Last post Sat, Feb 23 2008 11:03 AM by minkey. 25 replies.
What kinds of resources helped you in school as a hard of hearing individual? Did your teachers and colleagues understand what you needed? Were or are your needs being met? Is the education system providing enough of these services today?
I would love to hear your feedback,
Lori
hi lori, one of my best friends is deaf. she just recently settled on a law suit because the hospital didn't get an interpreter for her when she had an accident, and had complications due to not getting the right treatment. it's been difficult for her in many ways over the years. one big issue i have is why don't public schools make sign language a necessary class from grade 1 on up ? it would be so nice for deaf community to be able to have everyone talk to them!
does she have any relationships with deaf community? has she contacted Galluadet who may know how we can bring these issues to the forefront? Or Lexington School for the Deaf?
Hi Lori,
I was born hearing, grew up hard of hearing and became deaf at the age of 19. I think that the education for hard of hearing kids is better today thanks to more awareness about assistive devices (FM systems, real time captioning, interpreters, acoustic panels, etc.) but we still have many, many hard of hearing students who are bluffing their way through life.
yes many do bluff their way through... hopefully disaboom.com can bring more awareness to others
that is why i like to put up information about this. do you belong to any organizations?
Yes, I am a board member of Hands & Voices and I run the Illinois chapter, IL Hands & Voices. I actually have an article about social bluffing:
Calling Our Bluff.
Hi Lori, Karen, Debbie,
I moved this thread here to Deaf/Hard of Hearing, hope you found it ok.
Not being deaf/hard of hearing, I don't have any first hand experience with the education system in this regard. My daughter has several friends who are deaf and heavy users of mobile tty devices and cell text messaging (even more so than than their hearing peers).
I know many public schools, at least in NY, have added ASL as a language option along with the usual Spanish, French, etc. I took American Sign Language I in college, as I found it beautiful, creative, and a useful extention of non-verbal communication. I'm working on getting Tom to add video to the chat (he says chat can support it) to allow ASL chatting, and selfishly give me a chance to practice.
Found your article Calling Our Bluff. interesting, Karen. While my disability is psychological, DISALIFE: Out of Closet, it is one, like being deaf/hard of hearing, that is not readily apparent. I spent a large part of my youth bluffing to cover up my social phobia and anxiety. These skills did allow for greater social acceptance, but at a cost to my personal identity and self worth.
I read you loud and clear,
Bruce
DISALIFE
How interesting: "Bluffing!" I do it all the time and never thought about it.....I'm hard of hearing..I'm over 40 and have been losing more and more hearing for more than 5 years now.....I don't know where it will lead. The doctors think it's "sudden onset deafness!"
I have acquired a "Hearing Dog" from Canine Companions for Independence and recommend that anyone who's having this problem....get a hearing dog...Life is so much better with my companion!
I "Bluff" all the time.....I simply smile; give a thumbs up or shake my head; as if to say "I heard you!" When, in fact, I haven't a clue what they may have said...I watch their body language; I read their lips......I "BLUFF!"
How many of us do this?....I got away with it more before I had the dog...she gives my secret away, if she's wearing her vest....if not...I simply say, "she's in training!" Because "deaf folks" look so "normal", we can "pass" for perfect! And, sometimes it's just easier to "move on!"
I guess I bluff too but never thought of it that way. I know sometimes I don't get it right because of the way people look at me sometimes.
I spoke to my partner about those wonderful dogs and she thinks I should get one. I don't think my hearing lose is bad enough yet to do that and I would rather have some who needs it more than me get one first.
How do you know when it's time to apply for a dog? Do I really need to do that when I have a partner to help me? Wouldn't it drive the dog nuts if I took it to work and all those phones were ringing?
I have too dogs already (pets) they are wonderful of course and they let me know if anyone shows up at the door. I can hear the door bell if I'm close enough however we had a practice fire alarm at work and becuase of where the alarm is I did not hear it. Once I was driving with my son and he heard sirens come very near and then I saw the firetrucks. Other times I can hear them. What's with that? It confuses me. It seems that some days my hearing is worse than others..............how can that be?????
Karen, great article! My adult step-daughter is deaf and I have found myself bluffing with her from time to time. She speaks fairly well, but spends so much time signing with her deaf friends that her speech can get out of practice and I hate to ask her to repeat herself too often. I try to be conscious when she's speech-reading that I'm not blocking my mouth with my hand or facing away or some other thing that may make it more difficult. But I like those tips at the end of the article for better communication. Thanks for sharing that.
Roz Silberschein: I "Bluff" all the time.....I simply smile; give a thumbs up or shake my head; as if to say "I heard you!" When, in fact, I haven't a clue what they may have said...I watch their body language; I read their lips......I "BLUFF!" How many of us do this?....I got away with it more before I had the dog...she gives my secret away, if she's wearing her vest....if not...I simply say, "she's in training!" Because "deaf folks" look so "normal", we can "pass" for perfect! And, sometimes it's just easier to "move on!"
Hi Roz,
A lot of deaf and hard of hearing people bluff. It's a survival skill of sorts-- otherwise we'd be stopping conversation every second. But having said that-- I try hard not to bluff anymore. I'm up front with people about what I need to make communication happen. I tell them to slow down when I can't keep up, to face me when they don't, to take turns in groups-- stuff that I didn't do when I was growing up. There are still situations-- like family dinners at the in-laws where people "forget" and the conversation speeds up. I'll still interrupt if I want to know what's going on and other times I'll let it slide. I do wish I could invent a little Taser that I could aim at my brother in laws when their mouths move a mile a second...
InnerGlow: Karen, great article! My adult step-daughter is deaf and I have found myself bluffing with her from time to time. She speaks fairly well, but spends so much time signing with her deaf friends that her speech can get out of practice and I hate to ask her to repeat herself too often. I try to be conscious when she's speech-reading that I'm not blocking my mouth with my hand or facing away or some other thing that may make it more difficult. But I like those tips at the end of the article for better communication. Thanks for sharing that.
You're quite welcomed!
(raising hand as fellow bluffer)
One of the lesser talked about symptoms of my condition is loss of hearing. Since it's a bone condition, the tiny bones of the ear are also affected-usually starting in the 20's....uhh...now for me! My boyfriend has the same condition but even worse hearing so our TV is up really loud here...I always have to go in the other room if someone calls. When I used to go home to visit my family and we'd get together to watch a movie, I tried to ask them to keep turning it up...I think they thought it was just a preference and would kind of laugh it off because it was too loud for them until I finally said that I really can't hear what they are saying AT ALL! Now-we compromise and we watch them with captions. I have a harder time with movies than TV.
I'm still a social bluffer in other situations though. People are so high above me anyways that if they whisper-forget about it! It's difficult working with kids and adolescents too because they mumble or look down and talk...I'm getting better in those situations but it's tough with friends to ask them to repeat over and over.
~Kara
P.S. AWESOME article. I really enjoyed it!
KaraSwims: (raising hand as fellow bluffer) One of the lesser talked about symptoms of my condition is loss of hearing. Since it's a bone condition, the tiny bones of the ear are also affected-usually starting in the 20's....uhh...now for me! My boyfriend has the same condition but even worse hearing so our TV is up really loud here...I always have to go in the other room if someone calls. When I used to go home to visit my family and we'd get together to watch a movie, I tried to ask them to keep turning it up...I think they thought it was just a preference and would kind of laugh it off because it was too loud for them until I finally said that I really can't hear what they are saying AT ALL! Now-we compromise and we watch them with captions. I have a harder time with movies than TV. I'm still a social bluffer in other situations though. People are so high above me anyways that if they whisper-forget about it! It's difficult working with kids and adolescents too because they mumble or look down and talk...I'm getting better in those situations but it's tough with friends to ask them to repeat over and over. ~Kara P.S. AWESOME article. I really enjoyed it!
Kara,
Thanks for sharing! I agree, it is tough to ask for something to be repeated. One of the things that I did with two of my neighbors was to have a frank talk with them one day about what I needed to make communication happen between us. Since that talk, the communication took an amazing turn. They learned to do all sorts of things to make conversation flow. They're some of my best friends now. :)
Perhaps today at Thanksgiving we can all "take the bull by the horns" and reduce that bluffing. :)
