From: Karen.Keil@p0.f809.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Karen Keil)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: SHHH report 8 of 13
Date: 12 Aug 92 21:33:14 GMT
Reply-To: Karen.Keil@p0.f809.n104.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/809.0 - Fantasy Mountain, Golden CO
X-Fidonet: Silent Talk Conference

Index Number: 23914

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Part 8 of the SHHH Convention---Cedar Rapids, Iowa

June 28, 1992

This being Sunday, it was a quieter day with no sessions
beginning until 12:00 p.m. (most started at 2:00).

I spent the time browsing the exhibits and trying to make the
phone call to Iowa City via a relay with no success.  The TDD pay
phone is rather interesting and easy to use.   (A post was made
detailing this so won't repeat it here.)

Jack O'Keeffe was at the exhibits by himself, grilling the
exhibitors on their products--I should know!--I watched him from
a distance!  :-)

----------------------------

Workshops---

Hearing Impairment in North America
by Jerome Schein, Ph.D.

Program Book:
"Recently, information about the numbers and characteristics of
United States and Canadian citizens with hearing loss have been
made available.  Comparisons of the two countries have a number
of surprises:  some are similar and some dramtically different.
This seminar will present these contrasts, discuss their meaning
and emphasize their importance to service delivery.  Also to be
discussed, is the need for a continuous flow of current, detailed
information about the population with hearing loss."

Some interesting key points:

1.  Canada defines deafness differently than the U.S.  It asks
only two questions of people, and the questions make only the
severely and profoundly hearing-impaired 'deaf' while the mild
and moderately hearing-impaired don't get included.  The two
questions are:
     1.  Do you have trouble hearing normal conversation with 1
person?  If yes, are you totally unable to do this?
     2.  Do you have trouble hearing normal conversation with at
least 3 people?  If yes, are you totally unable to do this?

     The U.S. has seven questions (too many to note in my notes)
which are more detailed and penetrating. Canada's figures are
therefore lower.

2.  The percentage of deaf people vary by region--it cannot be
assumed that it's constant--it can vary due to several factors--
     a.  different definition of deafness (see no. 1)
     b.  different points in time
     c.  different geographical locations
     d.  different population bases--age, sex, race, etc.

3.  Deaf people don't tend to live to each other as neighbors.
They tend to spread out.

4.   Statistics can be manipulated to mean whatever you want!!!
Statistics are a foundation for resource allocation.  This is
very important to note!  For instance, 124 blind people are
rehabilitated for every 100 deaf people.  But there's a ratio of
26 blind to 100 deaf in the general population!

The statistics for number of hearing-impaired people in the U.S.
(22 to 28 million) is based on NO actual survey or study!  It's
based on guesswork.

We must do the statistics OURSELVES in order to insure proper
resource allocation for deaf/hearing-impaired people.

A bit of trivia--in Canada, hearing aids are FREE to children up
to age 18 and for those people age 65 and over.

-----------------------------------------

Job Mobility:  Strategies for Acquiring Promotablity Potential
by Virginia Anne Johnson, M. Ed. and Steven E. Boone, Ph.D.

Program description:
"Job mobility is key to acquiring a promotion.  Hard of hearing
people have express a need to learn skills for job retention and
advancement.  This workshop introduces 11 skills critical to the
process of acquiring promotability potential."

This was a rather heavy session with so much information that
can't be condensed to a few points.  I took copious notes on
their handout.

     However, 11 work performance attributes are critical for all
jobs:
     Amount of work performed
     Quality of work performed
     Attendance and punctuality
     Safety
     Teamwork
     Following detailed instructions
     Adapting to changes in the work setting
     Working without supervision
     Getting along with co-workers supervisor
     Getting along with supervisors
     Dealing with customers

Concentrating on improving and delivering on these areas will
increase your promotability.  Even if you can't do some things
like handling normal voice telephone conversations, presenting a
workable solution to the boss for this and other situations will
help you in the long run!!!!

-------------------------------

Julia Rucker was at this last session.  After the session, she
and I went to the O'Keeffe's room in the hotel so she could meet
the O'Keeffes where a group photo of all of us were taken.  Julia
and I couldn't stay long and the O'Keeffes were leaving anyway
soon to go out to dinner with a fellow SHHH couple from their
area.  Life gets interesting meeting people you 'meet' on an
echo....

(Note:  The O'Keeffes attended a hearing dog session where June
Lockhart (who is known for playing the boy's mother on the TV
series, Lassie, and as the mother of a family stranded on a moon
in a series, Lost in Space) was one of the presenters.  More
celebrities coming out of the woodwork...!!!!  And no, I didn't
attend this one!)  June Lockhart appeared on the news in Denver
shortly after I got back.  She was appearing at the NAD
convention, again in association with the Hearing Dogs.  My old
schoolmate from the 1960s appeared in the paper being presented
with her new hearing dog.

The Usher Ferry Picnic is reported next....

To be continued......

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