Eh? What? Huh?

Parents' Right to Information

2012-02-14T06:33:00.002-05:00

Parents have the right to have access to information on all communication modes and options regarding their deaf or hard of hearing child. Whether I agree with the method or educational placement, I try my best to inform parents that they have this and this and this to choose from. I will give them suggestions or recommendations, but I will not tell them what to do, which I think is very

How Do You Provide Unbiased Information in the Field of Deaf Education?

2012-02-13T07:16:00.000-05:00

We are all biased, no doubt about that. I think it would be impossible to remain unbiased at all times. However, the only time I am not biased or try not to be biased is when I am giving information to parents as a deaf and hard of hearing itinerant teacher. I usually don't tell parents what to do; I give suggestions. I also give a truck load of information. I encourage parents to look at the

My Thoughts on HB 1367, Thus Far

2012-02-03T06:34:00.000-05:00

Rather than build an entirely new center, why not keep the outreach center where it is and look at what exactly is going on there. If there are problems, fix them. Perhaps the staff needs more training or some staff members need to leave. Perhaps new rules need to be enforced to encourage staff members to provide unbiased information. If some of the staff members did in fact act unprofessionally

A Parent's Experience With the ISD Outreach Center & Why She Supports HB1367

2012-02-02T06:28:00.001-05:00

I was told about a blog post, Why I support Indiana House Bill 1367, written by Untitled. She wrote about her experience taking her son to the Outreach Center at ISD to be assessed. It did not sound as if it went well. Below is an excerpt. You can read the entire article here. I was very hesitant on going there because Evan was an already an established auditory learner. We chose the aural/

Great Post About HB 1367 & the Issues Surrounding Indiana School for the Deaf

2012-02-01T06:41:00.000-05:00

I found this excellent post on the issues surrounding House Bill 1367, Indiana School for the Deaf, and its outreach center. The article is named, Consider What You're Fighting to Win-My Post on Hear Indiana's "Support HB 1367" Facebook Page, written by Christopher Jon Heuer. I think his take on the situation is one of the most reasonable and clear statements I have seen online. It is

Buying a New Hearing Aid (Yay! and 'Yawn')

2012-01-29T13:28:00.001-05:00

It has been at least six years since I bought a new hearing aid. I bought it based on a recommendation from an audiologist in New York City, while I was living there. I did not shop around or care to really learn more about the hearing aid I planned to buy, which was really expensive at the time. I did not even check to see if my insurance company would cover it. I was that clueless about buying

For and Against HB 1367

2012-01-25T06:38:00.003-05:00

I have been reading various blogs about the House Bill 1367 which proposes to "remove the outreach center currently housed at the Indiana School for the Deaf, terminate all staff working in that center, and recreate a new outreach center separate from the school" (from NAD's Action Alert: Support Ind.School for the Deaf, Oppose HB 1367). Many people online oppose this bill, while few support

Questions For Deaf & HOH Teachers From a Reader

2012-01-24T06:04:00.001-05:00

A reader left a comment with questions in response to an earlier post, Deaf Student Teacher With Hearing Students. Perhaps some of you can answer her questions and give her suggestions. Wow, this is a very inspiring article and I enjoy reading all your comments. I am currently a hearing impaired student teacher (hard of hearing) teaching hearing students. I've taught 5th grade hearing

Please Link Back!!

2012-01-23T07:25:00.003-05:00

If you are going to include some or all I have written or posted here on your website or blog, please, please, please, provide a link back and give me some credit! Feel free to do whatever you want with what I have written, just link back. It's not cool when someone takes what I wrote or posted on this blog and then re-post it or use parts of it on their blog and website and not give me any

What if There is a Cure For Deafness?

2012-01-18T07:08:00.000-05:00

I am excited and fascinated by the news of stem cell research approved by FDA in relation to treating hearing loss. I can't wait to find out what they learn. In light of the news, I have been asked by more and more people, "What if deafness was cured tomorrow? What would you do? Would you be upset about not working in deaf education?" I usually laugh and tell them, "I would not be upset. I

Crap People Say to Teachers of the Deaf & HOH

2012-01-18T06:26:00.002-05:00

"Wow, how sweet of you!" "You teach deaf kids? How noble of you." "You work on their speech and stuff?" "Oh, like a speech teacher." "Must be nice having quiet students." "Why do deaf people [insert question]?" "Aren't you concerned that sign language will keep the student from talking?" "Since you work with him on speech, do you have any suggestions on how he can improve

Crap Hearing People Say to Deaf & HOH People

2012-01-17T22:22:00.001-05:00

A YouTube video that has gone viral inspired me to write about the ignorant and funny comments some people make to deaf and hard of hearing people. The video I am talking about is by comedian Franchesca Ramsey. She recently uploaded a YouTube video S**t White Girls Say to Black Girls. Apparently, she was inspired by another YouTube video S**t Girls Say. The video is controversial and some people

I Like How You Don't Talk To Me Like I'm Stupid

2012-01-13T05:56:00.000-05:00

I was talking to a teenaged boy about the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and how I never really liked them or got into them. He was a huge fan and was telling me about which movies are his favorite and why they are the greatest movies of all time. I told him that while I disagree, I admit that the love story between Will and Elizabeth was actually pretty good. Towards the end of our discussion

Any Suggestions For This Deaf/HH High School Student?

2012-01-12T18:21:00.000-05:00

hello i am a freshmen in high school and the only person in my high school with a hearing loss. i would really like to get to know other people my age with similar issues that i face and someone that could relate to me. do you know of any good camps anywhere for people with hearing impairments. i have recently heard of a camp sponsored by the lions club. if there are any others that you

Issues Some of My Deaf/HH Students Deal With

2012-01-10T07:20:00.001-05:00

Here are some specific issues some of my deaf and hard of hearing students deal with: One of them, a junior in high school, is in complete denial that he has a significant hearing loss and that it is a progressive hearing loss. "I hear much better now. I'm fine. No problem." Some of them refuse to accommodate for themselves, learn sign language, wear hearing aids or use amplification devices

Lipreading Mom/CCAC Internet Captions Campaign

2012-01-10T06:09:00.001-05:00

Lipreading Mom collaborated with CCAC and started the Internet Captions Campaign; requesting television networks to provide captions for their online videos. Details are at http://LipreadingMom.com/lipreading-mom-captions-campaign. Several network websites have been contacted, and volunteer email letter-writers are needed to keep the initiative going. They encourage and welcome your

Re-Post: Merry Frickin' Christmas!

2011-12-27T10:16:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a good holiday, whether you celebrate Christmas or not. I have been enjoying finding time to relax, read, and draw. I thought I should include a previous post of my late cat, Patrick, forced to sit in a silly photo session with Santa Claus. I thought it would be funny. He hated it. Sorry Patrick! Read more about it in my original 2009 posting below: I took my cat,

I Love Reading

2011-12-27T08:55:00.000-05:00

Photo from sleepyneko @ flickr I wonder if the reason why I love to read and started reading voraciously at a young age is because it does not involve listening. Being hard of hearing, listening can be hard work and tiring for me. With a book, I see everything that is being said and I don't have to ask the book to repeat itself or rephrase itself. With a book, I have full access, except

Favorite 2011 D/HH Blog Posts

2011-12-22T13:54:00.002-05:00

Here is a list of some 2011 D/HH blog posts I really enjoyed reading. I hope you enjoy them as well. Follow Your Bliss' Teacher of the Deaf Hearing Spark's The Variables of Hearing Deaf & HOH Teachers Sound Off!'s Hilarious post Speak Up Librarian's My New Hearing Aids in Different Sound Environments Xpressive Handz's Normal Does Not = Right Octavian Robinson's A Failure

Liebster Blog Award

2011-12-20T11:30:00.000-05:00

I am honored to be given the Liebster Blog Award from Speak Up Librarian! Thank you! :) Liebster is German for dearest, beloved or favorite. This award is bestowed on blogs with less than 200 followers but deserve more attention. What a great way to support fellow bloggers you admire! Here are the rules that come with this award: Thank your Liebster Blog Award

Future Deaf and HOH Advocate, Part 2 : )

2011-12-20T09:44:00.000-05:00

Remember a young student of mine who told his parents that he wants to grow up to be an advocate for deaf and hard of hearing people? I saw him recently, before the holiday break, and as always he was talking about starting a support group or social group of some kind for people like himself (deaf and hard of hearing). He is particularly interested in meeting others close to his age. He talks

New Blog: Closed Captions Watch

2011-12-18T19:30:00.001-05:00

I started a new blog, Closed Captions Watch. Since I have been writing so much about closed captions, particularly about television shows that don't caption the spoken dialogue verbatim, I thought it made sense to start a new blog that focuses on various problematic issues surrounding captioned media. You can check it out here: http://closedcaptionswatch.blogspot.com/. There is not much at

Turning On the Subtitles for DVD Is Easy

2011-12-09T06:21:00.002-05:00

After talking with and sending numerous emails about the importance of using closed-captions or subtitles to a counselor at a school, she still was not doing this for some hard of hearing students who attend her classes, according to an interpreter. They attend her class at least once a week. It seems as if she shows a lot of videos. These videos are usually cartoons or kid friendly films about

A Writer's Take on How AMC Censors Captions

2011-12-05T20:19:00.002-05:00

It is nice to know that I am not alone in noticing and hating the fact that AMC intentionally censors the closed captions for their hit television shows. Look at journalist and author Joe Clark's take on the issue below. I really enjoy reading his entire article, Response to FCC Public Notice on closed captioning rules (from Joe Clark Accessibility, Design, Writing, 2010). He discusses the

My Email to Amazon Requesting Captioned Videos

2011-12-05T06:42:00.005-05:00

I was so impressed with Shanna's, aka Lipreading Mom's email to ESPN, that I decided to use it as template when I emailed Amazon. Here is her email to ESPN: Dear ESPN, ABC Sports, and ESPN.com, As a sports fan with hearing loss, I am writing to express my concern about the lack of captions with your video streaming of live sports events. On several occasions, myself and friends with