About.com Deafness

Potential Sweetie Has Hearing Aids

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:15:45 +0000

Sophia1970 on the forum has run into what must be a common dilemma for hearing people:

"I have just met a very attractive man who is wearing hearing aids and visibly feels a bit uncomfortable about it. I had not noticed, could not really care less but I am not comfortable either pointing the finger nor pretending they are not there..."

Read the rest and reply to Sophia1970 on the forum.

I wonder, are there similar dilemmas when sighted people meet blind people? Are blind people ever self-conscious about their canes?� After all, when you see someone with a "blind cane," you immediately know the person is blind.

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Potential Sweetie Has Hearing Aids originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 09:15:45.

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What Do You Think of the VRS Arrests?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:18:47 +0000

What do you think about the recent indictments of 26 people for stealing millions of dollars from the telecommunications relay services funds? There has been a lot of emotions expressed over this; share your thoughts on the forum. Incidentally, someone asked if I had any relationship to two of the men arrested, because my last name is the same as their last name. I would like to publicly state that I have no relationship to them. I look forward to seeing your thoughts on the forum.

What Do You Think of the VRS Arrests? originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 19:18:47.

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Way to Go, Google! Thanks for Automatic Captions!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:23:01 +0000

You could literally FEEL the joy today in the deaf community when Google announced it was introducing automatic captioning on Google-owned YouTube! As explained by deaf Google Software Engineer Ken Harrenstien, it works this way:

Google has a technology called automatic speech recognition (ASR). ASR borrows the capabilities of Google Voice, a voice recognition technology. At the same time, YouTube already has a closed caption display feature. All Google had to do was marry them, and voila! Automatic Captions.

Plus, Google is also introducing an automatic caption timing technology that will make it VERY easy for anyone to caption a YouTube video. All the YouTube video creator has to do is upload the text of the words spoken in the video, and Google's technology will "listen" to when the words are spoken and create captions!

According to the Official Google Blog, automatic caption timing capability will be available systemwide, but because bugs still need to be ironed out in automatic captions, initial availability will be limited to a few channels on YouTube. The list is on the Official Google Blog.

The importance of Google's accomplishment can not be overstated. The HR 3101 bill's internet captioning requirements do not apply to user-generated content such as that on YouTube. Google has solved that problem for us! The National Association of the Deaf echoed my thoughts when they said:

"Yes, we still need HR 3101! Google's technology is an awesome first step. We look forward to seeing the same initiative from other companies. HR 3101 does not cover user-generated content so Google is a boon to that glaring need. The goal for NAD is 100% access where we are not an afterthought and this is precisely why we need legislation such as HR 3101 to spur on such commitment, quality, and innovation."

The deaf blog community (to say nothing of Twitter) was overjoyed when the news was announced. (Google is posting the captioned video of today's introduction event on its public policy blog). See below who has blogged thus far on Google's newest innovation:

AbledBody
Grumpy Old Deafies - from the UK, which shows the international importance of Google's announcement
Bionic Ear

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Way to Go, Google! Thanks for Automatic Captions! originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 18:23:01.

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South Africa's Deaf Community

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:18:45 +0000

Now that Darren Rajbal, a deaf dancer, has won South Africa's Got Talent show, there may be increased interest in South Africa's deaf community. Did you know for example, that there are companies offering specialized tours of South Africa for deaf and hard of hearing people? Maybe we will get lucky and Gallaudet's Dance Company can bring Darren to the United States for a performance.

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South Africa's Deaf Community originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 21:18:45.

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Wyoming Wants Only Zombies to Get CIs

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:25:09 +0000

Apparently, the state of Wyoming's Equality Care program believes that only zombies qualify to receive cochlear implants. Why do I say this? Today CD posted a follow-up to her earlier blog post about being denied for a cochlear implant. In this follow-up, CD posted a response from Wyoming Equality Care. A quoted segment: "the client must be unable to communicate through speech or other means to make their medical or basic needs known."

How else to interpret that statement other than that Wyoming's Equality Care Program wants to give only adult zombies cochlear implants?? No speech is clear, but what does "other means" mean? Do they mean that the candidate for a cochlear implant must be unable to read and write? Unable to use sign language? What does it mean? There is no possible interpretation other than that Wyoming's Equality Care wants only zombies to receive the cochlear implant. Correct me if I am wrong, please.

Unfortunately, it looks like the letter CD got is quoting the Wyoming Equality Care rules. I hunted for and found on page 74 of this Professional Covered Services and Limitations Module PDF from Wyoming Equality Care the exact same language under criteria for adults:#2: Must be unable to communicate through speech or other means to make their medical or basic needs known.

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Wyoming Wants Only Zombies to Get CIs originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 20:25:09.

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Thanksgiving Signing

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:16:10 +0000

Ah, Thanksgiving. I can already taste the cranberry sauce. I hope that this year, there WILL be enough cranberry sauce, the way my family eats it up. Does your family know how to sign the basic words of thanksgiving? If not, here are pictures of how we sign the words; it may be different where you live.

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Thanksgiving Signing originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 20:16:10.

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Alport Syndrome

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:19:08 +0000

An About.com reader wrote on Causes of Hearing Loss that their hearing loss was caused by Alport Syndrome. So, I decided to learn more about Alport Syndrome, and the result is this new article on Alport Syndrome.

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Alport Syndrome originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 20:19:08.

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"Down" with Disney for Not Captioning ALL DVD Formats

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:32:55 +0000

Update 11/18: According to Marlee Matlin, Disney will restore the captions on future copies of the rental version of Up.

This week I have been made aware of the fact that the movie "Up" is out on DVD - but not all formats are captioned. According to Codeman38 on Twitter, the bare bones (no bonus features) rental version of "Up" does not have captions or subtitles.

Once again, I must remind my readers that captions on DVDs are voluntary. The laws we have for captioning DO NOT address dvds. So we are at the mercy of home video companies. If a company like Disney chooses not to caption one of their DVD formats, it is because they can legally do so without any penalty! The only "penalty" Disney can suffer is embarrassment if enough people complain and get the message across that ALL DVD formats must be captioned, including the rental version.

So if I want to see "Up," I have no choice but to buy it. No renting.

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"Down" with Disney for Not Captioning ALL DVD Formats originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 13:32:55.

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Got Good Speech? No CI for You.

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:14:37 +0000

Over the years, I've seen a variety of reasons that a cochlear implant sometimes gets denied. This one takes the cake: good speech. Since when does the quality of one's speech have anything to do with the level of one's hearing and need for a cochlear implant?? Based on the reasoning for denial cited in CD's Ear Blog, I should have been denied for a cochlear implant by my own insurance company.

Has anyone else ever been denied a cochlear implant for merely having good speech? Any other stupid, indefensible reasons?

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Got Good Speech? No CI for You. originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 22:14:37.

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Will Anyone Love Me?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:34:34 +0000

No, I'm not talking about my own love life. I'm referring to what a young deaf girl asked her parents. In her disability column, Jennifer Amy Rose writes that her deaf daughter asked her parents, "do you think anyone will love me - I mean - with my hearing aids?" Even today with much acceptance of hearing loss and even pride in their hearing aids, deaf kids can still struggle with issues of self.

Related on About.com: Growing Up Deaf - Rude Awakening

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Will Anyone Love Me? originally appeared on About.com Deafness on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 23:34:34.

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