Hearing Sparks

I Just Learned Sign Language!

2012-01-27T10:56:00.000-08:00

I was flipping through channels on the television the other day when I saw a channel showing reruns of Full House. I grew up in the 1990s, and Full House was one of my very favorite shows. (In fact I remember always being frustrated it was rarely captioned... of course, now the reruns are captioned so I can capture that bit of nostalgia and see - or "hear" - what I was missing!)

It reminded me of a funny moment from elementary school when a little boy ran up to me, excitedly telling me, "I just learned sign language! I know it now!"

And he demonstrated with this:

Ah, kids :)

How To Contact Businesses Executives About Your ADA Concerns

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

I think one of the best things people can do to ensure their complaints and comments are heard is to contact the people at the top. This is especially true if there are accessibility or equality requirements that need to be met. Today I want to show you how you can use a library database as a way to contact the people high in the chain of command about your concerns. For example, you could use this to contact people about closed captioning, loop systems, TTY and relay concerns, etc.

(Click on any of the images in this post to enlarge them.)

The particular database I'm using is called ReferenceUSA. It's intended to be used for reference and research and contains information about millions of businesses and also individuals - it's very useful as a yellow/white pages directory. You can contact your local public library system to find out if they subscribe to ReferenceUSA. (And urge them to subscribe if they do not.)

I decided to look up Harkins Theatres. This movie chain has recently been under legal fire for not accommodating deaf people and actually has plans to install captioning systems in all of their theaters by the end of this year as a result of a lawsuit. When I went to their website, I saw that, as usual, there are no open captioned films available at any of their 30 locations in 5 states.

I found this very disappointing. Let's say I wanted to find out who is in charge of Harkins to ask them to show more open captioned movies. It is fairly easy to see from their site that Dan Harkins is in charge, but what about other executives in the company?

I went to ReferenceUSA following the directions from my library (it may be different for yours).

I clicked on "U.S. Businesses" near the bottom left.

I then filled in the information I knew about Harkins. You only need to fill in one field at a time. In this case I thought Harkins was in Phoenix, so I put that information in.

The results, however, didn't help me much. I got results for several theater locations and one person named Harkins (information blurred out). However, you can click on the "Corp. Tree" icon next to any branch of a business to see the entire corporate tree.

The top result is the location I want, actually in Scottsdale. I clicked on it.

Here is the resulting information on Harkins Theatres, Inc. Scroll down.

There's a lot of information here, but in this case, I wanted "Management Directory."

And there it is... a list of managing employees at Harkins Theatres, Inc. I can now choose to send a letter to any of these employees at the address listed in the result.

I was hoping to be able to email these employees using the guidelines at Consumerist.com, but I can't find any way to tell what Harkins Theatre's email structure is. However, now that I've seen how to research companies using this database, I can definitely use it in the future to find contact information.

I hope this is helpful for you when contacting companies!

The Top 3 Moments When It's Hardest For Me to Hear

2012-01-19T09:05:00.000-08:00

A recent experience at work prompted me to think about the more difficult situations I have, when it is most difficult to hear other people. I thought of my top 3 "hardest to hear" situations and decided to list them here.

I'm curious to know what you would consider the top 3 moments it's hardest to hear. What do you think?

1) Trying to talk in a fast food restaurant that has seemingly random beeping, noises, and cleaning equipment running. Of course, the beeping and other noises are not random if you are working there, as I'm sure it's the equipment trying to get your attention. But from the customer's side, these noises sound random, overly loud, and really interfere with hearing. A local fast food place I enjoy going to has become less enjoyable because of the proximity of loud machines to the customer area. I can't have a conversation if it's going to be punctuated by beeping and other sounds that don't even affect me.

2) When I am at work, the most difficult situation for me to hear is when the other person is distracted. I always get a sinking feeling in my stomach when two patrons strike up a conversation while in line. What often seems to happen is that they continue their conversation as they are assisted by me or my coworkers. That means they aren't paying any attention to me trying to ask them questions, and when they do speak to me they are most often oriented to keep speaking to their newfound friend, meaning I can't read their lips. Not only that, but I can't break in smoothly to ask what I need to ask.

The specific situation at work had to do with a particularly chatty patron who was talking to everyone in line or nearby - except me. As he finished picking up his items, he looked at me and said, "Well, you're not very talkative, are you?"

I just informed him there was a line forming behind him and moved to the next patron. But what I would have liked to have done is pointed out the multiple ways he had made it impossible to speak to him during our transaction - and how he had managed to make it nearly impossible for me to figure out if he was addressing me or someone else.

3) A windy day. The wind really interferes with my hearing aids and it easily snatches sound away. I particularly hate trying to walk in a parking lot and talk to someone else when it is windy. Walking side by side, plus the wind, makes it very difficult.

Stop SOPA and PIPA

2012-01-18T09:40:00.000-08:00

You've probably seen that sites like Wikipedia and Reddit are down today to show that they oppose SOPA (the Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (the Protect IP Act). For more information on why these acts should not be allowed to pass, and what would happen if they do, please check out Google's explanation here. On Google's site you can also sign their petition and share the information with others using Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.

According to Wikipedia:

SOPA and PIPA would put the burden on website owners to police user-contributed material and call for the unnecessary blocking of entire sites. Small sites won't have sufficient resources to defend themselves. Big media companies may seek to cut off funding sources for their foreign competitors, even if copyright isn't being infringed. Foreign sites will be blacklisted, which means they won't show up in major search engines. SOPA and PIPA would build a framework for future restrictions and suppression.

You can also use Wikipedia's blackout page to find your representatives by zip code. Contact them and let them know your concerns.

Deaf, Hearing Impaired, Hard of Hearing...

2012-01-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

Warning: overanalysis ahead. I tend to do this, just ask my husband!

I was at work yesterday and happened to mention to a patron that I am deaf. His response surprised me - "What?! You can't be deaf. You're talking to me, aren't you?"

In my time since writing this blog, I have considered how to explain my hearing loss to people. I grew up with everyone saying I was hearing impaired. It was only when I began taking ASL classes in high school that I learned of the controversy around the term "hearing impaired" and began to agree that, yes, impaired is not the best way to describe it. The problem is, "hearing impaired" seems to get it across correctly - I've never had anyone doubt me when I use the phrase, and people seem to understand that I do have residual hearing and I may wear a hearing device.

I prefer the term "deaf" because it is short, sweet and gets the point across. People understand what the term means right away and the phrase doesn't necessarily indicate I am 'impaired' in any way. But it also opens the door for people to misunderstand me like the gentleman I mentioned above. Many people in the general public seem to think deaf = cannot hear at all. Judging from the reactions I have gotten, people do not think that I fit the mold of 'deaf'.

An old photo of me and my hearing aid.

There's also "I have a hearing loss," which is clunky, and tends to lead people to think I am just a little bit hard of hearing, plus, it makes me feel like I lost something. The same goes for that term, "hard of hearing." People I've spoken to think "hard of hearing" means "just has a little bit of difficulty." Yes, I get along well in an auditory world - but that doesn't mean I just have a little bit of trouble hearing. I have definite, actual challenges. I don't hear about 50% of your sentences unless I know you. I don't know where sounds are coming from. I can't identify sounds. I don't enjoy music to its fullest and I can't pick out individual instruments. I will probably not hear that car coming up behind me. I may not be able to hear you on the phone at all. So I can't give people the mistaken impression that I'm just a little bit hard of hearing, although that's what that term tends to do when I try to use it.

Of course I know other people might have other experiences. In some areas different terms for the same thing might be more familiar. In my particular area and at my job, I meet people from all over the country (they like to winter in my hometown). So I meet a lot of variety and I have encountered a lot of different reactions.

I think I will stick with "deaf" for now. Short, sweet and requires little explanation except when people doubt me. And if they're going to be rude about it, well, they don't deserve an explanation anyway, do they? :)

What Do You Do When You Can't Identify a Sound?

2012-01-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

Although I love my hearing aids, one problem I often encounter is that a lot of sounds sound alike to me. Sometimes even a sound I am familiar with will sound very odd in a different situation than I'm used to.

From Flickr user Oberazzi.

Sometimes I ignore the sound... sometimes it freaks me out a little bit and I want to know what it is. My family, including my husband, are really good about identifying the sound. Although I know it can be funny when I overreact to a perfectly normal sound because it sounds "wrong" to me.

However, with other people, I'm less willing to ask around to figure out what a sound is. I usually surreptitiously look around to see how other people are reacting before I react myself. I am pretty good at not immediately reacting to sounds.

So I am curious, how do you react in these situations?

Looking Forward to 2012

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new year! We are now in 2012 and I have to keep reminding myself to write a "12" where I would have written an "11."

2011 was a very exciting year for me. My husband and I bought a house this past year and also managed to acquire two cats, a dog, a tortoise, and two birds in addition to the bearded dragon we already own. I hope that 2012 is as good to us as the past year has been, but I have to admit we probably don't need six more pets this year.

As far as my deafness goes, I can safely say that my 20s have so far helped me make a lot of mental changes in the way I see my hearing loss. This blog has contributed to that, of course. In situations where I may not have even considered my hearing aids, now I am more aware of them and how my hearing loss affects me.

In reading others' blogs, I have become influenced to become more of an advocate for myself in public situations, especially at work. I can still be very shy in stores and other situations, but at work I have stopped blaming myself for what I can't do and focusing on what I can do - and how people can help me accomplish my goals. This includes working with the public. I don't consider the burden entirely on myself to understand someone anymore. The other person in the conversation also has a responsibility to communicate effectively.

I am happy to see shows like Switched at Birth on television highlighting the issues that deaf/Hard of Hearing people face and also seeing more advocacy about closed captions and other issues. A local theater chain (Harkins) has been dealing with legal issues stemming from the way they have chosen to do business as related to the ADA and it has been interesting to follow that as well as Eh? What? Huh?'s advocacy regarding censored captions on television.

I think 2012 is going to be a great year and I can't wait to see what happens.

Just Like You: A New Book Promoting Acceptance, Not Bullying

2011-12-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

Just Like You is a book by Robert Kroupa, exploring the issues of bullying and accepting people for who they are. The book follows Henry, a field mouse who is deaf, and Boris, a spider who has a bad leg. Together they learn to stick together through thick and thin.

The book is being published by the Just Like You Foundation and 100% of the profits are going to charities. When ordering the book, you can specify if you would like the profits from your purchase to go to a particular charity, or be distributed evenly amongst all three. The charities include PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center, the Hollyrod Foundation, The Art of Elysium, The Center for Discovery, and Dreams for Kids.

(via People)

Liebster Blog Award

2011-12-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was awarded the Liebster Blog Award by two people, Sarah of Speak Up Librarian and Eh? What? Huh? Thank you both very much!

This award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers who deserve more recognition.

Here are the rules:

Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
Give your top 5 picks for the award.
Inform your top 5 by leaving a comment on their blog.
Post the award on your blog.

Here are my picks:

1. Cacophony to Symphony
2. Cochlear Kids
3. Arizona Writer (not deafness related - but wonderful pictures and stories)
4. Growing Up Hard of Hearing in a Hearing World
5. Life with a Hearing Dog

Play It Down: A Free App for Teens To Educate About Hearing Loss

2011-12-29T13:38:00.000-08:00

From Flickr user Miss Sydney Marie

When it comes to teenagers, it often seems like the more dire the warnings against something, the more likely they are to embrace it. Loud music is no exception. While there's no doubt many teenagers are aware of the dangers of hearing loss from noise exposure, the question is, does it actually make them turn down the music?

There's a new, free app for iPod and iPhone called Play It Down that is attempting to bring awareness of noise exposure to teens in a fresh and interesting way. The app contains three components:

Auto-Old My Music: Demonstrates how music loaded onto the player would sound to someone with loss in the higher frequencies, as experienced in age-related hearing loss
The Ear Knob - A test to see who can detect the highest frequencies (high frequencies are the first to go as a person ages)
The Volume Zone - Allows the user to measure the volume of the player's surroundings

The website, PlayItDown.org, contains a link to the app along with useful information about hearing loss and keeping your ears healthy. It's written in accessible language that teens will either enjoy, or roll their eyes to. Either way, it's useful for them to know.

I don't own any Apple products, so I can't try this out for myself and see what the songs sound like with the "Auto-Old My Music." I'm curious, though. For now, my favorite way to demonstrate types of hearing loss is this YouTube video, which takes a clip from The Flintstones and shows how it would sound with mild, moderate, and profound loss.

Happy Holidays from Hearing Sparks!

2011-12-22T09:19:00.000-08:00

I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season from my family (human, furry, scaled, and feathered) to yours.

And Genbu, too!

Created through Banfield Pet Hospital's adorable "Dress Your Pet" Facebook app :)

A Couple of Funnies

2011-12-03T12:50:00.001-08:00

I apologize for my recent lack of updates - although, looking at my last post, I didn't realize it had been that long!

A couple of funny moments to share today. They are both from my workplace.

A patron came in and told me he wanted to "renew his password." I was a bit confused, but I explained our password system (for computer access) and that they don't need renewal. He was persistent, repeating himself over and over, until my coworker at the desk heard our conversation and realized he was saying "passport!" Ah, it was much easier from there... even though we don't handle passport renewals.

The second was just from today. I was at my cubicle in the back and a coworker passed by making some noise - I didn't pay much attention. She returned to my desk and told me how she was singing to herself and hates it when she does it in front of an "audience" (me). I replied, "That's okay. You have a deaf audience, so it doesn't matter anyway!"

It's good to laugh at yourself...

The Digital Divide and Disabilities

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Photo from flickr user rex libris.

One of the many eye-opening experiences of working at a public library is seeing the number of people who do not have access to technology in their homes. Yes, there are your typical students and people whose internet access may be down at home or whose printer isn't working, but then there are people who come in who need to use computers daily but do not have the technology at home. They may need to find a job, conduct business, pay bills, or file for unemployment and have found themselves on one side of the digital divide. As more companies and government offices move to doing things entirely online, the digital divide becomes more pronounced and more people experience it.

The U.S. Department of Commerce released a report this week called "Exploring the Digital Nation: Computer and Internet Use at Home" (link is a PDF). According to the report, 72% of people without disabilities had broadband access to the internet at home, compared to 43% of those with disabilities. This is according to information from the Census Bureau. According to Disability Scoop,

Socioeconomic factors appear to be a major reason behind the lack of Internet access among those with disabilities, the report found. When researchers controlled for income, education, age and other demographic and geographic variables, the disparity in access between those with and without disabilities dropped to only about 6 percent.

Of course, in this economy, I think the digital divide is becoming even more of a concern. People may not have the ability to buy a computer and rely on places like libraries, which in turn are feeling the budget crunch and may not be able to provide those services or provide them at hours that people can use them. At the same time, jobs are increasingly require more computer skills, and to even fill out an application requires computer knowledge (and sometimes accessibility options companies don't always provide.)

What do you think?

Eventually, No More Moisture Problems?

2011-11-21T15:14:00.001-08:00

Image from John 'K' on Flickr.

One of the most annoying things about owning a pair of hearing aids is dealing with the problems that can arise from excess moisture getting in the workings. I try to remember to take my hearing aids to my audiologist every few months to have them dried out, and I use a Dry and Store every night, but the problem still persists.

I was excited to see a company is working on the problem, and the solution sounds pretty cool (if you're geeky like me and like this kind of thing). According to a press release sent out recently, Clear-tone Hearing Aid Laboratories has developed "MPS Technology" to create a moisture-repellent bond that binds to the surface of an object. It's invisible and doesn't affect the acoustics of the device.

There's more information over at Nanowerk. Pretty cool!

Guest Post: Accessibility at College

2011-11-15T13:15:00.001-08:00

The below guest post is from Anthony Garcia. For more information about guest posts on Hearing Sparks (I love them!), see here.

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Anthony recently completed his graduate education in English Literature. A New Mexico native, he currently resides and writes in Seattle, Washington. He writes primarily about education, travel, literature, and American culture.

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing have to consider many things when choosing a college. The most important aspect, whether you are looking for graduate programs online or at traditional campuses, is accessibility. For a student who is deaf or who has a hearing impairment, access to equal communication is key. Cultural and academic barriers can make the transition to higher education difficult even without hearing loss, so finding one that offers strong accessibility and support for you is vital.

One of the greatest obstacles for students who are deaf or hard of hearing is communication in the classroom. Even though some students may know how to lip read, some instructors can be difficult to follow during lecture in a large classroom. Look for a well-staffed and knowledgeable special services department that can help to provide an interpreter for you once you get in the classroom.

Many campuses also hire note takers through accessibility services offices. A note taker is usually another student in the room who writes the notes on a special type of paper. The paper makes a second copy that can be given to the student who is deaf at the end of the class, or the notes are photocopied and sent to the student who needs them through the accessibility office. This process can also be anonymous if desired by the student.

The school might be able to hire an interpreter to meet students’ language needs, whether the individual uses American Sign Language, requires translation or uses another form of communication, which is something to ask about in the student services or accessibility services office.

Another support tool to consider when you are searching for colleges is a support system for captions in the classroom, although once you arrive on campus, you should also discuss this need with each professor individually. When films are shown in class, they should have closed captioning, with a running script of the dialogue. This makes it easier for the student to get the right information and clearly understand the video’s content. Classes can also be open-captioned, which involves having someone type onto a screen what the presenter is saying. There are numerous services that can offer the school captioned videos for free. This reduces the cost the school may incur for using captioning.

Classrooms at the school should have the technology available that make use of visual aids and multi-media that are well-suited to the visual learning style of students with hearing loss. This includes videos, power point presentations, and interactive tasks.

Some colleges and universities put accessibility at the forefront of their priority list. Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. is an excellent example of a school mindful of students who are hard of hearing. This school has instructors who use sign, full captioning services, and support services for students. Activities and staff are set up for those who sign, use speech or other forms of communication.

The Rochester Institute of Technology, which features the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, is another example of wonderful accessibility. The school and its website incorporate universal design, which strives to make campuses and other user interfaces accessible to the broadest audience possible. The school has captioning services, interpretation and related support services.

The University of Vermont gives students who are deaf numerous support options, including note takers, interpreters and captioning. They also encourage instructors to utilize deaf-friendly teaching methods, such as a greater use of visual aids while teaching and repeating student questions and comments.

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing should make the first stop on their campus visit the special services office. This department can help them to communicate with instructors about accommodations, get resources and meet other challenges that may come up. If the school is serious about accessibility, they will offer a wide variety of options for the student to choose from.

Help FEMA Reach the Deaf Community, November 9th

2011-11-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

On November 9th at 2PM Eastern, there will be a national test of the Emergency Broadcast System by FEMA. If you live in the US and have a Twitter account, you can help FEMA establish how well the alert reaches the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community. There is more information at the Xpressive Handz blog here.

On PBS November 3rd: A Documentary About ASL Poetry

2011-11-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

On November 6th on many PBS stations, Independent Lens will be showing a documentary about American Sign Language poetry called "Deaf Jam."

The documentary will follow Aneta Brodski, who is a high school student attending the Lexington School for the Deaf. She is involved with promoting ASL poetry and slam poetry and takes a look at Aneta's life and her schoolmates.

In my area "Deaf Jam" will be showing at 11PM on Thursday night, November 3rd, so I am not sure if I will be able to stay up till midnight to watch it, but I am very interested and I hope someone gets a chance to see it!

Below is a captioned trailer for the show:

(via Technorati)

Guest Post: The Beauty of Signing

2011-10-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

The following guest post is from Isabella Woods. For more information about guest posts on Hearing Sparks (I love them!), see here.

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There are literally hundreds of different types of sign language around the world and these languages aren’t just used by the deaf/hard of hearing: there are military sign languages, sign languages for people with learning difficulties and a number of religious sign languages. However, they all represent a form on non-vocal communication that is expressed by the hands. As movements,
they are beautiful in themselves but they can provide a lifeline for people who would otherwise be unable to communicate: in effect, they are a bridge to the outside world.

Whilst children born with a hearing loss learn sign language from an early age, non-deaf children have traditionally only been taught to speak; to express themselves with words. And yet, there is so much to indicate that everyone would benefit from learning some basic sign language.

In recent years, baby signing has increased in popularity across America and Europe. It has been suggested that babies and toddlers can learn to communicate with sign language before they can talk and these simple signs can be an effective form of communication between the child and their carer. Whereas a young child can be frustrated when they can’t make themselves understood, signs for things like food, milk, sleep and toys can liberate them and make it easier for parents to understand what their child is trying to tell them or to ask for. Baby sign works in collaboration with a child’s developing speech and it can actually help them to talk sooner, as they become used to expressing themselves and articulating. If they need a drink or a snack or want to take a catnapper in their cot, signing is an effective and efficient way to tell someone.

If it works for babies, then surely it could be a good communication tool for everyone, regardless of any hearing loss. By looking at different forms of communication, people become more attuned to simple signs and signifiers that can cross language barriers. Signing can open up sensibilities and it encourages people to think in a more creative way, connecting movement to meaning. Some nurseries and schools now teach basic signs to children for precisely this reason. A lot of children (and adults) can find it particularly hard to express themselves verbally, whether for social or physical reasons and signing can help to engage them in potentially difficult situations.

Aside from developing social skills and providing a viable means through which deaf/hard of hearing children and adults can communicate with each other, sign language could be included in mainstream education as a way in which both hearing and deaf people could have a common means of communicating. If everyone learnt some form of basic international signing, it would help to break down the barriers and misunderstanding surrounding hearing loss. With so many different sign languages, it would never be possible to have a comprehensive international language. Plus, cultural nuances make it necessary to have different signs for the same things in different languages. However, a basic set of signs that everyone could use and understand would unite people with hearing problems, those with learning difficulties and those with social issues relating to speech and language. Everyone could communicate on the same level and appreciate the beauty of talking to each other without the need for words.

If baby signing continues to gain in popularity and schools are encouraged to introduce children to sign language, as another form of communication, then who knows – we might all be able to sign to each other in the future and language barriers will be a thing of the past.

Hearing Aid Battery Safety

2011-10-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

My brand of hearing aid batteries.

Wearing hearing aids goes beyond just having something stuffed in your ear all the time and feeling like you are part cyborg. It can also bring a lot of clutter with it, from hearing aid batteries to Dry n Store units on your nightstand and special alarm clocks that vibrate the bed.

I have come up with a nice tidy way to keep my hearing aid packages together (and all it took was an Altoids tin and some felt!), but I admit I'm not always super careful about disposing of my hearing aid batteries. They sometimes end up at the bottom of my purse and between my car seats - not necessarily in the trash where they belong.

However, I plan to be more careful about my batteries. This blog post from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission highlights some of the dangers surrounding "button batteries," found in hearing aids, watches, remote controls, and other small devices. According to the blog post, injuries related to button batteries have increased sevenfold since 1985. Children can accidentally swallow the batteries, and elderly people or people with poor vision can mistake them for pills. Once inside the body they can cause chemical burns or choking. I would imagine the same problems exist for animals in the home, especially since pets sometimes like to get into the trash.

With that in mind I think it is a good idea to be careful about disposing of hearing aid batteries. According to what I've read online, to be safe, button batteries should be recycled by a hazardous waste recycling program, because they contain mercury. This site can help you find a center to recycle them near you.

The iPhone Sound Amplifier

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you a blog post I saw today from David Lee King. He was sent an iPhone Sound Amplifier from WirelessGround and did a short review of it. The blog post is here and he posted a video which is below; no captions but I added a transcript underneath which I hope is mostly accurate.

I think this is a neat device with a nice retro look to it. I don't have an iPhone but I might buy something like this for my Android phone if it was available. It amplifies about 12 dB, so not a lot, but it could be helpful. At $9.95 (sale), it's not a bad price.

Transcript: Hey, David King here, davidleeking.com. Um, gonna show you something, then I'll tell you about it. First, let's take a listen to this. (Music playing on iPhone, which becomes amplified when placed in the iPhone Sound Amplifier) How does this work? Well, there are holes in the bottom here, you put your iPhone in there. The speakers connect to these little tubes, I don't know if you can see that really well, that goes out to this horn, and so basically it's just, um, sort of like a megaphone. It's boosting the sound naturally. Pretty cool. I'll put a link into my blog post so you can get to the website and check these out. Talk to you later.

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sarah at Speak Up Librarian talks about her experience with her new Oticon hearing aids. I really enjoy reading this kind of personal testimonial. Good luck with your aids, Sarah!
This is an interesting, heartfelt article from Suzie Jones titled "Why do deaf people 'sound funny'?"
Here's an article with some interesting statistics about minority students with disabilities being suspended more often than white children.
And here is a touching video. Buffy, a black lab, fetches Benson, a deaf dog, when it is time to go home. There is uncaptioned audio in the video, but it is not totally necessary to see what's going on.I think it is really sweet!

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

I like this list of 8 Simple Tips to Improve Accessibility for websites.
This is an interesting tool meant to help companies see the actual cost (and potential savings/value) of hiring a person with a disability.
Here's an interesting post about why the dragon (and seahorse) symbolizes the Deaf for the Japanese.
Here is a great post from Audiotoniq about the lack of TV characters who wear hearing aids.
This video is absolutely fascinating to watch. Scientists were able to essentially watch what someone is seeing when they watch movie clips using an fMRI. It's so cool.

UnitedHealth to Offer Discounted Hearing Aids

2011-10-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

Image from quosquos on Flickr.

Soon, UnitedHealth Group, an insurance company, will be offering discounted hearing aids, even to people who do not have the insurance. The hearing aids will cost between $749 - $949 per aid, and will be available online, without a visit to the audiologist.

Cutting out the audiologist means UnitedHealth needs a way to program the aids, and they plan to do so through an online hearing test or through smartphones. The company will use your results from the test to send you a programmed aid.

I'm curious what you think about this. On one hand, I appreciate the cheaper price of hearing aids and I think that will help a lot of people. On the other hand, I think audiologists provide more than simply programming a hearing aid to a customer's needs. My audiologist has provided me with invaluable ways to handle my hearing loss, attention to detail, and communication that I think would be lost if you simply take a test and get some hearing aids in the mail.

What do you think?

Kay Blogs About the Esteem Hearing Implant

2011-10-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Back in 2010 I posted about the Esteem hearing implant receiving FDA approval. It is still one of my most popular blog posts and it's a topic a lot of people are interested in.

I wanted to share Kay's blog with you today. Kay has been posting comments on my blog post about her own experience with the Esteem and decided to create her own blog: Esteem Hearing Implant, my experience. There is a lot of useful information on the blog - be sure to take a look!

The Variables of Hearing

2011-09-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hearing loss can be a really tricky thing. One of the trickiest things I have found to grasp about hearing loss is how it's not always consistent.

For example, just because I heard someone speaking at a certain tone of voice once and was able to understand them doesn't mean I will be able to understand them the next time they speak. Or because I was able to tell where a sound came from once doesn't mean I can do it again. Sometimes I have an easy time of it and hear someone's question right away and sometimes I just can't make it out no matter how many times they repeat it.

Photo by vancouverfilmschool on Flickr.

I particularly notice this when talking to people I know, like my husband for example. He always sits in his big comfy chair in the living room and I am usually in the same spot on the couch - but sometimes I can hear him easily and sometimes I can't.

I think there are a lot of variables that go into whether or not I can hear something/someone on any given day: the noise level, the person's voice, the loudness of the noise, my position in reference to the person/thing making the noise, my familiarity with the noise the person/thing makes, whether I'm inside or outside, how large the room is, if there's carpet, and of course, my mood. My hearing aids might even factor into it, as sometimes when it's humid and they haven't gone through my audiologist's dehumidifier they act differently.

Sometimes it can lead to frustration. Not only on others' part but also on my own - it is embarassing for me to realize I completely missed a sound I usually notice.

I'd like to know your experiences with this and how consistent you find your ability to hear certain noises - what do you think?

It's Okay To Feel Worn Out

2011-09-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been trying to give myself more permission to just be worn out. Tired of listening and trying to hear and figure out what's being said or what I'm missing.

It's only recently that I've begun to recognize that I work harder than other people in conversation. You would think it would be a given, but I really didn't think much about my deafness until I began writing this blog and thinking about how it affects me. Before I would just keep trying and blame it on other things, especially at school. I didn't have much self-awareness.

With that self-awareness, though, has come a secondary awareness of how tired listening makes me. For example, on the news channel I watch in the mornings, anything scripted is closed captioned but the banter between the various newscasters is not. I used to just try to listen to them, and feel annoyed when I couldn't hear them (not that any of it is ever vitally important). Now I just get annoyed that it isn't captioned, and ignore them or even change the channel.

I can tell it is starting to affect my mindset in other areas as well. At work when I have been trying to understand vague, mumbling people for hours at a time. At a store when I am trying to listen to someone talk to me and the intercom keeps blaring, equipment keeps driving by (especially hardware stores) or everything echoes. It is hard not to feel irritated.

I have been trying to become more accepting of it without the irritation. Trying to come up with ways to get people to talk to me clearly and not from 10 feet away or incredibly quiet. I am trying to accept that I won't be able to hear everything, that some stuff doesn't need to be heard and that it's going to wear me out sometimes.

Sometimes I can feel I haven't succeeded in the whole "acceptance" thing. I feel myself getting irritated with the library patron who can't hear a thing I'm saying either so we're both yelling at each other and not getting anywhere. I feel irritated at the intercom at the grocery store, the car driving by, the kids shouting in the parking lot when I try to go to my car. Sometimes I get home to total silence and just feel totally invigorated. Who needs noise?

How do you feel about noise and silence? Do you have any tips for dealing with this sort of thing - without getting irritated?

My Local "Accessible" Movie Theaters

2011-09-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

I received a comment on my post Different Perspectives from Mickey, who lives in the UK. I replied to it on the post but wanted to write a post about this topic. Here is the comment:

Hello Megan
Great blog and interesting stuff here - just found your site.

I was surprised by you saying "I'd really like to go see David Tennant in Fright Night, but am I going to be able to understand him?"

In the UK we have captioned Cinema and I've set up a website to list all captioned Cinema in North West of England see http://accessibleevents.org.uk/north-west/

Surely with ADA you have captioned movies in the USA? Or are they just difficult to find or show so few films?

Cheers
Mickey

I don't go to the movies often but I decided to take a look at my 3 local theaters to see what they have to offer.

Harkins Theatres has an Open Captioned link on their front page but the only message on the link is "There are no open captioned films currently playing." I mostly go to Harkins when I go to the movies but I have to say their attitude about captioning movies has frustrated me pretty often.

AMC Theatres is not that close to me but I go there pretty often when I do go to the movies. Their movies are listed under the Assisted Moviegoing link. Currently the only movie they are showing with "Closed Caption" is The Help. It is only showing in one location within 40 miles of me, in Glendale, Arizona.

Finally, Dickinson Theatres recently opened a location near me. They do not have a link specifically for accessible showtimes and none of the showtimes indicate Open Captioning.

I do think Dickinson has open captioning because my in-laws went to see The Help and accidentally saw an open captioned showing. I don't think they put them as part of their official showtimes on the website or as part of the board you see when you go to the theater.

In April of 2010 it was ruled that the ADA covers closed captioning at movies. Captioning falls under the heading of "auxiliary aids and services" to people. There is some debate over whether open-captioned movies fall under this ruling and I haven't heard much about the case since then.

I do wish theaters would do more for captioned movies. I don't like having to figure out what accents actors have just to have an expectation of whether or not I'll be able to understand a movie. And I don't like having to patronize locations that don't consider what I would prefer as a customer, Harkins especially. For awhile it looked like Harkins was getting better about providing captioned movies, but I haven't seen one available in a long time.

I think captioned movies fall under the heading of things people do not think about until they actually need them.

Are captioned movies available where you are located?

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

2011-09-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

My Most Excellent Year is a young adult novel by Steve Kluger. It follows teenagers T.C., his brother Augie, and Alejandra, and is written in the form of diary entries, instant messages, and emails from them and other supporting characters.

My Most Excellent Year also features a very well-written and -rounded Deaf character named Hucky. Hucky is a six-year-old boy living in a residence for Deaf children after his mother abandoned him. Hucky is befriended by the three main characters, especially T.C.

Hucky is an excellent contrast to many deaf children in literature. He definitely stood out in comparison to the little boy in Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz, who is basically treated as a tragic, misunderstood character with little feelings of his own except what other characters lay onto him. Hucky, by contrast, definitely has his own personality, opinions, way of communicating, and outlook on life.

The little boy is allowed to grow over the course of the novel, along with the other three main characters. By the end of the novel Hucky is very different than he was at the start, and you can see him blossoming.

His communication "problems" are never actually a problem. The characters embrace learning American Sign Language, and there are some funny moments when they can't communicate properly or don't know the right signs. The novel even touches on the difference between ASL and British Sign Language through another character.

This is a really sweet novel that I think is a great example of the way d/Deaf/hard of hearing characters can be written so well. I really liked it and I hope you get the chance to pick it up, too.

Around the Web Wednesday: Accessible Beaches, Bob Williams, and School

2011-09-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! Accessibility has an interesting real-world post about an actual situation faced at a beach in or near Vancouver. The beach has a marked handicapped-accessible spot but the only way to access the beach itself is by stairs. The author suggests adding a sign to the parking spot so that people will not be confused.
I really enjoyed this post on Disability Blog by Bob Williams, who is the new Associate Commissioner for the Social Security Administration's Office of Employment Support Programs. Can you imagine 6 million people with disabilities in the workforce? Only 4.5 million are employed today.
Jennifer, who has triplets, one of whom wears hearing aids and one of whom has a cochlear implant, shares the story of her sons at school and how they shared information about their hearing loss and technology with the class.
And finally, a very good guest post on Speak Up Librarian about supporting deaf/hard of hearing students in mainstream classrooms.
Life's been crazy lately so I don't have a video for this week, sorry!

Congratulations to the 2011 Oticon Focus on People Award Winners!

2011-09-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

I was very excited to see the winners of the 2011 Oticon Focus on People Awards! This award is given annually to people who "defy the stigma of hearing loss."

I was especially excited to see one winner, Sarah Wegley, the Advocacy winner. Sarah runs the great blog Speak Up Librarian which I love reading. I was so happy to see she won!

Congratulations to all of the winners!

How To Search Google & YouTube For Only Closed Captioned Videos

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to share something cool that my friend told me about: how to search Google for videos with closed-captioning. I've already used it a few times and it is very useful.

1. Go to Google Videos here.
2. Click on Advanced Video Search (direct link).
3. Enter your search into the text field and make sure Subtitles - Search only closed captioned videos is checked (click to enlarge):

4. Click Search Videos.
5. All of your search results will have closed captions enabled.
6. To remove the closed captioned criteria from your search, click on the "X" that appears at the top of your search results on the next page:

It's that simple!

You can do the same thing with specifically YouTube videos:

1. Go to YouTube.com.
2. Type your search criteria in the top bar and click Search.
3. Click on Filter & Explore under the "Search results for..." text:

4. From here you can click on CC (closed caption):

An even easier way is to type in your search but add ,cc to the end of your search. For example:

lizard ,cc
deaf ,cc
asl ,cc

This automatically adds the filter. (I am going to be using this all the time!)

I hope this helps!

Around the Web Wednesday: CAPTCHAs, Whales, and Charging Hearing Aids With Your Feet?

2011-08-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you have ever filled out a form on the Web, chances are you have seen the annoying-but-useful CAPTCHAs. The CAPTCHAs, which look like distorted, squiggly words or letter/number combinations, have to be entered at the end of many forms to ensure you are a human and not an automated bot filling out a form. The challenge comes when people with vision problems need to be able to fill out forms. An audio version of a CAPTCHA can help, but what if you have trouble with both vision and hearing? The Centered Librarian takes a look at the challenges behind CAPTCHAs and Section 508 compliance.
On the 80beats blog: scientists have discovered that ancient whales' twisted skulls actually allowed them to hear better underwater. The asymmetrical skull, similar to an owl, lends itself to hunting in 3D spaces without echolocation.
From the same blog (seriously, it's a really cool blog and you should check it out), the idea of shoes that power small electronics. As I read this post, I thought of how neat it would be to have shoes that could charge hearing aids as you walk. No more tiny batteries or even charging stations. It's questionable exactly how much power the devices could charge just from walking around, but I'm curious.
I liked this list from Suzie's blog deafcomm about 35 misconceptions about deafness.
Your video for today: a cute puppy!

Positive Communication for Accommodations

2011-08-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

I was at the grocery store the other day waiting in line, and overheard a conversation between the next cashier over and a gentleman in a wheelchair. He was asking the cashier questions like, "Have you ever been in a wheelchair? Have you ever needed to use the handicapped stall in the bathroom? When you go into the restroom can you turn around easily to close the door? Would you ever use the restroom without closing the door?"

Photo from 5150fantast on Flickr.

The cashier couldn't figure out what he was getting at, but finally he made it clear that the door to the accessible stall in the restroom opened the wrong way. When a person in a wheelchair entered, the door was in such a position that made it very difficult to easily close the door. It was a problem that could easily be solved by switching the door to open outwards rather than inwards. The cashier promised to find out how to make a maintenance request to modify the door.

What struck me was how long the gentleman took to get his (perfectly valid) point across. The cashier was extremely confused by the end of his line of questioning and not sure at all what he was getting across. Had he simply approached the cashier or customer service desk and said "The door to the accessible stall in the restroom is opening in such a way that makes it difficult for me to close the door once I'm inside," he would have made his point more easily and with a minimum of confusion.

Going back to what I wrote in my blog post Different Perspectives, I think it is very easy for people to think that their experiences are shared by everyone or that everyone can see issues that may be more personal than they think. If you do not have experience with wheelchairs you may not think about the way the bathroom door opens - if you do not have experience with hearing loss you may not think about making captions available for people.

I think a lot of it goes two ways. Yes, people in businesses, the government, and organizations should be aware of what the laws require and how to be accessible for people, but at the same time we can only achieve what we want through education and increasing knowledge of what is needed. It's one thing to demand captions but another to actually explain why they are needed. Communication is important on both sides, and it's important to recognize areas where communication can break down, or when you're not approaching the right person, or when you may be causing more confusion than actually educating people.

When talking to someone at a business I think it is important to make sure you are talking to the right person and explain fully why you need some kind of accommodation. I usually explain I am deaf and it would help greatly for (whatever) to happen. I state things simply and don't repeat myself over and over (which I think is a major downfall of communication) unless it's needed. I don't give my whole back story or complain about other unrelated things. Thank-yous are always appreciated... working with the public I know what it is like to do something for someone and receive no acknowledgment in return.

What do you think? What are some strategies you have found for approaching people to get reasonable accommodations or explain a problem?

Different Perspectives

2011-08-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was thinking the other day about my thought processes and the way your thoughts change when you have to deal with the loss of a sense (hearing, sight, etc) or mobility. I think it is so interesting how your perspective can change so completely when you suddenly have to deal with it for whatever reason.

I was mainly thinking about movies and having a conversation with my in-laws about captioned and the ADA requirements at theaters. The content of the conversation wasn't as important as was my realization about how I think about going to the movies.

When I want to go to the movies, I have to think about what actors are in the movie and how well I am going to be able to understand them. For example, if I know there are a lot of actors with accents unfamiliar to me, I usually don't go or pass it up. If I'm feeling hopeful I look online for open captioned movies, though this is usually hopeless. As the movie starts I end up worrying about the sound quality in the opening scenes. Is the music so loud it's drowning out the dialogue? Is the dialogue rushed and muddled and mumbled? Are they ever going to have a scene in daylight so I can see the actors' lips?

Usually I can understand many movies I go to. Some, like Push, become nearly impossible for reasons I'm not sure of. (I think I understood one sentence out of every five or six in that movie.) Some I avoid and miss out on seeing in the theater. (I'd really like to go see David Tennant in Fright Night, but am I going to be able to understand him?) I wait till they come out on DVD or Blu-Ray so I can watch it with subtitles at home and pause and rewind if need be.

But I understand the same thought process doesn't go through everyone's mind. A lot of people go see whatever movie they want to see. So it got me thinking about the things a lot of people take for granted, that some don't.

Like parking. I park wherever, and it might mean a few extra steps, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter the way it matters to someone who has difficulty or experiences pain walking. I can go wherever and walk from the far end of the parking lot. Someone with mobility challenges has to consider whether there are adequate accessible parking spots, ramps, etc.

Or reading the menu at a restaurant. My sister-in-law brought up this one the other night. Just imagine having to carefully consider your accessibility options just to get some food. Are the people at McDonald's going to understand you can't see the tiny text on the glowing screen, or is the server at the restaurant going to patiently explain the menu options? And do you want to deal with the potential embarassment?

Or even walking around a store. There is a gentleman in my community who has a very large power scooter tricked out with an umbrella and some other cool stuff. It's larger than a wheelchair so he has to consider where he can go. The aisles at Wal-mart may not be a problem but he can't just go browse at a small bookstore or look around a little shop.

Not to mention other people's daily concerns such as the availability of bathrooms (I have IBS so I get that one completely), lighting, how easily a door opens, etc.

It's one reason I am so grateful to accommodating laws like the ADA. Not only does the ADA help provide guidelines and rules to follow but it also opens people's eyes to problems they may not even think about. Some perspective is always useful and I think thought exercises like this help me see how other people see the world.

As an aside, as I was writing this post, someone linked to this excellent post about the Spoon Theory. It is an excellent way to illustrate what I am talking about, and also provides another perspective of something I have rarely thought about, of life with chronic pain. A relevant quote:

Most people start the day with unlimited amount of possibilities, and energy to do whatever they desire, especially young people. For the most part, they do not need to worry about the effects of their actions. So for my explanation, I used spoons to convey this point. I wanted something for her to actually hold, for me to then take away, since most people who get sick feel a “loss” of a life they once knew. If I was in control of taking away the spoons, then she would know what it feels like to have someone or something else, in this case Lupus, being in control.

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-08-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

A clever use of closed-captioning encoding: a man has come up with a system that searches closed captions for certain words, like "Kardashian" or "Lohan," and automatically mutes the television when those subjects are covered. I think this is hilarious. More info here.
Have you heard of DeafMD.org? It's health education in American Sign Language. According to a post at InMyLingo, it was created "to improve the health literacy, to eliminate health disparities, and to promote the overall health and wellness of our underserved population."
One of my favorite UFC fighters, Matt Hamill, has retired. He says, "The UFC has been extremely good to me and given me an opportunity to make a great living. That exposure has allowed me options outside the octagon as well. I just don't have it in me to fight anymore and my last two performances have shown that." I'm so sad!
And your video today... another bearded dragon video. (I just love them.) Here is a four-year-old beardie drinking from a juicebox straw.

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-08-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

MSNBC shares 9 signs that your hearing loss is a problem. Definitely useful for anyone trying to convince a relative or friend to get a hearing test. Mine - if you find yourself complaining that everyone else is mumbling, it might not be them.
In my last Around the Web Wednesday I wrote about the "Caution Hearing Impaired Children" sign that was stolen from the family at the Cochlear Kids blog. Thanks to a neighbor, the sign was found in a ditch and has been put back in its rightful place.
Smell can definitely influence our sense of taste, but what about sound? This post at World of Psychology explores how sound affects how we perceive food.
And for this week's video - you may be aware I have a bearded dragon (named Loki). I also have a cat named Sneakers, who happens to look exactly like the cat in the video below. I think it is just adorable! If only my own lizard and cat got along so well. No sound/captions required.

Rayovac's Hearing Professional of the Year Contest - Plus $3 Coupon

2011-08-16T10:14:00.000-07:00

Note: I received information on this contest from Rayovac. The company is hosting a contest for bloggers who write about the contest below.

First of all, who doesn't love coupons? In an email with information about this contest, Rayovac sent along a printable coupon for $3 off their brand of hearing aid batteries. Get the coupons here.

Hearing aid manufacturer Rayovac is hosting a competition similar to Oticon's Focus on People Awards. (Speaking of the Oticon awards, you can now cast your vote online here! There are some awesome people nominated, in particular Sarah from Speak Up Librarian.)

According to Rayovac:

The Hearing Professional of the Year contest is your chance to celebrate the professional skills and patient relations of your hearing professional by nominating them as the best in their field. Supported by Rayovac, the independent awards aim to recognize the difference that hearing professionals make in our lives. We want to hear inspirational stories about what your hearing professional has done for you.

There will be 5 winners who will receive a donation of $500 to a nonprofit hearing care charity, and one winner, named the National Hearing Professional of 2011, will receive an additional $1000.

Entries are accepted through September 30, 2011 and people can be nominated here.

New Blog: Accessible Reads

2011-08-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

As I've been writing this blog, I've realized there are some things I enjoy writing about more than others. Anything geeky, for one - new hearing aid tech and smartphone apps and everything else just makes me happy. Another of my favorite subjects is deafness in books, or, rather, treatment of any kind of disability in books, particularly novels.

With that in mind I decided to start a second blog with book reviews and thoughts about books that contain a character with a disability (not just deafness, but other things like blindness, autism, mobility problems, etc). The blog is called Accessible Reads and can be found at http://accessiblereads.blogspot.com/.

I'm not just writing about novels, but also nonfiction books and memoirs. Although most of the books I have read treat the subject of various disabilities well, some of them can be cringe-inducing, and I'll be writing about those, too. The posts will be a combination of original posts and re-posts of reviews I've written elsewhere.

This blog is definitely not going to end, this is just a supplementary blog that deals with a different focus. I hope you enjoy it.

New Book Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick Features Deaf Characters

2011-08-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

Image is of the cover of Wonderstruck.

Wonderstruck is a new novel by Brian Selznick which features deaf characters. The novel is set to be released September 13, 2011.

Having loved books all my life, I often wish for more characters with differing abilities/disabilities, especially in children's fiction. I've seen a lot of characters with autism and Asperger's syndrome, particularly in young adult fiction, but characters who are deaf, blind, have mobility issues, or have other challenges are not really depicted all that often. I wrote recently about a study done on 131 winners of the Newbery Medal and Honor awards and found that only 31 of the books contained a major or minor character with a disability - and most often were simply supporting characters included to develop the main character's moral values.

That's why I was excited to see Brian Selznick mention Deaf culture and deaf identity in a recent interview with Publisher's Weekly. In the article, Brian explains why he wanted to include Deaf characters and how he has spoken to Deaf individuals who appreciated the very visual nature of his previous, wonderful book The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Wonderstruck features entwining stories - one told in words, the other in pictures:

I started what became Wonderstruck while I was still working on Hugo. I had been thinking about Deaf culture after seeing this really, really good documentary, Through Deaf Eyes, which is about the history of Deaf culture. There was a line about how the deaf are a “people of the eye.” Most of the ways they communicate is visually. To me, that was the perfect reason to tell a story about a deaf person through illustrations. I had met deaf people who told me the thing they liked most about Hugo was the silence. Even when you’re reading words, you hear those words in your head but telling a story through pictures, there’s a feeling of silence about that and they really liked that.

Brian and the interviewer, Sue Corbett, also discuss the difficulty of "having to look for one’s culture outside of one’s biological family" that I think is really touching and interesting.

I'm really excited to read Wonderstruck now. Speaking of books with deaf characters, my friend Caris recently told me about Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz, in which the main character's little brother is deaf. I plan on picking this one up soon to take a look at how the character is handled - too bad I have to wait till September for Wonderstruck!

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-08-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

A group of mandrill monkeys at the Colchester Zoo in England have developed a sign of their own - the first report of monkeys creating their own gesture that means something in their culture. The gesture involves the monkey covering their eyes, and the article at Scientific American says the gesture communicates "do not disturb."
Over at Cochlear Kids, the mom of Gage and Brook reports that the "Caution Hearing Impaired Children" sign she had by the road, along with a stop sign, has been stolen. I don't understand why people do things like this.
Have you been following Eh? What? Huh?'s entries on the silly censoring of Breaking Bad captions? There is a video clip and pictures of the censoring of swearing on this show here (which is not censored in the audible dialogue).
I was happy to learn about a local teen, who lives in my state, hiking the Grand Canyon for the Hear the World Sound Academy. I wrote about Hear the World back in January and the trip is now coming up soon! Like me, Jacob Gonzales (16 years old, from Chandler, AZ) was diagnosed with his hearing loss when he was four years old. Go, Jacob!
For the video today - I had no idea Thai insurance commercials could be so heartbreaking! This one was shared by Yahoo! Accessibility. It features a deaf-mute father and his bullied daughter. And it's a gut wrencher. It is subtitled/captioned.

Bluetooth Hearing Aid Accessories: As Mainstream as iPods?

2011-08-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at work I met a man I really liked. He tried to take my Dr Pepper*, but I liked him anyway. He just needed a little direction to the nonfiction section. All in all, it was perfectly ordinary. Except for one thing - he had an Oticon Streamer around his neck.

If it weren't for the Streamer, I wouldn't have noticed he had a hearing loss. His hearing aids were practically invisible and, although he needed a few things repeated, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Seeing the Streamer made me smile, though. He was just wearing it around his neck - a bright white object that most people probably thought was a music player or maybe a cellphone.


Photo taken by me. Image shows the white Oticon Streamer next to a computer keyboard.

It struck me that with the trend towards smaller and less visible hearing devices, hearing loss is becoming even more of an invisible disability for people. There is a lot of marketing for "invisible" devices.

Just go to any of the websites of major manufacturers of hearing aids. Lyric Hearing trumpets that it is 100% invisible. The Esteem website starts off saying "invisible hearing." Oticon's website says, "Once upon a time there was nothing discreet about hearing aids but now subtle design is paramount in any hearing aid development." Siemens touts their Pure hearing aid, "designed for utmost discretion."

I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Advances in hearing technology benefit everybody who uses it and making hearing technology more discreet can help people be convinced to buy something they might otherwise put off. However, my personal challenge with small hearing aids has been that, since they don't correct everything, people get more irritated with having to repeat things than they would if they had a visual cue indicating I have a hearing loss.

I wonder what would happen if more people wore Streamers (or comparative devices) around their neck all the time. People would slowly realize what they are, plus users would get the convenience of having the Bluetooth device there with them all the time. I'm sure these types of devices will also become smaller as technology advances (except devices designed for seniors or those with low mobility).

I just think it would be cool if Streamer-type devices became as acceptable as listening to an iPod with your headphones, or having your cellphone in a holster on your belt. Since more and more people are being diagnosed with hearing loss as they age, I think these types of things will become more mainstream in the future, as technology-oriented generations age.

* He was joking. Probably. But he did say next time he has a Dr Pepper and he's in the library, I can have some.

Why I Read, and How It Helps Me Deal with Deafness

2011-07-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Image from Flickr user paulbence
Image is of a young woman reading outside in an urban area.

For as long as I can remember, I have read books. Before that, my mother says she was reading to me constantly. In fact, our reading together helped her identify my hearing loss at an early age while it was still mild - she noticed that I wanted to sit on one side of her while she read to me, the side with my "good" ear. I believe her early identification of my hearing loss combined with my vocabulary development and listening skills helped me immensely in my daily life as an adult.

Now, I still read, constantly. I always have a book with me or have something I can read on my cellphone (like Twitter updates). Not only do I think reading is fun, one of my favorite hobbies, but I think it helps me deal with the challenges that come from being deaf. How?

Reading Increases My Vocabulary
By reading, I learn new and interesting words, which help me when strange words come up in conversation. By building up my vocabulary I can anticipate what people might say, which definitely helps me listen.

Reading Relates to my Job
I am lucky in this case and work in a public library. By reading a wide variety of books I can anticipate names of authors and titles of books that people are going to ask for. It definitely helps to know commonly-requested authors' names, especially when they aren't common names. I can't read while at work, though, so it's a good thing I like it on my own.

Reading Gives Me an "Ear" for Dialogue
Not all authors can write dialogue expressively, but I have found that reading exposes me to a lot of "conversations" that I might not have, which helps me when I am in conversations of my own. Some quirky turns of phrase might confuse me at first, but if I have read them ahead of time they won't throw me off as much. This particularly helps if an author is really good at writing accents or phrases key to a certain dialect.

Reading Gives My Ears a Break
While I'm reading, I don't have to be listening to anything. It helps relax my ears and gives my brain a break. Listening can be wearying when it doesn't come effortlessly, so having a couple of hours (more or less, depending on my schedule) a day where I simply don't have to listen to anything really helps.

Reading Introduces Me to New Thoughts and Concepts
Reading a book can definitely open your eyes to things you never thought about. Something you might reject coming from a talking head on TV can sound more reasonable in a line of engaging dialogue in a book. I love the way books have the power to create new ideas and give us new perspectives. When I read about someone who has a particular challenge in a book, I can put myself in their shoes and see how they overcame the challenge. I just wish there were more deaf/hard of hearing characters in books.

Now I'm not necessarily saying reading would be the same for everyone or have the same results. Reading is a personal thing - some people read, some people don't and what people do read is as varied as personality traits! However, I am very grateful for the influence books have had on my life.

Deaf Bicyclist Creates Deaf Bike Signs

2011-07-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

Image from DeafBikeSigns.
Image is of a yellow patch saying "DEAF CYCLIST."

Lately I've been thinking more about getting a bike and exploring my new neighborhood. I loved biking as a kid and teenager - it seemed like a great way to explore larger distances than a walk, and I liked it. But my neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks and the thought has crossed my mind before - would I hear a car or another person behind me, or other sounds that might be important?

I was happy to see this article & interview with Portland bicyclist Carrie Brewer. She is a deaf bicyclist who created DeafBikeSigns, which are small, yellow patches that attach to bikes and say "DEAF" or "DEAF CYCLIST." They range from $6 to $8 and can be attached basically anywhere a patch can go. The site recommends that they be attached in an area easily visible, such as the back of a helmet, or behind the seat.

I think I might just pick one of these up after I buy my bicycle, and probably attach it behind the seat somewhere. According to Carrie in the article:

It was a solution to my own problem, a simple answer to the real problem. But then I know there are many other Deaf cyclists that face the same problems so I wanted to help them too, not just myself.

Super Easy, Crafty Storage for Hearing Accessories

2011-07-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this project over at the blog Charlotte's Fancy and immediately thought it would be an easy, fun way to create some storage for hearing accessories. It worked out really well! It would definitely be a fun project for kids too.

The project uses only the following:

An empty, clean Altoids tin
Felt with adhesive backing
Scissors
A pencil
Any adhesive decorations you like

Just trace out the shape of the Altoids tin on the back of the felt, cut it out, and apply. Then apply your decorations!

I decided I mainly want to use it for my battery storage. The packaging for my batteries usually end up all over the place in my purse, and I really needed an easier way to keep track of them.

That's 4 packs of batteries and they fit perfectly in the Altoids tin. I think it will work out perfectly. I'm thinking of adding another piece of felt to cover the "Altoids" imprint in the top.

I also tried out my hearing aids themselves to see how well they fit. I added another piece of felt to the bottom of the case so they wouldn't slide around on the tin.

It worked out great! I can easily use this to store my aids, for example, when I'm camping. It's not waterproof but I might use this to hold my aids at the pool too. As well as for storing multiple other non-hearing-aid related items.

Hope you enjoyed!

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-07-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

At the blog The Echo Chamber, the blog author posted about their experiences with the Disney handheld device, which displays scripts for the attractions. It's worth a look so you know what to expect if you are planning a trip to Disney World/Land.
Apache ASL Trails Apartments, which I have been hearing about on and off for years, has now opened in Tempe, AZ. It is a senior apartment community for the Deaf and hard of hearing, with video phones, visual doorbells, and other amenities designed with hard of hearing seniors in mind. This community is just about half an hour away from me and I am really curious about it! Think they'd let me take a tour?
Did you know Captain Chesley Sullenburger, who famously landed his jet safely in the Hudson River, also volunteers training guide dog puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind? There's more information on him and his inspiring family here.
AbleGamers has confirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will feature support for colorblind users.
I love cows. For some fun this Wednesday, in the video below you can see how one clever cow manages to escape being penned up all night. No sound/subtitles/captions required.

Being Aware Of Others' Hearing Loss

2011-07-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

I've had two reminders in the past week that the problems I deal with are not necessarily mine alone... it was nice to be reminded, and I thought I would share the stories.

From Flickr user Dennis Collette
Image is of a flock of birds in a "V" formation.

The other day I was working and was approached by an older gentleman. He seemed to be having trouble with our automatic self-checkout machine. As he spoke, he turned to the machine and finished his sentence facing it, so that I completely missed the entirety of his question. I asked him to repeat himself and please face me. He laughed, apologized, and said, "That bothers me so much, too, and I'm always asking people to face me. Sorry about that."

The other moment was just today. A man needed change for his $5 bill. I got him five ones out of the drawer and handed them over. As I sat back down again, he mumbled something like "four." I only saw four bills in his hand, so I thought I had given him the wrong change. I got up, got him another one dollar bill, and tried to hand it back, only to see he had the fifth dollar bill in his own hand and was trying to give it to me. He was actually saying "four quarters" but the second word was so muffled I couldn't hear it. He said, "Sorry! I can only hear out of one ear and I always think people can hear what I say but most of the time only I can hear what I say."

Neither of these people wore hearing aids or had any visual indicator of their hearing difficulties. I have pretty good "hearing aid (or cochlear implant)" radar - if somebody is wearing a hearing aid, chances are I will notice it, mostly because it is relevant to me and I'm aware of them. However, it made me think about the fact that I usually don't think about whether the person I'm speaking to may have some difficulty and not have any indication of it. It really highlighted to me the need to try to be clear myself. It probably was an eye opener for the two men I spoke to as well, since they both realized I had trouble hearing them.

Over the course of my job I have met a few people who use ASL or other forms of signing. I always like to meet these folks and try to talk to them a bit. I don't know anyone else who signs, so it helps me a lot. One of these people was extremely brusque and rude, even mean, rolling his eyes constantly and acting as though I didn't know what I was doing. This was years ago but I always wonder how he would have reacted if he knew I was pretty much in the same boat, just with hearing aids. I don't know if it would have changed anything.

What do you readers think? Do you often notice when other people are having difficulty hearing or do you rely on your "hearing aid radar" like I do? To me, moments like those above are nice reminders I am not alone and a lot of people can sympathize and even find humor in sometimes difficult situations.

Seven Products for Protecting Your Hearing Devices from Moisture, Sweat and Water

2011-07-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

As summer wears on, around here it starts to get very humid and I sweat a lot more often than usual. It's Arizona's monsoon season right now, which brings humidity, dust, and rain to the Valley where I live - all major problems for hearing aids.

This year I am curious about hearing aid covers and protection. These little devices are not only expensive, they're very important, so I want to protect them. I looked around online and wanted to share some of the protective covers I have found in my research. I don't mean this list to be exhaustive, but hopefully it is helpful. I haven't decided yet which I will order, and I haven't tried any of the products below.

If anyone has any opinions or experiences with these products, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments! Click on the product's name below to go to their website.

Custom Molded Hearing Aid Protection
This is a new one, one I'd never heard of before I started searching. For $50 (for 5), this company has a vinyl cover which will be custom molded to your hearing aid. This allows for changing the battery and settings without removing the cover.

The Deflector
I don't know if this product has a website of its own. It is a plastic "awning" type of device that slides over a behind the ear hearing aid and has a universal size. It is $24.95 at the above site.

Ear Band-It
This is designed for protection while swimming. The band wraps around the head, covering the ears. It was designed for children with ear tubes. I don't know if (and kind of doubt) this would work for hearing aids, but it is often sold at audiologists' offices.

Ear Gear
Ear Gears are "boots" made for hearing aids made of nylon-spandex. The site says the spandex material protects hearing devices from dirt and moisture. There are several different sizes, even Ear Gear for cochlear implants, and also a wide variety of colors for the "boot." The prices start in the $25 range.

Hearing Aid Sweatbands
This product is made of fabric and is used to protect the hearing aid from sweat and moisture, such as while outside or exercising. The sweatbands can be reused, and can be laundered. They are $22.95 to a pack, also with a variety of colors.

Super Seals
Super Seals are latex covers made for hearing aids. They are designed to stay on the hearing aid at all times, but need to be removed to replace the battery or change settings. The rubber can cause allergic reactions, and require an installation tool. A starter kit is $27.50.

Water Bombs
Okay, this is more of a "hack" or "DIY" solution than anything, but I found this post on the Hearing Aid Forums very funny/creative. There are photos and discussion at the link. And it probably only costs a few cents.

Betty White "Gets It"

2011-07-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm reading Betty White's new book, If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't), right now. This particular passage made me smile.

Okay, so you get your glasses and everyone is extremely supportive. "Oh, those are very pretty." "Those glasses look great on you!" Et cetera, et cetera.

Somehow it's a different story when your hearing starts to go. People can even seem a little annoyed when you say "What?" too many times. They'll repeat themselves, but frequently without making it one jot clearer or louder. You find you need to see faces. If someone turns away while still talking, you realize how much lip-reading you'd been doing without realizing it.

I can remember accusing my dad of selective hearing - hearing only what he wanted to hear. Shame on me. That was before I learned how isolated one can feel when she misses a key remark and loses track of the conversation but is loath to admit it.

My father never enjoyed parties and avoided them whenever possible. He always said he couldn't hear anybody in a crowd. I always thought it was because he just didn't like parties. But now I understand. Cocktail-party small talk may not be much worth hearing, but it's tough when you can't hear it at all.

Sorry, Daddy, for this late apology - now I understand.

No More Contact Form (Housekeeping)

2011-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say I've decided to get rid of the Wufoo contact form previously on this blog. It seems that a lot of the times I replied to someone who got in touch through the form, I'd end up in their spam folder. Anyways, feel free to shoot me emails at the email address on my right hand sidebar over there (just put in the proper symbols when you send it).

Thanks!

Nominate Someone for Oticon's 14th Annual Focus on People Awards

2011-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Oticon's 14th annual Focus on People Awards are accepting nominations through July 27th for students, adults, advocates and hearing professionals to receive the award. Oticon is a hearing aid manufacturer with a long line of hearing devices like the Epoqs (my hearing aids), the Agil, and the Dual.

Their award is split up into 4 categories according to their website:

Student – for young people with hearing loss, ages 6 - 21 who are full-time students
Adults – for people with hearing loss, ages 21 and above
Hearing Care Practitioner – for hearing care professionals who are currently in practice
Advocacy – for adults with hearing loss, who are actively involved in support efforts for the hard-of-hearing and deaf community (full-time students in advocacy apply for Student category)

The prize for the Student, Adult, and Advocacy categories is $1,000, plus $1,000 donated to the charity of the winner's choice, and a set of Oticon hearing instruments. The Health Care Practitioner prize will get the $1,000 plus $1,000 donation.

To nominate a hearing professional, use this form.
To nominate an individual, use this form.

According to Oticon's website the judges are looking for:

Nominees with any degree of hearing loss from mild to moderate to more severe.
Achievements and contributions in any of a broad range of community, civic and social areas.
Ability to challenge outdated stereotypes of what it means to have a hearing loss.

Thanks to live. love. hear. for posting about this contest! I think I already have a few entries in mind!

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this article about Ann Clare LeZotte, a deaf librarian who works in Gainesville, Florida. She has written a book for deaf and hard of hearing children called Here Comes Julie Jack! and hopes to make it a series. I can tell you, just from reading the description of the book in the article, I would have loved it as a child.

Speaking of libraries - it's not deafness-related, but have you seen this article: 13 Things You Pay For That Your Library Has For Free? The library I work for has all of these and more. Check your local library out!

Researchers at the University of Southampton in the UK have received a grant to explore ways to make music more enjoyable for people with cochlear implants. According to the article, "Through a series of innovative music workshops, in conjunction with Southampton Community Music Project (SoCo), this project will explore aspects of music that can be appreciated by cochlear implant users through a variety of listening, computer-based and practical activities."

A funny story about an interesting subway ride from the blog Life is About Creating Yourself.

And your video for this Wednesday... Alabama's "Angels Among Us" (no subtitles, but here are the lyrics). I happened to be watching this video the other day and noticed the signing at one point:

The Invisible Gorilla Teaches Us About Human Illusions

2011-06-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

Cover of The Invisible Gorilla

I just finished the book The Invisible Gorilla by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons and wanted to recommend it to everyone reading this blog, especially those who blog themselves.

The Invisible Gorilla is a psychology book dealing with the way humans often miss or wrongly perceive the world around them. The book takes its title from a famous psychology test created by the authors, which you can view here. The video easily illustrates the way we can become focused on a task which causes us to miss important things - for example, driving, working, etc.

Not only that, but the book also focuses on other "illusions" that we fall prey to every day. My favorites are the illusions of "cause" and "potential." The illusion of potential causes us to feel we have mental potential that, if tapped into, will cause us to become smarter in various ways. And the illusion of cause can lead us to draw cause-and-effect relationships between situations that do not actually correlate with each other.

I think as a blogger and blog reader it is very important to be aware of these illusions, especially when writing about scientific breakthroughs. Newspaper headlines often jump to conclusions when the actual study does not. Particularly when it comes to issues of deafness, there are a lot of current scientific breakthroughs and they often get a lot of press. It's important to be able to read between the lines of a sensationalist news article and try to get at what the scientific study is actually saying.

As a person with a disability, I think it really helped me to learn about the illusion of attention. Something blindingly obvious like a gorilla wandering into the middle of a basketball game seems like it would be seen, but it is missed by 50% of people. So wearing my hair up to indicate my hearing aid may not be as obvious as it seems like it should be. People are not expecting to see a hearing aid so they may bypass it entirely. It's the same thing with other signs that a person is deaf, blind, or has physical difficulties. People do not expect it so they may miss it.

I really recommend this book. Hope you enjoy it!

Google Improves YouTube's Auto-Captions

2011-06-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

In November 2009 Google introduced auto-captions for videos on YouTube, but it's not always accurate, leading to frustrating (and sometimes funny) errors. This interesting article from Scientific American takes a look at how Google is working to improve the technology; Google says they've reduced 20% of errors in their latest update.

While Google is working hard and I love having the option for auto captions, I don't think auto captions should be used in place of regularly captioning your videos. Sometimes auto captioning can fail and fail spectacularly - if I were putting a video on YouTube I would not want to rely on auto captions to accurately transcribe what is said.

Here are the directions for adding captions/subtitles to a YouTube video. Universal Subtitles is also a great way to provide subtitles in all languages for videos that aren't captioned yet.

(!) Mark in Captions/Subtitles to Indicate Sarcasm?

2011-06-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

I've just finished watching the first new series of Doctor Who (the season with Eccleston as the Doctor) and noticed an odd pattern in the subtitles of the episodes. Whenever a character's line indicated sarcasm in the tone, the line ended with the symbols (!). It was confusing at first - I've never seen (!) at the end of a line of dialogue in captions before and it took a few viewings to realize it only showed up when characters were being sarcastic.

Photo from Flickr user Kaptain Kobold. Daleks are the best.
Image of Doctor Who figurines being menaced by a toy Dalek.

I only found a couple mentions of this on Google but I think it's really interesting. I guess it all comes down to the personal style of the person or company handling the captions/subtitles. Remember that story last year about the company that wanted to create a sarcasm mark, the SarcMark, which would cost money to use? It reminded me a bit of that.

Are there any other tone indicators used in subtitling or captioning? (!) is the only one I can think of.

Summertime, Sweat, and Water... Oh No!

2011-06-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

It's that time again... summer! Where I live we have just reached 110 degrees with no sign of relief in sight. All we can look forward to are the monsoons and eventual cooling off in a few... okay... many months.

Summer means outdoor activities, even if you define "outdoor activities" as "running from your air conditioned house to your car" (as I tend to do). And summer activities often mean sweat and water, a deadly combination for your hearing aids.

Moisture is a big problem for any electronic device. Last year I wrote about keeping your hearing aids nice and dry over the hot months, in this post. Seeing the post reminded me of the comments on it about Ear Gear.

summer by Rosh PR on Flickr
Image of a silhouetted man shaking off water.

They're essentially socks for your hearing aid that keep them protected. According to Scott, who commented on my post then, "The first weekend I had them I taught martial arts classes outside all day. I was in the tidewater area of Virginia and it was VERY hot and VERY humid. They held up well and I was able to hear my students without any real problems." I haven't tried them myself but it is tempting!

What do you do to keep your hearing devices in good functioning order over the summer?

Hearing Aid Storage at Night

2011-06-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Over at ohdeedoh they are discussing hearing aid storage at night with children. The questioner is asking about a safe, appealing way for a child to be able to take charge of storing their hearing aids at night.

There are a bunch of suggestions in the comments, including my own, which is my current solution to storing my own hearing aids - a Dry & Store. I keep my Dry & Store on my nightstand and put my hearing aids into it every night, as well as while I am in the shower, or whenever I need to set my hearing aids aside.

My Dry & Store, to the left

I think moisture and dryness is a real concern with hearing aids. Where I live in Arizona, humidity is not a major concern, but getting sweaty when the weather heats up is.

The only downside to the Dry & Store is the cost of the Dry-Briks that need to be replaced every 3 months or so to keep drying the aids properly. I'll admit, I usually forget to replace them on time.

If I was not using the Dry & Store or another moisture solution, I think I would probably use a simple decorative box like the ones sold at Hobby Lobby. I really like this type of box and they usually have lots of sizes for sale in different styles. Maybe I would add a soft lining to the box as well.

Some of the commenters have the neat idea to create a drying box using dessicant beads, which would allow someone to decorate their box however they like.

Where do you store your hearing aids or other devices?

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-06-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Many people have experienced the sensation of being totally lost in a book, a project, or something else, and missing what's going on around them. I personally do this all the time. Now scientists are looking into what causes the phenomenon, called "inattentional deafness." There's more info about the study this way.

Allergies can cause hearing loss? Yes, they can, and according to local hearing clinics, Boston is experiencing a large number of patients coming in with this problem. It's thought that excessively wet April and May months may be contributing towards worse allergies. Allergies can cause the middle ear to become inflamed and lead to hearing loss, which usually subsides as the symptoms are treated.

Cytomegalovirus infection in infants can cause birth defects including hearing loss. Scientists have developed a test using saliva to identify the tricky infection, which can be very difficult to diagnose and can be easily passed on from mother to baby in the womb.

Wireless technology has become a major part of our lives with cellphones and computers connected wirelessly, but what if you could easily charge your devices without cords or cables? What if you could charge larger devices, too, like your microwave? Metamaterials could have the answer, according to 80beats. Metamaterials are definitely something out of science fiction - they have properties not found in nature. Everything is purely theoretical at the moment, but think about keeping your hearing aids fully charged without batteries or a charging station... very cool.

And your YouTube video for this week, no sound required. I feel for this dog some days:

My Thoughts on Switched at Birth, Premiere Episode

2011-06-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

(Some very slight spoilers for the premiere episode of Switched at Birth follow. Other posts I write on the show will probably contain more spoilers than below, but I'll make sure to mark them.)

View Switched at Birth with captions on Hulu here.

I watched Switched at Birth last night with my husband. The show's premise is that two teenage girls were switched in the hospital, leading them to grow up with different families. One girl is a typical rebellious teenager, attending a prestigious private school, while the other is deaf, attending a school for deaf children.

The first episode was pretty enjoyable for me, providing its share of humor and a bit of drama. There are lots of nice lines - I tweeted the line "It's just her ears that don't work, not her brain" shortly after hearing it. I don't think that is a point that can be repeated enough.

There are definitely some characters who are more likeable than others. Some of the characters are definitely out of touch and a little clueless. My favorite characters so far are Daphne and her family (the family she grew up with, that is). Daphne is a funny, often random character who seems like somebody I would like to know. My husband surprised me by his vehement dislike for certain characters (Daphne's biological father for one).

I did think the show touched upon a lot of deaf issues all at once in the first episode, which might confuse some people, and turn others off. I mean, we got everything from sign language interpretation, to cochlear implants, to mainstreaming deaf children. I would like to see more attention paid over the course of several episodes to these topics instead of addressing them once or twice and then dropping them - but I am really glad they were touched upon.

I liked the way sign language was used and filmed for the show and I thought the show did a nice job of exploring the various languages the characters use (English, Spanish, and ASL). Daphne and her mother explained ASL and how she uses it in everyday life very well.

All in all this is definitely a show I will keep watching. I would like to see more of Daphne's personal reaction to the switch versus Bay's, and how each character grows. Hopefully the more annoying characters will grow and change over the course of this show and we will see a lot of interesting storylines.

Don't Forget: Switched at Birth Premiers Tonight on ABC Family

2011-06-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight, June 6th, is the premier of the interesting-looking show Switched at Birth. The show follows two teenage girls who were switched at birth; one of the girls is deaf. The cast of the show features several deaf/hard of hearing actors such as Katie Leclerc and Sean Berdy with appearances by Marlee Matlin.

Will you be tuning in to the show? Here's the website with more information.

Does Deafness Give You Better Sight?

2011-06-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Oh, you wear hearing aids! That must mean you can see very well!"

From Flickr user John 'K'
Image of a young child, eyes, nose and ear visible.

For me, that isn't true. Not only do I wear glasses and see little but fuzz when I have them out, I get really disoriented in the dark. I'm visually oriented, sure - I like bright colors and movement and illustrations - but I don't think I'm any better at seeing than anybody else in particular.

However, a new study has shown that some deaf people, who were born deaf or became deafened early in life, actually do have better - or at least different - vision than other people. People who have this advantage have more of a focus on their vision towards the sides, while people with typical vision focus mostly on what is in front of them. Scientists discovered this by scanning the retinas of deaf people, and noticed a difference in the neurones on their retinas.

The study says that "a lifetime of sensory deprivation" can cause the physical parts of the body to reorganize themselves, to better cope. In addition to better side-vision, the study also mentions that deaf individuals communicating in American Sign Language show activation in the auditory cortex - not where you would expect activation to a visual stimulus.

I think this is all pretty cool. What do you think? Do you think you have better - or unique - vision compared to your hearing peers?

(via io9)

What Relaxes You From the Strain of Listening?

2011-06-02T11:58:00.001-07:00

I promise, I'm still here. I've just had a bit of a hectic week with my housewarming party this past weekend, but I hope to be back to regular blogging soon.

While I thoroughly enjoyed my housewarming party, and loved seeing everyone, giving tours and talking to people I don't see very often, I'll admit it was a bit draining on me. Being an introvert combined with working to hear everyone left me pretty drained after the party.

I am curious, what do you do to relax or bounce back from having to concentrate on hearing people speak? For example, going out to a restaurant, conference or other gathering. It feels like I always long for a reset button in my mind.

Up until recently I almost never removed my hearing aids during the day. They were always in unless I was sleeping, taking a shower, or swimming. Since getting my new aids, which amplify sounds a bit more for me, I am more likely to turn off my aids or take them out. I am also more likely to dig out my Streamer, which lets me listen to music without having a lot of background noise, and can sometimes relax me.

Other things that relax me in general include writing, spending time with my animals, and watching totally mindless television (with the captions on, of course, so I have to make zero effort). What helps to relax you?

The Relay ID Pack from Sprint Provides Accessible Apps

2011-05-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Back in September I wrote about the top 8 Android apps I consider best for the deaf and hard of hearing. Of course, by now that list might have changed - in the world of cellphone applications, there is always something new, different, and changed.

Sprint has become the first cellphone provider to provide a collection of apps, called the Relay ID Pack, intended especially for their deaf and hard of hearing customers.

Sprint's ID packs are basically bundles of apps targeted around something specific. Other ID packs from Sprint are Disney, Green, and Entertainment, for example. The nice thing about Sprint's ID packs is that they require just one single download - you don't have to find each app and download it separately.

Photo from Flickr by Mike Saechang
Image of balloons with Sprint and HTC EVO 4G logo

What's It Compatible With?

LG Optimus S
Samsung Epic 4G
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Samsung Transform
Sanyo Zio

What Does it Contain?

AIM Instant Messenger, which allows access to telephone relay services
Calendar Notifier for visual reminders of upcoming events
Captionfish.com to look for captioned movies in the area
GMail Notifier for notifications of emails through GMail
Google Voice for transcriptions of voicemails
Handcent SMS for notifications of texts
Sprint Mobile Video Relay Services for sign language relay
TuneWiki for song lyrics
VideoPlayer

All of these apps look pretty good and I think they're useful - especially Google Voice (one of my favorite apps) and Captionfish.

However, apps can definitely clutter up a smartphone. I know I always have to go through and see what apps I'm actually using. Some of the apps listed above just might not be useful enough on their own, so I would probably download each interesting item separately myself.

I like how Sprint has done the legwork in this case and bundled together useful apps people may not know about - and some of these apps are probably difficult to find if you're just browsing. It's really great to see a large company considering the needs of the deaf community.

(via Android Guys)

Bluetooth In Place of Standard FM Systems?

2011-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

My Oticon kit, including Streamer (& old cellphone)

I've heard of FM transmitters before - awesome devices for meeting rooms, movie theaters, lecture halls and other spaces that allow people with hearing aids to listen more easily - but today I learned about Bluetooth transmitters. Bluetooth transmitters are a fraction of the price of an FM system, are manufactured by prominent brands like Sony, and are easy to set up. Al.com has a case study of the Harbert Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Ivey Jackson, an 80-year-old wearer of Bluetooth-equipped hearing aids, pushed for Harbert Center to install a Bluetooth transmitter.

Jackson has Oticon aids and uses the Streamer accessory to pair with the Bluetooth transmitter and his hearing aids. He can sit anywhere in Harbert Center's main meeting room to have the audio from the microphone broadcast to his ears. And, of course, with his Streamer he can use a multitude of other devices. The article touches upon the aging Baby Boomer market, a segment of the population who have been exposed to astounding technological leaps and bounds throughout their lifetime and expect the best tech no matter what they need it for. In this case this older generation is paving the way for younger people to be able to take advantage of accessibility options like this.

I can see one downside with a Bluetooth transmitter used as a replacement for FM systems. Not everyone has a Bluetooth-equipped hearing aid, so using one tech in place of the other can shut out some people. In that case I think the people in charge of a meeting area would do well to survey the population of attendees they receive and see what accommodations they would like, before spending money on something no one can use.

This article gave me the idea to look into a Bluetooth transmitter for use at home. I think it would be a cool addition to our home audio setup (which I'll admit is pretty much nonexistent at the moment). It would be pretty neat to be able to stream sound directly to my aids from our music collection or the TV. For those with Oticon hearing aids like me, Oticon also has a ConnectLine line of products that interact with the television and landline phones.

Six Predictions on the Future of Hearing Aids

2011-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hearing aids are becoming very science-fictiony devices, like something you might see on Star Trek. Many new models have Bluetooth capability, as I wrote about in a January guest post here. Below are some predictions I have for hearing aids as we continue into the 21st century.

Hearing Aids Will Be Embraced By Younger Generations
Possibly out of necessity, and possibly due to lowering stigma about hearing aids, I think more and more younger people will be willing to wear hearing aids. Since hearing aids are no longer obvious to wear or clunky to use, it will become a non-issue for younger people. Some hearing aids could even come to be seen as cool - fashion accessories that could be blinged out, with graceful designs and trendy colors, that have cool tech to back them up.

Image from Flickr user BitBoy
Image of a neon sign displaying the words "Hearing Aids"

(Hearing Health Will Be, Too!)
At the same time that hearing aids are becoming more popular, I think hearing health messages will be easier to get across. Initiatives like Phonak's Hear the World, using celebrities, and Marlee Matlin's recent work with Starkey for Celebrity Apprentice, will make the public more aware of hearing loss and health.

Hearing Aids Will Be Even More Integrated with Daily Tech
While many hearing aids today have Bluetooth technology, it often requires the purchase of a secondary device, and has to be paired by an audiologist. I think that hearing aid technology will increase to the point that they will one day be able to interface directly with the other device.

Hearing Aids May Become Daily Tech
Not only may they soon be able to integrate directly with devices, hearing aids may soon actually become those devices. Imagine going to an audiologist, buying a pair of hearing aids and then stopping off at a cellphone provider to add a voice plan. Add a simple keyboard and screen device for texting or video calls and you have a fully integrated system.

Cellphone Apps Will Become More Advanced
There are already apps out there to test your hearing, add captions to what you're watching and other cool options. I can easily see a company releasing an app as a "remote control" for their hearing aids. There are a lot of cool apps still to be developed, but I think the neatest ones work with augmented reality tools to enhance daily life, which for users of hearing aids, would be really easy to do.

Hearing Aids Will Be Covered Under More Insurance Plans
At least for children, I think we will soon see more coverage for hearing aids under insurance plans. Massachusetts currently has a bill in the works for hearing aid coverage and I predict more states to follow.

What do you think? What's coming up in hearing aid tech?

Phone Failure

2011-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

I had to use the phone yesterday.

I hate the phone. I can use it at work just fine... answering it, helping people, hearing what they are saying. But at home, my anxiety levels about the phone skyrocket. I worry I won't be able to hear, that the other person will talk too quickly, or that I'll answer a question bizarrely because I misheard it.

I had to call my doctor yesterday to make an appointment to get a prescription refill. They require appointments for all refills, and they only do same-day appointments, so I had to call yesterday at 7:30 in the morning to get an appointment. On their appointment line, they don't have an answering service set up. It's either a busy signal, which means you have to hang up and try again, or it will ring and ring and ring until someone picks up. It took me 30 minutes of trying before someone answered the phone. My heart sank as I heard what they were saying... "Dfsjieh, werwer, orld." Just gobbledegook, delivered quickly, and mumbled. I had to ask them to repeat themselves 3 times before I realized they were just trying to put me on hold.

Once I was on hold, I kept hearing things in the background. It wasn't hold music, but I couldn't figure out what it was. It could have been someone trying to answer the phone, I don't know, or maybe I wasn't actually put on hold but the phone was set down. I finally gave up and asked my husband to call.

It was very frustrating. It makes me feel like a failure.

From Flickr user Diederick F.M. Cools
Image of a telephone plugged into the wall.

There are a lot of things I have accomplished. I have a good life and I am blessed to rarely feel disadvantaged or put upon because of my hearing loss.

And yet one thing I still have difficulty with knocks me down every time.

I try to reassure myself before I make a call that it will go just fine. I will be able to hear them, I will sound professional, we will communicate effectively and I will accomplish what I need. Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't work that way... and it bugs me.

I used to use relay services pretty often for phone calls. Unfortunately a lot of businesses just don't educate the people answering the phone with how to deal with relay calls. I was always getting hung up on, not getting answers, or unable to get through to people. When it works, it's awesome... and I think I may need to go back to using it for my doctor.

One thing I try to take away from "failed" phone calls is what NOT to do when on the phone. Since answering the phones takes up about 20-30% of my job, I have to know how to communicate effectively on the phone. By listening to other people failing at communicating I can be better. I have a pretty good "phone voice," and I work hard not to mumble or speak too quickly. If someone needs something repeated, I try to slow myself down and speak more clearly, not more loudly, since yelling just serves to obfuscate a voice over the phone even more. And sometimes I fail at that, too. Sometimes people insist I am speaking too quickly or not loud enough. When that happens, I feel bad (unless they are rude). I can definitely put myself in their shoes. I know how it feels.

All we can do is try... try to make ourselves clear, and keep trying even when failures happen. I will call the doctor again, next time I need an appointment. No sense letting it stop me.

How Insurance and Cheaper Hearing Aids Influence People's Decisions

2011-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

What does it take to make someone choose to wear hearing aids? Of course the answer is different for everyone and there are many varying reasons someone may or may not wear hearing aids, but one thing I always thought was that cost was an issue. After all, if hearing aids were cheaper, more people could afford them, and would wear them, right?

From Flickr user AMagill
Image of a roll of 100 -dollar bills held together with a rubber band.

Apparently not - a study covered by Medical News Today seems to show that if someone does not have insurance for hearing aids or only has partial coverage, lowering the cost of the aids, even by 40%, will not make them more likely to buy hearing aids at a younger age or without severe loss. Only full coverage of the price of hearing aids makes younger or "less deaf" people buy hearing aids sooner.

The study was done by Henry Ford Hospital. They split a group of 1,200 patients into three categories based on how much insurance coverage they had for hearing aids (full coverage, partial coverage, and no coverage). The following results are quoted from the article linked above:

The study shows that patients who had full coverage for hearing aids obtained them about seven years earlier and with better hearing than the other two groups. But there was no difference in age or hearing loss between people who paid for the full cost of hearing aids or purchased hearing aids at a substantially reduced cost.

The more patients had to pay out of pocket (partial and private pay groups) the more likely they were to upgrade to a more advanced device. Patients with full coverage were the least likely to upgrade, and only purchased what was fully covered by insurance.

According to the study, the only situation in which patients are motivated to get hearing aids earlier is when they are provided at no cost.

This is really interesting to me. It seems to say people with full coverage may get hearing aids sooner but be more likely to settle for a lower quality brand if that's what insurance will cover. At the same time, people who have to pay out of pocket will save their money until they feel the aids are necessary and spend more for a higher quality device.

Personally I think I would be the same way. I like having better quality hearing instruments so I would probably pay extra for nicer aids. Of course - it would help a lot if only insurance would cover even some of it! (No health insurance I've ever had would cover any hearing aids at all.) And I really think insurance absolutely should cover hearing aids. What do you think?

ABC's New Drama Switched at Birth Includes Deaf Characters

2011-05-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

If you're like me and you are completely addicted to Whose Line Is It Anyway?, making it a point to watch it in reruns every evening on ABC Family*, you've probably seen the seemingly endless promotions for a new show, Switched at Birth. The show stars Katie Leclerc, who is deaf, and Vanessa Marano as teenagers who discover they were switched at birth in the hospital. It premiers in June.

Somehow while watching the promotions I managed to miss that one of the girls (Katie's character) is deaf, and Marlee Matlin will be guest-starring. I'll make it a point to watch the show, whereas I probably would have skipped it before. I'm curious now. There's more information about the show here.

What do you think about this upcoming drama?

* I know - you're probably not like me. But really, Whose Line? is an amazing show.

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-05-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

It can be tricky sometimes to enjoy television without turning it up too high. Volume control on televisions can be tricky and don't always make what you want to hear more clear. The blog Unplggd shares some tips for how to maximize dialogue clarity while keeping the television at a manageable volume level.
Teaching a child to speak and listen can be a daunting task. Cochlear Implant Online shares ten tips for parents, educators and other adults. I really like the idea of replacing typical words you often say with interesting synonyms: you didn't just have a "good" day, you had an amazing day, a fun day, a splendiferous day!
The human brain is amazing. An MIT study shared here at Medical News Today explores the ability of the human brain to remap itself to perform functions in areas not previously "mapped" for it.
Knowing two languages may just help you cope with dementia. According to psychologist Ellen Bialystock, quoted in this 80beats blog post, "Being bilingual has certain cognitive benefits and boosts the performance of the brain, especially one of the most important areas known as the executive control system. We know that this system deteriorates with age but we have found that at every stage of life it functions better in bilinguals. They perform at a higher level. It won’t stop them getting Alzheimer’s disease, but they can cope with the disease for longer."
And finally, your Wednesday video. This ad for Sapporo beer is more like a piece of art. No dialogue; just music.

May is Better Speech and Hearing Month - Take the Million Ear Challenge!

2011-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

I stopped by my audiologist yesterday and got my right hearing aid, which had been acting up, all fixed up. It wasn't just moisture but also a part that needed to be replaced - didn't take too long and now I feel like I'm hearing correctly again!

Have you heard of the Million Ear Challenge? It's an initiative working to tell one million people about hearing loss through social media. You can use Facebook to tell your story, share your favorite sound, and share tips and advice. If they reach their goal, they'll unlock $150,000 for people with hearing loss who are in need of help. You can also read what other people have posted - very interesting reading!

Here's a PDF calendar with events throughout the month of May, which is Better Speech and Hearing Month.

Unilateral Hearing Loss

2011-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

My right hearing aid is acting up today. It will start up normally, but if it moves around in my ear at all, or if I try to adjust it, it turns off. I think it may be just moisture in the aid - the temperature has definitely been rising around here and I've been outside (and sweating) more often. My aids go in a Dry 'n Store every night, but I will be going to the audiologist to see if they can dry it out and clean it more fully. They always do a good job. Hopefully, that's the only issue.

So, right now, I'm not wearing my right hearing aid - it going on and off was more annoying than just taking it out. My right ear is my "bad" ear (see my audiogram here), and I can definitely feel a difference with it out but my left aid still on. Everything feels sort of off-balance and strange.

I was curious how many people deal with one good ear and one deaf ear every day, what is known as unilateral hearing loss (hearing loss in both ears is bilateral - makes sense) or single sided deafness. ASHA estimates that 391,000 elementary-school aged students in the US have unilateral hearing loss, but I can't find the statistic on people in general, or adults. I think a lot of people tend to assume that if someone has a hearing loss it would be in both ears. Anybody have a better/more useful statistic about unilateral hearing loss, or any stories they want to share?

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Twitter as an accessibility tool? That's what Catharine McNally discusses in this interesting article from Keen Guides. If the event you're at doesn't have sufficient captioning or interpreting services, you may be able to turn to Twitter, to see live updated feeds and information about the event. Catharine likens it to turning to a friend in a crowded cafeteria for the scoop on what's being discussed. Twitter can't and shouldn't replace other accessibility options at live events, but it can definitely help.

Did you know Helen Keller has her own page on Facebook? Become a fan here. I wonder how Helen would have used social media such as this if it was around during her lifetime.

Charlie Chaplin was not only one of the early founders of Hollywood and a famous actor, he also embraced the Deaf community and American Sign Language. Read more about him and his friendship with deaf actor Granville Redmond here.

You may see "web developer" and think of someone who knows programming or does web design for a living. But remember, when you're blogging, you also have to consider the same things that web developers consider. These top 10 accessibility mistakes on the web may help you make your blog or website more accessible.

Your funny video for Wednesday: reverse psychology is universal, as demonstrated in this great (subtitled/translated) video.

6 Ways My Parents Helped Me with my Hearing Loss Growing Up

2011-04-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

My post Believe in Yourself has me thinking about growing up with hearing loss and how best to support and nurture a child with challenges. I count myself very lucky to have grown up with amazing parents who supported me in everything I did. For today's blog post I wanted to recognize some of the things they did during my childhood (and continue to do now that I'm an adult) which were very beneficial to me.

Image of the blog author as a child, being handed from her father to her mother.

1. Read to me
I think being read to as a child and having regular exposure to books in the home is incredibly important. I work at a library, so I'm a little biased, but I can see the difference in children as they become stronger readers. Reading exposes children to new ideas and concepts, interesting colors and shapes, numbers, and the written word as a method of communicating.

Reading is actually one of the ways my mother realized I was having problems with my hearing. I always wanted to sit on her right side so that my left ear was angled towards her while she read to me. I would lose comprehension - and interest - seated on her other side. From an early age we were always reading together and books are now something I treasure, an escape for me.

2. Talked to me
If I have a baby or even a pet in my hands, I am always talking to it. My mom laughs and says I got that from her. It's true. I remember as a child both of my parents walking me through things, talking to me, engaging me in conversation. I had a lot of language to absorb at a point when my hearing was best and I think it helped.

3. Repeated themselves
I've seen parents get frustrated or angry when their children aren't getting it. They say their kids aren't listening or aren't paying attention. I'm sure my parents got frustrated too, but I don't have any memories of them refusing to repeat something for me. And my brother never lets me get away with acting as though I heard something. He can catch me out on my acting any day and always teases me for it.

4. Respected me as an individual
My parents never went with what experts said without thinking of me as my own person. Through their choices I was mainstreamed in a regular public school and did not take any special education or speech classes. They let me choose my own hearing aid mold colors and asked my opinion about things. When I was ready for middle school they explored options like a school for the deaf further in the city but ultimately decided that mainstreaming was best, especially since the school was not fully accredited at that time. I always got the sense that they were doing what seemed best for me and not a cardboard cutout or stereotype of a "deaf child." If ASL, therapy or another option was best for me, I have no doubt they would have pursued it.

5. Supported me fully
I never heard any of those stereotypes about deaf children while I was growing up. In fact, no one acted as though I had less to aspire to or expect. I'm sure they worried about me, but my parents have always been my biggest supporters. They knew what I could accomplish and they never expected anything less from me.

6. Advocated for me
At times in school or other activities I had trouble because of my hearing loss. I couldn't hear announcements between classes in high school, and I didn't feel comfortable advocating for myself with substitute teachers or when teachers would show movies in class. My parents helped greatly with that. They were always there to help, along with my grandmother, who taught at the high school I attended. They were able to have my tuition to learn ASL at the local community college in place of one of the standard foreign languages paid for by my high school and a lot of other assistance. They helped me become my own advocate.

Thanks, Mom and Dad.

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Scientists in China have discovered a mammal with a transitional middle ear. The middle ear is found in the fossil Liaoconodon hui, and has been sought for over 150 years since scientists first noticed odd grooves in the jaw that seemed to pave the way for the development of the middle ear. According to an author of the paper, "Now we have cartilage with ear bones attached, the first clear paleontological evidence showing relationships between the lower jaw and middle ear."

Humans can usually separate multiple overlapping sounds, such as separating the background noise of a cocktail party from the voice of the person you actually want to listen to. But how can you program a computer to do the same thing? This interesting article from Scientific American discusses the problem.

I love it when college professors and teachers try to make things easier on their students. Professor Horacio Ferriz of California State is doing just that. To assist a deaf student in his class, he records his lectures and has a student caption them, and came up with a very interesting for a solution a blind student faced. Read the article to find out more.

And finally, here is some comic relief for your Wednesday: Pokke the adorable Japanese cat.

For a Smile on Monday

2011-04-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Uh oh... this is one school I would never want to attend.

(via failblog)

Believe In Yourself

2011-04-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is a story about Jillian Szenderski, a pre-kindergarten student who has been implanted with cochlear implants. It's a success story about the child who now has intelligible speech and will go on to "regular" kindergarten next year.

However, buried in the article is a quote from speech pathologist Sarah Wilson.

“Unfortunately, people who have hearing aides only, really can only get to a fourth grade reading level. [...] "You can't get very far in school with that reading level. Research has shown people with implants can go in regular classes, graduate from high school, go to college. So, the impact on education is humongous."

And this quote makes me very sad.

I have worn hearing aids since I was four years old. I never took special courses and I was "mainstreamed" all throughout school. Not once, from any teacher, my parents or any school administrator, did anyone say I would only get to a fourth grade reading level. I never heard anyone say I would not do well in school, graduate high school, or go to college. I find it very sad and frustrating that a speech pathologist, someone who presumably has contact with children, might be saying things like this, to parents, teachers or children.

School desks by DQmountaingirl on Flickr

Deafness is absolutely no reason to stop anyone from graduating high school, attending college if they wish and landing a good job. Whether a deaf person signs, speaks, has a hearing aid or uses a cochlear implant (or any combination of those), there is no reason they should face a lack of education. Deafness does not correlate with mental difficulties and it doesn't stop anyone from learning, and a cochlear implant does not magically grant intelligence or an easy path to college.

Of course, needless to say, I wear hearing aids and have done everything Sarah Wilson says I can't. I read hundreds of books a year at well beyond a fourth-grade reading level. I graduated high school. I attend college and I have a fulltime job at a place where I'm expected to know things.

Thanks to everyone who made me able to fulfill my dreams by never breathing a word about ugly stereotypes and always supporting me.

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Alexia Sloane, 10 years old, has become the youngest translator to work at the European Parliament in Brussels. Alexia knows English, French, Spanish, Mandarin and Braille; she is also blind.

Jamie Berke shares interesting information about military service in the Civil War by deaf people. Check out William Martin Chamberlain's story!

the cuteness of curiosity shares some very valuable tips and information for people communicating with the deaf and hard of hearing.

This just makes me sad: a Consumerist story recounts how a Chase representative thinks deaf/hard of hearing people can't have ~~library~~ credit cards (thanks for the correction, (e!): "The customer service agent suggested that the hearing impaired "probably can't" have a card. I informed him that this is probably very illegal, and that it'd be news to American Express, the Charles Schwab Visa people, PNC Bank, and the various other companies that my father has credit with currently. He still seemed to think that Chase probably wouldn't be able to offer him a card."

Have a relaxing Wednesday!

Signing Time Videos Reach their 10th Anniversary

2011-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Signing Time videos are incredibly popular at the library I work for, and I find it hard to believe they've only been around for 10 years. In fact, Signing Time is celebrating their 10th anniversary, and they have some giveaways on their site.

I'd never known the backstory behind the Signing Time videos before reading the story on their site:

In December of 1996, Rachel Coleman and her husband Aaron welcomed their first daughter Leah into the world. At the time, Rachel was writing music and performing with her folk rock band. They would take young Leah to band practices and concerts and were amazed that she was able to sleep in spite of the loud music. When she was fourteen months old, they discovered why: Leah was profoundly deaf.

To say the least, their world turned upside down. Rachel's priorities instantly changed: she put down her guitar and picked up sign language. She and her husband immediately started teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to Leah as fast as they could learn it.

I'm curious - does anyone who has experience with the Signing Time videos know if they are teaching ASL or modified "baby signs"? Or is it a mix? Most people I know, mostly from work, seem interested in teaching their babies "baby sign," but don't really continue American Sign Language as a second language as their children grow up.

What do you think of Signing Time?

(via GeekMom)

A Theater Offering Open Captioning

2011-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Theatre Marquee from tncountryfan on Flickr

I very rarely go to see plays, and one of the reasons has always been a lack of captions. So I was excited to read about the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, working with other organizations in New Jersey, offering several performances of its shows this season with open captions; see the article here.

Granted, New Jersey is a bit far away from me, but I'm happy to see this happening. As the General Manager, Tom Muza, points out, "Over the four seasons that McCarter has been doing Open Captioning, we have learned that the program benefits a wide segment of our audience, not just the ones who know they are hard of hearing [...] I have heard from patrons many times: I did not understand that accent, so it helped to see the text, or I missed that line of dialogue, but got the meaning of the scene because I could see the text on the screen out the corner of my eye."

There will be six open captioned performances this season including "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "A Christmas Carol."

What is WRONG With These Pictures? A New Awareness Campaign

2011-04-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

A new disability awareness campaign, "what is WRONG with these pictures?" has launched this week, designed to create more awareness of the 60 million people in the United States living with some form of disability. The site contains an image gallery of photos with something "wrong" in terms of accessibility, as well as a 10-question game where you can test your knowledge of accessibility requirements.

An example of a photo from the gallery (what about other service animals?)

How well did you do on the quiz? I got 8 out of 10 correct. I missed the one with the sink and the photo of the woman opening the door.

(via Disability Scoop)

Around the Web Wednesday

2011-04-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

I used to dread having my haircut until I started going to my husband's aunt and could have my hair cut by someone who really understands. I always hated taking my hearing aids out and worrying I'd miss something or not be able to explain myself fully. Ian Noon explores the topic on Campaigning for deaf children.

Scientists at Washington University are exploring why some brains are vulnerable to tinnitus, and hopefully what they discover will be useful especially for soldiers returning from battle.

Is there a type of room you dread having to have conversations in? There are certain things in a room's design or decor that can lead to difficulty hearing there, as discussed on the blog Eh? What? Huh? last week.

An update on Joey McIntyre's son Rhys, who has a severe hearing loss: "Right now Rhys is doing great with regular hearing aids. The tests that they have for children his age tell us that he is on par (and in some cases ahead) with kids with normal hearing."

As a followup to Google's Gmail April Fool's joke (which I posted about here), it's gone legit: a (sadly uncaptioned) video from ICT MxR Labs demonstrates how it could work with Microsoft Kinect. As one person suggested in the comments, why not integrate already existing signs?

And finally, something just for geeky fun. Watch a samurai performance, swords against shadows:

Maybe One Day, We Can Sign Our Emails

2011-04-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Gmail Motion? It's a new product from Google that allows you to use gestures to navigate your email inbox. The video below is captioned - check it out! Maybe they'll even incorporate some sign language into the product eventually!

Read more about it on Google's page.

However, before you get too excited, make sure you check what today's date is! :)

ASL at the Arizona Renaissance Festival

2011-03-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I had the chance to go to the Arizona Renaissance Festival with some family members. I always try to go once a year because the show is really well put-together, and very professional. It feels more like an amusement park than a bunch of people running around in old clothes, and the shops are really great to browse in.

The joust at the Renaissance Festival (photo by me)

I was surprised this year to have lots of encounters with signing at the shows. The Renaissance Festival is set up so that you can attend whatever shows you like or even just spend the day shopping. I always try to see at least a few shows, mostly the funny ones.

At the first show, which was Ded Bob, there was a person interpreting in ASL for another audience member. Ded Bob, who likes to heckle audience members during his (hilarious) show, picked up on it and started rattling off silly words for the interpreter to sign, which she did, while laughing. It was a pretty funny experience especially since the interpreter didn't even hesitate and continued signing while she was being teased.

At the next show, a music show, the performers ended their routine with two women interpreting "Amazing Grace" while they played the bagpipes and drums. I was disappointed, however, to see that the women didn't actually interpret the song. They just signed the exact wording of the song with ASL signs in English order and zero facial expressions or very much movement at all. I'm sure it looked pretty, but it was way off.

And finally, in the last show I saw, which was pirate-themed, the performers made up a sign for "pirate" ("R" held up to the forehead), explained the difference between signing "R" (arrr!) and "X" (marks the spot), and also demonstrated the sign for "defecation" for the kids in the audience, which was very funny for them.

It was interesting to me to see three shows with elements of signing in them, all in a row. They didn't all get it right but it was still an added entertainment for the day.

Helen Keller's "Touch Watch"

2011-03-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

I saw this article about Helen Keller's unique pocketwatch on Neatorama and wanted to share.

Helen received this "touch watch" when she was twelve, from John Hintz, the superintendent of the Volta Bureau. The Volta Bureau was constructed in the 19th century by Alexander Graham Bell as a place to house information about the deaf and hard of hearing. (You may know it as the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.)

According to the National Museum of American History, "This uncommon watch has a case studded around the edge with pins that correspond to the hours on the watch dial. A revolving hand stops at a point between the pins that corresponds to the hour and approximate minute. With the hand and pins as locators, it was possible to feel the approximate time in the dark or, in the case of a diplomat like Hitz, discreetly."

Very interesting! I'd love to play around with something like this.

Thoughts on Sounds

2011-03-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I decided to vaccuum after getting home from work. As I was finishing up and wrapping the cord up to the machine, I realized I could still hear a ringing in my ears. That's nothing new. My hearing aids have a problem with very loud sounds and entrainment, which leads to me often continuing to hear a sound at a similar frequency even after the sound itself is over. But the ringing just wouldn't go away. I frowned, left the room, and it stopped. After I put away the vaccuum cleaner, I came back to the room, and the ringing was happening again! I finally realized it must be an external sound and quickly located the battery backup hooked up to one of our computers, which was beeping insistently at me.

It usually takes me much longer than other people to figure out where a sound is coming from and what exactly it is. I think it was that same night that I jumped and had a scare when I heard a confusing cacophony of sounds - something like a wolf howling and drums, or something like that. I thought it was a "real" sound, i.e. something from outside or something breaking down. Nope. It was from the soundtrack of the video game that was on at the time. If my husband hadn't said so, it would have taken me forever to figure that out.

Since moving in to our new house I have had to make lots of adjustments to my expectations and the way I think about hearing. Our washer and dryer make noise when they finish a load - except I inevitably think the sound is coming from anywhere but the laundry room, and it takes me forever to figure it out. On the plus side, though, sound carries very well in the house. I would have never expected it, but I can hear the finishing beep even from our bedroom. It's been pretty easy to make out voices.

I know this type of thing comes really easily to hearing people. While I am wandering around at work trying to figure out what is making a certain sound, my coworkers have already identified it and where it is coming from. People I know can figure out if a sound is coming from the TV or if it's "real," and figure out what direction a sound is coming from.

I guess it's just one of those subtle things people (even me) rarely think about with deafness. It's easy to visualize large problems one might experience with hearing loss, like not being able to hear your child speak, but it's another to think about having trouble identifying sound sources and how it can sort of muddle things up.

What do you think?

Communicate Your 911 Accessibility Needs to the FCC

2011-03-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

As part of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, the FCC has created a committee to work on 911 accessibility issues. They've created a survey, accessible here, to find out how they can best make 911 accessible for everyone, including using text and video devices or the Internet.

I took the survey and it was very simple, taking me only about 10 minutes. You have until April 24 to complete the survey.

(via DeafTechNews)

Some College Students Underestimate Their Hearing Loss

2011-03-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

University of Florida researchers were recruiting college students for a study on music players and hearing loss, and, as part of their eligiblity tests, discovered that a quarter of students who reported normal hearing actually had some degree of hearing loss. The study involved 56 students, who first filled out a questionnaire and then took a typical hearing test. The article is here.

Photo from Flickr user Schlusselbien2007

Although the author of the article seems surprised, I wasn't very surprised to learn this. Besides the fact that people typically overestimate their abilities, there's the simple fact that hearing loss can be very difficult to detect either by the individual or people around them. According to the article, "researchers measured 15 decibels or more of hearing loss at one or more test frequencies, an amount that is not severe enough to require a hearing aid, but could disrupt learning" - so if students did know they were having trouble, they could have attributed it to a lot of other things besides hearing loss.

The article says the researchers plan to find a larger sample size to continue investigating a link between hearing loss and music players (the majority of the quarter of the students they found were male who listened to music players). I wouldn't be that surprised if they continue to find a similar number of college students with an undetected hearing loss.

Why is Voice Quality on Smartphones Lacking?

2011-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

There's no question that phones have evolved throughout the years, from old dial phones to brick cellphones and now smartphones. I personally use my LG Ally for dozens of different things beyond simply picking it up to call someone - texting, calculating, budgeting, entertainment, and more. With so many other features it seems that the interface and quality of the phone itself has fallen on the backburner.

This article from NPR addresses the issue. Such a dizzying array of features present themselves to today's smartphone buyer that a simple question like "How's the voice quality?" can be drowned out by the size of the SD card, the apps that come preloaded, and the number of megapixels on the camera.

Image from my Flickr stream

I don't call people much; I text, email or chat on Google Voice. However, voice quality is very important for me for those times when I do need to call, particularly since I don't have a landline to turn to. So far, I haven't had any complaints about my phone's voice quality. I've simply maxed out the volume and it's useable that way.

According to the NPR article, "Consumer Reports gave most smart phones 'fair' voice quality ratings in its latest reviews. [...] That's in stark contrast to the "excellent" ratings given to display, Web browsing and even battery life features on smart phones."

So what's to blame for the lack of good voice quality on smartphones when manufacturers pay careful attention to things such as battery life and screen resolution?

There seem to be a few factors, according to the article: less room in the device itself for a good speaker; texting and video phone use on the rise; and the fact that cellphones rely on carrier coverage beyond what's built into the device.

A J.D. Power and Associates report linked to in the article has some specifics on particular carriers and how they rank in geographic regions of the US. For example, Verizon Wireless is highest in my area, the Southwest, in terms of "fewer customer-reported problems with dropped calls, initial connections and interference, compared with the regional averages."

It's always wise to research not only the device but the carrier before committing to a phone or a contract. How much emphasis do you put on voice quality when shopping for a phone?

Turning Up Your Headphones May Lead to Difficulty Distinguishing Background Noises

2011-03-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

I'm back and finally getting settled into the house. We have furniture, food, and Internet - as well as a pile of boxes to unpack tucked away in the garage. For more on our house, feel free to check out my personal blog at Meginsanity. By the way, anyone have any recommendations for a visual smoke alarm?

From Flickr user Meredith_Farmer

Today I saw an interesting article over at Medical News Today concerning hearing loss and music players. It's not the same old story, though, concerning whether or not hearing is affected by listening to music through headphones. It has to do with the "vividness of sounds" - how easy it is to discriminate sounds, particularly in a loud setting, such as a restaurant.

A study in Japan took a look at two groups of young adults. One group was typical and the other group usually listened to music at full blast. They were asked to watch a movie and pick out a particular frequency from the background noise. Those who often listened to loud music were less able to do so than others. This kind of loss goes unrecognized in typical hearing tests and people may seem to have normal hearing while nonetheless being unable to distinguish background noise.

One of the doctors who worked on the study, Dr. Hidehiko Okamoto, says it makes more sense to use technology like noise cancellation rather than simply turn up the volume when you're in a noisy place and listening to music.

Another Weird Hearing Aid: The Ring Hear

2011-02-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure this hearing aid is intended more as art, to look pretty, than to serve any actual function as a hearing aid.

Take a look: it's a ring designed as an ear horn.

Industrial artist Gina Hsu came up with this concept and is selling them for $474. Crunch Gear has termed it "Gadg-Art": "You don’t actually expect to use it. Plus, at 340 Euros, you don’t want to scratch it or damage it."

What do you think of those old ear trumpets, so often associated with older people and olden times, getting the artsy treatment?

(via Neatorama)

The Geekiest Way to Lose Your Hearing

2011-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

(from the article)

Anatoli Petrovich Bugorski is said to be the only person to have ever stuck his head inside a particle accelerator, during an accident in 1978 in which he was trying to check on an equipment malfunction. He absorbed 1000 gray of radiation (5 gray is usually fatal), but he survived, though his face swelled up and his skin peeled off at the back and front of his head where a proton beam entered and exited.

Bugorski did experience some side effects, including paralyzation of the left side of his face and mental fatigue that didn't stop him from completing his PhD. One of the weirdest side effects he experienced was that the left half of his face is frozen in time. The right side of his face has aged normally and looks as you'd expect an old man to look, but the left side of his face still looks young.

However, I hereby award Bugorski with the "geekiest way to lose one's hearing" award, because according to the article:

He lost the hearing in his left ear and experienced a constant unpleasant noise in that ear from then on.

There's nothing pleasant about tinnitus - but at least he has an interesting story to tell!

(via Boing Boing)

Do You Have Experience With the Esteem?

2011-02-23T18:12:00.000-08:00

Back in March I wrote a post about the Esteem, a fully implanted hearing aid, which had just gained FDA approval. The post is actually my most popular post and I still get regular comments on it.

Many people have left comments with questions, concerns and thoughts about the Esteem. I'm going to repost some of them below. If you have experience with the Esteem (or just have questions and thoughts), feel free to discuss it in the comments below, and if you know the answers to these questions, I'd love to hear them.

I would also love a guest post from anyone who has experience with the Esteem - the information would be greatly appreciated! (In some cases I removed the question from the surrounding comment just for brevity - visit the post to see all the comments in their context.)

Now, the question is will the insurance company treat it as a prosthetic or a hearing aid coverage?  

I  might just go for it...will need to do some more research, put that in  one of my better ear and a C.I. in one of my worst ear and just maybe, I  might have the best of everything?  I wonder is it removable should  stem cell cure happens?

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I wonder if this device would help people that have a 90 percent hearing loss and nerve deafness.

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Does it stop tinnitus??

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Since the FDA approval, has Medicare approved for payment? 

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Any place where they are inserted for less money?  It would hardly be  worth it for a 78 year old but to be able to hear for the next ten years  of so would bring meaning to my live and others.  My husband and I live on social security and it is impossible to pay from that.

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Has anyone had the implant and did not have a good experience with it?  I  would love to hear your comments.

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so, is it waterproof? If so, to what depth? 

--

There is no mention, I'm assuming it uses steel/metal parts, and is  therefore not possible for someone such as me. Does anyone know? or know  where to find the information? I've poked around but didn't find  anything remotely close to answering the question.

Moving... (Myself, Not the Blog)

2011-02-20T13:53:00.000-08:00

(From Flickr user splityarn)

I'm in the process of moving - hopefully we will close on a house a week from tomorrow - and so updates to this blog might be a little more sporadic than usual while I pack, get utilities set up, etc.

Hopefully I'll still have time to write (or I can use the blog as an excuse to procrastinate on packing!), but if I'm nowhere to be found for a bit, no worries! Thanks for being the great readers you are.

How to Love On Your Hearing Aid

2011-02-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

(Image from Flickr user Brandon Warren)

If you wear a hearing aid regularly, chances are you appreciate what it does for you. I know I find it amazing that a tiny bundle of wires and computer parts actually amplifies my hearing - not to mention that it comes properly geeked out with Bluetooth accessories and matching color schemes!

So how can you show love to your hearing aid, not only today or Valentine's Day, but every day?

Give it a nice clean every night before bed - wipe it off with a cotton swab or a tissue.
Don't bring them in the bathroom with you when you take a shower or a bath; keep them away from the humidity.
Keep them protected and away from the pool while swimming.
Take them in to your audiologist for a cleaning every three to six months or so. While you're there, ask them to change out the tubing if they don't do it as part of the cleaning.
Check the hearing aid for wax daily and clean it out carefully - if your hearing aid manufacturer didn't give you a cleaning tool, you can try a very small wire brush, or even a thumbtack if you are careful.
Wash and dry your hands before you change the battery.
Brush any debris out of the battery door when you change the battery.
If you can easily remove the earmold from any electronic components in your aid, you can try soaking it in warm water with soap for a few minutes to give it a good clean.
Think about buying a good dehumidifier to store your aids in overnight.
Don't get your hair wet while wearing your hearing aids, or put any goop in your hair while they're in.

A Distinct Lack of Characters with Disabilities in Children's Literature

2011-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

This article from Disability Scoop highlights what I think is an ongoing issue in children's books: the lack of characters with disabilities.

From Flickr user Svadilfari

I'm not picky about my reading material; I read books intended for any audience, no matter the age. I am always pleasantly surprised when I encounter a character who's "different," and when the author of the book handles it well. A good example of that would be a recent favorite of mine, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger, which features a deaf supporting character who reminded me a lot of myself at that age.

As noted in the article, researchers looked at 131 winners of the Newbery Medal and Honor and found that just 31 contained a character - major or supporting - with a disability. According to the article:

What's more, characters with disabilities were most likely to be supporting characters and were often used to boost the emotional growth of those without disabilities rather than to develop in their own right, the study finds.

As a child I would have loved to read a book that contained a strong character who wore hearing aids, like me. I definitely wouldn't want to see "different" characters shoehorned in like Very Special Episodes of television shows, but more representation would definitely be nice.

Humans are Deaf to Unexpected Sounds

2011-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

From Flickr

One of the coping mechanisms our brain uses to deal with a word full of noise is to identify what's background noise and what's important to listen to. But this same mechanism can also leave us unable to hear unexpected sounds - sort of an auditory version of an optical illusion.

This article from io9 explains a recent study in which people listened to background noise ("an orderly set of new sounds that were somewhere between a tenor saxophone and a French horn") while playing with Etch-a-Sketches, for seven minutes. They were then asked to identify which of three sounds were different. If the sounds didn't fit the expected pattern, the subjects could not figure it out.

I think this is very interesting. So often people think of hearing as being in the ears - but most of our hearing is done in our brains using feedback from our ears.

The study can be found here.

After the Super Bowl (Update 2/8/11)

2011-02-07T08:02:00.000-08:00

Update: PinkLAM was kind enough in the comments to point me towards a survey being run by the National Association of the Deaf about the Super Bowl captioning. Check it out here.

So, how did everyone enjoy the captioned Super Bowl?

I went to see the game at my sister-in-law's house, and initially we didn't turn the captions on. No one, hearing or not, could actually hear what was going on, because it was a party and of course it was loud. We turned the captions on midway through the game. My sister-in-law has a DVR box through her cable company that handles the captions through the box, so whether or not HDMI cables are used, the captions will still come through. I was pretty impressed. The captions on the game itself had very little lag and didn't block half the screen the way they used to. It helps that we had a lot of options with the captions and could make the background transparent and change the colors of the words if we wanted to.

The commercials seemed slightly off. The captions were just a second or two behind the dialogue. That could have been a problem with our broadcast. A few commercials that seemed to be national commercials did not have captioning, such as the E*TRADE commercial with the baby. I was a little unhappy at the local commercials for national brands that weren't captioned. It is just such a simple thing, especially when everyone else is doing it, that really enhances the brand, in my opinion. It shows they care.

I enjoyed the game! It was fun even though neither team is my team (the Arizona Cardinals). I rooted for the Packers, so naturally I was happy at the outcome of the game! I hope everyone else enjoyed their Sunday - Super Bowl, or no.

Will You Be Watching the 100% Captioned Super Bowl?

2011-02-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

This year, the Super Bowl will be 100% captioned - from (national) commercials to promotions to the game itself - for the first time ever. What do you think? Will you be watching the Super Bowl with captions on?

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of captioning on sports events when watching them myself just because they can lag behind and take up too much of the screen. Of course, I'm extremely glad they're there, but I usually don't have them on. But commercials - I am a big fan of captions on commercials. I have missed so many punchlines to commercials because they weren't captioned!

I'm looking forward to watching the Super Bowl on Sunday - and maybe I will be able to catch more of the jokes this time.

From the National Association of the Deaf:

The deaf and hard of hearing community has engaged in an annual ritual of counting the number of captioned commercials and network promotions during the Super Bowl. Consumers are invited to join in this celebration by counting along as we reach our 100% captioning goal. The NAD is interested in learning about any technical issues that affect the pass through of captions to consumer's television sets.

A Smartphone App for Your Cochlear Implant?

2011-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

From Flickr user lucas.leite

There are many, many apps for smartphones that make life easier to live, from task lists to calendars to email access (and even some apps specifically helpful to the deaf). I've seen cars that come with their own apps now. But what if you could take it a step further, and control your cochlear implant from your smartphone?

According to this article at the University of Texas at Dallas News Center, the university's Cochlear Implant Lab has developed technology to do just that. Pending FDA approval, ten American healthcare and research facilities will begin to use it. The program will allow cochlear implant users to modify their settings depending on their environment - for example, in a loud restaurant or at a sports arena. They can even record sounds they are having difficulty with for later analysis at the lab.

Here is a video about the technology. Unfortunately, it is not captioned. It does illustrate the way the technology interacts with the phone and the cochlear implant.

(via Jeff's Bionic World)

Americans Living with Disability and their Technology Profile

2011-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

(From Flickr user Kevin Zollman)

This is a study conducted in September 2010 about Americans living with disability and their technology profile.

According to the study, 27% of Americans live with a disability that interferes with their activities of daily living, including "serious difficulty hearing," seeing, climbing stairs, concentrating, dressing themselves, and visiting a doctor's office. The respondents answered these questions themselves; here is a PDF of the survey questions.

Of those 27%, 2% say their disability makes it harder or impossible to use the Internet, and 54% of them use the Internet compared to 81% of the adults who did not have difficulties as asked on the survey.

You can view the full report online here. I think it is very interesting information especially when looking at the data from the perspective of advocacy for Internet access for all.

(via Stephen's Lighthouse)

Another Update: Hear Through Your Jawbone (SoundBite Gets FDA Approval)

2011-01-30T12:54:00.000-08:00

In December of 2009 I wrote about the SoundBite, a proposed tooth-mounted hearing aid, and wrote an updated post in February with some more information.

Now, according to About.com Deafness, the SoundBite has received FDA approval.

There's a lot more information on their website. The In the Mouth (ITM) device can fit in the upper left or right of the mouth:

It contains electronics, a sealed, flat, rechargeable battery, wireless capability that picks up sound transmissions from the BTE, and a small actuator that converts those signals into vibratory energy. All of these miniaturized components are hermetically sealed inside a dental grade acrylic that has been safely used for making dentures for many years.

According to their press release, 95% of patients in the FDA trial were "satisfied or very satisfied" after six months.

What do you think? Would you wear an In the Mouth hearing aid?