volta voices january-february 2011 magazine

Addressing the needs of fAmilies todAy

VOICESVOICES

W W W . A G B E L L . O R G • V O L 1 8 , I S S U E 1

Alex Ander GrAhAm Bell AssociAtion for the DeAf AnD hArD of heAring

January/February 2011

V O L T A

Winner of The C

ommuniCAtor AwArd

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VOICESV O L T A

A l e x A n d e r G r A h A m B e l l A s s o c i A t i o n f o r t h e D e A f A n D h A r D o f h e A r i n g

3417 volta place, nw, washington, dc 20007 • www.agbell.org

2016 28 32

DepartmentsVoiCes from Ag Bell 3 Supporting Listening and Spoken Language Professionals 36 Conversations with Alex Graham

leArning the lAnguAge of elementAry ArithmetiC 38 Addition

tiPs for PArents 40 Finding Financial Resources

heAr our VoiCes 42 A Single Dad’s Story

In Every Issue 2 Want to Write for VV?

5 editor’s note

6 Voices contributors

8 soundbites

44 directory of serVices

52 List of adVertisers

Features 16 improving outcomes for children

Living in Poverty By Jenna Voss, M.A., LSLS Cert. AVEd, and Susan Lenihan, Ph.D. Learn strategies and tactics professionals can utilize to aid the development of listening and spoken language for children who are deaf and whose family may struggle financially.

20 Grandparents and the circle of Love By Amy McConkey Robbins, M.S., CCC-SLP Read about one boy’s incredible journey to developing listening and spoken language and how his grandparents played a key role in his early life.

VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

24 Los abuelos y el círculo del amor Por Amy McConkey Robbins, M.S., CCC-SLP Esta es la historia del viaje increíble que hizo un niño para desarrollar la audición y el lenguaje oral, y cómo sus abuelos jugaron un papel clave en sus primeros años de vida.

28 auditory oral school of new york: Meeting the needs of new york city children with Hearing Loss By Melody Felzien This article introduces you to the Auditory Oral School of New York, which provides listening and spoken language development opportunities to the diverse populations of New York City.

32 understanding a child’s Hearing aid characteristics (Part 2) By Pamela D. Millett, Ph.D. In the second of a two-part series, parents and professionals will learn how to use their child’s hearing test data to better advocate for technology and classroom modifications to ensure optimal listening and spoken language opportunities.

January/February 2011

VoLUMe 18

i ssUe 1

V O l T A

VOICESAdvocating Independence

through Listening and Talking— Adopted by the Alexander Graham Bell Association

for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Board of Directors, November 8, 1998

AlexAnder GrAhAm BellAssociAtion for the DeAf

AnD hArD of heAring

3417 Volta Place, NW, Washington, DC 20007www.agbell.org | voice 202.337.5220tty 202.337.5221 | fax 202.337.8314

Volta Voices Staff

Production and Editing ManagerMelody Felzien

Manager of Advertising and Exhibit SalesGarrett W. Yates, CEM

Design and LayoutEEI Communications

AG Bell Board of Directors

PresidentKathleen S. Treni (NJ)

President-ElectDonald M. Goldberg, Ph.D.,

LSLS Cert. AVT (OH)

Secretary-TreasurerMeredith K. Knueve, Esq. (OH)

Immediate Past PresidentJohn R. “Jay” Wyant (MN)

Executive Director/CEOAlexander T. Graham (VA)

Corrine Altman (NV)Christine Anthony, M.B.A. (IL)

Rachel Arfa, Esq. (WI) Holly Clark (DC)

Cheryl Dickson, M.Ed., LSLS Cert. AVT (Australia)

Catharine McNally (VA)

Volta Voices (ISSN 1074-8016) is published six times a year. Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, DC, and other additional offices. Copyright ©2011 by the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., 3417 Volta Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20007. Postmaster: Send address changes to Volta Voices, Subscription Department, 3417 Volta Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202/337-5220 (voice) or 202/337-5221 (TTY).

Claims for undelivered issues must be made within 4 months of publication. Volta Voices is sent to all members of the association. Yearly individual membership dues are $50. Volta Voices comprises $30 of membership dues. Subscriptions for schools, libraries and institutions are $105 domestic and $125 international (postage included in both prices). Back issues, when available, are $7.50 plus shipping and handling.

Articles published in Volta Voices do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Acceptance of advertising by Volta Voices does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, their products or services, nor does Volta Voices make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertisers’ offer.

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40624074 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6

V O l T A

VOICESLetters to the Editor

Let us know how we are doing. Write a Letter to the Editor, and you could see your comment in the next issue.

Media KitVisit www.agbell.org and select “About AG Bell”

for advertising information.

Want to Write for Volta Voices?Submissions to Volta Voices

Volta Voices welcomes submissions from both AG Bell members and nonmembers. The magazine is published six times annually. Its audience consists of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and professionals in fields related to hearing loss (audiology, speech-language pathology, psychology, otology, social services, education).

Visit the Volta Voices page at www.agbell.org for submission guidelines and to submit content.

Subjects of Interest

n Technology – related to hearing loss, new technology, improvements to or problems with existing technology, or how people are using existing technology, accommodations.

n Education – related to public or private schools through post-secondary education, new approaches and teaching methods, legal implications and issues, etc.

n Advocacy – information on legislation, hearing health, special or mainstream education, and accessibility.

n Health – audiology issues relating to children or adults with hearing loss and/or their families and friends.

n Action – stories about people with hearing loss who use spoken language as their primary mode of communication; deafness need not be the focal point of the article.

editorial Guidelines

The periodicals department reserves the right to edit material to fit the style and tone of Volta Voices and the space available. Articles are selected on a space-available and relevancy basis; submission of materials is not a guarantee of use.

Transfer of Copyright

The revised copyright law, which went into effect in January 1978, provides that from the time a manuscript is written, statutory copyright is vested with the author(s). All authors whose articles have been accepted for publication in Volta Voices are requested to transfer copyright of their articles to AG Bell prior to publication. This copyright can be transferred only by written agreement. Without copyright ownership, the Alexander

Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing cannot issue or disseminate reprints, authorize copying by individuals and libraries, or authorize indexing and abstracting services to use material from the magazine.

Art Submission Guidelines

Volta Voices prefers digital images over original artwork. When submitting electronic files, please provide them in the following formats: TIF, EPS or JPG (no BMP or GIF images). Digital images must be at least 300 dpi (at size).

Submit Articles/Items to:Volta Voices Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 3417 Volta Place, NW • Washington, DC 20007Email: [email protected] online at www.agbell.org

Want to Write for Volta Voices?

On the cover: Non-traditional families need specialized support to provide listening and spoken language opportunities for their children with hearing loss.

volta voices • January/February 2011 3

VOICES FROM AG BELL

Supporting Listening and Spoken Language Professionals

Last month, we hosted the first AG Bell Listening and Spoken Language Workshop Series in Oak Brook, Ill. We had an

incredible turnout from professionals not only from the Chicago area, but from all over the country. The national presence of educators, administrators and in-service specialists (along with the many inquiries to the AG Bell office asking when we’d be offering a workshop in their area) was yet another indication of the growing demand for the knowledge, skills and abilities of a listening and spoken lan-guage professional. AG Bell is committed to continue providing these opportuni-ties at our national conferences, and now through our workshop series. We are also looking at other locations throughout the United States to provide local and regional accessibility to listening and spoken language-specific programming. I’d like to extend my thanks to those pre-senters who helped us launch this series – Donald Goldberg, Ph.D., CCC-SLP/A, LSLS Cert. AVT; Teresa Caraway, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT; Rebecca Kooper, Au.D.; and Judy Horvath, M.A., LSLS Cert. AVEd. They did an incred-ible job of taking what can be very dense subject matter and making it interest-ing and applicable to our everyday work with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and learning to listen and talk.

In conjunction with our workshop in Oak Brook, Ill., we also had an oppor-tunity to host a reception with the AG Bell Illinois Chapter. I had the chance to meet new members to AG Bell as well as some of our strongest advocates in the Midwest. The greatest pleasure so far as President of AG Bell has been the warm moments I’ve had getting to know the membership better and hearing all the unique stories of challenges and rewards our members have to share. We have so much to learn from each other and I

encourage everyone to connect with their local Chapters, even if you only make it to one event a year. The incredible boost that comes from con-necting with other families, profes-sionals and adults with hearing loss is what makes AG Bell like a fam-ily to so many of us. As always, if you want to contact me directly you may do so at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.

At AG Bell, we have worked diligently to create a recognized credential that identifies a professional who is proficient in what are known as the nine domains of listening and spoken language. Part of the requirements to secure and maintain a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS) certification is to continually stay fresh and relevant in the field through

continuing education. Now that the certification program has been established, we are looking at ways to provide opportu-nities to earn continuing education credits that can be applied toward certification or recertification with the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. Some of those ways include participating at national AG Bell conferences, such as our upcoming Listening and Spoken Language Symposium this July in Washington, D.C. (see www.agbell.org for more information), and in our new workshop series program. Continuing education credits with the AG Bell Academy can also be earned through

participation in designated online courses through www.audiologyonline.com, and a wide variety of providers throughout the United States and internationally. Visit the AG Bell Academy website at www.agbellacademy.org for a list of upcoming courses that offer continuing education credit that can be applied toward new or renewed LSLS certifications.

Over the last several months we have been actively promoting AG Bell’s new online Parent Advocacy Training (P.A.T.) program. We are both surprised and pleased that so many in-service professionals have viewed the program. In fact, I strongly encouraged my staff at the Hearing Impaired Program in the Bergen County Special Services District to engage in P.A.T. as well. I think it’s important for professionals

to have an understanding of the parents’ perspective and their rights in the decision-making process when it comes to the education of their child. Of course, the school district has certain rights and obligations as well but I believe that with a greater under-standing between parents, educators and administrators, the greater the outcome will be for the child. And, as an added bonus, continuing education credit for the AG Bell Academy is also offered to LSLSs and professionals seeking LSLS certification. See www.agbell.org for more details or to view the online program.

At AG Bell, we have worked diligently to create a recognized credential that

identifies a professional who is proficient in what are known as the nine domains

of listening and spoken language.

4 volta voices • January/February 2011

VOICES FROM AG BELL

In closing, I’d like to share what an exciting year we have ahead here at AG Bell. Our Listening and Spoken Language Symposium, as well as another round of our Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program, will both be held in July in Washington, D.C. This summer, we will be distributing a new monograph from The Volta Review on the effectiveness of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs. We’re con-ducting a survey of our adult members who are deaf or hard of hearing to find out what kind of programming they would be interested in participating in from AG Bell. We have a new Congress with which we will continue to work and educate about issues that impact individuals who are deaf or hard of hear-ing, and we will continue our efforts to

raise awareness among federal agencies about the listening and spoken language option and what’s needed for today’s children with hearing loss to maxi-mize their potential in the educational system. Our efforts in the development of the Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center will continue and regular visitors to our website will begin to note subtle changes to its functional-ity and content management. Four more additional LSLS certification exams will be administered in the summer and fall in our efforts to build capacity among professionals qualified to work with children with hearing loss who are learning to listen and talk. And, we will be hosting another workshop series in a location yet to be determined so, as always, stay tuned to the AG Bell website

or our e-newsletter, AG Bell Update, for more information as it becomes available.

Sincerely,

Kathleen TreniPresident

QUeSTIOnS? COmmenTS? COnCernS?

Write to us: ag bell 3417 volta place, nwwashington, dc20007

Or email us: [email protected]

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Serving the Spectrum of Family Life

This issue of Volta Voices focuses on the diverse nature of family life. We begin with “Improving Outcomes for

Children Living in Poverty,” a look at what professionals can do to help fami-lies with limited resources expand the listening and spoken language opportuni-ties for their children with hearing loss. “Grandparents and the Circle of Love” is the story of Oliver, whose grandpar-ents raised him until he was 4 years old. Oliver’s unique story is a testament to the possibilities for any child with hearing loss to develop listening and spoken language, no matter what the circumstances.

“Auditory Oral School of New York” introduces you to a New York City early intervention and pre-K program serving the unique and diverse needs of children in New York who are deaf and hard of hearing. “Tips for Parents” provide you with a list of possible resources that may help families in any situation provide opportunities for their child with hearing loss to listen and talk. Finally, “Hear Our Voices” introduces you to a single

dad raising two children, one of whom is deaf and listens and talks. You won’t want to miss his family’s incredible story.

This issue also contains other fasci-nating reads. “Understanding a Child’s Aided Hearing Characteristics, Part 2” continues an article from the November/December 2010 edition of Volta Voices. In Part 2, readers will learn more about reading hearing test data and utilizing it to benefit a child’s auditory access at home and in the classroom. We con-tinue a new column, “Learning the Language of Elementary Arithmetic,” with a look at addition math word problems and how understanding them can lead to better listening and spo-ken language communication. Finally, this installation of “Conversations” introduces you to Jon Fatemi, a long time AG Bell member and volunteer at the Volta Bureau, AG Bell’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Thank you for reading. As always, please contact me at [email protected] with your comments and suggestions or to submit a story idea. As a reminder,

an editorial calendar and full back issues are available online at www.agbell.org/VoltaVoices. (Please note you must be a member and logged in to view the back issues.)

Best regards,

Melody FelzienEditor, Volta Voices

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VOICES cONTriBuTOrs

Alexander T. Graham, author of “Conversations,” is the executive direc-tor of AG Bell. He has a bachelor’s degree from Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Va., and

masters’ degrees in organizational effec-tiveness and business administration from Marymount University in Arlington, Va. His late mother had a hearing loss as a result of a childhood illness. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Susan Lenihan, Ph.D., co-author of “Improving Outcomes for Children Living in Poverty,” is professor and direc-tor of deaf education at Fontbonne University.

Prior to her work in professional preparation, Dr. Lenihan taught children with hear-ing loss primarily at the pre-K through 3rd grade level. Her research interests include parent-child interaction, cochlear implants and literacy development for children with hearing loss. She has worked collaboratively with colleagues in Germany and Costa Rica on early intervention programs. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Jane Madell, Ph.D., CCC A/SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, co-author of “Learning the Language of Elementary Arithmetic,” is a certi-fied audiologist, speech-language pathologist,

and listening and spoken language specialist in auditory-verbal therapy. Dr. Madell’s clinical and research interests are in hearing evaluation of infants and young children, management of hearing loss in children with severe and profound hearing losses, selection and management of amplification, includ-ing cochlear implants and FM systems, and assessment of auditory function. Dr. Madell has published four books, numer-ous book chapters and journal articles. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Rob Madell, Ph.D., co-author of “Learning the Language of Elementary Arithmetic,” earned his Ph.D. in mathemat-ics at the University of Wisconsin in 1968. He has

taught mathematics at all levels, from kinder-garten through graduate school. He taught in an elementary school in New York City for 10 years before beginning a 20-year career at Sesame Street. He has authored several elementary mathematics textbooks and writes about arithmetic for parents and teachers. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Amy McConkey Robbins, M.S., CCC-SLP, author of “Grandparents and the Circle of Love,” is a speech-language patholo-gist in private practice in Indianapolis, Ind.,

who grew up in Latin America. An adjunct assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, she teaches internationally and publishes extensively. Two recent projects include the integrated speech/music curriculum “TuneUps,” with music therapist Chris Baron, and “Whirlwinds and Small Voices: Sustaining Commitment to Work with Special-Needs Children,” co-written with her father. Robbins writes a cochlear implant blog for www.therapytimes.com and serves on several editorial boards. For more information, please visit www.amymcconkeyrobbins.com.

Pamela D. Millett, Ph.D., author of “Understanding a Child’s Hearing Characteristics,” is an educational audiolo-gist and assistant professor in the Teacher of the Deaf

and Hard of Hearing Education Program at York University in Toronto, Canada. She has over 20 years experience working with students and teachers in schools, and is currently conducting research projects in literacy outcomes for students with cochlear implants and the impact of sound field systems on development of phonological awareness skills for young children. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Jenna Voss, M.A., LSLS Cert. AVEd, co-author of “Improving Outcomes for Children Living in Poverty,” is a National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities fellow

in her first year of Ph.D. studies in audiology and communication sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Voss has worked as a preschool teacher and early intervention provider in listening and spoken language programs, most recently at the Central Institute for the Deaf. She has also served as a parttime instructor in the communication disorders program at Fontbonne University. She can be contacted at [email protected].

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N E W s B i T E s

SOUNDAG Bell and AG Bell Academy Board meets in Washington, d.C. On November 5-7, 2010, the AG Bell board of directors and the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language board of directors met in Washington, D.C., for their final in-person meeting in 2010. Highlights of the AG Bell Academy board meeting included the appointment of a task force on mentoring and a preview of a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS) practice certifica-tion exam. Highlights of the AG Bell board meeting included the approval of an updated position statement on cochlear implants in children and on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, both of which are available on the AG Bell website.

In addition, on Friday, November 5, AG Bell President Kathleen Treni and President-elect Donald Goldberg presented Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) with the AG Bell 2010 Award of Distinction for his strong advocacy efforts on behalf of indi-viduals with hearing loss. That evening, board members hosted an open house at AG Bell’s landmark head-

quarters, the Volta Bureau, for AG Bell members and guests from the deaf and hard of hearing community.

P.A.T. Program Featured in The Hearing JournalAG Bell’s acclaimed Parent Advocacy Training (P.A.T.) program was featured in an article penned by AG Bell President Kathleen Treni and published by The Hearing Journal in its November 2010 edition. The article, “AG Bell Program Trains Parents to Advocate,” discusses how AG Bell’s P.A.T. program can help parents effectively advocate for their child’s educational rights through the Individualized Education Program (IEP). P.A.T. is a free program, accessible through the AG Bell website at www.agbell.org.

The Volta Review expands its editorial BoardOn December 1, 2010, the editorial board for The Volta Review expanded from five to 13 members with the addi-

tion of eight new associate editors. The newest associate editors are experts in a wide range of research topics relevant to the listening and spoken language community including pediatric and educational audiology, speech and language acquisition, literacy skills development, and educational issues. The new members will serve a two-year term, ending in December 2012. A full list of the expanded editorial board is available at www.agbell.org/TheVoltaReview.

department of education launches TeACh Campaign According to the U.S. Department of Education, over the next few years up to a quarter of the teaching work-force will leave the profession, mostly due to retirement. To address this looming shortage, the department has launched the TEACH Campaign and TEACH.gov – a new website dedicated to providing information, testimo-

cALENdAr Of EVENTs

7/19-23, 2011The AG Bell 2011 Listening & Spoken Language Symposium will be held July 19-23, 2011, at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned to www.agbell.org as more details are announced.

7/24-28, 2011The AG Bell 2011 Leadership Opportunities for Teens program will be held July 24-28, 2011, at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. More information about how to apply is available at www.agbell.org.

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AG Bell President Kathleen Treni presents the AG Bell 2010 Award of Distinction to Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

SOUND


BITESCOMPILED BY:

MELOdy fELziEN

nials and resources for students and prospective teachers, including a new interactive “path to teaching” tool designed to help individuals chart their course to becoming a teacher. Visit www.teach.gov for more information.

President Signs 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 On October 8, 2010 President Barack Obama signed the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 into law at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. This legislation will greatly increase access to technology with advances in areas such as closed captioning, delivery of emergency information and other advanced communications. AG Bell supported this legislation as part of its participa-tion in the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT).

FCC Sponsors Contest on Improving Internet Technology AccessThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has partnered with the Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities and Raising the Floor, an international coalition of individuals and organizations who promote Internet accessibility for people with disabilities, to launch “Lifted by the Cloud: Visions of Cloud-Enhanced Accessibility.” The challenge solicits short multimedia presentations from the public on their visions of how cloud computing can create new opportunities for people with disabili-ties. Cloud computing and other platforms allow people to access the assistive technologies they need anytime, anywhere and on any device. The contest runs until May

1, 2011. For more information, visit www.challenge.gov/challenges/82.

AG Bell Announces Formation of an Archive Advisory Committee AG Bell has formed an Archive Advisory Committee focused on the maintenance and management of the AG Bell archives, specifi-cally the history of individuals who were deaf or hard of hearing who used spoken language to communi-cate (also commonly referred to as “the oral deaf”). Chaired by Joseph Rosenstein, the advisory committee is comprised of AG Bell volunteer leaders including Kathleen Treni, Jay Wyant, Don McGee, LaFawn Biddle, Christopher Lehfeldt, Rachel Dubin, Thomas Fields, J. Tilak Ratnanather and Jenny Swartzberg.

AG Bell’s historic archives include extensive information on the history of individuals who were deaf or hard of hearing who learned spoken language. Some notable names in this group include Helen Keller, George Saunders, Mabel Hubbard

Bell and Jim Marsters. The committee will work to ensure the preserva-tion of the history of these remark-able individuals as well as the rest of the archives, which hold tremen-dous value for historians as well as those dedicated to the fields of hearing health and deaf education. For more information, contact Gary Yates, manager of advertising and exhibit sales, at [email protected].

nTId names Gerard Buckley as its new President On January 1, 2011, Gerard Buckley assumed the position of president of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). Buckley, who is deaf, has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, including more than 20 years at NTID as chairman of the department of educational outreach, associate dean for student services and, currently, assistant vice president for college advancement. “I am honored to have been selected as NTID’s president…RIT/NTID has enriched the lives of thousands of deaf and hard of hearing students and I am excited about the opportunity to work with and for the students, faculty, staff and alumni,” said Buckley. Visit www.ntid.rit.edu/media/full_text.php?article_id=1284 for more information.

Centers for disease Control launches new Website on hearing loss in Children The Center for Disease Control (CDC)’s National Center on Birth

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From L to R: Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan-Macy and Alexander Graham Bell.


SOUND BITESDefects and Developmental Disabilities has launched a new website on hearing loss in children. There are specific pages for families, health care providers, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs, and national partners. The site contains statistical data on hearing loss and information on prevention, signs and symptoms, screening and diagnosis, and treat-ment of hearing loss. An overview of CDC and other partners’ initiatives, as well as updates from research projects and scientific publications, can also be found on the new site. In addition, free materials are available for download. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/hearingloss.

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On April 16, 2011, the AG Bell Iowa Chapter will host a Family-Friendly Tailgating Event in conjunction with the University of Iowa Spring Hawkeye football game in Iowa City, Iowa. The event will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development. There will be several short presentations for parents, students and professionals as well as games for the kids with opportunities for parents and kids to socialize. The event is open to any professionals, individuals with hearing loss or family members in the state regardless of whether they are AG Bell members. For further updates, email [email protected] or visit http://tinyurl.com/agbellofiowa.

On October 30, 2010, the AG Bell Nevada Chapter hosted its annual Charity Bowling Event. With a fantastic turnout of nearly 150 members, families, friends and sponsors, the 30 lanes at Sam’s Town Bowling Center in Las Vegas, Nev., were packed. One of the highlights of this year’s event was the 22 children with hearing loss that received bowling balls and bags. In addi-tion, Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV), a supporter of the Hearing Aid Tax Credit bill, stopped by to visit the families and present a check for the Bowling Ball & Bag Program. Other corporate sponsors provided back packs, raffle items and door prizes. It was a great event with lots of winners!

cHAPTErs

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volta voices • January/February 2011 1 1

SSI Benefits now Cover Children with Cochlear Implants The Social Security Administration recently released “Revised Criteria for Evaluating Hearing Loss.” Prior to June 2, 2010, children with cochlear implants did not qualify for Social Security Income (SSI). Final rules have now been published in the Federal Register that extend SSI benefits to children with cochlear implants up to age 5, or for at least one year after receiving a cochlear implant, which-ever comes later. For more informa-tion, visit www.federalregister.gov/articles/2010/06/02/2010-13094/revised-medical-criteria-for-evaluating-hearing-loss.

new Brochure highlights Benefits of Genetic evaluation and ServicesThe American College of Medical Genetics and the National Coordinating Center for the Regional Genetic and Newborn Screening Service Collaboratives have teamed up to offer an informational brochure called “Hearing Loss, Genetics and Your Child.” The brochure was designed to convey information to parents about the purpose and process of genetic evaluation as well as how genetic services can provide a tool in the diagnosis of hearing loss. According to Dr. Kathleen Arnos of Gallaudet University, one of the brochure’s developers, “A child can

have a genetic-related hearing loss even if no one in his or her family has a hearing loss.” Parents may choose to explore any possible genetic cause of their child’s hearing loss and the brochure will guide them through this process. The brochure is available in both English and Spanish, and is available for download from www.nccrcg.org.

new Study Could Advance Cochlear Implant Use in AdultsResearchers at the University of Western Ontario have identified an increase in peripheral vision and detection of movement in deaf cats. The results open the door to future

D I R E C T O R Y O F S E R V I C E S

44 VOLTAVOICES•MARCH/APRIL2009

Northern Voices, 1660 West County Road B, Roseville, MN 55113-1714 • 651-639-2535 (voice) • 651-639-1996 (fax) • [email protected] (e-mail) • Kristina Blaiser, Executive Director. Northern Voices is a nonprofit early education center focused on creating a positive environment where children with hearing loss and their families learn to communicate through the use of spoken language. Our goal is for students to become fluent oral communicators and to join their hearing peers in a traditional classroom at their neighborhood schools.

n MississippiDuBard School for Language Disorders, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #10035, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 • 601-266-5223 (voice) • [email protected] (e-mail) • www.usm.edu/dubard • Maureen K. Martin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, Director • The school is a clinical division of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and serves children from birth to age 13 in its state-of-the-art facility. Working collaboratively with 22 public school districts, the school specializes in coexisting language disorders, learning disabilities/dyslexia and speech disorders, such as apraxia, through its non-graded, 11-month program. The Association Method, as refined, and expanded by the late Dr. Etoile DuBard and the staff of the school, is the basis of the curriculum. Comprehensive evaluations, individual therapy, audiological services and professional development programs also are available. AA/EOE/ADAI

University of Michigan Cochlear Implant Program, 475 Market Place, Building 1 Suite A, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 • 734-998-8119 (voice/tty) • 734-998-8122 (fax) • www.med.umich.edu/oto/ci/ (website) • Terry Zwolan, Ph.D. Director • [email protected] (email). A multidisciplinary program that provides audiology, speech-language pathology, and medical services to children with severe to profound hearing impairment. Services include pre-operative determination of candidacy, surgical management, post-operative programming and audiological management, speech-language evaluations and provision of Auditory-Verbal therapy, and educational outreach and support provided by a joint grant from the University of Michigan Department of Otolaryngology and the State of Michigan - our Sound Support program: www.med.umich.edu/childhearinginfo/.

n MinnesotaNortheast Metro #916 Auditory / Oral Program, 701 West County Road “B”, Roseville, Minnesota 55113 • 651-415-5399 (voice). The mission of the program is to provide an intensive oral education to children with impaired hearing. Centered-based services are provided in a least restrictive public school environment, combining oral specific early intervention services within the mainstream setting for students pre-school through kindergarten age. Birth to 3 services and parent/child groups are tailored to meet identified needs. Parent and professional workshops are offered. Referrals are through the local school district in which the family live.

SoundWorks for Children, 18 South Main Street, Topsfield, MA 01983 • 978-887-1284 (voice) • [email protected] (e-mail) • Jane E. Driscoll, MED, Director. Satellite program serving Southern Maine. Katelyn Driscoll, MED, Program Coordinator. A comprehensive non-profit program dedicated to the development of auditory-oral skills in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Specializing in cochlear implant habilitation and offering a full continuum of inclusionary support models from preschool through high school. Early Intervention services and social/self-advocacy groups for mainstreamed students are offered at our Family Center. Summer programs, in-service training, and consultation available.

n MichiganMonroe County Program for Hearing Impaired Children, 3145 Prairie St., Ida, MI 48140-9778 • 734-269-3875 (voice/TTY) • 734-269-3885 (fax) • [email protected] (e-mail) • www.misd.k12.mi.us • Kathleen Whitman, Supervisor. Auditory/oral program, full continuum of services, birth to 25 years. Staff: 21.

Redford Union Oral Program for Children with Hearing Impairments, 18499 Beech Daly Rd. Redford, MI 48240 • 313-242-3510 (voice) • 313-242-3595 (fax) • 313-242-6286 (tty) • Dorothea B. French, Ph.D., Director. Auditory/oral day program serves 80 center students/250 teacher consultant students. Birth to 25 years of age.


SOUND BITESresearch on how the brain adapts to cochlear implants. According to Dr. Stephen Lomber, the principal investigator, “It’s basically saying that the deaf brain isn’t a normal brain minus hearing. A deaf brain is a normal brain, but the areas that would normally process hearing are now processing other things.” Future research will focus on the flexibility of the human brain and how adults who use cochlear implants adapt to the new stimuli. This study was published in the November 2010 edition of Nature Neuroscience.

Consent decree reached in lawsuit Against norwegian Cruise lines The U.S. Department of Justice announced it is seeking a federal

court’s approval of a consent decree with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) to resolve a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on behalf of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, among those with other disabilities. Under the proposed consent decree, NCL will ensure that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing get the auxiliary aids and services they need to fully partici-pate in the activities on the ship and in the shore excursions, including visual tactile alert systems, closed captioning on televisions, written transcripts of emergency procedures and pagers for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing that will transmit safety and other important announce-ments. Visit www.ada.gov for more information on the consent decree.

iPhone Application Offers Captioned movie InformationCaptionfish, a captioned movies search engine, has launched an iPhone application of its popular service. Using the GPS location of your phone, the service will find the closest theaters and showtimes with deaf-accessible movie show-ings. It also provides captioned trailers of upcoming movies. To learn more or download the app, visit www.captionfish.com.

Jean Weingarten Oral School Awarded Grant for Audiological ServicesThe Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf was awarded a 2010 LiveOps Foundation grant

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to fund an audiology program. The program will provide the technology and services necessary to ensure students are fitted with the optimal equipment needed to support listening and spoken language development. The LiveOps Found-ation believes the Jean Weingarten School shares its goal of reducing barriers that impact how individuals live and work. For more informa-tion, visit www.deafkidstalk.org.

Captioning Service launched for mobile PhonesHamilton Relay has partnered with Consumer Cellular and Mobile Captions Company to offer a new service, Mobile Captioning Service. Similar to closed captioning, the service allows individuals who are

deaf and hard of hearing to read typed captions of what is being said on a wireless phone display as the conversation is taking place. Currently, the service is only available through Consumer Cellular and only for Nokia E5 phones, which are M3/T3 hearing aid-compatible. For additional information, visit www.consumercellular.com/mobilecaptions.

new Children’s Book Addresses Challenges of Speech delaysA new children’s book, “He Talks Funny,” addresses the challenges faced by children who have trouble talking or being understood. The book tells the story of Joey, a young boy with a speech impedi-ment who goes to camp and must

AG Bell member Carianne Muse, M.P.H., has been appointed to represent AG Bell on the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH). Muse brings to JCIH her professional talents as a public health researcher and consultant, along with her experience as the mother of two children, one of whom was identified with a profound hearing loss through newborn hearing screening. Muse is an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton who has over 11 years of experience in public health research and consulting, including as a strategic planner, management analyst and public health analyst for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). She has also served as a consultant for the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, specifically the Division of Developmental Disabilities where the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program lies within the federal government. AG Bell is also represented on JCIH by its Director of Programs, Judy Harrison, M.A.

In November 2010, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association awarded AG Bell member Emily Tobey, Ph.D., its prestigious Honors of the Association award for her study of speech production by cochlear implant users and her groundbreaking studies in oral rehabilitation, among other notable accomplishments. Tobey, who is also a frequent reviewer for AG Bell’s research journal, The Volta Review, helped organize the first Food and Drug Administration trials for cochlear implants, which resulted in approval of the devices for children in 1992. She currently holds the Nelle C. Johnston Chair in Communication Disorders in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas and conducts much of her research in the Callier Center for Communication Disorders in Dallas, Texas.

PEOPLE iN THE NEWs


SOUND BITESeducate his campmates about his speech delay. “He Talks Funny” seeks to foster understanding and tolerance for children with speech disorders. For more information, visit www.authorhouse.com

Center for hearing and Communication raises over $1 million at GalaThe Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC) celebrated 100 years of innovation and care in hearing health with a centennial gala on October 18, 2010, that raised over $1 million to benefit children and adults with hearing loss. Dr. Noel Cohen was also honored with the Centennial Award for his ground-breaking vision and clinical excel-lence in cochlear implant surgery.

The gala’s success reaffirms CHC’s leadership role as CHC begins a second century of service.

University of hawaii to host Annual Pacific rim International Conference disabilitiesOn April 18 and 19, 2011, the University of Hawaii Center on Disabilities Studies will host the

27th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference Disabilities, “Humanity: Advancing Inclusion, Equality and Diversity.” For additional infor-mation about session content, speakers and registration fees, visit www.pacrim.hawaii.edu.

iN MEMOriAM

Susan V. Coffman, a former member of the AG Bell staff and a speech-language pathologist, passed away October 22 in her Bethesda, Md., home from Alzheimer’s disease. She was 68 years old. Coffman was the director of planning and programs for AG Bell from 1987-1989, and a speech-language pathologist for the Fairfax County school system in Fairfax, Va. She is survived by her husband, David H. Coffman, son Mathew and a sister.

SOUND BITES AG Bell awards thousands of dollars in scholarships toexceptional undergraduateand graduate level studentswho have a bilateral hearingloss. Qualified applicantsmust be full-time students,have a moderate-to-profound hearing loss and must use spoken languageas their primary mode ofcommunication. Scholarshipsare awarded toward attendance in a mainstreamand accredited college or university.

To learn more about the program, visitwww.agbell.org.Information about eligibility criteria, deadlines and a down-loadable application will be available after January 15, 2011.

Motivated.

TEL 202.337.5220 • TTY 202.337.5221 • WWW.AGBELL.ORG

Independent.Eager to Learn.

George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law and Public Policy

This scholarship is for students entering post-graduate school for law,

public policy or public policy administration. Specific criteria include:

� Rising first-, second- and third-year students in an accredited

law school or graduate program in public policy or public

administration.

� Moderate-to-profound hearing loss diagnosed prior to acquiring

spoken language.

� Use spoken language as the primary mode of communication.

AGB College Scholar Ad_12-10:1 12/13/10 6:42 AM Page 1


By Jenna Voss, M.A., LSLS Cert. AVEd, and Susan Lenihan, Ph.D.

Improving Outcomesfor Children Living in Poverty

Many factors affect the devel-opment and educational outcomes of children with hearing loss. If our goal as

professionals is to increase the opportuni-ties for positive outcomes, we must consider each of these factors. One such factor is the impact of living in poverty. Payne (1996) defines poverty as “the extent to which an individual goes without resources.” Cauthen and Fass (2008) state that “fami-lies and their children experience poverty when they are unable to achieve a mini-mum, decent standard of living that allows them to participate fully in mainstream society.” According to the National Center for Children in Poverty (2009), the average income level for a family of four living in

poverty is $22,050, and there are 14 million American children living in poverty. Sadly, the number of children living in poverty has increased by 2.5 million in the last decade and there are predictions that an additional 2.6-3.3 million children will fall into poverty due to the recent recession.

Several characteristics increase the chance of living in poverty including parental education levels, single parent family status and immigrant status. African-American and Latino children as well as infants and toddlers are disproportionately represented in the population of children living in poverty, but the issue impacts children of all races, ethnicities and ages. In addition, 28 percent of children with disabilities ages 3-21 are living in poverty (Park, Turnbull,

& Turnbull, 2002). For children with hear-ing loss, poverty may impact their access to vital audiological and education services. Suskind and Gehlert (2009) reported that children with cochlear implants who are living in poverty are less likely to be mainstreamed in general education and are much more likely to drop out of school.

Columnist Paul Krugman stated, “Growing up in poverty puts you at a disadvantage at every step” (2008). While lack of food, housing and health insurance are primary issues for children living in poverty, child development and educational outcomes are also seriously impacted. Many studies (e.g. Hart & Risley, 1995; Hoff, 2006; Kelly, 2010; Pungello, et al., 2009) have documented the detrimental impact


of poverty on language development, a key domain for children with hearing loss. There are several strategies professionals can utilize that may improve outcomes for children with hearing loss who live in poverty, including building stronger relationships, assessing family needs, improving safety, providing resources and support, and increasing agency awareness.

Build relationshipsIdentify Personal Biases. If we can under-stand our own “values and attitudes and be prepared to suspend judgment on behaviors, world views and lifestyles of others that conflict” with our own beliefs (Thomas-Presswood & Presswood, 2008, p. 154), we can better serve families and

young children with hearing loss. Every conclusion a professional makes about a family’s circumstance (how they choose to spend their money, time, energy, etc.) are judgments viewed through one’s own lens of experience. Professionals are encouraged to dismiss the notion that:

If I wouldn’t do it that way, it must not ybe the right way to do it. If other people in my circle of friends ywouldn’t do it that way, it must not be the right way to do it.If my own parents didn’t do it that way, ythen it must not be the right way to do it.

In fact, there are many ways to do things. The families we serve have the right to make their own choices. We can help them evaluate the anticipated outcomes of their choices, but in the end it is ultimately their right to make that choice. It is best if we try to set aside our own judgments because, for most of us, we have no real idea what it is like to live in poverty. David Luterman (2001) reminds us to be present, non-judgmental and selfless in our interac-tions with families, and this mantra may help us refrain from passing judgment.

In addition, professionals must aim high. When providers model high expectations, families come to believe it is possible to have them. Low expecta-tions on the part of professionals are as detrimental to a family’s success as if the family themselves had low expectations.

Provide frequent feedback and authentic affirmation. Remember, there is hope in words. Words are free yet they will do great things for children living in poverty. A study by Hart & Risley (1995) showed that one major difference among families from different socio-economic classes was the quantity of talk. This discrepancy in words had long term effects on children’s performance in kindergarten and beyond. If professionals can help families under-stand the power of talk, we can profoundly improve outcomes for young children regardless of economic status. Coaching families on ways to enrich their communi-cation through modeling, expanding, self and parallel talk is without a financial cost.

Make families feel comfortable. Providers must be aware of the impact of their pres-ence. Consider what you wear and how it could be perceived by families. Consider the materials used during educational or therapy sessions. If children are without

toys, then perhaps bringing the toys into the child’s home could enrich the experi-ence for that one hour session. However, if providers aren’t willing to leave the toys to be used over a period of time, then consider, are you setting the children up for disappointment and parents for embarrassment? Consider what materials are available to families. Before birthdays or holidays when many families get new toys for their children, it may be helpful to “think aloud” about the toys that families are considering purchasing. If profession-als can help families thoughtfully select toys that will grow with their children, or select toys that will provide more “bang for the buck” educationally, then that can be an appropriate family session activity. It has been said that listening and spoken language professionals can make a language experience out of anything…so do just that.

Assess Family needsProfessionals must first identify what kind of need a family has before determining an appropriate intervention. Keep in mind, deficiencies can include financial, emo-tional, mental, spiritual, physical, support systems, knowledge of cultural rules and role models. When families lack resources in one or more of these areas, they may feel overwhelmed at the gravity of their situation. But when professionals guide families and allow them to prioritize their own needs, the challenge can be tackled. After a family prioritizes their needs, professionals must probe a bit further to understand what has caused this to become a need. Even when the challenge is visible, it doesn’t necessarily mean the professional understands the cause of the problem. For our interventions to be successful over the long term, the strategy we provide has to match the challenge (or the need).

For example, if a family is working to achieve consistent hearing device use for their child, the professional first needs to determine what the roadblock is to achiev-ing this goal. If the roadblock is “buy-in,” then we need to find a strategy to help fam-ilies understand the importance of device use during all-waking hours. But for a fam-ily who lacks financial resources, the true roadblock may be their inability to afford batteries. Knowing the true roadblock to achieving this goal, the professional can then spend time and energy finding an


appropriate strategy, which might include seeking a funding source or discount program for batteries or assistive technol-ogy instead of preparing a lecture on the importance of consistent device use.

Most families are highly motivated to do right by their children. However, there are certain times when profession-als are faced with families who appear to be the exception to this general rule. Consider, however, that these families who present with lower than expected motivation or investment in their child’s education may appear this way because of the life circumstances with which they are faced. Perhaps this apparent lack of family motivation is actually a misinterpretation on the part of profes-sionals, and is really directly related to the concept of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Figure). If a caregiver must focus all of her or his energy on meeting a more basic need, then it could appear that she or he is less invested in the priorities of the professional. Once again, profes-sionals are reminded of the importance of refraining from passing judgment and instead focusing on assessment and reflection of family circumstances.

Keep everyone SafeAs professionals assess all aspects of family needs, it is critical they include informal assessment of family and child safety. Providers must be cognizant of how sug-

gested interventions and strategies can impact a family’s sense of safety. When providers don’t fully understand the moti-vation behind certain parts of a family’s routine, they may suggest something that isn’t comfortable for the family. While outdoor play can provide great language and listening opportunities, if the neigh-borhood isn’t safe, recommending that as a strategy for listening or spoken language development may not be appropriate. If a family needs to keep the TV on or the dryer running to block out frightening noises or sounds of violence, providers need to consider what they suggest as they guide caregivers to eliminate back-ground noise. Finally, it is important to recognize that a disability puts a child at greater risk for abuse or neglect, and that poverty is also a predictor of substan-tiated child maltreatment (DHHS, 2003). When assessing safety, one must both identify instances of abuse and neglect, and make appropriate referrals in order to protect the children we serve. For more information on how to identify abuse and neglect and for additional resources, visit www.childhelp.org or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD.

Provide resources and SupportCertain challenges are most easily met by providing a specific resource. Some of these resources are just to help a family

“get-by,” while others are more long-term. Consider the use of Individualized Education Program (IEP)/Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) teams, local religious communities, or agencies (such as the Social Security Administration, Medicaid, DHHS/Regional Center or United Way) because collaboration is key to helping families find success.

Financial Resources. Some families need temporary financial support over the short term. Often this kind of support is to fill the car with gas or purchase a bus pass. Sometimes just helping families become aware of the public transportation in the area is assistance enough. Become familiar with area food banks and housing shelters so when families need food and shelter in emergency situations, you can refer them. For families who will need more sustained support, use the IEP/IFSP team as a starting point to locate other resources. Early intervention programs especially should have resources, such as access to social workers, when the most basic family needs overshadow individual child needs.

The costs of services for children with hearing loss contribute to the financial challenges families face. For children whose families have chosen a listening and spoken language approach, there are high quality OPTION schools across the country that offer subsidized tuition packages or scholarships so children can attend these schools (visit www.auditoryoralschools.org). Additionally, AG Bell offers excellent financial aid opportunities for families. Visit www.agbell.org to learn more about the application process and deadlines.

Health Services. Children who qualify for Medicaid can receive additional resources through the hospital or medi-cal home if the educational or therapy program cannot provide such resources. Medical transportation to physician or audiology appointments may be avail-able to children who receive public aid. Providers may also consider assisting families in completing a supplemental security income (SSI) application. Finally, referring families to the regional center or the local department of health and human services may lead to additional support. Most government resources have very clear guidelines available online, but since many families in poverty don’t

Figure: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Adapted from Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and Personality, 2nd ed. New York: Harper & Row.


have consistent access to the Internet, consider holding sessions at a library or school where families have access to the web to navigate online resources.

Increase Agency-Wide AwarenessCentral Institute for the Deaf (CID) faculty and staff dedicated an entire year of professional development to better understand how poverty affects some of the families they serve. It was believed that a greater understanding of poverty, agency-wide, would enhance a profes-sional’s ability to serve all families. The professional development opportunities included a poverty simulation offered though a local non-profit agency, a family resource simulator available through the National Center for Children in Poverty, and the reading and discussion of Ruby Payne’s “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” (1996). Every CID staff mem-ber who interacts with families, from the administration to the support staff, found participating in this focused professional development beneficial.

ConclusionPoverty creates additional obstacles to the development and academic achieve-ment of a child with a hearing loss, but through the collaborative efforts of professionals, families and community resources, all children have the opportu-nity to become capable communicators and successful learners. By implement-ing proactive strategies to improve the outcomes for children living in poverty, professionals increase the likelihood that all children will have a bright future.

referencesCauthen, N. & Fass, S. (2008). Ten important

questions about child poverty and family economic hardship. New York, NY: National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). (2003). Emerging practices in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. Retrieved November 9, 2010, from http://stage.childwelfare.gov/preventing/programs/whatworks/report/report.pdf.

Hart, B., & Risley, T. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of American children. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Hoff, E. (2006). How social contexts support and shape language development. Developmental Review, 26, 55-88.

Kelly, D. (2010). Language acquisition challenges for preschoolers residing in low-SES households: Implications for speech-language pathologists and developmental researchers. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 17, 41-48. doi:10.1044/lle17.2.41.

Krugman, P. (2008, February 18). Poverty is poison. New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2010, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/opinion/18krugman.html.

Luterman, D. (2001). Counseling persons with communication disorders and their families. Austin, TX: Pro Ed.

National Center for Children in Poverty. (2009). Measuring poverty. Retrieved November 15, 2010, from http://www.nccp.org/topics/measuringpoverty.html

Park, J., Turnbull, A., & Turnbull, H. (2002). Impacts of poverty on quality of life in families of children with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 68(2), 151-170.

Payne, R K. (1996). A framework for understanding poverty. Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc.

Pungello, E., Iruka, I., Dotterer, A., Mills-Koonce, R., & Reznick, J.S. (2009). The effects of socioeconomic status, race, and parenting on language development in early childhood. Developmental Psychology, 45, 544-557.

Suskind, D. & Gehlert, S. (2009). Working with children from lower SES families. In L. Eisenberg (Ed.), Clinical Management of Children with Cochlear Implants (pp. 555-572). San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing.

Thomas-Presswood, T., & Presswood, D. (2008). Meeting the needs of students and families from poverty: a handbook for school and mental health professionals. Baltimore, MD: Paul H Brookes Pub Co.

Sunshine Cottage, a listening and spoken language school, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, OPTIONschools International, and is a Texas Education Agency approved non-public school. We accept students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin.

Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children is proud to announce the completion of our new 57,000 square foot campus. On a beautiful hilltop, our one-story multi-textured building, has accents of cypress, skylights and expanses of glass to usher in light. Twenty classrooms along three wings are specially insulated from extraneous outside noises and complimented with dramatic views.

We’re ‘Hear’ for the Future!

We invite you to visit! 603 E. Hildebrand Ave. • San Antonio, Texas 78212(210) 824-0579 • www.sunshinecottage.org

Other campus highlights are: • Early Childhood and Elementary Programs • Parent-Infant Cottage • Speech Pathology • Audiology Center with five testing booths • Outdoor and Discovery classrooms • Music and Art classrooms

We continue to offer the very best programs and comprehensive educational environment for infants and school-aged children with hearing impairment.

Program ad 2010b.indd 1 7/29/2010 8:42:54 AM


By Amy McConkey Robbins, M.S., CCC-SLP

Grandparents and the Circle of Love

Part of the privilege of working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing is that we share in some of their highest and lowest moments

– we are given the gift of being present at intimate moments in the lives of the families we serve. Each child and family with whom I’ve worked these past 30 years has been spe-cial but, as most clinicians would say, a few families and children hold an abiding place in one’s heart. Such is the case of Oliver.

The perfect storm of events that came together for this family compelled Oliver’s maternal grandparents, life-long residents of Honduras, to care for him for the first four and a half years of his life, then to relinquish his care, joyfully

but with a sense of loss, to his parents in the United States. As with many things in life, Oliver’s world has come full circle – he maintains contact with his grandparents through visits, phone calls and email, grandparents who protected and loved him in his early years.

Oliver’s story began with his birth in Honduras to a Honduran mother and an American father – loving par-ents who welcomed their first and only child. Urgent passport and visa restric-tions required that the parents return to the United States shortly after Oliver was born in order to get their docu-ments in place to return to Honduras and bring Oliver home to the United

States. They could not have predicted what would occur in the ensuing days.

Shortly after Oliver’s parents left their newborn temporarily in the care of his grandparents in Choluteca, Honduras, the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001. Immediately, a new policy of restriction on immigration and an interminable wait lists were instituted for national security. Although Oliver’s parents made repeated appeals to vari-ous agencies, they were unsuccessful in getting permission to bring him to the United States. He was placed on a list of thousands of other non-residents whose relatives were desperate to bring them into America. As time passed, Oliver’s


grandparents and his three maternal aunts accepted that he might be with them in Honduras for much longer than originally planned. To quote the ancient poet Rumi, they “stepped out of the circle of time and into the circle of love.” That is, although they realized they had little control over how long Oliver would live with them, they had complete control over how they loved and cared for him. They provided a nurturing, secure and happy home for the precious and bright toddler, who seemed to be developing typically in every way except in speech. They expressed their concerns in frequent phone calls to his parents, who made multiple trips back to Honduras in unsuc-

cessful attempts to secure Oliver’s papers and bring him to the United States.

After a particularly worrisome report from her parents, Oliver’s mother asked them to take him for a hearing evaluation. The news was devastating to the fam-ily: he was diagnosed with a profound, bilateral hearing loss. When Oliver’s mother called and spoke to the ear, nose and throat specialist in Honduras, his response was, “Don’t waste your money buying hearing aids. This child is so deaf that only cochlear implants will help him.” However, cochlear implants were not available in Honduras. Thus his parents became even more frantic to find a way to legally bring Oliver into the United States, understanding that Oliver was losing ground in his communication abilities. In spite of the futility of their efforts, one thing remained constant: Oliver’s grandparents continued to love him, nurture him and provide for him in every way they knew, even though he was unable to hear or understand anything they said to him in their native Spanish. Yet, they never gave up hope that he would one day be united with his parents and receive the cochlear implants. The foundation of love and security they gave him, though it was non-linguistic, created a boy who was happy and confident, though unable to communicate with symbolic language. He learned to love the food and customs of the only culture he had ever known, that of Honduras, and he was deeply bonded to his grandparents and aunts. He loved his visits from mommy and daddy, but we can only imagine that, without any lan-guage, he was unsure of who these visitors were.

After dozens of unsuc-cessful attempts, his par-ents finally made an appeal to Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana who intervened at the highest level in the U.S. State Department.

The news came: Oliver would receive his papers and was cleared to enter the United States. His arrival was a combination of great joy and sobering reality. Here was a 4 ½ year old in a new country with new foods and customs, separated from his grandparents and aunts, living with people he knew but didn’t understand, and facing the obstacle of severe language deprivation. His parents made the deci-sion to attempt a listening and spoken language, diagnostic teaching approach; Oliver had cochlear implant surgery and began an intense therapy and home program with me as well as a fulltime placement at the St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf in Indianapolis, Ind. Due to his age, the parents made a decision in our sessions to augment his spoken language by using some sign support as a means of rapid communication development; Oliver needed a working vocabulary to express his wants, needs and feelings, and to understand what his parents expressed. Though working an exhausting job as a full-time pediatric medical interpreter, his mother played language games and fostered his communication development

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Oliver with Grandma (“Abuela”) celebrating his 4th birthday and hoping to soon come to the United States.

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Oliver with his father, shortly after arriving in United States.


at every opportunity, bringing a written weekly summary to each of our sessions. On one she wrote, “When I tried to join him in playing something, Oliver said, ‘Mommy, you go away; it’s my turn’ and we were thrilled at his desire for independence and his ability to express this verbally.” His implant was highly successful, and he often made the transfer between the signed and spoken English word after only one or two exposures, typically dropping the sign on his own as his spoken language improved. At school, his program was strictly listen-ing and spoken language, and he began to blossom in his linguistic skills.

With the deep commitment of his par-ents, supported by love from his grandpar-ents in Honduras, Oliver began to make progress that astounded us all. While I can not predict that many children with his history would progress as he did, I think it is not an exaggeration to say that Oliver defied the odds. As he progressed, his bonding with his parents became complete and I have a memory of his father, who often brought him to therapy, chuckling as he explained to me that my pretend food therapy toys might not be culturally appropriate. Whereas children raised in the United States would be familiar with pizza, french fries and hamburgers, he said Oliver craved and asked for tamales, tortillas and queso. What a gift this was to me to have a father so invested in his son’s progress. (By the way, clinicians can buy large sets of play food that have an ethnic theme, and Oliver’s dad prompted me to do so.) Meanwhile, Oliver’s spoken language improved by leaps and bounds.

As a decision neared regarding a school placement, Oliver’s father tragically died. This left another scar on this young boy’s life, and that of his mother. Again, his grandparents were there to comfort and support, and to provide the encour-agement that led his mother to move to St. Louis where Oliver is a fulltime student at the St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf – St. Louis. He and his mother return to Honduras on a regular basis, and it is “fantastico,” as his grandfather

says, that he now greets them by say-ing “Hi, Abuelo, Hello, Abuela. I am happy to be here!” For these loving grandparents who knew him when he could only point, cry or lead them to a desired object, his spoken communica-tion is nothing short of miraculous.

When clinicians think of managing chil-dren who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families, time becomes our master – for good reasons. We count the hours, days and weeks until a child receives his or her hearing aids or cochlear implants, or begins a new therapy program. But when we have no control over time, we must, as these grandparents so bravely demonstrated, set a new priority: to ensure that a child is fully wrapped in a blanket of security and love. They say life brings us full circle, and when I think of what these parents and grandparents sacrificed for a little boy who has been through more trauma than many adults have, I sense the presence of a circle of love that surrounded Oliver in Central America, in Indianapolis and now in St. Louis, where he contin-ues to thrive and fulfill his potential.

In loving memory of Brian McKown.

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Oliver with Grandpa (“Abuelo”) on a return visit to Honduras.

AG Bell

July 21-23

2011Omni Shoreham Hotel2500 Calvert Street, NW

Washington, D.C.

W H AT T O E X P E C T:� Short courses and presentations on

the latest advances in intervention for

infants and children who are deaf or

hard of hearing.

� CE credits towards professional

certification.

� Public policy briefings about the growing

demand of families seeking a listening

and spoken language outcome and the

need for policy to support that outcome.

� Learn how your clinical and educational

skills can effect change far beyond your

own practice.

� Interact with providers of hearing

technology and hearing assistive

devices for classroom/therapeutic

settings.

W H O S H O U L D AT T E N D :� Listening and Spoken Language

Specialists (LSLS Cert. AVEds and

LSLS Cert. AVTs)

� Educators of the Deaf

� Speech-Language Pathologists

� Audiologists

� Early intervention and special education

specialists and administrators

� Parents of children who are deaf or

hard of hearing, and adults with

hearing loss

� Public policy professionals concerned

with early intervention and education

of individuals who are deaf and

hard of hearing

The premier professional development opportunity for teachers,therapists and early interventionists who support listening

and spoken language for children with hearing loss.

2011 Symposium Ad_v3:Layout 1 7/16/10 12:25 PM Page 1


Por Amy McConkey Robbins, M.S., CCC-SLP

Los abuelos y el círculo del amor

Parte del privilegio de trabajar con niños sordos o con problemas de audición es poder compartir algunos de los momentos altos y

bajos. Tenemos el honor de poder pre-senciar momentos íntimos en las vidas de las familias que servimos. Cada uno de los niños y familias con las que he trabajado estos últimos treinta años han sido especiales pero, como la mayoría de especialistas dirían, hay algunas familias y niños que se le quedan a uno en el cora-zón. Eso fue lo que pasó con Oliver.

La sucesión de eventos que vivió esta familia hizo que los abuelos maternos de Oliver, residentes en Honduras de toda la vida, se hicieran cargo de su nieto durante

los primeros cuatro años y medio de su vida, para luego renunciar a su cuidado con alegría pero con una sensación de pérdida, para que sus padres lo criaran en Estados Unidos. Como tantas cosas en la vida, el mundo de Oliver ha vuelto al punto de partida, ya que sigue en contacto con sus abuelos a través de visitas, lla-madas telefónicas y correos electrónicos. Unos abuelos que lo quisieron y protegie- ron durante sus primeros años de vida.

La historia de Oliver comienza con su nacimiento en Honduras, hijo de madre hondureña y padre estadounidense. Unos padres amorosos que le dieron la bienvenida a su hijo único. Los padres se vieron obligados a volver a Estados

Unidos al poco tiempo del nacimiento de Oliver debido a restricciones urgentes en el pasaporte y visado que necesitaban resolver para poder volver a Honduras a recoger a Oliver para llevarlo de vuelta con ellos a Estados Unidos. Sus padres no podrían haber predicho lo que ocurriría en los días siguientes.

A los pocos días de que los padres deja-ran a su recién nacido al cuidado temporal de sus abuelos en Choluteca, Honduras, Estados Unidos sufrió un ataque el 11 de septiembre de 2001. De inmediato se instituyó en aras de la seguridad nacional una nueva política de restricción en la inmigración y una lista de espera inter-minable. A pesar de que los padres de


Oliver apelaron repetidas veces a diferentes agencias, no tuvieron éxito en obtener la autorización para traerlo a Estados Unidos. A Oliver se le colocó en una lista de miles de no residentes cuyos familiares estaban desesperados por traerlos a Estados Unidos. Con el paso del tiempo, tanto los abue-los de Oliver como sus tres tías maternas aceptaron el hecho de que era posible que tuvieran al niño en Honduras durante más tiempo del planeado. Citando a Rumí, un antiguo poeta, se “salieron del círculo del tiempo y entraron en el círculo del amor”. Es decir, a pesar de que eran conscientes de que tenían muy poco control sobre el tiempo que Oliver viviría con ellos, tenían el control total sobre la forma de cui-

darlo y quererlo. La familia en Honduras proporcionó un hogar amoroso, seguro y feliz a este infante brillante y valioso, que parecía desarrollarse como cualquier niño de su edad con la excepción del lenguaje oral. En las frecuentes llamadas a sus padres les expresaban sus preocupaciones. Los padres realizaron múltiples viajes a Honduras para intentar sin éxito conseguir los papeles de Oliver para poderlo llevar con ellos de vuelta a Estados Unidos.

Después de una llamada especialmente preocupante de sus padres, la madre de Oliver les pidió que lo llevaran a que le revisaran la audición. La noticia fue de- vastadora para la familia: se le diagnosticó una pérdida auditiva bilateral de grave a profunda. Cuando la madre de Oliver llamó al otorrino de su hijo en Honduras para hablar con él, la respuesta del espe-cialista fue “No tire su dinero comprando audífonos. Este niño es tan sordo que sólo los implantes cocleares le podrán ayudar”. Sin embargo, los implantes cocleares no existían en Honduras. Por lo que los padres estaban aún más desesperados en encontrar la manera de poder traer a Oliver legal-mente a Estados Unidos, ya que sabían que Oliver estaba perdiendo terreno en su comuni-cación. A pesar de la futili-dad de sus esfuerzos, una cosa permaneció constante: los abuelos de Oliver sigui-eron queriéndolo, cuidán-dolo y haciéndose cargo de él de todas las formas posibles, a pesar de que él no podía oírlos ni entender lo que le decían en español. Pero, nunca perdieron la esperanza de que algún día se reuniría con sus padres y recibiría los implantes cocleares. La base de amor y seguridad que le dieron a Oliver, aunque no fuera lingüística, creó un niño feliz y seguro, aunque fuera incapaz de comunicarse con lenguaje simbólico. Aprendió a querer las costumbres y la comida de la única cultura que había conocido, la hondureña, y estaba

profundamente unido a sus abuelos y tías. Le encantaban las visitas de mamá y papá, pero nos podemos imagi-nar, que sin el lenguaje, no sabía muy bien quienes eran estos visitantes.

Después de una docena de intentos infructuosos, sus padres al final apela-ron al Senador por Indiana, Evan Bayh, quien intervino al más alto nivel en el Departamento de Estados de EE.UU. Por fin llegó la noticia que todos habían estado esperando: Oliver recibiría sus papeles y tenía autorización para entrar en Estados Unidos. Su llegada fue una combinación de gran alegría y una triste realidad. Aquí estaba un niño de cuatro años y medio en un país nuevo con costumbres y comidas nuevas, separado de sus abuelos y tías, viviendo con personas que conocía pero no entendía, y teniéndose que enfrentar con el obstáculo de una grave privación del lenguaje. Sus padres tomaron la decisión de intentar un enfoque de enseñanza por diagnóstico de la audición y lenguaje oral. Oliver se sometió a una cirugía para que se le implantaran los implantes cocleares e inició una terapia intensiva y un pro-grama en casa conmigo, además de asistir

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Oliver con su padre al poco tiempo de llegar a Estados Unidos.

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Oliver con su abuela celebrando su 4º cumpleaños y esperando venir pronto a los Estados Unidos.


a tiempo completo al St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf in Indianapolis, Indiana. Debido a su edad, los padres decidi-eron que para aumentar su lenguaje oral durante nuestras sesiones utilizáramos temporalmente algún tipo de soporte de signos como forma de desarrollar rápi-damente la comunicación, ya que Oliver necesitaba un vocabulario funcional para expresar sus deseos, necesidades y sen-timientos, así como para entender lo que sus padres le decían. A pesar de trabajar a tiempo completo como intérprete médico pediátrico, su madre jugaba con él a juegos de lenguaje y fomentaba el desarrollo de su comunicación siempre que podía, trayéndome en cada una de nuestras sesiones un resumen semanal escrito. En uno de esos resúmenes escribió, “Una vez traté de sumarme a él a jugar a algo, Oliver me dijo, ‘Mami, vete, es mi turno’ y nos emocionó su deseo de independencia y su capacidad de expresar esto verbalmente”. Su implante fue sumamente exitoso, y a menudo cambiaba la palabra en lenguaje de signos por la palabra hablada en inglés después de estar expuesto a ella una o dos veces, por lo general dejaba de usar el signo a medida que su lenguaje oral mejoraba. En la escuela, su programa era estricta-mente de audición y lenguaje oral, y su capacidad lingüística empezó a florecer.

Con el compromiso profundo de sus padres, y el apoyo amoroso de sus abuelos en Honduras, Oliver comenzó a progresar de tal forma que nos sorprendió a todos. Aunque no puedo predecir que muchos niños con su historia progresarían de la forma en la que él lo hizo, creo que no exagero cuando digo que Oliver venció las probabilidades. A medida que progresaba, terminó de afirmar su vínculo con sus padres, y me acuerdo de su padre, que lo traía a terapia con frecuencia, rién-dose mientras me explicaba que quizás la comida de juguete que utilizaba en la terapia no era culturalmente apropiada. Su padre me dijo que aunque los niños que crecen en Estados Unidos estarían fami- liarizados con la pizza, patatas fritas y hamburguesas, Oliver lo que quería y pedía eran tamales, tortitas de maíz y queso. Para mí fue un regalo ver a un padre tan involucrado con el progreso de su hijo. (Por cierto, los especialis-tas pueden comprar grandes paque-tes de comida étnica de juguete, y el

padre de Oliver me impulsó a hacerlo.) Mientras tanto, el lenguaje oral de Oliver mejoró a pasos acelerados.

A medida que se acercaba la decisión de la escolarización de Oliver, su padre murió trágicamente. Este hecho dejó otra cicatriz en la vida de este niño, y también en la de su madre. De nuevo, sus abue-los estaban allí para consolar y apoyar, y para animar a su madre a mudarse a San Luis en donde Oliver es alumno a tiempo completo en el St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf – St. Louis. Tanto él como su madre viajan con frecuencia a Honduras, y es “fantástico”, su abuelo dice que ahora los saluda diciendo “Hola abuelo, hola abuela. ¡Estoy feliz de estar aquí!” Para estos abuelos cariñosos que lo conoci-eron cuando sólo podía señalar, llorar o llevarlos hacia el objeto que quería, su comunicación oral es casi un milagro.

Cuando los especialistas pensamos en gestionar niños sordos o con problemas

de audición y sus familias, el tiempo se vuelve nuestro amo y por muy buenas razones. Contamos las horas, días y sema-nas que faltan para que un niño reciba sus audífonos o implantes cocleares, o empiece una terapia nueva. Pero cuando no podemos controlar el tiempo, debe-mos, igual que estos abuelos demostraron con valentía, salirnos de la tiranía del tiempo y establecer una prioridad nueva: asegurarnos de que el niño esté arropado completamente en amor y seguridad. Dicen que la vida nos devuelve al punto de partida, y cuando pienso en lo que estos padres y abuelos sacrificaron por un niño pequeño que ya ha pasado más traumas que muchos adultos, siento la presencia de un círculo de amor rodeando a Oliver en América Central, Indianápolis y ahora en San Luis, donde sigue cre-ciendo y desarrollando su potencial.

En memoria de Brian McKown.

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Oliver con su abuelo en una visita a Honduras.

LOFT is a four-day program designed for participants to develop skills

in individual leadership, teamwork, public speaking and self-advocacy.

The program is structured so that participants increase their self-

confidence and their understanding of their own strengths and abilities

through activities designed to challenge them more each day to push

beyond their comfort zone in a supportive environment.

Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) 2011

J u ly 2 4 - 2 8 , 2 0 1 1 • O m n i S h O r e h a m • W a S h i n g t O n , D . C .

More information and an application will

be available on the AG Bell website at

www.agbell.org after December 1, 2010.

Application deadline is March 1, 2011.

“Meeting new friends whom I hope to keep in touch with for a lifetime has been the absolute best experience I’ve ever gone through. Those self-advocacy exercises really put things in perspective for me and I wouldn’t have met the people I did that inspired me. Without AG Bell, my summer wouldn’t have been the same!”

– Teen Participant

“Who knew that just five days in the LOFT program could alter one’s life? Not only did my son gain the value of developing leadership and self-advocacy skills, but he established deep connections with other hearing impaired teens in a very short time! He’s in constant contact with some of them weeks after he returned home. I would highly recommend LOFT to any teen fortunate enough to have the opportunity!”

– Parent

“Summer camps come and then vanish quickly from your mind, but LOFT is a program that is unique. What I learned during the program will stay with me for many years. I made connections and friends, and found myself among others with the burning desire to make a difference in the world. LOFT is a program that has the ability to change lives for the better.”

– Teen Participant

LOFT 2011 Ad_v2.indd 1 9/27/10 3:57:27 PM


By Melody Felzien

Meeting the Needs of New York City Children with Hearing Loss

Auditory Oral School of New York

Since 1999, the Auditory Oral School of New York (AOSNY) and its early intervention pro-gram, StriVright to Succeed,

has offered listening and spoken lan-guage opportunities to children who are deaf or hard of hearing living in New York City. The school’s profes-sional staff is dedicated to meet-ing the individual educational and developmental needs of each child who walks through its doors.

The services at AOSNY/StriVright include parent-infant, early intervention and preschool programs, family train-ing and support groups, counseling, individual speech and listening therapy, audiological services, and physical,

occupational, and sensory integra-tion therapy as well as comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluations. AOSNY/StriVright helps children who are deaf and hard of hearing develop listening and spoken language through an interac-tive, cognitive and social curriculum. The children are encouraged to rely on their ability, not their disability.

AOSNY was founded by a group of professionals in the fields of deaf educa-tion, audiology and speech-language pathology who are also parents of children with hearing loss. Together, they have successfully advocated for listening and spoken language options to the New York City department of education and department of health as

well as other related agencies. As a result of these efforts, these agencies have adopted listening and spoken language options to the service provision model for the education of children with hearing loss in New York, and the New York City department of education has begun providing transition classes for children who need additional support before entering mainstream classrooms.

Volta Voices recently had the oppor-tunity to sit down with Michele Bornfeld, M.A., CCC-SLP, direc-tor of professional development of AOSNY/StriVright to Succeed, to discuss the challenges and opportuni-ties afforded a program in a large urban environment like New York City.


Volta Voices: What are the greatest chal-lenges facing parents/guardians of newly diagnosed children in New York City?

Michele Bornfeld: Our experience has been that some parents of newly diag-nosed children have difficulty accept-ing their infant’s diagnosis of hearing loss, especially if there is no history of hearing loss in the family. Our team of evaluators assess the child in the fam-ily’s home or in our center, depending on the preference of the family. We provide concrete, easy to understand informa-tion along with the emotional support a family may need. Our dedicated and specially trained team of early interven-tion service coordinators monitors each

child and his/her family carefully to determine if formal counseling with a mental health provider is needed.

V.V.: How do you support under-privileged or uninsured families?

M.B.: At AOSNY/StriVright to Succeed, we work with infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers and school-aged children who are deaf or hard of hearing throughout the New York City area. Our specialized team of hearing professionals (i.e., teach-ers of the deaf, speech-language patholo-gists, audiologists, certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists, music therapists, etc.) and evaluators reach families early after initial diagnosis or concern (i.e. their newborn did not pass the newborn hearing screening test). Our ability to connect with children in need at their homes or at our center-based program is facilitated by our partnership with the New York City Early Intervention Program (EIP) and with the New York City Department of Education’s Committees on Special Education. This partnership allows us to help any infant or child who meets the eligibility criteria mandated by the aforementioned entities, regardless of medical/health insurance coverage. In addition, for those of our students whose families are experiencing tangible cost-of-living difficulties, AOSNY/StriVright service coordinators refer families in need to agencies within New York City that can provide help finding appropri-ate housing, applying for food stamps, obtaining medical/health insurance and even coordinating babysitting services.

V.V.: Living in such a diverse city, how do you address the challenges of varied cultures and customs?

M.B.: Consistent with the variety of cultures represented and languages spoken in New York City, many families of the children at AOSNY/StriVright speak a language other than or in addi-tion to English. These include Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Urdu, Punjabi, Yiddish, Russian, Creole, Tagalog, Farsi, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Arabic and Polish. We find the multicultural aspect of our student body actually enhances

our students’ learning experiences and knowledge, and celebrating our stu-dents’ cultural diversity is inherent to our curriculum. Learning the names of other countries, the respective lan-guages spoken and associated customs are a focus at AOSNY. In addition, parents are asked to come in and share an aspect of their culture with their child’s class (e.g. cook a specific dish). Several of our staff are multilingual and available to interpret, if needed. Our teachers facilitate their students’ learn-ing of diversity by reading books or stories that illustrate various cultural experiences and by encouraging families to send in photos that depict familial events that encapsulate their culture.

In addition, AOSNY/StriVright’s Parent Association has a highly diverse member-ship. We are thrilled that the association has grown extensively over the past few years, and it is a pleasure to hear the varied suggestions and ideas offered by its members, many coming from different religious and cultural backgrounds. It is clear to us that parents are connected by sharing the goal of having their children reach their full potential, and learning all they can to facilitate the process.

V.V.: What services or programs do you offer that are unique to a large city environment?

M.B.: At AOSNY/StriVright to Succeed, the policy of adhering to the best practice model at all times and across all parameters of service deliv-ery is paramount. We know that when we “strive right,” we can and do suc-ceed! Our staff is committed to having our students reach their full potential and acquire age-appropriate listening and speaking skills in preparation for learning in a general education class-room alongside their peers with typical hearing. To achieve that goal, we create tailor-made educational programs for each child depending upon their clini-cal profile and parental preferences.

AOSNY/StriVright offers a number of venues in which to serve a child who is deaf or hard of hearing: in his or her home, in one of our parent-infant/parent-toddler groups, in a language-enriched classroom, at our early intervention

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Children at the Auditory Oral School of New York participate in a fall walk in New York City.


center or preschool, or itinerantly in a mainstream setting. The related services that AOSNY/StriVright provides include hearing education services; speech, occupational, and physical therapies; and

counseling. In addition, we have created a multitude of “specials,” i.e. specialized, focused learning provided by trained spe-cialists within the classroom, that allows for specific areas of development to be

targeted. These include music therapy, lit-eracy groups, social skills groups, syntax groups, creative arts and sensory integra-tion exercises. All of these combined experiences help our children develop the auditory, linguistic, cognitive, speech, social and pre-academic abilities they will need in a mainstream educational setting. The philosophy behind the creation and ultimate success of AOSNY/StriVright also rests upon the concepts of profes-sional collaboration and consistent part-nering with parents/guardians. We see the parent/guardian as the primary facili-tator of his or her child’s development, and to that end they need to know effec-tive facilitation strategies and techniques that can be used at home. Members of a child’s team at AOSNY/StriVright consist of his or her teacher, therapists and audi-ologist. Collaborative team meetings take place to discuss each child’s performance and progress in achieving his or her goals.

V.V.: How does being in such a large city environment impact the services you are able to offer?

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Children at the Auditory Oral School of New York participate in a wide rage of activities to promote the learning of other cultures and the development of listening and spoken language.


M.B.: AOSNY/StriVright is committed to providing outstanding (re)habilitation and education to infants and children all around New York City, and we serve children in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan. Professional col-laboration with audiologists in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island and Nassau County occurs regularly, allowing us to increase the impact of our services.

V.V.: What do you view as the future of listening and spoken language communication outcomes?

M.B.: The future of listening and spoken language communication outcomes is bright and growing brighter each year, as the age at which children are receiving their auditory amplification has decreased dramatically, secondary to mandatory newborn hearing screenings and tremen-dous advances in hearing technology and cochlear implants. This reduction in the time gap between the child’s chronologi-cal age and his or her hearing age will

allow achievement of age-appropriate speech, language and listening skills at a younger age, and earlier entry into mainstream learning environments.

Editor’s Note: To learn more about AOSNY/StriVright, please visit www.auditoryoral.org.

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When considering our extensive industry experience, together with the backing of a world class institution offering a comprehensive range of globally recognised programs – The choice is simple!

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The Auditory Oral School of New York prides itself on its comprehensive programming and cultural diversity, all promoting the listening and spoken language development of children with hearing loss.


By Pamela D. Millett, Ph.D.

And How the Desired Sensation Level (DSL) Approach Can Help (Part 2)

Part 1 of this article, published in the November/December 2010 issue of Volta Voices, described some of the limitations of using

aided audiograms to prescribe hearing aids, and verifying that they provide the most appropriate amplification for each child. Most parents/caregivers and teach-ers are familiar with aided audiograms, which indicate hearing thresholds for the child while wearing the hearing aids. We are used to comparing aided hearing levels with unaided hearing levels, and describing this difference to teachers and others who need to understand how a child hears with his or her hearing aids. However, real ear measurement technology, in combination

with a software program called the Desired Sensation Level (DSL) program, now allows audiologists to select, program, recommend and verify the characteristics of a child’s hearing aids more quickly and accurately.

The Desired Sensation Level program (DSL), developed by Richard Seewald and colleagues at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, specifically for children, provides a more accurate way of evaluating hearing aid characteristics and is widely used across North America and internationally (Seewald, et al., 1997).

The DSL program converts the hearing threshold data from the child’s audio-gram into a different kind of decibel, dB sound pressure level (or SPL). All hear-

ing aid data is measured in this different kind of decibel and therefore comparing hearing testing information to hearing aid data compares apples to oranges. The DSL program plots the converted audiogram (in dB SPL) on an audiogram-like format, called the SPLogram. The SPLogram looks like an upside down audiogram. Frequency is still read from left to right; however, loudness values are now reversed – very soft sounds are at the bottom of the graph and loud sounds are at the top. Figure 1 shows the SPLogram for an audiogram with a 50 dB hearing loss at all frequencies.

The DSL program then calculates targets for both average conversational

Understanding a Child’s Aided Hearing Characteristics


speech level sounds and loud sounds for children. Figure 1 shows the child’s hearing thresholds (as circles), targets for conversational speech (+) and targets for the maximum output of the hear-ing aid (*). The key to understanding the DSL printouts is to realize that the hearing aid targets have been calcu-lated to ensure audibility of the speech sounds within that frequency range. By definition, the oft used audiological phrase “a good match to all DSL targets was obtained” implies that all speech sounds are audible (at least in quiet, which is all anyone can predict).

Once the targets are obtained, the audi-ologist can assess many hearing aids and

settings to see which aid provides the best amplification. One of the advantages of the DSL program is that this process can occur without the child’s presence. Once the Real Ear to Coupler Difference (RECD) is measured and incor-porated into the DSL program, there is no need for the child to be physically present.

Figure 2 provides a sample hearing aid printout from the DSL program. The hear-ing aid response is the solid line; this example shows an excellent match to DSL targets since the response line touches all of the conversational speech targets (+) without going over or under them. This means that speech has been amplified to a level louder than the child’s hearing thresh-olds (which it must be in order for the child to hear) without making it so loud that it is uncomfortable for the child.

The SPLogram shows what actually happens – that speech and other sounds are being made loud enough to be heard, not that we are improv-ing the child’s hearing levels. It is a subtle distinction, but one worth making. The traditional aided audiogram implies that we are changing the child’s hearing levels, but the child’s hearing levels cannot be changed. What is changing is the speech banana. The speech banana typically falls at a level of 50-60 dB and may be too soft for the child to hear, and therefore must be made louder to fall within the child’s range of

hearing (the range between the softest level that can be heard and the loudest level that can be tolerated). The SPLogram demonstrates how well the hearing aid is accomplishing this task. It also demon-strates another audiological truth – that sometimes this “range of hearing” can be very small. With sensorineural hearing loss, the individual’s uncomfortable level for sounds (UCL) may be the same or

Understanding a Child’s Aided Hearing Characteristics

Figure 1. Unaided audiogram shown in SPLogram format from the DSL program of the AudioScan VeriFit real ear measurement system.

Figure 2. Printout of an appropriate hearing aid response.

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lower than an individual with typical hearing, producing a small “dynamic range” of hearing. The SPLogram format provides a truer picture of audibil-ity across the frequency range since it indicates predicted or measured uncom-fortable levels as well as thresholds.

Figure 3 shows a poor hearing aid response. The hearing aid matches DSL targets up to 1000 Hz, but then the hearing aid response line falls below targets. If the hearing aid response line falls below the hearing thresholds, sounds in this frequency range are not audible at all with this hearing aid.

If the audiologist is prescribing new hearing aids, clearly this particular hear-ing aid is a poor choice as it does not provide appropriate amplification above 1000 Hz for this child’s hearing loss. In behavioral terms, these results indicate that the child should be able to detect all speech sounds with formant informa-tion at 1000 Hz or lower, but probably cannot detect speech sounds above 1000 Hz. We can predict that this child should be able to hear most vowels but would confuse /u/ and /i/ and the words “cat” and “caught,” would not hear the plural marker on most nouns, and would not hear the f, th or sh sounds. Remember that this is a prediction, as is the aided audiogram – it shows what sounds of the speech banana we think the child should be able to hear. However, the

speech banana on an audiogram represents one person’s voice at one point in time; there is no universal speech banana, and therefore comparing an aided audiogram to “the” speech banana is not an accurate reflection of hear-ing in the real world. The speech spectrum that we hear changes from second to second as distance, noise, reverberation and speaker characteristics change. The speech banana on audiograms is static, but speech in real life is dynamic. Therefore any pre-

dictions we make based on an aided audiogram or SPLogram apply only to ideal listening conditions. We must assess and observe the child’s auditory performance in real life situations to know for certain how the child per-forms with his or her hearing aids.

Case exampleAn example of how a SPLogram can

provide information about problems not evident from an aided audiogram may be helpful. Jamie is a 3 year old with a moderate hearing loss who has just been fitted with two new hearing aids. Everyone has been comment-ing favorably on how well Jamie seems to be hearing. He can hear all of the sounds in the Ling Six Sound Test and his aided audio-gram shows responses at 20 dB from 250 Hz to 4000 Hz. However, his preschool teacher has noticed that he startles visibly and quickly covers his ears every time the school

bell rings. She wonders if she should turn down the volume on his hearing aids, but she fears Jamie will then miss some speech sounds (and she would be correct). What is the source of the problem then? The SPLogram provides an immediate answer to this ques-tion. Figure 4 shows Jamie’s SPLogram using targets from the DSL program.

It is evident that Jamie’s hearing aid provides excellent amplification for con-versational level sounds, such as speech, since the hearing aid response for average conversational speech touches all of the targets (+). The results for loud sounds, however, give the real answer to the problem. Targets for loud sounds for this child are shown by the (*) symbols. The hearing aid graph falls above these targets for all frequencies, indicating that this hearing aid is providing too much ampli-fication for loud sounds. Behaviorally, the teacher observes that Jamie hears speech very well but loud sounds, such as the school bell, are not being “managed” by the hearing aid and are so loud that Jamie reacts by covering his ears. The solution to this problem is to adjust the control(s) on the hearing aid responsible for managing loud sounds, not to turn down the hearing aid volume or to in any way change the other amplification char-acteristics. The source of this problem is not identifiable from the aided audio-

Figure 4. Jamie’s hearing aid responses compared to DSL targets.

Figure 3. Printout of a poor hearing aid response.


gram – the aided audiogram only tells us about hearing for soft sounds, not how the child hears moderate or loud sounds.

ConclusionAs hearing aids become more sophis-

ticated and as we fit amplification for younger and younger children, we must use the most precise, accurate and com-prehensive methods possible. SPLograms predict how well a child is expected to detect speech sounds, although it is not a perfect prediction. Aided audiograms, however, share the same weakness – they are also a prediction of how well the child will detect speech sounds in quiet only. It may be a leap of faith to trust that DSL targets are a more accurate, reliable and comprehensive way to select and evaluate hearing aids when they do not require any response from the child; however, after three decades of painstaking and exacting research, the clinical usefulness of the DSL program has been proven. The same information can be extrapolated from a SPLogram as

from an aided audiogram; in fact, since the DSL aided results indicate how the hearing aid is performing for conversa-tional level speech, it is a more accurate prediction. With a little practice, parents/caregivers and professionals can use DSL results as they have traditionally used aided audiograms to understand the benefits and limitations of hearing aids.

The DSL program is incorporated into many real ear measurement systems and hearing aid manufacturer software. Parents/caregivers and teachers would not be accessing or using this software themselves; however, they do need to understand how the results of the testing done using this technology relate to a child’s ability to hear in every day life, at home and in school. Parents/caregivers can observe this testing being performed when they visit the audiologist for testing of the child’s present hearing aids or pre-scription of new hearing aids, and should understand the test results. Teachers and other school staff may receive printouts of the testing performed using the DSL pro-

gram instead of aided audiograms, and need to be able to interpret this infor-mation to understand implications for classroom listening. Of course, observa-tion and assessment of a child’s listening performance at home and school using measures (such as the Ling Six Sound Test), checklists (such as the Screening Instrument for Targeting Educational Risk [SIFTER] or Listening Inventory for Education [LIFE; available from www.karenandersonconsulting.com]) and individual assessment based on the listening skills hierarchy are also crucial in giving us the tools to provide children with hearing loss with the best oppor-tunities to learn through listening.

referenceSeewald, R., Cornelisse, L., Ramji, K., Sinclair, S.,

Moodie, K., & Jamieson, D. (1997). DSL v4.1 for Windows: A software implementation of the Desired Sensation Level (DSLi/o) method for fitting linear gain and wide-dynamic range compression hearing instruments. London, Ontario: Hearing Health Care Research Unit.


ConversationsWith Alex Graham

VOICES FROM AG BELL

AG Bell is a community that includes some pretty terrific people. Jon Fatemi is definitely one of those folks. As you will

learn in this installment of “Conversations,” Jon has been involved with AG Bell in one way or another his entire life. Most recently Jon volunteered his time at the Volta Bureau in Washington, D.C., help-ing the staff prepare for the AG Bell 2010 Biennial Convention in Orlando, Fla.

Alex Graham: What are your earliest memories of your family’s involvement in AG Bell?

Jon Fatemi: I was 2 years old when I attended my first AG Bell convention, which

coincidentally was also in Orlando. Most of the memories of that week come from the photos that were taken. That 1988 conven-tion, with presentations by Dr. Stephen Epstein and Dr. Daniel Ling, inspired my parents to help me pursue listening and spo-ken language. It gave them a sense that every-thing would be okay and that I was going to talk just fine and live a normal, happy life.

A.G.: Do you have a favorite program or event?

J.F.: The conventions continue to be my favorite events as I get together with friends and we have a good time. In high school, I participated in the Leadership Opportunity for Teens (LOFT) program. And then

in college, I attended the Leadership Enrichment Adventure Program (LEAP).

A.G.: How do you see yourself stay-ing connected to the people you have met through AG Bell?

J.F.: I will continue to attend every convention. When I am back at home in the D.C. area, I also try to attend the various open houses at the Volta Bureau.

A.G.: You have volunteered and interned at AG Bell’s headquarters – what would you like people to know about what goes on here at the Volta Bureau?

J.F.: I really enjoyed getting to know the staff. They are very committed to their mis-

Imagine making as many calls as you want, as often as you want, for as long as you want—all without having to rely on hearing friends and family members. Sorenson Video Relay Service® (SVRS®) does just that. It gives you the freedom and independence to converse with friends, family, co-workers, businesses and more—on your time, at any time, 24/7/365. And because Sorenson Communications® is one of the world’s largest employers of deaf individuals, you can count on us to continually develop new and exciting ways to improve your daily communication. Simply put, you’ll love life with SVRS.

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© 2009 Sorenson Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information about local

10-digit numbers and the limitations and risks associated with using Sorenson’s VRS or IP Relay

services to place a 911 call, please visit Sorenson’s website at: www.sorenson.com/disclaimer.

Freedom Within Reach


sion of providing information and options to families dealing with hearing loss. They could probably make more money in a big corporation, but instead they choose to work at AG Bell. I can tell by the letters and emails that come into the Volta Bureau every day that these people are really making a difference in the lives of others.

A.G.: You recently graduated from college, what are you plans now?

J.F.: Currently, I am participating in the Disney College Program. It is a paid internship for one year at Disney World. I have worked as a merchandiser at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, and now I’m being deployed to Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort. Disney interests me because it’s a great company and a very positive atmosphere. It has definitely taught me what life is like in the “real world” and it will be a great addition to my resumé. My future plans include entering the MBA program at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., and I will enroll in September of 2011. I am considering a career in finance.

A.G.: What advice do you have for other young people living with hearing loss?

J.F.: Young people should not give up on their education just because things get hard. Most teachers will work with you if you show them that you are trying. I also found that going to a small college was important because the professors and staff really want you to succeed. When things go wrong socially in high school, don’t let it bother you because kids are immature. Once you become an adult, it gets much easier and you can laugh about some of the things that used to stress you out.

Editor’s Note: The 2011 Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program will take place July 24-28 in Washington, D.C. Additional information and applica-tion material is available on the AG Bell website at www.agbell.org. The 2011 LOFT program follows the 2011 Listening and Spoken Language Symposium, July 21-23, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. This year’s Symposium will focus on “Leading Innovation Through Practice” and is an excellent networking and learn-ing opportunity for non-convention years.

Providing children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed.

Boston Jacksonvil le New York Northampton Philadelphia

clarkeschools.org

• Birthto3

• Preschool/Kindergarten

• SchoolPrograms

• SummerPrograms

• ProfessionalDevelopmentandTrainings

• AudiologicalServices

• MainstreamingServices

• EducationalEvaluations

MEET JON fATEMi

Jon Fatemi graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in May of 2010 with a degree in marketing. He will continue his studies in business as he pursues a Master of Business Administration degree at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla. Jon enjoys lacrosse, having played in college, as well as serving as a summer camp counselor. a

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ARITHMETIC AND LANGUAGE dEVELOPMENT

This is the second in a series of articles about the word problems of elementary arith-metic. In the first (published

in the November/December 2010 issue of Volta Voices), we tried to show that learning to solve such problems involves language learning as much as it involves arithmetic. Our purpose here is to care-fully examine the language of addition word problems. (In subsequent articles we will examine the language of sub-traction, multiplication and division.) Parents and teachers, as well as speech-language pathologists and Listening and Spoken Language Specialists, in the case of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, should be prepared to help children acquire this language.

Everyone is familiar with word prob-lems – from school arithmetic and from daily life. Here are two simple examples:

Problem 1: Eva has 4 lollipops. Rose has 5 lollipops. How many lol-lipops do they have altogether?

Problem 2: Eva has 4 lollipops. Rose has 5 more lollipops than Eva has. How many lollipops does Rose have?

Most adults realize that both of these word problems may be represented by the equation 4 + 5 = . But in spite of this similarity you will see below that the two problems have distinct models. Both of those models are important in the study of arithmetic. Importantly, the ability to model word problems involves learning language.

A model for “easy Addition”Problem 1 is an example of what we call “Easy Addition.” A model is shown in Figure 1.

To help a child represent Problem 1, we can provide actual lollipops

Eva has 4 lollipops (RED).

Rose has 5 lollipops (GREEN).

How many lollipops do they have altogether?

Figure 1 – Easy Addition

(or other objects like pennies or toy blocks). Then we can help him or her:

Count out 4 objects (• RED) to represent Eva’s 4 lollipops.

Count out 5 objects (• GREEN) to represent Rose’s 5 lollipops.

He or she can then be guided to use this model to solve the problem by:

Moving the two collections •of objects together.

Counting the two collections •together (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).

Reporting the answer, “9.” •

The child who can do this on his or her own understands the language of the problem and has a begin-ning understanding of addition.

A model for “hard Addition” Problem 2 is an example of what we call “Hard Addition.” A model for it is shown in Figure 2.

To help a child model Problem 2, and use the model to solve it, we can use the following process:

Eva has 4 lollipops (RED).

Rose has 5 more lollipops that Eva has (BLUE and GREEN).

How many lollipops does Rose have?

Figure 2 – Hard Addition

Count out 4 objects (• RED) to represent Eva’s 4 lollipops.

Count out another 4 objects (• BLUE) to represent Rose’s lollipops that correspond to Eva’s 4 lollipops.

Count out 5 more objects (• GREEN) to represent Rose’s “5 more” lollipops.

Move Rose’s two collections of •objects together.

Count Rose’s two collections •together (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).

And report the answer, “9.” •

This is not the place for a thorough discussion of the role that the ability to model word problems has in the study of arithmetic. Suffice it to say that this ability is prerequisite to study of the operation of addition. For example, without such understanding it is impos-sible to understand why the rules for adding a column of figures make sense and actually work for solving word

AdditionBy Rob Madell, Ph.D., and Jane R. Madell, Ph.D., CCC A/SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT


problems.1 The important point for our purposes here is that at this stage, learn-ing arithmetic and the ability to under-stand the language of and model word problems are one and the same thing.

Other Addition Word ProblemsEvery addition word problem that children are likely to see in school can be modeled by one of the structures described above. That is, each such problem is an example of either Easy Addition or Hard Addition. But that is not to say that there aren’t significant differences of language among Easy Addition problems and among Hard Addition problems. Consider the following:

Problem 3: Eva had some lollipops. Eva gave 5 of her lollipops to Rose. If Eva now has 4 lollipops left, how many lollipops did she start out with?

To help a child solve this problem you could help him or her build and then use the model shown in Figure 3.

Eva had some lollipops.

Eva gave 5 of her lollipops to Rose (GREEN).

Eva has 4 lollipops left (RED).

How many lollipops did Eva start out with?

Figure 3

The model for Problem 3 is the same as that for Problem 1 (Figure 1) – it is, therefore, another example of Easy Addition. But while many children come to understand the language of Problem 1 without formal instruc-tion, most will have difficulty with Problem 3. It is important that children

1 Van de Walle, J.A. (2004). Elementary and Middle School Mathematics, Fifth Edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education Inc.

understand both because one of the most important goals of instruction in arithmetic is that children learn to solve all the different kinds of word problems that surround us in our daily lives.

Some mathematics educa-tors distinguish a third category of Easy Addition problems:

Problem 4: Eva had 4 lollipops. Rose gave her 5 more lollipops. How many lollipops does Eva have now?

Although it is very similar to Problem 1, Problem 4 explicitly describes the joining of the two sets of lollipops. By contrast, the situation described in Problem 1 is static – there is no change in the situation over time. In spite of this distinction, it has been our experi-ence that for instructional purposes, these two categories of Easy Addition problems are essentially equivalent. That is, there is little difference between helping a child model Problem 1 and helping him or her model Problem 4.

Finally, here is a second exam-ple of Hard Addition:

Problem 5: Eva has 4 lollipops. Eva has 5 fewer lollipops than Rose. How many lollipops does Rose have?

Although the meaning of Problem 5 is identical to that of Problem 2 (and their models are identical), you won’t be surprised that the language of Problem 5 causes more difficulties.

ConclusionThere is significant variety in the language of addition word problems. But the ones that children see in school are all either “Easy” or “Hard.” Parents, teachers and therapists can help children in their study of addition by exposing them to both types, by helping them to model the problems and by helping them to use those models to solve them.

The authors would like to thank Rosemary Brener, Ph.D., for useful conversations during the development of this article.

Editor’s Note: Also available in Spanish at www.t-oigo.com / También disponible en español en la página web, www.t-oigo.com.


TIPS fOr PArENTs

Parents with children recently diagnosed with a hearing loss are often in a state of uncer-tainty. In addition to tackling

the challenges of having a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, families must also consider the financial costs result-ing from their communication choice. While health insurance may cover many of the medical services families choosing listening and spoken lan-guage require, such as cochlear implant surgery or audiological services, benefits may not extend to therapies required to improve listening and spoken language skills, such as auditory-verbal therapy or tuition to private schools. In addi-tion, many states do not require health insurance companies to cover hearing aids, an added expense for the families of children who benefit from the use of hearing aids instead of cochlear implants.

Fortunately, there are many resources available that families can utilize to help them provide listening and spoken language opportunities for their chil-dren who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Financial AidMany local and national organizations offer financial aid for children with disabilities, specifically children with hearing loss. For example, AG Bell offers a large financial aid program for many children, from birth through college, and covers a wide range of services, from tuition to arts and sciences pro-grams. Award programs include:

Parent-Infant Financial Aid Program offers support to families of infants and toddlers (ages birth through 3) who have been diagnosed with a moderate to pro-found hearing loss and who are in pursuit of spoken language for their child. Grants are awarded to assist with expenses associated with auditory support services, speech-language therapy, tuition, etc.

Pre-School Age Financial Aid Program offers support to families of preschool-aged children who have been diagnosed with a moderate to profound hearing loss and who are in pursuit of spoken language education for their child. Grants are awarded to assist with expenses associated with audi-tory support services, speech-language therapy, preschool tuition, etc.

School-Age Financial Aid Program is for students who are deaf and hard of hearing in grades one through 12 and who attend a parochial, private or independent (not public) school in a mainstream setting. Awards are intended to help with educational costs such as tuition, room and board, books, equipment, auditory and speech language support services, academic tutoring, transportation, and other school-related expenses.

Arts & Sciences Award Program is available to help students with hear-ing loss in grades one through 12 to participate in after school, weekend or summer programs focused on developing skills in the arts or sciences. Programs can be offered through museums, nature centers, art or music centers, zoological parks, space and science camps, dance and theater studios, mar-tial arts studios or any other program with a focus on the arts or sciences.

College Scholarship Awards offers several scholarships for full-time stu-dents with hearing loss who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree at a mainstream and accredited col-lege or university. This is a merit-based scholarship program with award selec-tion being extremely competitive.

George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law and Public Policy offers support to full-time graduate students with a moderate to profound hearing loss who are attending an accredited law school

or a masters or doctoral program in public policy or public administration.

These programs all have various dead-lines, so please visit www.agbell.org to view additional criteria and 2011 submission deadlines.

In addition, many private schools dedicated to fostering listening and spoken language offer tuition support and therapy services. You may also want to consider asking your audiologist or pedia-trician if they know of any local financial aid resources that your family can utilize. A full list of national organizations, nonprofits and government agencies offer-ing financial aid support can be found at www.agbell.org under Programs and Events, Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Foundations and CentersThere are also many national and international foundations and centers dedicated to helping individuals with hearing loss develop listening and spoken language. For example, The Starkey Hearing Foundation was founded in 1984 with a mission to “change the social consciousness of hearing and hearing matters through education and research while providing the gift of hearing to those in need around the world.” Through volunteers and donations, the Starkey Foundation delivers more than 50,000 hearing aids annually through more than 100 hearing missions a year in countries stretching from the United States to Vietnam. The Foundation also promotes hearing health awareness while supporting research and educa-tion. More information can be found at www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org.

Another example is the Center for Hearing and Communication (formerly the League for the Hard of Hearing), which provides hearing health services to people of all ages who have a hear-

Finding Financial ResourcesBy Melody Felzien


ing loss. Services include free hearing screenings, complete hearing evaluations, pediatric services, hearing aid fittings, sales and repair, speech therapy, and emotional health and wellness services. In addition, the center’s website pro-vides much information about hearing loss and hearing technology that can help parents research the benefits and costs of listening and spoken language communication. The Center for Hearing and Communication has two locations, in New York City, N.Y., and in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Additional information is available at www.chchearing.org.

In addition, AG Bell offers a com-prehensive list of local foundations and centers that also offer support. This list can be found on the AG Bell website at www.agbell.org under Hearing Loss Resources, Organizations & Associations.

State level mandates for hearing Aid CoverageMore and more states are passing laws mandating insurance companies cover costs associated with hearing aids for children. In addition, several states are in the process of passing a hear-ing aid tax credit similar to legislation that is being promoted at the federal level. The side bar contains current state mandates for hearing aid coverage.

Tips for SuccessNo matter what type of assistance fami-lies are seeking, be aware of the details. Pay close attention to the award criteria (does your child and/or family circum-stances qualify?), application deadline, and application process (is it online or paper based?). Due to the high demand for financial assistance, many organiza-tions disqualify applicants who don’t follow the guidelines provided. It also pays to be persistent. If you don’t receive an award one year, consider reapplying the next year. You probably won’t find out why you didn’t receive financial aid in a particular year, and it may simply be a matter of too many applicants for a lim-ited amount of money. But keep trying!

Arkansas (HB 1930 / Act 1179) in effect 1/2010. Does not mandate coverage of the cost of hearing aids, but rather requires insurance companies to offer coverage to employers in the state. However, if the employer chooses to add this option, the health plan must provide hearing aid coverage of no less than $1,400 per ear every three years for individuals of all ages. Limit – $1,400 per aid every three years.

Connecticut (SB 136) in effect 10/2001. Covers children under age 12. Limit – $1,000 total every 24 months.

Colorado (CO SB 057) in effect 1/2009. Covers children under age 18. Limit – One hearing aid per ear every five years; no limit on cost, but deductibles and co-pays may apply.

Delaware (DE HB 355) in effect 1/2009. Covers children under age 18. Limit – $1,000 per aid, one hear-ing aid per ear, every 36 months.

Kentucky (KRS 304.17A-132) in effect 2002. Covers children under age 18 and state employees. Limit – $1,400 per aid every 36 months.

Louisiana (La R.S. 22:215.25) in effect 1/2004. Covers children under age 18. Limit – $1,400 per aid every 36 months.

Maine (ME LD 1514) in effect 1/2008, 1/2009, 1/2010. Coverage for children ages 18 and under. Limit – $1,400 per aid every 36 months.

Maryland (HB 160) in effect 2002. Covers children under age 18. Limit – $1,400 per aid every 36 months

Minnesota (Minn. Stat. 62Q.675) in effect 8/2003. Covers children under age 18. Limit – one hearing aid per ear every 36 months; no limit on cost and no additional deductible or similar restriction.

Missouri (376.1220 R.S. Mo) in effect 2004. Newborn coverage for screen-ing, audiological assessment and hear-ing aid purchases. Limit – Coverage amount varies per need of newborn.

New Hampshire (HB 561) in effect 1/2011. No age restrictions on cover-age. Limit – $1,500 per hearing aid, per ear, once every 60 months.

New Jersey (S. 467 / A. 1571) in effect 4/2009. Covers chil-dren under age 15. Limit –$1,000 per aid, once every two years.

New Mexico (SB 529) in effect 7/2007. Covers children under age 18, or those under age 21 if still enrolled in high school. Limit – $2,200 per ear once every 36 months.

North Carolina (HB 589) in effect 1/2011. Covers children under age 22. Limit – $2,500 per hearing aid, per ear, once every 36 months.

Oklahoma (36 Okl. St. 6060.7) in effect 11/2002. Covers children under age 18. Limit – None for hear-ing aid cost, once every 48 months.

Oregon (HB 2589 / Chapter 553 - 2009 Laws) in effect 1/2010. Covers children under age 18 who are dependents. Limit – $4,000 per aid once every 48 months.

Rhode Island (R.I. Gen. Stat. 27-19-51) in effect 1/2002. Covers all ages. Limit – $2,000 per hearing aid for those under age 19 and $800 per hearing aid for all others; once every three years for both groups.

Wisconsin (SB 27 / 2009 Wisconsin Act 17) in effect 1/2010. Covers children under age 18 and applies to both hear-ing aids and cochlear implants. Limit – None. Covers the cost of one hear-ing aid per ear (once every three years), cochlear implants and related therapy.

sTATE HEALTH iNsurANcE MANdATEs fOr HEAriNG Aids

Accurate as of 12/8/2010. Information courtesy of the Hearing Industries Association.


HEAR OUR VOicEs

Olivia is a 4-year-old little girl with lots of energy. When Olivia was 18 months old she lost her hearing and we

were at a loss for what to do or where to go. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, was so helpful in getting us to where we needed to be. Dr. John Greinwald, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, was amazing with Olivia; she began using hearing aids for the first few months as we went through the testing to see how she lost her hearing. In February 2008, I enrolled Olivia in Ohio Valley Voices in Loveland, Ohio, when she was 2 years old. This was awesome for Olivia. She was with children her own age and she was begin-ning to speak words. As we went from test to test, Olivia was very good and through it all she was better at seeing doctors than I was. Dr. Greinwald recommended we go ahead with the surgery to give Olivia bilateral cochlear implants. I had huge reservations about doing this surgery. I had taken American Sign Language classes in high school and served as an interpreter at my workplace, and saw that these signing individuals who were deaf were doing fine in a hearing world without them hearing.

As I did my research and discovery, I based my decision on what would my child do or want me to do. Knowing that Olivia was just learning her words, had some of the language and was so inquisitive, I decided that giving her cochlear implants was her best option and would open up her world. Yet I still had reservations – it would be a very long surgery for such a little person and I didn’t want anything to go wrong; there was nothing I could do as I saw her go to sleep before the surgery. Olivia had the surgery just after her 3rd birthday in February 2009. As a single dad raising two children under the age of 7, this has been a challenge that I wasn’t ready for.

However, I would not change it for the world. This experience has taught me very much about myself and my children. I also have my family to thank for all of their support through this whole process. Without their love and support it would have been a very difficult challenge.

I am amazed by the progress Olivia has made in school and in her life in general. She loves to go to school and is very strong-willed and eager to learn. I am hoping for her to transi-

tion from Ohio Valley Voices to our local school system when she goes to first grade. This would be awesome for her and for everyone around her. I am also amazed at the patience she has taught myself and those around her.

Olivia is an outdoor girl. She loves to explore and catch bugs, snakes, frogs and lightning bugs. She also loves to go trail riding in the Big 4 Wheel International Scout. I enjoy spending time outdoors with Olivia and her older

A Single Dad’s StoryBy Tobias Kindberg

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Olivia, age 4, has a bilateral hearing loss and uses cochlear implants to access sound.


brother, Parker. They are learning so much about the world around them and I want them to have fun outside more than inside. Her other interests include dancing, swimming and riding bicycles.

I am very thankful that Olivia was able to attend Ohio Valley Voices and

she is able to hear everything around her. She has some pretty awesome teachers at school. I feel that with her love of life and determination, she will become whatever her heart desires. She is independent enough to get what she wants and she continues to amaze the family with her

knowledge of things. I am very proud of what she has accomplished in just a year-and-a-half with the cochlear implants.

Being a single dad, working fulltime and going to the kid’s practices and games along with all the doctors appoint-ments, is interesting and challenging, to say the least. I work the early morn-ing shift at Target so that I am home when the kids get off the school buses in the afternoon. I am in the process of finishing my college degree to be able to get a better job. Growing up I would ask my mom how she seemed to juggle all the schedules, be there at every game and competition for band and other activities for three growing boys, and work full time. Her answer: time management, organization and lots of running from here to there. I now appreciate all she did for me!

Tobias Kindberg is a 27-year-old single dad with two wonderful kids: Parker, age 6, and Olivia, age 4, who is deaf and uses bilateral cochlear implants. When he has time he enjoys camping, hiking, canoeing and biking.

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Olivia with her father, Toby.


DIRECTORY OF sErVicEs

n Alabama

Alabama Ear Institute, 300 Office Park Drive, Suite 210,Birmingham,AL35223•(205-879-4234–voice)•(205-879-4233-fax) – www.alabamaearinstitute.org AEI Auditory-Verbal Mentoring Program - Training in spoken language development utilizing the A-V approach w/ continuing education workshops & mentoring by LSLS Cert AVTs. AEI Summer Institute in Auditory-Verbal Therapy- two-week immersion in A-V approach - Workshops and practicum experience w/instruction and coaching by LSLS Cert AVTs. The Alabama School for Hearing: pre-school utilizing auditory/oral classroom approach - Auditory-Verbal therapy also provided. AEI: Education, research and public policy.

n Arizona

Desert Voices, 3426 E. Shea Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85028•602-224-0598(voice)•602-224-2460(fax)•[email protected](email).EmilyLawson, Executive Director. Oral school for deaf and hard-of-hearing children from birth to nine years of age. Programs include Birth to Three therapy, Toddler Group, and full day Educational Program. Other services include parent education classes, speech and language evaluations, parent organization and student teacher placements. Desert Voices is a Moog Curriculum school.

n California

Auditory-Verbal Services, 10623 Emerson Bend,Tustin,CA92782•714-573-2143(voice)•[email protected]•KarenRothwell-Vivian,M.S.ED.M.A. CCC-A. LSLS-Cert.AVT. Listening and Spoken Language Specialist - Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist providing Auditory-Verbal Therapy and both audiological and educational consultation for children from infancy through college age. Auditory Rehabilitation is also provided for adults. Extensive expertise with amplification, cochlear implants, and FM systems.

Children’s Choice for Hearing and Talking, CCHAT Center – Sacramento, 11100 Coloma Road,RanchoCordova,Ca95670•916-361-7290(voice).Laura Turner, Principal. An auditory/oral day school educating children and their families from birth through early elementary grades. Other programs include adult cochlear implant support, parent-infant program, on-site audiological services and mainstreaming support services. The school is staffed with credentialed teachers, licensed speech-language pathologists and a licensed audiologist.

Echo Center/Echo Horizon School, 3430 McManusAvenue,CulverCity,CA90232•310-838-2442(voice)•310-838-0479(fax)•310-202-7201(tty)•[email protected](email)•www.echohorizon.org(website)•VickiIshida,EchoCenterDirector.Private elementary school, incorporating an auditory/oral mainstream program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Daily support by credentialed DHH teachers in speech, language, auditory skills and academic follow-up.

HEAR Center, 301 East Del Mar Blvd., Pasadena, CA91101•626-796-2016(voice)•626-796-2320(fax)•Specializing in audiological services for all ages. Auditory-Verbal individual therapy, birth to 21 years.

HEAR to Talk, 547 North June Street, Los Angeles, CA 90004•323-464-3040(voice)•[email protected](e-mail)•www.hear2talk.com•SylviaRotfleisch,M.Sc.A.,CED, CCC, Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist®, LSLS Cert. AVT, Licensed Audiologist, California NPA Certified. Trained by Dr. Ling. Extensive expertise with cochlear implants and hearing aids.

Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf, 3518 Jefferson Avenue, Redwood City, CA94062•650-365-7500(voice)•[email protected](e-mail)•www.oraldeafed.org/schools/jwposd(website) Kathleen Daniel Sussman, Executive Director; Pamela Musladin, Principal. An auditory/oral program where deaf and hard of hearing children listen, think and talk! Cognitive based program from birth through mainstreaming into 1st or 2nd grade. Students develop excellent language, listening and social skills with superior academic competencies. Cochlear Implant Habilitation, mainstream support services and Family Center offering special services for infants, toddlers and their families.

John Tracy Clinic, 806 West Adams Blvd., L.A., CA90007•213-748-5481•800-522-4582(parents)•www.jtc.org•Since1942,freeworldwideParentDistanceEducation Program and onsite comprehensive audiological, counseling and educational services for families with children ages birth thru 5 years. Intensive 3-week Summer Sessions (ages 2-5) with Sibling Program. Online and on-campus options for accredited Master’s and Credential in Deaf Education.

Listen and Learn, 4340 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 107,SanJose,CA95129•408-345-4949•MarshaA.Haines, M.A., CED, Cert. AVT, and Sandra Hamaguchi Hocker,M.A.,CED•Auditory-verbaltherapyforthechild and family from infancy. Services also include aural habilitation for older students and adults with cochlear implants. Extensive experience and expertise with cochlear implants, single and bilateral. Mainstream support services, school consultation and assessment for children in their neighborhood school. California NPA certified.

No Limits Performing Arts Academy and Educational Center, 9801 Washington Boulevard, 2nd Fl, Culver City, CA 90232 – 310.280.0878, 800.948.7712•www.kidswithnolimits.org.•Providesfree speech, language, literacy and support services to dhh children and their families between the ages of 3 and 18 through its No Limits Educational Center. Additionally, No Limits offers a national performing arts program for schools and the community that builds the self confidence and communication skills of children with a hearing loss.

Oralingua School for the Hearing Impaired, North Campus – 7056 S. Washington Avenue, Whittier, CA 90602 – 562-945-8391 (voice) 562-945-0361 (fax) [email protected] (email) www.oralingua.org (website) South Campus – 221 Pawnee Street, San Marcos, CA 92078 – 760-471-5187 (voice) 760-591-4631 (fax) Where Children are Listening and Talking! An auditory/oral program serving children from infancy to 11 years old. Audiological, Speech, Itinerant, AVI Therapy, and other related Designated Instructional Services available. Contact Elisa J. Roche, Executive Director.

Training and Advocacy Group for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children and Teens (TAG), 11693 San Vicente Blvd. #559, Los Angeles, CA 90049, 310-339-7678, [email protected], www.tagkids.org. Leah Ilan, Executive Director. Offers free group meetings for ddh children and teens from 5th grade through high school to provide socialization and advocacy training. Half-day workshops for high school seniors are given to prepare students for college or employment. Groups are held in schools during weekdays and in the community during the weekends. The sessions are each two hours long with 8-12 participants. Parent workshops and special extracurricular outings are also offered throughout the school year.

n Colorado

Bill Daniels Center for Children’s Hearing, The Children’s Hospital – Colorado, Department of Audiology, Speech Pathology and Learning Services, 13123 East 16th Avenue, B030 Aurora, CO 80045. www.thechildrenshospital.org (website) – 720-777-6531(voice) - 720-777-6886 (TTY) or [email protected] (e-mail) We provide comprehensive audiology and speech-language services for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (ages birth through 21 years). Our pediatric team specializes in family-centered care and includes audiologists, speech-language pathologists, a deaf educator, family consultant, and clinical social worker. Individual, group and parent educational support and programs are designed to meet each family desire for their preference of communication needs. We also provide advanced technology hearing aid fitting and cochlear implant services.

Rocky Mountain Ear Center,P.C.•601EastHampden Avenue, Suite 530, Englewood, CO 80113 •303-783-9220(voice)•303-806-6292(fax)•www.rockymountainearcenter.com (website). We provide a full range of neurotology and audiology services for all ages, ranging from infants to seniors. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, our board-certified otologist and doctors of audiology test and diagnose hearing, balance, facial nerve and ear disorders and we provide full-service hearing aid, cochlear implant and BAHA services. We offer medical and surgical treatment as well as language therapy and support groups, and are actively involved in various research studies.

n Connecticut

CREC Soundbridge, 123 Progress Drive, Wethersfield,CT06109•860-529-4260(voice/TTY)•860-257-8500(fax)•www.crec.org/soundbridge(website).Dr. Elizabeth B. Cole, Program Director. Comprehensive audiological and instructional services, birth through post-secondary, public school settings. Focus on providing cutting-edge technology for optimal auditory access and listening in educational settings and at home, development of spoken language, development of self advocacy – all to support each individual’s realization of social, academic and vocational potential. Birth to Three, Auditory-Verbal Therapy, integrated preschool, intensive day program, direct educational and consulting services in schools, educational audiology support services in all settings, cochlear implant mapping and habilitation, diagnostic assessments, and summer programs.

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is not responsible for verifying the credentials of the service providers below. Listings do not constitute endorsements of establishments or individuals, nor do they guarantee quality.Directory of Services



New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation (NECHEAR), 354 Hartford Turnpike,Hampton,CT06247•860-455-1404(voice)•860-455-1396(fax)•DianeBrackett.Servinginfants,children and adults with all degrees of hearing loss. Speech, language, listening evaluation for children using hearing aids and cochlear implants. Auditory-Verbal therapy; Cochlear implant candidacy evaluation, pre- and post-rehabilitation, and creative individualized mapping. Post-implant rehabilitation for adults with cochlear implants, specializing in prelingual onset. Mainstream school support, including onsite consultation with educational team, rehabilitation planning and classroom observation. Comprehensive audiological evaluation, amplification validation and classroom listening system assessment.

n Florida

Bolesta Center, Inc, 7205 North Habana Avenue, Tampa,FL33614•813-932-1184(voice)•813-932-9583(fax)•[email protected](email)•www.bolestacenter.org(website)•Non-profitListeningandSpoken Language Center dedicated to teaching children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and speak. No family turned away based on ability to pay. Services provided to families, professionals, and school districts. Specializing in auditory-verbal therapy, educational outreach, and professional development programs. Kids and professionals immersion and summer programs available. Talk to us about our success with late implanted children! Contact Judy Horvath, LSL Cert. AVEd.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Jacksonville, 9857 St. Augustine Rd., Jacksonville, FL32257•904/880-9001(voice/TTY)•[email protected],•www.clarkeschools.org•SusanG.Allen, Director. Serving families with children with hearing loss, services include early intervention, toddler, preschool, PreK/kindergarten, primary, parent support, individual listening, speech and language services, and cochlear implant habilitation and mainstream support.

n Georgia

Atlanta Speech School – Katherine Hamm Center, 3160 Northside Parkway, NW Atlanta, GA 30327 - 404-233-5332 ext. 3119 (voice/TTY) 404-266-2175 (fax) [email protected] (email) http://www.atlantaspeechschool.org (website) A Listening and Spoken Language program serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing from infancy to elementary school age. Children receive language-rich lessons and highly individualized instruction in a nurturing environment. Teachers and staff work closely with parents to instill the knowledge and confidence children need to reach their full potential. Early intervention programs, audiological support services, auditory-verbal therapy, mainstreaming opportunities, and independent educational evaluations. Established in 1938.

Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc - Atlanta, 1901 Century Boulevard, Suite 20, Atlanta, GA 30345, 404-633-8911(voice)•404-633-6403(fax)•[email protected](email)•www.avchears.org(website).Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc - Macon, 2720 Sheraton Drive, Suite D-240,Macon,GA31204•478-471-0019(voice).Acomprehensive Auditory-Verbal program for children with hearing impairments and their families. Home Center and Practicum Site programs provide intensive A-V training for families and professionals. Complete audiological services for children and adults. Assistive listening devices demonstration center.

n Idaho

Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind, 1450 Main Street, Gooding, ID 83330 •2089344457(V/TTY)•2089348352(fax)•[email protected] (e-mail). IESDB serves birth to 21 year old youth with hearing loss through parent-infant, on-site, and outreach programs. Options include auditory/oral programs for children using spoken language birth through second grade. Audiology, speech instruction, auditory development, and cochlear implant habilitation is provided.

n Illinois

Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School (AGBMS) and Alternatives in Education for the Hearing Impaired www.agbms.org (website) •[email protected](email)•847-850-5490(phone)•847-850-5493(fax)•9300CapitolDriveWheeling,IL60090•AGBMSprovideschallengingacademicprogramsin a mainstream environment for deaf children ages 0-12 years. Teach of the Deaf, Speech/Language Pathologist, and Classroom Teachers utilize Cued speech to provide complete access to English and enable development of age-appropriate language and literacy skills. Speaking and listening skills are emphasized by staff with special training in auditory/verbal therapy techniques. AEHI provides Cued Speech training and other outreach services to families and professionals in the Great Lakes area.

Child’s Voice School, 180 Hansen Court, Wood Dale, IL 60191, (630) 595-8200 (voice) (630) 595-8282 (fax) - [email protected] (email) http://www.childsvoice.org (website). Michele Wilkins, Ed.D., LSLS Cert. AVEd., Executive Director. A Listening and Spoken Language program for children birth to age 8. Cochlear implant (re) habilitation, audiology services and mainstream support services provided. Early intervention for birth to age three with parent-infant and toddler classes and home based services offered. Parent Support/Education classes provided. Child’s Voice is a Moog Curriculum school.

n Indiana

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Indianapolis. 9192 Waldemar Road, Indianapolis,IN46268•(317)471-8560(voice)•(317)471-8627(fax)•www.sjid.org;[email protected](email)•TeriOuellette,M.S.Ed.,LSLSCert.AVEd,Director. St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Indianapolis, a campus of the St. Joseph Institute system, serves children with hearing loss, birth to age six. Listening and Spoken Language programs include early intervention, toddler and preschool classes, cochlear implant rehabilitation, mainstream therapy and consultation and daily speech therapy. Challenging speech, academic programs and personal development are offered in a nurturing environment. (See Kansas and Missouri for other campus information.)

n Kansas

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - Kansas City,8835Monrovia,Lenexa,KS66215•913-383-3535•www.sjid.org•JeanneFredriksen,M.S.,Ed.,Director•[email protected] - Kansas City, a campus of the St. Joseph Institute system, serves children with hearing loss, birth to age eight. Listening and Spoken Language programs include: early intervention, toddler playgroups, preschool to second grade classes, cochlear implant/hearing aid rehabilitation and daily speech therapy. Challenging listening/speech and language therapy, academic programs and personal development opportunities are offered in a nurturing environment. (See Missouri and Indiana for other campus information.)



n maryland

The Hearing and Speech Agency’s Auditory/Oral Center, 5900 Metro Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215 •(voice)410-318-6780•(TTY)410-318-6759•(fax)410-318-6759•Email:[email protected]•Website:www.hasa.org. Jill Berie, Educational Director, Olga Polites, Clinical Director, Heather Eisgrau, Teacher of the Deaf/Director. Auditory/Oral education and therapy program for infants and young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Self-contained, state-of-the-art classrooms located in the Gateway School approved by the Maryland State Department of Education. Additional services include speech-language therapy, family education and support, pre- and post-cochlear implant habilitation, collaboration and support of inclusion, audiological management and occupational therapy. The Hearing and Speech Agency’s Auditory/Oral preschool program, “Little Ears, Big Voices” is the only Auditory/Oral preschool in Baltimore. In operation for more than five years, it focuses on preparing children who are deaf or hard of hearing to succeed in mainstream elementary schools. Applications for all Auditory/Oral Center programs are accepted year-round. Families are encouraged to apply for scholarships and financial assistance. HASA is a direct service provider, information resource center and advocate for people of all ages who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have speech and language disorders.

n massachusetts

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Boston Area, 1 Whitman Road, Canton, MA 02021•781-821-3499(voice)•781-821-3904(tty)•[email protected], www.clarkeschools.org. Cara Jordan, Director. Serving families of young children with hearing loss, services include early intervention, preschool, kindergarten, parent support, cochlear implant habilitation, and mainstream services (itinerant and consultation).

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Northampton, 47 Round Hill Rd, Northampton, MA 01060•413-584-3450(voice/tty)•[email protected], www.clarkeschools.org. Bill Corwin, President. Early intervention, preschool, day and boarding school through 8th grade, cochlear implant assessments, summer programs, mainstream services (itinerant and consultation), evaluations for infants through high school students, audiological services, and graduate-teacher-education program.

SoundWorks for Children, 18 South Main Street,Topsfield,MA01983•978-887-8674(voice)•[email protected](e-mail)•JaneE.Driscoll, MED, Director. A comprehensive, non-profit program dedicated to the development of auditory-verbal skills in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Specializing in cochlear implant habilitation and offering a full continuum of inclusionary support models from preschool through high school. Early Intervention services and social/self-advocacy groups for mainstreamed students are offered at our Family Center. Summer programs, in-service training, and consultation available.

n michigan

Redford Union Oral Program for Children with Hearing Impairments, 18499 Beech Daly Rd. Redford,MI48240•313-242-3510(voice)•313-242-3595(fax)•313-242-6286(tty)•DorotheaB.French,Ph.D.,Director. Auditory/oral day program serves 80 center students/250 teacher consultant students. Birth to 25 years of age.

n minnesota

Northern Voices, 1660 W. County Road B, Roseville, MN, 55113-1714, 651-639-2535 (voice), 651-639-1996 (fax), [email protected] (email), Darolyn Gray, Executive Director. Northern Voices is a non-profit early education center focused on creating a positive environment where children with hearing loss and their families learn to communicate through the use of spoken language. Our goal is for students to become fluent oral communicators and to join their hearing peers in a traditional classroom at their neighborhood schools. Northern Voices is a Moog Curriculum School. Please visit www.northernvoices.org.

Northeast Metro #916 Auditory/Oral Program, 3375 Willow Ave., Rm 109, White Bear Lake, Minnesota55110;651.415.5546,•[email protected].•Providingoraleducationtochildrenwho are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Services strive to instill and develop receptive (listening) and expressive (speaking) English language skills within each student. Well-trained specialists carry the principles of this program forward using supportive, necessary, and recognized curriculum. The program’s philosophy is that children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing can learn successfully within a typical classroom environment with typical hearing peers. This can be achieved when they are identified at an early age, receive appropriate amplification, and participate in an oral-specific early intervention program. Referrals are through the local school district in which the family live.

n mississippi

DuBard School for Language Disorders, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5215,Hattiesburg,MS39406-0001•601.266.5223(voice)·[email protected](e-mail)•www.usm.edu/dubard · Maureen K. Martin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CED, CALT,Director•TheDuBardSchoolforLanguageDisorders is a clinical division of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Southern Mississippi. The school serves children from birth to age 13 in its state-of-the-art facility. Working collaboratively with 20 public school districts, the school specializes in coexisting language disorders, learning disabilities/dyslexia and speech disorders, such as apraxia, through its non-graded, 11-month program. The Association Method, as refined, and expanded by the late Dr. Etoile DuBard and the staff of the school, is the basis of the curriculum. Comprehensive evaluations, individual therapy, audiological services and professional development programs also are available. A/EOE/ADAI

Magnolia Speech School, Inc. 733 Flag Chapel Road, Jackson, MS 39209 – 601-922-5530 (voice), 601-922-5534 (fax) – [email protected] –Anne Sullivan, M.Ed. Executive Director. Magnolia Speech School serves children with hearing loss and/or severe speech and language disorders. Listening and Spoken Language instruction/therapy is offered to students 0 to 12 in a home based Early Intervention Program (free of charge), in classroom settings and in the Hackett Bower Clinic (full educational audiological services, speech pathology and occupational therapy). Assessments and outpatient therapy are also offered to the community through the Clinic.

n missouri

CID – Central Institute for the Deaf, 825 S. Taylor Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110 314-977-0132 (voice) •314-977-0037(tty)•[email protected](email)•www.cid.edu (website) Lynda Berkowitz/Barb Lanfer, co-principals. Child- and family-friendly learning environment for children birth-12; exciting adapted curriculum incorporating mainstream content; Family Center for infants and toddlers; expert mainstream preparation in the CID pre-k and primary programs; workshops and educational tools for professionals; close affiliation with Washington University deaf education and audiology graduate programs.

The Moog Center for Deaf Education, 12300 SouthFortyDrive,St.Louis,MO63141•314-692-7172(voice)•314-692-8544(fax)•www.moogcenter.org(website)•BetsyMoogBrooks,DirectorofSchooland Family School, [email protected]. Services provided to children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing from birth to 9 years of age. Programs include the Family School (birth to 3), School (3-9 years), Audiology (including cochlear implant programming), mainstream services, educational evaluations, parent education and support groups, professional workshops, teacher education, and student teacher placements. The Moog Center for Deaf Education is a Moog Curriculum School.

The Moog School at Columbia, 3301 West Broadway,Columbia,MO65203•573-446-1981(voice)•573-446-2031(fax)•JudithS.Harper,CCCSLP,Director•[email protected](e-mail).Servicesprovided to children who are deaf and hard-of hearing from birth to kindergarten. Programs include the Family School (birth to 3). School (3 years to kindergarten). Mainstream services (speech therapy/academic tutoring) ,educational evaluations, parent education, support groups, and student teacher placements. The Moog School—Columbia is a Moog Curriculum School.

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf - St. Louis, 1809ClarksonRoad,Chesterfield,MO63017•(636)532-3211(voice/TYY)•www.sjid.org;MaryDaniels,MAEd,LSLSCert.AVEd,DirectorofEducation•[email protected]•Anindependent,Catholicschoolservingchildrenwith hearing loss birth through the eighth grade. Listening and Spoken Language programs include early intervention, toddler and preschool classes, K-8th grade, I-Hear internet therapy, audiology clinic, evaluations, mainstream consultancy, and summer school. Challenging speech, academic programs and personal development are offered in a supportive environment. ISACS accredited. Approved private agency of Missouri Department of Education and Illinois Department of Education. (See Kansas and Indiana for other campus information.)

n nebraska

Omaha Hearing School for Children, Inc. 1110 N. 66 St., Omaha, NE 68132 402-558-1546 [email protected] An OPTIONschools Accredited Program offering auditory/oral education for birth to three, preschool and K – 3rd grades. Serving Omaha and the surrounding region.



n new Jersey

HIP and SHIP of Bergen County Special Services - Midland Park School District, 41 E.CenterStreet,MidlandPark,N.J.07432•201-343-8982(voice)•[email protected](email)•KathleenTreni, Principal. An integrated, comprehensive pre-K-12th grade auditory oral program in public schools. Services include Auditory Verbal and Speech Therapy, Cochlear Implant habilitation, Parent Education, and Educational Audiological services. Consulting teacher services are available for mainstream students in home districts. Early Intervention services provided for babies from birth to three. SHIP is the state’s only 7-12th grade auditory oral program. CART (Computer Real Time Captioning) is provided in a supportive, small high school environment.

The Ivy Hall Program at Lake Drive, 10 Lake Drive,MountainLakes,NJ07046•973-299-0166(voice/tty)•973-299-9405(fax)•www.mtlakes.org/ld.•TrishFiliaci,MA,CCC-SLP,Principal.Aninnovativeprogram that brings hearing children and children with hearing loss together in a rich academic environment. Auditory/oral programs include: early intervention, preschool, kindergarten, parent support, cochlear implant habilitation, itinerant services, OT, PT and speech/language services. Self-contained to full range of inclusion models available.

Speech Partners, Inc. 26 West High Street, Somerville,NJ08876•908-231-9090(voice)•908-231-9091(fax)•[email protected](email).NancyV.Schumann, M.A., CCC-SLP, Cert. AVT. Auditory-Verbal Therapy, Communication Evaluations, Speech-Language Therapy and Aural Rehabilitation, School Consultation, Mentoring, Workshops.

Summit Speech School for the Hearing-Impaired Child, F.M. Kirby Center is an auditory-oral/auditory-verbal school for deaf and hard of hearing children located at 705 Central Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974 · 908-508-0011 (voice/TTY) · 908-508-0012 (fax) · [email protected] (email) · www.summitspeech.org (website) · Pamela Paskowitz, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Executive Director. Programs include Early Intervention/Parent Infant (0-3 years), Preschool (3-5 years) and Itinerant Mainstream Support Services for children in their home districts. Speech and language, OT and PT and family support/family education services available. Pediatric audiological services are available for children birth-21 and educational audiology and consultation is available for school districts.

n new mexico

Presbyterian Ear Institute - Albuquerque, 415 Cedar Street, SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 505-224-7020 (voice) · 505-224-7023 (fax) · www.presbyterianearinstitute.org (website) · Catherine Creamer, Principal. Services include a cochlear implant center and auditory/oral program for children who are deaf and hard of hearing birth thru 9 years old. Exists to assist people with hearing loss to better listen and speak and integrate into mainstream society. Presbyterian Ear Institute is a Moog Curriculum.

n new York

Anne Kearney, M.S., LSLS Cert. AVT, CCC-Speech Language Pathology, 401 Littleworth Lane,SeaCliff,LongIsland,NY11579•516-671-9057(voice).



Auditory/Oral School of New York, 2164 Ralph Avenue&3321Avenue“M,”Brooklyn,NY11234•718-531-1800(voice)•718-421-5395(fax)•[email protected](e-mail)•PninaBravmann,ProgramDirector.Apremier auditory/oral early intervention and preschool program servicing hearing impaired children and their families. Programs include: StriVright Early Intervention (home-based and center-based), preschool, integrated preschool classes with children with normal hearing, multidisciplinary evaluations, parent support, Auditory-Verbal Therapy, complete audiological services, cochlear implant habilitation, central auditory processing (CAPD) testing and therapy, mainstreaming, ongoing support services following mainstreaming.

Center for Hearing and Communication (formerly the League for the Hard of Hearing), 50 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10004•917305-7700(voice)•917-305-7888(TTY)•917-305-7999(fax)•http://www.chchearing.org(website).Florida Office: 2900 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 3, Ft. Lauderdale,FL33309•954-601-1930(Voice)•954-601-1938(TTY)•954-601-1399(Fax).Aleadingcenterforhearing and communication services for people of all ages who are hard of hearing or deaf. Comprehensive array of services include: audiology, otology, hearing aid evaluation, fitting and sales, communication therapy, cochlear implant training, assistive technology consultation, emotional health and wellness, public education, support groups and Mobile Hearing Test Units. Visit http://www.chchearing.org to access our vast library of information about hearing loss and hearing conservation. For more information or to make an appointment, contact us at [email protected].

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/New York,80EastEndAvenue,NewYork,NY10028•212/585-3500(voice/tty)•[email protected],www.clarkeschools.org Meredith Berger, Director. Serving families of children with hearing loss, services include early intervention, preschool, evaluations (NY state approved Committee on Preschool Education Services; early intervention, Audiology, PT, OT and speech), hearing aid and FM system dispensing and related services including occupational and physical therapy in a sensory gym and speech-language therapies.

Long Island Jewish Medical Center: Hearing & Speech Center, 430 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park,NY11042•718-470-8910(voice)•718-470-1679(fax). Long Island Jewish Medical Center: Hearing & Speech Center. A complete range of audiological and speech-language services is provided for infants, children and adults at our Hearing and Speech Center and Hearing Aid Dispensary. The Center participates in the Early Intervention Program, Physically Handicapped Children’s Program and accepts Medicaid and Medicare. The Cochlear Implant Center provides full diagnostic, counseling and rehabilitation services to individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. Support groups for parents of hearing impaired children and cochlear implant recipients are available.

Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf - GOALS (Growing Oral/Aural Language Skills) PROGRAM, 40 Frost Mill Road, Mill Neck, NY 11765 •(516)922-4100(Voice)MarkR.Prowatzke,Ph.D.,Executive Director. State-supported school maintains Infant Toddler Program with focus on education, parent training, family support and speech/language/audiological services.Collaborates with Early Intervention Services. Preschool/Kindergarten (ages 3 - 6) Auditory/Verbal program serves Deaf /HoH students and typical peers to facilitate academic goals meeting NY Standards. Teachers/therapists in this certified literacy collaborative program integrate literacy, listening and oral language skills throughout school day. Art, library, audiological services, daily music/speech/language therapies, related services and family-centered programming included.

Nassau BOCES Program for Hearing and Vision Services, 740 Edgewood Drive, Westbury, NY 11590•516-931-8507(Voice)•516-931-8596(TTY)•516-931-8566(Fax)•www.nassauboces.org(Web)•[email protected] (Email). Dr. Judy Masone, Principal. Provides full day New York State standards - based academic education program for children 3-21 within district-based integrated settings. An auditory/oral or auditory/sign support methodology with a strong emphasis on auditory development is used at all levels. Itinerant services including auditory training and audiological support are provided to those students who are mainstreamed in their local schools. Services are provided by certified Teachers of the Hearing Impaired on an individual basis. The Infant/Toddler Program provides center- and home-based services with an emphasis on the development of auditory skills and the acquisition of language, as well as parent education and support. Center-based instruction includes individual and small group sessions, speech, parent meetings and audiological consultation. Parents also receive 1:1 instruction with teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing on a weekly basis to support the development of skills at home. Comprehensive audiological services are provided to all students enrolled in the program, utilizing state of the art technology, FM assistive technology to maximize access to sound within the classroom, and cochlear implant expertise. Additionally, cochlear implant mapping support provided by local hospital audiology team will be delivered on site at the school.

New York Eye & Ear Cochlear Implant And Hearing & Learning Centers, 380 Second Avenue at 22nd Street, 9th floor, New York, NY 10010 •646-438-7801(voice).Comprehensivediagnosticandrehabilitative services for infants, children and adults including audiology services, amplification and FM evaluation and dispensing, cochlear implants, auditory/oral therapy, otolaryngology, and counseling, early intervention services, and educational services (classroom observation, advocacy, and in-service session).

Rochester School for the Deaf, 1545 St. Paul Street, Rochester, NY 14621; 585-544-1240 (voice/TTY), 866-283-8810 (Videophone); [email protected], www.RSDeaf.org. Harold Mowl, Jr., Ph.D., Superintendent/CEO. Serving Western and Central New York State, RSD is an inclusive, bilingual school where deaf and hard of hearing children and their families thrive. Established in 1876, RSD goes above and beyond all expectations to provide quality Pre-K through 12th grade academic programs, support services and resources to ensure a satisfying and successful school experience for children with hearing loss.

The Children’s Hearing Institute, 380 Second Avenue at 22nd Street, 9th floor, New York, NY 10010 •646-438-7819(voice).EducationalOutreachProgram– provides continuing education courses for professionals to maintain certification, with accreditation by American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), American Academy of Audiology (AAA), and The AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. Free parent and family programs for children with hearing loss. CHI’s mission is to achive the best possible outcome for children with hearing loss by caring for their clinical needs, educating the professionals that work with them, and providing their parents with the pertinent information needed for in-home success.

n north Carolina

CASTLE- Center for Acquisition of Spoken Language Through Listening Enrichment, 5501-A Fortunes Ridge Drive, Suite A, Durham, NC 27713 •919-419-1428(voice)•www.uncearandhearing.com/pedsprogs/castle An auditory/oral center for parent and professional education. Preschool and Early intervention services for young children including Auditory Verbal parent participation sessions. Hands-on training program for hearing-related professionals/ university students including internships, two week summer institute and Auditory Verbal Modules.

n Ohio

Auditory Oral Children’s Center (AOCC), 5475 BrandRoad,Dublin,OH43017•614-598-7335(voice)•[email protected](email)•http://auditoryoral.googlepages.com (website). AOCC is a non-profit auditory and spoken language development program for children with hearing loss. We offer a blended approach by combining an intensive therapy-based pre-school program integrated into a NAEYC preschool environment. Therapy is provided by an Auditory-Verbal Therapist, Hearing–Impaired Teacher, and Speech-Language Pathologist. Birth to three individual therapy, toddler class, and parent support services also available.

Millridge Center/Mayfield Auditory Oral Program, 950 Millridge Road, Highland Heights, OH 44143-3113•440-995-7300(phone)•440-995-7305(fax)•www.mayfieldschools.org•LouisA.Kindervater,Principal. Auditory/oral program with a ful continuum of services, birth to 22 years of age. Serving 31 public school districts in northeast Ohio. Early intervention; preschool with typically developing peers; parent support; individual speech, language, and listening therapy; audiological services; cochlear implant habilitation; and mainstreaming in the general education classrooms of Mayfield City School District.

Ohio Valley Voices, 6642 Branch Hill Guinea Pike, Loveland,OH45140513-791-1458(voice)•513-791-4326(fax)•[email protected](e-mail)www.ohiovalleyvoices.org (website). Ohio Valley Voices teaches children who are deaf and hard of hearing how to listen and speak. The vast majority of our students utilize cochlear implants to give them access to sound, which in turn, allows them to learn and speak when combined with intensive speech therapy. We offer birth-to-age three program, a preschool through second grade program, a full array of on-site audiological services, parent education and support resources. Ohio Valley Voices is a Moog Curriculum.

n Oklahoma

Hearts for Hearing, 3525 NW 56th Street, Suite A-150,OklahomaCity,OK.•73112•405-548-4300•405-548-4350(Fax)•Comprehensivehearinghealthcareprogram which includes pediatric audiological evaluations, management and cochlear implant mapping. Auditory-Verbal therapy, cochlear implant habilitation, early intervention, pre-school, summer enrichment services and family support workshops are also provided. Opportunities for family, professional education and consultations are provided. www.heartsforhearing.org



INTEGRIS Cochlear Implant Clinic at the Hough Ear Institute, 3434 NW 56th, Suite 101, OklahomaCity,OK73112•405-947-6030(voice)•405-945-7188(fax)•[email protected](email)•www.integris-health.com(website)•Ourteamincludes board-certified and licensed speech-language pathologists, pediatric and adult audiologists, as well as neurotologists from the Otologic Medical Clinic. Services include hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, cochlear implant testing and fittings, newborn hearing testing, and speech/language therapy. The Hearing Enrichment Language Program (HELP) provides speech services for children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing. Our speech-language pathologists respect adults’ and/or parents’ choice in (re) habilitation options that can optimize listening and language skills.

n Oregon

Tucker-Maxon Oral School, 2860 SE Holgate Boulevard, Portland, OR 97202 · (503) 235-6551 (voice) · (503) 235-1711 (TTY) · [email protected] (email) · www.tmos.org (website). Established in 1947, Tucker-Maxon provides an intensive Listening and Spoken Language (auditory/verbal and auditory/oral) program that enrolls children with hearing loss and children with normal hearing in every class. Programs for children with hearing loss start at birth and continue through elementary. Tucker-Maxon provides comprehensive pediatric audiology evaluations; cochlear implant management; habilitation and mapping; early intervention; and speech pathology services.

n Pennsylvania

Bucks County Schools Intermediate Unit #22, Hearing Support Program, 705 North ShadyRetreatRoad,Doylestown,PA18901•215-348-2940x1240(voice)•215-340-1639(fax)•[email protected]•KevinJ.Miller,Ed.D.,CCC-SP,CED,Supervisor. A publicly-funded program serving local school districts with deaf or hard of hearing students (birth -12th Grade). Services include itinerant support, resource rooms, audiology, speech-language therapy, auditory-verbal therapy, C-Print captioning, and cochlear implant habilitation.

Center for Childhood Communication at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3405 CivicCenterBoulevard,Philadelphia19104•(800)551-5480(voice)•(215)590-5641(fax)•www.chop.edu/ccc(website). The CCC provides Audiology, Speech-Language and Cochlear Implant services and offers support through CATIPIHLER, an interdisciplinary program including mental health and educational services for children with hearing loss and their families from time of diagnosis through transition into school-aged services. In addition to serving families at our main campus in Philadelphia, satellite offices are located in Bucks County, Exton, King of Prussia, and Springfield, PA and in Voorhees, Mays Landing, and Princeton, NJ. Professional Preparation in Cochlear Implants (PPCI), a continuing education training program for teachers and speech-language pathologists, is also headquartered at the CCC.

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech/Pennsylvania, 455 South Roberts Rd., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010•610-525-9600(voice/tty)•[email protected],www.clarkeschool.org. Judith Sexton, Director. Serving families with young children with hearing loss, services include early intervention, preschool, parent support, individual auditory speech and language services, cochlear implant habilitation, audiological services, and mainstream services (itinerant and consultation).

Delaware County Intermediate Unit # 25, Hearing and Language Programs, 200 Yale Avenue,Morton,PA19070•610-938-9000,ext.2277610938-9886(fax)•[email protected]•ProgramHighlights: A publicly funded program for children with hearing loss in local schools. Serving children from birth through 21 years of age. Teachers of the deaf provide resource room support and itinerant hearing therapy throughout Delaware County, PA. Services also include audiology, speech therapy, cochlear implant habilitation (which includes LSLS Cert. AVT and LSLS Cert. AVEd), psychology and social work.

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, 6202 AlderStreet,Pittsburgh,PA15206•(412)924-1012(voice/TTY)•[email protected](email)•www.speakmiracles.org (website). Lillian r. Lippencott, Outreach Coordinator. DePaul, western Pennsylvania’s only auditory-oral school, has been serving families for 101 years. DePaul is a State Approved Private School and programs are tuition-free to parents and caregivers of approved students. Programs include: early intervention services for children birth to 3 years; a center-based toddler program for children ages 18 months to 3 years; a preschool for children ages 3-5 years and a comprehensive academic program for grades K-8. Clinical services include audiology, speech therapy, cochlear implant mapping/habilitation services, physical and occupational therapy, mainstreaming support, parent education programs and support groups. AV services are also available.

Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, 300EastSwissvaleAvenue,Pittsburgh,PA15218•412-244-4207(voice)•412-244-4251(fax)•[email protected](email)•www.wpsd.org(website).TheWesternPennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) is a non-profit, tuition-free school with campuses in Pittsburgh and Scranton, PA. Founded in 1869, WPSD provides quality educational services and a complete extracurricular program in an all inclusive communication environment to over 320 deaf and hard-of-hearing children from birth through twelfth grade. WPSD is the largest comprehensive center for deaf education in Pennsylvania serving 138 school districts and 53 counties across the state.

n South Carolina

The University of South Carolina Speech and Hearing Research Center, 1601 St. Julian Place,Columbia,SC29204•(803)777-2614(voice)•(803)253-4143 (fax) Center Director: Danielle Varnedoe, [email protected].•Thecenterprovidesaudiologyservices,speech-language therapy, adult aural rehabilitation therapy, and Auditory-Verbal Therapy. Our audiology services include comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, hearing aid evaluations and services, and cochlear implant evaluations and programming. The University also provides a training program for AVT therapy and cochlear implant management for professional/university students. Additional contacts for the AVT or CI programs include Wendy Potts, CI Program Coordinator (803-777-2642), Melissa Hall (803-777-1698), Nikki Herrod-Burrows (803-777-2669), Gina Crosby-Quinatoa (803) 777-2671, and Jamy Claire Archer (803-777-1734).

n South dakota

South Dakota School for the Deaf (SDSD), 2001 East Eighth Street, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57103, 605-367-5200 (phone) or Video Relay or 605-367-5209 (Fax) [email protected] (website). South Dakota School for the Deaf (SDSD) serves children with hearing loss by offering services onsite for the Bilingual Program, with the Auditory Oral Program located at Fred Assam Elementary and Brandon Elementary with the Brandon Valley School District, and through its Outreach Program. Academic options include a Bilingual Program offering American Sign Language with literacy in English preschool through sixth grade and an Auditory/Oral Program for students using listening, language and speech for preschool through fifth grade. SDSD utilizes curriculum specific to meeting the needs of individual students with the goal of preparing students to meet state standards. Instructional support in other areas is available as dictated by the IEP, speech-language pathology, auditory training, dual enrollment and special education. Outreach Consultants provides support to families across the state with newborns and children through the age of three while continuing to work with the families and school district personnel of children through age 21 who may remain in their local districts. Any student in South Dakota with a documented hearing loss may be eligible for services through Outreach, Bilingual or Auditory Oral Programs including complete multidisciplinary assessments.



n Tennessee

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf, 7901 Poplar Avenue,Germantown,TN38138•901-758-2228(voice)•901-531-6735(fax)•www.mosdkids.org(website)•[email protected](email).TeresaSchwartz,Executive Director. Parent-infant program, auditory/oral day school (ages 2 to 6), speech-language and cochlear implant therapy, mainstream services.

Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center - National Center for Childhood Deafness and Family Communication, Medical Center East South Tower, 121521stAvenueSouth,Nashville,TN37232-8718•615-936-5000(voice)•615-936-1225(fax)•[email protected](email)•www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/VanderbiltBillWilkersonCenter (web). Tamala Bradham, Ph.D., Director. The NCCDFC Service Division is an auditory learning program serving children with hearing loss from birth through 21 years. Services include educational services at the Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt as well as audiological and speech-language pathology services. Specifically, the Service Division includes audiological evaluations, hearing aid services, cochlear implant evaluations and programming, speech, language, and listening therapy, educational assessments, parent-infant program, toddler program, all day preschool through kindergarten educational program, itinerant/academic tutoring services, parent support groups, and summer enrichment programs.

n Texas

Bliss Speech and Hearing Services, Inc., 12700HillcrestRd.,Suite207,Dallas,TX75230•972-387-2824•972-387-9097(fax)•[email protected](e-mail)•BrendaWeinfeldBliss,M.S.,CCC-SLP/A,Cert.AVT®. Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist® providing parent-infant training, cochlear implant rehabilitation, aural rehabilitation, school visits, mainstreaming consultations, information, and orientation to deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their parents.

Callier Center for Communication Disorders/UT Dallas - Callier-Dallas Facility 1966InwoodRoad,Dallas,TX,75235•214-905-3000(voice)•214-905-3012(TDD)•Callier-RichardsonFacility:811SynergyParkBlvd.,Richardson,TX,75080•972-883-3630(voice)•972-883-3605(TDD)•[email protected](e-mail)•www.callier.utdallas.edu(website).Nonprofit Organization, hearing evaluations, hearing aid dispensing, assistive devices, cochlear implant evaluations, psychology services, speech-language pathology services, child development program for children ages six weeks to five years.

The Center for Hearing and Speech, 3636 WestDallas,Houston,TX77019•713-523-3633(voice)•713-874-1173(TTY)•713-523-8399(fax)[email protected] (email) www.centerhearingandspeech.org (website) CHS serves children with hearing impairments from birth to 18 years. Services include: auditory/oral preschool; Audiology Clinic providing comprehensive hearing evaluations, diagnostic ABR, hearing aid and FM evaluations and fittings, cochlear implant evaluations and follow-up mapping; Speech-Language Pathology Clinic providing Parent-Infant therapy, Auditory-Verbal therapy, aural(re) habilitation; family support services. All services offered on sliding fee scale and many services offered in Spanish.

Denise A. Gage, M.A., CCC, Cert. AVT© - Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist, 3111 West ArkansasLane,Arlington,TX76016-0378•817-460-0378(voice)•817-469-1195(metro/fax)•[email protected](email)•www.denisegage.com•Over25 years experience providing services for children and adults with hearing loss. Services include cochlear implant rehabilitation, parent-infant training, individual therapy, educational consultation, onsite and offsite Fast ForWord training.

Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children, 603 E. Hildebrand Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212; 210/824-0579; fax 210/826-0436. Founded in 1947, Sunshine Cottage, a listening and spoken language school promoting early identification of hearing loss and subsequent intervention teaching children with hearing impairment (infants through high school.) State-of-the-art pediatric audiological services include hearing aid fitting, cochlear implant programming, assessment of children maintenance of campus soundfield and FM equipment. Programs include the Newborn Hearing Evaluation Center, Parent-Infant Program, Hearing Aid Loaner and Scholarship Programs, Educational Programs (pre-school through fifth grade on campus and in mainstream settings), Habilitative Services, Speech Language Pathology, Counseling, and Assessment Services. Pre- and post-cochlear implant assessments and habilitation. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, OPTIONschools International, and is a Texas Education Agency approved non-public school. For more information visit www.sunshinecottage.org

n Utah

Sound Beginnings of Cache Valley, Utah State University, 1000 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-1000•435-797-0434(voice)•435-797-0221(fax)•www.soundbeginnings.usu.edu•[email protected](email)•LauriNelson,Ph.D.,SoundBeginningsDirector•[email protected](email)•K.ToddHouston,Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, Graduate Studies Director. A comprehensive auditory learning program serving children with hearing loss and their families from birth through age five; early intervention services include home- and center-based services, parent training, a weekly toddler group, pediatric audiology, and Auditory-Verbal Therapy. The preschool, housed in an innovative public lab school, provides self-contained Auditory-Oral classes for children aged three through five, parent training, and mainstreaming opportunities with hearing peers. The Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education offers an interdisciplinary graduate training program in Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Deaf Education that emphasizes auditory learning and spoken language for young children with hearing loss.

Sound Beginnings at Utah State University, 1000 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-1000 · 435-797-9235 (voice) · 435-797-7519 (fax) · www.soundbeginnings.usu.edu · [email protected] (email) · Kristina Blaiser, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Sound Beginnings Director [email protected] (email) · K. Todd Houston, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, Graduate Studies Director. A comprehensive auditory learning program serving children with hearing loss and their families from birth through age five; early intervention services include home- and center-based services, parent training, toddler group, pediatric audiology, tele-intervention and individual therapy for children in mainstream settings. The preschool, housed in an innovative public lab school, provides classes focused on the development of listening and spoken language for children aged three through five, parent training, and mainstreaming opportunities with hearing peers. The Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education offers the interdisciplinary Auditory Learning and Spoken Language graduate training program in Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Deaf Education that emphasizes auditory learning and spoken language for young children with hearing loss. Sound Beginnings is a partner program of the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind.

Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB), 742 Harrison Boulevard, Ogden, UT 84404 - 801-629-4712(voice)801-629-4701(TTY)•www.usdb.org(website)•JenniferHowellEdD,AssociateSuperintendentfor the Deaf, [email protected] (email). USDB is a state funded program for children with hearing loss (birth through high school) serving students in various settings including local district classes and direct educational and consulting services throughout the state. USDB language and communication options include Listening and Spoken Language. USDB has a comprehensive hearing healthcare program which includes an emphasis on hearing technology for optimal auditory access, pediatric audiological evaluations, and cochlear implant management. Services also include Early Intervention, full-day preschool and Kindergarten, intensive day programs, and related services including speech/language pathology and aural habilitation.

n Washington

The Listen For Life Center at Virginia Mason, 1100 9th Ave. MS X10-ON Seattle, WA 98111 - 206-223-8802 (voice) 206-223-6362 (TTY) 206-223-2388 (fax) [email protected] (email) http:// www.vmmc.org/listen (website) Non-profit organization offering comprehensive diagnostic and rehabilitation services from infancy through senior years. Audiology, Otolaryngology, hearing aids, implantable hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive listening devices, Aural Rehabilitation, counseling, support groups, school consultations, professional training workshops, community days, library. Three sites: Seattle, Federal Way, Issaquah.

n Wisconsin

Center for Communication, Hearing & Deafness, 10243 W. National Avenue, West Allis, WI 53227 414-604-2200 (Voice) 414-604-7200 (Fax) www.cdhh.org (Website) Amy Peters Lalios, M.A., CC-A, LSLS Cert.AVT, as well as five LSLS Cert. AVEds. Nonprofit agency located in the Milwaukee area provides comprehensive auditory programming to individuals with hearing loss, from infants to the elderly. The Birth to Three program serves children from throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, including education in the home, toddler communication groups, and individual speech therapy. AV Therapy is also provided to school age children locally as well as through an interactive long-distance therapy program. Pre- and post-cochlear implant training is provided for adults and communication strategies and speech reading is offered to individuals as well as in small groups.

AG Bell offers reading materials recommended by the AG Bell Academy for Listening and SpokenLanguage for LSLS Cert. AVT and Cert. AVEd written test preparation and for professionals working with children with hearing loss. In addition,the AG Bell bookstore carries a wide selection of books, videos and resource materials on deafness and spoken language for parents of children with hearing loss.

Featured titles include:• Auditory-Verbal Therapy and Practice*• Speech and the Hearing Impaired Child*• Listen to This Volume 1 & 2 Now available on DVD

• SMILE – Structured Methods in Language Education• Learn to Talk Around the Clock: An Early

Interventionists Toolbox*• Hear & Listen! Talk & Sing!• 50 FAQs About AVT*• Songs for Listening! Songs for Life!*• ABCs of AVT* Now available on DVD

• Six Sound Song Book/CD• Copies of a brand new, The Volta Review monograph

and of a special Volta Voices issue both focused onProfessional Preparation and Development.

*These items are recommended for reading by the AG Bell Academy

TEL 202.337.5220

EMAIL [email protected]

WEB WWW.AGBELL.ORG/BOOKSTORE

Build your Listening and Spoken Language

Library Today!

AG Bell members

receive a

15% discount.

Bulk purchases

are also available

for a discount.

Visit the AG Bell

Bookstore online

today!

AGB Bookstore Ad_generic:Layout 1 1/27/10 2:50 PM Page 1



InTernATIOnAl

n Australia

Telethon Speech & Hearing Centre for Children WA (Inc), 36 Dodd Street, Wembley WA 6014,Australia•61-08-9387-9888(phone)•61-08-9387-9888(fax)•[email protected]•www.tsh.org.au•Ouroral language programs include: hearing impairment programs for children under 5 and school support services, Talkabout program for children with delayed speech and language, audiology services, Ear Clinic for hard to treat middle ear problems, Variety WA Mobile Children’s Ear Clinic, newborn hearing screening and Cochlear Implant program for overseas children.

University of Newcastle, Graduate School. GradSchool, Services Building, University of Newcastle, Callaghan,NSW,2308,Australia•61-2-49218856(voice)•61-2-49218636(fax)•[email protected](email)•www.gradschool.com.au (website). Master of Special Education distance education through the University of Newcastle. Program provides pathways through specialisations in Generic Special Education, Emotional Disturbance/Behaviour Problems, Sensory Disability, Early Childhood Special Education. The Master of Special Education (Sensory Disability Specialisation) is available through the Renwick Centre and is administered by the Australian Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children. Program information and application is via GradSchool: www.gradschool.com.au, +61249218856, or email [email protected].

n Canada

Montreal Oral School for the Deaf, 4670 St. Catherine Street, West, Westmount, QC, Canada H3Z1S5•514-488-4946(voice/tty)•514-488-0802(fax)•[email protected](email)•www.montrealoralschool.com (website). Parent-infant program (0-3 years old). Full-time educational program (3-12 years old). Mainstreaming program in regular schools (elementary and secondary). Audiology, cochlear implant and other support services.

Children’s Hearing and Speech Centre of British Columbia (formerly, The Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children), 3575 Kaslo Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5M 3H4, Canada, 604-437-0255 (voice), 604-437-1251 (tty), 604-437-0260 (fax) - www.childrenshearing.ca (website). Our auditory-oral program includes: on-site audiology, cochlear implant mapping, parent-infant guidance, auditory-verbal therapy, music therapy, preschool, K, Primary 1-3; itinerant services.

n england

The Speech, Language and Hearing Centre – Christopher Place, 1-5 Christopher Place, Chalton Street, Euston, London NW1 1JF, England •0114-207-383-3834(voice)•0114-207-383-3099(fax)•[email protected](email)•www.speech-lang.org.uk(website)•Assessment,nurseryschool and therapeutic centre for children under 5 with hearing impairment, speech/language or communication difficulties, including autism. •WehaveaChildPsychologistandaChildPsychotherapist.•Auditory-VerbalTherapyisalsoprovided by a LSLS Cert. AVT.

Advanced Bionics ................................................................... Inside Back Cover

Auditory Verbal Center, Inc (Atlanta) ..................................................................6

Central Institute for the Deaf ............................................................................ 30

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech ..........................................................37

DuBard School for Language Disorders ............................................................5

Ear Technology Corporation .............................................................................10

Harris Communications ................................................................................... 43

Jean Weingarten Peninsula Oral School for the Deaf .....................................49

John Tracy Clinic ...............................................................................................11

Moog Center for Deaf Education ............................................................... 35, 45

National Cued Speech Association ..................................................................22

National Technical Institute for the Deaf/RIT ................................................7, 47

Oticon Pediatrics .................................................................... Inside Front Cover

Phonak, LLC ..................................................................................... Back Cover

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf .................................................................12, 39

Sophie’s Tales ....................................................................................................13

Sorenson Communications ............................................................................. 36

Sound Aid Hearing Aid Warranties ...................................................................14

Sunshine Cottage School for the Deaf .............................................................19

Tucker-Maxon ......................................................................................................4

University of Newcastle - Grad School ............................................................31

AG Bell – Bookstore ..........................................................................................51

AG Bell – College Financial Aid ........................................................................15

AG Bell – Symposium .......................................................................................23

AG Bell – LOFT ................................................................................................ 27

LisT Of AdVErTisErs

AB has Answers for Your Child’s Hearing Loss

I Am a Gifted Student and My Family Chose AB

Contact AB for a FREE Bionic Ear Kit!

866.844.HEAR (4327)[email protected]

AdvancedBionics.com

Addison is a talented fifth grader. A straight-A student in the Academically Gifted Program, she excels in school and enjoys running, dancing, swimming, and riding bikes with friends. To help her succeed from kindergarten to college and beyond, Addison needs a high-performing cochlear implant system, which is why her family chose AB.

“The ability to hear so clearly with her cochlear

implants allows Addison to participate in group

projects in the classroom and student council

activities that involve being in social settings. She

feels like part of a group and not like an outsider.”

—Rachelle Blackmon, mother of Addison, implanted at age 20 months, bilaterally implanted at age 8

If your child failed a newborn screening test or isn’t benefiting from hearing aids, then it’s time to consider a cochlear implant from Advanced Bionics. At home, in school, and on the playground, many children hear their best with AB’s advanced cochlear implant system.

Published studies available upon request.

©2011 Advanced Bionics, LLC and its affiliates. All rights reserved. 3-01531

3-01531_Volta Voices Full Page Ad - JAN/FEB 2011 Issue.indd 1 11/11/10 1:37 PM

A new era in classroom amplificationDynamic SoundField by Phonak offers all the benefits of classroom amplification, such as improved student attention and better teacher vocal health, without any of its traditional problems. Its cutting-edge sound performance ensures there are no distracting echoes or feedback, while its three transmission modes guarantee every student can hear, whether they have normal or impaired hearing. Best of all, Dynamic SoundField is seri-ously simple to use; its single loudspeaker removes installation headaches and its automated settings simplify the teacher’s job. Just plug it in and teach!

Amplified speech every student can understand

www.Phonak-us.com www.DynamicSoundField.com

Ad_BtB_Dynamic_SoundField_Students_VV.indd 1 7/21/10 1:56 PM

volta voices january-february 2011 magazine

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