There are many AA meetings around the Sound and in Washington State.  Visit this web site for listings of ASL / Interpreted meetings for the month of MAY, 2008:

http://www.seattleaa.org

The 'calendar' is rather complicated; it has a symbols listing that you need to jump back and forth to view the one's marked "SI" - those are ASL Interpreted ones.  In the future, I will try to list these ASL Interpreted meetings on the Activities Calendar, but for now and until I can resolve it, check out the website for information.

Ever wonder how to say thank you when you see a military person in uniform?  See a simple way to do it from across a room or as you are passing by:

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php

Latest Update:  01/01/2008:

HAIL (Hearing Aid Insurance Legislation): 

If you are unfamiliar with HEARING AID RELATED LEGISLATION (H.A.I.L.) type Bills either pending or in the future, below is a listing of the current AND ACTIVE bills and what they are about:

Below are OLD and DEAD bills that did not pass and are "in limbo" so to speak.  Click on them to get background information and current status.

Support the Bloedel Research Center on October 27th, 2007

Volunteers Are Needed!

Hearing loss friends:  Here is a chance to help hearing loss research.  Woodstick2007 hopes to attract 1,000 drummers who will play the same song at the same time in an attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records.  This event will be held at "Showplex" in the Puyallup Fair Grounds.

Here are areas where help is needed:

• Registration

• Media

• Scheduling interviews

• Special package drums set up/tear down

• Traffic

• Unloading/loading drums & helping participants

• Security - make signs

• Clean-up

• Prizes - coordinate the drawings & have prizes ready

• Drawings - sales

• Stage set-up

• Raffle sales

• Photo sales

85% of the net will go to the Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center-and every dollar they raise will be matched 100% by the Oberkotter Foundation.

Check out the web site for more information at:

http://www.woodstick2007.com

You can also call the Chairman, Don Doman for information or to sign up at (253) 759-6639 or e-mail training-media@yahoo.com.

HSDC (Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center) WA provides information & training on setting up a videophone.

Videophone technology is fast replacing TTY as the method of choice for Deaf and hard of hearing callers.  Sign language users can communicate in their natural language and conversation flows more smoothly.  If interpreters are involved, information is conveyed more accurately with the inclusion of visual cues and expression.  Learn more about videophones by emailing videophone@hsdc.org for information.

Short courses via the Training Center are offered by this on-line university.  All courses are related to ASL and the Deaf Community.  Click on the links below to view the Fall Description of Classes and an Admissions Application you can download.

Click here for FALL DESCRIPTION OF CLASSES

Click here for ADMISSIONS APPLICATION

These files are in .PDF format.  You can view them with Adobe Acrobat Reader software.

Don't have it?  Click on the icon below for a free download of the Reader.

Or, for more information, contact:

Mrs. Sandy Kilgo, Registrar

Email:  Sandy@ChristianDeafFellowship.com

Address:  3144 Old Columbiana Road, Hoover, AL 35226

Voice/TTD:  1-800-396-6177

Video Phone (8:00am - 2:30 pm Central Time):  66.255.1.20

Washington Relay Service is a free service provided by Washington State Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) to ensure equal communication access to the telephone service for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and speech disabled.

Anyone wishing to use Washington Relay Service simply calls 711 to connect with a Communication Assistant (CA).  The CA will dial the requested number and relay the conversation between the two callers.

VOICE:   1-800-833-6384

TTY:       1-800-833-6388

VCO:      1-800-833-6386

STS:       1-877-833-6341

HCO:      1-800-833-6388

TB:         1-800-833-6385

CUSTOMER SERVICE (English):  1-800-676-3777

CUSTOMER SERVICE (Spanish): 1-800-676-4290

More Information:  http://www.washingtonrelay.com

Are you hard of hearing?  Do you enjoy working with others who have hearing loss?  Use your experience to help others gain access to telephone communication.  The Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (TED) is now accepting applications from individuals in several regions of the state who are interested in becoming trainers.  Job scope requires driving and visiting clients.  Hours are flexible.  This is a great part-time job, especially for someone retired who wants to earn a little extra income.  E-mail is required.

Contact Kelly Robison, TED Program Manager, at 1-800-422-7930 (Voice or TTY) or e-mail robiskd@dshs.wa.gov

Tired of navigating the interactive voice menus when you call a business that has them?  Next time you need to call a business, check this web site first to get the toll free number and the code to reach a human being rather than automated voice menus:  http://www.gethuman.com/us/

To obtain a pass for WA State parks, see http://parks.wa.gov/passes.asp or call 360-902-8500 or 360-902-8844; or write WA State Parks, Attn: Pass Program Manager, 7150 Cleanwater Drive SW, P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504.  Disability passes can also be obtained for ferry and transit systems.  Check online or contact any transit office for an application.  (Yes, hearing loss is a disability, and savings can be considered.)

The Language Door is a great resource.  Check out their website for further information or contact them:

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Julie Simon at:

Phone:  (503) 641-7950

VP: 70.89.177.177

Fax:  503-641-7656

Email: julie.simon@thelanguagedoor.net

Web:  www.thelanguagedoor.net

LOCATION:
The Language Door

Parkside Business Park

Courtyard Building

8285 SW Nimbus Avenue, Suite 112

Beaverton, OR

Off Hall Blvd. at Hwy 217

Park on east side of building.

Other Mailing Information:

The Language Door

P.O. Box 23998

Tigard, OR  97281-3998

The TED (Telecommunications Equipment Distribution) Program - CapTel relay and telephone equipment will soon be available in the State of Washington.

If interested in details and how to obtain equipment through the Program contact Kelly Robison, TED Program Manager at robiskd@dshs.wa.gov or Jennifer Chowning, Program Support Specialist at chownja@dshs.wa.gov or call 1-800-422-7930.

To obtain the ODHH (Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing) Newsletter with details about this and other programs, send an email to odhh@dshs.wa.gov

You can also visit the web site at http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/hrsa/odhh/resour.shtml

Oral Hearing Loss - A term that includes all people with hearing loss who prefer spoken English as their primary means of communication. This includes hard of hearing, late-deafened and oral deaf folks.

This often-ignored group has events and other information located at the following website:

http://www.hearinglossweb.com/Issues/Identity/ohl/ohl.htm

Check it out!
 

The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People invite you to attend the International Congress for persons with hearing loss to be held in Canada at the fabulous Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center in downtown Vancouver.

For further information and details, visit the web site at:

http://www.ifhoh.org/vancouver.htm

Local Chapters of the Hearing Loss Association of Washington (HLA-WA) are listed on the link below.  Specifically, there are Chapter Meetings occurring in KITSAP COUNTY and EAST JEFFERSON COUNTY.  Click on the link below to go to their web page, then click on the COUNTY you are interested in; listed there will be Chapter Meetings and events with times, dates and details.

http://www.hearingloss-wa.org/affiliates.htm

Listed below are some general and varying support and activity groups that meet and have events occurring.  Visit the websites, email or call the respective contacts for further information:

• Deaf Teen Quest - Tacoma Area, WA:  Sponsored by the Tacoma Youth For Christ.  Contact mike.olson@dtq.org or visit website at http://www.dtquest.org/

• NWDB-NW Deaf Bikers.  For NWDB and event information contact:  rmdumond@comcast.net or visit web site at http://www.nwdbikers.com

• Puget Sound Association of the Deaf-PSAD:  Contact bobpeg62@comcast.net for more information

• Puget Sound Deaf Traveling League-PSDTL:  For more information contact psdtl@comcast.net

• WA American Sign Language Teachers Association-WA-ASLTA:  For more information contact Janina Starr at JStarr@pierce.ect.edu

Due to the end of our contract with DSHS, TACID's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services stopped providing services on Friday, June 30, 2006. This was very short notice, but TACID was not informed until the afternoon of June 28.

Please now contact the Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center (HSDC) for services at:

1625 - 19th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

(Voice)  206-323-5770

(TTY)  206-388-1275

(Email)  seattle@hsdc.org

It is expected that HSDC will establish an office in Tacoma, WA shortly.

The TACID Deaf and Hard of Hearing Staff have enjoyed working with you over these years. Thanks for the memories!

All TACID group meetings at the TACID Center will continue unaffected and volunteer opportunities are still available. Other TACID Services are also not affected.

Submitted by:

The National Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities is please to announce an ONLINE BRAILLE TEXTBOOK TRANSCRIBER CERTIFICATE PROGRAM.

Northwest Vista College (NVC) is the first college in the nation to offer an on-line program for Braille transcribers to achieve its goal of combating the national shortage of professional Braille textbook transcribers. Students with visual impairments often wait weeks, months, or longer to get access to the textbooks and learning materials they need to further their education. Braille transcribers make a genuine difference in their lives!

NVC is in the process of updating the website to reflect this new online program. Please check back often for more information as it becomes available:

http://www.accd.edu/nvc/areas/braille/default.htm

This three semester (12 month) program is entirely online; it can be completed from anywhere. The first semester begins August 14, 2006 and students will receive their certificates the following August. It is a challenging program, requiring approximately 20 to 30 hours of work each week. The program will not only teach Braille transcribing skills, but also the business and writing skills necessary to build a career and succeed as a braille textbook transcriber in "The Real World." At the end of the program, students have a robust portfolio to share with employers, a website, a business plan, and a strong community of other Braille transcribers for collaboration and support.

The pre-requisites for admission to the program are:

COSC 1301, Introduction to Computers, or the equivalent.

A demonstrated ability to read at the college level (demonstrated through successful completion of ENGL 1301, Freshman Composition, or the equivalent; or through various official tests, such as the Accuplacer).

An email or phone interview with the Program Coordinator.

The cost of the program varies depending on residency. Please visit the main web site for details on tuition and fees. The first semester is 10 credit hours, and the second and third semesters are both 13 credit hours.

Enrollment for new students is available now. To apply online, or to view fees and details, please go to http://www.accd.edu/nvc/schedule/ and follow the prompts. If you have general questions about admissions requirements, please contact 210-348-2020 or nvcinfo@accd.edu. If you have additional questions about this program, please contact Mary Ann Siller at siller@afb.net with your specific questions.

Submitted by:  Lisa Barnstrom, Curriculum Developer, 210-348-2537

Barbara C. Sherr, CMP, Acting Director

Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired

1703 North Beauregard Street, Suite 440

Alexandria, VA 22311-1744

703-671-4500, ext. 201

FAX: 703-671-6391

Email: bsherr@aerbvi.org

Web Site: www.aerbvi.org

2006 AER International Biennial Conference to be held July 14-19, 2006

Check out Greg's Website for more details at:

www.gundersonracing.com

I am sure he thanks you and I thank you for supporting him in this dream!

FYI-please reply to Janis directly.

From: Janis Aaron Moore  E-mail her at JAMoore@talkshop.info

Subject: Requesting info from HOH about ASL

I am a 57-year-old HOH student at South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC). This quarter I have been learning ASL. Although I normally pick up new subjects quickly, I have discovered ASL is very challenging. After much thought on my difficulties, I have decided part (at least) of my problem is lip / speech reading. I have spent the last 20+ years focusing on people's lips when they communicate. But with ASL, you must focus from head to waist, shoulder to shoulder - watching eyes, expressions, fingers.

As you might expect, this has come as quite a surprise to me. I assumed my hearing loss would not be an impediment in an ASL class with a Deaf instructor. I've conducted initial searches on the Internet, but have been unable to find anything. Is this because I am the only HOH person who has had difficulty learning ASL, or is it because people don't know about the problem, or is just my faulty Internet searching? :-)  I'd like to "hear" from other HOH folks to see if they have experienced difficulty learning ASL as I have. I'd also like to receive information anyone has gathered (Internet links, publications with dates, etc.) about HOH and ASL experiences.

As a HOH student, I am taking advantage of SPSCC's Disability Support Services, and the TRiO program (one of TRiO's criteria is the students must have a physical or documented learning disability).  If, indeed, other HOH folks have had problems, I feel it should be brought to the attention of those in charge. My hope is future HOH students will be offered a "heads up" about possible difficulties. I'm also hoping to raise the consciousness of those in charge to find ways to help people like us succeed in class - both for academic reasons and for the more-important personal desire to be able to learn to communicate this wonderful language.  My intention is to take the information to the SPSCC Disability Support Services coordinator, as well as my academic counselor, the TRiO coordinator, the ASL instructor and Humanities Dean.

Thanks for any help you can give.

U P D A T E

I plan to graduate from college (Friday, June 13!!!)  I've mainly used the HOH page for my academic work.  I plan to rearrange the pages for more general purposes.

An article I wrote "Overcoming Denial" was published on the FRONT PAGE of the ALDA newsletter, Winter issue.  Also, I'll be presenting at the CHHA / IFHOH Congress in July -- Vancouver, BC. 

The compilation of responses I've received [is on this web site].  I'm continuing to update it as I get and make the time.  Here's the URL:  http://www.talkshop.info/hoh

Warm regards,
Janis
 

[  Webmaster note:  We are very happy for Janis and extend our congratulations to her.  Check out her web page for great information   - FLB -  ]
 

The Department of Social and Health Services recently announced a new web site that offers deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and speech-disabled people a location to obtain a variety of telecommunication relay services designed to empower them to communicate with their hearing counterparts. Sprint developed the website with review by DSHS Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Included in the Web site are instructions, visual aids and video clips showing how to use the services provided by the Washington Relay Services. There are links that enable direct access to Internet-based services and a frequently asked question section with answers about Washington Relay Service. Washington Relay Services are available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. The service is confidential and records of use are not maintained.

http://www.washingtonrelay.com/

*Information obtained from the Hearing Loss Association-WA

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