Endeavor Spring/Summer 2014

SPRING/SUMMER 2014

The

ENDEAVOR A Publication Dedicated to Families and Professionals Who Are Committed to Deaf Children

Making Key Connections

Register today for the 2014 ASDC Conference June 27-29, 2014 Hosted by The Learning Center for the Deaf

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: My Journey: Paying It Forward 2014 ASDC Conference Keynote Speakers Self-Advocacy from a Self-Advocate

p. 8 p. 10 p. 15

They know how good your school is.

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THE ENDEAVOR

American Society for Deaf Children #2047 800 Florida Avenue, NE Washington, D.C. 20002-3695 Fax: (410) 795-0965 Toll-Free Help Line: (800) 942-ASDC (2732) (202) 644-9204 VP asdc@deafchildren.org www.deafchildren.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/ ASDC-American-Society-for-DeafChildren/215538915154965

THE ENDEAVOR STAFF Editor Tami Hossler asdctami@aol.com

Managing Editor Anita Farb Publication Services T.S. Writing Services, LLC www.tswriting.com ASDC STAFF Director of Advocacy Cheri Dowling asdc@deafchildren.org © 2014 ASDC. The Endeavor is ASDC’s news magazine published three times a year. Published articles and advertisements are the personal expressions of their authors and do not necessarily represent the views of ASDC. The Endeavor is distributed free of charge to ASDC members.

ADVERTISING For advertising information, contact asdctami@aol.com.

ASDC is a 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation.

A Look Inside EVERY ISSUE ASDC Board A Note from the Editor Past President’s Column Membership Form FEATURES My Journey: Paying It Forward 2014 ASDC Conference Keynote Speakers ASDC Supports the Ratification of CRPD Self-Advocacy from a Self-Advocate Deaf Teens: Brianna’s Story Deaf Teens: Dominique’s Story HELLO My Name Is Trudy Suggs!

ASDC Showcases Student Artwork from Across the United States ASDC Features Young Writers Self-Efficacy Among Deaf Children From Research to Practice: Developing a Healthy Self-Theory Strategies for Working with Deaf Children with Autism: Picture Exchange Communication System

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For a copy of the ASDC Endeavor’s submission guidelines, contact asdctami@aol.com.

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ASDC BOARD Executive Council Board of Directors President Beth Benedict, Ph.D. Germantown, MD beth.benedict@gallaudet. edu

Treasurer Timothy Frelich, M.A. Jessup, MD timothy.frelich@gallaudet. edu

Vice President Avonne Rutowski, M.A. Austin, TX avonne.rutowski@tsd. state.tx.us

Executive Secretary Tami Hossler, M.A. Miromar Lakes, FL asdctami@aol.com

Past President Jodee Crace, M.A. Indianapolis, IN jscrace@aol.com

Members at Large Peter Bailey, M.S. Framingham, MA peter_bailey@tlcdeaf.org Mich Bignell Plainfield, IN michbignell@gmail.com Jeff Bravin, M.A. West Hartford, CT jeff.bravin@asd-1817.org Apryl Chauhan Livermore, CA aprylchauhan@gmail.com Carrie Davenport, Ed.S. Columbus, OH davenport@osd.oh.gov Rachel Coleman Salt Lake City, UT RachelASDC@gmail.com

Lisalee Egbert, Ph.D. Sacramento, CA legbert@saclink. csus.edu Stefanie Ellis-Gonzales, M.A. Pleasanton, CA stefaniedena@gmail.com Erin Kane, M.A. Rochester, NY erin.kane@rit.edu Jacqueline Laldee, RN, BSN, CPHM Olney, MD jdlaldee@gmail.com Gina Oliva, Ph.D. Laurel, MD gina.oliva09@gmail.com

2014 Conference Chair Chris Kaftan The Learning Center for the Deaf chris_kaftan@tlcdeaf.org 2

Maria Renninger, B.A. Seattle, WA maria.renninger@gmail.com

Tony Ronco, P.Eng. La Mesa, CA t_ronco@hotmail.com Susan C. Searls, M.A. Rochester, NY ssearls@rsdeaf.org KaAnn Varner, M.A. Sulphur, OK kvarner@okdrs.gov Council on Education of the Deaf Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Representatives Beth Benedict, JCIH Chair Jodee Crace

2015 Conference Chair Deb Skjeveland Indiana School for the Deaf dskjeveland@isd.k12.in.us

www.deafchildren.org

A Note from the Editor ASDC is gearing up for has been incredible. We will its 2014 annual conference continue spotlighting the at The Learning Center on students’ work in the fall June 27-29. You can find issue. A big hands-wave to more information in this all the students who have issue. It really is a fun event participated. where the entire family can As usual, this issue is Tami Hossler go to learn and connect packed full of stories and with others. If you can’t information that is sure attend this year’s conferto help you through your ence, mark your calendar for the 2015 child’s and family’s journey. ASDC is conference at the Indiana School for here for you. Feel free to contact ASDC the Deaf. via email or our hotline whenever you In this issue, ASDC is again spot- need. If you have a story to share or lighting artwork and essays by Deaf information that will help other famistudents across the nation. The lies, send it my way at asdctami@aol. outpouring of submissions by schools com.

ASDC Referral Hotline Are you a parent or professional with a question, comment or concern? ASDC has a referral hotline. Our trained staff is available to answer your questions.

Just call (800) 942-2732 or (202) 644-9204 VP.

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A Message from the Past President

Family Strong Connections Strong families build explore and test the waters strong communities, before making decisions. and strong communities Some families may want promote school success. to build a stronger connecSchool success, in turn, tion for advocacy purposes keeps families happy at and to achieve specific home, creating a full circle outcomes. Others will just Jodee Crace of connections. want to connect to share There are many opportustories and provide kindred nities to form connections with other support for each other. Finally, some families, such as attending confer- will come to relax, release energy, and ences or camps. They are the places have fun as they create lasting memowhere people come together with simi- ries. lar interests and values. For example, The upcoming ASDC conference in families frequently want to connect June is one of the opportunities where with other families who share a similar families with Deaf children can come goal: successful Deaf children. How do together to connect for three days at we create these opportunities?

The Learning Center for the Deaf. The We begin by finding out what oppor- conference will spotlight one unique tunities are available to connect with factor: all of the families are celebrated others. Schools for the Deaf provide for each of their personal journeys. We events that are specifically designed celebrate this by gathering to learn, to bring families together through play, and connect. activities such as day camps (which Have a great summer, and enjoy the include arts, literacy and drama), festi- connections you make in your travels, vals, workshops, sports, book-shar- vacations, camps, conferences, and in ing sessions, coffee chats, and much your homes. more. Some parent groups sponsor a Mother’s Day breakfast or a Father’s Day golf outing. Some local clubs or Check ASDC’s website at organizations provide ethnic-related www.deafchildren.org festivals and topical workshops. All of these opportunities foster community for resources, news, connections that provide resources to and information about build stronger families.

Deaf children.

Some families may just want to 4

www.deafchildren.org

Welcome, New ASDC Board Members!

ASDC welcomes the following individuals to the ASDC board.

Apryl Chauhan is a wife and mother of three children, Zahra (13), Ashanti (10), and Malik (6). When her oldest daughter was identified as Deaf, Apryl and her husband Raj quickly surrounded themselves with other hearing parents raising deaf children, as well as deaf adults.

Apryl has worked with numerous nonprofit organizations such as IMPACT, D.E.A.F. Project, and Hands and Voices.

She also worked as a parent mentor with California’s Parent Links program.

With an education from CAL-ARTS in theater, Apryl has always loved the stage and public speaking. She often uses this background engaging with parents and professionals through oneon-one interactions and workshops.

Apryl is also a certified Zumba Instructor in Northern California where she brings her passion for dancing to both the hearing and deaf community.

Jacqueline “Jackie” Laldee is a healthcare professional with over 25 years of experience. Jackie works at Kaiser Permanente with a focus on utilization management compliance. She earned a bachelor’s

degree in nursing from the University of Maryland and holds sub-specialty certifications and distinctions, including Certified Professional in Health Care Management, American Case Management Society, Certified Case Manager, and Critical Care Registered Nurse.

Additionally, Jackie is the co-founder and vice-president of Color World Incorporated, and is involved with the Healthy Babies Project, the Embassy of Grenada, Dress for Success Washington, D.C., National Black Deaf Advocates and The SEED School of Washington, D.C. Jackie aspires to impart a sense of unity, diversity and community. To Jackie, diversity means embracing all agendas that support the advancement of the Deaf community on a national and international level. She strongly believes that it is important to support others and to be involved in our communities while embracing people of different backgrounds for they are more alike than they are different. Jackie resides in Olney, Md., with her husband Adrian and two daughters Shari (hearing) and Chenae (deaf).

Gina A. Oliva holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Washington College in Chestertown, Md., a master’s degree in counseling from Gallaudet University and a doctorate in recreation and leisure studies from the University 5

of Maryland. Her career at Gallaudet University spanned more than 35 years, and included work in student activities, outreach/community development, and health/fitness. Prior to retirement in 2009, she achieved the rank of professor in the Dept. of Physical Education and Recreation.

In the 1980s, Gina received several national awards for her pioneering work with the use of visual cues for group exercise classes. Later she moved into advocacy work with the publication of her first book, Alone in the Mainstream: A Deaf Woman Remembers Public School.

More recently, she published a second book with coauthor Dr. Linda Lytle, Turning the Tide: Making Life Better for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Schoolchildren.

She enjoys racquet sports, cycling, yoga, art, and continuing her writing pursuits.

KaAnn Varner is currently the superintendent of the Oklahoma School for the Deaf (OSD) in Sulphur. She has been at OSD since 1998 in different capacities: teacher, supervising teacher, assistant principal, principal, and then superintendent. An Alabama native, KaAnn obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Montevallo in Alabama, and a master’s degree from Southern Nazarene University. Prior to OSD, KaAnn taught at a public school in Alabama and at the Arkansas School for the Deaf.

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KaAnn is very involved in community organizations and legislative issues and working to ensure the educational and civil rights of Deaf and hard of hearing in Oklahoma are preserved. Married to OSD athletic director and football coach Tommy Varner, they have two children: Caleb, 16, and Shannon, 13. KaAnn enjoys reading, assisting in community projects and hanging out with her family.

Susan Searls started her career in 1978 as an elementary teacher at the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School at Gallaudet University and is now in her th 20 year at the Rochester School for the Deaf, her third year as the director of Early Childhood Programs. She received both her bachelor’s degree in social work and master’s degree in elementary education of the deaf from Gallaudet University. She also holds school district administrator and school administrator/supervisor certificates from the State University of New York in Brockport. She believes a strong foundation starts with early childhood education and strong family involvement.

Susan served on the ASDC board during the 1990s, and in 1998, she and her husband JMatt co-chaired the 16th ASDC conference. They have two adult children, Davin and Lauren.

Susan enjoys spending time cooking, traveling, staying active, reading and above all, being with her family.

www.deafchildren.org

Mission

ASDC is committed to empowering diverse families with Deaf* children and youth by embracing full access to language-rich environments through mentoring, advocacy, resources, and collaborative networks.

Vision Statement

All Deaf* children and youth shall have the opportunity to thrive in every aspect of their lives through the empowerment of their families.

Core Values

We believe Deaf* children are entitled to full communication access in their home, school, and community. We also believe that language development, respect for the Deaf, and access to Deaf role models are important to assure optimal intellectual, social, and emotional development.

We believe that consideration of communication opportunities for Deaf children should be based on facts. Research consistently demonstrates that fluency in sign language and English offers Deaf children (including those with cochlear implants) optimal opportunities for social and academic success, and thus both should be part of their language-rich environment.

We believe there should be access to identification and intervention by qualified providers, family involvement, and educational opportunities equal to those provided for hearing children. The goal should be to provide children what they need in order to become self-supporting and fulfilled adults.

We affirm that parents have the right and responsibility to be primary decision-makers and advocates. For this role, parents need education, access to information, and support. * The term Deaf is inclusive of all children who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

Revised Jan. 2014.

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My Journey: Paying It Forward

By Apryl Chauhan, ASDC Board Member In 2001, Zahra was born in a private hospital that had yet to implement newborn hearing screening. She was our first child, and like most new parents, every moment with our baby was a learning experience. Although I felt very prepared, having read any parenting book I could get my hands on and attending classes provided by the hospital, all of the knowledge meant very little when our (highly recommended) pediatrician brushed off our concerns and requests for hearing tests. Our daughter was not identified as Deaf until she was two years old.

The first reality of this brave new world to hit me was how everyone had an opinion on how our child should be raised. Naturally, as a hearing person, my first inclination was to teach my child to speak. It makes perfect sense!

Having never met a deaf person before, the hearing world is all I know, there8

fore it was the world I imagined my child in. So began our journey into spoken English: testing, assessments, hearing aids, private speech therapy, John Tracy Clinic, House Ear Institute, slowly growing lists of every new word spoken posted on the refrigerator. I now had a new career that I had to dedicate every waking hour to: teaching my child to speak.

This phase, although intense and well-executed, was short-lived for a simple reason: my daughter was frustrated. Although all of the professionals surrounding our family seemed to think this was a normal part of the process, watching your child struggle to communicate until it brings them to tears went against everything inside of me. Yet no one in our life said there was another way, until I was introduced to another parent raising a Deaf child.

I like to say the work I have done over the years is “paying it forward.� The moment another hearing parent with a Deaf child came into our lives was the moment we were set on the right path. Here was a family living the reality, and the reality was nothing like the carefully crafted videos, well-written brochures or self-assured professionals. What this parent gave me was permission to follow my gut, to respect my mother’s intuition. She opened a door and showed me that being Deaf was not an infliction the medical

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community needed to fix; instead it was a life change for our family and a culture for our daughter.

I could go on and on about how our lives changed once we introduced American Sign Language (ASL) to our daughter. The way she soaked it up as though she were starved for language, the way in which the refrigerator list of signed words quickly surpassed the spoken words, the way in which my husband and I dove head first into the Deaf community. I have spent the last 11 years opening the same door to other parents.

My journey of paying it forward began as an IMPACT board member. I co-chaired the 2006 Burbank Cal-Ed/ IMPACT conference and planned and participated in numerous fundraisers, workshops, conferences, trainings and family-focused events.

In 2008, I became a parent mentor for California’s Parent Links program.

It was a dream job. The training and experience I received was priceless.

From speaking to emotional parents of newly identified Deaf children, to sharing my personal journey in front of a room of medical professionals, every moment I spent with Parent Links was invaluable. This work gave me a broad view of the community, the confidence and ability to help others in effective and professional ways in which to engage anyone and everyone regardless of which path they chose to follow.

I was also an active member of D.E.A.F. Project. In 2012, our family relocated so that our daughter could continue her education at California School for

the Deaf in Fremont.

Our journey has been documented in several films, interviews, news articles and books. We are most notably featured in the California Dept. of Education’s film, “Through Your Childs Eyes,” as well as Andrew Solomon’s best-selling book, “Far From the Tree.”

Over the years I have discovered passions inside of passions. My desire to pave the way for other parents is what has driven me to do the work.

I am always available and willing to speak to strangers, to share our story and to impress upon new parents the joy and wonder of raising a Deaf child.

Currently I am captivated by the idea of raising a “multicultural” child.

As an African American married to an East Indian man and raising multicultural children, adopting Deaf culture Continued on page 14

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2014 ASDC Conference Keynote Speakers A native of A l b u q u e rq u e , New Mexico, who has been profoundly deaf since birth, Rachel Kolb received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English literature from Stanford University in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Named a Rhodes scholar in November 2012, she began pursuing another master’s degree, also in English literature, at the University of Oxford. She aspires to be a writer, scholar, and public disability advocate, and has published essays and opinion pieces in venues ranging from the Stanford Daily and Stanford magazine to the Albuquerque Journal and the International Journal of Medical Students. She also gave a talk about navigating deafness in a hearing world at Stanford’s TEDx conference.

Rachel’s keynote presentation on June 28, is “Navigating Deafness through the Hearing World.” She will share the story of how her family made their decisions about her deafness and their choices in supporting her.

Ronald J. Stern, Ph.D., is the superintendent of the New Mexico School for the Deaf and president of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs Serving the Deaf (CEASD). Born in Philadelphia, he grew up in New York City attend10

ing a variety of schools before earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Gallaudet University and a master’s degree in special education specializing in education of the deaf from California State University, Northridge. In 2008, he obtained his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of New Mexico. Prior to his current position, he was a classroom teacher, principal and director of instruction mostly at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont. He and his wife, Hedy, are parents of three Deaf children and grandparents of a fifth-generation Deaf granddaughter.

On June 29, Dr. Stern will present “Working Together: Child First and Securing Quality Education Today and Tomorrow.” He will share how the Child First campaign considers the lack of convergence between word and action, research and practice, and perception and reality that have long plagued a deaf/hard of hearing child’s prospects for a quality, humane education and whole person development. The Child First campaign calls for a return to the original principle of the federal law.

This do-or-die campaign calls for our keen involvement and collaboration and strategies for these to happen will be discussed.

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It’s Not Too Late!

Sign Up for the ASDC Conference in June!

Continuing the theme that began in 2013 with the strong sense of community in New England following the Boston Marathon and the Boston Red Sox’s world championship, The Learning Center for the Deaf (TLC) is proud to announce the 2014 ASDC conference, Family Strong: Together We Stand.

“ASDC has a long tradition of supporting families with Deaf and hard of hearing children,” said conference chairperson Chris Kaftan.

“TLC has strong ties with bilingual and bicultural teaching, learning and family relationships, so it is fitting for the school to host New England’s first-ever ASDC conference.”

Family Strong: Together We Stand will feature different educational experiences and entertainment opportunities for families, teachers, professionals, and people who work with Deaf and hard of hearing children. The children’s program features the theme of Building Toward the Future, geared towards the learning of self-advocacy and team building through enrichment activities, and social learning opportunities.

“Our adult workshops will feature a variety of topics grouped by theme into different strands,” said Amy Collins,

workshop coordinator. “The conference will also have opportunities for roundtable discussions, networking, and panel discussions.”

Keynote speakers will be Rachel Kolb and Ron Stern, Ph.D. (see page 10). On June 27, we will have our conference registration and the kick off ceremony at TLC, with a summer BBQ-style dinner.

June 28 will feature the children’s program, adult workshops and activities and a lunch for conference participants.

Families can either eat out at local restaurants, or relax in the hotel and use our activity room or the outdoor/ indoor swimming pools.

The last full day will be June 29. The schedule will be similar to the previous day, along with a lunch. That evening, there will be a closing ceremony, with a banquet-style dinner and entertainment.

TLC is continuously updating its website at www.tlcdeaf.org/asdc2014, and will share information on ASDC’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @deafchildren, using the hashtag of #familystrong. Please check our website regularly for updates.

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ASDC Supports the Ratification of CRPD

By Barbara Raimondo, Esq. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the United Nations (UN) on December 13, 2006, and opened for signature on March 30, 2007. To date, 153 states (nations) have signed it and 90 have ratified it. President Obama signed the CRPD on July 30, 2009, and submitted to the U.S. Senate on May 17, 2012 for ratification. On July 26, 2012 (the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA]), the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations voted to send the CRPD to the Senate floor with a recommendation that it be ratified. Ratification will require a “yes” vote from 67 out of the 100 Senate members.

Will the CRPD require the U.S. to change the implementation of its discrimination laws, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the ADA? No. The CRPD is not self-executing, “thus would not be directly enforced

by U.S. courts or of itself give rise to individually enforceable rights” (Executive Summary, U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Treaty Doc. 112-7, p. 2). The CRPD does nothing to change the implementation of existing American law.

Will the CRPD require the U.S. to change the content of any of its laws?

No. “[E]xisting law and practice would be sufficient to implement the conven12

tion fully in the United States” (Executive Summary, p. 3). The CRPD would not require the United States to change the content of any of its laws.

If our country’s laws and practices around disability rights will remain the same, what is the advantage to Americans of having the CRPD? “While Americans with disabilities already enjoy these rights at home, U.S. citizens and other individuals with disabilities frequently face barriers when they travel, work, serve, study, and reside in other countries. The rights of Americans with disabilities should not end at our Nation’s shores. Ratification of the Disabilities Convention by the United States would position the United States to occupy the global leadership role to which our domestic record already attests. We would thus seek to use the Convention as a tool through which to enhance the rights of Americans with disabilities, including our veterans” (President Barack Obama, Letter of Transmittal, Treaty Doc. 112-7).

Does the CRPD refer to sign language?

Yes. For example: “States Parties [nations] shall enable persons with disabilities to learn life and social development skills to facilitate their full and equal participation in education and as members of the community. To this end, States Parties shall take appropriate measures,

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including: “. . . Facilitating the learning of sign language and the promotion of the linguistic identity of the deaf community . . .” (CRPD Article 24, Section 3).

Does this mean that the CRPD requires deaf and hard of hearing children to learn sign language?

No. The CRPD requires States Parties to “ensur[e] that the education of persons, and in particular children, who are blind, deaf or deafblind, is delivered in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication for the individual, and in environments which maximize academic and social development” (CRPD Article 24, Section 3). Existing law would apply: “Under the regulations implementing Section 504 [of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act], which applies to educational programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance, and Title II of the ADA, public elementary and secondary school systems must provide children with disabilities with a ‘free appropriate public education’ that is designed to meet the individual needs of children with disabilities as adequately as the needs of non-disabled children are

met” (Executive Summary, p.

54).

“In addition . . . since 1975, the [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] . . . and its predecessors have required that the United States ensure the provision of a free, appropriate public education to each child with a disability who, because of that disability, needs special education and related services. Through the IDEA, eligible children are entitled to appropriate special education and related services and supplementary aids and services . . .”

“The IDEA requires that, to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the individual child, he or she is educated in regular classes with nondisabled children and that removal from regular classes occurs only when education for the child with a disability cannot be satisfactorily achieved in the regular setting . . . An individualized education program team writes an individualized education program (IEP) that [among other things] identifies measurable annual academic and functional goals for the child . . . and a statement of the special education supplementary aids and services to be provided for the child” (Executive Summary, p. 55).

The IEP team, which includes the child’s parents, individualizes educational services based on the child’s needs. IDEA does not impose an obligation on IEP teams to include any services that are not agreed upon by the IEP team.

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Alice Cogswell Act: Your Support Is Needed!

On Feb. 12, a comprehensive bill that will reform education for Deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired students was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Mark Takano (D-CA), and Steve Stockman (R-TX). Named for the first Deaf student formally educated in the U.S. and the beloved teacher of Helen Keller, respectively, the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act will ensure that every child who is Deaf and every child who is blind, regardless of whether they have additional disabilities, will be properly counted and served; each of a child’s unique learning needs will be properly evaluated; states will engage in strategic planning to be sure that they can in fact meet each child’s specialized needs; the U.S. Dept. of Education will do its part to hold states and schools accountable; students who are Deaf will be served by qualified personnel; and students who are blind will receive state-of-the-art

services and skills supported through a new major national collaborative initiative addressing their unique learning needs. Thanks to all who have supported this effort through calls, e-mails, letters, meetings, and in other ways.

There is much work still to be done to move this bill forward. You can help: 1. Sign the petition as an individual.

2. If you represent a local state, or national advocacy organization, sign the petition as an organization.

3. If your House member has sponsored or co-sponsored the bill thank him or her.

4. Ask your representatives and senators to sign on as cosponsors.

5. Post this article on your web site, share it with stakeholders, and send it to local media.

Paying It Forward

er how their existing culture, in fact all cultures, have a history of experience in language, uniqueness, resilience, oppression and segregation, they can begin to relate to Deaf culture and incorporate it into their lives not as a foreign concept, but as a part of their family make-up.

Continued from page 9 made sense to our family. I strongly believe our sensitivity and respect for culture is what has made this journey easier for us than it may be for others.

I love to provide real-world tools to parents, and the means to connect with their children by bridging the gap between family culture and Deaf culture. I believe once families consid14

More is at www.ceasd.org/child-first/ alice-cogswell.

Register for the ASDC conference by visiting www.tlcdeaf.org/asdc2014

www.deafchildren.org

Self-Advocacy from a Self-Advocate

By Alyssa Gleason

It is my belief that all deaf children should advocate for themselves in the world of academics and in everyday life. Who am I, and why does my opinion matter?

I am a deaf child who was raised in a mainstream setting. I am a senior at Gallaudet University working toward a bachelor’s degree in Deaf Studies.

I was diagnosed with profound, degenerative hearing loss when I was 8 years old, and was fitted for hearing aids right away and assigned to speech and hearing therapy. At 14, my family and I decided to get a cochlear implant when my hearing aids were not enough.

One of the disadvantages to being a Marine brat is changing schools every two or three years. With the change in school, my individualized education plan (IEP) would be reopened and started again from scratch. I was introduced to a new speech therapist, a new deaf/hard of hearing specialist and new teachers who had to be taught the importance of accommodations all over again.

Having attended more than 10 mainstream programs, I can say that advocacy is crucial to any student with special needs, but most importantly for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is easy to overlook deaf students because we have an invisible disability.

Oftentimes in a classroom with up to thirty students, it can be difficult to be sensitive to the deaf students in the classroom.

Advocates, who speak for or defend a cause or person, in education settings for deaf children are often speech therapists, audiologists, teachers, deaf/ hard of hearing specialists and parents.

Advocacy can come in many forms, but it’s important that the adults, who make decisions for children, think positively and do what is in the best interest of the children.

One other person can advocate for a deaf child as well: the deaf child. When an IEP is written, typically, a deaf child is told that there will be some changes made to the classroom setting; maybe an FM system will be put into place 15

or an interpreter will be assigned to the class.

Other smaller accommodations, but equally as important, can be the requirement that teachers write homework and in-class assignments on the board and that closed captioning be provided for any movie shown in class. Unless the child’s parents attend every class, they really have no idea what is being provided on a daily basis to their child. They know what should be provided based on the IEP, but sometimes a teacher can forget to turn on the closed captioning or to place the child in the seat most accessible to the interpreter. The only person who is in the classroom all day every day is the child.

From a young age, my parents kept me involved and made sure I knew what accommodations were provided. I remember when my science teacher continued to show older VHS documentaries that were not closed captioned. I could have let it go, but I knew by not standing up for myself, I would not be successful in school or in life. Because we moved to this school in the middle of a school year, I was unable to have an IEP session. When a child does not have an IEP, it is difficult to get the necessary services.

Without an IEP, I really had no recourse; however, I knew what I deserved from the education system.

I knew that closed captions were the 16

one thing that is not costly, nor does it impede on anyone else’s education.

Unfortunately, when I asked the teacher, his response was, “Putting closed captions on the movie is disruptive to the rest of my class, why should you get any special treatment?” I could have stopped there, but it did not seem right to me. I told my parents, who requested that I be transferred to a different teacher. Not long after that, a meeting was set up for an IEP. In another incident, I had asked the teacher to wear an FM microphone while teaching. The FM system directly transmitted her voice to my cochlear implant, reducing the sound of the students’ voices in the classroom and amplifying the teacher’s. My teacher frequently forgot she was wearing the microphone and would answer personal phone calls during class or have private discussions with students. This became somewhat of a hindrance for me. In this case, I decided to stop using the FM system. It was more beneficial for me in the long run. This was a very

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personal and independent decision; even so, it is important that families discuss their children’s decisions and support them as long as they are reaching their potential.

It is also keenly important for children to learn to advocate for themselves. The only way they can do this is if they know their rights and what can be done. They also need to learn how to speak to their teachers and when to get parents or other authorities involved.

Children should feel safe in approaching these advocates. Parents have the right to teach their children strong life skills and self-advocacy.

A student should begin self-advocacy immediately, but within the capabilities of their age appropriate communication skills. For example, a 5-yearold should be taught to ask an adult to repeat instructions for help if he or she is confused. A 15-year-old will more likely understand that something has been missed and will be able to better express what information was missed, such as homework assignments or test dates.

As a child, my initial self-advocacy training was being taught how to repeat instructions or paraphrase in my own words what I needed to do next.

For example, if my parents asked me to clean my room, I would respond, “I will go clean my room right now.” This assured both parties that the task was heard, and understood. If I was asked to go turn off the TV, and I did not understand what was asked, it was my responsibility to ask for repetition or clarification. My mom told me that this

started before I was even diagnosed with hearing loss; this may have to do with the fact that both of my parents are Marines and had certain expectations for their children.

After being diagnosed with hearing loss, if I came home from school without homework, my parents would ask me why I did not have any homework or why it was not completed. If I said “didn’t know” or “didn’t hear,” my parents held me accountable for not double-checking with my teachers.

However, if I had unsuccessfully asked for clarification, a meeting was scheduled with the teacher, IEP coordinator and other officials to review the IEP and make sure that the teacher in question adhered to the IEP. When I was older, I was included in IEP meetings so that I could make my own IEP adjustments.

Parents can start the process of selfadvocacy from home, and the tools used at home can be applied in the classroom.

For example, if a parent asks a child to complete a task and the task is not done or is done incorrectly; the parent should first find out if the cause is related to the hearing loss. If it was, then the next step should be repeating the task to the child followed by asking the child to repeat/clarify the task instructions. My mom frequently would give me lists. For example, when putting my hair up before school, she would say “Alyssa, I need you to get me the brush, a glass of water and a hair tie.” Sometimes, I would bring back the brush, but not the hair tie or the glass of water.

Other times, I would bring the hair tie, a toothbrush and a random object. It 17

became a test of sorts to see if I could use my listening skills and the ability to ask for clarification.

This skill can be utilized in the classroom as well regardless of class size.

Rather than singling the deaf student out, asking for repetition or clarification can be a classwide activity.

Regarding the socialization/peer interaction with deaf peers, deaf interaction was never actively pursued until I was a junior in high school. There are two main reasons for why I was never socialized with deaf peers.

My parents genuinely believed that I needed to be equipped with the tools to succeed in the mainstream world. In comparison, the mainstream world is much bigger than the deaf world and they believed that by removing me from a mainstreamed environment, I ran the risk of being sheltered in an environment that did not reflect the real world.

Resources for a continually moving military family were exceptionally limited. Success in a non-deaf school meant that the priority was to ensure that the medical appointments were made and kept, IEPs were revisited, updated and 18

rewritten, speech therapy was scheduled and attended and many more.

Adding all of that to a regular dayto-day child’s activities with two working parents left very little time to even think about seeking out a deaf community.

When we were stationed in the Washington, D.C. area, being so close to Gallaudet and having taken American Sign Language, I went to several summer programs on campus for high school students which improved my signing skills. In my research, I found that Gallaudet offered several programs that I was interested in. Locality, availability and money play huge roles in incorporating deaf socialization into a deaf or hard of hearing child’s life.

Alyssa Gleason is a senior at Gallaudet University majoring in Deaf Studies. As the child of U.S. Marines, she has lived in six states and attended over 10 different mainstream programs. She has worked as an intern at ASDC, and hopes to work in early intervention with deaf children after graduation.

ASDC in Action

www.deafchildren.org

ASDC at the CEASD Conference in Indiana

ASDC board members attended the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) conference held at the Indiana School for the Deaf on April 26-27.

CEASD is an association of schools and educational programs involved with the education of deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Learn more by visiting to www.ceasd.org.

L-R: Jeff Bravin, Deb Skjeveland, Peter Bailey, Jodee Crace, Chris Kaftan and Susan Searls.

ASDC at EHDI Conference in Florida

Approximately 700 people attended the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) conference held in Jacksonville, Fla., on April 13-15. ASDC not only had an exhibit booth that was well attended, but also was busy providing workshop presentations.

ASDC and the National Association of the Deaf hosted a movie night showing a variety of short movies portraying Deaf individuals and families. A big thank-you goes to ASDC board members who attended this conference: Carrie Davenport, Tony Ronco, Jodee Crace and Beth Benedict. The 2015 Early Hearing Detection and Intervention conference will be held in Louisville, Ky.

Going Green!

Help save trees and costs by receiving an online version of The Endeavor instead of a hard copy.

Email your request to asdc@deafchildren.org.

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Deaf Teens: Brianna’s Story

By Erika Thompson California School for the Deaf, Riverside Most parents eagerly anticipate hearing their child’s first words, “Mommy” and “Daddy,” and for that child to grow up hearing them speak their words of love and encouragement. Brianna, who was born profoundly deaf, has made her parents’ wishes come true through hard work, cochlear implant surgery, oneon-one tutoring, and home schooling.

With persistence and parental sacrifice, Brianna can hear and talk through spoken English, and credits her parents for her success.

When she was an infant, her mother did not realize her colicky baby was deaf and in need of visual communication.

Once they discovered her hearing level, they used sign language for two years, giving Brianna a large sign language vocabulary base for a toddler. At the age of three, she got a cochlear implant. Her oral/aural preschool teachers advised her mother to stop using sign language and to expect Brianna to focus on auditory input to learn English. With the implant, she spent her childhood in extensive training, working on her listening and speaking skills and learning to filter out background noise.

Brianna’s mother reflected on how much work it was to raise her deaf daughter: therapy and communication expectations were time-consuming and emotionally draining. In particular, it involved a lot of driving, to and from 20

various therapists all over southern California, with multiple appointments every week for many years. The hardest part, her mother said, was the switch from sign language to a limited spoken English communication. “I would pick her up from school and she would beg through sign for food, and I was not allowed to respond to her signed requests. I had to wait until she asked through speech. It was absolutely the hardest, most heart-wrenching thing I have ever done.”

Brianna eventually learned to focus on speech and listening, working with her speech teacher of seven years who was always her constant guide. A few signs were still used during bath time, bedtime, or when Brianna was out at the beach, times she could not wear her hearing device.

Brianna is completely deaf when not wearing her cochlear implant. With her implant, she can hear English “within

www.deafchildren.org

the speech banana on the audiogram” while in a quiet environment free of distraction. She is limited to two others in a group conversation in order to hear them. She hears over the phone, but with a lot of hard work and struggle.

At restaurants where it is noisy, she feels left out as she smiles at her dining companions without understanding the conversations. In the classroom, relying on her cochlear implant device alone is a problem in the midst of so many noisy hearing peers and teachers.

Brianna took classes without an interpreter at a school where teachers used spoken English only. When Brianna was in the lower elementary grades, she was still too young to understand that she was different. In spite of all the auditory amplification and training, Brianna felt that she learned mostly from looking around, using her eyes.

For years, she could not understand her teachers through hearing alone.

What truly helped her all these years was the tremendous support she got from her friends from church. They shared their class notes and even the questions and answers with her, and helped her with her feelings. For her education, she relied on work outside the class, especially with the increasingly advanced content in high school.

Too much stimulation occurred in the classroom; the information was too much to take in, as Brianna tried to figure

out what the teacher was saying or who in class was talking. Brianna understood none of the movies, unless they came with captioning or subtitles. She would have been able to handle any information if it had been visible. Brianna did not know enough sign language to work with an interpreter, and since she never had interpreters up to this point in her education, it would have been a huge undertaking for her family to request an interpreter.

Before Brianna went into the third grade, her family was concerned about her possibly becoming lost within the increased class size and increased auditory distractions. They decided on home schooling and one-on-one tutoring. This was helpful because Brianna could focus on the tutor’s spoken words in a quiet, low-key setting. Also helpful was Brianna’s intentional placement with a deaf boy, Kaiden, who had the same kind of hearing and experiences.

They took the same classes through a Christian home-schooling system, with partial mainstreaming for one or two classes through Biola Star Academics. The one class she took in a large classroom setting was still difficult for her, because the information was not visually accessible. “I am a visual person,” Brianna said. She gradually reached a passing grade due to all the one-on-one tutoring.

Brianna has been involved in ballet since she 21

was three years old. She hears the vibrations, but not the music melody or the lyrics. She remembers dance class was frustrating because she could not hear or lipread her teacher while they were in motion. They were not very patient with her. This ballerina has learned to overcome, however, and is now dancing at her church, sharing the gift of her natural talent with others.

Brianna is relatively satisfied with her early upbringing, but she yearns for something more. She is in close communication with her family and her few friends from home school and church.

She has grown into a polite and sweet teenager, with hearing and speaking skills, but she feels alone and isolated.

This strikingly beautiful, yet hesitant and shy teenager wants to explore Butte is your source for a variety of publications helpful to parents with deaf children.

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her Deaf identity. “Part of my life is being Deaf. I want to learn about that world.” She is curious and increasingly fascinated with the language she first learned as a baby, and the natural language of Deaf people. She is now in her second year of learning ASL along with Kaiden, a deaf peer. Their parents hired Stacey Winsberg, a hearing expert with credentials and teaching experience in the deaf education field, including at the California School for the Deaf in Riverside. She had immersed herself into the “Deaf world” with best friends who also were raised orally but now communicate through ASL and spoken English. Stacey took some time off to be a stay-at-home mother, but agreed to teach ASL to these two deaf students in a classroom setting with hearing

www.deafchildren.org

peers for their world language course requirement, because she felt she was meant to reach out to them. On the first day of ASL class, she told Brianna and Kaiden in front of the entire class, “I am humbly honored to teach you your native language*.” Upon hearing this, Brianna’s eyes brimmed with tears, as she felt emotionally empowered and ready to make connections to her own identity.

Brianna is happy with the progress she has made. “I could finally understand 100% of the conversation after I learned sign language.” The conversation through spoken English had always been too fast for her to follow, but she is now becoming increasingly comfortable talking through sign language. “When I

“Brianna’s writing and her word order have improved a lot this year, after she started learning ASL.” – Brianna’s Mother listen, it’s hard work, but when I see, it’s easy,” Brianna explained.

She and her ASL teacher have developed a close relationship over the last two years, and Brianna is thriving.

Brianna’s mother reflected, “Brianna’s writing and her word order have improved a lot this year, after she started learning ASL.” Brianna stated that when communicating with somebody who knows both English and sign language, she is more comfortable conversing in sign language. Because of her struggles in the regular classroom

with the non-visual information overload, Stacey, now her personal advocate, suggested working with an interpreter.

Brianna is still considering it.

Brianna’s mother is now also learning ASL along with her daughter, wanting to improve her skills and be prepared for the fact that ASL might be a bigger part of Brianna’s life someday. Like many parents, her mother wants to love and protect her daughter as she always has, but also let her fly away to develop her own identity.

When asked what her life goals were, Brianna smiled, thinking about how she loved literature, art, and photography.

Combining these interests, Brianna is interested in working with the Deaf community, helping others who also have their own challenges growing up deaf. She has not met a wide sample of deaf people yet, and is still learning what the Deaf world has to offer. When Brianna is with other deaf people she transforms from her typically quiet and reticent personality into a radiant, outgoing presence. Brianna said, “This is my world where I have 100% access.” *Deaf people’s second or third learned language may eventually become their native tongue when ASL is the best fit for them.

This edited version is reprinted with permission from California School for the Deaf in Riverside, www.csdr-cde.ca.gov, “Deaf Teens in Southern California.” Erika Thompson, who is Deaf, works as a community resource specialist.

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Deaf Teens: Dominique’s Story

By Erika Thompson California School for the Deaf, Riverside Out of 180 high school students at California School for the Deaf in Riverside (CSDR), Dominique was recognized as this year’s top student in the Career Technology Education program. Principal Shelly Gravatt explained onstage to the student body of 425 that Dominique took excelled in all of her courses with high grades during her four years at CSDR. Dominique has a positive attitude towards learning, is attentive to her teachers and is kind to her peers; below is her personal narrative.

At nearly 18 years of age, my life experiences are uniquely different than most of my friends and peers of the same age. I was born hearing, with my twin sister, on May 27 in Liberia, West Africa. As my first language during childhood I spoke English, which was one of the official languages in Liberia, while my parents spoke both English and Bassa. At eight years old I became ill with meningitis, which made me deaf. I remained in the hospital, recovering from meningitis, for two long and excruciating years. Not knowing that sign language existed, my family had me attend a public school in Liberia.

Consequently, I could not hear what the instructors were teaching or what other classmates were saying. Years passed where I did not know what went on inside classrooms, all because there was not any known communica24

tion for me.

My parents knew that I deserved a better education elsewhere, outside of Africa, and had saved money for our move to help give me a better life. In May of 2006, my aunt, who was already living in America, acquired guardianship of my twin sister and me. We travelled to southern California to live with my aunt, intending to gain a better education. We enrolled in the fifth grade at a local public school. During fifth and sixth grades, I continued to fight to understand, since there were no interpreters and I did not know any sign language. I felt I did not belong where I was and I felt lost. My middle school counselor finally mentioned the school for the Deaf located in Riverside to my aunt.

www.deafchildren.org

When my family and I first visited the CSDR campus, I remember catching my first glimpse of American Sign Language (ASL) and feeling captivated with amazement and disbelief. I took ASL classes at CSDR when I enrolled in CSDR’s middle school. Soon after, my feelings of insecurity, confusion, and exclusion dissipated.

Finally, I could communicate with others, understand my teachers, and serve in student activities. Within a few short years of being exposed to and educated in ASL, I felt confident and ASL seemed to be a natural part of my life. I had not accepted my Deaf identity until I came here to CSDR. Here I finally fit in.

ASL is now my most comfortable, native language, while I also still speak English, using voice and writing. I do wish that my family could also learn ASL so I could feel free to communicate with them about what is happening at school and in my life. My twin sister and I have a unique, uncanny ability to understand each other through speech and signs, in a way that only twins can do. With the school’s cultural and educational approach with bilingualism, I have become proud and ultimately happier.

I graduated from CSDR with honors as valedictorian for the Class of 2013, and I have been accepted to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. You see, I was just a black deaf woman from a faraway country without education, fighting for a better life. I made it to the next chapter of my life, but not without my opinion, my voice, my family, my teachers, the staff, and California School for the Deaf.

Reprinted with permission from California School for the Deaf in Riverside, www.csdrcde.ca.gov, “Deaf Teens in Southern California.” Erika Thompson, who is Deaf, works as a community resource specialist. Both articles can be found at www.issuu.com/csdrinfo/ docs/csdr_special_edition_2013_-_deaf_te_2d9b068c896b20?e=1076687/4994748.

I Deafinitely Can!

The Endeavor is excited to feature stories of deaf and hard of hearing individuals who test and go above their limits. If you know of someone with a story to tell, e-mail the editor at asdctami@aol.com.

Deadline: September 1, 2014 25

HELLO My Name Is Trudy Suggs!

When I was at my grandmother’s a few weeks ago, she made me take some of my old school papers and toys home with me. I went through the papers, laughing at my horrible handwriting, marveling at how poor my artistic skills were, and studying my English development.

Buried in the pile was a “HELLO my name is” badge from when I was maybe in the second or fourth grade.

Scribbled on it was, “Trudy Suggs. I am deaf.” Underneath that, I had written, then crossed out, “I can’t hear.”

I was astonished at how I identified myself at such a young age. As I drove back home, I thought about that badge and how we discover our identities.

I know exactly when I found out I was culturally Deaf. I was 14.

I had always identified myself as deaf growing up, and at school, “hearing impaired.” But I also have scores of journal pages where I pour my anguish out: “Why can’t I be hearing? Why don’t people accept that I’m deaf? I wish I could be hearing so I could have a boyfriend! Everyone hates me because I can’t hear! I wish I could be popular. I hate my deafness so much.”

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It’s still very painful for me to read these entries, primarily because I know the environment I was in and the people I was around shaped my perception of myself. The “hearing impaired program” teachers constantly criticized me, even though I wasn’t in any of their classes. I was mainstreamed — sometimes with other deaf students but usually by myself — and I always hated sitting in front of the classroom waiting for the interpreter to arrive. Sure, I had hearing friends, but it wasn’t the same, of course.

The other deaf kids and I had awkward friendships; I was often an outcast, different from them. I realize today it’s probably because I wasn’t in classes with them (the deaf classrooms were in an out-of-the-way annex area, out of reach of my classrooms). I simply wasn’t physically around these students enough to develop solid friendships. It also probably was because I was “more deaf” than they were, which is almost ironic. Only when I was with my parents, who always made sure I knew being deaf was a gift, or deaf adults, did I feel at home, using my natural language and not worrying about what hearing people would think.

www.deafchildren.org

This inner struggle of wanting to be hearing disappeared the very first day I arrived at Gallaudet’s Young Scholars Program in July 1989, held at the same time as Deaf Way. It was at YSP that I bonded with kids that were like me. It was there and at Deaf Way that I discovered that there were thousands like me. It was that summer that I realized something I had always known but wasn’t allowed to be at school: culturally Deaf.

I came back refreshed, and more importantly, happy. My journal entries after that summer show nothing but pure acceptance of my identity. Reading them, I can see a marked change in my self-esteem in these entries; my grades improved; and I finally found friends who I felt comfortable with. Instead of, “I’m deaf and can’t hear,” I was able to become me.

Today, I would write on the badge: HELLO my name is Trudy Suggs!

This originally appeared in The Tactile Mind Weekly on March 20, 2004.

Trudy Suggs, who provides editing and design services for The Endeavor, owns T.S. Writing Services (www.tswriting.com) and Savory Words Publishing (www.savorywords.com). She is the mother to four Deaf children, and makes her home in Maryland.

IDEA State Complaint Resource Center The IDEA State Complaint Resource Center provides tools for parents, advocates and attorneys wishing to file a complaint against a school district. State complaints are a good way to deal with systemic violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), such as when school districts don’t evaluate the language needs of deaf students properly. There is a case from Montana on the website about a school district’s failure to consider the child’s communication needs under the special factors provisions.

This website is sponsored by The Advocacy Institute, a non-profit, taxexempt organization dedicated to the development of products, projects and services that work to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

The IDEA State Complaint Resource Center website can be visited at www.iscrc.org.

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Take Your Career to the Next Level Gallaudet University’s Graduate School draws on Gallaudet’s rich heritage, and bilingual learning environment to prepare future scholars, leaders and practitioners to excel in their professions and disciplines.

Immerse yourself in Gallaudet’s unique community or take advantage of the university’s online, hybrid, and distance education programs.

Open to deaf, hard of hearing and hearing students, Gallaudet offers more than 25 post-graduate degrees and certificate programs, including:

Au.D., Audiology M.A., Deaf Studies M.A., Education M.A., Interpretation M.S.W., Social Work

M.A., Sign Language Education M.S., Speech Language Pathology Ph.D., Clinical Psychology Ph.D., Educational Neuroscience …and many more.

For more information or to register, visit www.gallaudet.edu/gradadmissions.xml.

Open House

October 17, 2014 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

800 Florida Avenue, NE

28

.

Washington, DC 20002

www.deafchildren.org

Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

http://www.asdb.az.gov

100 YEARS of Excellence in Education

Arizona School for the Deaf - Tucson (520) 762-7898 Videophone (520) 770-3700 Voice Phoenix Day School for the Deaf (602) 845-8411 Videophone (602) 771-5400 Voice 29

Conferencia

ASDC 201 4

FAMILIA FUERTE Estamos juntos

27 – 29 de Junio, 2014 The Learning Center for the Deaf Framingham, Massachusetts www.tlcdeaf.org/ASDC2014 #FamilyStrong2014 _____________________________ 30

848 Central Street, Framingham, Massachusetts 01701 V: 508-879-5110 VP: 774-999-0941 www.tlcdeaf.org

www.deafchildren.org

2014 ASDC Conference

FA MILY STRONG To g e t h e r We S t a n d

June 27 - 29, 2014 The Learning Center for the Deaf Framingham, Massachusetts www.tlcdeaf.org/ASDC2014 #FamilyStrong

848 Central Street, Framingham, Massachusetts 01701 E: asdc2014@tlcdeaf.org V: 508-879-5110 VP: 774-999-0941 www.tlcdeaf.org

31

Don’t Miss a Word!

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Captioned Telephone www.CapTel.com 1-800-233-9130 (V/TTY)

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www.deafchildren.org

A VL2 Storybook:

The Boy Who Cried Wolf The classic Aesop’s fable about the boy who cried wolf is brought to life in a new medium with vivid American Sign Language storytelling, adding cinematic elements to a timeless tale. Accompanied by detailed paintings that evoke times of yore, this storybook app for the iPad comes with over 140 vocabulary words, signed and fingerspelled. The app design is based on proven research on bilingualism and visual learning from Visual Language and Visual Learning.

This book features ASL storyteller Justin Jackerson, artwork

by Pamela Witcher, Retina-supported images, audio voice-over for all vocabulary words, and page-by-page videos.

The book is available for download from the iTunes store, and costs $4.99. For more, visit www.vl2storybookapps.com.

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ASDC Showcases Student Artwork from Across the United States

Perles, Eighth Grade Wisconsin School for the Deaf

Bobby, Kindergarten Wisconsin School for the Deaf

Lillian, First Grade Wisconsin School for the Deaf

I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart. – Vincent van Gogh 36

www.deafchildren.org

Emily, Kindergarten Wisconsin School for the Deaf

Julia, Kindergarten Wisconsin School for the Deaf

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see. – Edgar Degas

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ASDC Features Young Writers ASDC congratulates all the students who participated in the Student Writing Project.

While there isn’t enough room to include all the student writers’ submissions in this issue, keep looking…yours may be chosen to be included in the next issue. Enjoy these unedited submissions, and keep on writing!

A Tale of a Labrador Long time ago, there was a Labrador named Sunny. He was yellow with bright hazel eyes, shiny paws, pink soggy nose, and glossy teeth. A Labrador loves kids and trains as a guide dog to help blind people and people in wheelchair. Sunny lived in a purple barn in a meadow by the creek. He had a sister named Butter but she was lost for many years.

One day, he saw a weird guy, Happy, with two brown dogs named Chocolate Chip and Brownie, and one cream-colored dog named Butter. He wondered what Happy was up to. He started to worry again and dream that cream-colored dog was his sister. He decided to explore. He left the barn and ran toward Butter.

“Woof if you are my sister!” asked Sunny.

“Woof! Woof!” Butter replied.

He then asked her to come to his home. Butter nodded. Bailey, who was Sunny’s owner, didn’t know Butter was Sunny’s sister. Soon Bailey leashed Butter to one corner of the barn, and Sunny to the other corner. He was so angry and woofed as loudly as he could. Bailey ignored him and went inside the house. Many months passed by, Bailey finally knew that Sunny and Butter were siblings. They played together and were getting along so well.

Bailey gave them matching leashes, dog food bowls, and took care of them. Sunny was so fortunate to have found his sister.

Chang-May Tan, Third Grade California School for the Deaf, Fremont 38

www.deafchildren.org

Skateboarding Daredevil One day, I believe that I would be the greatest skater to walk on earth.

I also believe that I would achieve the most dangerous stunt ever. And that everyone will know what I can do, or my name isn’t Cody Durbin.

It was one hot day, I was outside watching my new skateboard, and drinking lemonade and sitting in the shade as the cool evening breeze cooled me down. Then I got up, walked toward the driveway with my skateboard and rolled down the driveway. Off I went, gracefully moving like a swan and over the ramp. I saw something on the board by the park. It was an ad for a skateboarding challenge so I signed up.

Finally it was the day for the challenge. I went to the park to warm up and took my spot. BANG went the gun. I skated over the ramps, the stick, over the boxes, and across the finish line. I had won! It was the greatest moment I ever had.

Cody Durbin

Dog and Cat When my dog, Buddy, died I was very sad. The next week, my Dad surprised me with a cat! I opened the box and saw a cute black and white cat. I named her Meow. We play all the time together. Her favorite toy is a red laser. She chases the light all over the house. It is funny to watch.

Erian Danke, Fourth Grade Wisconsin School for the Deaf

My experience at WSD

At first I went to a hearing school I felt left out. So that is the reason why I joined WSD. I didn’t know anyone or any signs at all. I went to summer camp and meet Jalila Marten. She was nice and friendly and was like a travel size interpreter. The full class helped me learn sign and didn’t get mad if I didn’t understand .Now I don’t even need Jalila to interpret for me. I am happy I made the switched to WSD. It has been fun and my teacher Alyson has made the experience more fun.

Katie McClyman, Fifth Grade Wisconsin School for the Deaf 39

My Story Once upon a time I was four years old. I was at home. When my mom came back from work I said, “MMMMMMooooooMMMMMMMYYYY!”. I was so happy. She said, “Stop.’’ I said, “Why?” she said, “I have a baby in my tummy.’’ I said, “How did you get a baby in there?” She said, “I will tell you when you are 10,ok?” I said, “Ok mommy.” On July 19, 2008, I woke up when my mom screamed. I fell off my bed. I asked my mom what happened.

She told me to call 911. So I did. An ambulance came and they took my mom and me to the doctor. Then I saw the baby being born. I said, “Oh! It’s a girl.” my mom said, “yes.” My baby sister’s name is Jada.

Then we went home.

Jalila, Fifth Grade Wisconsin School for the Deaf

Dark Water Cheyenne and Sarah are in a dark hotel room. Thunder and rain have turned off the lights. Their friend Michaela brings a bag into the room.

There is a videotape inside. Michaela orders pizza, and fills a glass of water. Sarah breaks the glass and spills the water. Sarah looks like a fool mopping up the glass that broke on Cheyenne. Blood on her feet spills into the water. Suddenly the lights go on and the girls are scared. Lightning hits the water tower and spills into the hotel. Cheyenne and Sarah are in the hotel downstairs quietly walking out of the bedroom and into the dark water. People on top of the roof see the flood and wave at the boat. It arrives finally in the big part of the hotel. The boat slowly moves in towards the roof, slows down, and stops. The people get into the boat.

Marisol Sanchez, Senior New Mexico School for the Deaf

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Lovesha Long ago there was a rich man named De’Manko who lived in Illinois with a lovely daughter named Lovesha. When Lovesha was six years old, she got a terrible fever. The medicine the doctor prescribed at the hospital caused Lovesha to become deaf. That night her father called, “Lovesha it’s time for bed!” There was no response. He called her again. Again no response.

When he walked up to the playroom, Lovesha was still playing with her doll. He got angry because he thought she was ignoring him. He tapped Lovesha and yelled at her. Lovesha told her father that she couldn’t hear him at all. He was puzzled. He told his wife that their daughter couldn’t hear. Shyikeyla took her daughter to see her doctor to see what was wrong.

After the doctor finish testing, he told Shyikeyla that her daughter was fine, but she lost her hearing. Shyikeyla freaked out because she didn’t know what to do. The doctor gave her a hearing aid to help her hear better.

Three years later Lovesha’s mother passed away from cancer. De’Mako got a married again. His new wife named Ma’Kena had two children named Faith and Mary. One day the Prince sent letters to everyone in Illinois. He was having a party. He wanted to get married. Me’kena told her children that they could go but the prince maybe wouldn’t want Lovesha because she was deaf. That night all the girls got ready for the party. The prince danced with Lovesha! At Nine o’clock Lovesha had to go home. She looked at the clock and ran away. The prince chased her but it was too late, she was gone.

The prince found a hearing aid. The next day the prince went everyone who had the specific kind of hearing aid like he found. The last house was Lovesha’s home. The prince gave Lovesha her hearing aid and said I am going to marry this girl. After that, they both had a happy life and had two children who were deaf.

Shavon Tate

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Self-Efficacy Among Deaf Children

By Lisalee D. Egbert, Todd LaMarr, Tami Hossler, Carrie Davenport, and Jodee Crace, ASDC Board Members Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children, like all children, thrive in environments that support, encourage, and promote a healthy identity. ASDC has supported families for over 45 years and believes that with American Sign Language (ASL) and English, DHH children can learn, thrive, and succeed.

Accepting DHH children for who they are and providing them with full access to language is the beginning of educating their minds and are critical building blocks for raising children who are selfconfident, resilient, and willing to reach for the stars.

The Educational Challenges for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Students A DHH student often faces unique academic challenges that hearing students do not. For example, there are fewer resources, unequal assessment measures, and unequal academic

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and linguistic access for DHH students, especially in mainstream environments (Karchmer & Mitchell, 2003; Marschark & Knoors, 2012; Schick, Williams, & Kupermintz, 2006).

Furthermore, the academic settings for DHH students vary in degrees of quality. Depending on the DHH classroom, there can be significant differences in educational philosophy, teacher qualification, language use, and accessibility. Due to these challenges, it is no wonder DHH students demonstrate lower academic achievement, especially in English reading/literacy knowledge (Easterbrooks & Beal-Aivarez, 2012; Qi & Mitchell, 2012; Swanwick, Oddy, & Roper, 2005). While there may not be a quick and easy solution to the academic challenges faced by DHH students, how they perceive themselves — their selftheory — is critical for developing selfdriven motivation, life-long resiliency, skills, and mindsets that can be imperative for DHH children throughout their lives.

Self-Theory Self-theory refers to how individuals implicitly perceive themselves, especially when confronted with a challenging situation (Dweck, 1999). Individuals tend to have one of two self-theories: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Which mindset someone has is strongly

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related to the patterns of praise they are given. The purpose of praise is to initiate a response that is positive and beneficial to boosting confidence, self-worth, and motivation in a child; therefore, we must be conscientious of how we give praise.

Fixed Mindset Individuals with a fixed mindset perceive personal characteristics about themselves, such as intelligence, to be fixed and unable to change. This mindset leads to individuals often quickly giving up on challenging tasks and shying away from future challenges (Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Skipper & Douglas, 2012). “Children who are praised for their ability and intelligence tend to pick ‘performance- Differences between a growth mindset goal’ tasks which make them look smart, and a fixed mindset (Dweck, 2006). over ‘learning-goal’ tasks from which they could develop new skills” (Kamins & Dweck, 1999). This type of praise can be internalized, creating a fixed mindset: “You are so smart for getting an A on your math test today. I’m so proud of you for getting first place.” Therefore, when faced with a setback, fixed mindset thoughts take over affecting a child’s self-worth and motivation to endure: “I didn’t get an A on that test. I must not be as smart as they are telling me.” “I only got third place. I guess the high-jump is not my sport.”

Growth Mindset Rather than praising the person, praising the process has a more positive effect on a child. To have a growth mindset is to perceive personal characteristics as not being fixed — they can be changed and improved. Specifically, the “growth” of this mindset comes through persistence, effort, practice, determination, and hard work. Breaking apart the process of the task and praising a child for their effort and hard work can lead a child to value learning opportunities, improve their ability to strategize, and increase their motivation to take on new tasks. When faced with a challenging math problem, a student with a growth mindset would not equate their struggle to lack of intelligence, but rather with a lack of practice or lack of time management.

What can parents and families do to promote a growth mindset? DHH children need to be praised by their parents in ways that can be internalized positively.

Praise your children for the process — praise their efforts and persistence (rather 43

than their intelligence or ability). For example: “I just saw your room and I can see that you took your time and worked very hard. Good job!”

Help your child understand the skills, work and persistence necessary to complete a task or reach a goal. By teaching your child to break a task down into steps/skills, it can help them view the goal as more attainable. For example: “Your job today is to clean your room. What parts of your room need cleaning? In what order do you want to do this? What equipment do you need to clean those areas?”

Discuss setbacks with your child and how to turn them into opportunities to learn and grow. This can be done through ‘process chat’. What worked and what was a challenge? Allow the child to share his/her perception and feelings about the experience. Listen and validate the child’s thinking. Lead the child to answer questions such as, “What did you do well? What would you do differently next time? Would you like to change your strategy?”

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Lisalee D. Egbert, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at California State University, Sacramento in the Deaf Studies program. In addition to the ASDC board, she serves on the board for the California Educators for the Deaf. She and her husband have four children.

Todd LaMarr has an M.A. in human Development and has worked at both the preschool and elementary levels.

Currently he is a research assistant in the Cognitive Neurolingustic Lab at the University of California Davis.

Tami Hossler, M.A., is the editor of ASDC’s The Endeavor. She and her husband, who reside in Ft. Myers, Fla., have two adult daughters, one Deaf and one hearing.

Carrie Davenport, Ed.S., is the early childhood consultant for the Center for Outreach Services at the Ohio School for the Deaf in Columbus. In addition to ASDC, she serves on several boards and committees, including Ohio’s Universal Newborn Hearing Screening subcommittee and Northeast Ohio Consortium for Children with Cochlear Implants, and is a founding board member of Ohio Hands & Voices.

Jodee Crace, M.A., is the past president of ASDC and has been on its board since 2009. For the past 30 years, Jodee has been in the field of human development within counseling and early education.

Jodee and her husband have four sons, one DeafBlind and three Deaf. They reside in Westfield, Ind.

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From Research to Practice: Developing a Healthy Self-Theory

By Lisalee D. Egbert, Todd LaMarr, Tami Hossler, Carrie Davenport, and Jodee Crace, ASDC Board Members Deaf Culture and Deaf Role Models Approximately 95% of DHH children are born into hearing families that have different sensory experiences and do not know sign language (Mitchell & Karchmer, 2004), which can significantly impact a child’s well-being (Gascon-Ramos, 2008). One way hearing families can palliate this impact is by incorporating Deaf culture and Deaf role models into their child’s life. Deaf role models not only enrich language development, but also have similar experiences that DHH children can identify with and relate to. As a result, knowing Deaf role models is critical to a DHH child’s positive self-perception (Crowe, 2003) and for developing the foundation for a healthy growth mindset (Bat-Chava, 2000; Jambor & Elliott, 2005).

What can parents and families do?

• Make communication easy and fun. Make a conscientious effort to include your child in informal and incidental conversations.

• Understand your child’s sensory experience and incorporate flashing lights for doorbells,

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phones, and smoke alarms, use videophones and closed captioning.

Get involved in the Deaf community. Learn about Deaf history, culture and the arts.

As a hearing parent, you may feel intimidated by your signing skills, but know that the Deaf community appreciates your willingness to reach out to them.

Seek out Deaf/signing friends, playmates, and adult role models for your child.

Attend the annual ASDC conference. This conference gives parents an opportunity to network and socialize with other parents and professionals as well as attend workshops that are directly related to raising and educating DHH children.

Encourage your child to participate in the Junior National Association of the Deaf (NAD).

This is an excellent way to 45

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gain leadership and advocacy experience.

Ask your child’s Deaf education teacher for information on local Deaf events, Deaf mentors, local college ASL classes/clubs, and parent organizations.

Participate in activities hosted by Deaf schools in your state, such as academic bowls, Mr. and Miss Deaf Teen pageants, and camps.

The Individual Education Plan The Individual Education Plan (IEP) is the mechanism that lays out the foundation for educating the student. The role of the IEP team is to develop a plan to address the child’s unique academic, communication, cognitive, socialemotional, and physical, needs. Here are some ways to utilize a growth mindset theory in IEP planning that encourages DHH children to persist through challenges and develop the desire to take on new challenges.

Educate IEP team members on the difference between a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset and how it influences a student’s self-theory and motivation.

Teachers, coaches, support staff, interpreters, and extra-curricular activity sponsors should be crosstrained on how to appropriately support, encourage and adjust their language to praise students in consistent ways that promote healthy socialemotional development and resilience that leads to a growth mindset.

Students who participate in IEP planning have more positive growth mind46

sets (Williams-Diehm, Wehmeyer, Palmer, Soukup, & Garner, 2008). Find ways to include the participation of DHH students in developing their IEP. Train team members on teaching techniques that incorporate incremental theories that approach a task in parts rather than a whole. Incremental achievement gives a sense of accomplishment without making a project seem overwhelming. Research shows using growth mindsets helps students learn to work smarter and harder when faced with a challenge, and their grades tend to improve (Crowe, 2003).

DeafNation Expo 2014 Shows May 3: Pomona, CA September 27: Boston, MA October 11: Pleasanton, CA October 18: Tacoma, WA October 25: Denver, CO November 1: Chicago, IL For location details and more information, visit www.deafnation.com.

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Share Location Provides Safety for Deaf Children Mobile deaf communication technology has made an amazing difference in deaf people’s lives, allowing them to communicate while on the move. Now, it can provide additional security for deaf children and their parents. Most parents have experienced the terrible fear of having a child wander away, even momentarily.

Sorenson Communications’ “Share Location” feature empowers iPhone® users who have Sorenson’s ntouch® Mobile for IOS® to show their exact location during any active videophone call. Share Location uses the built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) capability to pinpoint the caller’s location.

Children and parents can locate each other by sharing their exact locations.

The Share Location feature is so simple, even a young child capable of making a mobile call can use it.

Parents with older, deaf children who have started to drive, can enjoy peace of mind knowing that if their children experience car trouble or become lost, Share Location can be used to call for directions or to share exact locations with police or roadside assistance.

To see how the Share Location feature works and learn how to get Share Location, view the video at www.sorensonvrs.com/april_2013_share_location_ for_ios.

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Strategies for Working with Deaf Children with Autism: Picture Exchange Communication System

By Brittany Kollmer, Raschelle Theoharis, Ph.D., and Deborah Griswold, Ph.D. This article continues the series that discusses strategies for working with children who are deaf and have autism. This article will provide an in-depth description of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and share strategies for using it in the classroom, home and community. Deaf children with autism face significant challenges in the areas of communication, behavior, and socialization (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). PECS provides a visual and works to increase independence by initiating communication as deaf children with autism interact with others in a variety of situations.

Overview of PECS PECS is an alternative/augmentative communication system (AAC) that was created to provide functional communication for children with limited language (Brondy & Frost, 2001).

Through six phases, PECS teaches the social nature of communication. Phase I and II involve single pictures, Phase III uses discrimination — highly preferred items verses non-preferred items, Phase IV includes simple sentence 48

structure, Phase V adds spontaneous communication and ensures responses to simple questions, and Phase VI works on commenting.

First, the children are taught to approach another individual in order to request a desired object. Once that is mastered, PECS assists with helping the child begin to increase vocabulary, expand sentence structure, and build additional communicative functions. Many traditional systems start by teaching the name or label for an object. It is believed that once the word for the item is learned, the child will be able to use it in different environments and situations. Children with autism, however, are more apt to participate in activities that lead to a tangible outcome (Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1990). Since tangible results are more motivating for children with autism, PECS starts by teaching the child how

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to request what he/she wants.

When working with a child to initiate communication using PECS, no verbal prompts are used. There should be two individuals who work with the child: one that provides physical prompts and the listener. While the prompt provider does not interact with the child, the listener does in a social manner.

This prompting strategy is designed to reduce dependency on cues and prompting provided by the listener.

Classroom Applications Teachers play a large part in the success of PECS by classroom arrangement and expectations. Because working in a variety of environments with various people is beneficial for a student with autism, the school setting is invaluable.

Students will be practicing communication skills in real life situations with real life responses. Requests children make cannot always be immediately fulfilled, such as sharing toys or having another snack. This allows users of PECS in school to learn how to behave in natural environments. (Bondy, 2012). Teachers are available to provide verbal reinforcement such as “good you are asking for blank� and to work towards the child making requests on their own without questions or prompts (Bondy, 2012).

Home and Community Applications The use of PECS at home provides an opportunity for family to recognize and focus on the child’s interests while fostering independent requests. Similar to the school setting, the child should be receiving reinforcement for using their

words to encourage the behavior to continue. Reinforcements do not have to be limited to verbal statements, and can include something the child may be excited to earn such as stickers or playing with a specific toy. PECS is a flexible system that can be expanded and is not restricted to a specific environment.

New cards can be created based on the progress of the individual learner and multiple sets of images can be printed, making requests out in the community more accessible.

Conclusion PECS is an alternative/augmentative communication system designed to increase functional communication for children with limited language. In addition, they help to foster independence.

The next article in the series will discuss video modeling to support communication development, behavior management, and social skills at home, school, and in the community.

References Bondy, A. (2012). The unusual suspects: Myths and misconceptions associated with PECS. The Psychological Record, 62(4), 789-816.

Brondy, A., & Fost, L. (2001). The picture exchange communication system. Behavior Modification, 25(5), 725-744.

Mundy, P., Sigman, M., & Kasari, C. (1990). A longitudinal study of joint attention and language development in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 20, 115-123.

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A New Life: Following the Reality of Human Connection

By Susan Schaller, Author of A Man Without Words We, all of life, are interdependent — strands in a great web. Our society tells us everywhere that we are disconnected, separate; that each of us independent of another needs the latest new toy or trip or shampoo to make us happy. When I stop listening, looking, and eating the messages about “I, me and Susan Schaller poses with the main character mine,” I begin to sense reality, the in the A Man Without Words documentary, interdependence of all of life.

Ildefonso, and documentary director Zack One of my attractions to multiGodshall. lingual storytelling is the practiin order to care for and grow more life. cal applications of seeing reality I am launching another experiment in — our connections to each other — in teaching reading, writing, aspects of building connections and community. literature, English and other languag- On April 24, I left my Berkeley home es. It is a joy to see students of all ages of many years, and boarded an Amtrak learn to love learning through other train, the first of many. I am working on people and their languages, through trains and buses and showing up where differences. Paradoxically, we become invited to present my literacy project more ourselves when we learn from or film project about human connection. Instead of believing the messages others and their otherness.

Our stories, myths, legends, and of separateness and fear, the food of shared expressions touch us, remind us the ego, I will follow faith that life can of connections and expand awareness of and will unfold in many ways that I by connection. I struggle to think of effec- myself could never imagine or plan.

You can still order books or DVDs of tive ways to revolutionize education through multicultural storytelling. The A Man Without Words or ASL Tales prodturning would not only involve educa- ucts by visiting www.susanschaller. tion, however; we all need to turn to com. I post regular updates there. A each other, recognize ourselves in each documentary about A Man Without other, through our sharing and stories, Words is also available at that website.

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www.deafchildren.org

ASDC’s Renewing Educational and Organizational Members EDUCATIONAL American School f/t Deaf 139 North Main Street West Hartford, CT 06107 860-570-2300 www.asd-1817.org Arizona School f/t Deaf and the Blind PO Box 88510 Tucson, AZ 85754 520-770-3468 www.asdb.az.us Arkansas School f/t Deaf 2400 W. Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 501-324-9543 www.arschoolforthedeaf.org Beverly School f/t Deaf 6 Echo Avenue Beverly, MA 01915 978-927-7070 www.beverlyschoolforthedeaf.org California School f/t Deaf 39350 Gallaudet Drive Fremont, CA 94538 510-794-3685 www.csdeagles.com

Cleary School f/t Deaf 301 Smithtown Blvd Nesconset, NY 11767 531-588-0530 www.clearyschool.org

Kansas School f/t Deaf 450 E. Park Street Olathe, KS 66061 913-791-0573 www.ksdeaf.org

Delaware School f/t Deaf 620 East Chestnut Hill Rd. Newark, DE 19713 302-545-2301 www.christina.k12.de.us

Kendall Demonstration Elementary School 800 Florida Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 202-651-5206 www.gallaudet.edu/ clerc_center

Educational Service Unit #9 1117 S. East Street Hastings, NE 68901 402-463-5611 www.esu9.org Florida School f/t Deaf & Blind 207 N. San Marco Ave. St. Augustine, FL 32084 800-344-3732 www.fsdb.k12.fl.us Gallaudet University 800 Florida Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 202-651-5000 www.gallaudet.edu Indiana School f/t Deaf 1200 East 42nd Street Indianapolis, IN 46205 317-550-4800 www.deafhoosiers.org

Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center 800 Florida Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 202-541-5855 www.gallaudet.edu/ clerc_center Maryland School f/t Deaf PO Box 250 Frederick, MD 21705 301-360-2000 www.msd.edu Michigan School f/t Deaf 1667 Miller Road Flint, MI 48503 810-257-1400 www.deaftartars.com

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Model Secondary School f/t Deaf 800 Florida Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 202-651-5031 www.gallaudet.edu/ clerc_center Montana School f/t Deaf and Blind 3911 Central Avenue Great Falls, MT 59405 406-771-6000 www.msdb.mt.gov National Ctr. on Deafness California State University, Northridge 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge, CA 91330 818-677-2145 www.csun.edu/ncod/ National Technical Institute f/t Deaf 52 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623 585-475-6426 www.ntid.rit.edu New Mexico School f/t Deaf 1060 Cerrillos Road Santa Fe, NM 87505 505-827-6700 www.nmsd.k12.nm.us

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New York School f/t Deaf 555 Knollwood Road White Plains, NY 10603 914-949-7310 www.nysd.net

Phoenix Day School f/t Deaf 7654 N. 19th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85021 602-771-5300 www.asdb.az.gov

North Carolina School f/t Deaf 517 W. Fleming Drive Morganton, NC 28655 828-432-5200 www.ncsd.net

Rhode Island School f/t Deaf One Corliss Park Providence, RI 02908 401-222-3525 www.rideaf.net

Ohio School f/t Deaf 500 Morse Road Columbus, OH 43214 614-728-1422 www.ohioschool forthedeaf.org

Rochester School f/t Deaf 1545 St. Paul Street Rochester, NY 14621 585-544-1240 www.rsdeaf.org

Oklahoma School f/t Deaf 1100 E. Oklahoma Avenue Sulphur, OK 73086 580-622-8812 www.osd.k12.ok.us

Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children 537 Venard Road Clarks Summit, PA 18411 866-400-9080 www.thescrantonschool. org

Pennsylvania School f/t Deaf 100 W. School House Lane Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-951-4700 www.psd.org

St. Joseph’s School f/t Deaf 1000 Hutchinson River Pkwy.

Bronx, NY 14065 718-828-9000 www.sjsdny.org

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St. Rita’s School f/t Deaf 1720 Glendale Mildord Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45215 513-771-7600 www.srsdeaf.org South Dakota School f/t Deaf 2001 E 8th Street Sioux Falls, SD 57103 605-367-5200 www.sdsd.sdbor.edu Texas School f/t Deaf 1102 S. Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78704 512-462-5353 www.tsd.state.tx.us The Learning Center f/t Deaf 848 Central Street Framingham, MA 01701 508-879-5110 www.tlcdeaf.org Washington School f/t Deaf 611 Grand Boulevard Vancouver, WA 98661 360-696-6525 www.wsd.wa.gov W. Virginia Schools f/t Deaf and Blind 301 E Main Street Romney, WV 26757 304-822-4800

www.wvsdb2.state.k12.wv.us

Western Pennsylvania School f/t Deaf 300 East Swissvale Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15218 800-624-3323 www.wpsd.org

Deaf Cultural Center Foundation 455 East Park Street Okathe, KS 66061 913-782-5808 www.deafculturalcenter. org

Wisconsin School f/t Deaf 309 W Walworth Avenue Delavan, WI 53115 262-740-2066 www.dpi.wi.gov/wsd

Described and Captioned Media Program 1447 E Main Street Spartanburg, SC 29307 800-327-6213 www.dcmp.org

ORGANIZATIONS

Gallaudet University Alumni Association Peikoff Alumni House 800 Florida Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 202-651-5060 Alumni.relations@gallaudet.edu

Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools & Programs for the Deaf PO Box 1778 St. Augustine, FL 32085 904-810-5200 www.ceasd.org Communication Services for the Deaf 102 N Krohn Place Sioux Falls, SD 57103 605-367-5760 www.c-s-d.org Dawn Sign Press 6130 Nancy Ridge Drive San Diego, CA 92121 858-625-0600 www.dawnsign.com

“Hear With Your Eyes” Therapy Alison Freeman, Ph.D. 424 12th Street Santa Monica, CA 90402 310-712-1200 www.dralisonfreeman. net New York Foundling Deaf Services Program 590 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10011 212-727-6848 www.nyfoundling.org 53

Rhode Island Commission f/t Deaf and Hard of Hearing One Capitol Hill Ground Level Providence, RI 02908 401-256-5511 www.cdhh.ri.gov Signing Online LLC American Sign Language Instruction PO Box 86 Mason, MA 48854 517-676-4361 www.signingonline.com

How to Donate to ASDC

Make a tax-deductible charitable contribution to ASDC and invest in the future of education for deaf children, strengthening networks among families, and providing a promise of a better future for our children. Donations may be sent to: ASDC #2047

800 Florida Ave., NE

Washington, DC 20002 Or donate via PayPal at www.deafchildren.org; click on Donate.

Membership Package for Schools/Organizations ASDC provides a very special membership option for schools and organizations. If your school or organization would like to join ASDC as an Educational Member, ASDC will provide your school or organization with: • A free one-year membership for all of your families • A special thank you in the next monthly email blast • A special thank you in The Endeavor • A special thank you in the news section of the ASDC website • A link to your school or organization’s website • A post of your contact information on ASDC’s Educational/ Organizational Membership webpage Membership is only $250.

If you would like more information, email asdc@deafchildren.org or call (800) 942-2732.

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Alpha Sigma Pi, Lifetime ASDC Member

By Lorne Farovitch ASDC recently recognized the Alpha Sigma Pi fraternity at Gallaudet University as a lifetime ASDC member. The fraternity was founded in 1947 by gentlemen from many different backgrounds who had but one goal: to give back to the community they came from. Over the past 67 years, a lot has changed, but the fraternity has continued to support the children of our community. The deaf community is a close-knit community and the only way we, as members, of the community can ensure that the future of our community is secure, is by starting at the very beginning: our children. Hence, the purpose for our contributions to ASDC. On behalf of the brothers of the fraternity, both active and alumnus, we are deeply honored and grateful that ASDC has recognized us as a lifetime member.

We will take this opportunity to collaborate with ASDC for bigger and more exciting projects in the future When the children of our community grow up, we hope that they will find it in themselves to give back, creating a never-ending cycle of contributions that will continue to fuel the growth and success of our community.

Once again, for the children, for our community, for everything, thank you.

A Parent Survey About Children and Youth Who are Deaf and Have an Autism Spectrum Disorder The Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas and Gallaudet University are conducting this study to better understand the educational, communication, behavioral and social characteristics of children and youth who are deaf and have an autism spectrum disorder. Some questions ask about the related services the child may receive. The survey should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete and is in a user-friendly format. The survey is at: https://kansasedu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_74ITz9n4M8ZM1bn For questions, contact principal investigators Deborah E. Griswold at dgriz@ku.edu or Raschelle Theoharis at nena.theoharis@gallaudet.edu.

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asdc@deafchildren.org Parent Information and Referral Line: (800) 942-ASDC (2732)

MEMBERSHIP FORM Name:__________________________

Email: ___________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________ City: ___________________________

State:____________

Zip:__________

Phone: Voice/TTY/Videophone Membership Type

Individual memberships

_______$40 per year: Individual/Family Membership

_______$100 per year: Three-year Individual/Family Membership

_______$5,000 one-time fee: Lifetime Membership

_______First-Year Free Membership (Families with Deaf children are eligible

for a FREE one-year membership. Just fill out this form and mail,

email or fax it back to us.)

Deaf Child’s Name: ________________________________________________ Date of Birth: _____________________________________________________

Group memberships

_______$250 per year: Parent Affiliate Group ( ____ Number of Parent Members)

_______$125 per year: Library Membership

_______$250 per year: Educational Membership

_______$150 per year: Organizational Membership I would like to send more than my membership dues. Enclosed is a tax-deductible donation:

$10 $25 $50 $100 _______Other

Total Enclosed: $__________ Make checks payable to American Society for Deaf Children.

Please charge my Visa or MasterCard: Card Number:__________________________ Expiration Date:______________ Please return to: American Society for Deaf Children #2047 800 Florida Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002-3695 Fax: (410) 795-0965 • Phone: (800) 942-2732 • Email: asdc@deafchildren.org

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ASDC #2047 800 Florida Ave., NE Washington, D.C. 20002

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Pittsburgh, PA Permit No. 993

With ASL and English, your child CAN...

LEARN! THRIVE! SUCCEED!

Mission Statement ASDC is committed to empowering diverse families with Deaf* children and youth by embracing full access to language-rich environments through mentoring, advocacy, resources, and collaborative networks.

* Inclusive of all children who are deaf or hard of hearing (please refer to “Deaf in Our Eyes: ASDC’s Usage of the Word Deaf ”).

Consider joining ASDC today, and receive The Endeavor three times a year, discount admission to the ASDC biennial conference, access to invaluable resources from the ASDC media library, and access to speakers for your parent support group or event. You will also join forces with thousands of other families across the country, and support an organization that advocates for crucial national legislation and services for Deaf children.

American Society for Deaf Children #2047 800 Florida Ave. NE • Washington, D.C. 20002-3695 (800) 942-2732 • asdc@deafchildren.org • www.deafchildren.org