speak and communicate like everyone else."

"Hearing aids are a vital first step in treating hearing loss," said Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D-Burlington), a practicing physician, and a sponsor in the Assembly. "Moreover, they can make a major difference in a child's education and ability to understand speech in the critical early years."

Acting Governor Codey and the bill sponsors noted that hearing aid coverage for children is especially important because children out-grow hearing aids frequently, making replacement hearing aids necessary. For families, the expense of a new hearing aid or set of hearing aids every other year may be too much to bear.

The bill is named after 9-year-old Grade Gleba, of Washington Township in Warren County. Grace, along with her mother Jeanine, has lobbied and testified in Trenton on the need for the bill. Grace, who was born with congenital hearing loss, has been using hearing aids since she was 3 months old, and as a result, has developed excellent speaking skills, good grades, and has even participated in her school choir.

"I want to personally thank Grace and the entire Gleba family for their years of advocacy on behalf of children with hearing loss," said Acting Governor Codey. "Grace's tenacity, and her own example of what children can achieve with the proper treatment for hearing loss, are a major reason why kids in New Jersey will be able to receive the gift of hearing for years and years to come. Grace and her family have taken personal adversity, and turned it into something positive for the people of New Jersey. We all owe her a debt of gratitude."

The bill received final legislative approval earlier in the month. It will take effect 90 days after today's enactment.

----------------------------------------------------------
Hearing Aid Repairs from Hearing Haven
----------------------------------------------------------
Your old hearing aids may be valuable - to you! Most hearing aids can be repaired, regardless of age. Send your hearing aids to Hearing Haven. If we can't repair it, your only cost is the shipping. If we can repair it, you will have another hearing aid to use and enjoy.

Visit us at http://www.repair-your-hearing-aid.com and bookmark it. You'll find all the details and free articles. We can also remake the shell of any custom hearing aid to fit your ear.

Visit our website, call 888-412-3337, or email us at
CustomerService@HearingHaven.com with your questions.
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Article 3: Taking Your Hearing Dog on a Cruise
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor: As you might imagine, taking your hearing dog on a cruise presents unique challenges. Here with some thoughts on how to deal with those challenges are the folks from NVRC.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An NVRC News reader who is about to take her hearing dog on a cruise for the first time asked for advice. This is a new question for us, so we asked others with assistance dogs for their experiences and advice. We thank Cindy, Linda, Deborah, Kimberly, Marty, Libby, and Moody for their input!

Tips on Hearing Dog Relief Areas on Cruise Ships

* Notify the cruise line in advance that you are traveling with an assistance dog which will need a relief area

* Share information about what kind of relief area will work best for your dog

* Ask for a covered balcony for the relief location

* If the relief area uses a box with litter, try to pick up the clumped urine before the dog needs to get back into the box again; a wet clump can stick to a dog's feet like glue

* Bring your own pick up bags

* Be prepared to have people ask you, "Where does the dog go potty?" every 15 minutes

* If you are the first person with a hearing dog, consider allowing for more interaction between crew members and your dog than usually allowed with the public -- on your command, of course

Cruise Stories

A service dog partner said that Princess provided a box made of cardboard or wood that was lined with heavy plastic. Dog or cat litter was spread on top of the plastic. Princess has also been known to use wood chips, but this was found to be a poor choice because the chips blow everywhere in the wind.

An individual whose guide dog was the first to go on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas said they provided a 4' x 4' wood box with mulch in it, and a garbage can was placed nearby. The box was located in a crew-only area on an outside deck and was somewhat protected by a half wall.

One ship put a section of artificial turf on a balcony. It may have been a product such as The Pup-Head(TM) Portable Dog Potty: http://www.pupgearcorporation.com/Products/Pup-Head/Pup-Head-Portable-Dog-Potty_2

Another ship used a litter box filled with wood chips that was placed on one of the decks. One day the sea was rough and that deck was closed. The crew suggested that the dog go in the shower area.

After Boarding the Ship

It often takes a dog a day or two to understand that s/he needs to go in a box. This is true even with some dogs who go on cruises often. One tactic that could help is to exercise the dog vigorously at a non-busy time of day by going up and down the ship's stairs and around the deck to "get things working." Be armed with paper towels and plastic bags just in case you don't reach the relief area fast enough.

~~~~~

(c)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

-------------------------------------------------------------------
MAXI Digital from Bellman Audio now at Sound Clarity, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the first offering of the MAXI Digital amplifier in the U.S. Made by Bellman & Symfon in Sweden, the MAXI has superb sound quality and easy to use features. It provides up to 71dB electrical gain and has a built-in telecoil pickup for inductive loops. Get the Maxi for the introductory price of $159.00 (regularly $219.00) which includes headphones or earbuds and lanyard and a TV cable kit.

http://www.soundclarity.com/hohnews

Hearing Aid Batteries always shipped FREE anywhere in the U.S.

For more information go to http://www.soundclarity.com/hohnews or contact us at mailto:info.sc@soundclarity.com
----------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- 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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hard to hear at holiday parties? Blame your brain

It's almost New Year's Eve, a time for plunging into boisterous crowds bathed in loud music. And for some of us, that means turning to an old friend and hearing things like this: "Did you know (BOOM-da-da-BOOM) went over (Bob! You look wonder-) so she said (clink-clink) and then I (Here, have another one) what would you do?" Huh? Too noisy to hear! But wait - how come these younger people understood what she said? What's wrong with your ears? Actually, part of the problem may be your brain. In fact, it may lie in your brain's dimmer switch for controlling the input from your ears. That bit of brain circuitry appears to falter with age, and scientists are getting some clues about why.

http://www.physorg.com/news149793296.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dealing with Hearing Loss Denial

What can family and friends do to help someone recognise they may have a hearing problem? It is most likely family, friends or colleagues will notice the changes in someone's hearing ability before they do. When confronted this person's first response is denial because the loss has been gradual they haven't realised they've slowly stopped hearing the birds or a car coming up behind them. Nagging someone about their inability to hear generally does not help and often has the opposite effect.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art37491.asp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New music treatment for tinnitus is promising

More than 50 million Americans experience tinnitus on some level, with about 12 million needing some medical attention. For about 2 million of them, the incessant noise sabotages normal life. The range of treatments reflects the individuality of the malady, as well as its resistance to a cure. Surgery, vitamins, drugs, biofeedback, masking, lasers -- the list is long. Many sufferers are told to learn to get used to it. Among the newest treatments for tinnitus is neuromonics, which aims to help a patient live with it. The premise is to change the brain's habitual response to sound by desensitizing it to the annoying noise. For Wang, of Edina, the neuromonics treatment enabled him to live with the sound he describes as "a splitting sea noise." "We have four kids and I just wasn't functional," he said. "I still have tinnitus, but it doesn't have a hold on me anymore."

http://tinyurl.com/6yy3sw

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Classifieds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One Online Store and five Employment Opportunities appear in this issue. (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology
ALL SERENE INNOVATIONS PRODUCTS 10% OFF
http://www.weitbrecht.com

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

-------------------
WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology
ALL SERENE INNOVATIONS PRODUCTS 10% OFF
http://www.weitbrecht.com
-------------------

WCI is celebrating the start of 2009 with 10% off all Serene Innovations products in January. If being on time is your New Year's resolution, how about the Serene Innovations Watch? The Japanese quartz movement provides unmatched precision and reliability. Special features include a genuine leather band and the strongest vibration in its class. Serene Innovation amplified phones make it easy to stay connected with friends and family. For more details on these phones and all our products call us now at 1-800-233-9130 (V/TTY) or visit us online at http://www.weitbrecht.com.

For a copy of our catalog, email your request to sales@weitbrecht.com (Use code WCIH109 when ordering)

WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology

-------------------
Employment Opportunity 1
Various Positions
GLAD
Various Southern California Locations
-------------------

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

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

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

-------------------
Employment Opportunity 3
Various Positions
Gallaudet University
Washington, DC
-------------------

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

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

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.

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

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Contact Information and Disclaimers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are very interested in your comments concerning the content and format of this newsletter. We want this publication to be useful to you. Please send your comments and suggestions to: hearinglossweb@hearinglossweb.com

Visit our Website at: http://www.hearinglossweb.com

To subscribe to this newsletter, email
HOH-LD-News-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Yahoogroups will respond with a subscription email.

To unsubscribe to this newsletter, email
HOH-LD-News-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. Yahoogroups will respond with an unsubscription email.

Archives for this newsletter are on our website at:
http://www.hearinglossweb.com.
Click on "Free Email Newsletter" in the header.

Advertising information for HOH-LD-News and Hearing Loss Web is available at http://www.hearinglossweb.com/misc/adv/adv.htm.

Publication of articles or advertisements does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services offered, nor of the companies that offer them.