Tuesday, March 17, 2009 5:30 – 7:30 PM
(Socializing at 5:30; program begins at 6:00.)
Editor’s Corner – Elizabeth Stump
Captions: Past, Present, & Future
SPEAKERS: Joe Gordon, Shera Katz, Welcome to the March 2009 issue
& Toni Iacolucci of the HLAA‐Manhattan News & Views!
By now the digital TV transition would have
MEETING LEADER: Barbara Dagen
occurred across the country had a bill not been
passed in early February to delay the switch. (See
Location
more details on page 5.) But that doesn’t mean that
MUHLENBERG LIBRARY BRANCH some of you won’t have already made the transition,
209 West 23rd St. and perhaps been experiencing problems with the
(between 7th and 8th Ave., closer to 7th) captions or other technical issues.
3rd floor—elevator available
At our March meeting, we’ll be listening to Joe
*Help test taxi hearing induction loops for a pilot Gordon and Shera Katz speak about the past,
program in NYC! Meet at 4:45 PM in the parking lot present, and future of captions in all media (TV,
at 235 W. 22 Street between 7 & 8th Ave., and at 7:30 movies, Internet, etc.). In case you don’t know, Joe
PM after the meeting in front of the library. Gordon was instrumental in bringing open and
closed captioned movies to NY State on Dec. 5, 2005,
NOTE: Assistive listening help is provided at our and has been a key player in advocating for closed
meetings through live CART captioning and a room captions on TV for over 15 years. He also is
loop for those whose hearing aids have a T‐coil. responsible for the mandate that phones include a
FM headsets are also available. volume control feature, after the Hearing Aid
Compatibility Act was passed in 1988.
After Joe and Shera’s presentation there will be an
opportunity for attendees to ask questions and share
their trials and tribulations with the digital TV
transition and captions. Toni Iacolucci will also be
speaking briefly about a new Chapter Advocacy
Committee, and you’ll learn how you can get
involved to affect the future of captions.
Speaking of captions, I’d like to take a moment and
remind everyone of a few fantastic services that
Next Month’s Meeting: Tues., April 21, 5:30 PM provide access to captioned entertainment right here
Title: New Developments in Hearing Aids in NYC. For captioned films in your area, visit
Speaker: Dr. Joseph Montano www.Fomdi.com and
www.insightcinema.org/links.html. And for captioned
2
plays and musicals in NYC, register for free at CHAPTER PLANNING COMMITTEE
www.tdf.org/TAP so that you’re eligible to buy Join us on the first Tuesday of each month to help plan
discounted tickets (half‐priced orchestra seats!). For programs & events.
captioned theater in other cities around the U.S., visit
www.c2net.org. Not only are these services beneficial HLAA Manhattan Chapter Phone Number: (voice)
for hard‐of‐hearing people, but the more often we (212) 769‐HEAR (4327)
take advantage of the services, the stronger the
Barbara Bryan
message we send that more needs to be done to
barbarabryan@usa.net
accommodate those with hearing loss. (See page 7.)
Barbara Dagen, Newsletter Committee
On March 17th, witness the St. Patrick’s Day parade bdagen1@verizon.net
on 5th Avenue in the afternoon and then come to the
Chapter meeting! (Don’t forget to wear green!) Mary Fredericks, Secretary
(212) 674‐9128 maryfreder@aol.com
Joe Gordon
NYJGordon@aol.com
Toni Iacolucci, NYC Walk4Hearing Co‐chair
giantoni@nyc.rr.com
Shera Katz, Web Site Coordinator
Help the Chapter Go Green! sherakatz@verizon.net
Would you like to receive N&V by e‐mail only
rather than receive a mailed version to help us cut Anne Pope, Immediate Past President, HLAA Board
of Trustees; NYC Walk4Hearing Co‐chair
down on paper consumption and save money? It
atpop24@aol.com
costs about $8 a year to provide one member with
10 issues — that’s more than half of one’s annual Ellen Semel
dues. Please notify HLAANYC@aol.com if you’d (212) 989‐0624 ellen13@rcn.com
like to make this change. The Chapter thanks you!
Susan Shapiro, Treasurer
sdshappy@aol.com
CAPTIONING BUZZ
Dana Simon
*For a wealth of caption information, please go to the dana2cat@gmail.com
HLAA Web site at www.hearingloss.org/. On the top
ribbon, click on the word LEARN, then on LINKS, Elizabeth Stump, Newsletter Editor
ElizabethMStump@gmail.com
and finally on the words ALL ABOUT CAPTIONS!
Diane Sussman
dlsuss@optonline.net
*Check out www.nbc.com/shows for captioned full
episodes of many of your favorite NBC shows! Advisory Members
Amy McCarthy
*There’s an option for watching captions on many Lois O’Neill
YouTube videos. But if you’re having trouble with Robin Sacharoff
getting the captions to appear, go to
www.tubecaption.com/ to add captions (it’s free). Professional Advisors:
Josh Gendel, Technical Director, League for the Hard
*If you are having problems with captions on digital of Hearing (LHH)
TV channels, then please take part in this survey to
Laurie Hanin, PhD, CCC‐A Exec. Director, LHH
assist the FCC: www.avsforum.com/avs‐
vb/showthread.php?t=1112637.
Joseph Montano, Ed.D., Director, Hearing & Speech,
Weill Cornell Medical College
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WHAT YOU MISSED IN FEBRUARY • Public venues with 50 or more (fixed) seats must
Mary Fredericks have amplification according to state and city
regulations.
Dr. Joel Ziev is a long‐time advocate and consultant • New York Times online: this service often has
on the ADA and disability access. He has spoken at videos, with sound but no captions. There is
other HLAA chapters, and we soon understood why currently no mandate to bring captioning to the
he is so popular! Some of the interesting projects he Web. There are major technological problems
has been involved with include workshops for senior that are being worked on and progress is being
administrative law judges about access for people made.
with disabilities; the design teams for the new In summary, when asking for accommodations, be
Yankees and Mets stadiums to provide access for reasonable and specific, give advance notice of your
deaf, hard‐of‐hearing, and blind persons; and needs, and thank people and organizations when
working with the Transit Authority to provide audio they provide what you need.
and visual announcements for people with hearing
and vision disabilities. He then opened the meeting Summer Camp for Kids with Hearing Loss
to questions from the 35‐40 attendees. The range of The early admission deadline for Clarke’s Summer
topics was broad, and following are some excerpts Adventure (July 12‐24), for hearing‐impaired kids
from his responses. ages 9‐13, is April 3. Go online for more information:
• Newer buses will have visual and audio alerts for www.clarkeschool.org/content/programs/summer.php.
announcements; the required technology is not
yet in place for improved subway Sign a Petition!
communication. Show your support for the 21st Century
• The new Yankee stadium (built exclusively for Communications and Video Accessibility Act —
baseball) will have captioning for all public which contains proposals such as mandating closed
address announcements. captioning for all PDAs, computers, iPods, and cell
• Small businesses are not required to provide phones — by signing the online petition, created by
accessibility; it is up to them, and reasonableness the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible
of cost is one of the factors to be considered. Technology (COAT): www.coataccess.org/node/88.
• A questioner said that she could understand the Sign it and spread the word!
speaker at a public lecture but not the questions
from the audience. You can ask the moderator to
NYU Medical Center Hearing Aid Study
repeat questions from the audience. CART is not
required. You must be reasonable with your
Are you an experienced hearing aid user who would
requests. You can complain to the sponsor or you
like to try cutting‐edge, digital hearing aids? NYU is
can file a complaint with the city or state Human
asking for more volunteers for a 3‐month study to
Rights Commission if you wish.
help researchers develop better methods of
• Too‐loud music and dim lighting in restaurants
evaluating hearing aid performance in the “real
and retail establishments: If the ambience is
world.” Using the study’s hearing aids will also give
unsatisfactory for you, leave — but be sure to tell
you a chance to find out whether that type of hearing
a manager or someone of your displeasure.
aid is more helpful than your current hearing aids.
There are no regulations governing this.
• Community board meetings: Accessibility is
You will be compensated for your time and
mandated by Title II of ADA for political entities.
reimbursed for travel expenses. Volunteers must
Plan ahead; specify your needs in advance. If
have bilateral, sensorineural moderate‐to‐severe
necessary, contact the Borough President’s office.
hearing loss; have worn 2 hearing aids for at least a
And if you request accommodations, be sure to
year; are willing to use only the experimental behind‐
attend the meeting and use whatever is
the‐ear hearing aids during the study; and are willing
provided. (The ADA compliance office in NYC is
to return for 8‐12 visits during the 3 months of the
the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities;
study. For more information, contact Marcin
the Director is Matt Sapolin. They are very good,
Wroblewski at 212‐263‐8455 or e‐mail:
and will go to bat for you.)
marcin.wroblewski@nyumc.org.
4
working for large corporations, those providing
equipment and services to people with hearing loss,
businesses you may have worked with or done work
Metropolitan Calendar for. Then pass along suggestions to Roberta and Ken
Alterman who have graciously agreed to chair the
Sponsorship Committee and are compiling contact
information for potential sponsors. We will soon be
Sunday, March 8: Spring Forward! (at 2 AM, it preparing solicitation packets and will work with
officially becomes 3 AM) you to coordinate delivering them to your contacts.
Tuesday, March 17: HLAA Chapter Meeting and Thanks so much for any suggestions.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Contact: Roberta and Ken Alterman (516‐801‐4842;
Thursday, March 26: LHH Cochlear Implant Support Roberta: paladino6@aol.com; Ken:
Group at the League for the Hard of Hearing kalterman@aol.com) or Anne Pope (212‐873‐2967;
50 Broadway, 2nd Floor; 5:30pm to 7pm atpop24@aol.com).
*For more information, call (917) 305‐7751
or e‐mail audiology@lhh.org. The 2009 Walk Web site is up with the new logo. Go
Tuesday, April 21: HLAA Chapter Meeting check it out at www.walk4hearing.org.
Wednesday, April 29: 14th Annual International
Noise Awareness Day Spread the Wealth — News from 2008’s
Walk4Hearing in NYC
*Register for the annual national convention — and Our long‐distance bookkeeper, Pete Fackler, has
HLAA’s 30th birthday — occurring June 18‐21, 2009, finalized our Walk proceeds from 2008. What’s the
in Nashville, Tennessee. Go to grand total we raised? $122,712.26! Thatʹs more than
www.hearingloss.org/convention. $50,000 more than the next highest fundraising Walk!
*The workshop and event schedule is now online!
National receives half the total. Fourteen teams
requested we give half of what they raised to 11
organizations. These 11 are the American Tinnitus
Association; Brooklyn College Audiology; Deafness
Research Foundation; HLAA Huntington Chapter;
HLAA Lexington Chapter (Queens); Hearing
Education Services; League for the Hard of Hearing;
Lexington School for the Deaf; Long Island
Seeking Sponsors for 2009’s Walk4Hearing — University Audiology; Mill Neck Services; and Ruth
October 18, 2009, in NYC Becker Foundation for Deaf Support.
After calculating HLAA – NYS’s 5% share of the
October may seem far away but the Walk4Hearing
proceeds, this leaves our Chapter with $41,978.37.
Planning Committee has already begun to reach out
to potential sponsors for the 2009 NYC
The Manhattan Chapter Planning Committee will
Walk4Hearing in Riverside Park. Sponsorships range
have a special meeting to discuss disbursement
from $100 to $10,000, with a range of benefits based
ideas. If any members who are not on the Planning
on sponsorship levels (such as having your logo
Committee have an idea for how to use our proceeds,
on the Walk website and T‐shirts). Weʹre all well
contact Ellen Semel at (212) 989‐0624 or
aware that fundraising will be especially challenging
ellen13@rcn.com. Thank you for your efforts in
in this economic climate, which is why we need your
making our 2008 Walk such a success!
help to broaden our base of support. Weʹre
confident we can duplicate last yearʹs terrific success
but as you know from your own experiences with
fundraising, a personal touch makes all the
difference. Itʹs what draws people to support HLAAʹs
cause. Please give some thought to people you know‐
‐friends, family, small‐business owners, those
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Advocacy for TV Captions
As noted in the Feb. issue, the
digital TV transition deadline One of the myriad ways HLAA advocates for YOU,
has been extended to June 12! individuals with hearing loss, is illustrated by long‐
Visit the newly revised time advocate Joe Gordon’s testimony on Nov. 24
www.dtv.gov to learn about before the New York City Council Committee on
DTV, check the status of your Technology in Government. The Committee’s topic
coupon application, and find for discussion was the upcoming digital TV
FCC assistance: troubleshooting guides for transition. A handful of consumers and NYC
Tel #: 888‐225‐5322; converter boxes and reception government and industry groups testified on the
TTY: 888‐835‐5322 maps for your neighborhood. transition, but Joe was the sole advocate for hard‐of‐
hearing issues. His focus that day was how the
transition affects closed captioning of TV programs.
HLAA Social Network and Web Chats:
Check out the online community from HLAA at
There will be better quality, more choices, and more
http://myhearingloss.org. Find hearing loss
control over TV reception once the switch is made to
resources, post messages for other members, and join
digital, Joe said. Yet for hearing‐impaired people,
in the chat room as guest speakers share their story
captions are essential for the enjoyment and
and answer your questions. comprehension of TV programs — regardless of
whether the programming is analog or digital. These
Upcoming Expert Chat: March 19, 7 PM, with Brad
viewers expect and are entitled to quality closed
Ingrao, AuD, on ear molds. captions.
Go here to submit questions:
www.hearingloss.org/Community/askExpert.asp
NYC cable TV service providers must be prepared
with technical and support personnel to ensure
Cochlear Implant Chat: Every Monday night, 8 PM
their subscribers are provided with quality closed
Regular Chat: Every Wednesday night, 9 PM
captions (before, during, and after the transition.) Joe
suggested that all cable TV providers in NYC
implement a “Closed Caption Hotline” to enable
Hearing Loss Magazine at The NY Public Library
reporting of missing captions, garbled, disappearing,
or inconsistent captioning. “Hotline” personnel
Look for Hearing Loss Magazine at should be available by e‐mail as well as by telephone
the library; we continued our in order to promptly resolve complaints. Also,
project of funding subscriptions to “Hotline” availability information should be noted
27 branches of The New York on the providerʹs Web site and subscribers’ monthly
Public Library. Brooklyn & Queens statements.
have their own subscriptions.
These subscriptions are funded with our 2007 walk Joe pointed out that many people besides the deaf
funds and will continue until December 2009. We and hard‐of‐hearing require or benefit from captions,
hope to reach and help more people with hearing including those who speak English as a second
loss, their families, and educate the public about language. Captions are also beneficial for everyone in
hearing loss. large, noisy areas like airport lounges, waiting rooms,
To see which branch has a subscription, visit your hotel lobbies, bars, and restaurants.
local library and ask for the magazine, or check the
library’s catalog at www.nypl.org and search (using Thank you, Joe, for all the hard work you have done
alphabetical title search) for “hearing loss.” Click on and continue to do on behalf of HLAA!
the title “Hearing Loss” with the magazine format.
You can also now search on the name “Hearing Loss
Association of America” and find it that way. Happy
reading!
—Dana Simon
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Scholarships for Hearing‐Impaired Students
Reminder: Online Support Groups
College students (and incoming college freshmen)
A few months ago I noted that HLAA launched a with a minimum 40dB bilateral hearing loss are
social community on the Web specifically for hard‐
eligible to apply for the 2009 Sertoma Scholarships
of‐hearing (HOH) young adults (ages 18‐35) who for Hearing‐Impaired Students. The national
want to meet and interact with other HOH peers scholarship program offers 12 $1,000 scholarships.
both locally and around the U.S. The site has
The application deadline is May 1. Go to
continued to grow and features discussion forums,
www.sertoma.org for an application.
event postings, and videos. Join now at
http://hearinglossnation.ning.com. Manhattan Chapter also will be giving out three
$1,000 scholarships to high school seniors from NYC
Don’t forget the Manhattan Chapter has an online and eastern Long Island. The application, available
group for hard‐of‐hearing people of all ages on from the schools, is due by April 11. For questions,
Meetup.com. Go to: contact Anne Pope at atpop24@aol.com.
http://www.meetup.com/Hearing‐Loss‐Association‐
of‐America‐Manhattan‐Chapter/.
NY Legislative Advocacy Updates Online
Support for Veterans — Free HLAA Membership Bills pending in the NY Legislature, form letters for
contacting your Congressional representatives, and
HLAA has added a new section to the Web site information about effective advocacy are located on
specifically for veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom HLAA‐NYS’s site here: www.shhh‐rochester‐
(OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) who ny.org/advocate.htm.
have hearing loss as a result of military service. Visit
Airline Travel Complaints
it at www.hearingloss.org/veterans/index.asp for
educational resources, servicemen profiles, and Air travel is one of HLAA’s priorities for 2009. If you
information on HLAA’s partnership (beginning this have complaints about airlines — not hearing flight
fall) with the National Technical Institute for the Deaf announcements, gate information, etc. — you need to
at Rochester Institute of Technology. take advantage of the new online complaint form for
airline travel. This is because the Dept. of
In addition, HLAA is offering OIF and OEF veterans Transportation only makes decisions about changes
a one‐year membership and convention registration based on the number of complaints. So go here:
free of charge. E‐mail Nancy Macklin for more http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/escomplaint/es.cfm.
information at Make certain you include all the requested
www.hearingloss.org/staffcontact4.asp. information when filing a complaint.
News From HLAA—Presidential Addresses Online
Noise Pollution — Protect Your “Tweens”
On the White House Web
ʺIt’s a Noisy Planet,” a campaign by the National site, read President
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Obama’s position
Disorders (NIDCD), debuted last fall to advise statement on disability
parents of 8‐ to 12‐year‐olds (“tweens”) how to teach issues (visit
their kids to avoid hearing loss. The campaign www.whitehouse.gov/ag
provides a Web site enda/disabilities/.)
(www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov) and contains facts According to the site, President Obama will be
on the causes of noise‐induced hearing loss, publishing a weekly video address every Saturday
prevention and ways to reduce noise exposure, and morning during his term. Visit the Web page above
how to recognize when a child’s hearing is at risk. to watch the Presidentʹs videos. HLAA notes that the
The site also features games and interactive first address (Jan. 24) was open captioned, and that
information about hearing loss and noise exposure they will be watching to see if future addresses are
designed specifically for “tweens.” Check it out! also captioned.
7
Access to the Arts in New York City
OPEN‐CAPTIONED THEATER ‐ Find captioned theater listings nationwide on www.c2net.org
Theater Access Project (TAP) captions Broadway and Off‐Broadway productions each month. Tickets are
discounted. For listings & application www.tdf.org/tap or 212‐221‐1103, 212‐719‐45377 (TTY)
*Upcoming OPEN‐CAPTIONED Shows: [Must register/order with TAP for tickets]
The American Plan (3/7, 2 PM); Blithe Spirit (3/24, 7 PM); 33 Variations (3/31, 7 PM); Reasons To Be Pretty
(4/14, 7 PM); Exit the King (4/22, 2 PM); Impressionism (4/30, 8 PM); Accent on Youth (5/30, 2 PM)
OPEN‐CAPTIONED MOVIES –
For updated listings, go to www.insightcinema.org/links.html or www.regalcinemas.com/movies/open_cap.html
REGAL BATTERY PARK STADIUM 11,102 N. End Avenue–Vesey & West Streets (212) 945‐4370.
REGAL–UA KAUFMAN STUDIOS CINEMA 14, 35th Ave. & 38th St., Long Island City (718) 786‐1722
REGAL–UA SHEEPSHEAD BAY‐BROOKLYN, Knapp St & Harkness Ave (718) 615‐1053.
REAR‐WINDOW CAPTIONED MOVIES ‐ For listings go to www.FOMDI.com. Ask for a special window
when buying your ticket. The window reflects the text that’s shown on the rear of the theater
AMC Empire on 42nd Street. (212) 398‐2597, call Tues afternoon for next week’s schedule
Clearview Chelsea Cinemas, 260 W. 23rd St., Auditorium 4, 212‐691‐5519. www.clearviewcinemas.com/tripod.shtml
The Bronx: AMC Cinema Bay Plaza, 718‐320‐1659.
MUSEUMS WITH CAPTIONED EVENTS & ASSISTIVE DEVICES ‐
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. 212‐879‐5500 Ext. 3561 (V), 212‐570‐3828 (TTY)
Real‐Time Captioning of lectures upon request – This service requires at least three weeks notice.
Gallery Talk with ALDs (meet at gallery talk station, Great Hall)
The Museum of Modern Art, 1 East 53rd St., Access Programs 212‐708‐9864, 212‐247‐1230 (TTY)
ALDs are available for lectures, gallery talks, & Family Programs. Infrared is available in Titus Theaters.
Socialize with Members We Want You!
The HLAA‐Manhattan Chapter is
Would you like to meet with your always looking for members who
fellow Chapter members outside want to put their eagerness and
of the library for a social event? talents to good use! Would you like
Vote for your preferred activity to become more involved with our
(brunch, dinner, or perhaps a visit Web site or learn about our new
to a museum) and time at the hearing loop? Do you have
Chapter’s Meetup site here: accounting skills? Or maybe you’d
www.meetup.com/Hearing‐Loss‐ like to volunteer as a greeter or
Association‐of‐America‐ Mention of suppliers or devices in provide refreshments for our
Manhattan‐Chapter/polls/. this newsletter does not mean meetings?
The name of the poll is: “What HLAA‐Manhattan endorsement, If interested, please contact the
would you prefer to do? When nor does exclusion suggest Manhattan Chapter at 212‐769‐4327
would you prefer to meet?” disapproval. or e‐mail HLAANYC@aol.com.
8
c/o Barbara Dagen,
141 E. 33rd St. (3B)
New York, NY 10016
Please check your address label for the date of your last dues payment and, if you are a National member, there will be
an “NM” after the date. Report any discrepancies to Mary Fredericks. Thanks!
HLAA is a volunteer association of hard of hearing people, their relatives and friends. It is a nonprofit, non-sectarian educational
organization devoted to the welfare and interests of those who cannot hear well.
Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. We are a 501(c)(3) organization.