DEAF WATCH NEWSLETTR ---- August 1999 Greetings, With recent news of a major deaf organization in the southern California area having serious financial and leadership problems being spread like wildfire, I want to assure you that deaf advocacy is still strong at Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center which is in Santa Ana, California. We have placed a heavy emphasis on service and hundreds of people with hearing disabilities has been helped by us since we have opened last winter. Our staff of 21 volunteers have been an excellent resource to us and will continue to work with me to help people with hearing disabilities empower themselves and become independent, productive, and contributors to society. We are also proud of our board which consists entirely of persons with disabilities. We are happy to have people with varying forms of physical disabilities. Each member of our board has experienced some form of discrimination and we all share the common interest, zeal, and goals. Our board consisting of 4 persons with hearing disabilities and one with cerebral palsy is very strong. We hope other deaf and disability organizations follow our example. We have on our drawing board outreach plans that include committees established in Pacific Grove, Santa Maria, and El Cajon all inside the southern California area. We are now encouraged to establish an outreach committee in the city of Glendale. If you are interested in being a part of our Verdugo Hills outreach committee, feel free to contact us by sending us a letter of interest for consideration. We have been sticking to the 'common people' philosophy and will continue to do so and anyone without any college degrees are strongly encouraged to join us. We are proud of our 'people first' agenda and use our limited financial resources to lead the community toward the promised land of fairness, equality, and justice. We will soon be stepping up our fundraising efforts to meet the anticipated increase in demand for services. If you have the resources to spare, feel free to help us out and be assured that each penny you send us will be spent on helping people with hearing and other disabilities on an individualized basis. Last week we have been meeting our union allies to see about using one of their available property holdings for our office. I am presently running this deaf center from the living room at my home! Problems with traffic and zoning regulations have placed many restrictions on the activities of our center at my home. We still serve our clients by going to their homes if possible. Once we get the new office, we will 'floor it' and crank this advocacy engine back up to high speed and provide a wide spectrum of services for people with hearing disabilities in the southern California area. We have a website online and the website itself is an excellent resource for anyone that needs information. Our website can be accessed at Http://www.deafadvocacy.com and you are strongly encouraged to visit our website and learn about us, our philosophy, services, and programs. We have major plans on the drawing board for this fall: 1) A monthly deaf swap meet 2) ADA seminars for people with hearing disabilities 3) ADA seminars for businesses 4) Orange County Deaf Education Center (independent living skills school) We have enjoyed serving the community and we look forward to serving a larger number people with hearing disabilities be they born with it or acquire it any time in their lives. Richard Roehm ************************************************************* PUBLIC MEETING NOTIFICATIONS DEAF & DISABLED TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM Committees: Deaf & Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative Committee (DDTPAC) Location: Deaf & Disabled Telecommunications Program 1939 Harrison St., Oakland, CA 94612 Room: Conference Room, Suite 555 Date: Tuesday, 3 August, 1999 Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM The Administrative Committee (DDTPAC) of the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program will hold a meeting. For more information about the meeting, or if you plan to attend a meeting and need sign language interpretation or real-time captioning, contact Laine Proctor at 510.874.1410/Voice or 510.874.1411/TTY. ------------------------ AGENDA ENCLOSED Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE 1939 Harrison Street, Suite 555, Oakland, California August 3, 1999 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA Minutes of the July 6 and July 21, 1999 DDTPAC Meetings [Review and approval of minutes of the previous meetings.] Review and follow-up on Action List from previous meetings. Approval of Agenda Administrative Business Public Input (1:00 PM) [Members of the public will provide input to the committee.] Report from the Chair [The DDTPAC Chair will report on informational items, including legislative/regulatory issues.] Executive Director’s Report [The DDTP Executive Director will report on projects assigned to Staff or other informational items.] Consumer Affairs Specialist’s Report [The Consumer Affairs Specialist will update the committee on complaints, commendations, and concerns received in the previous month.] Outreach Specialist Coordinator’s Report [The Outreach Specialist Coordinator will report on recent outreach activities conducted by the Outreach Specialists.] Report from CRSAC [A CRSAC member will report on items CRSAC wishes to bring to the DDTPAC’s attention.] Financial Business Review of 1999 Program Budget vs. Expenses [Review of year-to-date program expenses compared to the 1999 Budget.] Review and Reimbursement of Monthly Expenses CRSAC Recommendation Regarding Liquidated Damages Assessed to MCI and Sprint for June. [Review and reimbursement of SB 597, SB 60, SB 244 and Administrative Expenses and Bank of America Letter. Pacific Bell, GTE, and CTA expenses will be reviewed sequentially.] Balance in the D.E.A.F. Trust - Bank Statement Reconciliation [Review of the D.E.A.F. Trust balance as of the end of June 1999 and the bank statement reconciliation.] Other Business Recommendation from EPAC Regarding Nomination for the Pacific Bell Representative - Darby [The committee will review and vote on EPAC’s recommendation for its representative from Pacific Bell.] B. Review of MCI Request for STS Rate Increase - Darby [The DDTPAC will review and vote on a request from MCI for a rate increase for Speech-to-Speech service.] C. Appointment of CRS Solicitation Task Force - Darby [The committee will appoint members to a new Task Force to develop a solicitation document for the re-bid of CRS.] Recommendations from CRSAC’s July Meeting - Darby [The committee will review and vote on any recommendations concerning CRS operations resulting from CRSAC’s July 23, 1999 meeting.] Recommendations from CRSAC Regarding Consumer Nominees - Darby [The committee will review and vote on CRSAC’s recommendations for that committee’s representatives from the Hearing and the Speech Disabled communities.] Reports from Outreach Specialists - Darby [The committee will hear reports from some DDTP Outreach Specialists regarding their recent activities and feedback from consumers.] Proposal to Change the Name of the DDTP - English [The committee will discuss a suggestion to change the name of the program and possibly vote on an outcome.] DDTPAC Meeting Information For more information, please contact Shelley Bergum, DDTP Executive Director at (510) 874-1410 voice or (510) 874-1411 TTY. Environmental Notice People with environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivities must reduce their exposure in order to attend this meeting. Please refrain from wearing perfumes or scents to DDTP meetings. ------------------------------ PUBLIC MEETING RESPONSE FORM PUBLIC NOTIFICATION RESPONSE PROCEDURE If you are a member of the public and plan to attend any of the meetings listed on this page, please complete this form and return it to Laine Proctor 5 days prior to the meeting date. TO: Ms. Laine Proctor, Committee Coordinator Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) FROM: Name: ____________________________________________ Organization: _________________________________________ Tel.: ( ) __________________________ TTY / VOICE MEETING(S): I Definitely Plan On Attending [Check all that apply] DDTPAC, Tuesday, 3 August 1999 ASSISTIVE REQUESTS - American Sign Language - Real-Time Captioning - Assistive Listening Device - Other (Please describe in detail) ____________________________________________ Please return this form via e-mail, fax or mail (FIVE days prior to the meeting date) MAIL: Ms. Laine Proctor, Committee Coordinator Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program 1939 Harrison Street, Suite 520, Oakland, CA 94612 510.874.1410/VOICE 510.874.1411/TTY E-MAIL: laine@ddtp.org or Fax: 510.287.2931 ENVIRONMENTAL REMINDER Please refrain from wearing perfumes or scents to DDTP meetings, because people with environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivity must reduce their exposure in order to attend. ************************************************************* NEW BATTERY-OPERATED INVENTION FOR FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEAF AND HEARING PEOPLE New battery-operated invention by Morton Warnow hooks up Direct Connect TDDs for face-to-face communication betwen deaf and hearing people – no sign language and no interpreter-assistance are used. For one-on-one communication, or conferences of 3 or more people. Printer hookup allows printouts of communications. This invention replaces previous time-consuming expensive hook-up technologies which required invasive circuitry modification of TDDs and the addition of handsets for acoustical coupling. Today, Direct Connect TDDs are readily available almost everywhere for use with Mr. Warnow's invention. Deaf people all over the world in all countries never independently communicate face-to-face with hearing people in the language of the land. They only communicate face-to-face with other deaf people by using sign language. Very few hearing people know and use sign language to communicate with deaf people. Now, however, with a new battery-operated invention by Morton Warnow, deaf people and hearing people are enabled to communicate with each other in the Common Language. If a deaf person wanted to communicate with a hearing person, a sign language interpreter would be called in. Now, with Morton Warnow’s invention, this is no longer necessary. There are many situations where an interpreter may be needed, but none are available. Now, this problem is solved. With the invention, a deaf person can immediately communicate directly with a hearing person, and vice versa, anytime, anywhere under any circumstance. Mr. Warnow’s invention is a small lightweight battery-operated device which hooks up 2 or more Direct Connect TDDs (Telephone Devices for the Deaf) for face-to-face communication – no sign language and no interpreter-assistance are used. The deaf patient personally communicates face-to-face in keyboard English. A cord from one TDD plugs into the invention to allow face-to-face communication with other TDDs. No phone line voltage is used. The device is not plugged into the telephone line. Without the battery, it weighs less than 2 ounces. Ideal for portable use with battery-operated TDDs. The invention battery should last a number of hours. Adapted for 110 volts a.c. Mr. Warnow calls it the TDD Coupler-Amplifier. Medical use sees doctors, nurses or other hospital staff using it to communicate face-to-face with deaf patients on the spot to acquire needed information immediately. A deaf patient's information is provided in exacting English as the patient types it. There’s no mistaking what he has to say. Other applications sees the equipment used in the workplace to open up many new job opportunities which deaf people never held before. With the invention, employers don’t have to hire an interpreter just to hire one deaf person. Please advise if you and your associates would want to learn more about Morton Warnow’s TDD Coupler-Amplifier. Morton Warnow 19 Main Street -- #703 Danbury, CT 06810 deafwin@connix.com (203) 778-5218 Voice-FAX-TDD See Morton Warnow’s internet Home Page material: www.deafwin.com ************************************************************* SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF SUED BY PARENT OVER SIGN LANGUAGE Sandy Farrow of Hatteras Island has filed civil rights complaints with the U.S. Department of Education against the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and all three residential schools for the deaf, including Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf in Wilson. The action rises out of frustration at trying to find a school setting where her son, Justin, would be able to communicate with his teachers and classmates. "I have been fighting with the state and the ENCSD to have my child receive American Sign Language, his native language he used as a preschooler when we lived outside the Boston area, where deaf people are appreciated and treated as human beings," she told an interviewer. She and her husband decided to enroll Justin at ENCSD for the 1998-1999 academic year because Cape Hatteras Elementary School, which he attended for four years, had not provided a qualified sign language interpreter for him. "This was very hard for my family," she said. "We are very close and to not have your 9-year-old sitting at the table with you for dinner was just like feeling that he was dead. "But my husband and I did it so he could be exposed to other deaf children and to American Sign Language." When she realized that many school for the deaf staff members lacked fluency in ASL, she thought her family's sacrifice had been in vain. "One half of the staff took the SCPI test (which assesses proficiency in ASL) and only one third of them passed on the beginning level," she said. "And these are student contact staff." Steve Witchey, superintendent of ENCSD, referred questions on the allegations to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, which is coordinating the responses of the residential schools for the deaf to the complaint. DHHS oversees the residential schools for the deaf. Mrs. Farrow has filed complaints against all three schools for the deaf and DPI because her class-action complaint is on behalf of all deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the state. She named DPI in her complaint because it oversees instruction of deaf students in the local public schools. Her specific allegations against DPI are that it requires a "one size fits all" approach to teaching the deaf and hard of hearing, that it does not permit local school districts to teach academic classes in ASL, Cued Speech (used by deaf students who are being taught to speak) or Signed Exact English, that it does not have administrators who are qualified to judge whether teachers are able to communicate with deaf students and that it has no guidelines for the training of staff in teaching and providing other services to the deaf. According to the allegations, DPI also fails to provide guidance to local districts in how to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students. Lowell Harris of DPI said that the agency has little control over decisions made by local school districts. "We provide assistance to all school systems," he said. "You're always going to have disagreements when parents feel that their children are not getting the services they need." His department is always concerned that children get the services they need. He encourages parents to work with their local schools and their Individualized Education Plan committees to see to it that their children's needs are met. Mrs. Farrow also alleges that DPI does not allow more than one disability to be addressed on deaf students' Individualized Education Plans, so that students who need services for other disabilities do not always get the help they need. Federal law dictates that IEPs be as complex as they need to be to meet each student's needs. Harris said DPI complies with federal law and allows for more than one disability on an IEP. The schools for the deaf are also charged with not having faculty who are trained in communicating with the deaf and hard of hearing and not allowing more than one disability to be identified on student IEPs. Mrs. Farrow alleges that the state discriminates against students with hearing impairments based on their disability, which is against federal law. The U. S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights has decided that Mrs. Farrow's charges merit investigation. It is seeking parents of other deaf students in the state who wish to join in the class action. The lead investigator, Deborah Smith, is particularly interested in knowing how other deaf students have fared in public schools, either local or residential, in the state. When a civil rights complaint is filed, the Office of Civil Rights has a number of options as to what steps to take. At any point in the investigation process, the complaint can be closed if the recipient of the charges agrees to a Commitment to Resolve that is acceptable to the Office of Civil Rights. If the issues are not settled through voluntary compliance or mediation, the Office of Civil Rights can bring suit. If it decides not to sue, Mrs. Farrow will then have the right to bring a civil suit against the schools. Terry Hodges, Americans with Disabilities Act program director for DHHS, said his job is to make that the department complies with Title 2 of the ADA. He is coordinating the department's response to the investigation. DHHS has been working for several years on establishing a policy on how proficient staff members at the school need to be in sign language, but it is just in the process of being implemented. It calls for a higher level of proficiency for teachers. However, any staff members who may have contact with students, including janitors, must be able to communicate with students on at least a minimal level. This is so students can communicate with staff members in emergency situations. "It's not a hard directive," said Hodges. "It's a helpful directive. Thy of money as one of the problems in hiring staff members who are fluent enough in ASL to satisfy the deaf community. Some deaf people identify themselves as a distinct culture, like an ethnic group, with ASL as their native language. "It's hard to mandate culture," said Hodges. "We are a state school." He said that in a democracy, one segment can't dictate how scarce public resources are used to benefit a larger group. This makes his job a sticky one. "When you're talking about something that affects culture, it's a very emotional issue," he said. You may reach Margaret J. Stair at mjstair@wilsondaily.com. L. Caroline Readman E-Mail: LReadman@snds.com IS Computing Services, Plant 15/MS-910-15 (815) 226-5886 (815) 394-3017 FAX ************************************************************* PRESIDENT CLINTON'S MESSAGE ON ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT Today I join Americans across our country in celebrating the 9th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Next year, at the dawn of the millennium, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 25th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Act. These two laws, championed by disability advocates throughout the United States and serving as a beacon for people throughout the world, have helped to transform our nation's disability policy. In 1993, Vice President Gore and I established three core principles for our Administration's disability policy -- inclusion, independence, and empowerment. Like many racial and ethnic groups throughout history, people with disabilities have endured isolation and segregation because of social discrimination. Now, we strive to promote inclusion for people with disabilities in all aspects of American society, just as we do for racial and ethnic minorities. In the past, Americans have presumed that disability meant a life of dependence. Now, we recognize that people with disabilities want to -- and can -- lead independent lives and contribute to our nation's prosperity. For too long, we have encumbered disabled Americans with paternalistic policies that prevent them from reaching their potential. But now, we endeavor to empower individuals with the tools they need to achieve their dreams. Disability advocates have drawn our nation's attention to the pervasive stigma and discrimination faced by people with disabilities. Never before has disability been so prominently discussed in the main- stream media. We must use this rising level of awareness to infuse the values of the ADA -- equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency -- into all aspects of government and social policy. To succeed, we must be vigilant in defending the ADA as well as vigorous in enforcing it. I am pleased that the Supreme Court upheld the rights established in the ADA by recognizing that the unjustified isolation and segregation of persons with disabilities in institutional settings is a form of discrimination prohibited by the ADA. But I am concerned that the way the Court defined disability could undermine the ADA's nondiscrimination goals. We must work together to ensure that the ADA's original intent -- to dismantle discrimination based on accumulated myths and fears -- is sustained. No American -- on account of race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or disability -- should be denied the opportunity to hold a job for which he or she is fully capable. While the ADA has been a source of hope to our citizens with disabilities, it has not been enough to change the intolerable rate of unemployment. My Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabili- ties is building on the ADA's foundation by developing a coordinated and active employment agenda for people with disabilities. Increasing access to health care, providing more assistance at home and on the job, maximizing the use of new technologies -- these are the kinds of actions that will empower all Americans to participate fully in the workplace. This year, my budget includes a three-part initiative aimed at removing significant barriers to work for people with disabilities. This proposal invests $2 billion over five years to help provide better health care options for people with disabilities who work by fully funding the Work Incentives Improvement Act; offers a $1,000 tax credit for work-related expenses; and doubles our investment in assistive technology. My budget also would target tax credits for working adults with disabilities who have long-term care needs. On July 1, we raised the amount an SSDI or SSI recipient can earn -- without losing crucial benefits -- from $500 to $700 per month. And, under the leadership of Tipper Gore, we are beginning to address the stigma and discrimi- nation confronted by people with psychiatric disabilities. By modernizing and strengthening Medicare, increasing access to prescription drugs, and passing a meaningful patients' bill of rights, we can further reach our goals of inclusion, independence, and empowerment for people with disabilities. I especially urge Congress to move swiftly and pass the Work Incentives Improvement Act. As I said in my State of the Union Address, "No one should have to choose between keeping health care and taking a job." We cannot think of Social Security benefits and other services and supports as antithetical to the civil rights goals of the ADA. We must, instead, view them as important tools for empowering people with disabilities to lead independent lives as equal citizens in our social mainstream. Thank you for all you have done to realize the promise of the ADA. Only by fully utilizing the contributions of every sector of our society -- advocacy, business, service organizations, government -- can we achieve our goals. Together, as Justin Dart continually reminds us, we shall overcome. ************************************************************* ADA MESSAGE FROM JUSTIN DART Justin Dart spoke at four Washington, DC area ADA celebrations: the Department of Transportation; the Old Executive Office Building (White House); the American Association of People with Disabiities' community reception and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Following is his message to the most important people: YOU. "Happy birthday ADA! Colleagues, I love you. Congratulations to the mothers and fathers of ADA across the land and the universe. Congratulations to all who have fought to pass, to implement and to protect ADA. Congratulations to all who have organized ADA celebrations. Congratulations to Al Gore who is celebrating ADA with our great Tennessee movement. Yes! Today we congratulate, today we celebrate. But today we must also reflect on reality. In the midst of record riches, millions of people with and without disabilities - especially minorities - have inadequate employment, food, housing, health care, education. Millions are locked in institutions and back rooms. In spite of our landmark victories of the last four decades, too many of us are still the oppressed of the oppressed. Powerful demagogues attack the democracy for all of Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, King and Clinton. They attack ADA, IDEA and all civil and social rights. They would cut taxes for the rich and services for the rest. They have a good chance to take the White House, the congress and the courts in 2000. Back to power and privilege for the few. During the last tough years you have held the line against over whelming forces. You have even scratched out several blood and sweat victories. I'm so proud of you. But the truth is that democracy is on the defense. Our miracle progress is at risk. Now is the time to get off of the defense and onto the offense. Now is the time to infuse every aspect of government and society with the principles of ADA, IDEA and independent living. Customized empowerment for all people - with or without disabilities - to achieve full personal potential. Victory for all. The demagogues say no. They say its inevitable for society to have losers, that god has ordained some people to be their maids and to pick their tobacco for minimum wages or to be segregated out of sight and mind. We say bull feathers. We have proved that life is not a game that requires losers. Victory for all? Radical? Unamerican? Victory for all has been the magic of America from the beginning. That ALL men are endowed by their Creator -- Liberty and Justice for ALL. Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down. Colleagues, get into empowerment, get into politics as if your life depended on it. It does. And the lives of all in the 21st century. Become a politician for empowerment in your living room, in your community, in your party. Recruit one hundred more. Vote, yes. But winning politics is 365 days a year. Volunteer, advocate, lead, contribute, run for office. Colleagues, let us unite in action- each in our own way -- let us destroy stereotypes and lies with the magic sword of simple truth. Let us overwhelm hate and fear with the greatest power in the universe: the power of love. Christen the demagogues with barrels of truth and love. Let us go forward in the footsteps of Jefferson, Lincoln, Ed Roberts, Wade Blank, Elizabeth Boggs, Paul Hearne, and Rick Dogulas. Colleagues in justice, I respect you. I believe in you. I love you. We are going to win the last battle. You cannot beat people who are united in truth. You cannot beat people who wont lose. We will never give up. Solidarity forever. Together we shall overcome. ************************************************************* APPEAL AND HELP SOLICITED FOR THE LAURENT CLARK STAMP PROJECT There is a Laurent stamp project with the United States Postal Service and we need to support this stamp because Laurent Clerc was the first school teacher for the Deaf in the United States. Laurent Clerc (1785-1869) was a school teacher at the Royal School for Deaf-Mutes (Paris School for the Deaf) in France and Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (1787-1851) brought Clerc to the United States to establish the first school for the deaf (The American Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb) now its known as the American School for the Deaf, Hartford, Connecticut in 1817. Clerc is Deaf and we got 75% of our American Sign language from France. Please support by sending this message to as many people you can so we can get people to write a letter to support this stamp. This stamp will be a good Deaf Awareness opportunity because people will want to know who is this man. The website is: http://www.laurentclerc.org Thank you, Facially yours, Stephen Joseph Hardy, II ************************************************************* RESOURCE OF THE MONTH: AMERICAN DISABLED for ATTENDANT PROGRAMS TODAY There's no place like home, and we mean real homes, not nursing homes. We are fighting so people with disabilities can live in the community with real supports instead of being locked away in nursing homes and other institutions. Join us and let's FREE OUR PEOPLE! AMERICAN DISABLED for ATTENDANT PROGRAMS TODAY Http://www.adapt.org ************************************************************* This month's recipients of the Deaf Watch Award. New Vision Http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Meadow/8921/ Great Site! Deaf Artist, Harry R. Williams Http://members.xoom.com/CamiJeRosa/ An Original! ************************************************************* Letters from readers. I am a disabled actor in New York City. I wanted to bring to your attention what Screen Actors Guild has done for Performers with Disabilities. Please go to www.sag.com/disabilityfaqs.html Please post this and pass it on to those concerned. Thank you, Ed Jupp Jr. http://members.theglobe.com/edjupp1/ ------------------------------------------- - DEAF WATCH - Federal ID Number : 33-0765412 - Chief Editor/Editor : Richard Roehm - Orange County, California - Internet : Deaf@activist.com - Nesmuth@worldnet.att.net - ICQ #: 7389913 | Handle: SilentKnight - DEAF WATCH Http://www.deafwatch.com - Http://www.i-sphere.com/eyedeaf/deaf.htm - Visit Http://www.i-sphere.com/eyedeaf/nez.htm ---------------------------------------------------------- - SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION - To be added to the mailing list, send "SUBSCRIBE" - To be deleted from the mailing list send "DELETE" - to this address DEAF@ACTIVIST.COM - - Mailing lists are not sold/given to anyone. -------------------------------------------------------------