deafweekly

 

September 16, 2009
Vol. 5, No. 14

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers on Wednesdays and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. These are the actual headlines and portions of recent deaf-related news articles, with links to the full story. Minor editing is done when necessary. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2009 and any unauthorized use is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly.

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NATIONAL
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Rockville, MD
VIABLE SUED OVER WAGES
Rockville deaf-services company Viable has been hit with a class-action lawsuit filed by former and current employees seeking back payment of wages, interest, compensatory damages and other relief. The litigation comes not long after Viable made an agreement to be bought by a New York competitor. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, filed Aug. 26 in a Greenbelt federal court, include Viable's former director of corporate communications, Glenn Lockhart, who left the company last month. The lawsuit adds to the woes of Viable, which has been under a cloud since a June visit by federal investigators. / The Business Gazette

Andover, MA
ASL TEACHER GETS SIGN SHE CAN RETURN
Daniela Ioannides, an American Sign Language instructor who students and the teachers union rallied around after she was not rehired at the end of last school year, has returned to Andover High School this fall. The state has granted her a waiver to teach this year without state certification. Superintendent Claudia Bach received the news on Sept. 2, the day before school started in Andover. "We are happy she's back. She's a successful teacher," said Bach of Ioannides. / Andover Townsman

Kings Mountain, NC
DRIVER CHARGED IN WRECK THAT KILLED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Drinking and driving at a high rate of speed led to the wreck that killed an assistant principal, according to police. Last Wednesday, Wallace Kent Wall was charged with felony death by vehicle and driving while impaired. Police did not put Wall through a breathalyzer test at the scene because of a communication barrier, said K.L. Putnam with Kings Mountain Police. Wall has a hearing impairment, according to police. / Gaston Gazette

Annapolis, MD
STATE OVERCOMPENSATES DOZENS OF RETIREES
The Maryland pension system overpaid 45 retired non-faculty employees at the Maryland School for the Deaf by a total of $487,000 over 22 years. Unfortunately for the recipients, it's a mistake that could hurt them more than it does the state. The error led 45 retirees to count on an amount of money that won't likely continue. It also led an additional 56 active employees to expect more money in retirement than will actually materialize. / Southern Maryland Online

Honolulu, HI
CHANGES PROMPT DEAF RESIDENTS TO SOUND OFF
About 50 members of the deaf community rallied and appeared at a legislative informational hearing yesterday at the state Capitol to express anger and dismay over changes in the Deaf Services Section of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind Division. The program services 244 deaf people. Igniting the furor was the proposed termination of Ele MacDonald in cost-cutting work force reductions Nov. 14 because of the unprecedented state deficit. MacDonald has been supervisor of the deaf services section since it began in 1997, and she handles more than 170 cases. / Honolulu Star Bulletin

Augusta, ME
DEAF MAN WINS SUPPORT IN CLAIM AGAINST POLICE
A man who is deaf has won support for his claim that he was discriminated against twice when city police officers refused to provide him with an interpreter after he requested one. An investigator for the Maine Human Rights Commission concluded that Wayne Draper of Augusta was the victim of illegal discrimination in his encounters with police on Nov. 10, 2007, and Jan. 23, 2008. / Morning Sentinel

Washington, DC
FORT WASHINGTON MEDICAL CENTER TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Under a settlement agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, deaf patients at the Fort Washington Medical Center in Prince George’s County, Md., will be screened and provided with sign language interpreters whenever interpreter services are necessary for effective communication. The settlement was negotiated following an investigation by the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in response to a complaint from a deaf patient. The man entered the emergency room late one evening accompanied by his 11-year-old son. Although the man and his son requested an interpreter, none was provided, and the medical staff relied on t he son to interpret for his father in the emergency room. / Business Wire

Mesa, AZ
POLICE: WOMAN ATTACKED MOM OVER STARE
Mesa police have arrested a woman on suspicion of attacking a Valley mother because she believed the woman's daughter was staring at her. Tonya Goodson said she was taking her kids to the store when she was approached by Viniecia Jordan. "She said put her your daughter, in check, your 'B' daughter in check, actually," Goodson said. Goodson said Jordan was angry her 10-year-old daughter, who is hearing impaired and reads lips, was staring at her. / KPHO

Fort Smith, AR
RESPONDERS TO TEST THEIR NEW CAPABILITIES
Members of Fort Smith’s emergency personnel will test their sign language abilities with deaf residents in simulated emergency situations on Friday. “We’ll have everything from a lost child (scenario) to a heart-attack victim,” said Dee Mathes, director of Deaf Ministries at Mission United Methodist Church. Officers, firefighters, EMTs, medical personnel and CERT volunteers who have been attending basic American Sign Language classes over the past few weeks will participate in a “React & Sign” outside drill for emergency situations with the deaf at Mission United Methodist Church. / Times Record


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Nassau and Suffolk County NY
EXPERT TUTORING FOR HEARING IMPAIRED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

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INTERNATIONAL
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Verona, Italy
ITALY GRAPPLES WITH PRIEST SEX ABUSE
It happened night after night, the deaf man said, sometimes in the priest's bedroom, sometimes in the bathroom, even in the confessional. When he was a young boy at a Catholic-run institute for the deaf, Alessandro Vantini said, priests sodomized him so relentlessly he came to feel "as if I were dead." This year, he and dozens of other former students did something highly unusual for Italy: They went public with claims they were forced to perform sex acts with priests. / Associated Press

Taipei, Taiwan
ONLINE SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION SERVICE LAUNCHED BY IBM AND CHINESE DEAF ASSOCIATION
IBM and the Chinese Deaf Association have announced the launch of an online sign language interpretation service in Taiwan, aimed to provide video and audio instant messaging services to the deaf. No financial details were disclosed. The service, initially used to support the organization of the 21st Summer Deaflympics held in Taipei on 5-15 September 2009, is expected to benefit over 200,000 deaf and hearing impaired people in Taiwan. / Trading Markets

Bahrain
LIFELINE PLEA FOR DEAF PATIENTS
All of Bahrain's medical centers and hospitals could soon have dedicated staff to deal with deaf patients. An MP hopes this would further integrate Bahrainis with disabilities in the community and allow them further independence. Sign language should also be introduced in some of the shows broadcast by local TV, said MP Dr Salah Ali. He said that he sent a letter to Health Minister Dr Faisal Al Hamer, stressing the need for each medical centre to have at least one employee who knows sign language to assist the deaf. / Gulf Daily News

New South Wales, Australia
STONE-DEAF SCOOBY SURVIVES CAVE ORDEAL
Scooby the dog is free after spending five days stuck in a mountain cave in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. The deaf eight-year-old king charles spaniel had been stuck in the cave on the rural property at Sweetmans Creek since Sunday afternoon [Sept. 6], when he ran into the cave while out walking with his owner. The RPSCA found the dog about 20 feet behind a rock wall last Thursday and used jackhammers to try to clear a path. / ABC News

Christchurch, NZ
CHRISTCHURCH TO GO QUIET FOR ONE MINUTE ON 14 OCT
Christchurch going quiet for one minute on Wednesday the 14th of October in the hope of raising awareness about the dangers of hearing loss is the aim of organizers of the city’s first Hearing Awareness Day on October 14. “We want to raise awareness and remove the stigma of hearing loss and educate the public about noise induced hearing loss,” Christchurch Hearing Association President Bob Abbott said. / Scoop

New Delhi, India
INDIAN WEBSITES FLOU T GUIDELINES FOR THE DISABLED
Last month, Deepak Kumar (name changed on request), a visually-impaired businessman, logged on to check out for some information on the newly-created Rajya Sabha website. Given the government’s assurance this February that at least 50 important government websites would be made disabled-friendly and accessible, he should have faced no problems. However, there were accessibility problems galore. / Business Standard

Chennai, India
HEARING-IMPAIRED ARTIST TO EXHIBIT WORKS IN TOKYO
A woman clad in a bright yellow sari looks into a red room where a young girl, clad in a blue salwar, reclines in a chair. Overhead, the ceiling fan moves lazily, while outside a yellow auto waits. Artist M Ramalingam has been fascinated by the world of color since childhood. Spotting the boy's talent, his art teacher at St Louis Institute for the Deaf and Blind encouraged him to study art. Today, at 52, Ramalingam has held innumerable exhibitions and is the only Indian artist who will be showing his work at the 2009 ParaArt Tokyo Exhibition at Seibu Gallery, Tokyo. / The Times of India


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Sorenson Video Relay Service® (SVRS®) is an industry leading communication tool for the deaf community provided by Sorenson Communications. Created with high-quality video technology, SVRS brings life into the conversations of our customers as they call family, friends, and business associates at no cost through a professional SVRS sign language interpreter and a cutting-edge videophone. SVRS is provided 24-hours a day, and 365 days a year, connecting the deaf and hard-of-hearing to anyone at their convenience. For more information, visit the SVRS Web site at www.sorensonvrs.com.

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Heading Back to School special
All simplicity products 10% off!

Save 10% on all Simplicity Signalers during the month of September! That means every sound, telephone and doorbell signaler or receiver is on sale. Call 1-800-233-9130 (V/TTY) or visit our website for more details. (Use code WCID909 to order). For a copy of our NEW catalog, email your request to: sales@weitbrecht.com.

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LIFE & LEISURE
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Odenton, MD
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, STUDENT OVERCOME COMMUNICATION BARRIER
Chu Lee is fully deaf. He doesn’t read lips. His flight instructor, Dominick Moyer, doesn’t know sign language. But the two have a natural communication style that allows them to work together seemingly effortlessly in the cockpit. A quick thumbs-up, a nod, a note, or a finger point translates flawlessly into a takeoff, heading change, slip, or other maneuver. The pair’s ease of communication was evident on a 45-minute cross-country flight from Frederick, Md., to Cumberland, Md., on a clear day. / AOPA Online

Wheat Ridge, CO
WHEAT RIDGE HOSTS A ROMP FOR DEAF DOGS
Carol DeNileon, like many owners of deaf dogs, counts herself lucky to have found Rhonda Champion, who organizes a loosely knit group dedicated to finding homes for and helping train special-needs dogs. About 50 deaf dogs — from a Great Dane to a Chinese crested — and their owners gathered Sunday afternoon to exchange experiences, pick up training tips, learn agility exercises and romp in the yard at Best Friends Pet Care in Wheat Ridge. / The Denver Post

Kansas City, KS
THE WATCHDOG / 'DEAF CHILD AREA' SIGN
Ben Nicks of Shawnee has wondered for years about a sign alerting motorists to a “deaf child area” near the 5500 block of Inland Drive in Kansas City, Kan. The sign has been there for at least a decade, he says, wondering, “Is the deaf child still in the area or is he a deaf adult by now?” Nicks has uncovered a bit of a mystery. / The Kansas City Star

New York, NY
MAKE VIDEOPHONE CALLS LIKE A CHAMP!
A new internet video report released by Deaf411 called “Make Videophone calls like a Champ” shares insights on preparing for a successful videophone conversation. It is the second report in the “Deaf Living Solutions” series. With high speed internet, a laptop with webcam, or a videophone device, videophone communication has become a highly desirable communication option for people who use sign language to communicate instead of the traditional text telephone. / Deaf411

Atlanta, GA
HELP FOR HEARING LOSS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
A newly launched website www.AdviceOnHearingAids.com is proving to be a valuable and informative resource for consumers seeking unbiased information on hearing aids. With so much information out there about hearing aids, and so many different brands, styles, types of technology, and opinions about which one is best, it can be a daunting task for a hearing-impaired consumer to make an informed decision on which product is right for him or her. This new site aims to alleviate the stress, hassle, and confusion that consumers are often faced with when seeking information on hearing aids. / PRWeb


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Low Pricing on Instant Immersion™ ASL 3- CD Set

“Instant Immersion™ American Sign Language” (CD202) is a software suite designed especially for newcomers to ASL. This 3 CD-ROM set includes one CD that helps build ASL lexicon using pictures and games, another CD that helps you start communicating immediately and an ASL Condensed Dictionary that adds to your signing vocabulary. With background information and practical instruction, this software is a user-friendly way to get started in ASL.

Now, take advantage of special low pricing. For a limited time only, Harris Communications has it on sale for only $9.99! Sale ends September 24, 2009.

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callVRS has a new facelift and continues to give you the "freedom of choice"! callVRS allows you to find your favorite interpreter for your many needs. Keith Wann is now showing his serious side by bringing us a VRS company that his parents would be proud of...and one where interpreters want to work. You have seen him do silly commercials for other VRS companies, but he is also a Nationally Certified Interpreter, NIC Master and CI CT and calls himself a profesional Coda interpreter. "For the other VRS companies, I was a paid actor, with callVRS my true voice can be heard... It's time we have a VRS provider focus on the interpreters along with the callers to make the VRS experience better for everyone!" www.callVRS.org - dial callVRS.info on your video phone.

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WORKING WORLD
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Grand Rapids, MI
DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING SERVICES OF MICHIGAN HELPING CLIENTS FIND INTERPRETERS
Marty Jansen was up bright and early for a 7 a.m. appointment with his heart doctor. An interpreter, he was told, was on the way. Sure enough, in walked a spoken Spanish interpreter. A nice guy, Jansen recalls, but not much help to a deaf person. "I had to wait an hour for (an American Sign Language) interpreter to come," said Jansen, 70, through an interpreter. "They didn't have an excuse. (The doctor's office) obviously didn't look at my form." / The Grand Rapids Press

Baton Rouge, LA
DEAF CHILDREN LEARN TO SIGN BY TOYING WITH RFID
When early-childhood instructor Susannah Ford takes out her bucket of RFID-enabled toys at the Louisiana School for the Deaf, the children, ages three to five, gather quickly. These small cars, airplanes and stuffed animals look like any other toy, except each is equipped with a passive 125 kHz RFID tag to help the kids learn how to use sign language. A small number of deaf students in Louisiana and Texas are using this new system, known as Language Acquisition Manipulatives Blending Early-childhood Research and Technology (LAMBERT), to learn American Sign Language. / RFID Journal

Phoenix, AZ
ZOUNDS ACQUIRED BY PRIVATE INVESTORS
Zounds Hearing, a unique manufacturing and retail company focused on providing hearing aids with state-of-the-art fidelity, lower price point and professional services, has been acquired by a group of its previous investors. Zounds founder Sam Thomasson will remain as President and Chief Executive Officer. Thomasson started the company as a promise to his hearing-impaired daughter. He vowed to create a new hearing aid to overcome her frustration with her traditional hearing aids, caused by excessive feedback, noise, poor sound quality and discomfort in the ear. / Business Wire

Silver Spring, MD
NAD ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF ANITA B. FARB AND NEW HIRE
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) announces the retirement of Anita B. Farb, Director of Communications and Operations, with deep appreciation for her commitment to NAD and the American deaf and hard of hearing community over the last 24 years. In her stead, the NAD has hired Shane H. Feldman as its Chief Operating Officer. He was previously employed at the NAD for over five years where he served as Coordinator of Marketing and Communications as well as Editor of the NADmag, under the supervision of Farb. / NAD News

Rochester, NY
'DEAF LIFE' MAGAZINE SHINES LIGHT ON DEAF CULTURE
When Matthew Scott Moore was studying social work and filmmaking at Rochester Institute of Technology, he realized media could be a powerful tool for change. Today, after 25 years at the helm of his own production company and nearly 15 years of magazine publishing under his belt, he's trying for international change. Moore, 50, is working with a media company in Japan to launch a Japanese version of his monthly Deaf Life magazine. Oh, did we mention that Moore can't hear? / Democrat and Chronicle


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A new local web site called www.healthbridges.info was created by people who are Deaf.

The site is for people who are Deaf and for health providers and insurers too. This newly developed website seeks to provide reliable health and advocacy related information in a format that is accessible to all. Each month the topics discussed will change.

Please visit the site www.healthbridges.info today and let us know about topics that you want to learn more about.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Internet
THE BACHELOR: JERRY FERRIS
Jerry Ferris is probably best known for appearing on season three of The Bachelorette, which featured Jen Schefft. (season three winner of The Bachelor, with Andrew Firestone) The finalist, who since broke up with Jen, went on to become a successful sign language interpreter, actor and producer. I was lucky enough to get to sit down and talk to Jerry about his experience on the show, his new career and what it was like growing up in a deaf household. / TV Grapevine

Washington, DC
RATHSKELLAR RETURNS FOR A SPECIAL SHOW!
Prepare yourself for a special performance by Rathskellar on October 3 at Gallaudet University! With an unknown future for Rathskellar, this may be your only opportunity to catch the show that has mesmerized thousands of deaf and hearing fans worldwide! The special October 3rd show will include crowd favorites such as Wild Wild West, Frankenstein, Stick Dance, Thriller, 1950’s scenes, ICE, and drum songs! Purchase your tickets at www.rathskellar.com and witness the unforgettable beauty and energy of Rathskellar. / Press Release

Mt. Pleasant, MI
COUPLE WRITES BOOK ON DEAF GIRL'S VIEWS
A Mt. Pleasant couple wrote a book when they were in college about a young, deaf girl's perspective of the "everyday world" entitled, "Robin Sees A Song" which is scheduled to release its second edition during Deaf Awareness Week, Sept. 21-27. Jim and Cheryl Pahz were a young, married couple who worked together educating deaf children at a school in Tennessee where the idea to write the book with their students in mind became a reality. Cheryl Pahz said that the "main message of the book is that there are a lot of ways people can express themselves." / Morning Sun

St. Louis, MO
CHAD KROEGER MYSTIFIED BY SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER
Nickelback were playing an ordinary show in the ordinary city of St. Louis, Mo. last month when frontman Chad Kroeger was confronted with something that seemed like it was extraordinary to him: a sign language interpreter. Kroeger was engaging in between-song banter when he spotted the interpreter to the left of the stage. "Are you signing every word I'm saying?" he asked the woman, who must have replied in the affirmative because he quickly replied, "Oh, that's awesome!" But the fascination didn't end there. / Chart Attack


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Keith Wann's ASL Comedy Tour 2009-2010

Keith Wann, renowned for his hilarious, sidesplitting comedy performances, is now producing and hosting the ASL Comedy Tour 2009, which will travel the U.S. this year. With American Sign Language (ASL) artists presenting solo performances incorporating comedy, skits, songs, improvisation, and stories, each show lasts two hours. Sponsored by www.CallVRS.org, the multi-city tour is designed to be affordable for each location - making it ideal as a fundraiser for participating organizations.

“We really want to reach out to all communities, so we are sharing in the costs and profits at each location. We will work closely with booking parties to maximize profits for their organization and to bring in as many people as possible for a night of laughter, socialization and fun,” Wann said. “We also offer workshops by some of our performers, which can be held the day of the performance. People can come to our workshops, and then unwind by attending the comedy show that evening.”

www.aslcomedytour.com
Contact KemiProductionsInc@gmail.com.

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DEAFLYMPICS
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Taipei, Taiwan
TAIWAN DEAFLYMPICS FINISH WITH A FEAST
The 21st Summer Deaflympics ended in Taipei on Tuesday with fireworks, drumming and a massive open-air banquet that showcased local Taiwanese delicacies. The closing ceremony began with a performance by U-theatre, a local drumming troupe. Russia took home 98 medal at these games, the most of any country. Ukraine came in second with 67 medals, followed by China, with 38. Host Taiwan came in fifth with 11 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze medals. The Deaflympics featured 20 sports this year, including tennis, wrestling and judo. A record 4,000 athletes from 81 countries participated. / Voice of America

OLYMPICS FOR THE DEAF
It's one of the fastest growing sporting events in the world, with more than 4,000 athletes and support staff from around 85 countries taking part. The 21st Deaflympics, which gives the chance for people with hearing impairments to show off their athletics skills, is drawing to a close in Taiwan. Cindy Sui, our reporter in Taipei, went to meet one of the athletes, Rajeev Bagga on Monday as he was hoping to win his sixth gold medal in badminton. / BBC

DEAF OLYMPIANS SPEND MORE TIME, MONEY TO COMPETE
Chang Lee-hsiao lost his hearing to a fever at age 3. Forty-three years later, he is one of Taiwan's top bowlers with several medals to his name, but it certainly wasn't easy, or inexpensive. Chang, a Taipei elementary school aide, has practiced bowling for up to five hours a day over 15 years, during which he had to win over his family who were opposed to his pursuit of the sport because of the expenses involved, his coach Yang Yu-wen said. / Reuters India

DEAF ATHLETES DO RP PROUD IN DEAFLYMPICS
Traveling on a shoe-string budget, they flew out of the Philippines without the usual fanfare and fancy send-off accorded to their more popular Filipino counterparts. But the six Filipino deaf athletes rose above dismal circumstances to play for the country for the first time in the 21st Summer Deaflympics here, the first ever to be held in Asia. Amid glittering fireworks and bright lights of the Taipei Stadium at the opening ceremonies of the Deaflympics here last week, the modest nine-member Philippine team marched proudly, carrying the national flag along with bigger teams from 90 countries. / Philippine Daily Inquirer


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SPORTS
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Beverly, MA
BEVERLY SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF GETS BOOST FROM MOTORCYCLE CHAMP ASHLEY FIOLEK
The Beverly School for the Deaf was all revved up to meet Ashley Fiolek. Fresh off another gold medal victory while visiting the Bay State, the No. 1 ranked United States Amateur Women’s Motorcycle champion made special a pit stop at the Children’s Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf for a two-hour demonstration, Aug. 31. "The director from the school found out about me and thought it would be inspiring to the students if I came to the school and showed them what I do,” Fiolek said. / The Beverly Citizen

Towson, MD
DEAF ATHLETES HURDLE BARRIERS, ACHIEVE GOALS IN COLLEGE SPORTS
Last year, 76 deaf and hard-of-hearing students played NCAA and NAIA sports, according to Deaf Digest Magazine, and 39 played in Division I. That does not account for those who do not wish to be identified. Those figures have steadily risen since the 1973 Rehabilitation Act mandated interpreters for deaf and hard-of-hearing students at universities and provided against discrimination based on disability. / USA Today

Fremont, CA
INNOVATIVE A-11 OFFENSE FINDS A NEW LANGUAGE AT CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
California School For The Deaf football coach Kevin Bella clearly is a man who believes in pushing the envelope of communication. I learned that quickly trying to figure out the best way to conduct an interview with him for this column. Since I was aware Bella himself is deaf, I wrote him an e-mail with an accompanying list of questions I had. He e-mailed back and suggested that we simply do a telephone interview. Huh? I scratched my head and agreed, not really knowing how that would work. But he subsequently called me Monday and we conducted a good half-hour phone conversation through a remote sign-language interpreter. / Mercury News

DeKalb County, GA
DEAF FOOTBALL STAR OVERCOMES DISABILITY
Football for most people is fast, loud and exciting, but the game for Jay Mathew is silent. Mathew is deaf. He can't hear but that doesn't stop the Clarkston High School freshman from playing the game. "Sometimes I try to put myself in his position. All this is going on around you and your whole world is just silent," said Coach Jay Rollerson. Mathew doesn't do it alone. He depends on his interpreter Kelli Livingston. She's in the mix in practice and during the games. / CBS Atlanta

Harrisburg, SD
CSD GOLF CLASSIC RAISES OVER $15,000 FOR DEAF YOUTH
On July 31, at Spring Creek Golf Course in Harrisburg, S.D., CSD held its seventh annual Golf Classic fundraiser. All proceeds from this charity event benefit Camp Lakodia’s National Literacy and Leadership Camp (NLLC) for deaf and hard of hearing youth. The NLLC is held each year at Camp Lakodia, located on Lake Herman in Madison, S.D. / CSD


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EMPLOYMENT
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You can advertise your job openings here for just $20 a week (up to 100 words, 10 cents each add'l word). Start spreading the news! To place your ad, send the announcement to mail@deafweekly.com.

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Account Services Supervisor

Reports to: Director- Customer Care
Location: Purple Communications
595 Menlo Drive
Rocklin, CA 95765

Brief summary of duties:

Under the supervision of the Director - Customer Care, the Account Services Supervisor will be responsible for scheduling the hours for all the Purple Account Services Agents (PAS Team) monitoring attendance and call activity. The supervisor must also assist and support in the teams sales activity and questions. In addition, the Account Services Supervisor will help train the team on the company’s products and services. The supervisor must also run metric reports and use the results to provide feedback of the agent’s performance.

Areas of Responsibility:

* Utilize the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to develop and maintain customers, and to continually update relevant customer information as required
* Communicate company value proposition to build loyalty, and maintain customer base
* Understanding of call center metrics to conduct performance reviews
* Train the members of the team to handle customers issues on their accounts and orders
* Schedule the team’s hours to provide call coverage.
* Track agent attendance and product sales data for incentive and performance measurements.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

* Must be familiar with communication devices for the deaf and hard of hearing
* Understanding of Call Center Metrics (AHT, ASA, Queues)
* Familiarity and proficiently to navigate through various sales and customer databases for obtain quick results to support the agents on calls.
* Understanding of call volumes to schedule personnel to obtain optimal call coverage.

Experience with the following is a plus:

* Knowledge of American Sign Language and Deaf Culture preferred.
* Basic knowledge of MS Excel and MS Outlook
* Extremely organized and highly motivated
* Excellent written communication skills, and ability to communicate effectively through email
* Attention to detail and ability to maintain accuracy in data entry

* Ability to work a flexible shift between the hours of 8:00 am and 8:00 pm. PST

To apply for this position, please go to www.purple.us and click on the “career” and “search listings” tabs.

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JOB TITLE: Customer Recruiting Representative
DEPARTMENT: Inside Sales/Outreach
REPORTS TO: Inside Sales Manager

Please note: This is a 90 day Temporary position - work is performed in a business office environment

Brief summary of duties:

Under the supervision of the Customer Recruiting Manager, the Customer Recruiting Representative will be responsible for qualifying leads by cold calling and teaching customers how to use VRS services.
In addition, the Customer Recruiting Representative will call prospective deaf customers and convert them to become customers of Purple Communications. The representative will also be required to maintain accounts through follow up and customer retention surveys.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Make outbound calls & qualify leads provided by Marketing or referrals
2. Market and provide support for VRS & Text Relay Services
3. Convert original equipment to use Purple communications / Hands On VRS
4. Communicate company value proposition to build loyalty, and maintain customer base
5. Provide follow up support for all accounts ( inactive and active )
6. Other duties may be assigned as needed.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

- Friendly and engaging
- Organized, a self-starter and a quick learner
- Connected to your local deaf community
- A highly motivated salesperson with a good amount of energy
- Capable of thinking in technical terms
- Capable of devoted daily time
- Knowledge of ASL and Deaf Culture

Experience with the following is a plus:

· Troubleshooting any issue that may arise
· Computer and Software literacy
· Experience with D-Link or any other video phone devices
· Welcoming and enthusiastic personality

Physical Requirements:

Employees may experience the following physical demands for extended periods of time:

· Sitting, standing and walking (95-100%)
· Keyboarding (40-60%)
· Viewing computer monitor, videophone, and pager requiring close vision (40-60%)

Work Environment:

Work is performed in a business office environment, or at home, depending on work status (see above). Some travel to company, customer and vendor sites, including some that are out of state may be required.

To apply for this position, please go to www.purple.us and click on the “career” and “search listings” tabs.

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