Marlee Signs

Ah, Marlee Matlin.  I fell in love with this actress in "Children of a Lesser God." And, have enjoyed watching her movies, and shows.  The ultimate deaf woman based on how I see she presents herself in public.  And, her latest work, "Switched at Birth:" my new favorite TV show.

Deaf Culture

As a late deafened adult, I am not privy to the intricacies of Deaf Culture.  My perception is, it is a world unto themselves, and to breach that world is an atrocity.  Deaf culture does not include hearing people very well, if at all. I don't know why this mentality has developed, but they are a tight bunch.  So tight, it is a family.

Perhaps, this evolved because the hearing world doesn't include deaf culture easily, or readily.  And, to create a world for the deaf is significant because it is normalcy for them.  Most hearing people don't understand, so perhaps, it's a culture shock movement to help hearing people understand the difficulties the deaf face in hearing culture.  One can only surmise.

Maybe, I'm totally wrong and have no clue!

Deaf Schools

Having worked in a setting servicing deaf and hearing impaired individuals, I had good fortune to sit on the cusp of deaf culture.  I was able to frequent a deaf school, and watch those students thrive in their world.

I have mixed emotions regarding ASL (American Sign Language) and English.  Syntax is quite different.  I can see where ASL is easier to express, but to fit into the English world, one has to know English.  Just like the Spanish language, where people have the option to press 1 for English, and 2 for Spanish, ASL is another foreign language for the hearing world. Bi-lingual is a better option for ANYONE, deaf, Spanish, French, English, whomever.

ASL

Talking about culture shock.  When I was loosing my hearing, my world was completely thrown for a loop.  Everything I was was fading away, and knowing my place was becoming more uncomfortable.  After taking a quick sign language course at a local church, I remembered the teacher talking about the "JCCDES," a local center for the deaf.

I called that center, and went in as a client first, a guest speaker at the 20th anniversary, and subsequently an employee.

Having little knowledge of sign language, I was thrust into the working environment.  My first interview was with a deaf woman who signed as fast as she could to intimidate me, and teach me a thing or two about deaf culture.

Ultimately, I met another client who taught me three new words everyday. And, with the help of co-workers, and training, I was able to develop passible communication skills.  Immersion is the best way to learn a new language.

Accents

Yup, sign language has accents.  Although, ASL is a universal language, differences in individual signs are determined on where you are in the world.  Ohio, and Alabama differ; Europe, and the US differs.  Nuances, and variations are there.  Who knew!  LOL

Use it or lose it

After leaving the center's employ, I had no need to sign other than when my mother and I would go out for lunch, or dinner.  We would practice with each other and learn our own little version so we could discretely communicate amongst ourselves.

For those of you who knew my mother, you know her mouth was moving every waking second.  She would talk until she couldn't force another word for being out of breath.  That was the way she signed, gums flapping.  LOL  I loved her so much, and miss her terribly.

I still sign some with my family.  Abigail, my 4 year old niece is learning fairly well.  My sons have no desire to learn. And, my hearing loss causes problems with the hubster.  He gets frustrated with me when I don't hear the phone, or I'm not looking at him when he talks (somedays I don't have to which sends mixed signals), nor does he want to learn sign which makes me sad. This isn't a poor reflection on him, just relating the personal experiences which can cause confusion, and create havoc in the life of a hearing impaired individual.  But, to each his/her own.  I love signing!

Hearing Impaired

I think people with hearing impairment are more misunderstood than those who are totally deaf.  There are many factors that determine the amount I hear, and it changes daily.

Stopped up ears from traveling, (you know, you need to yawn to pop your ears open), sinus problems, weather, allergies, colds, foods, medications, tinnitus, etc. are all variables that affect my hearing loss.

If you can hear some, people think you can hear always.  And, that just isn't the case.  So, I believe it is easier to be deaf, and every one know it, than hearing impaired and people being frustrated with you.

Applications

There are applications on smart phones that help hearing impaired, and aid hearing individuals.  My favorite is "Marlee Signs."  Marlee Matlin teaches sign language on this application.  There are several free units, and more for purchase.

Marlee does, however, recommend enrolling in a sign language class at it is an immersion technique, fun, and informative regarding syntax of ASL.

And, BioAid is a beta project.  A hearing impaired individual can use his/her phone to aid in watching TV in the home so the TV doesn't have to be turned up so loud.  The need for expensive personal listening devices is somewhat diminished.

Nothing can beat the clarity of an FM system (a personal listening device), but just for watching TV, my BioAid application is fantastic.

The Signed Holy Bible is also available as an application.  This one is fantastic in helping you learn to sign; so expressive.  It's another of my favorites!

Babies

Oh, babies, sweet little bundles of joy without the ability to effectively communicate needs, and wants.  But, studies show that using sign language with babies can help establish communication abilities months earlier than waiting for verbal communication skills to develop. Can you imagine how frustrated babies get when an adult provider doesn't understand?

Go ahead, buy a book, DVDs, applications, and flash cards to help you learn to communicate with the wee ones.

Transition

Finding my place in the world of hearing loss has been a struggle, but it has been an informative road to travel.  I love to learn, so it forced me out of my comfort zone, and gave me the opportunity to learn this beautifully expressive language.

For years, I asked God, "Why, Why my hearing?"  I can't sing anymore, "Why!"  Finally, God said, "So you can hear ME better."  God's ways are not my ways, and I had/have a hard time accepting it, but His plan for me is perfect, and I trust Him.

I do enjoy learning sign language, growing my skills as I'm not fluent, and helping others learn about this remarkable voice.

So, the next time you want something to learn, visit Marlee Signs!  It's free for the beginning, and perhaps you will find the desire and joy of learning ASL.

Other Assistive Devices

Read this page to learn about things that will help your you or your child be safe and more independent. 

Some of these devices help your child do everyday things.
With them, your child can talk on the telephone or watch TV.
Other devices alert your child with a signal that she can see or feel. They may shake her awake in the morning, or flash lights in an emergency.
For telephones

• Amplified telephones
  • For some children, voices on the telephone are just too quiet. But some can talk on the telephone if the voices are louder.
  • The amplifier may be attached to a regular phone or can be built into a special phone. It may also be built into a handset, which you can attach to any other phone.
• TTY
  • A TTY lets your child use the telephone. TTY stands for telephone typewriter. It's also called a TDD, or telecommunications device for the deaf.
  • Instead of saying words into the telephone, you type them onto the TTY's keyboard.
  • A person with a TTY can call another person with a TTY. Or if your child wants to call someone who doesn't have a TTY, she can use her TTY to call the relay service. The relay operator then calls the person your child wants to talk to and tells them what your child typed on the TTY.
  • People who don't have TTYs can use the relay service to call deaf people who do have TTYs.
  • Learn more about TTYs by reading this TTY tipsheet.

For TVs

• Personal amplifier for the TV.
  • If your child's hearing aid has a DAI (direct audio input), she can have the sound sent straight to her hearing aid. Learn more about this on our hearing aids page.
• Closed captioning for the TV.
  • Most TVs come with closed captioning devices.
  • The captioning shows what people are saying as printed words across the top or bottom of the screen.
  • Most TV shows have captioning.
  • Captions let your child follow what goes on in TV shows.
  • Captions can also help your child learn to read.

Alarms

• Vibrating alarm clocks
  • These shake your child's bed in the morning to wake her up.
• Flashing lights on the telephone
  • These let your child know that the phone is ringing.
• Bright flashing lights (strobe lights)
  • These let her know there is a fire or other alarm.

In the classroom

• C-Print (Computer assisted notetaking)
  • The captionist types notes onto a laptop computer. The captionist is trained to type very fast and correctly.
  • The words she types show up on a second computer or TV screen for the student to read. The student also gets a typed copy of the notes.
  • For more information, read this tipsheet about C-Print.
• CART (Computer Assisted Real-time Transcription)
  • A person with special training uses special equipment to type every word that is said in class.
  • The student reads the words on a TV screen and gets a print-out after class.
  • For more information, read this tipsheet about CART.

Your child's school may give your child these services. Ask the school representative at your child's IEP meeting. Make sure they are included on your child's IEP.
To keep in touch with others

• Text pagers
  • Keep in touch with your child with a pager.
  • Most pagers vibrate and have a screen for messages.
  • You can send a message to the pager.
  • The vibration will tell your child that he has a message. The screen will show your message.

Learn more about other assistive devices:

• Read this page on assistive technology on the Listen-Up website.
• You can also check out the Deaf Resource Library to find out where to get these devices. 

This information was copied directly from www.raisingdeafkids.org and, by copying, is intended to assist in promoting deaf awareness and education. Please visit that website for additional information.

Assistive Listening Devises (ALDs)

Can't hear in public venues.  Many large places have hearing assistance devices called FM Systems.

For the newly diagnosed hearing impaired individual, it's very difficult to carry on publicly.  Movies are troublesome, attending church or conferences pose problems, and work can be a challenge especially in acoustically poor surroundings.

Don't fret!  The FM system will become your new best friend.  Many, or should I say most, public places have assisted listening devices.

Movie theaters will allow you to borrow a head set which will transmit the sound of the movie directly to your awaiting ears.  Usually, you have to turn in your drivers license, and redeem the head set to retrieve them, but it is worth it to enjoy a movie.  Nothing like holding hands, and cuddling in the dark theater with your spouse.

Larger public venues like churches, and conference centers have an FM system to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.  Usually, early notification of the need for that accommodation is required so the system will be ready, and available at arrival.  So, do some preparatory planning.

The above picture is a large sound field system like you would use in churches or conferences, but individual FM systems have two of those little boxes.  One for a speaker, with a microphone that clips to the lapel, and the other as you see above, with ear buds.   Theaters usually have bulky headphones.

Williams Sound is a company dedicated to providing assistive listening devices to businesses and individuals.  Visit www.williamssound.com to view a product catalog, and learn more about what is available.

Other companies are also providing these devices.  Google assistive listening devices or FM systems, and peruse the wide variety of products.

Vocational Rehabilitation programs may financially assist in providing these devices for you and your workplace if the goal is employment retention.  Call or visit your local state rehabilitation office for more details.

Raising Deaf Kids Website

This website explains the assistive listening devises so well, I directly copied it from the website but it's not just for kids.  www.raisingdeafkids.org is chock full of information, please visit it for more info.

Read this page to learn if ALDs can help your child, and how to get them.
What ALDs are
An ALD brings sounds to your child's ears so that he can hear better. Two of the most common ALDs used by children are FM systems and Sound Field Systems. Here's how ALD's help:

• They cut down on background noise.
• They make faraway sounds seem closer to your child.
• They help your child hear in a large room, like an auditorium.

FM systems

How an FM system works

An FM system lets you talk into a microphone and sends the sound of your voice to your child's ear. An FM system has three parts:

• A microphone
• A transmitter
• A receiver

Here's how it works:

1. You talk into a microphone.
   • The microphone can be used by one person, like a parent or teacher.
   • You can also set up a microphone in the middle of a small group. The mic will pick up their voices and send them to your child's ear.
2. The microphone is connected to a transmitter. The transmitter sends the sounds to a receiver.
3. The receiver gets the sound and plays them back into your child's ear. It can be used with or without a hearing aid.
   • If your child is getting a hearing aid, make sure that it can be hooked up to an FM device.
   • If your child does not use a hearing aid, get a head set that will hold the receiver close to your child's ear.

Who can use an FM system

Children of all ages can use an FM system:

• Babies
• Toddlers
• Older children
• Adults

An FM system may also be helpful if your child has a unilateral hearing loss. A unilateral hearing loss is a hearing loss in only one ear. The device would probably be used in the better ear.

Where your child can use an FM system

• At home
  • An FM system can help your child hear you better when you're talking to him.
• At school
  • The FM system can help your child hear the teacher clearly.
  • The FM system works even if the teacher is far away, or if there is other noise in the classroom.
• Outside the home
  • You can use the FM system when shopping or on outings away from home.
  • Your child may also use the microphone himself. That way he can hear his own voice better and learn how to speak more clearly.

Different kinds of microphones

There are different kinds of microphones for FM systems:

• A lapel mic
  • This kind of mic clips onto your shirt or jacket.
  • This kind of mic is also called a lavalier mic.
• A boom mic.
  • You wear a boom mic on a headset. The headset keeps the mic at a certain distance from your mouth.
• A handi mic
  • A handi mic has different settings. One setting lets it pick up the voices of several people in different parts of the room. Another setting may let you pick up the sound of a speaker in one direction.
  • The handi mic can also be passed around to different speakers.

How you can get an FM system

Ask your child's audiologist about getting an FM system for your child.

Sound Field Systems

How a Sound Field System works

A Sound Field System is a lot like an FM system. Here's how it works:

1. You talk into a microphone.
   • The microphone can be used by one person, like a parent or teacher.
   • You can also set up a microphone in the middle of a small group. The mic will pick up their voices and send them to your child's ear.
2. The microphone is connected to a transmitter. The transmitter sends the sounds to a receiver.
3. The sound is sent to speakers placed all around a room.

How it can help

• A Sound Field System can help all children in the class hear the teacher's voice better.
• A Sound Field System is especially helpful for children who are hard of hearing or have mild to moderate hearing loss.
• A Sound Field System can also help children who have cochlear implants.

Where you can use a Sound Field System

Sound Field Systems are mostly used in classrooms.

How you can get a Sound Field System

Your child's school may have a sound field system. Ask your child's teacher or the principal if the school has it. If they don't, ask for one at your child's IEP meeting. The law says schools have to give children with hearing loss special help like this. Read Your Child's Rights to learn more about the laws that protect your child.

Key points An FM system can help your child hear better at home, school and other places. Get hearing aids that work with FM systems.

Learn more about ALDs:

• Assistive Listening Devices FAQ
• My Baby's Hearing
• The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Struggles to find a place between the hearing and deaf worlds in a hearing society, and the outcome of my quest.

In 1992, I was a telephone operator at a well known southern university. During the day, many calls came in ranging from ridiculous questions to reasonable requests. These two were my favorite calls:

Telephone Operator: University of ###, how can I direct your call?

Student: Uh, yeah, my buddies and I went fishing this weekend, and we fried some fish. I left it sitting out on the counter. Do you think I can still eat it?

T. O: I wouldn’t recommend it sir, but I’ll be happy to transfer you to student health services.

Student: Uh, Yeah, Okay, thanks.

And other…

T.O.: University of ###, how can I direct your call?

Future Student: Oh hi! Like, I’m going to be going there in the fall. How many parking spaces do we get?

T.O: One, I assume: how many do you need?

F.S: Well, like, I didn’t know which car I was going to bring; my Ferrari or my Porsche.

T.O.: I don’t know why you couldn’t bring them both, but I’ll transfer you to the Campus Police.

As time went by, I noticed I couldn’t turn the volume up on my head set any longer. Initially, I thought it might be faulty equipment. Boy, I was SO wrong in my assumption.

Life kept moving forward, and small hearing issues in public places seemed to grow. Eventually, I ended up in the office of the Department of Rehabilitation Services to discuss my problems with my vocational rehabilitation caseworker. He suggested I go see an Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist (ENT), and we would talk further.

The visit to the ENT included a hearing evaluation. Sitting in a little sound proof cubicle with a hand held buzzer, I would repeat words, or push the buzzer when I heard a sound. My hearing evaluation resulted in the diagnosis of adult onset high frequency neurological hearing loss, and tinnitus, which wasn’t unexpected; although, it was a devastating diagnosis because I was a church soloist in hopes of developing a singing ministry. So, the task of working , going back to college, and raising two small boys while learning to be hearing impaired began.

A local church offered sign language classes. My mother and I thought it might be a good place to start learning about deafness. The instructor passed out books purchased from the local center for the deaf. After telling my caseworker about this, he suggested I visit the center because it receives referrals from DRS. I picked up the phone, and changed my life!

My caseworker was so calm, laid back, and informative which is what I needed considering I was a basket case by then. I took a lackadaisical approach to this because I didn’t realize or acknowledge the importance of the services I was getting. But, what made me really think about myself, and the services I was receiving was a seemingly unusual question! I was asked, “If you were a pizza, what shape would you be?” I thought and replied, “ a triangle because I want to be multifaceted.” That was a turning point in my time there.

Because of my up coming graduation from college with a degree in social services, I was asked to join the center as a caseworker! The director sent me to an employment services program for job training and development. During this time, one of my assignments inspired this poem, which has become my philosophy for being deaf in a hearing world.

Please Don’t Dis Ability

 

Welcome to my silent world.
Please try to understand.
I need to work just like you,
But need your helping hand.

Please don’t look the other way
And to ignorance succumb.
Just because I can not hear
Doesn’t mean I’m dumb.

“I can do” is my attitude.
I really want to try.
But, if I don’t get half a chance
Don’t blame me if I cry.

So, let me work by your side:
It means the world to me.
I can grow, and my life will soar
If you will not dis ability!

Welcome

As a late deafened adult, finding my place in the world has been extremely difficult.  Perhaps, I've not found that place as yet, but it's getting better.

During the early 1990's, I was working at the University of Mississippi telephone exchange.  We wore little headphones which had volume control.  One day, I went to turn up the volume, and it was already at maximum setting.  "Hum...maybe my machine is broken, has a loose wire, or is old," I thought.

After my divorce, and move back home to mother, I found an administrative assistant job.  The position required lots of phone usage, convention planning and execution, and tons of interpersonal interaction on a daily basis. "Excuse me?", "Could you repeat that?", and "Huh?" were becoming key phrases throughout the day.

Having remembered my grandmother using rehabilitation services for eye glasses, I decided to go see if they could do something to check my hearing.  What I learned was very disturbing.  I had sensorineural hearing loss.  According to my mother, so did my paternal grandfather.

It's amazing what we choose to define who we are.  Many people identify with being a lawyer, doctor, or teacher.  My mom identified herself with being a legal secretary, that is who she was even though she was a mother, a daughter, and a WMU leader, among other things.

I identified with being a musician.  My entire life was music.  I loved to listen to it, study it, sing it, play it, collect it, whatever - if it was music, it was who I was and what I wanted.  I could envision myself singing opera at the Met.  But, with the diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss, my hopes were dashed.

Over the years, my hearing has gotten so bad I can't sing on key, hear birds sing, hear crickets chirp, hear the phone ring, or hear most women talk.  My hearing loss is worse in the higher pitch ranges.  But, I can hear that nagging bass hip hop stuff that kills my ears.  What music I can hear now hurts my ears and gives me a terrible headache.  This was a devastating blow to my psyche.  Who am I now?

Fortunately, I found a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping hearing impaired and deaf people find employment, and who offered support services to those in the program.  Ultimately, they hired me, and I became an employment specialist for deaf and hearing impaired individuals. 

Deaf individuals give people sign names, and Mary gave me CC.  One C at the forehead for smart, and one C at the jaw for funny.   Sign2cc was born.

But, fitting in was something I never was able to do.  I wasn't born deaf, or was deafened as a child, so I didn't know sign language, but I was trying to learn.  And, the deaf people I was around did their best to intimidate me with their rapid fire signing.  Deaf culture is amazing to watch and learn.

I couldn't hear any longer, so fitting into the hearing world was near impossible.  I felt like a kid outside the candy store.  All of the children were inside, and I was outside unable to hear what was going on.  I was there, but wasn't.  I felt disconnect.  So, I found myself between worlds, one that was confusing, lonely, and cruel.

Pleading with, begging to, perhaps a bit of bargaining, and crying out to God, "Why?!" was something that I did constantly.  It consumed me.  God did hear and answer my prayer.  He said, "So you can hear me better."  I accepted that and accepted the fact that I would not hear normally again in this lifetime. 

I've carved a small niche in society, and by the hardest I'm surviving.  Technology has enabled me to hear the preacher at church via FM system, but my hearing aids are worthless.  My hearing aids only amplify the noise, and give me a headache since my hearing loss isn't all volume.

The best way I can explain my hearing is to use this analogy.  Suppose you are driving out of town and are listening to your favorite radio station.  Once you reach a certain point, the static begins, and your song is fading in and out.  Yup, that is how I hear. 

Coupled with Tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears, my days can be better or worse depending on how loud my ears are ringing.  Weather, dietary consumption, medication, and other things can affect my tinnitus, and ability to hear what little I can hear.

It's been 20 years since that diagnosis, and at 51, I'm more comfortable, and confident with myself.  It isn't easy, but it's easier. This is my story, and I hope somehow you can be encouraged by it. 

Welcome to Sign 2 CC!