Subject: HearingExchange News Week of 5.30.01 HearingExchange News http://www.HearingExchange.com - - - - - - - - - Welcome to the latest edition of HearingExchange News! You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it at HearingExchange.com. Feel free to forward this to anyone else who might be interested in HearingExchange. Subscription and removal information are at the end of the newsletter. If the links don't work or you are an AOL user: please copy and paste the links into your browser. - - - - - - - - - PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSOR - - - - - - - - - Speak on the phone and read your messages with the portable Pocket Speak and Read VCO Phone. For more details, click here http://harriscomm.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Product_ID=1420&CATID=13 or contact Harris Communications at mailto:mail@harriscomm.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - IN THIS ISSUE: * Letter from the Editor * What's New * Feature Article * News & Articles * Message Boards * Featured Site * Award Winners * Upcoming Events * Featured Book * Ask the Experts * Poll Results * Featured Product * Get Involved ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " L E T T E R F R O M T H E E D I T O R " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " Hi Everyone! Now that Memorial Weekend has passed and school is nearly over, my thoughts are quickly turning to summer camp for my children. My hearing impaired daughter will be going to a "mainstream" camp. A teacher of the deaf will visit the camp a few hours each week to provide inservice to the staff and to help my daughter with her social skills. If you're a parent of a deaf or hard of hearing child, what will your child be doing this summer? Will your child receive any services? Tell us about it at: http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000057.html Have a good week! ~ Paula ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " W H A T ' S N E W " " " " " " " " " " We have renamed the Television Programs section to include other media venues. It is now the Accessible Programs section. Here you will find listings of first-run movies across the country in theaters offering Rear Window Captioning and audio descriptions from the Media Access Group at WGBH. We will be updating this section shortly, so be sure to check it out regularly. http://www.hearingexchange.com/tv_programs.htm Visit our Free Resources section to review all of the free and low cost booklets added recently. Learn about hearing aids, language development, newborn hearing screenings and more. The free packets and videos are exceptional resources for parents of newly diagnosed deaf or hard of hearing children. Click here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/dir/ ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " Sponsored by: F E A T U R E A R T I C L E Barnes & Noble " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " Ready, Set, Read!! How to Read to a Young Child by Dorothy P. Dougherty, MA, CCC-SLP Your child's world will be forever expanded and enriched if you develop his imagination and curiosity through books. When you read a book to a young child, at any age, you enhance his visual, vocabulary and listening skills as well as develop an important foundation for your child's language development. Studies have shown that children who are read to early are more likely to be successful in school and in life. In fact, many school-age children who are good readers had parents who read, and read to them. Read this entire feature article here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/featured_article053001.htm ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " N E W S & A R T I C L E S " " " " " " " " " " " " " " I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......Read Emily Perl Kingsley's essay, "Welcome to Holland" here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/article-052001a.htm = = = = = Are you interested in learning how computer assisted realtime services (CART) can help your child in school? Read Lynn McCulloch's article "CART Services in Education" at http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/article-052001.htm = = = = = A federal judge took arguments under advisement after a hearing Tuesday over claims that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. failed to comply with terms of a discrimination settlement involving two deaf job applicants. Read the latest on this case here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/henews-053001a.htm = = = = = The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Transfer (T2RERC)University at Buffalo, announced today that they are conducting a nationwide search for technologies to improve assistive listening devices. Five problem statements identifying priority technology needs are the result of the International Stakeholder Forum on Hearing Enhancement, held last year in partnership with the RERC on Hearing Enhancement. Learn more about this national search to find technologies that improve hearing enhancement products here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/henews-053001b.htm = = = = = MONTREAL, Quebec, WEST PALM BEACH, Florida, May 23 /PRNewswire/ - HEARx Ltd. (AMEX: EAR - news) and Helix Hearing Care of America Corp. (HCA-TSE) announced today that they have executed a letter of intent to consolidate operations. This combination would be the largest of its kind in the history of hearing healthcare in North America, resulting in a combined network of more than 200 centers in the U.S. and Canada. The parties have discussed a revenue target for the combined companies of more than $100 million U.S. ($150 million CDN) for fiscal year 2002 for the combined company. View the full release: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/henews-052301.htm = = = = = Even though a hearing loss is one of the most common of physical and sensory impairments, it is also perhaps the most misunderstood and underestimated. It has been called the "invisible" condition since it is not possible to "see" a hearing loss directly, only its effects upon behavior and communication. The fact that these effects can be so variable, depending upon the individual and the situation, is what makes hearing loss such a confusing condition. To read Self Help for Hard of Hearing People's (SHHH) position statement on hearing aids, click here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/articles/henews-052001.htm = = = = = These and other news briefs and articles are all available on the main page of HearingExchange. Go to http://www.HearingExchange.com and review the News and Articles sections and their archives. ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " M E S S A G E B O A R D S " " " " " " " " " " " " " " Have something to say? Say it on our Message Boards! You don't need to register to participate. You can easily post a new topic or reply to current threads. Hi! I am a grad student in Deaf Ed looking for sites or resources on grant writing proposals. I want to do my thesis on Auditory training with toddlers and young preschoolers with hearing loss. I'd love to beable to buy materials for the family to use and keep and even evolve it into a small playgroup type of activites. If you have suggestions on grant writing for this Professional forum member, click here http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000014.html This message is about my concern and frustration with my parents' failing hearing and their not wanting to have it checked by a doctor. I am frustrated by having to repeat things over and over and I know that they do have a problem due to the fact that I listen to the two of them conversing and misunderstanding each other and me. Do you have any suggestions for Peter? Add your replies here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000024.html Mark, a visitor in our Cochlear Implant forum writes, "...I don't know what I'm going to get out of CI, thats the part that scares me. I read so many wonderful stories about CI. That I hope I can write a wonderful story about mine. I [would] like to hear some stories about CI's users, good or bad ones. Maybe this will help me..." Post your stories at http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000024.html Join the thread in our Deaf/Hard of Hearing forum started by one member - "I was just wondering if anyone ever took advantage of having a hearing loss... like getting away with speeding... getting accepted into a selective program or school...networking... Post your stories on the board here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000078.html Tayler's mother writes about her newly diagnosed daughter: "She is now 3 months old and has had her hearing aids for a month. However, I really don't think she's getting any significant help from them and the audiologist seems to agree. I am looking for any information that more experienced parents may have to pass on. My husband and I are researching the cochlear implant. Any wisdom to pass on regarding your experience with the implant would be helpful. Just any words of wisdom at all about anything would be helpful." Help Tayler's mother by sending her your comments http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000054.html I'm an itinerant teacher for Deaf and HOH students. My students frequently need FM auditory trainers in the classroom. While I am happy about the improvement in my kids' ability to hear their teachers, I'm frustrated by the inability to hear their classmates when wearing the device. If anyone has similar experiences with this, I'd love to hear about them and any suggestions are warmly welcomed. Send Jenn your suggestions to the Special Education forum at http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000018.html These topics and more can be found on our message boards. Click here to see a list of all the forums available: http://www.hearingexchange.com/ubb/Ultimate.cgi ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " F E A T U R E D S I T E " " " " " " " " " " " " " Hear-IT is a non-commercial, nternational site on hearing loss. It contains a wealth of related facts and figures as well as many articles on prevention of hearing loss, tinnitus, living with hearing loss and more. Of special note are the searchable glossary of terms associated with hearing loss and downloadable sound files enabling people with normal hearing to understand how music sounds for a hearing impaired person. Visit http://www.hear-it.org now! ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " A W A R D W I N N E R S " " " " " " " " " " " " " Congratulations to the recent winners of the HearingExchange Website Awards! Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers - H.E.A.R. - A non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of repeated exposure to excessive noise levels from music which can lead to permanent, and sometimes debilitating, hearing loss and tinnitus. Damage can occur from playing music, attending concerts, clubs, raves, using stereo earphones, playing amplified systems too loudly, or other noisy activities. H.E.A.R. provides public service announcements, information and earplug tables at concerts across the U.S. Their website offers a comprehensive list of links to hearing related organizations. http://www.hearnet.com Adobe Hearing Center of Tucson, Arizona - In addition to providing details about the staff and services of their audiology center, the Adobe website also offers extensive information about hearing loss, hearing aids and hearing protection. Plus, the well-researched listing of links to local assistance in Tucson, local and national support groups and other links make this site a winner! Visit it at http://www.adobehearingcenter.com/ To learn about our past winners, go to: http://www.hearingexchange.com/dir/Award_Winners/ HearingExchange offers awards to websites that offer valuable information for people with hearing loss, parents of deaf and hard of hearing children or the professionals who work with them. Do you know of a website or organization that deserves an award? Go to: http://www.hearingexchange.com/awards.htm and submit them for consideration. ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " U P C O M I N G E V E N T S " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " June 7-9 - Florida Association of the Deaf - 38th Biennial Conference June 15 - World's Largest Silent Weekend - Florida June 18 - Camp Apple Seed - program for children with an ASL interpreter on staff June 22-25 - Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) Convention - New Jersey June 29 - Auditory Verbal International 2001 Conference - Colorado For further information on these events, visit our Event Calendar for the month of June at: http://www.hearingexchange.com/events/calendar.cgi ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " F E A T U R E D B O O K " " " " " " " " " " " " " The Internet Resource Guide for Parents and Disability Professionals - This downloadable e-book was written by our very own Parent Support expert, Lisa Simmons. Lisa has spent countless hours researching the Internet and discovering more than 350 links to sites that can assist you with information on Early Intervention, Post Secondary Education, IEPs, Inclusion, Home Schooling, Disability Organizations and Publications and so much more. Click this link for more information on this excellent resource. Be sure to click on "Our Books" to review this publication. http://hop.clickbank.net/?ebooksacc/lisasim737 Visit the HearingExchange BookStore for more great books! Our Bookstore is growing! Find great books for people with hearing loss, parents and professionals. Visit the HearingExchange Bookstore today to learn more: http://www.hearingexchange.com/bookstore/index.htm ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " A S K T H E E X P E R T S " " " " " " " " " " " " " " Question for our Cochlear Implant Expert, Dr. Pat Chute: Q. Our 13 year old daughter is scheduled to receive a cochlear implant on June 19th. Her camp program starts 6 days later. She wants to go. Are there any concerns we need to deal with if she goes? Read Dr. Chutes's response and previous questions and answers at: http://www.hearingexchange.com/experts/cochlear_implant.htm Question for our Audiology Expert, Ira Springer: Q. My 8 year old daughter has been diagnosed with a moderate hearing loss. She does extremely well in her studies, but she is not able to respond to whispers or hear students talking from the last benches. We have been advised to get her hearing aids. Will she be able to tolerate the closed feeling of both the ears? What about the high amplification of all the noises she hears? Please let us know of any negative sides to getting hearing aids. Read Ira's response and previous questions and answers at: http://www.hearingexchange.com/experts/audiologist.htm ============================================================= " " " " " " " " " " " " P O L L R E S U L T S " " " " " " " " " " " " Our last poll asked: Have you been evaluated for a cochlear implant? Answers: 32% said Yes, I have a cochlear implant. 28% said No, what is a cochlear implant? 24% said No, I am not a candidate. 14% said Yes, I am a candidate to receive one. 2% said Yes, but I am not a candidate. This week, our Living with Hearing Loss Poll asks: How does hearing loss affect you? Be sure to vote in this poll located on the main page of the web site! http://www.HearingExchange.com ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " F E A T U R E D P R O D U C T " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " The newest way for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to reach anyone, anytime, from almost anywhere using 2-way wireless messaging. WyndTell service on the Motorola T900 is now available and comes in four fabulous colors! Order now from Harris Communications and receive an $80 rebate from Wyndtell.com at: http://www.harriscomm.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Product_ID=16477&CATD=8 ============================================================ " " " " " " " " " " " " G E T I N V O L V E D " " " " " " " " " " " " Link to Us! We now have terrific graphics and banners for those of you with websites. Grab one of our links today and let us know when you do. We'd be happy to offer your website a reciprocal link. Go to: http://www.hearingexchange.com/link_to_us.htm Refer a Friend! We've made it easy for you to tell your friends, family and colleagues about HearingExchange. Simply click on this link and fill out the form, we'll take care of the rest! http://www.hearingexchange.com/recommend/index.html Do you work with deaf or hard of hearing children or adults? Do you want to? Visit our free Employment Board! Post your resume or list an open position at your organization today. All posts must be related to hearing loss fields. Go to http://www.hearingexchange.com/jobs/ Like to write? HearingExchange is currently accepting article submissions. We encourage you to participate by submitting your original articles, tips or ideas for articles. Articles should be 500 to 800 words maximum. Visit this page to read more about submitting your work: http://www.hearingexchange.com/article_submissions.htm Hosting an event of interest to the adults, parents or professionals who deal with hearing loss? Looking for workshops or seminars on this issue? Visit our Event Calendar and browse around, there are many great seminars around the U.S. Be sure to click on the actual date of an event to read more about it. Post your events by clicking here: http://www.hearingexchange.com/events/calendar.cgi Are You an Expert? We Need You! We're currently seeking qualified experts. If you're an expert or know someone who is, please send us their email address or have them contact us at mailto:info@hearingexchange.com. We especially need a medical expert in the field of Otolaryngology. All experts must have experience with hearing impaired adults and/or children. Our Resource Directory is growing! We now have 230 links related to hearing loss for you to review. When you're looking for organizations, assistive devices, hearing aid manufacturers, listservs and much more, visit: http://www.hearingexchange.com/resources/ Use our Add a Site feature at: http://www.hearingexchange.com/resources/add.cgi to refer great links you have found. We will review and post them promptly. ============================================================ Your input is always welcome at HearingExchange. Send us your comments, suggestions and any news related to hearing loss. Looking forward to "hearing" from you, Paula Rosenthal, Founder & Publisher HearingExchange - http://www.HearingExchange.com Exchanging Ideas & Information on Hearing Loss To subscribe to this newsletter visit our site and enter your email address in the newsletter subscription box. All addresses are kept confidential.