Using your voice at Gallaudet University and elsewhere is OK

There were several instances of a protest supporter, student, faculty or alumnus who used his/her voice (without signing) in front of hearing, deaf, and  hard of hearing audience. Most of these people who used their voice instead of signing were either deaf or hard of hearing at places like Gallaudet University and the Senate Health Hearing in California on the AB2072 bill. In all cases there were sign language interpreters available and in some cases included voice interpreter and real time captioner.  This is about respecting communication preferences of deaf and hard of hearing people. A preference that they feel most comfortable in. Due to certain circumstances sometimes voice had to be used instead of signing.

Before I get started I want to remind people that Gallaudet University is a true, bi-lingual institute. I would like to think students attending Gallaudet University are not linguistically disabled in the English language, especially towards the end of their undergraduate career with a strengthened English competency and literacy.   I see both the English language (spoken or written) and sign language as equally supported on campus. Both ASL and the spoken English language deserve equal respect in the cases I'm about to present.

Secondly, I must remind people that president Hurtwitz of Gallaudet University re-iterated a key point that ICED issued a global call to "accept and respect all languages and all forms of communication" in the education of deaf and hard of hearing people. There were no restrictions or specificity against the use of Cued Speech, oral-auditory methods, SEE, PSE, AVT, note takers, CART, captioning, texting, voice to text, use of hearing aids and cochlear implants to help communicate and listen, and so on. Nor did ICED specify or condemn for using one form of communication method over another. Nothing was said about which form of communication MUST be used but rather that all forms of communication MUST be accepted and respected.

Did you get that?

Thirdly, as a side note, most students on campus do not sign in "pure ASL" but instead mouth the words while signing almost or completely in English word order like a PSE or signed English format. Some do sign and use their voice at the same time like former interim president Robert Davila of Gallaudet University as you can see (and hear) in the video below at time stamp from 1:13 to 2:01. Also note in the video on how deaf/hh people sign and mouths the words at the same time and oftentimes in English order. Pure ASL? Not really.



Moving on.

 

The first notable so called "scandal" that I'm aware of took place at Gallaudet University in 2006. Dr. Brenda Brueggemann, who is deaf, was the Commencement Speaker for Gallaudet University's graduating class of 2006.  She used her own voice instead of sign language.

 

 

 

She was at the time the interim Acting Chair of the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees. She was essentially pushed to take over Celia May Baldwin's position after she suddenly resigned claiming threats were made against her by some nutty pro-DPN2 protesters.  After the 2006 Gallaudet University graduation ceremony Dr. Brueggemann was wrongly attacked for using her voice.  The attackers simply did not see the bigger picture the reason why she had to use her voice in the first place as explained to me by Bruggemann in her email to me in 2010.

Meanwhile, I do also completely understand the reason and "right" for using ASL more and "better" --especially at places like Gallaudet. My ASL is only about half-good right now--not even as good as my German probably. But I can have conversations. I did so all the time as Board Chair with King and other Gu administrators directly on VRS (not using interpreters). I get by. And had I had any time to actually prepare my remarks for the GU graduation last May, I probably would have signed them more or at least part of them. But I didn't have that prep time. I was dropped into the Acting Chair's position on May 10, to be exact--once CM Baldwin resigned. And I was handed the remarks she was supposed to deliver (already scripted) for graduation on May 12. In fact, they didn't even give me the script until the morning of May 12. And it still had her name at the top of it! So, using oral/spoken English, I could feel comfortable enough to develop a few of my own "touches" in the prepared script. But I sure couldn't do that trying to use ASL....

If only the attackers knew about the little known history of why Dr. Brueggemann used her voice then they would not have screeched themselves into an apoplectic fit.   Instead, they get eggs on their faces just like Random Thoughts and Musings by moi blog who got everything wrong about Dr. Brueggemann's reason to use her voice that day.

Feeling silly right about now, don't you?

Let's keep an open mind here, folks.  Signers have a different level of fluency and visual reception/recognition. Not all deaf or hard of hearing people know sign language.

Dr. Brueggemann gave me a poignant but funny message in her email to me to share with everybody:

"Hey, I like my voice!" I'm proud of it. It's unique, it's mine, I like it. I think I'll use it! - Dr. Brenda Brueggemann. Sept 1, 2010.

Yeah, me, too.

The second "scandal" occurred around November of 2009 when a hearing doctoral candidate at Gallaudet University presented a dissertation defense in spoken English rather than ASL to a diverse audience of deaf, hard of hearing and hearing students as well as professors. Gallaudet University provided ASL interpreters. That "scandal" was short-lived, too.  Not much details other than it happened. Although I do admit this has nothing to do with a deaf or hard of hearing person but it was the idea that a doctoral candidate was allowed to use his own voice to speak in his dissertation defense at Gallaudet University.

Then we have an unknown person named "Bobby W" who claimed to have used his voice in 2006 to defend his student teaching experience for his degree at Gallaudet University:

If it makes you feel any better at the height of the campus scandal in 2006 while I was defending my student teaching experience for my degree from Gallaudet in front of the Education Department. I also choose to use my voice to do so. I used ASL for the answering/question session but the actual defense I used my voice. Imagine defending an education degree from Gallaudet University orally. I'm sure I was the FIRST to ever do so.

I received a few funny looks from my peers and a few of the EDU professors but It was a success...

-Bobby W.

Bobby W, where are you? Are you deaf, hh or hearing?

Next, of course, you have another Gallaudet University alumnus, which would me, who used his voice to speak at an audience at Gallaudet University's first ever vlogging/blogging conference in 2007.  I was one several panel members at that vlogging/blogging conference.  It was streamed in live in front of an internet audience and those physically present. Most people, I think, were quite receptive of my decision to use my voice based on the comments I received compared to Dr. Brueggemann's who probably got more people their panties in a bunch.  I don't think mine counted as a "scandal" by any stretch of the imagination.

And then we had this culturally deaf guy who was the Sacramento chapter president of CAD used his voice at the Senate Health Hearing in California in a room full of culturally deaf people which easily outnumbered the number of hearing people present. It's not a scandal if a deaf person choose to use his or her voice to speak or use sign language. The deaf and hard of hearing community support those who have a different but preferred mode of communicating.  You can find the original video of Tim Riker and others at the Senate Health Hearing in here.  




But the real eye-brow raiser was when Tim Riker criticized another oral deaf person, John Fortias, for having "unintelligible speech. " The sad thing is that the "unintelligible speech" claim is not true at all. John's speech is intelligible as evidenced in a transcript and by the interpreters in both videos (see above and below). It is quite evident that a sign language interpreter could understand John's speech as evidenced in the video below (video source).



The message?

If you're deaf or hard of hearing, whether you wear hearing aids, cochlear implants or none at all, it is alright to use your voice to speak in a public setting as long as other modes of communication are accessible to those who cannot hear, have trouble understanding the spoken word or unable to understand a different language such as ASL.  Let's hope students and faculty members at Gallaudet University will not shame students for using their voice as a choice.  After all, Gallaudet University is a bi-lingual institute.  Don't let people bully or chide for your preferred communication choices.

I have a question

A captioned video, "I have a question."

2013 EHDI Annual Meeting

For interested stakeholders on attending the 12th Annual Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Meeting on April 14 - 16, 2013 in Glendale, AZ.

In its 12th year, the EHDI Meeting has built a strong reputation for bringing together a wide variety of attendees including those who: work in state Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs; assist in EHDI efforts on the federal level; provide screening, diagnostic and early intervention support at the state/ local level to young children with hearing loss and their families; champion Medical Home activities within each state; are parents of children with hearing loss; or are deaf or hard-of-hearing adults who are helping to expand opportunities for young children with hearing loss. EHDI Meeting participants will range from state and local programs to the federal level and from academics to families.

The goals of the meeting:

1) Enhance the implementation of comprehensive state-based Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs.

2) Participants are better able to identify and promote knowledge and awareness of successful strategies for implementing comprehensive state-based EHDI programs that include screening, audiologic diagnostic evaluation, early intervention, medical home, reporting, tracking, surveillance, loss to follow-up issues, data integration, and other related surveillance components. 

3) Participants are better able to interpret and describe current research and research methods related to EHDI. 

4) Participants are better able to examine cultural competence of providers and assess their ability to work with children who are deaf or hard of hearing, their families, and communities. 

5) Participants are better able to discuss the importance of enhancing and creating new and ongoing working relationships among federal agencies, non-profit organizations, state health departments and educational agencies, advocacy groups, families, and professionals.

This is an opportunity for qualified people or professionals in the culturally deaf community to get involved and properly make submissions according to EHDI rules of participation.

The EHDI Annual Meeting opposes the disruption of any meeting sessions or events that results in the inability for dialogue to take place. The EHDI Annual Meeting reserves the right to withdraw the name badge, and therefore deny access, to participants who do not adhere to these Principles of Participation.

This is the best way to get on the "inside" of the EHDI organization and have a stake or say on various matters relating to early hearing loss detection in babies and join other professionals and parents who are also intent on improving early hearing screening, diagnosis, and intervention for infants/young children and their families.  As part of the intervention package it could include the use of sign language for deaf/hh babies and combine that with various other intervention options. Instead of accusing EHDI, CDC, NCHAM, etc, everything under the sun and throwing hissy fits for supposedly not including sign language as part of the whole hearing screening, diagnosis, and intervention system package for parents of babies with hearing loss, it's better to have more meaningful inputs at an EHDI conference than not by getting in on the "inside" and have a say as professionals. Protesting, raising a ruckus and making fools of themselves and giving the culturally deaf community a bad image with the public thinking they're a bunch of militant zealots will not "help the cause." It's better to go in and be a part of the system (ie. EHDI conferences) and help change certain mindsets regarding hearing loss, communication access and language development. In other words, act professionally and play by their "rules" when you register and participate at the EHDI conference and have a say that including sign language for children with hearing loss is really beneficial on many fronts.

Let's hope proposed papers were already submitted even though submittal for abstracts is now closed and see whose papers got accepted. If it's anything like last year we should see more than just a couple of papers on ASL. The key is to be a part of the process, and when you do become a part of the process you then have a voice and a chance to reach out educate people. Stop with the nonsense accusations, participate and be a part of the process instead.

The Sarah Churman Saga Continues.....

Since I am unable to contribute on Deaf Echo (for their petty reasons that's seven months old) and respond to comments over there I will do so here on my blog regarding what Mishkazena said:

"i'm glad for sarah churman. i wish her the best of luck. however, the title 'hearing her voice for the first time' is misleading. many people deny this, insisting one can develop a clear voice with no deaf accent without hearing one's voice in the past. it's an impossibility. yet our experiences and knowledge are dismissed. we're ridiculed and painted an anti implant group by the adoring and awe-struck hearing audience. this had been reinforced by several deaf people with a chip on their shoulders against culturally deaf people taking this as yet another opportunity to attack these deaf people."

I think it all boils down to the missing context of that YouTube title which says, "29 years old and hearing myself for the 1st time!" which could have been meant to say "29 years old and hearing myself clearly and loudly for the first time."  We don't know who put that title in but it was Sarah's husband who videotaped her. It was her husband who put that video on YouTube which means it was probably most likely her husband who wrote down that title.  But what we don't know is that there could be some truth to that title that Sarah was hearing her own voice for the first time. Unless you have her audiogram and a complete picture of her history, I suggest people withhold judgement until it becomes clear on Sarah's hearing loss.

Having said that, people with high frequency hearing loss can and do have a harder time hearing one's own voice, especially if the person is a female such as in probably the case for Sarah Churman. I don't know. Instead of saying it's an impossibility that she could speak so clearly and say she's deaf consider the option of keeping an open mind. Sarah already explained to Ellen DeGeneres that she cannot explain completely why she can speak so well and gets asked with that question all the time. She told Ellen that she accredited her good speech to deaf ed, speech therapy and her love to talk alot. But somehow people seem to try and paint her as a liar and not telling the truth. 

Next we have Dianrez's blog who continues to misunderstand and even twist on what I've said in the past.

People who have even a slight amount of hearing at some point, or who were born with hearing, are able to make the most of it in many cases and these are the ones most helped by hearing aids or later cochlear implants or the new implantable middle-ear device. Those with excellent auditory memory do the best of all. That the media and some bloggers continue to categorize them as "deaf" is misleading: these people are not, NOT deaf.

There are so many different types of hearing LOSS. I used this word deliberately. They are people with auditory memory going way back, even unconsciously; they have brain pathways in the speech range that worked at one time, and may still work. Then they "suffered" a LOSS. The memory traces are still there, however.

Hard of hearing people have this, too. McConnell, himself hard-of-hearing, acknowledges that there are different types of hearing LOSS, but he makes the mistake of lumping profoundly deaf people into this group. These are people without any auditory memory from birth, and even with early cochlear implants, may not always develop useful hearing as Heuer points out in his article.

A few profoundly deaf people have cochlear implants and are said to be living as hearing people, such as the Chaikof sisters of Cochlearimplantonline.com. Many, as all of us personally know, do not hear as well and as many stash them in drawers as those that use them. (Heuer)

I discussed in my blogs on the key to early intervention in conjunction with using current hearing technology to make it work, even for those who are profoundly deaf using cochlear implant, and make use of the auditory cortex during those crucial 4 years window of opportunity. I made my point about early intervention numerous times in my blogs, especially on cochlear implants, such as here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and many more going back a few years in my blog. The phrase "hard of hearing" does not pertain to db loss nowadays simply because of the advent of cochlear implant technology.  It's the ability to discriminate words, understand environmental sounds and speak intelligibly with the help of current hearing technology along with audio and speech therapies. Cochlear implants make it possible nowadays for those born profoundly deaf get implanted at such a young age and develop the ability to discriminate the spoken words (without looking) and be able to speak extremely well. The key has always been early intervention (rather than "auditory memory") using the existing hearing technology with lots of supports and encouragements. Not every instances are a success for various reasons but successes there are. In fact, Dianrez's own suggestion at the end of her blog supports my argument about profoundly deaf people can be put into the category of "hard of hearing":

Deaf: having little usable hearing for speech. Having little usable hearing for environmental sounds. Having little usable hearing even with devices.

You have profoundly deaf people who were born profoundly deaf whose hearing (what's left of it) is considered still usable only because of the existence of cochlear implant makes it possible to bridge that gap. Young deaf children have usable hearing for listening and speech development if cochlear implant is considered. It still usable hearing when it comes to environmental sounds. In a word, that would fit the definition of hard of hearing for prelingually (profoundly) deaf people who end up benefitting greatly from cochlear implants. Not all would fit into the category as hard of hearing people but many do. Even Jamie Berke of About.com Deafness admitted how the cochlear implant technology changed the meaning of the term "hard of hearing" for profoundly deaf people.

What is the difference between being hard of hearing and being deaf? The answer is not simple, and is getting even harder to define with the growth of cochlear implants.

You have cochlear implant wearers who consider themselves as deaf and hard of hearing just like you have hearing aid users who consider themselves as deaf and hard of hearing, just like me. Turn the device off, you're deaf. Turn it on, you're hard of hearing. Just like Sage in this captioned video below when she was 16 years old who was outfitted with a cochlear implant at age 22 months speaks about her cochlear implant.



There's no doubt that Sage is hard of hearing but then again she's deaf, too.

As for the Chaikof sisters (Rachel Chaikof that runs her own website Cochlear Implant Online) they never made the claims of living as "hearing people" but rather they have the ability to interact and associate with hearing people solely because of the early intervention with cochlear implant and speech therapies made it possible today to interact. Just as I can interact easily with hearing people but I'm certainly not a hearing person. They know they are deaf but see themselves as hard of hearing. Let's not twist words, Dianrez.

Another twist by Dianrez about what I said.

Then we have people who defend the people who are involved in the quest to hear again. Mike McConnell is one. Immediately he jumps on people who point out the flaws in such cures by way of electronic and mechanical devices: "Why is it so hard to congratulate a grown deaf adult seeing the immediate (and emotional) success from her implantable hearing aid in a video?" He has written several consecutive blogs, each insisting that Sarah is deaf four different ways and is still deaf when she turns off the implant. He adds, "Those people need to take their brains out of the gutter and stop with the stereotyping of what deaf people can or cannot do, especially on the ability to speak well. This is especially true coming from deaf people themselves which serves only an ironic and hypocritical reminder. Yet people continue with this conspiracy theory thinking something's afoot. Practically insinuating that she is not deaf because there is no way she can speak that well. No way!! Well, get over it folks, she is deaf."

I've not described nor insisted that Sarah is deaf in four different ways. Please stop with the disingenuous hyperbole and dishonesty, Dianez. I've already explained in the above about the terms "deaf" and "hard of hearing." Secondly, my comment asking why is it so hard to congratulate Sarah Churman's implantable hearing aid success was taken out of a paragraph I wrote while leaving the rest behind that explains my questioning which had nothing to do with about jumping on "people who point out flaws in such cures" (because implantable hearing aids are not a cure). Rather my comment had to do with people lamenting about one's own history struggling with his/her hearing aid wishing his/her story was video-taped and had gone viral, too. Instead of being happy for her you hear lamentations, the whole nine-yards "woe-is-me."

Captioned Video: The Doubters of Sarah Churman

Remember the phrase people, deaf people can do anything...even speak really, really well just like Sarah Churman. Even hear pretty good, too! But we still have a hearing loss at the end of the day when we turn off our hearing aids or cochlear implant.

When haters gonna still hate....and the clueless ones continue to be clueless...

Amazing and touching video of a young woman turning on her implantable Esteem hearing aid for the first time. This YouTube video has gone viral with 4.8 million views and counting with over 20,000 comments along with over 49,000 likes and over 700 dislikes. Good thing the majority knows better and knows what a good thing looks like. Kudos to Sarah Churman for a successful implant but then the sad thing is that you'll get your usual haters in the comment section as always by a bunch of idiots who don't know any better. And then you have a bunch of ignorant people who can't even understand that deaf/hh people can speak just fine. And if you look further you might find a few gems.You'll have to spend some time to find and read those comments including the Today show. And, of course, you gotta go to this forum with the discussion on whether the video is a fake or not. 

Being ignorant is not an excuse.

Next, I bet with this viral video it will push a 2nd wave of interest from people wanting to know more about the Esteem implantable hearing aid and perhaps get even more investors for the makers of Esteem. Last year Rush Limbaugh helped advertise the Esteem hearing aid and saw a huge wave of interest in this new albeit very expensive hearing technology.

Thanks in large part to Limbaugh's plug on his radio show, White Bear Lake, Minn.-based Envoy recently raised another $16.4 million, including $10 million from hearing aid powerhouse Starkey Laboratories Inc., for its Esteem implantable hearing device.

Nice of Starkey Laboratories to donate $10 million dollars to Envoy as a worthy cause.

And lastly, as I mull this thought, I wonder what are the odds that Limbaugh will read about this YouTube viral on his radio show? I'd say it'd be pretty good odds over the next few days or so for that to happen.

UPDATE: For the naysayers, haters and doubters:

The Texan woman had been wearing hearing aids from the age of two, but had mainly relied on lip-reading, because 'hearing aids only help so much'.

Supportive messages have poured in from viewers, including one who wrote: 'This is one of the most beautiful and moving things I've witnessed. We're all so happy for you.'

Mrs Churman replied on YouTube: 'Thank you for all the positive comments... thanks for all the people who are kind.'

In response to viewers who were amazed at her ability to speak clearly, the formerly deaf woman said: 'My whole life I've been complimented on how well I speak.

'I don't really have an answer for you other than I have always had a passion for reading, grammar, and English.

'My hearing loss was/is considered severe to profound. I've worked very hard to be able to interact and blend in... only thing I can say is 'God is good'.'

The Growing Cued Speech Advocacy

One of the best way to encourage the growth and use of Cued Speech is have native cuers who grew up using Cued Speech help spread the message. They are now the first generation of native cuers in their twenties and thirties.

In the video below shows several young adult cuers getting together at a retreat on strategies to help spread the word about Cued Speech. This is one of the true examples of a positive grassroots in action at the regional and local levels in workshops, conferences, exhibits, cue summer camps (more here), and community of cuers on helping spread the use of Cued Speech. It has been proven to be highly successful and beneficial when it comes to helping improve English literacy. I'm quite encouraged to see these young adults taking the reign on helping spread the message about Cued Speech and an interest on improving English literacy.

For more information on CLEAR (Cuers for Leadership, Education, and Advocacy Retreat) or visit their Facebook page.



History of Cued Speech

• Cued Speech was developed by Dr. R. Orin Cornett at Gallaudet College (now Gallaudet University) in Washington, DC in 1966. 
• The National Cued Speech Association was formed in 1982 and now has numerous affiliates across the country, including Cued Speech of Colorado.
• To this date Cued Speech has been adapted to over 60 languages around the world.

Before you say anything else, do yourself a favor and read this position statement by NCSA on Cued Speech and sign language.

Walk4Hearing....coming to a city near you.

Do you like to walk or even hike? Do you have a hearing loss or knows someone with a hearing loss? Would like to join hundreds of thousands of people across the United State the chance to walk for hearing that may be coming nearby to your city? And help raise money? The first walk starts on June 5, 2011 at Long Beach, California. Find your city and walk dates here. I know I'll be there.
Will you?

2011 FUNDRAISING GOAL: $1.2 MILLION

Currently the Walk4Hearing has raised almost $160,000 so far for this year. That's 13% of their goal. Let's get down and break all expectations and go beyond the $1.2 million dollars goal. Let's break the bank! If Marlee Matlin can bring in $1 million dollars for Starkey Hearing Foundation and break all expectations on what's possible, so can the people who will go to the Walk4Hearing event. 



Learn more about Walk4Hearing.

The Walk4Hearing, produced by the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), is the largest walk of its kind in the country that raises awareness and helps to eradicate the stigma associated with hearing loss. The HLAA Walk4Hearing is held in multiple cities across the country. Since 2006, over 18,000 walkers have stepped up and helped raise money for programs and services for people with hearing loss and their families. Money raised is shared between the national organization and local Walk sites. Examples of how funds are used include:

National Programs

• Advocating for the rights of people with hearing loss
• Information, referral, education and coping resources through www.hearingloss.org, the Hearing Loss Magazine, the annual HLAA Convention, and the HLAA electronic newsletter
• A nationwide network of 200 chapters providing personal support
• 14 state organizations advocating for expanded state services
• Support for parents of children with hearing loss at www.kidsandhearingloss.org
• Outreach to veterans returning with hearing loss
• Social networking site for young adults with hearing loss at www.hearinglossnation.org

Local Programs

• Captioning and hearing assistive technology at chapter meetings to make them accessible
• Scholarships for students with hearing loss towards college tuition
• Funding for hearing aids and devices for people who cannot afford them
• Installation of hearing assistive technology in public places
• Captioning of live theater productions
• Seminars on coping with hearing loss for families

Why We Walk?

• We walk because hearing loss is a public health issue in the United States.
• 36 million people have some form of hearing loss
• 22 million have noise-induced hear loss that could be prevented
• More than 59,000 military members have disability status for hearing loss from current wars.
• 30 school-aged children per 1,000 have a hearing loss

Join and Walk4Hearing this year and join the diversity of people with hearing loss.

Star studded performance to benefit cochlear implant recipients

Vanessa Williams to give a Benefit Performance where "a portion of the proceeds goes directly to the Barton G. Kids Hear Now Foundation dedicated to help hearing impaired children transition to a world of sound and life through the use of cochlear implant technology."

More on Barton G. Weiss and his $5 million dollar donation to help kids (and parents) with cochlear implantation.

Last year Barton G. Weiss who is a noted restaurateur announced that his Barton g. Kids Hear Now Foundation has committed $5 million dollars to establish the Barton G. Kids Hear Now Cochlear Implant Family Resource Center at the Miller School's Ear Institute.

Weiss made the announcement at the Clinical Research Building, during a morning news conference attended by UM President Donna E. Shalala, Miller School Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., UM Ear Institute Director Thomas Balkany, M.D., and Miller School Department of Otolaryngology Chair Fred Telischi, M.D.

Weiss, whose Barton G. company is renowned for its event-management, restaurants, and off-site catering prowess, has a three-year-old daughter, Jadin, who was born unable to hear. Today, Jadin is not only hearing, but she converses in English and Spanish thanks to a cochlear implant procedure performed by Dr. Balkany.

“Three years ago my world was turned upside-down when my daughter was born profoundly deaf,” Weiss said. “It left me feeling helpless, overwhelmed and filled with fear. So today really is a dream come true.

“I am honored to help establish the Barton G. Kids Hear Now Cochlear Implant Family Resource Center,” Weiss said. “My hope is that this will allow all families, regardless of their social or economic background, to have a resource, as well as support.

“My deepest appreciation goes to Dr. Thomas Balkany, who was the surgeon who implanted my daughter – she’s a little chatterbox!” Weiss said to laughter from an audience of roughly 100 people that included many media representatives.

“It is a pleasure to be here today with my good friend Barton G. Weiss, a longtime supporter and friend of the University of Miami,” Shalala said. “Over the years, Barton has donated not only resources, but also his talent and time.

“Today he has taken that support a step further by making an incredible gift to the Miller School of Medicine.”

The goal of The Barton G. Kids Hear Now Foundation, which Weiss launched in 2008, is to have a direct impact on transitioning deaf children from an existence without sound to a hearing world, through the use of cochlear implant technology.

“When a child is born deaf, a cochlear implant can restore hearing and enable a child to develop normal speech, when the procedure is performed at the appropriate time,” Dean Goldschmidt said. “Barton G. Weiss knows firsthand what a parent faces when they learn their child is deaf, and that is why he formed The Barton G. Kids Hear Now Foundation — so no other parent will have to go through the process alone.”

Personal money was donated, star studded performances to help raise money to help benefit cochlear implant recipients, more donations, more charitable organizations and greater exposure on the miracle of cochlear implant just keeps getting better and better every year.

Obstacle Illusions: Transforming Adversity into Success

Neat title, huh? I've done my own version of adversity in a video blog I did a few years ago but as for the title, it's not mine. It belongs to Stephen Hopson, a deaf guy I came to know a few years back when I first did a blog piece on him, sort of.  A guy who has done many motivational and inspirational speeches by speaking with his voice and share stories of adversity to engage his audience.

Over the last few years I briefly had few short email exchanges but I always had him in the back of my head wondering exactly what the heck he's been doing. Obviously he has been doing something positive since the last time I took a peak at his blog because he just wrote a book about adversity. But as you can tell from the book title as seen in the picture, "Obstacle Illusions: Transforming Adversity into Success." His book is due out on March 17, 2011 on Amazon.

Why am I blogging about a guy who was born profoundly deaf who likes to do oral motivational and inspirational speeches?  Simple. It's about hard work. It's about not being afraid of challenges in life. It's about his ability to transform his audience on adversity. The trials and challenges in life. It's about seeing life as one big challenge instead of seeing himself constantly as a victim blaming everyone and everything. It's not about using excuses as your crutch in life to get what you want. You can only go so far in life by playing the ever so perennial victim but the sky's the limit when you see life as one big challenge instead. Stephen Hopson is a human being who is not afraid to step up to the plate.

And, yes, he knows sign language. He's simply a guy not afraid to use his voice and use it as a source of inspiration for thousands of people who have come across his inspirational speeches. I'm simply drawn to positive and successful people who are not afraid of their own shadows.

What makes this situation even more unique is that you have an oral deaf guy who is an inspirational speaker where he finally wrote a book. Not often do you get to see a book written by a deaf guy who is not afraid to use his voice but a guy who actually embraces his ability to speak by sharing it with everybody he comes across with. Because whenever he speaks, people do listen. And listen closely they do. 




I wrote a profound quote at the end of my adversity video blog that should ring true to anybody who reads it:

Adversity is not the same thing as overcoming oppression. 
It's about overcoming obstacles in life successfully.
Mocking those who face adversity in a different way lack imagination.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Toastmasters Club

What is a "toastmaster"?

A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing workshop in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a friendly atmosphere. A typical group has 20 to 40 members who meet weekly, biweekly or monthly. The average meeting lasts 60 – 90 minutes.

It's also a place where you can go and practice delivering your speeches in front of an audience. The goal for toastmasters is to become confident in speaking in front of an audience and practice on delivering their content clearly and crisply so the audience can understand you. Really, the main goal is to learn how to speak in front of an audience with confidence. It's a confidence builder. I've done many speeches in front of a bunch of people but I was curious about doing this toastmaster thing a few years ago when I was living in New Mexico. And sure enough there was one in the town of Alamogordo where I lived. I met some new friends there and had the opportunity to pick a topic to deliver my speech. The first few was about educating the audience about hearing loss and communication issues. And later gravitated towards more general topics and themes not related to deafness. It was a neat thing to do that and the chance observe and listen to other toastmasters when they had their chance to speak. The cool thing is that after a speech we the opportunity to help the speaker by giving some constructive and positive criticisms on how to improve their speaking. I often gave advice on not about speaking loudly but rather learning how to project one's voice better. There is a difference between talking loudly versus projecting one's voice.

Since my move away from New Mexico I am in the process of finding a nearby Toastermaster club and I expect it to be a bigger group of people. And perhaps a better chance on meeting people with hearing loss. The one back in New Mexico was a small group and all were hearing people. About 7 people.

But believe it or not there is a website for toastmasters with a hearing loss. In fact, it's common to see once in a while people who are deaf or hard of hearing use their speaking skill at Toastmaster clubs such as this group of deaf/hh teens.

When OSST members Rick Kominowski and Terry Bedard coordinated a Youth Leadership Program (YLP) for a group of deaf teens, they had no idea what an impact this Program would make! This YLP, generally developed by Toastmasters International and sponsored by OSST, was adapted for a group of orally-speaking deaf teens from a support organiza-tion called Hear Here Hart-ford, (www.hearherehartford.org). Who would have thought that 12 teens from all over Connecticut and Massachusetts would travel great distances to come to six weekly meetings on a Monday night—all to de-velop their communication and leadership skills! Each teen gave two different speeches; evaluated each others speeches; and participated in impromptu speaking contests judged by mentor volunteers from Hear Here Hartford. Many experienced Toastmasters volunteered as well by giving educational modules to teach various communications skills such as impromptu speaking, listening, organizing thoughts, and using positive body language. Leadership skills were also developed by allowing each teen to assume roles such as toastmaster, grammarian, and timer.


Does this sound like a typical Toastmaster meeting? In some ways, it was— but the teens definitely made it their own. They chose different themes for each meeting like a Hawaiian theme; costume dress up; 60’s; mismatch; and sports theme. At the last YLP meeting, each teen gave a speech in front of parents, as well as volunteers from Toast-masters and Hear Here Hartford (HHH). Each received a certificate from Toastmasters International evidencing the successful completion of the YLP. As the Pro-gram drew to a close, the teens commented on how they wished the meetings would have lasted longer because they were enjoying them so much. What the adults all noted was the dramatic progress each teen made over such a short time!

Also, an interesting history in what HHH did.

Several HHH teen members who participated in the 2008 HHH Youth Leadership Program spoke at the AG Bell National Convention in Orlando on June 26th along with HHH President, Terry Bedard.

Inspirational speakers at Hear Here Hartford include:

Kathy Buckley, comedienne and author, who entertained our audience while sharing her views on overcoming the challenges of hearing loss.

Patrick Holkins, a Harvard student, discussed his road to acceptance of his hearing loss and how he developed self-advocacy skills.

Miss International, Jayna Altman, inspired our teen members with her message of positive empowerment.

Josh Swiller, a Yale graduate who wrote the book, The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa.

Angus McCusker inspired our Chapter members when he shared his life experiences as a cross country ski racer in the Deaflympics.

Speaking skills come in all kinds and levels of ability. Some strive to use their speaking skill by improving it. Some strive to make better use of their oratory skill by facing their fears in front of an audience. Or polish their leadship skill by speaking. And that's great.  It's a way to develop a skill in order to conquer keep their fear, embarrassment, lack of confidence, or simply the need to improve oneself. There is nothing wrong with using your oral and listening skills. There's nothing wrong if people with hearing loss choose to and prefer to speak. Toastmasters Club is an excellent place to go and practice speaking in front of an audience. It isn't as easy as it sounds. But give it a try. Share what skill you have and not be embarrassed!

Dr. Gallaudet praised the oral and auditory teaching method.

Interesting stuff about Dr. Gallaudet.

Dr. Gallaudet acknowledged the power of hearing when it came to education and teaching people with hearing loss. He explained to the Royal Commission of the United Kingdom on the Condition of the Blind, the Deaf and Dumb (as reported in the 1892 Volta Bureau report) on commending the successful use of the aural and oral teaching method despite the availability of the manual method at the time.

Segment 13.147 - 13.152 from the Commission notes, Dr. Gallaudet detailed on how he exhibited a young boy the example of on the power of hearing to the National Academy of Sciences which gave him further insight and understanding on the power of using residual hearing for teaching and developing a language. Dr. Gallaudet acknowledged that success to the Royal Commission despite the crude"technological" approach that was available to them at the time. So successful was the use of this boy's residual hearing by using a particular method of teaching ensured his language success to carry on appropriate conversations with hearing people.

Dr. Gallaudet:
A third method which we are now practising in America with some exceedingly interesting results may be spoken of as the aural or auricular method. A very considerable percentage of those who are classed in the community as deaf-mutes have a degree of hearing which makes it entirely possible that they may be educated through the ear. The percentage is put variously at from 12 to 25 per cent., which even at the lowest figure is a large percentage of the whole number. The first movement in reference to the aural teaching of the deaf was made in Nebraska four years ago, and it was found in that institution that the percentage was quite large of those who were capable of being taught by the ear. I saw in that institution a little more than two years ago a class which was being taught entirely upon this method, and the process of teaching was an exceedingly interesting one. The class consisted, perhaps, of 11 or 12 pupils. There had been a careful examination of the amount of hearing possessed by each of these pupils, and that pupil who heard the least was placed at the teacher's right hand, the one who had a little more hearing was placed next, and the one who had a little more further on, while the one who had the greatest amount of hearing was furthest removed from the teacher. The teacher then in a voice elevated above the ordinary tone was able to dictate to those pupils, and they had all of them been actually taught to use that hearing which they possessed, which prior to the instruction was not supposed to have been sufficient to be made available at all as a means of instruction. In other words, those pupils were gradually ceasing to be deaf-mutes; they were speaking very well, and they were hearing as well as persons whom we call hard of-hearing persons. The result would be that, having come to the school under the legal appellation of "deaf-mutes," they would go out of the school not deaf-mutes at all.

The Commission (LORD EGERTON OF TATTON):
How is that result attained?

Dr. Gallaudet:
The process I can describe a little more fully by reference to the result of a very interesting experiment which we tried in the primary school connected with our college at Washington. In that primary school we try a good many experiments, and we do what we can to develop various methods. The children come in at the age of seven, and they continue in the school for eight or nine years. We had a boy who entered before we began to teach articulation. He was accredited to us as a deaf-mute from one year of age. He lost his hearing in infancy before he learnt to speak; he was absolutely dumb, and the degree of hearing that he possessed was not supposed to be of any account at all. He was registered as hearing slightly very loud noises. Not long after he entered we began teaching him speech, and he was taught to articulate. His progress was only moderate; his success was so imperfect that after a year's effort it was almost decided to give up attempting to teach him any further, but his teacher discovered, purely accidentally, that in uttering a word when the boy's face was turned away from him the boy reproduced the sound. With the use of the hearing tube it was presently discovered that the boy could repeat the vowel sounds and many of the consonant sounds without difficulty; he could repeat words the meaning of which he did not in the least degree understand. The teacher then at once began to educate his hearing. This degree of hearing which the boy possessed had never been enough for him to hold any conversation with members of his family or with any person at an ordinary distance from him.

The Commission:
Was the speaking tube that was used an ordinary speaking tube?

Dr. Gallaudet:
Yes, a flexible speaking tube. Within two years after that time I exhibited this boy before the National Academy of Sciences at Washington, and talked with him through the tube without difficulty, and today he has advanced far enough to be a student in our college; he is a young man full of promise, and he hears well enough to be able to sit by the side of either of you gentlemen and carry on a conversation with you through the tube.

The Commission:
The fact is that his power of hearing had been overlooked?

Dr. Gallaudet:
Just so.

The Commission:
There was no extra mechanism in the tube?

Dr. Gallaudet:
No. The result in that case shows that a very small amount of hearing, untrained to be useful, has existed in hundreds of deaf persons who have gone on through life dumb and hard of hearing, and classed as deaf, whereas they might, under this aural or auricular method of instruction, have been taken entirely out of the category of deaf-mutes.

The Commission:
Is there any medical inspection of these children before they enter school, and is any attempt made by the doctors to improve the hearing if the passages have become clogged by cold or disease?

Dr. Gallaudet:
Yes, in all our better schools there is a careful medical inspection of the children as they enter; it is usually the case that all means have been exhausted to benefit the hearing by the parents and friends of the children before they are brought to the institution. An examination by the medical man exhibits that fact. There are a few instances where the hearing by medical treatment has been improved, but they are very few. I commend this auricular method to all who are interested in the education of the deaf as one deserving of very great attention, because, if we take the number of the deaf who are capable of being taught aurally as amounting to 10 per cent, only, it is conferring upon them a great boon to teach them aurally; it is a greater boon even than giving them the power of imperfect speech.

Now, imagine with today's technology on hearing aids and cochlear implants, and how much of  a boon they would bring. Of course, there are no one shoe size fits all here. Each to his or her own on how one is taught and raised, and, of course, an informed parents' own decision on how it would be done for their child with a hearing loss.

Who ever thought that Dr. Gallaudet would trot out a boy to the National Academy of Sciences (see bolded red color words above) and hold him up as an example of a successful product of an oral and auditory teaching approach to gain a language?

ADDENDUM: In 1886 according to the Royal Commission report (see excerpt above in red bold letters), Edward Miner Gallaudet acknowledged the importance of listening and speaking. This acknowledgment came six years after the famous Milan Conference in 1880.

In 1880, there was an international conference of deaf educators, the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf. At this conference, held September 6-11, 1880, a declaration was made that oral education was better than manual (sign) education. A resolution was passed banning sign language. The only countries opposed to the ban were the United States (represented by Edward Miner Gallaudet, Rev. Thomas Gallaudet, Issac Peet, James Denison, and Charles Stoddard) and Britain. The sign supporters tried, but failed, to get their voices heard.

How come this was never brought up whenever people used the old Milan Conference argument? Did E.M. Gallaudet handed in his own head on a platter when he trotted that deaf boy out to the National Academy of Sciences about his remarkable speaking and listening ability via the "tubes"? Did the Deaf community ever find out about this or was this tidbit of information was purposely withheld and not discussed when E.M. Gallaudet practically fawned over the deaf boy as being able to speak quite well and hear some, and be able to carry a conversation with a hearing person by show casing him in front of the National Academy of Sciences?

Ah ha....I see. I see. Hmmm. Hmmm. *nods my head*

Growing up...something about me.

There were lots of things I remembered while growing up as a little boy. A boy that wore happily and proudly a body hearing aid from almost the age of two years old to age seven. I took a trip down to memory lane over the last few weeks over a pile of my baby and boyhood pictures. I also got to see many of my old drawings and other artsy stuff I did. Read some of the John Tracy Clinic correspondence letters that were written to my parents. Got to see my past grades, state testing results and more. I even found my old State Champion soccer patch that my teammates and I won in a hard fought soccer game for state champ recognition in 1974 when I was in the 4th grade. It was my second state champion team in 1974 after winning a state championship soccer game in 1973 when I was in the 3rd grade.

As I went through my old stuff I recognized the fact that I liked to draw where many of my hand drawn pictures were happy, memorable ones. Oftentimes with me wearing proudly my body hearing aid.  The hand drawn and colored in picture you see above "Something about me" was a drawing about my missing tooth.  I drew that picture when I was in the first grade at 7 or 8 years old during the 1972 - 1973 school year. It was part of an activity drawing of a story of mine with 8 pages of drawing made into a "book." My oral upbringing was certainly filled with memorable times where I was happy, outgoing and a fun guy to play with my friends, hearing and deaf, where I didn't let my body hearing aid stop me from having fun.

Something about me.

AB 2072 - passed

Great news. AB 2072 bill passed by the Health Senate Committee with a 5 to 1 vote, along with 2 abstaining. It now goes to the Senate which I'm sure they'll recognize this bill as a bill that empowers parents to make an informed decision.

This is about letting parents make the decision and not the government. No government or any other entity or agency will be doing the decision for parents. This is about empowering parents in making their own decision where an agency or government says, "Here you go, you decide." This exactly how it should be done rather than a government making the decision for parents of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss. The best way to lose your independence is when a government ends up making decisions for you. This would be an example of interfering into people lives rather than helping them make their own decisions for a change provided that they are given adequate and proper information so they can make an informed decision. Once a government starts to make decisions for parents of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss would be the day when the government practices communism.

However, this bill would force audiologists to provide information given to them on ALL communication options, including ASL. If there are biased audiologists out there who do not favor ASL they would soon be forced to provide parents the various communication methods and shall include ASL. The audiologists do not decide for the parents. The government does not decide for the parents. State, regional or local agencies do not decide for the parents. Advocacy groups do not get to decide for the parents of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss such as CAD, CENIAS, NAD, DBC, NORCAL, DCARA, Deafhood Yoga, and any other organizations. The sole decision makers are the parents. This is what the Senate will recognize and understand.

When a deaf person is mocked for his voice...by another deaf person

Imagine a deaf person mocking or making fun of another deaf person's use of his/her own voice. Well, it does happen. It's even worse when someone goes after a deaf father and his deaf son who wears a cochlear implant. And I have a video response for that based on a recent YouTube incident between Russell Errigo and ASL1817.

Here's my video seen below.

In the beginning I sign, and then I switch over to voice just to make a point, and then in the end I resume signing. This was brought up when ASL1817 used the opportunity to slam Russell Errigo about his speaking ability even though he didn't ask ASL1817's opinion for it. It was all centered around a topic about Russell's son, Dominic, and his ability to speak and listen with the use of his cochlear implant. A success if anything else. It's a double edged sword when you happen to be the deaf parents of a deaf child in a Deaf community even though the parents know ASL but gets their child implanted with cochlear implant at age 2. This is all about early intervention. Something that, apparently so, Russell and his wife knew about early on. You can find the video of Russell's son and the comments that came with it in YouTube.

Here's my response to ASL1817's attempt to slam Russell in more ways than one.

Imagine...no deaf babies.

To celebrate the recent news of the advancing biotechnology that will one day, very soon, offer those with hearing loss the opportunity to have their hearing loss cured, I have a new product at my Kokonut Pundit's store. I am introducing a new design on a t-shirt for those who share the same hope that someday biotechnology will offer a medical solution to help restore or cure hearing loss that affect 30 million people in the United States. And help spread the awareness of these amazing biomedical advances.