Ms Bilby has been out and about sticking colourful signs in Bega shop windows to promote signing as a means of communication.

Through her family business, Bilby Publishing and Consulting, she produces, publishes and distributes sign language resources.

She says they are the only publishing and distribution house supporting Australian sign language products nationally and are dedicated sponsors and supporters of Hearing Awareness Week.

The week is a national event aimed at raising awareness of hearing loss and chronic ear disorders so that people affected experience greater acceptance and are better accommodated within their community, work and educational environments.

It also aims to reach out to affected people to inform them of the availability of goods and services that can assist them.

Ms Bilby, who is hearing impaired herself and who has a son who also has hearing difficulties, says the Hearing Awareness Week is about increasing people's awareness and educating the general public to reduce the incidence of hearing loss.

She says that one in five people in Australia suffers some level of hearing impairment.

However, only people aged under 21 or over 65 receive financial assistance from the Federal Government towards the cost of hearing aids.

"Hearing aids cost about $3,000 for each year which puts them out of the reach of many people," she said.

Ms Bilby is also concerned that there is no facility for audiological testing of children under the age of 12 in Bega Valley Shire so children suspected of having hearing problems have to go to Canberra.

"The average age for diagnosis in children is nine, by which time their brain has already accepted that they cannot hear so hearing aids can be almost useless."

The signs posted in shop windows this week spell out the shop name and show the hand sign for each letter in an effort to teach signing.

In addition there are also posters teaching "toddler signs".

"Children as young as six months old have the capability to sign their basic messages, such as 'food', 'hurt' or 'nappy,' to let parents know what is wrong - long before they are able to speak," Ms Bilby said.

She has developed a website - www.signswap.com.au - to help everyone access images of Australian signs for more than 4,000 words and has provided educational kits to every school in Australia.

Her toddler signs poster has been distributed to libraries around the country as a Hearing Awareness Week promotion.

From Bega District News