Fox Theatre must provide captions for performances on demand, appeals court says

In an interesting development that may provide a road ahead for more captioning options throughout the U.S., 8th U.S. Court of Appeals in St. Louis voted 2 to 1 in favor that Fox Theatre must provide captions whenever a patron asks. This is not just for one matinee performance per Broadway run which is commonly offered by theatres that say they offer captioning services.

Please see this article for further information and some background on how this all developed!

Robert Mueller Hard of Hearing? Another Challenge For Older Workers

Much has been said regarding Robert Mueller’s communication during his testimony. Was there an unknown healthy issue that laid question to his ability to clearly promote a sense of confidence in his testimony or was there something else? A term called “normal cognitive aging” is very real and deals with the way older adults process information that can be especially true for those with hearing loss. In case you haven’t seen it already, check out the article discussing this in more detail below.

Challenges hard of hearing older workers face.

Google Live Transcribe

For those familiar with accessibility options with our phones, iPhones naturally are always ahead of the game compared to their Androids users. Recently, great strides have been made with Google Live Transcribe for your Android phone that it might be worth your while, if you have an Android, to download and try the “Google Live Transcribe”.

Recent improvements have shown enhanced functionality to better understand speech, sounds from the TV, and even offers bilingual switching of languages during conversations.

You can learn more and download here – https://www.android.com/accessibility/live-transcribe/.

Assembly Bill 598 Passes! Let Our Children Hear!

Our very own Katie Wright with her grandson Connor supporting this bill.

Our very own Katie Wright with her grandson Connor supporting this bill.

Our bill passed by unanimous consent out of Assembly Health! Thank you to everyone who made calls, wrote letters and traveled to Sacramento today to express their support for the bill. Please call and thank Assembly Members on the Health Committee. Next step Assembly Appropriations.

Assembly Bill 598  mandate that private health insurance companies cover the costs of hearing aids for children. Only 1 in 10 children are under health care that provides coverage for hearing aids. Learn more about the bill.

There is also a Facebook page devoted to this important initiative.

Here’s where to find the list of the next assembly members to target:

It’s also appropriate to contact your own assembly member even if s/he is not on the committee.  But definitely send postcards, letters, and make phone calls to the committee members
If you don’t know what to say when you call, there’s a script here:
Address to send all correspondence:  PO Box 942849   Sacramento, CA 94249

March Meeting Recap: From Earthquakes to Birthday Cake! Part 1

Thank you Rick!

Thank you Rick!

We had another packed house on Saturday at our March 23rd chapter meeting, with many known and new faces. Attendees were captivated by our topic—“Emergency Preparedness for the Hard of Hearing,” presented by Rick Pope, who serves as the ADA Coordinator/ASL Interpreter for the City of Los Angeles. And before the meeting ended, everyone got a chance to celebrate an amazing lady for a very special milestone.

» Read more

The Latest in Car Technology for People With Hearing Loss

Hyundai assistive technology for hard of hearingHyundai Motor Company is leading the effort to re-innovate how those hard of hearing or deaf can get all the important stimulus when driving compared to those with normal hearing. Thanks to Audio-Visual Conversion (AVC) and Audio-Tactile Conversion (ATC) assist driving systems, visual and touch clues can be provided to the driver to alert when situations occur that would normally be difficult for those with hearing challenges to immediately notice. Learn more about what is current being developed and is in store toward the future!

Unlocking the World of Sound for Deaf Children

Children and hearingIt’s now more important than ever to unlock the potential of children by identifying and treating their hearing loss as soon as realized. Jane R. Madell, a pediatric audiology consultant and speech-language pathologist in Brooklyn, N.Y., shares eye-opening findings revolving around how beneficial it is to treat children with hearing loss, no matter how severe, as early as possible.

Check out this amazing and rewarding story here from the NY Times.

Deaf And Unemployed: Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

Deaf and UnemployedThere’s no doubt someone hard of hearing or deaf faces numerous challenges finding a good job in the working world, but things are changing. More and more individuals hard of hearing or deaf are creating career opportunities by starting up their own businesses. Coupled with this is opportunities for those to work for these new and thriving businesses that ultimately show just how successful the sometimes considered separate worlds of the hearing or not can inspire and exist together in the working world.

Check out this inspiring article filled with hope and promise for those of us who struggle with the daily challenges of hearing loss. Enjoy!

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