Advocacy in Education:
- Category: News
Resources for Parents of Children with Hearing Loss.
Presented by the Board of Directors and the Albany Chapter of HLAA-NYS -
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Donna Wayner
Donna is the president and CEO of Hear Again, and the former director of the hearing center at the Albany Medical Center. She is a founder of, and professional advisor to, the Albany chapter of HLAA, and a consultant to our HLAA-NYS board.
Donna made available copies of many different informational materials on communication strategies, assistive devices, suggestions for teachers helping students in the classroom, and for speech pathologists helping their clients with hearing loss, plus contact information for CART reporters and sign language interpreters.
Copies of Dr. Wayner’s book “Hearing and Learning- a Guide to Helping Children” were raffled off to nine lucky winners.
Sheila Shea
Sheila is Director of NYS Mental Hygiene Legal Services, an agency of the Supreme Court of New York, third judicial district, with an office in Albany. She has been advocating for people with disabilities for 25 years. An attorney and member of the New York Bar Association, Sheila is also the mother of three children, two of whom were born with bilateral severe to profound hearing loss.
As a parent, Sheila talked about the strategies her family developed to meet the challenge. She stressed the importance of newborn screening, early intervention, fostering the development of speech and other methods of communication such as sign language, acquiring the best technology for the child’s needs, finding out where to get help, support and resources, and utilizing special education services to get the best education possible. Outside of school, socialization skills and self-esteem may be fostered by means of summer school, camp or other enrichment activities. In order to be the child’s constant and most effective advocates, parents must become familiar with the legal rights of their children.
As an attorney, Sheila explained the history of legislation for the disabled, culminating in the IDEA and the ADA. Children with hearing loss, from age 3-21. are now entitled to a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. IDEA states that each child must have an individualized education plan (IEP). After high school, a student’s legal rights are protected by the ADA.
It is important to develop a family strategy, know what is available and how to access it, and to determine both short- and long-term goals.
Lauren Fager and Kathy Morales
Lauren and Kathy are mothers of young children with hearing loss, who participated enthusiastically in the 2010 Mid-Hudson Walk4Hearing. They urged us to support a current campaign to require insurance companies to cover hearing aids for children up to age 16. “Isabella’s Law” would mandate coverage up to $1000 per hearing aid. A petition was circulated and all were asked to write letters supporting Senate Bill # A4339 (Spano)/S3379 (McDonald).
Deborah Morris
Deborah has worked in the field of deaf education for almost 30 years, as a classroom teacher and a speech and language therapist for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Currently she is a consultant teacher for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, in school districts that are served by the capital region BOCES.
Deborah explained the IEP and 504 plans for children from age 5-21. Parents are the best advocates for their children. Since it is required for federal funding, all 50 states have developed a plan to meet the mandates of the IDEA. School district personnel, parents and older children with hearing loss all participate in the customization of each annual IEP, which is a work in progress throughout the child’s grade school education. Deborah described the 504 plan, for children who do not require special education, but could benefit from certain accommodations. As a consultant teacher, Deborah mostly advises teachers on how to use assistive devices, how to modify teaching methods, testing and classroom setup.
Deborah and Sheila walked us through the components of an actual IEP and explained how to get the best services for your child.
Desiree Duda
Desiree is the Northeast regional outreach specialist for PepNet, the federal Postsecondary Education Programs Network, with experience as a teacher, social worker and administrator. PepNet aims to facilitate a successful educational outcome for students in transition from middle school through college and in entering the workforce. After high school, the student must take the initiative to request necessary services and accommodations which were previously covered by the IEP. Self-advocacy becomes increasingly the role of the student.
An important aspect of Desiree’s work is to make sure the student and parents understand what services and accommodations should be available, and that the school and educators understand the student’s rights to accommodations and how to provide them. PepNet has a wealth of materials in print, on DVD, and online, including a transition self-assessment, which could be mailed with college applications. PepNet maintains an online database which helps students decide which of their college selections would be most likely to meet their needs.
Desiree is available as a speaker anywhere in the Northeast region.
All the speakers were fascinating, and many questions were asked and answered, during and after the presentations. Audio loop, live on-screen captioning (CART) and sign language interpreters were available, so that everyone could hear and participate.
HLAA-NYS is much obliged to the Albany Chapter (in particular to Patricia Mirza) for organizing this wonderful afternoon program.
Vivien Maisey
Secretary, HLAA-NYS
