| It has been determined that beyond 14 million citizens | | | | Communicating with their children as parents well as |
| within the US have hearing loss woes and this mars | | | | understanding what deafness is all about is something |
| their ability to communicate effectively. From the week | | | | that is crucial. This program's best features are the |
| of Sept 21 to 28, Deaf Awareness Week shall be | | | | speech and language lessons for home use as well as |
| celebrated and with this, a counselor representing the | | | | sign language basics for the parents. The center |
| coop of East Harris County will ascertain that this will | | | | envisioned Deaf Awareness Week to bring out the |
| be one memorable and successful week. Children that | | | | confidence of the deaf children. |
| are hearing impaired in that area get to spend time | | | | Only if they choose to see it as a handicap will it then |
| with this kind counselor. She got herself tons of | | | | be one. Try to see them first as children and look at |
| educational feats like obtaining a bachelor of science | | | | the deafness aspect as something insubstantial to their |
| degree in teaching deaf and hearing students, as well | | | | being. I aim to change things especially since they can |
| as special education certified master's degree | | | | be a huge challenge, she shares. |
| specializing in the field of counseling. | | | | She shall also run through the devices that are made |
| The coop is here to bring quality education to people | | | | for those with hearing impairment. Devices like hearing |
| aged 0 to 21 suffering from deafness, she revealed. | | | | aids, alternative materials that assist the deaf along |
| Supervising the coop team is another lady, who | | | | with caring for such things will be what they shall delve |
| dutifully looks after the roster of interpreters, | | | | into. One alternative to hearing for the deaf is sign |
| counselors, speech pathologists, advisors, reading | | | | language. |
| specialists and diagnosticians. We are like a strong | | | | Indeed, sign language is something marvelous. I tell the |
| team, working hand in hand, she recounts. | | | | kids it is a definite advantage when you're eating and |
| Teachers at the different schools are important too, | | | | your mouth is full, and you can still communicate, she |
| she said. These are experts when it comes to deaf | | | | said. The creation of devices such as flashing lights for |
| children and they also know how to use the aides that | | | | telephones and alarms or closed caption TV sets are |
| will ease the process of learning for the kids. Students, | | | | some ways to enable to deaf to communicate. |
| whose hearing problems encompass all degrees of | | | | The local municipal library honors the Deaf Awareness |
| deafness, must be referred to the program in order to | | | | Week by featuring special books and bulletin boards |
| receive services the program offers. She thinks of | | | | throughout the entire week. At the library, Deaf |
| creative measures under the total communication | | | | Awareness Week is something valued as one of their |
| philosophy right after she diagnoses the needs of her | | | | employees is deaf. She was left without hearing after |
| students and this would include activities from speech, | | | | being diagnosed with spinal meningitis. |
| speech reading, auditory training, reading, skimming, sign | | | | She recalls how she lost her hearing back when she |
| language, gestures, spelling with the fingers, | | | | was living in Washington and got spinal meningitis. I, all |
| pantomimes and skits, even all the way to body | | | | of a sudden, saw my ability to hear vanish when I |
| language. | | | | used to stay for thirty long years in the hearing world. I |
| One vital component in the project is working closely | | | | did not know if it was possible for me to survive |
| with the family members of deaf children. | | | | without the ability to hear, she shares. |