Volume 38 Issue 9

HOH-LD-News
Vol. 38, Issue 9
February 28, 2009

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Table of Contents
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- Article 1: Topics at international conference of ENT researchers - Part One

- Article 2: NTID and HLAA Support Vets with Hearing Loss

- Article 3: "C" is for Captions... and Change

- 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:
March Madness Savings at Harris Communications
Third Premium Placement:
Hearing Aid Repairs from Hearing Haven
Classified Section:
One Online Store and three Employment Opportunities

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Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
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- Article 1: Topics at international conference of ENT researchers - Part One
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Editor: Ever wonder what kinds of things ENT researchers are pursuing? If so, you'll be interested in some of the presentations at an international conference of ENT researchers. Many of these topics have been covered in the hearing loss media, but some are new, at least to me. I think they're all pretty interesting!

This is part one of two parts.

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Our Aging Ears and Brains: Why Listening in Background Noise Gets Tougher as We Age

Older adults often have trouble understanding what someone is saying when surrounded by background noise, such as at a restaurant or party, but their ears may not be the only problem. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina are studying how much the brain plays a role as well. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the researchers performed brain scans on 36 older and younger adults as they tested their ability to identify certain words, some of which had been filtered to make them difficult to understand. The researchers analyzed the scans to functionally define speech- and attention-related areas of the brain and then examined the volume of gray matter in those regions for age-related changes. They found that, in general, older adults were significantly worse at identifying words than younger adults in challenging listening conditions. Even after eliminating variation due to possible hearing loss, these differences in performance corresponded closely to a loss of volume in a small portion of the auditory cortex, a part of the brain that processes what our ears hear. What's more, the relationship between the volume of gray matter in this brain region and the ability to identify words was present in both younger and older adults, suggesting that aging may intensify developmental problems that a person may have in understanding speech. The findings could help us better understand presbycusis, a type of hearing loss brought on by aging that also involves the brain's ability to process what the ears hear.

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Can a Dietary Supplement Stave Off Hearing Loss?

Many people take a vitamin each morning to maintain good nutrition, energy, bone strength, and overall health. Can popping a pill also protect our hearing against damage caused by loud noise? Researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of Florida, together with the biosciences company OtoMedicine, have demonstrated that temporary noise-induced hearing loss - the hearing loss you might feel immediately after attending a loud concert but that goes away in a day or two - can be prevented in guinea pigs by a combination of the antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E and the mineral magnesium, when administered before exposure to a loud sound. Because repeated bouts of temporary noise-induced hearing loss may lead to permanent noise-induced hearing loss, the scientists hope to determine whether prevention of the former can stave off the latter in various animal models and in humans.

In a second study conducted with colleagues at Washington University, the researchers demonstrated that permanent noise-induced hearing loss can also be prevented in mice through the combination of the same nutrients administered before exposure to a loud noise. (They showed similar results in guinea pigs in an earlier study.) However, unlike in guinea pigs, they found that the nutrients protect a structure in the mouse's inner ear that is implicated in age-related hearing loss. They plan to test whether the nutrient supplements may be able to prevent this type of hearing loss as well. The researchers are currently conducting clinical trials of the supplements' ability to prevent noise-induced hearing loss in college students, military personnel, and factory workers in Florida, Sweden, and Spain.

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Finding the Words: What Our Brains Tell Us about Language Disorders

We rely mightily on our brains to produce and understand language - whether we're simply naming a person or object or engaging in a lively discussion. Technologies in brain imaging - from those involving the brain's electrical activity to those measuring blood flow to regions of the brain - can tell us a lot about what's happening in the process. Dr. Allen Braun, chief of the language section in NIDCD's Division of Intramural Research, will demonstrate how a combination of imaging technologies can be used to teach us more about how the brain produces and comprehends language, both in people with normal skills and those with a language disorder. In addition, he'll show how language used in its most natural form - to communicate - is most effective in bringing to light the true symptoms of a language disorder. In the same workshop, an opera singer who suffered a severe stroke in 1995 will describe her experience with expressive aphasia, a condition that makes it difficult to express language. She will also perform several music selections.

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Maintaining Balance and Listening at Same Time May Become More Difficult for Older Adults

Listening to a conversation or audio book while walking or exercising sounds simple enough for most people, but it may become more difficult for people in their upper 70s and above, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Researchers evaluated how well three groups of adults -- healthy young (ages 24-27), old (ages 65-71), and "old-old" (ages 76-82 years) -- were able to conduct a listening exercise while their visual and balance systems were kept busy. Seated in swivel chairs that were either upright or at a 30-degree tilt, the volunteers performed two listening-related tasks while motionless or spinning in darkness or in light. In one task, they listened to a high- or low-pitch tone and pressed a button in their right or left hand depending on the pitch. In the second task, volunteers listened to tones in their right or left ears and pressed the corresponding button. The researchers found that, in general, all age groups reacted more slowly to the audio cues when spinning than when motionless. However, this was especially true for people in the oldest age group. They also found that stimulation of the ear's gravity-sensing organs - through the 30-degree tilt of the chair -- was especially powerful in slowing down a person's auditory reaction time. Again, this effect was most pronounced for people in the oldest age group. The National Institute on Aging also supported this research.

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- Article 2: NTID and HLAA Support Vets with Hearing Loss
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Editor: NTID and HLAA have undertaken what appear to be major programs to serve veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts who acquired hearing loss during their service. We applaud this much-needed effort! Here's the notice.

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The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) has been named as a partner by the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), in the Military Veterans with Hearing Loss Project, a program designed especially for veterans of OIF and OEF who have a hearing loss as a result of their service. The veterans may earn bachelor- or graduate-level degrees at RIT with access and audiological services from NTID. The goal is to bring qualified veterans into RIT beginning in fall 2009. For additional information about the program, visit www.rit.edu/ntid/veterans.

HLAA has pledged its support of OIF and OEF veterans by offering a complimentary one-year membership and a registration to its upcoming convention. Convention 2009 is scheduled for June 18 - 21, 2009 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition, HLAA has launched a new page on its website, www.hearingloss.org, especially for veterans for OIF and OEF where you may meet our Featured Veteran, read pertinent articles about hearing technology, relationships, communication strategies, and more. The Hearing Loss Association of America applauds NTID and RIT's commitment to veterans and their unique approach to education for veterans with hearing loss.

RIT has earned two distinctions for its efforts to serve the educational needs of veterans, servicemembers, and their families. It is a designated Yellow Ribbon and Servicemembers Opportunity Consortium college. The Yellow Ribbon designation allows veterans who have served since September 11, 2001, to receive additional financial assistance for tuition, as well as existing veterans' benefits for housing and textbooks. The amount of assistance will depend on their length of service, but eligible veterans applying to RIT would have most of their tuition provided by the Veterans Administration, RIT/NTID, and the state.

About Hearing Loss Association of America

The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), founded in 1979 by Rocky Stone as Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, opens the world of communication to people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy and support. HLAA publishes Hearing Loss Magazine, holds annual conventions, Walk4Hearing(tm), hosts online learning with the Hearing Loss Academy, and more. HLAA has more than 200 chapters and 14 state organizations.

For more information go to www.hearingloss.org. The national headquarters is located at 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20814. Phone: 301.657.2248 (Voice and TTY).

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- Article 3: "C" is for Captions... and Change
By Shanna Groves
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Editor: We recently "met" an aspiring author and advocate named Shanna Groves. Her novel "Lip Reader", about an Oklahoma family's hearing loss experiences during the early-1980s, will be published later this year. But you can visit The Lip Reader Blog at http://shannagroves.blogspot.com right now!

This article is published with the author's kind permission.

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In my soon-to-be-published novel, Lip Reader, young Sapphie Traylor receives a lesson in closed captioning technology.

"That expensive thing is a decoder box," Aunt Jolene said to me. "Your uncle and cousin can't hear well, so this box makes words go across the TV screen. It's called closed captioning."

I sat beside her. "So they can read the words?"

"Yep, when it works," she said. "But sometimes the box gets too hot; all the words just scramble up. Makes your uncle crazy."

That's the way closed captioning was during my book's 1980s setting. Today's TVs, outfitted with federally required captioning technology, provide much clearer captions. Pick a DVD, click on the subtitles, and enjoy flicks without hearing a word.

But what about captioning of other forms of entertainment? National Public Radio (NPR) is working on a project that includes captioning of its broadcasting. Certain live performances now offer captioning. You can request captioning for plays and concerts, just like interpreters, said Lise Hamlin with the Hearing Loss Association of America. "It takes time and patience to get that accepted, but it has happened in NYC and DC and NJ and other places-it's growing."

While captions help those of us with hearing loss better understand sound, we're nowhere near a Closed Captioning Utopia.

I dare you to not get frustrated when a captioned football game flashes one misspelling after the other on your screen. Or when a weather telecast isn't subtitled. Or when a live music performance is uncaptioned.

My husband and I planned for weeks to see B.B. King on Valentine's Day. I expected to not understand all of the legendary performer's lyrics because of my hearing loss. Still, I knew I could feel and enjoy the beat to his songs. I didn't expect to sit stone-faced for 45 minutes while B.B. broke into story after story about his music journey. Afterward, my husband called the anecdotes funny and enlightening. I wouldn't know. Captioning and interpreters weren't on the concert bill.

Some of my blog readers sound off on their own captioning experiences...

"I went to see the play 'Arabian Nights.' Even through there were two ASL interpreters, I felt I did miss out on some. My dream is to have some sort of virtual captioning hovering above the performers' heads."

"I like to watch television without sound. I even watch musicals without sound. It's too much hard work trying to listen to TV with hearing aids. Ditto with movies. No captions = no watching!"

"Does anyone else notice that with DVR, rewinding a program will sometimes start the captioning? No captioning although it is indicated, then I rewind and in just seconds, the captions magically appear."

Are captions helpful? Absolutely. But those few bumps in the road need to be fixed.

I'm all for advocating to improve and increase captioning worldwide. It means contacting the place where B.B. King strummed his guitar and request captioning of future shows. And the persistence to keep contacting them if my first request is ignored.

Change starts when I refuse to just rant and rave on a blog, and educate folks who determine whether or not I enjoy a concert. Captioning is a necessity, not a luxury. The technology is there-waiting to be refined, waiting to be used everywhere. Visit the Links section on my blog for a list of hearing loss organizations advocating for change, and join me in supporting them.

Will you help me get the word out?

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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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The Next Big Thing in Hearing Aid Technology

SMAKA: Can you begin by giving us an overview of the research department at Starkey?
EDWARDS: Sure. We have significant efforts in research here in Berkeley and also in Minnesota. The center here in Berkeley opened four years ago, and was created to initially focus on basic auditory perceptual science questions. At Starkey, we feel that in order to achieve the next advances in technology that benefit those with hearing loss, we need to go back to a basic understanding of more complex aspects of auditory perception. Over the past several years with digital technology, we've captured a lot of the low-hanging fruit in terms of benefit, for example, with directional technology, noise reduction, etc. But to really understand the potential of new technologies, for example, ear-to-ear wireless technology, or to explore other areas of benefit for the hearing impaired, we need to better understand the complexities of auditory perception.

http://tinyurl.com/bdlbw4

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Combat veteran receives hearing dog

The Texas Hearing and Service Dogs organization is working to help combat veterans injured in Iraq and Afghanistan by giving them dogs trained to help with hearing and other mobility issues. "We wanted to fast track them because they have such an immediate need to regain some of their independence after doing so much for us," said Sheri Soltes, THSD founder. Platoon Leader Sgt. Paul Conner was the first veteran to receive a dog from the group. Conner was in a humvee with four other soldiers when they hit an IED in the middle of the road. He lost his hearing in the blast.

http://tinyurl.com/dzavg4

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Audiology Makes "30 Best Careers For 2009" List

Citing the current financial crisis and economic recession as key factors in bringing about career changes across the country, US News & World Report's "The 30 Best Careers for 2009" features audiology as one of the most reliable and enjoyable fields for this year, and those to come.

The national news magazine rated hundreds of careers on five criteria:
1. Job outlook
2. Average job satisfaction
3. Difficulty of the required training
4. Prestige
5. Pay

http://www.hearingreview.com/insider/2009-02-19_06.asp

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

WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology
IT'S MARCH MADNESS AT WCI
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
Rehabilitation Counselor for the Deaf
Georgia Department of Labor
Various Locations in GA

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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, Norwalk, Pacoima, Santa Ana, CA
* Placement Coordinator - Riverside, CA
* Community 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
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
Rehabilitation Counselor for the Deaf
Georgia Department of Labor
Various Locations in GA
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Job Title: Rehabilitation Counselor for the Deaf
Application Deadline: 6/30/2009
Job Code: 14681
Pay Grade: 14
Position Number: Number based on location
Entry Salary: $2,701.53 - $4,727.02 per month

Location of Vacancy: Vocational Rehabilitation locations in: Macon, Dublin, Valdosta, Columbus and the Metro Atlanta area. (Territory may vary, based on population).

Duties & Responsibilities: Under limited supervision, evaluates, authorizes and coordinates vocational counseling activities and services for a specialty caseload of deaf/deaf-blind clients whose preferred and/or required mode of communication is sign language. Incumbent may also serve Hard of Hearing and Late Deafened consumers. Determines appropriate means of communication based on client's personal, social, and educational background. Translates paperwork into sign language for clients. Assists eligible clients in preparing for, obtaining, and/or maintaining employment, and counsels with employers concerning their special needs. Cultivates and coordinates community and agency resources in advancement of this vocational goal and to ensure the provision of quality services to the deaf/deaf blind population. Note: This job requires an Advanced Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) at entry.

Entry Qualifications:
Masters degree in education, counseling, rehabilitation counseling or a closely related field AND two years of professional experience in social work, counseling or equivalent areas OR Bachelors degree AND two years of professional related experience OR One year at the Provisional Rehabilitation Counselor level or position equivalent. Note: Successful completion of Internship will be deemed equivalent as two years of professional experience

Preferred Qualifications:
Current certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) AND an Advanced level of proficiency standard rating on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) OR Eligibility for Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Certification which requires a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Counseling or Counseling related field (Counselor Education, School Guidance Counseling, Community Counseling, Counseling Psychology, etc.) AND an Advanced level of proficiency standard rating on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) OR Interns who are within 12 weeks of graduation from a regionally accredited Masters Rehabilitation Counseling Program AND an Advanced level of proficiency standard rating on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI). Note: It is the requirement of the person filling this position to obtain/maintain Certification from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor
Certification (CRCC).

Vacancy Open To:
* DOL employees eligible for promotion, transfer or demotion.
* Current state employees who are eligible for promotion, transfer or demotion.
* Applicants from the general public.

Additional Information: Travel is a requirement of this position. In addition, experience in the use of major software applications and experience working with diverse populations would be helpful in performing the job duties for this position. This position is subject to criminal records background investigation. CRC must be in good standing. Interns will be required to show proof of graduation prior to beginning employment. Individuals will be required to produce certificate from CRC to verify certification. As a condition of employment, individuals who are not CRC certified will be required to obtain their certification, at their own expense, within the time period established by CRC certification. NOTE: No notifications will be sent to applicants except those who are selected for interviews.

This position will be filled in the unclassified service.

Application Instructions:
* Submit one State of Georgia Application for Employment to: Elaine Belcher, AOC II, Rehabilitation Services, P. O. Box 1606, Albany, GA. 31702-1606 OR you may fax your State of Georgia Application for Employment to Elaine Belcher at (229) 430-4466. NOTE: All individuals must submit a transcript and a copy of the SLPI, along with their State of Georgia Application for Employment that verifies their eligibility for CRC certification. All applications must be received by closing date of announcement in order to be considered.
* Please circle vacancy locations which you would like to be considered for employment.
* Application must include Job Title, and Job Code to be considered for employment.
* Application must be received in Human Resources by the application deadline.
* All qualified applicants will be considered, but may not necessarily receive an interview.
* If selected, male applicants between 18 and 26 years of age must present proof of Selective Service Registration

State of Georgia Employment Application
http://www.spa.ga.gov/jobApplicants/stateapp.asp

Current Job Opportunities
http://www.dol.state.ga.us/Access/Service/GDOLJobSearch

Georgia Department of Labor Home Page
http://www.dol.state.ga.us/

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