The InMyLingo blog has moved to www.InMyLingo.com/blog

Hello!  This blog has been moved to a new location where I will continue to offer new and exciting posts regularly.  In its new home, the blog will now be integrated with the InMyLingo Interpreter Network to offer you free search, reviews, and networking capabilities with a nationwide database of Interpreters. 

Please visit:

http://www.InMyLingo.com/blog

Thank you!

A grant of $225,00 to do research upon Deafhood

A grant of nearly £140,000 ($225,000 US dollars) by the Leverhulme Trust has been awarded to the University of Bristol’s Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) in United Kingdom to conduct research upon the new concept of "Deafhood." It will examine the Deaf people's concerns upon the advancement of Genetic technology.

I am quite curious to see what CDS will come up with. This is an exciting century for all of us. Technology and Medicine are starting to merge into a new field of science and it will eventually transform the way we live. It won't be long before we can actually FIX genetic defects....

Now the question is :

Should the Deaf communities across the world embrace the new changes or fear it?

Some definitions you may need to know: before you can read and understand the article.

• Deafhood => the identify of being d/Deaf culturally than just a person with hearing loss.
• Hegemonic / hegemony => the dominance or leadership of one social group or nation over others;
• In this example : Medical deaf vs Cultural Deaf (or Hearing vs Deaf)
• Eugenicist / eugenics => the study and practice of selective breeding applied to humans, with the aim of improving the species.
• "Survival of Fittest" where we pick "perfect" human beings to make the best, strongest, smartest babies.

Article : Research study to examine genetics, power and Deafhood

Deaf Mugger

Everyone GOTTA SEE THIS!!!!!! It's hilarious!

The paradox about this is

I am not fully familiar with the laws in United Kingdom, but I think there is a law in UK where the government is required to provide sign language interpreters to any Deaf individuals and pay for it (through taxes). There are no agencies or such. All the interpreters work for the government, thus they are employees of the British Government. So we have a Deaf mugger who requests an interpreter to help him to break the law.....

(Laughing out loud) You gotta love the irony! Enjoy the video!

Man's deafness cured after a TOOTH is removed from ear!!!

For more than 30 years Stephen Hirst was in constant pain and partially deaf because of excruciating earache.But that is all in the past now after doctors found a TOOTH lodged in the former miner's ear.

Okay! Ladies and Gentlemen, start pulling your teeth!!!! (smile)

I cannot say if this is an actual prank or not.. But it seems to be true according to several sources online. Read for yourself.

Read more:

• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1321482/Mans-33-year-earache-mystery-solved-doctors-pull-tooth-ear.html
• http://sify.com/news/uk-man-s-33-yr-old-ache-was-due-to-tooth-stuck-in-ear-news-international-kksrksaheaj.html
• http://www.medindia.net/news/Doctors-Remove-Tooth-from-Ear-75535-1.htm

New Zealand offer world first service for Deaf

Can you believe this? "Until today, New Zealanders who are hearing impaired and deaf have had to use a fax machine to make contact with 1 -1 -1 (the police)."

This is already 2010!!!

Nevertheless, New Zealand have established a new "textting" system where a person can text and communicate with the police. New Zealand is supposedly to be the first country in the world to offer this unique service.

For more details (and you can watch a video), please go to 3news.

On Friday, Oct 8, 2010, 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act will be signed into LAW!!!

NAD Applauds Passage of 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act

On Friday, October 8, President Barack Obama will sign the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 into law and deliver brief remarks on the impact of this law on individuals with disabilities. Bobbie Beth Scoggins, President of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) with Chief Executive Officer Nancy Bloch and Law and Advocacy Director Rosaline Crawford will be on hand to witness this historic event at the White House, which will be streamed on whitehouse.org/live.

The NAD applauds Congress for passage of this landmark legislation will improve access to communication, television, and the Internet for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened and deaf-blind.

“The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act is one of the most significant victories for our community since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed 20 years ago. It will enable 36 million deaf and hard of hearing people to participate in the Internet age by ensuring captioning of television programs on the Internet, a closed caption button on television remote controls, hearing aid compatibility for Internet telephones, and communications equipment for individuals who are deaf-blind, and more,” said Bobbie Beth Scoggins, NAD President. “While we fell short in some areas, such as requiring web TV episodes distributed only on the Internet to be captioned, this is a step in the right direction to make
the web accessible. For many of us, the quality of our lives depend on an accessible Internet and we appreciate Congress’ recognition of this essential civil right.”

The passage of this Act culminates a legislative process that has involved congressional hearings, intensive discussions with various companies and trade associations, and extensive advocacy by the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) of which the NAD is a co-founder, leader, and steering committee member. COAT, a coalition of more than 300 organizational affiliates, promotes full access by people with disabilities to evolving high speed broadband, wireless and other Internet Protocol (IP) technologies. Other COAT co-founding organizations include the American Association of People with Disabilities, American Council of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind, and Communication Service for the Deaf.

The Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (S. 3304) will significantly increase accessibility for Americans with disabilities to the indispensable telecommunications technology tools of the 21st century by:

Making access to the Web possible through improved user interfaces for smart phones
Enabling Americans who are blind to enjoy TV more fully through audible descriptions of the on-screen action
Making TV program guides and selection menus accessible to people with vision loss
Providing Americans who are deaf the ability to watch new TV programs online with the captions included
Mandating that remote controls have a button or similar mechanism to easily access the closed captioning on broadcast and pay TV
Requiring that telephone equipment used to make calls over the Internet is compatible with hearing aids
For low-income Americans who are both deaf and blind, providing up to $10 million per year to purchase communications equipment to access the telephone system and the Internet so these individuals can more fully participate in society.
“This Act was achieved through bipartisan support.” said NAD President Scoggins. “The NAD looks forward to working with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the rulemakings expected over the next several years to fulfill the requirements of the Act. With the continued support of our members we will ensure that the final regulations provide the access that deaf and hard of hearing people need.”

The NAD would like to recognize and thank a number of members who played a key role in moving the legislation forward. In the U.S. Senate, the bill was championed by Senator Pryor (D-AR), with the support of Senator Kerry (D-MA), Senator Rockefeller (D-WV), Senator Hutchison (R-TX), and Senator Ensign (R-NV).  In the U.S. House, it was authored and championed by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), with the support of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA), Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA). In addition, the NAD would like to recognize AT&T, Verizon, USTelecom, and Windstream who provided early and staunch support for the legislation. Furthermore, the NAD would like to thank the COAT steering
committee representatives -- including NAD Law and Advocacy Director Rosaline Crawford -- who provided amazing dedication and commitment in shepherding this legislation through Congress.

Courtesy of NAD

Movie made by Deaf and Dumb to premiere on Oct 9

"The movie Amir=Garib, to be premiered on October 9 in the Town Hall Auditorium, has all the essentials of a Bollywood flick, but one fundamental element — sound. The movie has been made by deaf and dumb people."

"Why are India still calling people with hearing loss as 'Deaf and Dumb"???"

I thought the Deaf communities across the world got rid of "Dumb" about 50 years ago?

What are your thoughts!???

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Movie-made-by-deaf-and-dumb-to-premiere-on-Oct-9/688214/

iStoryTime Releases App for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

iStoryTime, the app developer for DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon,” among other audio-visual children’s stories, now will offer the option to view it in oral, manual, or sign-language.

"iStoryTime brings the joy of a children's book to the convenience of your iPhone, iPod® touch, or iPad. Our books are illustrated and narrated, so your child can enjoy them even when you’re busy. Best of all, the app is drop-dead simple to use because it’s actually designed for a 2-year old."

"Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy." is the first story to offer these new options and can be downloaded for $2.99 on iPad or $.99 on iPhone.

This is only the beginning, with more such stories to come...

"iStoryTime cofounder Woody Sears said that his company is busy trying to “spread the word about our new product.” Deaf people are still underprovided for by media, he said, but new technology, including user-generated apps, is facilitating the development of content for this niche market."

I do not own an iPhone or iPad, but can anyone try it out and tell me how it went? I would love to know?

Links:
News Article
istorytimeapp

Verizon Awards $55,000 to Nonprofits That Use Technology to Help Individuals With Disabilities

Verizon Awards $55,000 to Nonprofits That Use Technology to Help Individuals With Disabilities

"Technology is the pipeline to opportunity, especially for people with disabilities.  That's why the Verizon Foundation, which is committed to improving access to information and services that address the needs of people with disabilities, is awarding $55,000 to five Massachusetts nonprofit agencies that are dedicated to improving accessibility."

5 Non-Profit Organizations that received grants are:

1. Lowell Association for the Blind
1.  Help the Visually-Impaired children to do radio shows
2. Children's Hospital Deaf and Hard of Hearing program
1. Develop a series of webcasts that cover a wide range of topics important to caregivers and parents of children with hearing loss.
3. Easter Seals Massachusetts
1.  Enable people with disabilities to participate in all aspects of their lives through the use of assistive technology
4. National Braille Press
1.  Develop a refreshable Braille PDA (personal digital assistant) that will give blind students of all ages access to e-mail, the Internet, text files and digital textbooks.
5. New England Homes for the Deaf
1. Train individuals, all of whom are over the age of 50, have minimal experience with computers and are not comfortable with technology. 

I think it's awesome for those organizations to focus on incorporating technology with our everyday lives. Technology has already changed some people's lives, but at same time there are still millions of people out there who still are not exposed to all the benefits technology can offer. We need to improve that. Right!?

For more details; 
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verizon-awards-55000-to-nonprofits-that-use-technology-to-help-individuals-with-disabilities-101378594.html

Hearing loss hits 1 in 5 U.S. teens

One in five American teenagers now suffers from some type of hearing loss, an increase of 31% since the mid '90s, new research shows.(USA Today).

How should we react to this? 

• Will some Deaf people say "Hoorah!" because it can eventually lead to more exposure to the Deaf awareness and Deaf culture? 
• Will some Deaf people say "aww" because of the simple fact, they are losing their hearing?
• Or Deaf people just don't care due to the paradox of inclusion vs exclusion?

Furthermore, another section caught my attention.

"Other studies show that even a small hearing loss can harm a child's school performance, language development and social interactions, Shargorodsky says."

Do you agree with this? (Or have we proven them wrong?)

For full details of the article; go to USA Today.