Office of Deaf Services SIGN of the TIMES E-NEWS January 2011 Visit DSCI website: www.deafservices.iowa.gov Questions or Comments? Email us: dhr.dsci@iowa.gov HAPPY NEW YEAR From Staff and Commissioners! ANNOUNCEMENT Communication Services for the Deaf is now accepting applications for Project Endeavor "Communication Services for the Deaf has opened a new contact center and is starting to qualify deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers for Project Endeavor, a two-year project that allows low-income deaf and hard of hearing to purchase discounted equipment such as laptops, high-speed Internet access and life-skills training. For the cost of $230, consumers receive a new notebook computer along with a 12-month 3G/4G wireless Internet access plan at no additional cost. Participants can keep the computer after the two-year project ends. Deaf and hard of hearing consumers who can verify a bilateral hearing loss of 40db or greater should contact the Project Endeavor contact center at 877-NETME77 (voice), 877- 403-4596 (TTY), 550-4056 or 644-7399 (VP), and 782-8446 (fax). The contact center also can be reached via e-mail at info@projectendeavor.com." ANNOUNCEMENT ROB THE RACOON, OUR CAMP MASCOT IS THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT JUNIOR COMMISSION PROGRAM LEADERSHIP CAMP IS BACK! JULY 18 — 23, 2011 DOLLIVER STATE PARK APPLICATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE www.deafservices.iowa.gov/youth/junior-camp Donations are welcome to the JCP Camp. ANNOUNCEMENT This information, Visual Smoke Detectors for Deaf and Hard of Hearing is posted and available on the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s website: http://www.dps.state.ia.us/fm/main/smoke_detector_project/index.shtml Conventional smoke alarms can’t fully address the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing and who can’t rely on the sound of a conventional alarm to alert them to smoke or fire. Today, safety device manufacturers and vendors offer visual smoke alarms that use sound and strobe lights to alert people to fires in the home. These specialized alarms are more expensive than regular smoke alarms. The Office of Deaf Services within the Department of Human Rights has a long term goal to develop a visual smoke alarm distribution program for deaf and hard of hearing Iowans. In November 2001, 30 participants who were either deaf or hard of hearing or had a family member who couldn’t hear volunteered and did a needs assessment survey. As a result, the outcome shows that 63% don’t have visual smoke alarms and 17 families had at least two deaf members per household. The Office of Deaf Services encourages families with deaf or hard of hearing children and hearing children of deaf parents to fill out the Smoke Detector Project Survey. According to the Department of Education’s report, .Data on Iowa Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing,. November, 2008, shows 3320 students in Iowa. It is recommended when filling out the survey to add how many people are deaf or hard of hearing in your home. Status Form for Deaf/Hard of Hearing The Office of Deaf Services and State Fire Marshal are working together on the needs of visual smoke alarms for the families with deaf or hard of hearing members. This voluntary status form will help get the funding for these specialized alarms. This will also help local fire departments follow up with these families and help collect the optional surveys. This is a voluntary form which deaf and hard of hearing community members can send to the local fire department in their community. It is important to let the firefighters know if you move nd/or this information changes. Name _______________________________________________________________________ Phone: (check all that apply) Voice___ TTY___ CapTel ___ VP (video phone) ___ Number: ___________________ Address: _________________________ City: ____________________________ State ______________ Zip Code ___________ Number deaf in household: _______ Number hearing in household: ________ Please check if appropriate: ________ Knows sign language ________ Doesn’t know sign language I give permission for firefighters to provide this information to help with installing the visual smoke alarms in our house. Signature:______________________________________ Date: __________________ Please mail form to your local fire department. Notify fire department in the event of moving from this residence. ANNOUCMENT .The Iowa Department of Public Health, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program is pleased to announce the Hearing Aids and Audiological Services funding will be available for another year beginning July 1, 2011. The appropriation, $187,890.00, was made possible by the Legislature during the last legislative session. Claims will be accepted for services July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011, or until the funds run out. If you know of a child in need of hearing aids or audiological services, please have the family contact Provider Claim Systems at (800) 547- 6789 for an application or click on the link under Funding Announcement entitled Application on the EHDI website, www.idph.state.ia.us/iaehdi/default.asp, parent or professionals pages. There you will also find a frequently asked questions sheet, which includes information about eligibility and services provided.. Completed applications can be faxed or mailed to Provider Claim Systems as follows: Provider Claim Systems P.O. Box 1608 Mason City, IA 50402-1608 Phone: (800) 547-6789 - toll-free Fax: (641) 422-2713 INFORMATION If movie captions are important to you, tell the Department of Justice on or before January 24, 2011! Hearing Loss Association of America issued this Action Alert: Write to the Department of Justice to support Captioning in Cinema. If movie captions is important to you tell the DOJ. For more information: : http://hlaa.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=11282.0&dlv_id=25081 ANNOUNCEMENT Iowa Civil Rights Commission is gathering input on ADA access at the Iowa State Fair. They created a link below for people to go to and share their concerns or wishes There is a form available now regarding accessibility at the State Fair that they welcome anyone to fill out. If you can't access the form please email to: Elizabeth.DeBruin@iowa.gov and she’ll send along something via email. Thank you for taking the time to fill this out in this busy season. Any input you might have would be invaluable. The link: https://spreadsheets1.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGVNeE5oM0lVZ3djeXktZ1ZGUnNzcGc6MQ INTERESTING RESEARCH INFORMATION "Brain imaging suggests that the brain can readily handle dual language development (bimodol-bilingual)." (Petitto, Katerelos, Levy, Guana, et. Al., 2001). "Being exposed to two languages from birth and in particular, being exposed to a signed and spoken language from birth – does not cause a child to be language delayed and confused." (Petitto & Kovelman, 2003) "Having to wait several years to reach a satisfactory level in oral language that might never be attained, and in the meantime denying the deaf child access to a language that meets his/her immediate needs (sign language), is basically taking the risk that the child will fall behind in his/her development, be it linguistic, cognitive, social, or personal." (Grosjean, 2008) "Early access to language (spoken or signed) is the best predictor of positive spoken language outcomes." (Yoshinaga-Itano & Sedey, 2000) ANNOUNCEMENT TDI—Telecommunication for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing announces a new mobile technology service available called “Text4baby”. TDI is a consumer advocacy organization that provides leadership in achieving equal access to telecommunications, media, and information tech- nologies for 36 million Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing. The purpose for this service is educating New Moms via Text Messaging that provides free text messages with timely health information to women from early pregnancy through their babies’ first year. For more information and frequently asked questions, please go to www.text4baby.org . CALENDAR OF EVENTS 1/07: 6:00 pm: American Sign Language Social hosted by Deaf Awareness and DMACC located at ALL-Play, Des Moines. 1/15: 9:00 am: Iowa Association of the Deaf Board Meeting located at URrelay, 3117—1st Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. 1/22: 1-2 pm: Central Iowa Hearing Loss Association Presentation by Martha Meyer located at Scottish Rite Park Apartments, 2909 Woodland Ave., Des Moines. To see more details of these events, see our events webpage: http://www.deafservices.iowa.gov/events/index.html MARK YOUR CALENDARS Deaf Capitol Day Deaf and Hard of Hearing students from East High School, Des Moines will be hosting Deaf Capitol Day on March 7, 2011