I just found out that I am HOH, and need some advice . . .

[Hear Again]

Hi there, I am unfamiliar with this and could you tell me exactly how this works? I believe I saw it mentioned in my DSS handbook, and if I need it, I am sure it would be most helpful! Thank you for this information.

I'm sorry I didn't explain what an FM system was. (Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows what this equipment is.) I think Pete did a good job describing what an FM system is. There are many kinds of FM systems, but all of them are designed to block out background noise by bringing sound directly into your hearing aids (via a neckloop) or headphones. If you give me a day or two, I would be happy to provide some informational links from the web that show several examples of FM systems and explain how they work, etc.

 

[jillio]

Thank you for the information, I actually don't think I need the note taker thing, I will see next week if for some reason I do, they do offer it, they use NCR notebooks for that, or the notetaker can copy their notes. I have issues with other peoples notes though, I like to take my own. I go to the audiologist for the final audiogram or whatever on Tuesday, and then I guess my doctor and I will go from there. They said thats when Medicare is going to cut me off. I saw that Medicare wants to cover cochlear implants though. Strange.

Anyway, thanks for the advice, and when I get to my home I will check my IM on Yahoo. Our computer and cable modem got fried by this horrible storm the other night, so I am forced to use the library until then. LOL. Thanks so much!

You can request a professional notetaker.

 

[deafskeptic]

If you get a notetaker, let's hope your teachers will be more flexiable than my art teacher was. This was a class that was considerablely more lecture based than most art classes.

My teacher refused to let me have a notetaker even when I pointed out that I can't read her lips or look at my terp and write the notes at the same time.

She seemed to think she was doing me a favor by refusing to let me have a notetaker because she thought I was too dependent on sign and notetakers and that I would have to learn to fend for myself in the real world; no one would be making accomodations for me in the real world. I was like well they will have to make some for me because there's no other way around it. I can't be expected to be able to do things just like the hearing. DUH. Heck, even oralists need notetakers.

You ever notice that when deaf do something that hearing don't like, they always say tell us deaf that the Real World wont' give us a chance and that we're being too coddled?

My disabity counselor told my teacher's boss about the situation; he understood what my problem was. However, even when my teacher's boss and my counselor explained my situation to her, she refused to budge. I never had a notetaker in that class but I did ask other people to copy their notes for me. Thankfully, she doesn't teach anymore and she's retired.

 

[R2D2]

Second, an fm system is used in the classroom for either hearing aids as a loudspeaker or a loop around your neck that the hearing aids pick up the sound. It's way cool and, the best part, if you've got a cell phone with a t-coil (programmed to use hearing aids), you don't have to have the cell up to your ear to hear, just nearby. The only time you have to pick up the cell is to speak into it.

<nodding> My FM system was extremely invaluable when I was at university many moons ago. The cool thing about it is that it shuts off background sounds and makes it sound like the lecturer talking is right in front of you, in a small room instead of a large theatre full of students making all their noises.

Also Helidore, make sure that your cell phone and landline phone at home are both telecoil compatible. If you get given hearing aids, you may need to replace the phones to get the benefit of telecoil listening. It sounds like a hassle but it's sooo worth it.

Or of course there still relay if you find the phone a struggle. I use relay for yucky stuff like arguing about bills with service providers (handy to have a transcript!) but use the cell phone for talking friends and work related stuff.

 

[R2D2]

My teacher refused to let me have a notetaker even when I pointed out that I can't read her lips or look at my terp and write the notes at the same time.

She seemed to think she was doing me a favor by refusing to let me have a notetaker because she thought I was too dependent on sign and notetakers and that I would have to learn to fend for myself in the real world;

Some people have no idea! Obviously this woman forgot that her job was to teach her subject rather than decide what's best for you.

 

[jillio]

If you get a notetaker, let's hope your teachers will be more flexiable than my art teacher was. This was a class that was considerablely more lecture based than most art classes.

My teacher refused to let me have a notetaker even when I pointed out that I can't read her lips or look at my terp and write the notes at the same time.

She seemed to think she was doing me a favor by refusing to let me have a notetaker because she thought I was too dependent on sign and notetakers and that I would have to learn to fend for myself in the real world; no one would be making accomodations for me in the real world. I was like well they will have to make some for me because there's no other way around it. I can't be expected to be able to do things just like the hearing. DUH. Heck, even oralists need notetakers.

You ever notice that when deaf do something that hearing don't like, they always say tell us deaf that the Real World wont' give us a chance and that we're being too coddled?

My disabity counselor told my teacher's boss about the situation; he understood what my problem was. However, even when my teacher's boss and my counselor explained my situation to her, she refused to budge. I never had a notetaker in that class but I did ask other people to copy their notes for me. Thankfully, she doesn't teach anymore and she's retired.

Thank god she isn't teaching anymore! Refusal today would result in a lawsuit. And one that is easily won. A single teacher cannot refuse to provide accommodation that the school has stipulated.

 

[Helidore1983]

Awesome Ideas!

<nodding> My FM system was extremely invaluable when I was at university many moons ago. The cool thing about it is that it shuts off background sounds and makes it sound like the lecturer talking is right in front of you, in a small room instead of a large theatre full of students making all their noises.

Also Helidore, make sure that your cell phone and landline phone at home are both telecoil compatible. If you get given hearing aids, you may need to replace the phones to get the benefit of telecoil listening. It sounds like a hassle but it's sooo worth it.

Or of course there still relay if you find the phone a struggle. I use relay for yucky stuff like arguing about bills with service providers (handy to have a transcript!) but use the cell phone for talking friends and work related stuff.

That is such great advice. Thanks so much, I have finally found a woman who works with the Virginia Department of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH Home) in my area who is actually Deaf herself and so she knows the struggle of having to find adequate help.

My disabilities counselor is of no help to me, she actually told me to drop the classes I was having difficulty hearing in or to find an online course (of which I attempted and immediatley knew I wasn't ready for that, especially a week late in the semester). She said something about a note taker, but I like to take my own notes, and so far this part hasn't been a problem, because most of my classes are pretty quiet when the teacher is talking.

That teacher you all are talking about should get fired for violating ADA law. What a butt head. I would have thrown my art at the teacher, lol. Luckily, most of my teachers have been pretty supportive of this problem and my others, my sociology teacher's wife is legally blind, so I guess he sort of understands what it is like. Not the same scenario, but similar.

DRS (Vocational Rehab) in my state is really sucking at this point as far as HA's are concerned, and I asked my ASL teacher about it last night and she told me that most of the Deaf or HOH people she came in contact with said the same thing. That they dont' do well with that "disability" or whatever. They can kiss my bee-hind. LOL.

My ASL teacher rocks, she told me that if the lady I just found doesn't have the answers, then she definatley knows someone who does. That was a relief to hear. My ASL teacher knows this lady, because she has been working with her to form some kind of ASL based CPR/First Aid course for the Deaf and HOH. You all know that when you have to watch the teacher performing on the dummy and the interpreter at the same time, it doesn't quite work as well as you would want. I thought it was a brilliant idea!

ANYWAY . . . I just want to thank everyone for their wonderful ideas and support, this has been a difficult transition for me, as I didn't realize how much my hearing has decreased, due to not being in these types of situations for a very long time. My doctor said some of the meds that I have been on for a while could possibly have caused some of this, but he didn't think so. So I don't really know whats up.

Thanks again!

 

[jillio]

I hate to hear that your diability counselor advised you to drop the classes you were having problems hearing in. You might want to remind her that her job is to find and provide the accommodations necessary for you to have access to the material in the class, and that if she is not attempting to do so, she is in violation of the ADA. I doubt seriously the school would want to be reported for failing to provide accommodations, and simply advising any disabled student to simply drop the class.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time I've heard a student say that a disability counselor has told them something like this. It is usually because they are ignorant of both deafness and their obligation to the student. And too many students comingout of the mainstream programs have not been provided the transition services necessary to teach them how to advocate for themselves. Please, don't ever accept this as a final answer from any one in the educational field. It is unacceptable, and I can advise you, if you wish, on how to take it to the next level.

 

[Helidore1983]

You are right . . .

I hate to hear that your diability counselor advised you to drop the classes you were having problems hearing in. You might want to remind her that her job is to find and provide the accommodations necessary for you to have access to the material in the class, and that if she is not attempting to do so, she is in violation of the ADA. I doubt seriously the school would want to be reported for failing to provide accommodations, and simply advising any disabled student to simply drop the class.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time I've heard a student say that a disability counselor has told them something like this. It is usually because they are ignorant of both deafness and their obligation to the student. And too many students comingout of the mainstream programs have not been provided the transition services necessary to teach them how to advocate for themselves. Please, don't ever accept this as a final answer from any one in the educational field. It is unacceptable, and I can advise you, if you wish, on how to take it to the next level.

I know what you are saying and I totally agree with you. This whole experience has made me want to change my major a little bit, as I WILL be transferring at some point to J. Sargeant Reynolds CC, they offer much more for the Deaf as far as programs for people to work with the Deaf and HOH, which to me means they care more and my ASL teacher told me it is a great school. As for my counselor, I did what she said at first, finding the online course, didn't like it, and decided to go against her advice and went back into the other class I was already in. Most people were supportive of my hearing loss, and are trying to work with me.

I have decided that there just aren't enough people out here to help people in my (or our) situations. I am not only going to work toward a degree in interpretation, but am going to work toward a degree in Deaf studies, and find a job working in an agency that does what I am looking for in the first place. My English instructor the other day, put a quote on the board that made a lot more sense to me now than ever. It was a quote by Gandhi, that said "Become the change you wish to see". Well, I want to see this change, and I guess this is what God, or whomever anyone believes in, is trying to make me see.

Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it. I think I will only be at this school for this semester, and then it is off to the other college I go! (Hopefully )

 

[jillio]

Good for you. You obviously inderstand the importance of advocating for yourself.

Re: your major....ever think about combining Deaf Studies and counseling or social work? Sounds like it would be right up your alley!

I do hope you get to transfer. There are any number of schools that are better able to accommodate students with hearing loss. It all comes down to the philsoophy of those in administration!

 

[Helidore1983]

Yes I have . . .

Good for you. You obviously inderstand the importance of advocating for yourself.

Re: your major....ever think about combining Deaf Studies and counseling or social work? Sounds like it would be right up your alley!

I do hope you get to transfer. There are any number of schools that are better able to accommodate students with hearing loss. It all comes down to the philsoophy of those in administration!

Not exactly sure what I am doing with this major yet, I want to do Deaf studies and interpreting, but may just do Deaf studies with some sort of social work, counseling major, etc, and then do a ASL or terp' certificate program. I don't know, but I know I don't want to stay at the current college because they don't even think their terp' certificate program is important enough to keep. They don't know what they are losing. My ASL teacher is wonderful, and the school wants her to be full time but she knows she can't leave her full time interpreting for the school system job, for a job at TNCC that can't offer her stability or a guarantee that the program will even exist.

I am all about advocacy, even before I became disabled about 4 years ago (with the Bipolar disorder, and back problems, and now with the HOH problem) (which isn't so much of a problem, but its a hassle right at this moment, lol) I was a CNA, still certified, and believe in patient rights, that people should be advocated for, especially the ones that can't do it for themselves, and ever since I have been in the system, its been even more of an issue for me to either advocate for myself, or make sure that people around me have someone to advocate for them. Because the government sure as you-know-what isn't going to do anything for you, and they don't care either.

But thats ok, if I can do something to improve just one life, then the whole thing isn't a waste after all. I know that if I do something along these lines, then a lot more people will get help. Hopefully.

 

[jillio]

You go girl! I'm pulling for you. And if I can be of any help, just let me know!