My speech therapist has been helping me with Rs. They’re difficult to say. Most of the time, my Rs come out like Ws. When I try to form the Rs based on the therapist’s explanations, my mouth feels weird and stupid. That’s one sound I won’t practice in front of people. It’s hard enough doing it in front of her.
When I made a correct R, I put it together with the rest of the word. “R” “abbit.” Sounds like two words instead of one. It’s challenging to get them to flow together while making the R correctly.
Aw, heck, I should make it easier on me and avoid as many words with R as possible. Unfortunately, that’s a difficult task. Otherwise, why would Wheel of Fortune give its contestants the letter R in the final round (along with S, T, L, N, and E)? The show surprises us with many words and phrases that use few of the popular letters. Maybe I need to study up on those for my “Duck the R” project.
It stinks to have an R in my name. I rarely pronounce my name correctly when introducing myself to others. This happened last Friday at a lovely dinner party and it took a friend to help the hostess learn my name. It would be easier to say “Meryl” if I can skip saying my last name. But then people might think I have an ego thinking I’m a hot shot star that goes by one name.
Speech Therapy: Those Awful Rs
New Disabilities Determination Process for SS
Social Security Administration’s Disability Service Improvement has announced that the final rule establishing a new disability determination process is on public display at the Office of the Federal Register. This is for those who receive or need to receive supplemental security income (SSI).
Mary Chatel (Mary.Chatel at ssa.gov), Executive Director of Disability Service Improvement, is available to discuss this.
Sign Language on the Web
In the Sign-language takes to the web interview, the CEO of SignPost suggests that live sign language would be more beneficial than subtitling. People who use sign language are supposed to learn how to read and write in the official language of wherever they’re from. Subtitles reach a far wider audience than sign language.
However, I understand the preference of “live” sign language as it’s faster in a live situation. But when it’s possible to choose one of the two, subtitles is the better choice as many employees don’t have sound turned on to avoid disturbing office mates. So subtitles aren’t just for deaf folks.
Schools Learn About Disabilities
Students, staff try being deaf for a day isn’t unusual as many schools have diversity programs where students learn what it’s like to deal with various challenges from not being able to walk to not being able to see. Integrating such lessons in the school curriculum will go a long way in helping kids become sensitive and understanding of differences.
In a world where kids are being desensitized to violence, we need all the help we can get. My children’s elementary school has International Day once a year and it’s a fun day where the kids learn about a few countries.
Do you know about diversity programs? If so, how do they work? Make it part of the curriculum?
Operation Lifesaver Educates Deaf Community
Tara Rose McAvoy didn’t have to die. She wasn’t even ON the railroad tracks, but near them. Obviously she and many others didn’t know that walking a a couple of feet away from the track could be dangerous. Gerri Hall, president of Operation Lifesaver said, “Many people do not realize there is at least a 3-foot overhang of a train on both sides of the tracks.”
Because McAvoy couldn’t hear the train’s horn, she didn’t know a train was coming and that she was in harm’s way. Operation Lifesaver sent out a press release stating they’re working to educate deaf and hard-of-hearing people about walking near the tracks.
The organization has 3,000 certified presenters in the U.S. and Canada who give free safety presentations to community groups and organizations. Let’s hope McAvoy’s death means saving many lives as people learn about the dangers of walking alongside the train tracks.
Synagogues Offer Intepreters for Deaf
Synagogue offers sign language interpreter to help its deaf congregants follow services. I don’t like going to services. It was torture to sit there for hours staring at the ceiling. As a result, I don’t last long in services or lectures where I can’t follow what’s going on.
Why don’t I sit in the front? Doesn’t make a difference. I’m a religious person and I do care — just not about services. Why don’t I skip them? Tradition. Seriously. It feels wrong not to. I remember one service that I enjoyed. I attended a women’s conference and the services were easy to follow and a joyous experience thanks to the attendees.
If I work harder to follow services, I know I’ll be worn out within 30 minutes — an hour at the most. Services are rarely that short!
Preventing Hearing Loss
Wired article on preventing hearing loss talks about music, headphones, and speakers and how they affect hearing. The second page of the article provides tips for preventing hearing loss. A lawnmower is 85 – 90 dB. Here’s a list of sounds and how loud they are.
Dangerous Decibles is working to help prevent noise-induced hearing loss. It has an interactive Virtual Exhibit that’s worth checking.
Winter Olympics Bobsledder's Son Receives Implant
Olympian Vonetta Flowers Deaf Son Hears Cheers after receiving a rare auditory brain-stem transplant in Italy, a surgery that’s not approved in the United States. Flowers gave birth to twins who arrived prematurely. The daughter has normal hearing while the son has bilateral atresia (underdeveloped outer ears).
A cochlear implant doesn’t help people with a damaged cochlea or auditory nerve. So the option of simulating the brainstem with the auditory brain-stem transplant works for some people who fall in this group and Jorden was one of them.
Deaf Candidate Runs for Mayor
A Danville, Kentucky, resident wrote a letter to the editor in support of a deaf candidate for mayor. Couldn’t find more info on the Web other than short excerpts essentially saying the same thing.
Media Notices Captions Lacking Online
Thanks to Codeman38 for pointing out these articles from MSNBC regarding the lack of captions or transcripts on online videos. It’s a fast-growing frustration especially with video in iPods, PDAs, and another portable players. I can’t download TV shows and enjoy them like most of the public.
The Red Tape Chronicles
Subtitles: Deaf to the Problem
iPod screens too small for captions? Please. I’ve used a PDA since 1995 and have had no problem reading the smaller text that appeared in many apps when I reviewed PDA software.