Endeavor Winter 2012

WINTER 2012

The

ENDEAVOR A Publication for Families and Professionals Committed to Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Children First INSIDE Hands Waving Advice Child First Campaign Summer Camps

p. 15 p. 28 p. 37

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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) asdc@deafchildren.org www.deafchildren.org THE ENDEAVOR STAFF Editor Tami Hossler asdctami@aol.com

A Look Inside EVERY ISSUE ASDC Board

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A Note From the Editor

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President’s Column

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Websites of Interest

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Membership Form

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FEATURES A Light at the End of the Tunnel

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Instructional Technologies for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

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Grace Under Pressure

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Hands Waving Advice...Deaf/Special Needs Child and Hearing Mom

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Managing Editor Anita Farb Avonne Brooker-Rutowski

Happiness is a Deaf Bilingual Child

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Strategies to Support Communication at Home and in the Community

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Publication Services T.S. Writing Services, LLC www.tswriting.com

CEASD Launches “Child First” Campaign

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ASDC STAFF Director of Advocacy Cheri Dowling asdc@deafchildren.org

How Important Are Student Life Programs for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students?

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I Deafinitely Can! Tova Stewart Shines in Sundance Film

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It’s Not Too Early to Think About Summer Camps!

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Deaf History Sails Into All Educational Settings

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Building Literacy Through Schema and the Grand Canyon

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© 2012 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.

Going Green!

Would you like to help save trees and costs by receiving an online version of The Endeavor instead of a hard copy?

If so, send an e-mail to asdc@deafchildren.org.

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ASDC BOARD Executive Council Board of Directors President Jodee Crace, M.A. Indianapolis, IN jcrace@isd.k12.in.us

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

Vice President Joe Finnegan, M.S., M.A., Ed.S. St. Augustine, FL nationaloffice@ceasd.org

Executive Secretary Kristen DiPerri, Ed.D. Falls, PA halimun@aol.com

Members at Large Past President Beth Benedict, Ph.D. Germantown, MD beth.benedict@gallaudet. edu Peter Bailey, M.A. Framington, MA peter_bailey@tlcdeaf.org Jeff Bravin, M.A. West Hartford, CT jeff.bravin@asd-1817.org Tom D’Angelo Frederick, MD tdangelo@zvrs.com Carrie Davenport, Ed.S. Columbus, OH davenport@osd.oh.gov

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John Egbert Ham Lake, MN bassegbert@mac.com

Erin Kane, M.A. Rochester, NY erin.kane@rit.edu

Lisalee Egbert, Ph.D. Sacramento, CA legbert@saclink. csus.edu

Tony Ronco, P.Eng. La Mesa, CA t_ronco@hotmail.com

Stefanie Ellis-Gonzales, M.A. Pleasanton, CA sdellis3@aol.com Robert Hill, M.A., M.Ed., Ed.S. Tucson, AZ robert.hill@asdb.az.gov Tami Hossler, M.A. Miromar Lakes, FL asdctami@aol.com

Avonne Rutowski, M.A. Austin, TX avonne.rutowski@tsd. state.tx.us Council on Education of the Deaf Representatives Beth Benedict Jodee Crace

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A Note From the Editor Although this issue was Schools and Programs for put together in January, the Deaf (CEASD) is bringour bulk snail mail takes ing to the forefront changquite a bit longer for it to es. Specifically, CEASD is reach your hands. Thereworking to change national fore, Happy belated New legislation in regards to the Year!

Individuals with DisabiliTami Hossler The theme of this issue is ties Education Act (IDEA) Children First. This issue is and least restrictive envipacked with great stories, ronments so that our chilresources, and information on what dren’s needs come first. is going on across the country when it It is going to be a year that we all comes to helping us put our “children can assist in this effort. You can keep first.” More importantly, the Confer- abreast of how you can help by going to ence for Educational Administrators of www.ceasd.org.

DID YOU KNOW? The International Association of Parents of Deaf was founded in 1967 by concerned parents of deaf and hard of hearing children. The organization changed its name in 1985 to the American Society for Deaf Children. Today:

• ASDC is the oldest national organization founded by and governed by parents of deaf and hard of hearing children.

• ASDC depends solely on donations, memberships, and proceeds from conferences for operations.

• ASDC’s board is a “volunteer” board with members who pay their own travel and lodging expenses for all ASDC events.

Become a part of this innovative organization by joining today!

See membership form on page 52. www.deafchildren.org 3

President’s Column

Putting Children First

Happy New Year! I believe Child First. What does that we have all been enjoyChild First mean to you? ing our journey as parents When a baby is identiand are inspired to be fied as D/HH, every effort catalysts for our children’s is provided to support the successes. Our ASDC advofamily in a variety of ways. cacy director, Cheri DowlThe support could be an Jodee Crace ing, stays busy answering avenue of what the norm inquiries from parents who in society is. On the other want to know more about hand, the support could be adoptions, American Sign Language an avenue of what is best for the child.

(ASL) classes, IEPs, funding for cochle- The parents are the loving primary ar implants and hearing aids, inter- caretakers who deliver and infuse the preting in the classrooms, how to get support (information/resources) to equal resources and access, and to just their child. It can be rewarding, because to share their experiences. Likewise, the parents are empowered and mindthe ASDC board members have kept ful of the infant’s interpersonal world. each other on their toes reaching out What is meant by that phrase, “mindto further ASDC’s mission. ful of the interpersonal world of the In the last issue, I expressed a senti- infant”? Immediately, I think of how ment: The word “difference” can also we are to be attuned to the needs of mean “diversity.” With diversity comes the baby, especially to how the baby unique characteristics. With unique char- responds to the stimuli and delivery acteristics come wholehearted respect types from other people and themand love for the person who he or she is selves (via real objects or vibes/attimeant to be. With all these “links” come tudes). a healthy family. A healthy family creates Do babies really know what they are a thriving community. It becomes a “full receiving? Will these experiences be circle.” embedded and nurture the wholesome We have seen much interest in how development of the child? What about we define success for a child who is Deaf the parents’ values and expectations? or Hard of Hearing (D/HH). A variety Isn’t that what “parent choice” means? of best practices and rules have been What about the skill of letting the child developed to guide parents, profes- lead in letting you know their needs? sionals from different specialties, and Recently, I was browsing the Interstakeholders. With this thought, we net, looking for information on come across another unique thought: healthy parenting and healthy children 4

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within two cultures. I came across a book, Keepers of the Children. Native American Wisdom and Parenting (Laura M. Ramirez, 2004). I peeked inside the table of contents to see if the book was interesting enough for me to look further. Sure enough, it was, so I bought the book, which just arrived in the mail a few days ago. In Ramirez’s preface, she described the intention of “underscoring the basic gulf in thinking that has long divided the native culture from the white” (p. 12). That’s an intriguing question for hearing parents raising D/HH babies, and even more so for Deaf parents raising hearing babies: are there “gulfs”?

There shouldn’t be. It’d be a perfect world if we had a shared vision and world view for balance and acceptance for who a D/HH child is. In retrospect, as Ramirez continues in her preface, “what I offer in these pages is not an

either-or perspective, but a blend of two cultures that celebrates the best of both” (p. 13). This healthy, wholesome and blended thinking, the original principle of Child First is illuminated.

The ASDC board and a variety of members and interested stakeholders will be dialoguing more about the Child First theme. We’ll mention bits and pieces in the monthly e-mails that you receive from ASDC. Please remember to open these e-mails regularly. We count on you to be knowledgeable and empowered advocates for your child.

I’m happy to be of service to you as the ASDC president, and the board members are as well. Please continue to e-mail ASDC with questions and comments so that we can best meet your needs, wants and interests.

For more on the CEASD Child First campaign, visit www.ceasd.org.

ASDC’s Monthly E-Mails The ASDC monthly e-mail is full of information about ASDC, member news, updated conference news, book reviews, websites, and more.

If you are a member and are not receiving the e-mail blast, we may not have your correct e-mail address.

Please keep ASDC informed about any address or e-mail changes by e-mailing asdc@deafchildren.org.

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A Light at the End of the Tunnel

By Kimberly McGuiness Julia was diagnosed with a severe to profound hearing loss when she was 13 months old. I was devastated. I remember holding her in my arms in the doctor’s office waiting for him to come back in the room with the audiological results. This doctor was a very compassionate and peaceful man. For him to tell me Julia had a hearing loss was almost as difficult for him as it was for me to hear it. Even though he was as gentle as he could be with the news, I felt like someone had picked me up and thrown me against the wall. From that moment forward I knew our lives would never be the same.

The turmoil of the emotional roller coaster was terrible. I was mad at myself, my friends, the doctors, the world and even the Lord above.

I couldn’t understand why my first and only child had these challenges.

Was it something I did, something I didn’t do? There were even days I didn’t care if I took another breath no matter the cost. But I knew I had to be strong for myself and for Julia.

When Julia started in the educational 6

system, I was still asking myself, Lord, why her? Why me? I don’t understand. It’s not supposed to be like this. Little did I know that this miracle of life was as exactly as it should be.

When Julia was in preschool, I went to a parent meeting with others who had children similar to Julia and were also seeking answers.

Her teacher facilitated these monthly meetings and it was at one particular meeting I was able to tell my story for the first time without crying. Afterwards, a mother came up to me and said, “Thank you for sharing your story. It has given me hope there is light at the end of the tunnel.” As I left and walked to my car, I felt a peace come over me and a light bulb go off in my head: This is what you are supposed to do now. Start sharing your journey!

When it was time for Julia to transition to middle school, she was placed in a classroom with 16 students who had varying exceptionalities.

Her behavior was becoming difficult to handle. Her teacher was the only person in the entire school who could communicate with her in her language, sign language, so you can imagine Julia’s frustrations. Although

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we used sign language in our home, Julia’s behavior carried over from the classroom. My husband and I couldn’t understand and we became frustrated in finding answers.

In January 2002, we packed up everything we owned and set out on the road with our last paychecks in our pockets. We had no jobs lined up and we really didn’t know where we were going to stay, but we knew we would have a roof over our heads.

Some friends and family thought we were crazy, but we knew we had to do this for Julia. The new school we had chosen for her was awaiting her arrival. We took a huge leap of faith, and I don’t mind telling you I was scared to death. My husband tried to comfort me the best he could, but we both felt a sense of calm as we stayed focused on the goal, which was getting Julia to where she needed to be and getting her enrolled at the Georgia School for the Deaf.

Once Julia started attending her new school, her behavior issues escalated for a short time. This was the first time Julia was exposed to a 100%-signing environment, so her mind was overwhelmed. The visual language her mind was starting and needing to process was everywhere. Once she started being taught in her language, the behavior

problems began to go away—at least those associated with language. Once this was eliminated, we saw characteristics of autism. Evaluations and testing were conducted and Julia’s support team determined she was also living with autism. She received a medical diagnosis shortly thereafter confirming the evaluations.

Autism is a lifelong communication disability that impacts language, social interaction, and access to life opportunities. Besides autism, being deaf is an important part of this equation. In the past, we often inadvertently overwhelmed her by making too many changes in her routines and schedule. We would to try to explain these changes and communicate with her as she became upset about the unanticipated and unknown. We did not realize that her reactions were in response to how change added fuel to the fire as her brain struggled valiantly to process all of this new stimulation at once.

Julia’s challenges include difficulty in dealing with the unexpected, bouts of anxiety, a reluctance to do things on demand; an inability to move forward once “stuck” on a particular topic of interest, a tendency to be easily overstimulated, difficulty retaining previously learned information or skills, inappropriate social interaction; displays of physical aggression when frustrated, anxious, or over stimulated, processing new information, sensory integration, and the impact of her disabilities on the development of life skills.

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Julia graduated in May 2011 from Everyone benefits from the opporthe Georgia School for the Deaf. She tunity to spend time in activities that received the Ray A. Kroc Award, creat- bring joy. We nurture ourselves by ed by the founder of McDonald’s to balancing our lives; we find happiness honor students who are the unsung and fulfillment with a steady diet of heroes of the class. work, growth and Julia received this Through her we have play. most prestigious Julia reminds me award in part for come to understand trust, of this balance each her citizenship in honesty, patience and day. She is a great community involve- the power of a constant blessing in life and ment, for her leadto all she meets. infectious smile and ership in a commuThrough her we have nity organization, a loving heart. come to understand for her academic trust, honesty, performance to the best of her abili- patience and the power of a constant ties, and for her sportsmanship. infectious smile and a loving heart.

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Instructional Technologies for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

By Kelly Booz, M.S., and Deborah S. Stryker, Ph.D. As technology improves, we experience more opportunities to use it in daily life. At the same time, inclusion of children who have disabilities in the general classroom is a more common occurrence.

Assistive technology (AT) is referred to as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired, commercially modified, or customized, used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities” (Cavanaugh, 2002, p. 11). These devices can include hearing aids, Frequency Modulated (FM) systems, webcams, or a specifically designed computer program. The types of AT include sound-based, text-based, and facility- based.

The most common types of soundbased AT are hearing aids or cochlear

implants (CI). An FM system is an option that can be used in conjunction with a hearing aid or a CI. An FM system is a microphone connected to a transmitter worn by the speaker, which transmits directly to a hearing aid. The teacher’s voice is the only sound picked up, avoiding the interference of typical classroom noise (Hearing Impairments, 1989, p. 2). Like an FM system, a sound field system amplifies the teacher’s voice, but rather than transmitting directly to the child’s hearing aid, it transmits through speakers installed within the classroom for everyone to hear. This sound field system can help all students, including those without hearing loss.

Text-based AT such as computer programs used to teach foreign languages have been shown to improve literacy rates. These programs may be beneficial to use with students who are deaf or hard of hearing to help teach English as a second language (McKeown, 1997). Closed captioning (CC) is a common and easily accessible form of assistive technology easily adapted and used in the classroom in special situations.

A newer and more common facilitybased technology is the videophone, 9

which connects to a television or monitor and uses a high-speed Internet connection Conference to make outbound calls. Such calls unique can go directly to another person or get experiences of deaf Schedule routed through a video relay service where an interpreter appears youth and siblings will beonscreen and Wednesday Registration and can give a child with hearing loss the abilinterprets the phone call. A videophone addressed through art, drama, City”if a situation warrants it. Additional adjustity toOpening call home“Sample or familyOur members and team building activities; Family Night!

Families ments withinFun a facility could include installing special lights that flash (like a sibling workshops; and games, will sample menu items from strobe light) to signal a classroom change. These indicators can also be used for a field trips, and more.

Frederick area restaurants, fire alarm or if someone knocks on the door.

Many assignments outsidecultural of the classroom or projects often require learn about Frederick Evening Activities: Familya computer orvenues, some other form of technology.

Incorporating technology into shop at local merchant oriented activities each assignments can help students overcome obstacles toevening workingoffer together andand to building relabooths, and enjoy activities family tionships with one another. such as face painting, a petting social time. On one evening,

zoo, games, and more.

participants will explore

References Frederick’s sights, shops, Thursday through Saturday – Cavanaugh, T. (2002).

Assistive Technology Basicsand in Education.

Special Needs galleries, parks; enjoy Workshops: Three [SITEParent 2002 Section] (pp. 11-12).

Retrieved from ERIC database (ED472248).

dinner on their own; and full days of concurrent experience living history Hearing Impairments.

(1989).choices, Tech Use Guide: Using Computer Technology workshops on issues, through Ghost Tours. (pp. 2-4).

Retrieved from database (ED324849). consequences, and ERIC the many available resources that can Exhibit Hall: Sponsors, McKeown, S. (1997).

Supporting the Learner: Introducing profoundly impact the businesses relatedILT to Issues any ofand theTeaching Strategies To Meet Individual Needs (pp.

2-36).

Bristol, UK: Further Educadevelopment of deaf or hard of conference key areas, tion hearing Development Agency.

Retrieved from ERIC database (ED416375). children. Professionals educational institutions and will present in each of the five organizations, and local key areas covering such agencies and vendors will diverse topics as family display information and dynamics, cochlear implant products in the Exhibit Hall. effective use, language Museum: MSD’s Bjorlee development, secondary Museum is packed with conditions, education choices, historic information and community support options artifacts relating to the school, and access, and many more.

Frederick, the Hessian BarChildren’s Program: A racks, multiple wars, and comprehensive three-day more. program of planned, Sunday morning – Final supervised activities for breakfast and Conference children and teens ages 0 to 21 Wrap-Up; airport in four age groups. The transportation provided. informational needs and 10

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Grace Under Pressure

By Zachery R. Román It’s not every day a lifechanging event occurs. In fact, in most of our lives, there might be a handful of moments that you can vividly recall where the course of your life dramatically changed, whether for the best or worst. Some of these events can be explained, while many cannot. Many times we explain it away as either good or bad luck, but how you view the situation determines how you ultimately deal with the serendipitous moment.

For my wife and me, one of our life’s defining moments of change was on January 14, 2010. That was the day our second daughter was born.

Looking back to during the pregnancy, there were two events that seemed non-related at the time, but now seem to have relevance for us. They could have eerily foretold the future of our daughter.

The first came as we talked about and prepared for the newest member of our family. During pregnancy, my wife attended all of her prenatal visits and received the utmost of care from the medical professionals. The regular prenatal tests were done, always with excellent results. The sonogram showed that the baby had two legs, two arms, and had a regular heart rate. There was no evidence to show anything was abnormal with the excep-

tion of one comment my wife made while looking at the side profile of the baby’s head from the sonogram.

“Her chin looks a little small,” I recall her saying.

But it was a passing comment as we continued with the preparations of our daughter’s arrival.

The second occurred one day as my wife was at the mall. She noticed a young mother walking a stroller with infant twins.

Nothing unusual about that, except that these two babies were wearing eyeglasses. As this is not a common sight, my wife approached the young mother to inquire about the glasses.

“Are those real glasses?” she questioned.

A look of annoyance and somewhat tiredness of always being asked this question seemed to be expressed on the young mother’s face.

“Yes, they’re real,” she replied.

“How did you know that they need them?” my wife asked.

Once again, the young mother’s face looked as if she’d been asked this question several times before.

“Just like they check adults’ eyes.”

She responded.

The conversation was short, but my wife could tell by the look on the young mother’s face that she was used to receiving looks of curiosity about her children and responding to people’s inquiries.

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How odd to think that now my wife and I share that same experience as that young mother.

As the day of the baby’s arrival approached, we began talking about what name we would bestow upon our daughter. I wanted her first name to be Zacharina (only in jest) in honor of her father, but we opted for a name less conspicuous. We struggled to find a middle name to compliment her first. But as my wife tells it, our daughter’s middle name was impressed upon her by God himself. It occurred one night while my wife was thinking about the pregnancy. The baby didn’t kick as much as our firstborn had. For some reason, she was concerned about this child. A word popped into her head: Grace. She felt that with this child a lot of “grace” was to either be shown to her or shown by her. Nonetheless, her middle name was chosen.

We arrived at the hospital ready for our daughter’s long-awaited appearance.

We had a few hours to wait until the contractions came and the birthing process began. There was no way that we could have prepared for what awaited us on the other side of that moment.

I sensed that something different from our experience with our first daughter was occurring. The baby’s heart rate had slowed and there was a question about whether she was receiving enough oxygen. The answer to that question was evident when she arrived with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. She

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had been strangled while coming out of the canal. The nurses quickly cut the cord and unwrapped it from around her neck.

I wondered if this was the reason why she appeared so swollen. It was so uncharacteristic of what I expected.

Something inside the pit of my stomach told me something was wrong, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. Her specific facial features seemed somewhat recognizable. I used to be a social worker and worked with developmentally disabled adults. I could usually tell who had Down’s Syndrome by looking at the shape of their eye folds and neck. Our daughter had those similar facial features.

As the medical staff began to clean our daughter up, my wife asked me if the baby was okay. Thinking that I might be overreacting, I mustered the confidence to say that the baby was fine, but something lingered within me.

As the nurses placed our daughter on my wife’s chest to nurse, the baby would not take to it. Upon further inspection by the doctor, it was discovered that the baby had a cleft palate.

Also, her chin was unusually small.

The doctor excused himself. A few moments later more medical staff was present wanting to inspect our newborn. At that moment, I knew for a fact something was amiss. I could see the concern on my wife’s face. This wasn’t something we had prepared for.

We were taken to the newborn section of the hospital as the doctors readied various medical exams for our daughter. Apparently, the pre-diagnosis was

that she had DiGeorge Syndrome.

Neither my wife nor I had ever heard of such a thing. Questions swirled around our heads. What was this syndrome? What were the physical and, more importantly, mental effects of this syndrome? Would she be all right?

I’ve traveled the world by myself, I’ve been threatened with death on various occasions, I’ve almost been paralyzed, and I’ve been in some horrid situations as a social worker, but those things don’t compare to the amount of fear I experienced that night by daughter was born. Not knowing what was happening with her frightened me. It frightened my wife as well. Even as I think about it today, tears well up in my eyes.

In the darkness of the room, all we could do was pray and ask God for His mercy and grace for our daughter.

Blood was drawn from our daughter’s little body until she couldn’t give any more. Various tests on her heart and kidneys were done. During one of these tests a nurse must have seen the concerned look on my face.

“Don’t worry,” the nurse said. “Your daughter will be a blessing to many people.”

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A “blessing,” I thought. My child who appears to have special needs will be a blessing? A sense of doubt overwhelmed me. If only the nurse knew. If only she could see the fear and anger rising within me. What kind of “blessing” comes with a disability? What kind of hope comes with not being “normal”?

The shock of a lifetime came as the hearing test was conducted. Our daughter was deaf.

More questions began to enter my mind. What kind of life will she lead without being able to hear? How will she communicate to us? How will we communicate to her? The list of worries grew.

One possible diagnosis was presented to us. It appeared that our daughter had Stickler’s Syndrome, which is a rare genetic disorder due to a lack of collagen.

Collagen is used to develop cartilage in our bodies. Due to this deficiency, not only was our daughter deaf, but she was extremely nearsighted as well. She would need eyeglasses as an infant.

Because our daughter was diagnosed with a hearing impairment, our name was placed on a registry for children who were deaf or hard of hearing.

Thankfully, there is a system within the state that provides information and direction to parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

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It’s been 22 months. Our daughter, Kara Grace Román, is receiving various types of therapy and services to assist with her communication and development. She now wears hearing aids, and without exaggeration, everywhere we go, people stop us to ask about the little red glasses she wears.

Kara is a true blessing to many people.

Because of Kara, my wife has found her calling in life to be a sign language interpreter and is now attending school to obtain her interpreting certificate. My parents, our oldest daughter Ava, and I are also learning American Sign Language (ASL).

Oddly enough, I find that I can thank God for Kara’s Stickler’s Syndrome. We’ve met so many nice people who we’d never would have the pleasure of knowing if it hadn’t been for Kara. She brings a smile to people’s faces whenever they see her. In a sense, she lights up the room. She has shown me what really matters in life and serves as a reminder to appreciate each day for what it is: a gift.

There was no good or bad luck in the way she was born, it was by divine design. In some way, I feel that we were chosen to be her parents. Knowing this does not make the road any easier to travel as we move forward, but I know that hope is there and so is grace.

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Hands Waving Advice...

Deaf/Special Needs Child and Hearing Mom

By Jean Fontana I’m sure you can all relate to a child arriving with an unexpected diagnosis and what may seem at first to be an uncertain future.

Our son, now 18, has a few more years at California School for the Deaf, and the journey continues. Looking back to the beginning, I gratefully remember the most helpful information and actions that worked for us. I am happy to pass these on, and maybe save some tears and frustration for other families.

Although my son has an undiagnosed syndrome, including severe cardiac anomalies that were repaired in infancy, he shares many characteristics of autism such as ADHD, compulsive behaviors and what I call his love of schedule. Born hard of hearing, he became Deaf from medications for complications from his third cardiac surgery. Here are some of my hottest tips; enjoy!

Stay Married Your marriage/partnership/core family is vital to your child’s future. We had a great pediatrician who warned us that a medically fragile child like ours could

double the divorce rate, and it was already high in California! Goodhumored advice for a serious topic. Your baby needs a loving home, so don’t let the stress tear you apart.

Think Team I really wanted to raise our son in a more private and traditional way. That was just not possible or practical. We needed more help than I wanted to accept—I actually felt guilty. Then I realized he was creating jobs for many people. The concept of building teams around him and his needs was born. Be the leader of your child’s teams: medical, educational, behavioral and social.

I have had to remove players who were not acting in the best interest of my child.

Navigate Agencies Learn the difference between funding organizations where you will advocate for support services where you can get hands-on help. Examples of funding organizations include regional centers, school districts, and state children’s services; they are set up to fund specific needs. Strong and respectful advocacy wins the day. When I had to 15

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disagree with some of these agencies at times, they knew it was about my child, not me. When I needed to cry into my coffee, I learned to head to the nearest parent support group or really wonderful friends.

ing labels since it doesn’t damage surfaces. We labeled everything!

Hot and cold water, all his clothing storage, the kitchen cupboards. If you include ASL vocabulary as well, everyone can learn, especially those coming into your home. Education Preserve the Joy and awareness all in one kit (I love Don’t let anyone take away the fun kits!) of childhood. Forget normal and mile- • Put up a whiteboard in our kitchstones when you are parenting. Profesen—a great tip from a Deaf friend sionals and assessments can really who grew up with a chalkboard get you down sometimes when they used by the whole family to comcompare your child to charts. You are municate. We still use ours. Nongoing to celebrate every little gain, every signers can easily communicate joyful moment— and we finessed Just consider that by and these strides the need for schedforward may not making this commitment, ule as well, detailed occur on a tradi- you will perhaps do the one at first, then buildtional timeline. For ing in more flexibilmost effective things you a long time I really ity over the years, felt as though I was can do to make a lifetime of enabling choice, operating off the positive difference for your independence, grid until a wise consequences, and child. friend pointed out earning. that the world is a • Created a phobigger grid than I to album of friends could imagine, with room for all. and family. We kept this on the coffee table. It helped explain relationModify Your Environment ships and identify the people in our Here is where you can really have lives for our little visual learner. some fun and think outside the box.

Catch the positive and “headed-in-the- Learn ASL right-direction” behaviors and praise I know it’s hard to focus on all the and support the heck out of them! needs, and a language need can be so Some things we did were: hidden at first. Just consider that by • Installed a “ballet bar,” a sturdy making this commitment, you will pole down a long hall, to help him perhaps do the one of the most effective learn to walk since he was a delayed things you can do to make a lifetime of posiwalker. tive difference for your child. Then think • Used blue painter tape for mak- of all the tasks, learning, focus you are 17

demanding of your child. Does that really seem fair expect all the accommodations to be a one way street? You can do this; resources abound and you can take things at your own pace.

I was quite shy about signing in public—it felt so awkward and lonely and my son was not signing much at first. We grew more skilled together and now go out and about in the signing bubble. I don’t voice or try to facilitate more than is necessary for him.

We are just ourselves enjoying life like everybody else. More recently I hold back and let him lead in all possible ways.

Your child will be working hard to reach his or her full potential, and how many people can truly say they have maximized all their gifts? It can really

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make you proud to see what your child has accomplished. Also invite Deaf adults into your home, make friends and venture into the community. You will get the fastest comprehension of the power of sign and how important it is for your child. Sprinkling your child’s early development with a few signs as though they are extra vitamins is not adequate. Sign is the meal itself, and a Deaf child cannot be language-nourished without it.

Enjoy the path you find yourself on.

It’s a challenge—but also a beautiful journey where you will meet some amazing people! Whenever things got hard and really frustrating we never failed to meet some wonderful person who helped, sometimes unexpectedly. I wish you all the joy of that journey.

www.deafchildren.org

Happiness is a Deaf Bilingual Child

By John Egbert

My wife, Shirley and I visited a particular Deaf school during our vacation and met some of our former classmates. During our visit to the elementary school, we saw many happy Deaf children. In the hallways and in the classrooms, children were eager to talk to us, and asked many questions that were typical: “Are you Deaf?” “Do you have any children in this school?” The children also loved showing us what they did in class and explaining how they did it.

These were bilingual Deaf children using American Sign Language (ASL) and English. And these bilingual Deaf children are lucky to attend this Deaf school because its program and the education is one of the best in the nation.

We learned that on Fridays it was mandatory for all of the Deaf children to go home on the weekend. Some would fly 200 to 300 miles and others would ride on buses or trains to get back home. A good friend, who works as a counselor at this school, explained that some children struggle when it is

time to go home because of the lack of communication at home. At school, everything is accessible to them. They have teachers, staff, and peers who communicate fluently with them. They are socially connected. Without accessible communication, the home environment becomes isolating. This isolation in the family environment puts a lot of stress on the Deaf child and each child copes with this in different ways.

Deaf children need to communicate.

They need family interaction. They need to feel valued and loved. A family that does these things is putting their child “first.”

I am always glad to see parents learning ASL. Becoming a bilingual parent is the first step in connecting with their Deaf child. Happy children make happy parents.

ASDC board member John Egbert is a parent of two Deaf children and four Deaf grandchildren.

He is also the founder of Deaf Bilingual Coalition (www.dbcusa.org).

For resources, stop by ASDC’s website at www.deafchildren.org!

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Strategies to Support Communication at Home and in the Community

By Raschelle Theoharis, Ph.D., Deborah Griswold, Ph.D., and Christina Yuknis, Ph.D.

Approximately 1 in 76 children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) has autism (Gallaudet Research Institute, 2007; Szymanski & Brice, 2008). Other research reports that the incidence of autism in children with a hearing loss is greater than that found in children who do not have a hearing loss (ConnWesson et al., 2000; Nadol, 1993; Rutter, 2005). Although this disproportionality is recognized, there is still little research that focuses on the coexistence of hearing loss and autism (Gillberg & Streffembirg, 1993; Gordon, 1991; Jure, Rapin, & Tuchman, 1991; Malandraki & Okalidou, 2007).

Diagnosis and Characteristics of Autism and Deafness The diagnosis of autism for children who are D/HH generally occurs one year later than for children who are hearing (Mandell, Novak, & Zubritsky, 2005). For example, one research study found D/HH children were diagnosed with autism between the ages of 5 and 16, compared to hearing children who were diagnosed between the ages of 4 and 11.

Despite the age differences in diagnosis, D/HH children often exhibit the same characteristics as hearing children with autism (Steinburg, 2008).

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While no two children who have autism are alike, all are affected in three areas: communication, socialization and behavior (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). Understandably, these three domains are intertwined.

Communication, social interaction, difficulty attending to social stimuli, atypical body movements (hand flapping or rocking), struggles in transitioning from one activity to another, and a need for structure and predictable routines are a few of the common characteristics of children with autism (APA, 2000; Dawson, Melzoff, & Osterling, 1995).

One commonality between deafness and autism in children diagnosed with both is the difficulty with communicating and conveying wants and needs to others. “However, the cause of the difficulty in an individual who is just deaf is different from that in an individual who is autistic� (Vernon & Rhodes, 2009, p. 5). For individuals who are deaf and

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have autism, communication is even community environments help provide more of a challenge, as they will have the consistency and structure D/HH communication difficulties of much students with autism need. Modifigreater severity than with either single cations also help students with the condition alone (Rosenhall, Nordin, generalization of skills from one enviSandorstrom, Ahlsen, & Gillberg, ronment or setting to another. It is 1999).These communication difficulties important to remember that children make diagnosing, assessing, treating, are not going to master and incorpoand providing strategies to students rate the strategies independently on the complex for school systems (Steinburg, first or second attempt or perhaps not 2008; Szymanski & Brice, 2008). for several attempts; therefore they will D/HH children who have autism also need to have the strategy modeled and pose extreme challenges for families. used repeatedly. Since the need of each This article presents an overview of six child and his or her family is unique, strategies families and service providers it is important to remember that each can use at home and strategy presented in the community One commonality between here can be adjusted with D/HH students to meet the whole deafness and autism in family’s lifestyle. who have autism.

Future articles in children diagnosed with this series will delve both is the difficulty with Visual Schedules deeper into each of communicating and con- Visual Schedules the individual stratuse pictures or text veying wants and needs to egies, providing to share the plan for detailed informa- others. the day, a section of tion about the stratthe day, or a specific egy, how to use the event or task (as strategy with your child, and different a step-by-step guide). The number of examples for modifying the strategy. activities, amount of time, pictures, or Visual schedules, social stories, power text displayed depends on the child’s cards, Picture Exchange Communica- individual needs. Visual Schedules may tion System (PECS), video modeling, take the form of a list using pictures and personal passports are the strate- or text, a book with removable pieces, gies shared in this article. These strat- or even an iPad or iPhone application. egies were selected because of their Visual Schedules can also be used as a visual nature and the aid they provide prompt to encourage children to tell to communication. about their day. One of the benefits of this strategy for D/HH children with Strategies for Home and Community autism is that it does not rely on audiModifying the strategies education- tory input, so it is fully accessible for the al systems are using to fit home and child. The Child-Autism-Parent-CafÊ 21

website provides practical suggestions for families to manage daily life with children who have autism (see the list of Internet resources on page 23).

Social Stories The use of social stories helps support appropriate behaviors and social skills for children with autism. This strategy is particularly popular in schools. A social story is a short simple story written from the child’s perspective. It describes the social situation, and through text and visual supports, it provides instruction on positive and appropriate social behaviors (Gray & Garand, 1993). Since most children with autism are visual learners (regardless of hearing status), social stories haven shown to be effective. It is used for social activities such as greetings, turn-taking, and waiting. Polyxo.com provides families with resources, templates, and sample social stories (for use in different settings).

Power Cards The Power Card Strategy is a visual aid that uses the child’s interests to teach 22

appropriate social interactions or skills, behavior, and expectations that children with autism may not learn without direct instruction (Gagnon, 2001). The first step of the power card strategy is to present a simple scenario using a person or character the child really likes. For example, if the child really loves SpongeBob, then you might have a scenario about SpongeBob waiting his turn and encouraging the child to imitate SpongeBob’s actions. The child is given a small card, the Power Card, that summarizes the steps that SpongeBob or the character takes to be successful at the focus skill (Gagnon, 2001). This is another strategy that does not rely on auditory input. It is a visual strategy that encourages reading and promotes social skills.

Picture Exchange Communication System The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) allows individuals with autism to use pictures to communicate.

It focuses on self-initiated communicative behavior (Malandraki & Okalidou, 2007). This method of communication, though originally developed for young children, works well for people of varying ages and developmental levels (Malandraki & Oklidou, 2007). The basic idea of PECS is so that an individual has a means of communicating and interacting with others to make their needs and desires known. It is a way to teach

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the learner how to approach another person and exchange the picture of a desired item for the item itself. By doing this the student learns to initiate spontaneous communication within different social contexts and environments and allows him or her to join in causeeffect act of conversation (Malandraki & Oklidou, 2007). This communication system is concrete and does not require spoken language.

on specific skills the child needs.

Personal Communication Passports Personal Communication Passports provide families, service providers, and students themselves with a positive way of presenting information about sensory and communication difficulties.

Personal passports are similar to regular passports in that they provide an overview of a child’s important information and his or her “travels” to the present time. The passports contain pictures of the child and important information.

For younger children, the passports can serve as a communication tool between families and service providers, and for older children and youth personal passports are a way for families to teach self-advocacy and safety skills to their children.

Video Modeling Since television is an engaging medium that does not require social interaction during learning, research suggests video modeling may be effective for students with autism (Daneshvar, Charlop-Christy, Morris, & Lancaster, 2003). Video modeling involves showing a video of an ideal scenario of a situation or behavior for the student to imitate. This strategy can be Internet Resources combined with other strategies to teach social, conversational, Child-Autism-Parent-Café: behavior, and self-help skills. http://www.child-autism-parentVideo modeling may also result cafe.com/visual-schedules.html in faster generalization of skills Polyxo: (Daneshvar, et al., 2003). The http://www.polyxo.com/socialstopurpose, benefits, and uses of ries video modeling will be discussed in a later article. In addition, Illinois State University: there are a variety of websites http://autismspectrum.illinoisstate. providing videos of different situedu/resources/factsheets/powerations and environments that can card.shtml be purchased as a DVD or downPersonal Communication loaded; however there are only a Passports: limited number of videos that use http://www.communicationpassASL or are captioned. Families ports.org can collaborate with teachers to create their own videos working

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Conclusion With a dual diagnosis of deafness and autism comes many challenges. A common struggle for the children and their families is communication. Finding ways to modify and use strategies at home and in the community that are similar to those being used in the classroom setting is beneficial to providing the consistency that is necessary for these children.

Future articles in the series will discuss each of these strategies in more detail. Each article will share the research supporting the strategy, provide directions on how to create and implement the strategy, show examples, and list additional resources specific to the strategy. For a full list of references, contact asdctami@aol.com.

Professionals in Deaf Education ASDC seeks articles from professionals who work with Deaf children or students. If you have articles that may benefit families with Deaf children, please submit the articles and accompanying photographs by May 1, 2012, to Editor Tami Hossler at asdctami@aol.com.

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ASDC Extends Gratitude to MSD for Hosting 2011 ASDC Conference

(L-R): Conference Co-Chair Erin Buck, ASDC Director of Advocacy Cheri Dowling, Maryland School for the Deaf Superintendent James Tucker, and Conference Co-Chair Lori Bonheyo.

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CEASD Launches “Child First” Campaign

By James Tucker, Superintendent Maryland School for the Deaf The Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) recently launched its “Child First” campaign.

The goal is to educate the U.S. Congress, the White House, the U.S. Dept. of Education, and the general public about the original intent of the landmark special education law, Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA); to raise issues relating to the misapplication of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) clause for certain groups of disabled students; and to affect changes in IDEA language during its upcoming reauthorization.

CEASD is committed to the principle that the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) and the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) are central and fundamental to the IDEA. Each and every disabled child is unique in his or her individual abilities, background, experiences, and needs; and this identification of abilities and needs must happen before the discussion of educational placement begins.

CEASD’s position paper on the upcoming reauthorization of IDEA is posted at www.ceasd.org/idea/downloads/ ConceptPaperChildFirstIEP10-19-10. pdf.

The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) clause in IDEA has grown like a malignant cancer over the years and 28

unfortunately has become the leading measuring stick used by individual states to determine if disabled children may be placed in local neighborhood schools. The states’ State Performance Plans (SPP) and companion Annual Performance Reports have quotas for placing disabled students in neighborhood schools. This “one size fits all” approach can be detrimental to the academic well being as well as the social well-being of thousands of disabled students, especially deaf and hard of hearing students.

A typical IEP meeting for a deaf child would first focus on placing the child in a local neighborhood school. This would mean discussions on procuring an educational interpreter, a notetaker, itinerant teacher, and so forth. This is wrong.

IEP meetings should always first identify the abilities and needs of a

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disabled child before an educational placement is discussed. For deaf and hard of hearing children, language acquisition, qualified personnel, direct language access, academic progress, membership in a language community, and participation in after school programs must be discussed and quantified. Then, and only then, the educational placement discussion may begin with a full review of the continuum of all educational placement options.

Ultimately, the needs of the child must always drive placement decisions.

CEASD has hired Connie Garner, Policy Director in the Government Strategies Practice Group, as its chief strategist for the “Child First” campaign.

There will be many meetings with key legislators and policy makers during the IDEA reauthorization process.

Garner was a former Policy Director for Disability and Special Populations for late Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (who was Chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions), and she was a lead Democratic staffer for the reauthorization of IDEA in 2004.

CEASD has asked the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and the American Society of Deaf Children (ASDC) for support. NAD delegates at the NAD conference last summer in Philadelphia declared the upcoming reauthorization of IDEA as their number one priority. The “Child First” campaign is now in its early stages and continues to be very fluid in its shape and form. It is expected that many more organizations (local, state and

national) will join this campaign in the next 12 months.

It is with hope that this campaign will also galvanize the parents of deaf and hard of hearing who have experienced frustrations with the misapplication of the LRE rule with their children.

Although the “Child First” campaign received its initial spark from CEASD, this campaign belongs to all disabled students and their families and advocates. It is time to stop the maddening push to place all disabled children in local neighborhood schools. It is time to stop arbitrary and destructive quotas that force local educational agencies to place more and more disabled students in local schools. It is time to go back to the original intent of IDEA where each and every child was the driving force behind the development of his or her IEP and the eventual educational placement.

The educational placement should always follow the needs of the child.

The needs of the child should never be manipulated or twisted to fit the placement of the child in local schools. Let’s all look at the child first. Let the child lead the way! Child First!

Parents and guardians who wish to share their stories may contact CEASD Executive Director Joseph P. Finnegan, Jr. at NationalOffice@ceasd.org. Individuals who wish to donate to this cause may mail checks (payable to CEASD – “Child First” Campaign) to CEASD – Child First Campaign, P. O. Box 1778, St. Augustine, FL 32085- 1778. Donations are tax deductible.

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How Important Are Student Life Programs for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students?

By Peter L. Bailey As the former Director of Student Life and the current Associate Executive Director at the Learning Center for the Deaf, in Framingham, Mass., I continue to look for different ideas and ways to expand programs by identifying their strengths and weaknesses. I gathered input from students, staff, and parents to develop after-school program goals and objectives in order to measure the progress of our program. Many parents, students, and staff appreciate being involved in the development of a new program within the school and, as a result, the program is more likely to succeed.

The need for programs has continued to increase over the years for many schools for the Deaf in this country.

Unfortunately, these same schools are starting to see fewer deaf and hard of hearing students participating in after-school activities.

What conditions contribute to low enrollment and difficulty in attracting students to after-school programs? I decided to focus my graduate research project on this topic. I gathered input 30

from students, staff, and parents to determine the factors contributing to this problem by conducting this study at several schools. I chose schools that had student life departments.

In addition to identifying the need for funding, this study also identifies the reasons why not enough participants join programs offered through the Student Life Department at schools for the Deaf, and suggests ways to incorporate the social (network), physical (well-being), Intellectual (cognitive), communicative (language access) and emotional (comfort zone) needs. This is also known as the SPICE philosophy.

Currently, most local districts fund deaf and hard of hearing students’ academic placements through their Local Educational Authority (LEA).

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This funding, however, does not cover after-school programs, and this is our biggest challenge.

Schools for the Deaf have noticed that deaf and hard of hearing students have more opportunities to participate in their residential schools’ extracurricular activities without feeling intimidated by communication barriers they may experience in their neighborhood schools’ activities. Many parents prefer that their deaf and hard of hearing children be part of activities at schools for the Deaf because they feel their children are more comfortable at these schools.

Students who graduate from schools for the Deaf have expressed that they continue to feel a sense of belonging

at their schools after they leave. They feel more comfortable in communication with teachers and residential staff and have full access to school extracurricular activities.

I hope that we, as parents and educators, can convey the significance of after-school programs for deaf and hard of hearing students, to raise awareness of the barriers and benefits, to develop strategies for taking action, and to find the resources for additional funding.

Peter Bailey serves on the ASDC board, and can be contacted at peter_bailey@ tlcdeaf.org.

Spiritual Thriller Has Deaf Character How far can you run, when you can’t run far enough?

In Flying to the Light by Elyse Salpeter, 17-yearold Michael Anderson and his kid brother Danny, who is deaf, find themselves in mortal danger after their parents are kidnapped by ruthless biophysicist Samuel Herrington. Michael discovers Danny has a powerful gift—he knows what happens after a person dies—and now others want to know, too. The brothers must outwit and outrun Herrington, the FBI, and even fellow Americans in a harrowing crosscountry chase. Whoever gets to Danny first will have the power to control the fate of every person on earth.

The book is a young adult spiritual thriller and available from Amazon at www.amazon.com or Cool Well Press at www.coolwellpress.com.

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I Deafinitely Can!

Tova Stewart Shines in Sundance Film

By Julie and Terry Stewart Tova Stewart is our eightyear-old Deaf child. We are Deaf parents. Tova was given a once in lifetime opportunity to be in a movie when she was six years old. A memo from Ohio School for the Deaf (OSD) Superintendent Dr. Ed Corbett was given to me; it announced the search for a four-to-six-year-old deaf girl for a role as a daughter of two leading characters. I contacted Tyler Davidson, the producer, and arranged a meeting with him and the director, Jeff Nichols.

They came to OSD to meet with me first for questions. I took them over to meet Tova during her recess. They asked Tova questions such as what her favorite movie was (How to Train a Dragon). Immediately after meeting Tova, they wanted her to come up to the production office in Chagrin Falls, near Cleveland, for a screen test.

The point of the screen test was to see how well Tova could take and follow the directions and interact with the other actors. It was a long week before they e-mailed me to offer Tova the role. Jeff and Tyler came down to our house with an interpreter to finalize the information and details. The filming took 24 days with about 42 locations, which is pretty quick for filmmaking. Everyone

was amazed with Tova.

For Tova, it was way better than sending her to a movie camp. Everyone was so nice and loving towards Tova. We have a list of nannies/mannies if we ever need one in the future. The hours were crazy—filming in the morning, and then the next day, filming late into the night—but it all was good.

Tova really enjoyed herself and never complained about being on the set, except for the times she wanted to see her friends back home.

We were amazed by how Tova interacted with her movie parents and the director, as well as the crew. The language barrier wasn’t even there thanks to the interpreter, Melissa, who was constantly at Tova’s side to provide communication access. It was like Tova had been doing movies her whole life!

I was bit concerned about Tova being afraid because of the storyline. We would talk about the scenes that would 33

be filmed that day and how it is related to the story. There were some scary scenes she had to be in with Michael Shannon pertaining to his character’s dreams.

She handled it all very well. I remember one night when Michael had to do an intense scene and he was concerned about Tova being afraid of him. After filming the scene, he came to me asking how to sign, “I’m okay, you okay?” I watched him and Jessica Chastain checking in with Tova to be sure they all were okay, signing, “ME OKAY, YOU OKAY?” They developed a wonderful relationship, which I felt really showed in the movie. I still get goose bumps remembering that night.

The movie was selected to be shown to the world for the first time at Sundance 2011. We took a family trip out there, and Tova got to see Jessica, Michael, Jeff and some of the crew once again. Seeing each other again was one of the best moments! It was like they never lost in touch. Jessica remembered signs she picked up during the filming seven months before! Tova remained humble throughout the movie premieres. It was really odd for us to see her on the big screen and her sitting next to us! She enjoyed the cast party afterwards, and had a fun time playing and laughing with the crew members.

We are proud of Tova for having a movie making experience under her belt and being so very humble about it. She does want to be in more movies—what kid wouldn’t want to?

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.

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In the News...

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Conference Scheduled for March 5-6 in St. Louis Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) will hold the 2012 EHDI conference on March 5-6 in St. Louis at the Union Station Marriot. For more information, visit www.ehdiconference.org.

Save the Date: March 3 The National Summit on Deaf Education will hold a pre-conference session in St. Louis on March 3. This full-day working meeting will review the National Agenda goals and identify measurable outcomes. Small and large group discussions will focus on identifying appropriate indicators and the resources, timelines, and benchmarks needed to address each goal.

5th Biennial Deaf Studies Today!

Conference to be held April 12-14 The fifth biennial Deaf Studies Today!

Conference will be held at Utah Valley University on April 12, 13, and 14. To get more information, visit www.deafstudies.org.

Final Part C Regulations Issued Final regulations governing the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities were released on Sept. 28, 2011. The IDEA Part C final regulations became effective on Oct. 28, 2011. For more, visit www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-0928/html/2011-22783.htm.

2012 DeafNation Expo Schedule DeafNation is entering its 10th year of DeafNation Expos with yet another exciting lineup for 2012. As always, registration and admission to DeafNation Expos are free! DeafNation Expo’s schedule is as follows: March 17: Orlando, FL March 31: Dallas, TX April 14: Atlanta, GA April 21: Denver, CO May 5: Pomona, CA July 29-Aug. 1: DeafNation World Expo, Las Vegas, NV Oct. 13: Pleasanton, CA Oct. 20: Seattle, WA Nov. 3: Chicago, IL Details are at www.deafnation.com/ dnexpo.

Described and Captioned Media Program

Free-Loan Media for Educational Accessibility

The DCMP library provides over 4,000 captioned educational media titles to teachers, family members, and others who work with K-12 students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind.

www.readcaptions acrossamerica.org 35

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It’s Not Too Early to Think About Summer Camps!

Alabama Camp Shocco for the Deaf 216 North St. East P.O. Box 602 Talladega, AL 35161 www.campshocco.org Space Camp/Aviation Challenge U.S. Space & Rocket Center One Tranquility Base Huntsville, AL 35805 1-800-63-SPACE www.spacecamp.com/deaf

Knightsen, CA 94548 www.lionswildcamp.org

www.gachi.org/camp/ camp.htm

California Camp Grizzly July 29–August 4 4708 Roseville Rd. #112 N. Highlands, CA 95060 916- 349-7500 V 916-993-3048 VP www.norcalcenter.org

Colorado Aspen Camp of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing P.O. Box 1494 Aspen, CO 81612 970-923-2511 V 970-315-0513 VP www.aspencamp.org

Illinois Camp Lions of Illinois 2814 DeKalb Avenue Sycamore, IL 60178 800-933-3937 www.lionsofillinois foundation.org

Calif. Lions Camp, Inc. Camp Pacifica Mail Box 110 257 Belle Vue Rd. Atwater, CA 95301 www.californialionscamp. org

Connecticut Camp Isola Bella 139 North Main St. West Hartford, CT 06107 860-570-2300 www.campisolabella.org

Camp Hapitok 3360 Education Dr. San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 805-593-3125 www.camphapitok.org Lions Wilderness Camp P.O. Box 195

Georgia Camp Juliena GA Council for the Hearing Impaired, Inc. 4151 Memorial Dr. Suite 103-B Decatur, GA 30032 404-292-5312

Stan Mikita Hockey School June 9 – 16, 2012 1143 West Lake St. Chicago, IL 60607 773-445-7033 www.ahiha.org Indiana Indiana Deaf Camps, Inc. July 15 – 20, 2012 100 West 86th St. Indianapolis, IN 46260 317-846-3404 ext. 305 www.indeafcamps.org

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Kansas The St. Joseph SERTOMA Clubs Summer Camp for the Deaf or Hard Of Hearing July 8–13, 2012 14928 West 126th St. Olathe, KS 66062 913-324-5203 VP www.sertomadeafcamp.org Maryland Lions Camp Merrick 3650 Rick Hamilton Pl. P.O. Box 56 Nanjemoy, MD 20662 301-870-5858 www.lionscampmerrick. org

Michigan Camp Chris Williams 586-778-4188 www.michdhh.org Minnesota Courage Center Camps 3915 Golden Valley Rd. Minneapolis, MN 55422 866-520-0504 www.couragecenter.org Missouri Camp Barnabas 901 Teas Trail 2060 Purdy, MO 65734 417-886-9800 www.campbarnabas.org

CueCamp Friendship P.O. Box 9173 Silver Spring, MD 20916 800-459-3529 www.cuedspeech.org

New Hampshire Windsor Mountain Intl.

One World Way Windsor, NH 03244 800-862-7760 www.windsormountain.org

Deaf Camps, Inc. 417 Oak Court Catonsville, MD 21227 443-739-0716 www.deafcampsinc.org

New Mexico Apache Creek Deaf and Youth Ranch P.O. Box 260 Reserve, NM 87830

575-533-6820 www.apachecreek.us National Leadership & Literacy Camp July 7–25, 2012 New Mexico School for the Deaf 402-206-2527 www.nllcamp.com New York Camp Mark Seven 144 Mohawk Hotel Rd. Old Forge, NY 13420 315-357-6089 www.campmark7.org Cradle Beach Camp 8038 Old Lakeshore Rd. Angola, New York 14006 716-549-6307 www.cradlebeach.org Rochester Institute of Technology National Technical Institute for the Deaf Steps To Success: Aug. 3-5 Techgirlz: July 28–Aug. 3 TechBoyz: July 28–Aug. 3 52 Lomb Memorial Dr. Rochester, NY 14623 585-475-6700 www.ntid.rit.edu North Carolina Camp Sertoma June 17–22, 2012 1105 Camp Sertoma Dr Westfield, NC, 27053 336-593-8057 www.campsertomaclub.org

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Millville, PA 17846 570-458-6530 www.campvictory.org Lions Camp Kirby 1735 Narrows Hill Rd. Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972 610-982-5731 cp2.enter.net/~c63587x1/

Oregon NAD Youth Leadership Program Camp Taloali July 23–August 19, 2012 P.O. Box 32 Stayton, OR 97383 971-239-8153 www.nad.org/ylccamper www.taloali.us Northwest Christian Camp for the Deaf July 22–27, 2012 P.O. Box 21011 Salem, OR 97307 503-390-2433 www.gmdeaf.org Pennsylvania Camp HERO P O Box 810

Tennessee Bill Rice Ranch Deaf Camp 627 Bill Rice Ranch Rd. Murfreesboro, TN 37128 615-893-2767 www.billriceranch.org Camp Summer sign Brentwood Baptist Deaf Church 7777 Concord Rd. Brentwood, TN 37027 615-290-5156VP www.brentwooddeaf.org Texas Isaiahs Place 231 HCR 1207 Whitney, TX 76692 254-694-7771 www.isaiahsplace.org

Texas School for the Deaf Summer Programs 1102 South Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78704 512-462-5353 www.tsd.state.tx.us/sum_ prg/index.html Vermont Austine Green Mountain Lions Camp 209 Austine Dr. Brattleboro, VT 05301 802-258-9513 www.vcdhh.org Wisconsin Center for Communication Hearing & Deafness Family Learning Vacation 10243 West National Avenue West Allis, WI 53227 414-604-2200 www.cchdwi.org Wisconsin Lions Camp 3834 County Rd. A Rosholt, WI 54473 715-677-4969 www.wisconsinlionscamp. com

Do You Have a Story to Tell?

The Endeavor wants stories from you. These stories can be about your experiences finding out your child was deaf, early intervention, education, socialization, advocacy, or anything else that can help other families on their journeys.

The deadline to submit stories for the next issue of The Endeavor is May 1, 2012. Send stories and photographs to Editor Tami Hossler at asdctami@aol.com.

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ASDC Advocacy Coalitions and Partnerships Council on Education of the Deaf The Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) is an organization sponsored by Association of College Educators – Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, American Society of Deaf Children, Council of American Instructors of the Deaf, Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf, National Association of the Deaf, and Council on Exceptional Children/ Division on Communication Disorders and Deafness. CED maintains high standards for persons working with deaf and/or hard of hearing students in the education process by certifying professionals according to established guidelines in specific areas of training and experience. ASDC member Cathy Rhoten serves as CED president.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance (DHHA) focuses on public policy related to improving the quality of life for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Members include Alexander Graham Bell Association, American Academy of Audiology, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 40

American Society for Deaf Children, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf, Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf, Cued Language Network of America, Hearing Loss Association of America, National Association of the Deaf, National Court Reporters Association, National Cued Speech Association, Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., Testing, Evaluation, and Certification Unit.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network (DHHCAN) is a coalition of, by, and for deaf and hard of hearing Americans working to improve access and opportunities for the nation’s 28 million citizens with hearing loss. DHHCAN members in-

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clude the American Association of the Deaf-Blind, the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association, the Association of Late-Deafened Adults, the American Society for Deaf Children, the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf, Communication Service for the Deaf, Deaf Seniors of America, Gallaudet University, Gallaudet University Alumni Association, National Association of the Deaf, National Black Deaf Advocates, National Catholic Office of the Deaf, Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., USA Deaf Sports Federation, and The Caption Center/WGBH. Described and Captioned Media Project The mission of Described and Captioned Media Project (DCMP) is to provide all persons who are deaf or hard of hearing awareness of and equal access to communication and learning through the use of captioned educational media and supportive collateral materials. The CMP also acts as a captioning information and training center. The ultimate goal of the CMP is to permit media to be an integral part in the lifelong learning process for all stakeholders in the deaf and hard of hearing community: adults, students, parents, and educators. ASDC serves on the DCMP Advisory Board.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Partnership The Individuals with Disabilities Educa-

tion Act (IDEA) Partnership is a collaborative effort of more than 55 national organizations, as well as technical assistance providers and State and local organizations and agencies. Together with the Office of Special Education Programs, the partner organizations form a community to transform the way we serve students and families through IDEA implementation.

National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities The National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities (NLCSD) works to increase, through specialized doctoral training, the number and quality of leadership personnel competent in the areas of higher education and research to improve education services for infants, children and youth who have sensory disabilities (deafness/hard of hearing, blindness/low vision, and deafblindness) including those with multiple disabilities.

Sensory Disabilities Roundtable The Sensory Disabilities Roundtable Coalition was revitalized to bring together organizations to advocate and educate on issues related to the education of children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired.

The coalition will focus its efforts on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Coalition members include: A.G. Bell, American Association of the Deaf-Blind, American Society for Deaf Children, Confer41

ence of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf, Helen Keller National Center, National Association of the Deaf, and the National Federation of the Blind.

State Leaders Summit on Deaf Education The mission of the National Summit on Deaf Education is to promote and advance knowledge and leadership through professional and parent stakeholder partnerships that result in col-

laborative state education systems and improved outcomes for children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The National Summit on Deaf Education joins leaders in education and administration with parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing for the purpose of designing educational systems and services that will successfully launch every deaf or hard of hearing student from birth to young adulthood to his/her highest academic and social potential.

Tami Hossler is Phi Kappa Zeta’s 2011 Woman of the Year The Phi Kappa Zeta Sorority, Inc., announced on Jan. 15 the selection of Tami Hossler as its 2011 Woman of the Year.

A hearing mother of a deaf daughter and a hearing daughter, Hossler is an untiring and fierce advocate for the rights of Deaf children to a bilingual education. She became involved in deaf education when she learned her daughter, Erica, was deaf.

At that time they lived in Indiana, and were referred to the Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD) by a knowledgeable audiologist where she witnessed her daughter blossom in the school’s bilingual program that used both American Sign Language and English in the classroom.

Tami has worked for deaf children all over the country, from Florida to Alaska 42

to California to Washington, D.C. Tami serves on the Deaf Bilingual Coalition (DBC) board and also is DBC’s outreach coordinator. Additionally, she is on the ASDC board and edits the ASDC’s quarterly publication, The Endeavor. She is on the Education Committee for the Florida Association of the Deaf, now heavily involved in passing a bill of rights for Deaf children, and is a member of the coalition for the Indiana School for the Deaf.

As a role model for many hearing parents with deaf children, Tami spends hours on the phone talking with parents on advocacy, language and cultural topics. A new grandmother, Tami lives in Florida with her husband.

www.deafchildren.org

Donors to ASDC’s Annual Appeal

Deborah & Andrew Adler Brianne Alberts Allstate Giving Campaign Jeff & Amy Amundsen Jane Barnett Dolores & Alan Bartel William Becker (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Beth & Dwight Benedict Ruby Bowden (in memory of Vivian Roop) Bubbling Brooke Design Dean Campbell Jody Caseiro Guillaume & Margaret Chastel Jon Child Cathy Corrado Beth Cowan James & Jodee Crace Kristin & Stephen Diperri John Egbert Lisalee & Stephen Egbert James Epstein Jeffrey & Debra Erickson Sally Estrada Joe & Margaret Finnegan Mr. & Mrs. George Folz (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Michael Frame Timothy Frelich Melvin & Linda Fuelner (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Stephen Gilchrist Mervin & Carol Garretson

Hannah Hardy Richard & Jane Hender Vandora Henderson Jeff & Tami Hossler Karen Huan Scott Huan Connor Hunt T. Alan & Vicki Hurwitz Lorna Irwin Dathaniel Jones John Jun Jenifer Kasten Nathan Katz Richard & Debrar Knight (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Lisa Kornberg Rozanne Landers Vladmir Leonidas Jacqueline Levine Dr. Eric Lund Mark & Tracy MacGregor (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Chris Major Nancy Massaroni Dr. Cheron Mayhall Braelynn McDaniel Julie Mitchiner Irene Muensterman (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Lawrence & Betty Newman Lauren Nukes Lynn Ober Continued on next page 43

Continued from previous page Gina Oliva Mai Pham Christopher & Yolanda Pierre Dr. Jeanne Prickett Riolo Family Jean Ritchey Dennis Rodriguez Kayla Rodriguez Liz Rosenberg Jack Schwalb Kathleen Setzer Sheila Shea Sign Crafters Inc. (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Mr. & Mrs. Mel Singer (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz)

Nancy Simmons Angela Smith (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Michael Suchy Scott & April Taylor Toys R Us Children’s Fund United Jewish Endowment Fund United Way of the Capital Region Geralda Vigil Visualize ASL Joseph Weisenauer Mark & Annette Werner (in memory of Jennifer Marie Folz) Richard & Teresa Wickstrom Nicholas Wilhite Alan & Martha Wismer Stuart Yamartino

Websites of Interest Interacting with Deaf people will provide opportunities for ASL development for the family and the child. Below are some websites for learning ASL. Signs For Intelligence www.signsforintelligence.com

ASL University www.lifeprint.com

Everyday ASL www.everydayasl.com

ASL Pro www.aslpro.com

Signing Time www.signingtime.com

Babies and Sign Language www.babiesandsignlanguage.com

Baby Signs www.babysigns.com

DawnSignPress www.dawnsignpress.com

Sign 2 Me www.sign2me.com

Harris Communications www.harriscomm.com

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www.deafchildren.org

Deaf History Sails Into All Educational Settings Laurent Clerc and Thomas H. Gallaudet are the most important figures in American Deaf history, having co-founded the American School for the Deaf in 1817, the first permanent school for the Deaf in North America. Their work allowed for the proliferation of American Sign Language, and its acceptance as an important element in Deaf education and culture.

In the American K-12 social studies curriculum, history books are filled with information about notable leaders like President George Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr. But what about Clerc? Deaf learners deserve to learn about Clerc in their history classes as early as they learn about Washington and Martin Luther King. There are texts that already feature Clerc as an important historical figure, such as Have You Ever Seen…? An American Sign Language (ASL) Handshape DVD/Book (HYES), and Emily McCully’s My Heart Glow: Alice Cogswell, Thomas Gallaudet, and the Birth of American Sign Language. These texts are designed with Deaf learners in mind. So why is it that Deaf children are not being educated on their own culture

and history?

The omission of Deaf culture and history from Deaf learners’ education impedes understanding of their own identity as Deaf people, and strips them of the ability to understand their experience and culture within the continuum of other historical figures and events.

ASL Rose makes the following recommendations to provide opportunities for all students to learn about Deaf history: A plethora of Deaf historical information should be made available through books and DVDs. Educational programs for the Deaf should recognize Deaf history as an integral component of the curriculum.

Technical scholarly work should be “simplified” in order to create ageappropriate Deaf history materials for students. For example, Harlan Lane’s scholarly When the Mind Hears, about Clerc’s life journey, has been abridged into a children’s version, Laurent Clerc: The Story of His Early Years, by Cathryn Carroll.

Deaf history materials should be inteContinued on page 47 45

Building Literacy Through Schema and the Grand Canyon

By LisaLee Egbert, Ph.D. When I was 18, my parents announced that we were taking a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Coupled with the arrogance of my age and the fact that I had never seen the Grand Canyon in person, my excitement for the trip was nil. I grew up between California and Texas.

I was in awe of the vast ocean and the vistas from the mountaintops of California. Unlike the tumbleweeds of the movies, Texas skies took my breath away as I drove through the hill country. I did not want to go on a family vacation to “a big hole in the ground!”

I had no schema for the Grand Canyon, no real prior knowledge of the “big hole in the ground.” Schema is prior knowledge, understanding and experience of an event, place, feeling, and more. In terms of life skills, schema enriches us.

When we arrived at the Grand Canyon, my parents forced me out of the van.

“It’s just a hole,” I muttered and rolled out of the vehicle. As I walked closer to the cliff, tears began forming in my eyes. When I reached the edge, I could scarcely see through my water-filled eyes. The Grand Canyon was not a “big hole in the ground.” It was layer upon layer of sculptured earth that was as enormous as the California mountains and ocean and as immeasurable as the Texas skies.

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Schema, in terms of building literacy, is critical. We expect children to have some experiences when they get to school (such as, What is a TV? Where do you live?). As adults we might be able to transfer schema from one topic to another topic. For example, one might have a schema for working on a Mac computer. The knowledge of the Mac might help us on a PC or vice versa. If children are never exposed to something, it is extraordinarily difficult for them to talk about it, let alone read and write about it.

Building a literacy base in terms of schema will empower and scaffold all children in their voyage to grade level reading and writing. Schema development can happen spontaneously or be planned. If you and children happen upon a praying mantis in the yard, take time to talk about it: What color is it?

Is the torso long or short? How big is it? Compare and contrast the “arms” and the “legs” of the insect. Later, you may want to jump on the Internet with

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your child and look up the bug or go to the library to get a book about insects.

When insects are introduced at school or in a general conversation, the child will have an understanding of the topic.

Or you may plan a family vacation to a different state or geographical location. You may take the train, the car, the subway, or plane... you may go to grandma and grandpa’s house or visit Mickey Mouse. Schema building can also occur within the act of reading and writing itself.

The more a child can experience life, the more schema the child builds; the more prior knowledge the child can call upon for understanding, the better chance the child has for comprehension. The more schema that is banked in a children’s minds, the more they can relate to what is being read to them or what they must write.

Deaf History Sails Continued from page 45 grated into the larger context of American history and social studies.

Deaf history should be offered in the school curriculum as early as preschool.

Historians and educators should develop partnerships to incorporate preschool-12th-grade-level contents on Deaf history in their curriculum.

Deaf history teachers should meet with professionals for dialogue, collaboration, and development of standards to measure curriculum and student progress.

Deaf learners should have access to a variety of texts and media, includ-

A “simple” trip to the zoo is not so simple after all. Allowing a child to see the grandeur of the elephants, the visual playfulness of the monkeys, and the feeding of the hippos enables the child to relate to the story.

Equally important as exposing the child to something is discussing what transpired. Conversing solidifies the experience for the child. Giving words to smells, feelings, locations and people allows schema to be even richer.

Pictures allow the child to revisit the experience.

Literacy, reading and writing, is more than words on the page. Literacy is understanding, comprehending and grasping what is being read and written. Building schema is essential to building strong readers and writers.

ing magazines (i.e. Deaf Life), e-magazines (i.e. KISSFIST), newspapers (i.e.

SigNews), newsletters (i.e. ASLTA), e-newsletters (i.e. Deaf History International), e-journals (i.e. Digital Journal Deaf Studies) and vlogs/blogs (i.e.

“Deafhood Discussions”).

Collaboration should occur between scholars of Deaf cultural studies and Deaf historical studies, so that both groups have greater access to important sources of information.

A centralized collection of instructional media on Deaf history should be made available for the distribution of materials to Deaf educational programs.

Excerpted from www.aslrose.com.

Reprinted with permission.

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ASDC’s Renewing Educational and Organizational Members Alabama School for the Deaf 205 South St. East PO Box 698 Talladega, AL 35161 (256) 761-3214 (866) 936-0016 VP (256) 761-3278 Fax www.aidb.org www.asdsilentwarriors. com Alabama School for the Deaf is an accredited school program celebrating over 150 years of serving children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

American School for the Deaf 139 N. Main St. West Hartford, CT 06107 (860) 570-2304 (860) 570-2301 Fax www.asd-1817.org Arkansas School for the Deaf 2400 W. Markham St. Little Rock, AR 72203 (501) 324-9506 (501) 246-8452 VP 501-324-9559 Fax www.arschoolforthedeaf.org Arkansas School for the 48

Deaf was founded in 1850.

Since that time, ASD has become a tradition in the state, and a leader in the field of Deaf education nationwide. Its mission is to create learning opportunities for academic excellence and personal independence.

Maryland School for the Deaf 101 Clarke Pl. Frederick, MD 21705 (301) 360-2000 (240) 575-2966 VP (301) 360-2001 TTY Since 1868, Maryland School for the Deaf has been at the forefront in shaping educational trends for deaf and hard of hearing children and youth.

Today, MSD is internationally acknowledged for educational leadership that embraces innovative instruction and emerging technologies. An MSD education is available to deaf and hard of hearing Maryland children from birth to age 21. MSD also offers comprehensive educational programs fully accredited by the Middle States As-

sociation of Colleges and Schools and serves children across a broad spectrum of intellectual and physical abilities, including those with mild to severe additional disabilities. Additionally, MSD provides extraordinary support to children and families and is FREE to Maryland residents.

Nebraska Regional Programs for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing ESU#9 1117 S. East St. Hastings, NE 68901 (402) 463-5611 nrpdhh.esu9.org This program was developed to support the concept of regional programs and cooperative relationships with the school districts, educational service units and consortium of school districts in order to: • Maximize resources in providing programs and services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing; • Provide a network of support and services that will serve as the state infra-

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structure to link programs together and assist in the enhancement of a child’s educational program; • Contain costs now in order to assure future funding; • Provide continued support to quality educational programs, which may include center-based options; • Reinforce the belief that children who are deaf or hard of hearing benefit from education with hearing and deaf or hard of hearing peers; • Continue state leadership and support for a full continuum of placement options for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Pennsylvania School for the Deaf 100 W. School House Ln. Philadelphia, PA 19144 (215) 951-4700 www.psd.org The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf provides quality education and enriching life experiences to prepare deaf and hard of hearing students for life-long participation in the communities of their choice. PSD believes given an early, consistent and accessible language-rich environment and challenged by high expectations, learners will attain: academic and technological competence, the ability to think critically

and creatively, and a strong sense of positive self-identity. Effective instruction links learning to life and fosters successful independence through academic, social, physical, cultural and self-reflecting personal experiences. Language access is the center of learning and literacy and levels the «playing field» for optimal achievement for all. An appropriate ASL/English bilingual program includes signed, written and spoken languages for deaf and hard of hearing learners. Each learner is unique. Valuing and respecting differences enriches the quality of life for everyone. Meaningful

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 e-mail 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, e-mail asdc@deafchildren.org or call (800) 942-2732.

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partnerships with families and diverse communities provide the foundation for personal growth and character development.

Students flourish when engaged in safe and caring communities with which they identify.

St. Rita’s School for the Deaf 1720 Glendale Milford Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45215 (513) 771-7600 www.srsdeaf.org.

A Catholic day/residential program whose primary mission is to educate infants and students who need communication and technological support.

St. Rita’s is committed to providing a safe, valueoriented environment that facilitates the educational, social and spiritual development of each student.

It believes the best way to educate deaf and hard of hearing children is through comprehensive communication. This philosophy offers a child every available stimulus for human interaction, including sign language, lip-reading, assistive listening devices, visual aids and technology.

St. Rita’s believes every 50

student is different and has his or her own way of learning and communicating. Through the philosophy of comprehensive communication, teachers and students are able to choose which method of communication works best for them. This approach to communicating promotes an accepting and positive classroom environment, allowing students to focus their attention on what is really important, learning.

Speech therapy and auditory training are major parts of the comprehensive communication philosophy, as well as using sign language and speech simultaneously.

Each student receives therapy from the staff of certified speech therapists. In addition, unless a child has a cochlear implant, he or she is offered an auditory trainer through the sixth grade to take advantage of any residual hearing.

The Learning Center for the Deaf 848 Central St. Framingham, MA 01701 (508) 879-5110 www.tlcdeaf.org The Learning Center for the Deaf (TLC) serves deaf and

hard of hearing students from infancy through high school. Founded in 1970 with several basic principles in mind, the following continue to be prevalent within their philosophy.

TLC fosters respect for each of their students, for their families, and for every staff member. TLC faculty shares the firm belief that learning is a life-long process which can be exciting and fun. TLC creates an environment where communication and language are continuously accessible.

TLC provides academic opportunities and high standards for all deaf and hard of hearing students.

Throughout its history, TLC has been a leader in Deaf education. It was the first school in Massachusetts to depart from the “oral” method of education and to advocate the use of sign language in addition to spoken English. In 1988, TLC became a bilingual and bicultural school.

Dawn Sign Press 6130 Nancy Ridge Dr. San Diego, CA 92121 (858) 625-0600 (858) 768-0428 VP (858) 625-2336 Fax www.dawnsign.com

www.deafchildren.org

Invest in Our Future!

The NAD joins hands with ASDC in investing in the future of deaf and hard of hearing children National Association of the Deaf www.nad.org/join

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

MEMBERSHIP FORM Name:__________________________

E-mail: ___________________________

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 or hard of hearing

children are eligible for a FREE one-year membership. Just fill out this

form and mail, e-mail or fax it back to us.)

Deaf or Hard of Hearing 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

_______$250 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 • E-mail: asdc@deafchildren.org

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

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

OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE. Mission Statement The American Society for Deaf Children supports and educates families of deaf and hard of hearing children and advocates for highquality programs and services.

Consider joining ASDC today, and receive The Endeavor three times each 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 and hard of hearing 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