Entering the World of Sound

A Korean Deaf Child can sing and play the piano!

2010-09-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

Pictured above is Park Jeong In's younger sister, 8. She loves playing video games and reading Disney books.

Jeong, 10, is wearing a striped shirt in this picture. She listens to her teacher very well in class in Seoul. This class was studying Social Studies.

Pictured above clockwise from left to right: neighbor, Jeong's mother, and 8-year-old sister.

Group of deaf children who are part of the choir "Miracle" in Seoul.

I met Park Jeong In at her concert "Miracle" in Seoul. All singers in "Miracle" are deaf children who hear with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Her mother was kind enough to allow me record her singing and playing the piano. Jeong is 10 and attends the 5th grade at her local public school in Seoul.

Sound of Water Flowing in South Korea

2010-07-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

I visited the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, and once I entered the palace I heard water flowing from somewhere.

I went and looked in the gutter and saw water flowing. I thought I was imagining the sound!

I saw gross bugs too, and my legs were sore from climbing so many steps!

Deaf Community Members Can Dance at House of Blues

2010-05-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

Gospel Choir members pulled audience members to dance with them at GLAD's fundraising event at House of Blues on May 16, 2010. Photos by Megan Clancy

See Deaf community people dance here with Gospel music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVuc2HpRZho

Listen to the music here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Xxb379ByA

Agency for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing had fundraising at House of Blues May 16, 2010

2010-05-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Left: Bob Hiltermann Right: Dr. Patricia Hughes, CEO of GLAD

Bob Hiltermann hosted GLAD's event on May 16, 2010 at House of Blues.

Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD) had its 8th annual fundraising event at House of Blues on the famed Sunset Strip in West Hollywood on May 16, 2010.

Well-known deaf performers Lexi Marman, Brian Michael Cole and Bob Hiltermann entertained the audience at the beginning of the show before the Gospel Choir came on stage.

See Bob Hiltermann hosting the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn_r3HZJBM

"I'm supportive of those who have cochlear implants, and I ask them what do they hear," Hiltermann said. "I would like to hear, but I won't get the cochlear implant because I know it will change me. Deafness is who I am."

GLAD's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Patricia Hughes shared information about how GLAD can help adults and children with cochlear implants.

GLAD has services that can help adults who are losing their hearing, Hughes said. Employees at GLAD have experience with losing their hearing, so they can help adults learn how to cope with their hearing loss.

For children who have cochlear implants, Hughes encourages them to learn sign language because they are still deaf when the implants are off. See our interview here on video (sign language version only): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GogBWNPOvg

"This year was one of the best fundraising events at House of Blues," Hughes said. "I strive to remove all the negative attitudes and communication barriers through my work with GLAD. I will keep working until I'm burned out."

According to Hughes, more deaf children are mainstreamed compared to in the past, however according to California Law, schools for the deaf must remain open. This is because these schools provide deaf children the least restrictive environments compared to regular schools for normal hearing children. See a video here talking about CA AB 2072, a bill that cuts budget plans for schools for the deaf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f_DBRhI6kg.

Prelingual deaf adults/parents can find tutors on Craigslist

2010-05-13T19:35:00.000-07:00

David Kim and his family. Photo by David Kim David has a cochlear implant.

You can find a great tutor on Craigslist if your family or friends cannot help you at a regular basis.

You can type a post like: I'm deaf and am an adult. I'm looking for a speech language tutor. I prefer native English speakers and those who want to help and are patient with repetition. We can meet at my home or at the library.

You can easily create your own materials with the daily newspaper, your kids' books, and games like:

Apples for Apples
Boggle
Guess Who?
Taboo!
Scrabble
Memory game

Deaf Performers Can Struggle In Entertainment Industry Like Anyone Else

2010-05-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

Fans with Actor CJ Jones in Santa Monica, Calif. May 2010

Photo: Courtesy of Hilari Scarl (above poster) and others by Megan Clancy

Hilari Scarl, director of "See What I'm Saying?" documentary, wanted to film deaf people about their lives for a long time. Scarl originally planned on writing a film about deaf people, but she felt it made more sense to film deaf people themselves and produce a documentary, according to Scarl. Scarl started filming four performers: CJ Jones, Robert DeMayo, TL Foresberg and Bob Hiltermann in 2007. Their real lives have a much more empowering effect compared to what I can invent, Scarl said.

Microsoft sponsored the film by covering fees for open captioning, and this film is the first film at a theater that came with open captions, Scarl said. Scarl hopes to influence other filmmakers and people in the movie industry to do the same--to allow open communication access for both communities, hearing and the deaf.

Sprint was the film's title sponsor, covering fees for their opening music video that had both singing and sign language.

See Bob Hiltermann host Greater Los Angeles Agency for the Deaf (GLAD)'s annual fundraising brunch at House of Blues here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjjS-eAE2_I.

Auditory Verbal Therapy is a lot of work especially for prelingual deaf adults

2010-05-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

Megan Clancy is a bilateral cochlear implant user, who was profoundly deaf at birth. She got her first implant in 2002 and her second one in 2007. She got them both during her young adult years.

Family, private speech language tutors and an experienced auditory-oral teacher of the deaf/auditory verbal therapist work with Megan for developing her auditory vocabulary and comprehension. See a speech language tutor session here:

Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl76RMb-dPw

Megan no longer uses sign language at school and uses her Phonak FM system in situations where there are bad acoustics.

Megan struggled to find an audiologist who can serve her needs, since she was born completely deaf with no pre-built auditory vocabulary. She finally found Project Talk in San Diego, Calif. There are pediatric audiologists like Joan Hewitt, AuD and Lori Owen, M.A. who specialize in MAPping in children and adults who have prelingual onset of deafness.

Since Megan received two cochlear implants and with the help of Project Talk, Megan's auditory vocabulary and comprehension is increasing every day. Megan is able to take some notes by herself at school which she was never able to before meeting the staff at Project Talk.

Through ProjectTalk, Megan receives auditory-oral services with Gwen Suennen, who is a teacher of the deaf.

Deaf Dad Hears His Son With His C.I.

2010-05-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

Many deaf people use sign language to communicate. However, more of then have access to the world of sound with cochlear implants, like David Kim, with the cap in the photo below.

David Kim, 33, moved to California from Korea at the age of 8 months. He lives in Orange County with his wife, Elizabeth, and 3-year-old son, Josiah. Kim was born with profound hearing loss, and now hears with a cochlear implant from Advanced Bionics Corporation.

David Kim with his son Josiah at Angels Stadium. Photo by Megan Clancy

"Basically, one of my friends read about cochlear implants in Time and suggested me to look into this new technology," Kim said in response about how he decided to get the cochlear implant. After gathering information through his research, he felt it was worth a shot getting more hearing from an implant. He got his implant at Sutter Medical Center in 2003. "I wanted to get a cochlear implant basically because I wanted to communicate with hearing people," Kim said. "I just wanted to be more aware of things around me."

Kim grew up using both spoken language and American Sign Language. After he got implanted, he did not need speech therapy since his speech was already very clear. Kim also speaks some Korean (Hangul), but does not use it often.

"I started to hear sounds that I never was able to hear. It was an awesome experience," Kim said. "I cried at some sounds like kids talking, the violin playing, birds singing and crickets chirping. I was amazed to hear myself talking."

Kim was unable to recognize his name by listening alone, but now he can. "It's like learning a new language," Kim said. "I had to match the words to sounds." At home, he would practice listening by having conversations with his wife, Elizabeth.

He enjoys listening to NPR News, pop style Christian music, Jazz and Blues.

Elizabeth Kim, Josiah Kim and David Kim at Saddleback Church's Easter Service on April 4, 2010 at Angel's Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. Photo by Megan Clancy

"Hearing my son's voice was a joy," Kim said. "It became important to me."

Members of the Deaf Community Offer Their Children Hearing

2010-04-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

If deaf parents have deaf children, would they offer cochlear implants to them? Joash, 3, hears with an implant and he has deaf parents.

A growing number of members of the Deaf Community are giving their deaf infants cochlear implants, hoping that those children will become bilingual--being fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and in spoken English. That was what Daphne, 38, wanted for her deaf son, Joash.

"It happened when I saw a posting written by a Deaf mother who had two deaf children who hear with cochlear implants," Daphne said. "They are bilingual in ASL and spoken English."

Daphne was very wary about giving her son a cochlear implant since she heard so many false myths and stories from different members in the Deaf Community. For example, she heard that cochlear implants can make children mentally retarded, unable to do sports, and they could die in the operating room.

However, she did her own online research and talked with people before giving her son an implant. Additionally, Daphne was aware that since she communicates primarily in ASL. Therefore, she had auditory verbal therapists, hearing friends and speech therapists help to stimulate her son's development in spoken English.

"The first time I heard about this situation was on an online cochlear implant website where a posting by a Deaf mother caught my eye," Goodall said. "I have met other deaf ASL-speaking deaf parents who have children with cochlear implants who are also bilingual."

Joash and Daphne. Photo: Courtesy of Daphne

With the support of this "Bi-Bi" philosophy, Joash is doing well with both languages made possible by the cochlear implant team with the Carolina Children's Communicative Disorders Program at University of North Carolina .

Sound of Fury Mom Q and A Session About Cochlear Implant Controversy in 2000 vs today

2009-07-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

Peter Artinian in 2000 and Heather Artinian in 2000: Spoken language or sign language?

Photos: Aronson Films

Mari Artinian was one of the mothers featured in this film "Sound and Fury" in 2000, which was about the fierce controversy about giving deaf infants cochlear implants between the hearing and deaf communities. Click here to order the film: Aronsonfilms@aol.com. Aronson Films connected me to Mari, who was kind enough to answer my questions.

#1: Why did you decide to give your son Peter the CI even you were a CODA member?

I decided to give Peter a Cochlear Implant because I wanted every opportunity available to him. I saw the discrimination and barriers that deafness could bring, and if I could take away just a bit of it- then why not? Realistically, and I know that this is not politically correct- but there are many out there who cannot be bothered with relay operators and interpreters. If I could break down that wall- it would only benefit my child. That's what a parent does for their children- give them every opportunity to succeed. I also remember VIVIDLY of how my parents were left out of many family functions- they were outsiders in their own family! I didn't want that for my child and while, yes, we could sign, it wasn't the same thing.

#2: Did the deaf people's feelings about the CI influence your decision in any way?

No, the deaf people's feelings did not influence me in any way as far as my decision went. I saw the potential that the CI had, and I wanted it for my son. However, I did feel an inner conflict regarding what they were saying- was I making the right decision? Am I a traitor?

#3: How did you feel being the "first" oral deaf mom in your family in such an ASL environment?

It was really difficult at first. My mom was one of the first students at Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, my in laws all attended there, and Chris and I were married there. There were a lot of roots at the school and to break away from that ideology and embrace a new one was tough. But I knew (as well as Chris) that we made the right decision for our child and we were committed to making the implant a success for him.

#4: Did people pick on you about your decision for implanting Peter?

Yes, there were many people- strangers even. I could remember going food shopping with my children, and people would come up to me out of nowhere and sign to me that I was an embarrassment to the Deaf community- I had no Deaf Pride. It was unsettling however, we have also received many many emails and letters from people who supported us and thanked us for our honesty in the movie.

#5: Today do you feel that today's attitudes in the Deaf Community has become more positive about CIs since 2000?

I think that the attitudes in the Deaf Community have changed somewhat- but I still feel that there is this perception that it really isn't as good as us "hearing" people say it is. I see more and more Deaf children from Deaf families getting implanted- but their success isn't the equilvent to others. One thing I know for certain is that if you are going to have the implant- then you need to set it up for success. This means getting mapped on a regular basis, speech therapy, etc. The CI isn't a cure and it does take a lot of hard work to reap the benefits. You cannot possibly put on the implant one day and all of a sudden- sound makes sense to you. It just doesn't work that way and I think many people in the Deaf community who get the implant do have some false execrations about the device and then point to it later and say "You see, it really doesn't work".

#6: How do you feel about some hearing parents and Deaf parents not giving their deaf infants CIs today?

To me, it's all about choice. It is a parents "right" to decide what they think is best for their child. Who am I to say what another person does is wrong? However, I also believe that the parents who say that they will "wait" until the child is old enough to make a decision- well then , in reality, they have already made the choice for their child. It has been well established that the earlier that the CI is implanted- the greater the success. If Peter decided today to abandon the implant- then it's really him who has made the choice. He has the luxury of choosing through my decision of implanting him as an infant.

As you can see, cochlear implants are very popular for today's parents who have deaf infants. Research shows that the earlier infants receive implants, the better and faster they can learn spoken language.