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March 10, 2010
Regular Analgesic Use Increases Hearing Loss in Men, Study Finds
In a study published in the March 2010 issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers determined that regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of hearing loss in men, particularly in younger men, below age 60.
Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in the US, afflicting over 36 million people. Not only is hearing loss highly prevalent among the elderly, but approximately one third of those aged 40-49 years already suffer from hearing loss. Even mild hearing loss can compromise the ability to understand speech in the presence of background noise or multiple speakers, leading to social isolation, depression, and poorer quality of life.
Posted @ 2:13 PM
Word Learning Better in Deaf Children Who Receive Cochlear Implants by Age 13 Months
A growing body of evidence points to the importance of early auditory input for developing language skills. Indiana University Department of Otolaryngology researchers have contributed to that evidence with several projects, including their study involving 20 deaf children (22- to 40-months-old and 12 to 18 months after cochlear implantation) and 20 normal hearing children (12- to 40-months of age) that was presented Feb. 21 at the AAAS meeting.
Posted @ 2:10 PM
Deaf Youth from the California School for the Deaf and the YouTube Captioning
For years, the Deaf Community has been seeking greater access to videos shown on the internet. YouTube has developed a new technology that allows videos with sound to be automatically captioned. For the first time in the history of technology, it is as easy as pressing a button on the YouTube program to receive captions.
Instructional television teacher from the California School for the Deaf, Joey Baer, and his high school students Angel Harrington, Myra Rubio, and Rachelle Richardson participated in YouTube’s press conference on Thursday, March 4, to formally announce access to YouTube through captioning.
Posted @ 2:07 PM
Summer Career Exploration Program Announced for College-Bound High School Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
The Explore Your Future (EYF) program at Rochester Institute of Technology offers college-bound high school sophomores and juniors with hearing loss a unique opportunity to experience life on a college campus, explore their interests and sample various careers.
Hundreds of students from across the country participate in this six-day, summer career exploration program that provides them with hands-on activities related to careers in engineering, art, business, computers, science and more.
EYF sessions for summer 2010 are July 17 to 22 and July 24 to 29. On the final day of each session, parents attend a workshop that helps them prepare their student for life after high school.
Posted @ 2:06 PM
Rock Springs boy's family glad to have expert help with hearing loss
Developmental milestones are recorded and celebrated in many ways.
From the first time a baby rolls over, their first giggle, their first steps, their first words and beyond, parents beam at each accomplishment. They strive to teach their children words by repeating "mama" or "dada" over and over.
Imagine the frustration and concern that develops if a child is unable to say any words by the age of 2 or they do not even hear you talking to them.
Posted @ 2:04 PM
DVD offers crime prevention advice for deaf people
A DVD offering advice to deaf people on crime prevention has been made by an officer after he realised sections of the community were missing out.
The DVD was devised by Kevin Childs from Gwent Police, who had spent time working with deaf people in the area.
He teamed up with the British Deaf Association and made the film featuring two deaf lead characters in various crime prevention scenarios.
Posted @ 2:02 PM
More guilty pleas in deaf-services case, Viable
More defendants in a multistate federal case involving executives of Rockville deaf services company Viable pleaded guilty last week to conspiring to defraud a Federal Communications Commission program that helps the deaf, authorities said.
Pleading guilty in federal court in Trenton, N.J., to conspiracy to commit mail fraud were Kim E. Hawkins, an owner of Master Communications in Nevada, Mascom LLC in Texas and KL Communications in Arizona; Larry Berke, a KL partner; Alfia Iskandarova, a former interpreter for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Interpreting Services of New York; and Robert Z. Rubeck of Surprise, Ariz.
Posted @ 2:00 PM
Performers' sense of pride: The deaf sing, act in Brooklyn open mic show
It's where deaf performers go to be heard. An open mic night for the hearing-impaired in Bay Ridge has been drawing standing-room-only crowds that come to see deaf comedians and poets, plus musicians who sing with sign interpreters.
"It's a place for our community to come together," said event co-host Steve Martinez, 31, an amateur comic from Jackson Heights who has been deaf since birth. "It feels good to come out and see deaf entertainers."
Posted @ 1:59 PM
Deaf Mormons enjoy institute at Gallaudet University
At first glance, it's a religion class like any other. The teacher projects an electronic slide on the wall with an illustration of Ammon tending King Lamoni's sheep, then poses a question. Students scan the pages of the Book of Mormon, zeroing in on Alma 18. Several hands go up, and the instructor calls on someone.
It soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary classroom as the student steps in front of the class, sets the scriptures down and begins to answer with both hands in American Sign Language. Her facial expressions help communicate her ideas. As fellow students add their comments, many hands and fingers start flying at once in a silent yet animated discussion.
Posted @ 1:58 PM
Deaf Woman Escapes Fire By Jumping Through Second Story Window
Cindy Chavarria escaped a massive fire in her Pinon Trails apartment building with only a few scratches, a feat not possible without a special smoke detector.
“She wouldn't have been able to hear anything. She wouldn't have known anything. She's really grateful,” said Jazmin Espinoza, who translated her sister’s sign language.
Chavarria is deaf and lives alone. She said her smoke detector, equipped for the hearing impaired, alerted her to the fire.
Posted @ 1:57 PM
YouTube Gets Automatic CC Videos
YouTube is rolling out automatic captioning for all videos uploaded to the service, using Google's speech recognition service. You can see a demo in the video above.
Automatic captioning with Google speech recognition was launched in November. This only had a few selected education partners to test out automatic captioning, until now.
There are many reasons for captions on every video: ESL viewers, people in other countries, searchability, not wanting to disturb others, loud locations and automatic translations to other countries.
Posted @ 1:55 PM
Deaf and blind school is forced to make cuts
Utah’s School for the Deaf and Blind is making cuts to meet a budget reduction of $670,000.
The USDB is eliminating several programs, including its Ogden residential program, summer camps, and short term programs. They have also released almost 20 employees, including some teachers.
“We’d rather make a transition over the summer,” says USDB Superintendent Steve Noyce. “But with the budget cuts, we felt like we needed to do it now.”
Posted @ 1:55 PM
Principal Defends "Inclusion" Method of Teaching Deaf Kids
A small circle of eager 4-year-olds gathers on the floor of the Baby Boomers International Preschool classroom in Pompano Beach, watching their teacher explain how to write the date "Thursday, March 4, 2010" on a paper easel.
The children sit in a room filled with toys and puzzles and their artwork on the walls. A rug displays the alphabet in English and American Sign Language.
Posted @ 1:53 PM
Mother Battling for Deaf Daughter's Safety
One look at Maggie Wittland and her little girl Hannah show the two play and laugh together like a lot of moms and daughters.
But mom says it hasn't always been easy. When she and her husband found out Hannah was partially deaf and suffering from significant hearing loss, Maggie says it came as a shock.
"I have to admit that when we found out, it was probably our darkest day," she says.
Posted @ 1:52 PM
FCC Issues Important New Ruling on VRS With Retroactive Impact
Purple Communications™, Inc. (OTC: PRPL) ("Purple"), a leading provider of text and video relay and on-site interpreting services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has filed an Emergency Stay Request and Application for Review with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in order to grant the company due process regarding the FCC's withholding of funds owed to Purple.
On February 25, 2010, the FCC issued a Declaratory Ruling addressing certain types of calls that are not compensable under the Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) program administered by the FCC. The Declaratory Ruling applies to all providers and is purported to clarify prior rules the FCC believes have been clear, thereby making its applicability retroactive.
Posted @ 1:51 PM
Deaf juror should have been excluded in drowning trial
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled today that a judge should have excused a deaf juror in a murder case involving a Fairlawn man.
The court's decision means a new trial will be held for Scott Speer, who was accused of murdering his friend, James Barnett of Barberton.
Barnett, 39, drowned in Lake Erie after falling off —or, as prosecutors alleged, being pushed from — a boat into choppy nighttime waters near Port Clinton.
Posted @ 1:50 PM
Deaf men charged in 83M won heist
Three deaf men are facing charges of robbing a KT&G van loaded with some 83 million won ($71,961), then living it up in hiding.
Two suspects surnamed Moon, 44, and Kim, 40, were detained on Tuesday, and the Yongin Police Precinct in Gyeonggi is seeking a warrant to detain Ku, 46,
According to police, Moon and Ku used a rental car to block a van owned by Korea’s largest tobacco and ginseng maker at around 10:45 a.m. on Feb. 23, in the Cheoin district in Yongin. The van was carrying 70 million won in cash and 13 million in checks.
Posted @ 1:49 PM
Landrieu Welcomes Over $1.3 Million in Broadband Grants for Deaf Action Center
United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today welcomed over $1.3 million in broadband expansion grants from the Department of Commerce Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) for The Betty and Leonard Phillips Deaf Action Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Posted @ 1:48 PM
Woman known as “Miss Jazz” killed by DDOT bus during safety test-drive
Legal News for Michigan Bus Accident Attorneys. A DDOT bus hit a deaf pedestrian, fatally injuring her.
DPD officials are investigating a fatal collision involving a DDOT bus and a pedestrian.
Detroit, MI (News)—An unfortunate pedestrian-involved traffic crash left a deaf woman fatally injured on Tuesday morning, March 2, 2010. The vehicle involved in the fatal collision was a Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) bus, according to information provided by the Detroit Free Press.
Posted @ 1:48 PM
Interpreter restored for deaf student
Peterborough mother struggling to get the local Catholic school board to assign a sign language interpreter to her five-year- old son had some success after a story ran inThe Examiner last month.
Jonah Van Spronsen started junior kindergarten with an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter at St. Patrick's School in the city's southeast end in September.
The family privately hired the interpreter during the summer before the school year to help Jonah get comfortable with the person who would help him communicate with his teacher and other pupils.
Posted @ 1:44 PM
Wyoming wrestler doesn't see deafness as handicap
A bigger, stronger opponent stares you down. The whistle blows, but you don't hear a sound.
On the official's simultaneous signal, you start circling the competitor, matching his movement while keeping your distance. All around you, a cacophony of voices starts clamoring for action.
But silence is your only motivator. Inescapable quiet accompanies your every muscle shift and flex, and you strain for three periods while wrestling up a weight class.
Posted @ 1:44 PM
A deaf teenage musician performs for Prince Edward
A student from Bridgend will be performing in front of royalty on Tuesday evening. Lloyd Coleman, 17, is part of the orchestra at the prestigious Chetham's School of Music in Manchester.
Playing at London's Royal Festival Hall in the presence of Prince Edward might seem intimidating but Lloyd is used to big challenges, having been born deaf and visually impaired. Lloyd says he finds it easier to hear music than speech. Matthew Richards reports.
Posted @ 1:43 PM
Making Broadway Accessible for the Disabled
The next time you complain about not being able to see the stage from the nosebleed sections of a Broadway theater, think about not being able to see the stage at all.
“No one wants to feel left out of a performance,” said Lisa Carling, the director of the Theater Development Fund’s accessibility program, which offers assistance to theatergoers with physical disabilities. “If you miss a punchline or a dramatic statement, everyone else is included but you are not.”
The Theater Development Fund (TDF), which also runs the city’s TKTS discount ticket booths, helps coordinate services for the blind or those with low vision, the deaf or hard of hearing and patrons who can’t climb stairs or need wheelchair seating.
Posted @ 1:41 PM