Stem Cells

STEM CELLS ARE THE NEXT GENERATION SOLUTION TO ADDRESSING HEARING LOSS!

As society evolves, the deaf society evolves with it.

Cochlear implants, widely used at this time, is a device with a few dozen electrodes that tries to do the work of thousands of damaged or missing hair cells inside the human cochlea. Children who are implanted with the cochlear implants oftentimes quit using them usually in their teen years due to many reasons not excluding the following possibilities;

1) Maintenance costs and issues
2) Variability in outcomes
3) Limitations on activities, travel, and diagnosis
4) Social or peer pressures

The stem cell solution for hearing loss/disabilities is replacing the missing or damaged hair cells inside the human cochlea to restore hearing and improve balance. And doing it early in the child's years would eliminate the 4 main possibilities and let the child develop naturally. Stem cells has the potential to beat even the best technology available to treat humans.

Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center congratulates and applauds the opening of the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine.

The Gally 3peat!

Its amazing to see that after all the months of ruckus of unfair proccess, howls of opression, screams of lack of people of color, and audism cries that even the new deafhood chocked IPSAC restarted the selection process shockingly came up with an almost identical mix of final three candidates. It makes me wonder if the deafhood charisma has really gone to the dogs this time.

Richard Roehm

Great Sign Language Gifts!

Great Sign Language Gifts American Sign Language Alphabet Placemat 2007 Sign Language Calendar Visit my eBay Store:OCDAC Adaptive Equipment and More

OCDAC Newsletter November 29, 2006

Dear Friends,

CNN has a video of a mother crying when her deaf son heard her voice
for the first time after receiving cochlear implants. You can see
"Deaf no more" at CNN Video at
http://dynamic.cnn.com/apps/tp/video/health/2006/11/20/carson.fl.deaf.baby.impla\
nt.wlfa/video.ws.asx
and we need to be thankful for great developments in dealing with
hearing loss.

Many of our subscribers have had problems accessing our huge photo
albums because theyre not members of yahoogroups. We have great news
for them. We are moving our photos to our Flickr account which is a
photo blog and it enables people to leave comments on the pictures.
Find it at http://flickr.com/photos/ocdac/ and enjoy!

And we have been experimenting with a new format for our newsletters
and it has been declared a complete success as you've received our
announcement of our ASL related gifts. We will soon be incorporating
imagery and articles from the newswires. Our newsletters will soon
take a very colorful appearance.

It gets very sad when one helps a client and succeeds in averting a
disastrous situation and the client decides to thank the advocate by
testifying against him or her in an unrelated case. Thats one of the
the many definitions of martyrdom. And that's exactly what happened
to the agency's CEO last week. And the editor is non other than a
victim of excessive social control and that he witnessed justice
that's not blind enough.

We now have 2007 ASL calendars for sale now. Check our ebay catalog
item
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewit\
em=&item=230051766285&rd=1&rd=1
and they make great holiday gifts. We just got more and they're hot!

We also have a huge stock of American Sign Language Alphabet Placemats
this year we wont run out like we did last year.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewit\
em=&item=230049855051&rd=1&rd=1
and they also make great holiday gifts too.

The holiday shopping season has already begun and we are offering
accessible holiday offerings such as brailled holiday cards, texting
of the musical holiday cards and many more items to make holiday
season a real blessing for people with disabilities. They can all be
found in our ebay store.

Start your holiday shopping at our eBay store today! Lots of products
for the deaf, and blind, and other disabilities. We have gifts for
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and many other holidays, birthdays,
anniversaries. Remember your parents, grand parents, brothers,
sisters, family members, co-workers who need adaptive equipment.
Employers can shop here for equipment and accessories for their
hearing impaired workers. Stop by
http://stores.ebay.com/OCDAC-Adaptive-Equipment-and-More today to
start your holiday shopping. So far 71 of our readers have taken the
time to visit the website.
We are selling 2007 Entertainment Books for $35 each, save $$$$ in
coupons! You can get them at our office or go to our website for the
link. We already have sold some and we have a few of books left over.

Many many thinks to those of you have sent in those big donation
checks. This is the society's permission to continue the good deeds
we have been doing since June 1998.

OCDAC Communications
[email protected]
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/img/keycard.jpeg

-------------< HOUSING NEWS >

The editor was recently elected as the head super of his apartment
association. This will enable him to use the apartment building our
training program and there is room for 15 deaf people to babysit the
vacant apartments for the owners.

-------------< INSIDE NEWS >

With our subscribership from the international communities increasing
at a steady pace, we wish to make this newsletter accessible to them
and the easiest way to accomplish this is by directing them to
http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/ and entering
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ in the website
translation box and the babelfish will help our international
subscribers become strong advocates for the deaf and disability
communities.

This weekly newsletter is now available in print form to be mailed out
each week. The price is going to be $90 per year for the print
version and the price is highly reasonable due to it's very rich deaf
and disability advocacy content and very little advertising. This
still beats out the other deaf print news that are chock full of
distracting advertisements. They are now available in other
alternative formats like floppies, braille, and in large print for
people with vision impairments. For more information, please email
[email protected]

Our Campbell's product label collection campaign to help us raise the
means to get supplies for our office is producing results. Start
saving your Campbells product labels today and mail them to us on the
first week of each month. We have aproximately 1600 subscribers and
if each one of them accumulates and sends us 900-1000 labels a month,
we'd be able to get lots of new equipment for our office and internal
and external education programs! Lets get those labels coming. Our
big thanks to those who sent in their labels.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Take a look and bookmark our new search page!
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/search.html It's a good source of
information you can use.

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 1/3 >

Russian pop duet Tatu insults the disabled

The latest CD by the well-known Russian pop group Tatu gave rise to a
scandal recently. The CD is titled "Lyudi-Invalidy" (disabled persons
in Russian). Leonid Vokuyev, an ombudsman in Russia's Komi Autonomous
Republic believes that the lyrics of the album's title track are a
public insult to the disabled

According to information obtained by Moskovski Komsomolets, several
disabled persons in Syktyvkar, the republic's capital, wrote a letter
to Vokuyev, in which they strongly objected not only to the lyrics of
the song, but to the record sleeve as well. The record sleeve contains
the following line notes: "The disabled don't know what it takes to be
a human being. The disabled are just a counterfeit built around the
humanoid dummy. The disabled do not live, they just function. Their
functioning complies with the law of mechanics and four more
characteristics, namely, cruelty, stupidity, greed and baseness."
Vokueyv supports the indignation of the disabled. He demanded that the
Moscow prosecutor's office institute a legal action against Tatu's
singers Yulya Volkova and Lena Katina in order to hold them
responsible for libel and public insult.

Tatu's members comment on the allegations:

"Actually, gave it a thought while working on the concept of the
album. We were thinking over a possible impact the lyrics might have
on those with physical handicaps. By no means had we intended to
insult them or treat them inappropriately so we put a definition of
the "disabled" on a booklet enclosed with the album. No doubt about,
the definition concerns the persons whose soul is flawed. The same
interpretation should be applied to the lyrics of the song," said
Yulya Volkova.

"Incidentally, we believe that the term invalid is absolutely
inappropriate with regard to persons with physical handicaps. The word
sounds too gross and humiliating to a disabled person no matter what
has caused them," said Lean Katina.

-------------< CALIFORNIA DEAFIE HAPPENINGS >

COME TO OUR MEETUPS!

The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group -
http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - and the he Orange County Deaf & Hearing
Impaired Meetup Group http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ meets each 3rd
Fridays of the month.

Come to our meetup on this Friday December 15, 2006.

The Orange County American Sign Language & Orange County Deaf &
Hearing Impaired Meetup.

When:
Friday, December 15, 7:00 PM

Where:
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
17595 Harvard Ave #B
Irvine, CA
(949) 660-1332

What:
Meet the 2 meetups

===================================

Oral Deaf Orange County Club

Come to our meetup on Tuesday December 5, 2006.

Oral Deaf Orange County Club

When:
Tuesday, December 5, 7:00 PM

Where:
Natále Coffee
2801 W. MacArthur A2
Santa Ana, CA
714-668-9094

===================================

DEAF SEMINAR SATURDAYS

We are having two 2 hour FREE educational seminars to our community
members.


Deaf employment rights FULL

Safety at home
December 30, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Classes take place at the OCDAC classroom. RSVP is required and 8
students maximum per class. Reply back with reservation choices. And
the seminars are always FREE.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

See what we offer at Ebay!
http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=ocdac

-------------< DEAF GRAPEVINE >

The Department of Transportation amended its ADA regulations to adopt
the new ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) for transportation
facilities. The Department did make several modifications, including
maintaining requirements for detectable warnings on curb ramps, and
provided additional guidance. The rule becomes effective November 29,
2006.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/200\
6/E6-16680.htm

-------------< BULLETIN >

FCC Found In Violation of Its Rules

WTTG-TV Fined $12,000; Agrees to New Policies and Practices By Cheryl
Heppner

Today the Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau
announced that WTTG-TV (FOX Channel 5) was found in violation of its
rules for making emergency information accessible to people with
hearing disabilities. A Consent Decree calls for WTTG to pay a $12,000
fine within 30 days to the US Treasury.

The action is the result of a complaint for not providing visual
information during a thunderstorm/tornado watch in the Washington, DC
Metropolitan area on May 25, 2004. I was the person who filed the
complaint after I experienced confusion and fear in trying to get
information from WTTG's broadcast, and then talked to several other
individuals who also reported the same experience during the storm.
What information was provided visually did not tell how severe the
storm was, the locations affected, and what should be done to remain safe.

In the Consent Decree, WTTG also agreed to these policies and practices:

- To close caption all emergency information broadcast outside a
regularly scheduled newscast if the information is conveyed via the
Stations audio.

- To make the critical details of the emergency information
accessible by other visual means, such as crawls, scrolls, or
handwriting on a blackboard, whiteboard, or other display and will
continue to do so until captioning begins if captioning services are
not immediately available or if caption services cannot be
immediately secured. Emergency information will include any
information relating to an imminent or ongoing emergency, intended to
protect life, health, or property.

- To distribute, at least every six months, the Station's Emergency
Visual Presentation Policy to all employees.

- To incorporate the Station's Emergency Visual Presentation Policy
into the Station's regular news employee training session.

- To promptly begin captioning, or contact its captioning service,
before or contemporaneously with any broadcast coverage of a pending
or imminent emergency that endangers viewers and make its best
reasonable efforts to ensure that coverage of the emergency is
captioned as soon as possible.

- To caption the newscast or breaking news report, make the critical
details of the emergency information accessible by other visual
means, such as crawls, scrolls, or handwriting on a blackboard,
whiteboard or other display during any time that captioning is not
immediately available.

- To maintain a dedicated captioning computer that is remotely
accessible by the News Desk that has direct internet access to all of
its captioning services captioners nationwide so that Master Control
Operators and personnel at any News Desk computer can:

(1) initiate emergency captioning by pressing one key,
(2) order future captioning by accessing and clicking on an icon
on the computer,
(3) verify that captioning has come on line and
(4) converse with captioners via internet.

- To maintain visible postings on television monitors in the
Station's newsroom that remind employees to promptly contact the
Station's captioning service during emergency events, and giving the
phone number for that service.

- To provide special weather text graphics, as circumstances warrant,
in addition to captioning, for hearing disabled viewers to receive
shelter-at-home tips during coverage of tornado, severe thunderstorm,
flash flooding or other weather emergencies. This is in addition to
providing emergency information in an accessible format while waiting
for captioning to commence.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Take a look and bookmark our new search page!
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/search.html It's a good source of
information you can use.

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 2/3 >

International Day of Disabled Persons 2006

E-Accessibility

Access to information and communication technologies creates
opportunities to everyone in society, but perhaps no-more so than for
persons with disabilities. No longer do the societal barriers of
prejudice, infrastructure, and inaccessible formats stand in the way
of participation. When available to everyone, information technologies
foster individuals to reach their full potential, and for persons with
disabilities it allows them to play their part in society's development.

At the First World Summit on the Information Society in 2003,
Governments expressed their commitment to build a people-centred,
inclusive and development-oriented information society, where everyone
can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge.
Despite the vision, many persons with disabilities remain unable to
take full advantage of the Internet as most websites are: inaccessible
to the blind and visually impaired, heavily dependent on using the
mouse, and training is often conducted in inaccessible formats and
venues. As persons with disabilities are amongst the most marginalized
in society, many do not have access to information technologies at
all. Even those with access to information technologies may not be
able to utilize them effectively, as available adaptive equipment
cannot keep pace with innovation.

Persons with disabilities are at a considerable disadvantage by not
being able to access information technologies. For instance, as
education becomes increasingly dependent on information technologies,
not being able to access the Internet for example limits the learning
potential of persons with disabilities.

Several places already have legislation and regulations requiring
websites to be fully accessible. At the international level, standards
and guidelines on website accessibility are being developed. Once
adopted and ratified, the International Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities will require entities ensure that persons
with disabilities can access information technologies. It specifies
that measures should be introduced to eliminate obstacles and barriers
to information and communications, and to promote access for persons
with disabilities to information and communications technologies,
including the Internet.

Making information technologies available to persons with disabilities
is not only a matter of human rights, it also makes good business
sense. Studies suggest that accessible websites appear higher up the
page rankings of search engines and can save costs on web maintenance.
It also allows companies access to a largely untapped customer base.
Many websites, however, remain inaccessible for the visually impaired
and the blind. A recent study of the FTSE 100 companies in the United
Kingdom showed that around three-quarters of company websites did not
achieve basic levels of accessibility. By not making their websites
accessible, UK companies are forfeiting #80 billion in lost revenue.

The theme for this year's International Day of Disabled Persons (3
December 2006) is accessibility to information technologies, and the
day will be referred to as E-Accessibility Day. Through its efforts,
and collaboration with others, the United Nations aims to raise
appreciation among Governments, private entities and the public of
the significant benefits to persons with disabilities and society when
they are empowered with increased access to information technologies.

Secretary-General's message on the International Day of Disabled Persons
<http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/iddp2006sgme.htm>

-------------< DEAF QUOTES >

"We want to preserve our deafness." Darren Hause

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Do you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on stores? You can get a free
community partners card at those stores and then add it to our list of
supporters. A percent of what you buy will go to helping our Deaf
youth program. If you already have a school or other program that you
are supporting, don't worry, you can add your card to support our
program too! It doesnt cost you anything more than your purchases to
be a supporter. There are two ways to add your card. You can email
your First and Last name with your phone number and community partners
card number to [email protected] or you can download and print
our Albertsons / Sav-on Community Partners signup forms at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/community/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have
your friends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as
supporters and then mail the form to the address on the form. To reach
our funding goal we need 25,000 supporters who shop at Albertsons /
Sav-on. And remember to use your community partners card when you shop
at Albertsons or Sav-on.

-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >

Federal Judge Rules That The U.S. Treasury Dept.'s Failure to Offer
Blind People Alternatives To Paper Money Violates Federal Law

American Council for the Blind v. Sec'y of the Treasury

A federal judge rules that the U.S. "Treasury Department's failure to
design, produce and issue paper currency that is readily
distinguishable to blind and visually impaired" people violates
federal law, since paper money effectively precludes them from
"meaningful access to U.S. currency."

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 3/3 >

Bionic ears 'threaten deaf culture
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=26346&in_page_id=34

Deaf to Reason
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/ChuckColson/2006/11/13/deaf_to_reason

Postal shipping service offers services for the deaf
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/157125

Deaf woman says hearing dog was banned
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061119/News05/61119\
0317/0/SPORTS

-------------< LETTERS >

Yes, I think and believe that all deaf and hard of hearing must be
open to implants and other new technoloy. If they can only see with
clear eyes how this new technology will help them. Thankyou very much
for touching base and keeping me informed. i was born hearing and
after listening to too much music, I clearly lost about 90 percent in
the higher frequencies and 70 in mid range etc.... i dont know what I
would do without my new digitals! They are perfect for me. Clearly
we must be open to new technology. i know i am and you have helped
open the doors for many, I am positive! Thanks for the highlights.

Sincerely,

Susan E. Erlich

-------------< EPILOG >

If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send in
news, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Your
support in this effort to move the disability community forward will
be greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursue
justice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it has
been doing since November 1996. We have chosen
that EDUCATION is the best way to accomplish this objective.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based
organization that puts people with disabilities first in their
advocacy for equal opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in
navigating the social services maze. Every day people go without
proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a
variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness,
age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to
hard times, disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the
generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of these
families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but
to work toward a brighter future with programs in job training,
education, counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.

Feel free to forward this email message to anyone and any of your
personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far
and wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

DISCLAIMER: The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of
interest to people with disabilities, their friends, associates, and
relatives and promote advocacy in the disability community.
Information circulated herein does not necessarily express the views
of The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. The OCDAC Newsletter is
non-partisan. OCDAC Newsletter does not sell advertising space.

Fair use in teaching and research

The 1976 Copyright Act provides important exceptions to the rights of
the copyright holder that are specifically aimed at nonprofit
educational uses of copyrighted works and libraries. Two provisions of
the copyright statute are of particular importance to teachers and
researchers: a provision that codifies the doctrine of "fair use,"
under which limited copying of copyrighted works without the
permission of the owner is allowed for certain teaching and research
purposes; and provision that establishes special exemptions for the
reproduction of copyrighted works by libraries and archives. The "fair
use" doctrine embodied in the Fair-Use Statute Section 107 of the 1976
Copyright Act, allows reproduction and other uses of copyrighted works
under certain conditions for purposes such as criticism, comment, news
reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use),
scholarship or research for educational and research purposes.

Our physical address is 2960 Main Street suite #100, Irvine California
92614 and this email is in compliance with CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.

To subscribe to this newsletter go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ or send a blank email
to [email protected]

ASL Gifts

Great Sign Language related gifts!

2007 Sign Language Calendar ASL American Sign Language Alphabet Placemat (ASL)

Visit my eBay Store:OCDAC Adaptive Equipment and More

OCDAC Newsletter November 16, 2006

Dear Friends,

We now have 2007 ASL calendars for sale now. Check our ebay catalog
item
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewit\
em=&item=230051766285&rd=1&rd=1
and they make great holiday gifts.

We also have a huge stock of American Sign Language Alphabet
place-mats this year we wont run out like we did last year.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewit\
em=&item=230049855051&rd=1&rd=1
and they also make great holiday gifts too.

The holiday shopping season has already begun and we are offering
accessible holiday offerings such as brailled holiday cards, and many
more items to make holiday season a real blessing for people with
disabilities. They can all be found in our ebay store.

Start your holiday shopping at our eBay store today! Lots of products
for the deaf, and blind, and other disabilities. We have gifts for
Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and many other
holidays, birthdays, anniversaries. Remember your parents, grand
parents, brothers, sisters, family members, co-workers who need
adaptive equipment. Employers can shop here for equipment and
accessories for their hearing impaired workers. Stop by
http://stores.ebay.com/OCDAC-Adaptive-Equipment-and-More today to
start your holiday shopping.

We are selling 2007 Entertainment Books for $35 each, save $$$$ in
coupons! You can get them at our office or go to our website for the
link. We already have sold some and we have a few of books left over.

We got invited to 2 more educational outreach events in March. The
stem cell committee meets in November 27. The California Relay
Services has launched an educational campaign against the problematic
'hang-ups' the deaf community has been experiencing using the relay
services. Check our website for that information. Our website
scrolling marquee has been changed too.

Many many thinks to those of you have sent in those big donation
checks. This is the society's permission to continue the good deeds
we have been doing since June 1998.

OCDAC Communications
[email protected]
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/img/keycard.jpeg

-------------< HOUSING NEWS >

The editor was recently elected as the head super of his apartment
association. This will enable him to use the apartment building our
training program and there is room for 15 deaf people to babysit the
vacant apartments for the owners.

-------------< SEASONAL NEWS >

At this time of the year, as we reflect upon our own lives,
lets stop and think about the other disabled around us who are less
fortunate. Some of our disabled friends cannot afford to feed their
families. Some of them live in cars, in parks, or in alleys. For a
few, its by choice, for most it's by chance.

This shopping list will be a good gift to a family of 4.

3 cans meat (6.5 oz, tuna, pork, chicken, or beef)
3 cans vegetables (15 oz.)
3 cans fruit (16 oz)
3 cans soup (11 oz.)
3 boxes of macaroni and cheese
2 boxes of dry soup
2 boxes of hot cereal
2 lbs. dry beans
2 lbs rice
2 boxes powdered milk (2 qt.)
2 cans of evaporated milk
2 boxes crackers
1 jar peanut butter (18 oz.)

Optional items: dish detergent, toothpaste, soap bars. Also add :
Information on local food banks, food assistance programs, and local
soup kitchens.

So please, if you can afford it, grab some extra groceries for a
disabled's family. An ideal holiday gift to a needy disabled's
family would be groceries that lasts a few days. Contact your local
deaf/disability association for information on connecting to a needy
disabled's family.

Our office can accept these types of donations for our needy clients.

-------------< INSIDE NEWS >

With our subscribership from the international communities increasing
at a steady pace, we wish to make this newsletter accessible to them
and the easiest way to accomplish this is by directing them to
http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/ and entering
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ in the website
translation box and the babelfish will help our international
subscribers become strong advocates for the deaf and disability
communities.

This weekly newsletter is now available in print form to be mailed out
each week. The price is going to be $90 per year for the print
version and the price is highly reasonable due to it's very rich deaf
and disability advocacy content and very little advertising. This
still beats out the other deaf print news that are chock full of
distracting advertisements. They are now available in other
alternative formats like floppies, braille, and in large print for
people with vision impairments. For more information, please email
[email protected]

Our Campbell's product label collection campaign to help us raise the
means to get supplies for our office is producing results. Start
saving your Campbells product labels today and mail them to us on the
first week of each month. We have aproximately 1600 subscribers and
if each one of them accumulates and sends us 900-1000 labels a month,
we'd be able to get lots of new equipment for our office and internal
and external education programs! Lets get those labels coming. Our
big thanks to those who sent in their labels.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Take a look and bookmark our new search page!
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/search.html It's a good source of
information you can use.

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 1/3 >

2007 SILC CONGRESS
January 12 -15, 2007
New Orleans, Louisiana

Make sure your State is Represented!

You can find more information on the web about the SILC Congress at:

http://www.ohiosilc.org/web06/save_date.php

and

http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/silc/Congress/index.html

-------------< CALIFORNIA DEAFIE HAPPENINGS >

COME TO OUR MEETUPS!

The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group -
http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - and the he Orange County Deaf & Hearing
Impaired Meetup Group http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ meets each 3rd
Fridays of the month.

Come to our meetup on this Friday November 17, 2006.

The Orange County American Sign Language & Orange County Deaf &
Hearing Impaired Meetup.

When:
Friday, November 17, 7:00 PM

Where:
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
17595 Harvard Ave #B
Irvine, CA
(949) 660-1332

What:
Meet the 2 meetups

===================================

Oral Deaf Orange County Club

Come to our meetup on Tuesday December 5, 2006.

Oral Deaf Orange County Club

When:
Tuesday, December 5, 7:00 PM

Where:
Natále Coffee
2801 W. MacArthur A2
Santa Ana, CA
714-668-9094

===================================

DEAF SEMINAR SATURDAYS

We are having two 2 hour FREE educational seminars to our community
members.


Deaf employment rights FULL

Safety at home
December 30, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Classes take place at the OCDAC classroom. RSVP is required and 8
students maximum per class. Reply back with reservation choices. And
the seminars are always FREE.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

See what we offer at Ebay!
http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=ocdac

-------------< DEAF GRAPEVINE >

Hi. I am casting the new musical Sleeping Beauty Wakes, an upcoming
co-production between The Kirk Douglas Theatre and Deaf West here in .
In my attempt to reach as many deaf and hard of hearing actors as
possible, I was hoping you could email the attached flyer to any
appropriate members of your constituency and/or sister organizations.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Bonnie Grisan

Bonnie Grisan
Associate Casting Director
Center Theatre Group
Ahmanson Theatre - Mark Taper Forum -

213-972-7374
213-972-7645
[email protected] ( Email Bonnie for the flyer )

-------------< BULLETIN >

Deadline for Summer Internship Program - December 1, 2006

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Internship Opportunities

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is
committed to the development of leadership, employment, and
self-sufficiency skills of students with disabilities. In fact,
through the sponsorship of Mitsubishi Electric America Foundationand
the Microsoft Corporation, students have opportunities to develop
those skills.


2007 Summer Congressional Internship for College Students with
Disabilities

Administered by AAPD and sponsored by the Mitsubishi Electric America
Foundation, second-semester sophomores through first-semester seniors
interested in working on Capitol Hill are encouraged to apply.
Accepted candidates will work in congressional offices in Washington,
DC. Roundtrip travel and housing will be provided to interns, and each
student will receive a stipend.

Applications are available at:
www.aapd.com/internships/internship07/MEAFinternInfo07.htm
Apply by: December 1, 2006 (5:00pm, EST).

Questions and submissions for Congressional program to:
[email protected].

---------------------

2007 Summer Information Technology (I.T.) Internship for College
Students with Disabilities

Administered by AAPD and sponsored by Microsoft Corporation,
undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in information
technology are encouraged to apply. Accepted candidates will work in
various agencies in the executive branch of the federal government.
Roundtrip travel and housing will be provided to interns, and each
student will receive a stipend.

Applications are available at:
www.aapd.com/internships/internship07/MS-AAPDinternInfo07.htm
Apply by: December 1, 2006 (5:00pm, EST).

Questions and submissions for I.T. program to:
[email protected].


For more information, please contact:

Shonda McLaughlin, PhD, CRC
Program Manager of Mentoring & Leadership
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
1629 K St NW, Suite 503
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-457-0046, Ext 26 or 1-800-840-8844
Email: [email protected]

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Take a look and bookmark our new search page!
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/search.html It's a good source of
information you can use.

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 2/3 >

Laguna Honda Hospital Sued for Discrimination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Karen Stevenson
510-271-4781 (work)
510-710-5335 (cell)

Laguna Honda Residents Sue San Francisco for Discrimination

San Francisco, CA - Six residents of Laguna Honda Hospital, joined by
the Independent Living Resource Center (ILRCSF) in San Francisco,
filed a class action lawsuit, Mark Chambers et al.v. City and County
of San Francisco, in federal court to challenge San Franciscos
discriminatory actions resulting in their unnecessary confinement at
Laguna Honda Hospital, a more than 1,000- bed nursing facility owned
and operated by the City.

The plaintiffs are capable of, and would prefer to live in their own
homes or in the community.

"I am 47 years old and have been at Laguna Honda for seven years,"
said Mark Chambers, the lead plaintiff and a computer systems manager
before suffering a head injury. "I don't want to spend the rest of my
life here. I want to be part of the world outside."

San Francisco's actions violate the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), which requires that individuals with disabilities be provided
services in the "most integrated setting appropriate" to their needs.
The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed this right in Olmstead v. L.C. in
1999, concluding that unnecessary institutionalization violates the ADA.

Ironically, San Francisco now boasts a new, state-of-the- art,
community-based housing and Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) Center. The
Mission Creek Day Health opened on May 1, 2006 and offers adult day
health care programs for seniors and people with disabilities and is
partnered with Mission Creek Senior Community,a residential housing
facility. Mission Creek Day Health is a cost-effective alternative to
nursing home care and a preventative health service for frail elders
or adults with chronic, disabling conditions who are at risk of
institutionalization placement.

"Laguna Honda is out of step with the choices people would make ifthey
truly had a choice; and the direction the rest of the country is
taking to reduce the use of nursing homes," according to Herb Levine,
Director of the Independent Living Resource Center, the organizational
Plaintiff. There are better choices than Laguna Honda to provide San
Franciscans with the highest quality life options.

In a partial settlement of a prior class action lawsuit against San
Francisco, Davis et. al. v. CHHSA et al., San Francisco assessed and
developed discharge plans for all current and potential Laguna Honda
residents.

"Laguna Honda residents continue to be unnecessarily institutionalized
in violation of the ADA. San Francisco's own assessments show that
approximately 80% of Laguna Honda residents could leave if they were
offered services and housing in the community, and at least half of
the residents prefer to live in the community," said Elissa Gershon of
Protection and Advocacy, Inc., one of the attorneys for Plaintiffs.

"Not only is San Francisco violating the law by institutionalizing
people whom it has assessed as not wanting or needing to be at Laguna
Honda, but San Francisco plans to perpetuate this discrimination for
generations to come by building a potentially larger Laguna Honda,"
according to Arlene Mayerson of the Disability Rights Education and
Defense Fund, one of the attorneys for Plaintiffs.

The Laguna Honda rebuild will cost taxpayers at least $600 million to
construct and presently $180 million a year to operate, including
$48.7 million per year from San Francisco9s General Fund. This
represents a 30% increase in the past three years.

"San Francisco is spending enormous sums to keep more than 1,000
people at one of the nation's most costly institutions instead of
using those dollars to provide the housing and services they need to
live independently, "said Jennifer Mathis of the Bazelon Center for
Mental Health Law, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

Individual Plaintiffs are individuals with disabilities, all of whom
have resided at Laguna Honda for one to 26 years. The services they
would need in order to be discharged based on an assessment by San
Francisco include: affordable, accessible housing; case management;
assistance with meals and money management; transportation; primary
health care; and mental health services. All of these services are or
could be made available in San Francisco, but have not been provided
to the Plaintiffs.

Most seniors want to live in their own homes as long as possible, said
Bruce Vignery from AARP, one of the attorneys for Plaintiffs. When
seniors have a choice, they don't choose to live in nursing homes.

-------------< DEAF QUOTES >

"I'm a deaf athlete, but I don't want to be called a 'deaf athlete,' "
Martel Van Zant says.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Do you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on stores? You can get a free
community partners card at those stores and then add it to our list of
supporters. A percent of what you buy will go to helping our Deaf
youth program. If you already have a school or other program that you
are supporting, don't worry, you can add your card to support our
program too! It doesnt cost you anything more than your purchases to
be a supporter. There are two ways to add your card. You can email
your First and Last name with your phone number and community partners
card number to [email protected] or you can download and print
our Albertsons / Sav-on Community Partners signup forms at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/community/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have
your friends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as
supporters and then mail the form to the address on the form. To reach
our funding goal we need 25,000 supporters who shop at Albertsons /
Sav-on. And remember to use your community partners card when you shop
at Albertsons or Sav-on.

-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >

New EEOC Publication Addresses Employment Rights of People with
Hearing Loss

Cari M. Dominguez, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC), today announced the issuance of a new
question-and-answer (Q&A) fact sheet on the application of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to job applicants and employees
who are deaf or who have hearing impairments: Questions and Answers
about Deafness and Hearing Impairments in the Workplace and the
Americans with Disabilities Act.

The new Q&A publication includes many real-life examples that
illustrate the kinds of jobs that people with hearing loss
successfully perform and the wide range of accommodations available.

Topics addressed in the document include:

When a hearing loss is a disability under the ADA;

When an employer may ask an applicant or employee about a hearing
impairment and what it should do if an applicant voluntarily discloses
the impairment;

What type of reasonable accommodation an applicant or employee with a
hearing disability may need; and

What an employer should do if it has safety concerns about an
applicant or employee with a hearing impairment.

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 3/3 >

Advocates for Community Services:

The MFP submittal date of November 1st is now history. We understand
CMS got 37 submittals by the deadline.

Below is a link to a good article on Targeted Case Management
(TCM)which is a Medicaid program that can be used for identification
of and service coordination for folks transitioning out of institutions.

During your states development of the Demonstration Operational
Protocol (DOP) there may be an opportunity to push for TCM.

There are three critical pieces in transitioning folks out of
institutions:

1. Identification
2. Service Coordination
3. Housing - Accessible, Affordable, Integrated

If your state DID NOT APPLY there is no reason they cannot move the
money from the nursing home/institution to the community under the
current rules and regulations (THEY FOOLISHLY JUST WON'T GET THE
ENHANCED MATCH).

Identification of folks who want out of nursing homes and other
institutions,in the non-responding states, will require the state to
provide them community services or explain WHY THEY TURNED DOWN
INCREASED FEDERAL FUNDS under MFP.

As former CMS Administrator said about MFP: "States have NO MORE
EXCUSES".

Don't Mourn...ORGANIZE!!

The ADAPT Community
http://www.adapt.org

Shortcut to the Targeted Case Management article:

http://www.hcbs.org/files/29/1440/targetedcasemanagementSPA041404.doc

-------------< LETTERS >

Your Participation Needed!

The National Collaborative of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) is
conducting a federally-funded, wide-scale assessment project to
quantify the interpreter supply and demand nationwide.

The purpose of the survey is to determine the shortage of interpreters
in the United States.

If you decide to take part in this study, you will fill out a
survey/questionnaire about when you need an interpreter, the types of
settings in which you need interpreters and when you cannot get
interpreters. It will take about 7 minutes.

Use the following URL for more information
http://www.zoomerang.com/recipient/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB225RVTNWUX3

-------------< EPILOG >

If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send in
news, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Your
support in this effort to move the disability community forward will
be greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursue
justice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it has
been doing since November 1996. We have chosen
that EDUCATION is the best way to accomplish this objective.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based
organization that puts people with disabilities first in their
advocacy for equal opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in
navigating the social services maze. Every day people go without
proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a
variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness,
age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to
hard times, disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the
generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of these
families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but
to work toward a brighter future with programs in job training,
education, counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.

Feel free to forward this email message to anyone and any of your
personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far
and wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

DISCLAIMER: The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of
interest to people with disabilities, their friends, associates, and
relatives and promote advocacy in the disability community.
Information circulated herein does not necessarily express the views
of The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. The OCDAC Newsletter is
non-partisan. OCDAC Newsletter does not sell advertising space.

Fair use in teaching and research

The 1976 Copyright Act provides important exceptions to the rights of
the copyright holder that are specifically aimed at nonprofit
educational uses of copyrighted works and libraries. Two provisions of
the copyright statute are of particular importance to teachers and
researchers: a provision that codifies the doctrine of "fair use,"
under which limited copying of copyrighted works without the
permission of the owner is allowed for certain teaching and research
purposes; and provision that establishes special exemptions for the
reproduction of copyrighted works by libraries and archives. The "fair
use" doctrine embodied in the Fair-Use Statute Section 107 of the 1976
Copyright Act, allows reproduction and other uses of copyrighted works
under certain conditions for purposes such as criticism, comment, news
reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use),
scholarship or research for educational and research purposes.

To subscribe to this newsletter go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ or send a blank email
to [email protected]

Comments to posts.

I've been approving a number of the comments to the posts, even contradictory ones, however this blogger thing doesnt seem to be working the way I want it to work and it's gotten some of you to think I'm censoring your comments.

I've never been a real fan of this type of blogging system to begin with and it was nearly forcefully recommended by one of my associates.

I'm not going to be using this blogger again until its either replaced with something different or tweaked to work.

Richard

Message to Deaf Kids

My message to the deaf students in elementary, junior high, and high school. You study hard, be wise, be independent, and think for what you feel and like. Do this and you'll succeed in a job that you like. If you dont, you could end up being a collective lifer at Gallaudet University which is no better than a dependency gulag.

Richard Roehm

Jane Fernandes A Martyr in Deaf Evolution

Now we all know that Jane Fernandes has become a martyr in the evolutionary proccess of the deaf society. She worked to create a new deaf society thats free from the grips of the "Big Deaf Industry Complex". However the dependency confederates within the old deaf guard did their best to remove her from the presidency at Gallaudet University.

Now they will pay a heavy price as the evolution mechanisms outside the campus will be accelerated in light of this minor setback.

Opression or Evolution

While many people from the 'old deaf guards' a goup of dependency clans in the deaf community think what's happening to their cultural status is 'opression'. Actually It's evolution when the deaf society is evolving into a more interfaceable community. The resistance by the old deaf guards characterizes advancements in technology and biogenetics as oppression. They prefer to see deaf society as a dependency gulag.

Their victory, our goldmine

My words to the deaf leaders who are saddened by the loss of Jane Fernandes as next president of Gallaudet University, is to go on with your good deeds, do your business in areas not readily accessible to the old deaf guards. The 98% of the deaf society is on our side. Time is on our side and the old deaf guards will be paying a big price for their small victory yesterday.

We can capitalize on this by showing the world that old deaf guards are very inflexible and non-inclusive which is a major turnoff to most grantmakers. Save the newspapers and the Gallaudet university press releases on Jane's termination and use them in your highly competitive grant writing.

If youre competing with a deaf organization or a deaf school for funds, use the blogs to see if the competition supports the protest and use that info in your grantwriting as proof of the old deaf guard's inflexibility toward people who represent the future of deaf society. You will win easily.

The recent old deaf guard's victory at Gallaudet is our fundraising goldmine to use.

LETS USE IT!

Richard Roehm

Crazy October!

We've been extremely busy and the developments on the east coast needed our attention so we had to accommodate that.

Our newsletters will resume once we have the time to put them together. We're not in any type of trouble.

But I'm getting famous.

Richard

Our Myspace Website

http://www.myspace.com/ocdac

See the faces of our office.

Richard

Our Jazz for Peace Concert Sat. March 10th, 2007 at 8pm

On September 25, 2002 The Joshua Foundation and the U.S. Mission to the U.N. co-sponsored the first "Jazz for Peace Concert" featuring World renowned Jazz pianist and vocalist Rick DellaRatta at the United Nations in New York City. This concert is now recognized worldwide as "one of the single most significant cultural events of our time" and has led to a benefit concert series that has since helped over 350 non-profit organizations. Please log on to their web site at www.jazzforpeace.org to read more about this wonderful organization.

In continuing this enormously successful series, Jazz for Peace volunteers have chosen the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center to be the recipient of one of these Benefit Concerts tentatively scheduled for Sat. March 10th, 2007 at 8pm. The event will be held at a convenient and appropriate venue in the Orange County area.

To help us "jump start" this event and thereby raise hundreds of dollars for our organization even before this concert is officially announced, Jazz for Peace has been kind enough to offer a limited amount of discount tickets. I would like to ask you to help support this event by purchasing (or sponsoring) a pair of discount tickets at $25 each - a $10 savings! With this limited discount offer available to 40 - 50 people we can start out on the right foot towards a highly successful event to raise funds, awareness and publicity for our organization. I would like to get this concert announced within the next week so please respond no later than October 15th, 2006.

I look forward to hearing from you and/or speaking with you soon.

Richard

Time to nip the old deaf guard problem

The old deaf guards only represent the last 2% of the entire deaf society. They have brought scourge upon deaf people. Theyre not worth your time anymore. Theyre not worth occupying Gallaudet University space any more either. It's time to sweep the old deaf guards off the Gallaudet campus, off the face of the deaf society.

Excellent examples of the scourge from the old deaf guards can be found in one of Tom Bertling's published books.

Looking at this particular book, American Sign Language: Shattering the Myth, http://www.addall.com/detail/0963781359.html

You can see stories of scourge casted upon prominent deaf leaders and inspirational deaf people by the old deaf guards. Even some of the scourge took place on Gallaudet University.

Let's all pay good homage to deaf leaders who lives have been catastrophically altered after becoming victims of cyber-bullying, rumor attacks either via email, newsgroups, blogs, postings, websites, falsified restraining orders, vandalism, and through many other undue intimidating actions.

And let's work together at eliminating these sources of scourge within the deaf communities. And we can begin this at the Gallaudet University Campus. Lets sweep the old deaf guards off the campus this moment.

I'll be dealing with advertisers who buy ad spaces on the old deaf guard websites. They dont really support just the websites. They really support the terrorism and scourge the old deaf guards have brought upon many people. Time to nip this old deaf guard problem and the scourge they bring on people today!

Finally I wish Jane all the best, as she begins her journey as the the main compass of the university, that she has the strength and courage to bounce off the storms of flak and scourge coming from the old deaf guards and the dissent.

Richard Roehm
Chief Executive Officer
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center

Scourge from the old deaf guards!

Definition of SCOURGE :

scourge (skûrj) pronunciation
n.

1. A source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
2. A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.
3. A whip used to inflict punishment.

tr.v., scourged, scourg·ing, scourg·es.

1. To afflict with severe or widespread suffering and devastation; ravage.
2. To chastise severely; excoriate.
3. To flog.

[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman escorge, from Old French escorgier, to whip, from Vulgar Latin *excorrigiāre : Latin ex-, intensive pref.; see ex– + Latin corrigia, thong (probably of Celtic origin).]

--------------------------------------

Excellent examples of the scourge from the old deaf guards can be found in one of Tom Bertling's published books.

http://www.addall.com/author/2653032-1

Looking at this particular book;

http://www.addall.com/detail/0963781375.html

You can see stories of scourge casted upon prominent deaf leaders and inspirational deaf people by the old deaf guards.

Through their actions, they have made the American Sign Language into some sort of a weapon than a communication method.

Let's all pay good homage to deaf leaders who lives have been catastrophically altered after becoming victims of cyber-bullying, rumor attacks either via email, newsgroups, blogs, postings, websites, falsified restraining orders, vandalism, and through many other undue intimidating actions.

And work together at eliminating these sources of scourge within the deaf communities.

Jane's Voyage As Gallaudet University Compass

I wish Jane very well, as she begins her job as the the main compass of the university, that she has the strength and courage to bounce off the storms of flak and scourge coming from the dissent.

Richard Roehm

Gallaudet Protest Key Event In Deaf Evolution

This is, of course, the key event in the evolutionary proccess we're seeing in the deaf community.

The protesters are all about the old deaf guards who dont believe in the re-intergration of deaf people back into the hearing society.

The deaf communities are facing major evolutionary changes in the future which enable them to mainstream and re-integrate back into the hearing society. They are Cochlear Implants and recently stem cells which have been proven to be part of the final solutions to addressing deafness. The medical marvels have enabled deaf people to function almost like hearing people. This has created a new deaf society in the past decade and this new deaf society has been slowly taking over Gallaudet University operations.

The protests youre seeing is the old deaf guard's last stand against the changes in the future of deaf society, against the new deaf society taking over Gallaudet.

Jane's leadership has the support of the new deaf society and is best one to lead the new deaf society which already counts for 80 percent of the students at Gallaudet into the future.

The protesters are about the past, about the old deaf guards who have become scourge of the deaf communities. They have to give it up because they cant beat the evolutionary proccess the deaf society is facing.

Gallaudet Protests

Society is evolving and the deaf community is evolving with them and this protest is the work of the resistance to technological advancements in deaf integration into the hearing society.

Richard Roehm

Our Blog is up!

We finally have a Blog! This is great, we will be able to deliver news and information so much faster now. And people can discuss the information and link to it. And well, it's just wonderful!

OCDAC Newsletter May 13, 2006

Dear Friends,

Not deaf enough? Deafhood? The white deaf yardstick?

The deaf community had plenty of time to prevent Jane Fernandes from
becoming the next Gallaudet President. On Feb 1998, The editor warned
the deaf communities in the Deaf Watch Newsletter about Jordan's focus
was drifting away from the interests of the deaf community.

They listen? No because he wasn't deaf enough to them to be
believable. To them he didnt seem to be deep enough into deafhood, and
he didnt measure up to the white deaf yardstick either. I.K. Jordan
took advantage of this and used the Newswaves newspaper to debunk the
editor. Now look who has been right all along. The deaf community
didnt heed his warnings.

Are they going to heed his warnings on the National Association of the
Deaf(NAD) leadership issue? Is NAD going to end up like the legendry
Los Angeles Club for the Deaf? Is it going to be up to them or is it
going to be up to 'deafhood' and the white deaf yardstick?

We can only wish Jane Fernandes the best because it's really the deaf
communities' fault that Gallaudet ended up being run by someone like
Jane. The deaf community needs to move on focus on their lives and
focus on making the Gallaudet Board of Trustees more deaf friendly so
they can pick someone more favorable to be the 10th president of the
school.

From a deaf blog, "The protests are being done by the "old deaf"
society, the part of the deaf community that is shrinking rapidly, and
this could be their last big stand against the changes and the future
of deaf society". Our translation is the protests are really being
done by the 'deaf elitist' subclass which represents about 600,000
people out of the 28 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the
United States. The protesters doesn't really represent the whole 28
million, just about 2 percent of it. But they can leave a very bad
mark that affects the social status of the entire 28 million!

The most revealing part of this whole protest is we've been able to
determine the true identities of several organizations representing
the deaf and hard of hearing and have been able to pick out which
organizations believe in inclusivity and which do not. This will
enable us to focus our interagancy education campaigns to help
organizations learn the concepts and the values of inclusivity.

Our premiere at the Rossmoor Family Picnic was a huge success, we had
a hybrid education and fundraising booth. Pictures of this event is
in the photo gallery. We already got the invite to next year's event.
Kudos to everyone who helped to make this a success.

Last Thursday we did a presentation of equipment used by people with
hearing disabilities at a senior citizen center in deep south Orange
County. We were given good accolades and pictures of this is in the
photo gallery.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is having it's first annual
walk-a-thon on May 20th 2006 at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley,
California. To find out more or to sponsor one of our walkers go to
http://ocdac.choose-a-thon.com/ To walk in the event go to
http://ocdac.choose-a-thon.com/site/page/pg3990-aa93314_93826_93313-
or email [email protected] with your full name and email address.
Come on let's get the sponsors in and have a good walk!

Our new ASL classes start next week. Please take a look at our ASL
Class flyer and tell your friends, associates, and relatives about it.
Http://www.deafadvocacy.org/education/flyers/aslclass.pdf

We've sped up the speed of our scrolling marquee at the front of our
website. Some people complained it was moving too slow.

Dont forget the California Work Group has a teleconference on May 16
on the 250% Working Disabled Program and more info on that is in down
the newsletter.

Finally, Happy Mother's Day to all moms!

OCDAC Communications
[email protected]

-------------< INSIDE NEWS >

With our subscribership from the international communities increasing
at a steady pace, we wish to make this newsletter accessible to them
and the easiest way to accomplish this is by directing them to
http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/ and entering
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ in the website
translation box and the babelfish will help our international
subscribers become strong advocates for the deaf and disability
communities.

This weekly newsletter is now available in print form to be mailed out
each week. The price is going to be $90 per year for the print
version and the price is highly reasonable due to it's very rich deaf
and disability advocacy content and very little advertising. This
still beats out the other deaf print news that are chock full of
distracting advertisements. They are now available in other
alternative formats like floppies, braille, and in large print for
people with vision impairments. For more information, please email
[email protected]

We have started a Campbell's product label collection campaign to help
us raise the means to get supplies for our office Start saving your
campbells product labels today and mail them to us on the first week
of each month. We have aproximately 1050 subscribers and if each one
of them accumulates and sends us 900-1000 labels a month, we'd be able
to get lots of new equipment for our office and internal and external
education programs! Lets get those labels coming, the program ends in
June. Our big thanks to those who sent in their labels.

Drastic Social Security rule changes for Title II Old Age, Survivors,
and Disability Insurance and SSI programs renews our calls for
self-reliance ideas for organizations who serve the deaf and disabled
and our very own idea, our California Disability Gaming Initiative
idea and that can be found at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/community/cdgicinfo.pdf is an idea that
works for Native Americans. Why shouldn't it work for the Disability
communities? The proposed Social Security rules will limit appeals
and create a new process that is less about truth-seeking and more
hostile to applicants.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Take a look at our new magazine fundraiser and this is one of the ways
you can help us do the good work for the deaf and disabled communities.

The URL is http://www.magfundraising.com/GroupPage.aspx?e=788159

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 1/3 >

Is Deaf University President Not 'Deaf Enough'?
http://www.abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1947073&page=1
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=gallaudet+univer\
sity

Maryland School for the Deaf Students Support Gallaudet Protest
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0506/326432.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=gallaudet+univer\
sity

High Schoolers Join Gallaudet Protest
http://www.nbc4.com/news/9193947/detail.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=gallaudet+univer\
sity

Head of Gallaudet Univ. Board Resigns
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051000399.\
html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=gallaudet+univer\
sity

Deaf-Mutes Make A Noisy Rucus
http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/opinion/article_21218127.shtml
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=gallaudet+univer\
sity

Hearing the world through deaf ears
http://www.yorkregion.com/yr/yr4/YR_News/Newscentre/Regional/story/3486554p-4027\
647c.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+hearing

Student is first deaf man to earn IU Ed.D
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.php?id=35896&adid=campus
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=iu+deaf

Miss Deaf Oklahoma at OCCC
http://www.okc.cc.ok.us/pioneer/Archives/May_08_2006/News11.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=oklahoma+deaf

Good vibrations: Deaf dancing troupe defies limitations
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=24334
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+dance

Being Deaf and thinking
http://www.progressiveu.org/102558-being-deaf-and-thinking
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+think+tank

-------------< CALIFORNIA DEAFIE HAPPENINGS >

COME TO OUR MEETUPS!

The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group -
http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - and the he Orange County Deaf & Hearing
Impaired Meetup Group http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ meets each 3rd
Fridays of the month.

Come to our meetup on Friday May 19, 2006.

The Orange County American Sign Language & Orange County Deaf &
Hearing Impaired Meetup.

When:
Friday, May 19, 7:00 PM

Where:
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
17595 Harvard Ave #B
Irvine, CA
(949) 660-1332

What:
Meet the 2 meetups!
Beginning May a $2.00 donation suggested per person to help us cover
the costs of the meetup membership program. If you give us a $5.00
donation instead, we'll give you an "I Love You" Handsign Stamp
commemorative pin!
We have been considering using our office, especially the classroom,
for our meetups and we have the means to offer snacks for a small
donation to the people that come to the meetups hosted by our office.
The food table will have cold drinks, danish pastry, popcorn, veggies
and dip, chips and dip, flavored coffees, and hot chocolate.

===================================

ASL BINGO!

Come learn ASL while playing bingo!

AT THE OCDAC CLASSROOM

May 27, 2006
4pm to 8pm
$1 per card per game – 7 cards for $5
Great Prizes! Players must be at least 18 years of age.

PROCEEDS BENEFIT ORANGE COUNTY DEAF ADVOCACY CENTER

For more info contact [email protected]

===================================

BINGO! SATURDAY NIGHTS! (POSTPONED)

We got licensed to run bingo every Saturday Nights on the classroom
starting on June 10.

Postponed due to preparation for a giant foodstand fundraiser on June
4 at the Tustin Chili Cookoff and Street Fair.

5pm to 9pm
$1 per card per game – 7 cards for $5
Great Prizes! Players must be at least 18 years of age.

PROCEEDS BENEFIT ORANGE COUNTY DEAF ADVOCACY CENTER

===================================

Our next SSP training class is on June 10, 2006 from 12 noon to 5 pm.

This is for people interested in working with the Deaf-Blind. The
class will take place in our classroom at 2960 Main Street A102 ,
Irvine, CA 92614

There is a fee of $20 for this 5 hour workshop as we have to pay for
the room use and printing of the handbook and other materials.

This class is required to work with our Deaf-Blind clients. Please
contact me with any questions.

Beth Koenig
[email protected]
(714) 414-7982

===================================

DEAF SEMINAR SATURDAYS

We are having two 2 hour FREE educational seminars to our community
members.

Disaster preparedness
May 27, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Getting the most from your Sidekick
June 24, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Healthy Hands and Eyes workshop
August 26, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Dealing with creditors
September 30, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Deaf motorist safety
October 28, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Deaf employment rights
November 25, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Safety at home
December 30, 2006, 10 am – 12 Noon and 1pm – 3pm

Classes take place at the OCDAC classroom. RSVP is required and 8
students maximum per class. Reply back with reservation choices. And
the seminars are always FREE.

===================================

9th Annual Memorial Day Weekend Deaf Floating Picnic!

May 25 to 29

For more information, please check

WWW.PAD.CC

Thursday - Senior Citizen Potluck
Friday - Arrival Day at Usery Mt. Park
Saturday - Caravan in the Arizona Wilderness
Saturday night - Luau Beach party
Sunday - Salt River Tubing
Monday - Departure Day

Average costs for the whole weekend is:
$50 to $100

For more information, please check www.pad.cc or email Allan Bernier,
Chairperson of Memorial Day Weekend at [email protected] or
[email protected]

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Even though most of us working on computers only work on one, the
average American depends on more than 264 computers per day—from the
tiniest microprocessor to the largest mainframe! That is a lot of
people depending on a lot of computers! Think of how much money could
go to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center if 264 supporters bought
one computer each at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where up to 26% of every
purchase is donated to the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center! At
www.iGive.com/ocdac, membership is free! So hurry up and visit the
Mall at www.iGive.com/ocdac, where you can shop at 600+ stores for all
your favorite electronics and computers from Dell, HP Shopping, Buy,
Computers4SURE, The Apple Store, SONY, and Gateway!

-------------< DEAF GRAPEVINE >

CEPIN Seeks Participants for Philadelphia Course

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2006

Contact Person: Lisa Bothwell
National Public Relations Specialist
Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network, TDI
Email: [email protected]
TTY: 301-589-3006
V/VP: 512-296-3347
Fax: 512-258-5396

CEPIN SEEKS PARTICIPANTS FOR PHILADELPHIA COURSE

Silver Spring, Md. - The Community Emergency Preparedness Information
Network (CEPIN) will host the "Emergency Responders and the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing Community: Taking the First Steps to Disaster
Preparedness" course from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23 at the
Bucks County Public Safety Training Center in Doylestown, Pa. near
Philadelphia. This course is an awareness-level course on emergency
response that also fosters continued interaction between the two
communities. Emergency responders, managers and planners as well as
deaf and hard of hearing consumer leaders are encouraged to register.

The CEPIN project is also actively seeking emergency responders and
deaf and hard of hearing community leaders to participate in the
Train-The-Trainer course on Wednesday, May 24. The Train-The-Trainer
course is for anyone who wishes to teach the "Emergency Responders and
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community: Taking the First Steps to
Disaster Preparedness" course to emergency responders and deaf and
hard of hearing people in their local area. Registration is also
required for the Train-The-Trainer course.

In 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded
Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI) $1.5
million to implement the CEPIN project. Since then, CEPIN has created
pilot training sessions and certified qualified instructors. The aim
for the course is to raise awareness about the challenges emergency
responders and deaf and hard of hearing consumers encounter during
emergencies, such as hurricanes and terrorist attacks, and to create
local, state-wide and national networks of communication between the
two groups in order to achieve the best possible outcome in the event
of an emergency situation.

Registration forms and more information can be found on the CEPIN Web
site at www.cepintdi.org. If you have questions concerning the
training, contact Stephanie Clark, the regional specialist for the New
England and Great Lakes area, at [email protected] or at
617-254-4041 (TTY/V).

===================================

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT
Amy Bonetti
Big Mouth Communications
(415) 384-0900
[email protected]


ROCKLIN, CA (MAY 10, 2006) Hands On Video Relay Services, Inc. (HOVRS)
today issued a statement commending the Federal Communication
Commission's decision requiring interoperability of Video Relay
Service (VRS) equipment distributed to consumers by VRS providers.

HOVRS's president and CEO Ronald E. Obray comments, "the deaf and hard
of hearing community has won a significant battle to ensure that
providers of the service, which allows deaf and hard of hearing
persons to communicate in their primary visual language, are not
creating more barriers for the deaf community than they already face
in dealing with the public telephone system."

Mr. Obray added that The California Coalition of Agencies Serving the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing, which sought the ruling from the FCC, should
also be commended for prompting the FCC to issue its ruling. Obray
also said that "the California Coalition has always stepped up to
escalate valuable issues confronting the deaf and hard of hearing
community, and once again their efforts have proved vital to
communication access for not only Californians, but the entire nation."

The effect of the ruling will require all VRS providers to cease
blocking consumer access to competing VRS providers on equipment
provided to consumers. HOVRS in 2005 began distributing equipment to
consumers which blocked access to competing providers.

Mr. Obray explained that the company reluctantly did so in response to
the long-standing blocking policy of one of its competitors.

VRS is a rapidly growing service that enables deaf, hard of hearing
and speech-disabled persons to communicate over the telephone system
in their preferred visual language. Using Sign language transmitted
over the internet between consumers and video relay interpreters,
HOVRS allows deaf and hard of hearing persons to hold interactive, non
text conversations with hearing people in both English and Spanish
languages.

On one end of the conversation, the HOVRS customer and interpreters
use personal computers equipped with web cameras or video phone
devices to communicate visually by sign language across high speed
internet links. On the other end of the conversation, the hearing
person and a HOVRS interpreter speak orally through the public
telephone system.

The company's interpreters translate American Sign Language (ASL) from
the signing customer into spoken communication, thereby "relaying" the
deaf or hard of hearing person's conversation to a hearing person in
either English or Spanish. Likewise, the interpreter translates oral
communication from the hearing person into ASL and "relays" the
message by webcam or videophone to the deaf or hard of hearing consumer.

Mr. Obray said that HOVRS will immediately cease blocking with respect
to all new customers, and will remove all previously blocked devices
previously installed. In addition, HOVRS will no longer require
customers to sign user agreements.

With the implementation of the FCC's ruling "video relay services will
truly be closer to functional equivalency, because now the consumers
can expect that providers will need to be completely focused on the
quality of the VRS consumer's overall experience, while communicating
through video relay services." Mr. Obray added. "HOVRS has always
prided itself on its core business of interpreter quality and quick
answering speeds; now service quality will be the focal point of VRS
consumers and providers," he said.

Mr. Obray also said that VRS still has many functional equivalency
objectives to be realized and that relay services are still below the
level of communications functionality that hearing people receive.
"These include conference bridging in sign language, 911 services,
standardized phone numbering, mobile accessibility, among other areas
that remain technologically behind that of phone services hearing
people enjoy on a daily basis."

"HOVRS hopes the FCC will continue to stay focused on accessibility
and the right of functional equivalency for the deaf and hard of
hearing. This should be a priority for relay services, and for the
FCC to continue to promote the on-going development of new
technologies that bring down current communication barriers. In
addition, to bring functional equivalency to the many deaf and hard of
hearing persons who lack adequate communications service," he concluded.

About Hands On

Based in , Hands On is a leader in providing Video Relay Services and
community interpreting services. The company has been serving the
needs of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community since 1992. Hands On
is committed to removing communication barriers for the Deaf and
Hard-of-Hearing. For more information visit www.hovrs.com.

==================================

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Mercy Coogan
Director
Office of Public Relations
Gallaudet University
202.651.5727

Statement by Gallaudet Board of Trustees

The Gallaudet Board of Trustees today announced that Dr. Jane
Fernandes will immediately step down as provost to allow for the
transition to her presidency. Dr. Fernandes will concentrate her work
to carefully review all of the issues brought up during the last few
weeks and to work with the campus community to address them. In
addition, Dr. Fernandes will begin work on a search for a new provost.

"There have been several important issues raised in the past few
weeks," said Brenda Brueggemann, acting-Chair of the Board of
Trustees. "As we begin the search for a new Provost, we want to have
an open process that will address these concerns, and allow students,
faculty, teachers and staff to play an important role in the process,"
said Brueggemann.

Over the past week, the Board of Trustees has spent many hours meeting
with and listening to the community. They have also received hundreds
of communications from outside the campus community. This morning they
met in a closed executive session to discuss concerns raised during
the meetings and conversations and they came to agreement on several
matters that need to be addressed. The Board of Trustees invited Dr.
Fernandes and Dr. I. King Jordan into the meeting to discuss immediate
next steps.

Dr. Jordan was asked by the Board to set up a process to identify an
interim provost. He will begin by establishing a committee made up of
faculty, staff and students and by sending out a call for nominations.
Dr. Jordan will seek nominations of people who might be willing to
serve until a permanent provost is selected. It was the strong opinion
of the Board that this person should not be someone who might seek to
have the permanent provost position.

Also at the same time, Dr. Fernandes will lead a national search to
identify the permanent provost. She will establish a representative
committee to develop a job description and then do a national search
to find the new provost.

"We must move ahead and bring all sides together. We all gain if we
work together, in a collaborative manner. We have been conducting open
and honest dialogues with many different groups on and off campus. We
are looking forward to moving ahead and continuing to strengthen our
Gallaudet University," Brueggemann concluded.

Submitted by
Darrick Nicholas
[email protected]


-------------< BULLETIN >

Open Letter to the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees,
Administration,
and the Campus and External Community

Editor's Note: Please use this corrected version of the Fourth NAD
Open Letter.

Posted May 11, 2006

To refer others to this page:
http://www.nad.org/GallaudetOpenLetter4; see also
http://www.nad.org/GallaudetPresident

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is deeply saddened at the
turn of events since issuance of its Third Open Letter (see
http://www.nad.org/gallaudetpresident), particularly the "deaf card"
being perpetuated by the Gallaudet University administration, tacitly
supported by the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees.

What exactly does this mean? Similar to the race card we know all too
well, the "deaf card" has been played, to the hilt. To illustrate, a
CNN.com story posted online on May 8, 2006 states:

---

[Dr. I. King] Jordan, who backed [Dr. Jane K.] Fernandes' selection,
said the current protest reflects "identity politics" and a refusal to
accept change. "We are squabbling about what it means to be deaf," he
said.

---

The focus on "not deaf enough" and "deaf identity" has effectively
detracted the media and all with vested interest in Gallaudet
University away from the underlying focus on lack of leadership and
trust which is inexorably tied to faculty, staff, student, and alumni
protest efforts.

The public relations effort expended to date by the University in
playing the "deaf card" has, in effect, set back national and global
advocacy strides made by the deaf community for light years to come,
causing long-lasting damage.

We condemn these tactics, given great harm to the credibility of the
deaf community that these have caused.

The University Board of Trustees and its administrative leadership
need to focus on the real issues at hand -- exactly why loss of
leadership and trust has transpired -- by making the commitment to
working with its campus and external constituents to begin what will
be a protracted and painful healing process. Too much polarization and
discord has happened both on and off campus, and it is clear that
leadership recovery will be extremely difficult.

Despite our earlier call for "corrective action with courage and
wisdom to resolve in a positive manner the growing discord,
divisiveness, and disconnect on and off campus," there has been no
improvement. The NAD intends to continue its efforts to facilitate a
positive resolution to the current state of affairs.

The NAD therefore calls upon the University Board of Trustees to take
serious and decisive action -- today -- for the good of Gallaudet and
its stakeholders as well as the national and global deaf community.
The entire campus and external community needs to be part of the
University's healing process, and we at the NAD stand ready to be of
assistance.

Sincerely,

Andrew J. Lange
President
National Association of the Deaf

Nancy J. Bloch
Chief Executive Officer
National Association of the Deaf

===================================

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Nghia Nguyen
Demovic
Monday, May 8, 2006
916-653-6575

Secretary of State Bruce McPherson Announces Large Print Ballot
Pamphlets Available for the First Time

New large print ballot pamphlets designed to help voters who are
visually impaired

SACRAMENTO - Secretary of State Bruce McPherson today announced that
for the first time, large print ballot pamphlets for the upcoming June
6, 2006 Primary Election are available for registered voters who need
them. The ballot pamphlets are available in limited quantities in
English, as well as Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Tagalog,
and Korean.

"Over the years, voters have been requesting large print ballot
pamphlets," said Secretary McPherson. "I am pleased to announce that
for the first time, the Secretary of State's Office is making them
available to the voters."

The ballot pamphlets have been increased to 130 percent of its
original size and are printed on 11 x 14 inch paper. The text is
black on a white background for improved contrast.

Large print ballot pamphlets for the upcoming June 6, 2006 Primary
Election can be requested by contacting the Secretary of State's
Elections Division at 916-657-2166 or online at
www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_lgprint.htm. They will also be
distributed to select libraries, as well as community centers that
serve senior citizens and independent living centers throughout the state.

For more information, or to request a large print ballot pamphlet,
visit the Secretary of State's website at www.ss.ca.gov or call the
Elections Division at 916-657-2166.

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Please visit our bookstore that has related books and different kinds
of assistive living devices at http://store.deafadvocacy.org

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 2/3 >

Deaf Club gets aid from Red Cross
http://worcester.standardtoday.co.uk/news.tvt?_ticket=XBGTKKLAFS48ODQFIR0BCWSEAO\
WO96RGUU4HIOTAFOXECOUFKGSGX2DPUNNAD0TE9LLCPIVFURTSKOMAAP6IAKLAEU6NTRRHVWV9ANWP43\
Y9CHVTZQRFLZHXWMTEDYKACNTFURYIHONHDMTEGQKACOWFURUQ0F52P&_scope=Flow/Websites/Wor\
cester/News&id=2812
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+red+cross

Students from Local Schools Participate in "Deaf for the Day"
http://www.cedarcityreview.com/articles.php?id=2461&art_title=Students_from_Loca\
l_Schools_Participate_in_%E2%80%9CDeaf_for_the_Day%E2%80%9D
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=silent+weekend

Fidel Castro Praises Cuban Med Development
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B15AFC58D-9840-436E-AE88-7CA7D3F94311%\
7D)&language=EN
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=cuba+deaf

Protests Continue at University for Deaf
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/13/us/13gallaudet.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=gallaudet+univer\
sity+protests

California deaf students join protest
http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/localnews/ci_3819098
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+california

Deputy Chief Minister Yedirurappa Adopts Deaf Girl
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=21318&n_tit=Mysore%3A+Deputy+C\
hief+Minister+Yedirurappa+Adopts+Deaf+Girl
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+adoption

Deaf Students in Baghdad Face Compounded Dangers
http://www.newhousenews.com/archive/palmer051206.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=iraq+deaf

SA not deaf-friendly
http://www.pretorianews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3241540
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=south+africa+dea\
f

Deaf get their own film festival in Toronto
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=20\
06-05-11T205519Z_01_N11259492_RTRUKOC_0_US-LEISURE-CANADA-DEAF.xml&archived=Fals\
e
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=canadian+deaf

Emergency Notification to Hearing Impaired
http://community.emeraldcoast.com/article.showarticle.db.php?a=4052
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+cepin+emerg\
ency

-------------< ADVOCACY NEWS >

CALIFORNIA WORK GROUP
On Work Incentives and Health Care the CWG
May 10, 2006

Dear CWG Members-

We had a well-attended and productive teleconference for the Gaps Task
Force working on gaps and problems in the 250% Working Disabled
Program on April 25th.

Our next teleconference is scheduled for:
Date and Time:
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
1:30pm - 3pm Pacific Time

Call 1-800-977-8002
Participant Code 801456 #

Agenda:

Discussion on:

1.Outreach, Marketing, and Education on the Medi-Cal Working Disabled
Program

2.Service Delivery and Program Interaction and the Medi-Cal Working
Disabled Program

You will find the minutes for the last meeting below. Please submit
any corrections to us at [email protected]

Thank you for your participation!

Sincerely,

Eli Gelardin & Alana Theriault
Co-Chairs - CWG Gaps Task Force

Eli Gelardin
Marin Center for Independent Living
415-459-6245 ext. 19
E-mail: [email protected]

Alana Theriault
Express Independence
510-388-2277
E-mail: [email protected]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CWG On Work Incentives and Health Care

Gaps Task Force Teleconference Minutes
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Submitted by E. Gelardin & A. Theriault

1. Welcome & Introductions – Present:

Abby Medina, Statewide Social Security Coordinator, DR;
Alana Theriault (co-chair), Express Independence;
Bryon MacDonald, World Institute on Disability;
Burns Vick, Policy/Disability Rights Consultant;
Charlie Kaplan, Governor's Committee Advisor;
D'Andre Bracey, BPAO, ILC/Long Beach;
Debra Stevenson, BPAO, ILC/Oakland;
Eli Gelardin (co-chair), Program Director/ BPAO, Marin CIL;
Ellen Young, Higher Education in CA and Services for Students with
Disabilities;
Francois Frigola, Advocate/Enrolled in 250;
Glynda Dixon, East Bay benefits expert;
John Longoria, Director of Outreach & Programs, Disability Rights
Legal Center/LA;
Katherine Revis, BPAO, ILC/Fresno;
Lauri Shay, Program Manager, Options Dynamic/SF;
Linda Wren, Mental Health/ Bakersfield;
Maeve Gannon, Program Director, CIL Berkeley;
Michael Van Essen, BPAO, AIDS Service Center/Pasedena;
Rachael Stewart, CHIIP/Sacramento;
Sandra Beckley, SF Region IX Ticket Coordinator, SSA/Richmond;
Sandy Barnett, Santa Monica Community College;
Sandy Collins, ADA Access; Teddie Joy Remhild, IHSS Public
Authority/LA County;
Theresa Martinez, BPAO; TJ Hader, DHS Medi-Cal Eligibility Branch;
Tommy Yang, Independent Living Resources/Sacramento


2. Purpose of the California Work Group on Work Incentives and Health
Care & Announcements (Bryon MacDonald)

Started 6 years ago to apply Ticket to Work at the state level, so
developed recommendations to AB925 Workforce Inclusion Act and helped
develop California Health Incentives Improvement Act.

BPAO: RFP in early May - "Work Incentives Planning & Assistance Grant
Ticket regulations revised re: payment systems for providers effective
this fall.

AB925 - Comprehensive Strategy to increase employment of people with
disabilities was presented before HHS and Labor Workforce
Development. See: www.chiip.org or www.EDD.CA.gov

3. Brief Overview of 250% Working Disabled Program (250% WDP)
Described history, benefits and eligibility criteria of program.
Current enrollment for March 2006 is 2060 people

4. CHIIP and its Role in Promoting the 250% Working Disabled
Program (Rachael Stewart)

Funded to create access to healthcare for people with disabilities,
and to promote 250% WDP and personal assistance services for youth.
Distributed over 175,000 brochures to organizations and individuals
Organizes local steering committees to do training on benefits.
Current Outreach: Mailing 250% WDP brochures to IHSS share-of-cost
recipients; Media Campaign on 250% WDP/Personal Assistance at work.

5. Purpose of this CWG Task Force

6. Discussion of 4 major Gaps in the 250% Working Disabled Program

Service Delivery and Program Interaction

Problems with implementation of 250% WDP at the County/State levels:

State has no authority over the counties about program implementation.

Many Medi-cal eligibility are workers unfamiliar with program and/or
rules.

Enrollment procedure unclear. Program Coordinators not known

Some county systems do not have correct aid codes in their databases.

High level personnel at the State and Counties don't understand program.

The contract for HMO services in HMO-only counties (Orange, Santa
Cruz) have no provisions for 250% WDP.

How long does enrollment take? Estimated at 90 days.

Populations

The cash benefits of people who receive retirement product payments
are non-exempt when applying for 250% WDP. People need or want to work.

150,000 employed disabled Californians are Medi-Cal eligible but have
no health coverage.

Lack of knowledge of the 250% in the following populations:
Development Disabilities; Cognitive Disabilities; Emotional Disabilities

Fear of employment - People are not aware that under 250% WDP
employment means something different than under SSA's rules.

Self-employed: Calculating income is complex; assets are obstacles.
Deemed income is a problem for married

Policy/Program Protections when Changing Jobs
Need to extend the capacity to switch jobs and stay in program

Outreach, Marketing and Education

Currently only 2060 enrolled statewide

Strategy Cocktail of Training followed up by monthly meetings and one
on one counseling session found to be effective.

Pervasive problem in disability community about the perception of work

7. Development of Timelines and Next Steps

Next Teleconference - May 16th 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Agenda:

Discussion on:
1.Outreach, Marketing, and Education on the Working Disabled Program
2.Service Delivery and Program Interaction and the Working Disabled
Program


-------------< DEAF QUOTES >

"The white deaf yardstick has to go. We cannot measure who is deafer
than others. We are deaf in many different ways. No one is deafer than
others." Jane Norman, Ph.D., Professor Gallaudet University

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENT >

Do you shop at Albertsons or Sav-on stores? You can get a free
community partners card at those stores and then add it to our list of
supporters. A percent of what you buy will go to helping our Deaf
youth program. If you already have a school or other program that you
are supporting, don't worry, you can add your card to support our
program too! There are two ways to add your card. You can email your
First and Last name with your phone number and community partners card
number to [email protected] or you can download and print our
Albertsons / Sav-on Community Partners signup forms at
http://www.deafadvocacy.org/community/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have
your friends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as
supporters and then mail the form to the address on the form. To reach
our funding goal we need 25,000 supporters who shop at Albertsons /
Sav-on. And remember to use your community partners card when you shop
at Albertsons or Sav-on.

-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Steve Forde
(202) 225-4527

May 11, 2006

U.S. House Education Leaders Announce Series of Hearings on
Implementation, Impact of No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. House Education & the Workforce Committee
Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA), the Committee's Senior
Democrat George Miller (D-CA), and Education Reform Subcommittee
Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE) today announced their plans to continue to
examine the implementation and impact of the landmark 2002 No Child
Left Behind Act through a new series of hearings to be held by the
House Education & the Workforce Committee over the next several months.

During the past several years, the panel has held ten hearings on
topics ranging from the law's overall implementation and its
"persistently dangerous schools" provision to school choice provisions
under No Child Left Behind and the impact of the law on children with
disabilities. The education reform law is scheduled to be renewed next
year, and the upcoming series of hearings is expected to lay the
groundwork for the congressional reauthorization effort.

"We have come a long way since the original law was written in 2002,
and we are learning more every day how this law is working in certain
areas, how the achievement gap is closing, and what changes may need
to be made," said Castle. "I was proud to help craft No Child Left
Behind, and as we examine this law and prepare for its
reauthorization, nothing is more important than hearing from the
teachers, administrators, principals, students, and parents who are
affected by it. I look forward to this comprehensive series of
hearings and learning how we can strengthen No Child Left Behind in
the years to come."

The first in the series of hearings will be held next Thursday, May
18. This hearing will examine the impact of No Child Left Behind's
focus on reading and math instruction, as well as what creative
educators are doing to incorporate a wide variety of subjects into
their classroom instruction.

"After decades of failed reform efforts, coupled with hundreds of
billions of taxpayer dollars spent with little or no success in
closing the achievement gap, the impact of No Child Left Behind has
been dramatic and a positive step forward for students, teachers,
parents, and taxpayers," noted McKeon. "As we approach next year's
renewal of the law, which may prove to be the most critical
reauthorization No Child Left Behind will ever see, our Committee is
dedicated to a deliberate, responsible examination of the facts."

In the upcoming months, the Education & the Workforce Committee will
continue the series of hearings, which will focus on many critical
aspects of No Child Left Behind. Topics may include:

* Adequate Yearly Progress, the law's method of examining how well
schools and districts improve academic outcomes for students;

* The impact of allowing states to determine varying minimum subgroup
sizes for purposes of disaggregating student outcomes in order to
determine a school's adequate yearly progress;

* A look at how growth models are currently being used by states and
an examination of how they might be incorporated into accountability
systems under No Child Left Behind;

* A review of how graduation rates are being measured under No Child
Left Behind;

* An overview of the role of academic assessments used to determine
student proficiency in math and reading under No Child Left Behind;

* The effect of No Child Left Behind on students with disabilities and
limited English proficiency students;

* Parental involvement during the No Child Left Behind era;

* The role of school choice and supplemental educational services in
the implementation and reauthorization of No Child Left Behind; and

* The impact of teacher quality standards under No Child Left Behind.

"I thank Chairman McKeon for convening these hearings on the No Child
Left Behind law, and for doing so in an open and bipartisan way,"
concluded Miller. "As we get closer to the reauthorization of No Child
Left Behind, we must closely examine what works with the law and what
needs to be improved. These hearings are an important first step in
learning how we can best ensure that we meet the goals of No Child
Left Behind: closing the achievement gap; getting all children
proficient in reading, math, and science; and ensuring that all
children are taught by highly qualified teachers."

The No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law on January 8, 2002,
represents the first ever bipartisan effort to bring true
accountability and flexibility to federal education programs. The law
reflects four essential pillars of education reform: accountability,
flexibility and local control, funding for what works, and expanded
parental options. The law is a comprehensive overhaul of the federal
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was enacted in
1965 and is the principal federal law affecting K-12 education.

-------------< OUTSIDE NEWS PART 3/3 >

Hearing-impaired boy sings for pope
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1103AP_People_Vatican_Singer.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+vatican

Few Ohio preschools focus on helping hearing-impaired kids
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/14556374.htm
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+pre+school

Connecticut's First Housing Project For The Hearing Impaired
http://www.wfsb.com/Global/story.asp?S=4875765
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf+house

Most disabled people in L. America don't get appropriate help: OPS
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-05/13/content_4541167.htm
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=disabled+latin+a\
merica

Disabled family's home gets high-tech revamp
http://159.54.227.3/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060513/LIVING/60513013/1004
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=disabled+makeove\
r

Census: Most disabled have jobs
http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/nw_national/article/0,2564,ALBQ_19860_4693632,00.htm\
l
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=disability+emplo\
yment


Almancil receives horse-riding for disabled
http://regiao-sul.pt/en/news/news.php?id=1237
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=disabled+horse+r\
iding

Program helps seniors, disabled with repairs
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20060513-9999-m1m13tfoside.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=fux+homes+disabl\
ed

Shroud of silence lifted after decades of deafness
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleyindependent/news/s_453776.html
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=hearing+after+de\
afness

Deaf Talkabout: Why sign language isn't a joke
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/features/story.jsp?story=690631
Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=sign+language


-------------< DEAF FRIENDLY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES >

Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by becoming a Discovery
Toys consultant! Discovery Toys focuses on learning through play,
with products specifically designed to maximize learning moments, has
proven to be a success as the company has now witnessed an entire
generation grow up with Discovery Toys. Many parents and their adult
children credit DISCOVERY TOYS® products with helping them to develop
core skills and self-esteem, which contributed to their later life
accomplishments and success as adults. Beth Koenig is your Discovery
Toys consultant. Her Discovery Toys website is at
Http://www.discoverthetoys.net and this is a great business
opportunity for people disabilities. Discovery Toys is one of our
supported activities through our Community Business Enterprise Program.

-------------< LINKS >

Deaf Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=deaf

Disabled Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=disabled

Hearing Impaired Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=hearing+impaired

Sign Language Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=sign+language

ADA Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=americans+disabi\
lity+act

Disability Advocacy Related Links
http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?CharityID=807571&Keywords=disability+advoc\
acy

-------------< LETTERS >

Dear Sport Deaf Men & Women,

Mr. Sule Kalai of the Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation Must Go!!!!!!!!!!!

The Brotherhood Society of the deaf in Lagos state and Niger Delta
mourns the evil and corrupt practices of some official of the deaf
sports federation. the organisation has been experiencing great pain
and is almost in a state of stagnacy in developing talents of sports
and physical strength of it's members.

the organisation receive financial allocations to help develop the
potential of deaf sports men and women in the country, unfortunately
however, corrupt and unscropulous officials like Mr. Sule Kalai of
NDSF and his other deceitful allies have diverted these fund into
their private use.Although, he claim that the funds are being used
rescourcefully for the benefit and development of deaf sports men &
women in the country, there is nothing genuine that is done to enhance
the performance of sports men and women. we understand that Mr. Sule
Kalai is trying to gain the support of Govt only to squander and
embazzle the monies meant for the welfare of the deaf men & women of
sporting capalities fraudent crooks and we want him out of the NDSF.

As a matter of the fact that (Brotherhod Society of the Deaf) has been
trying to fight corruption and theft as well as criticize dishonest
politicans whose actions are detrimental to the Nigeria people and so,
we are bent on disposing these heartless cheats out of the NDSF.

On one occassion, his so called administrative secretary and
interpreter Miss Fatima duped the organisation and embezzle the
federation's money. Mr Sule Kalai have amassed the money of the
organisation that proceeded from the appeal we made to the public
through the VANGUARD NEWSPAPER in 2003. he have failed to be
accountable to the organisation on the financial aid, we were granted
by both governmental & non-governmental dones like the Federal Govt.

And besides, Mr Sule Kalai,,,,this man,, do not know anything about
developing deaf sports and so cannot manage NDSF. Mr Sule Kalai have
confiscated a lot of valuable equipments and other facilities of the
federation and has constantly ragged the elections in Abuja. he has
failed to sponsor ant of the members of NDSF to both national &
international sporting FISCO for which he had collected money from the
Federal Govt and other well-meaning organisations. Mr Sule Kalai is
not a real sportsman and so cannot manage the federation.

Hence, He must go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hence, He must
go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the other hand, Mr John Yusuf Stephen who has been imprisoned in
Lagos State,Nigeria for embezzling the sum of 7 million allocated to
both deaf & hearing people, they had claimed to arrange VISA and other
sporting programmes for deaf sportmen and women so his co-corrupt
friends have fled from him which have failed to defend him in court.
this is because as the EFCC says" no one is above the Law" Mr John
Yusuf is a demolish thief and 419ner but God has punished him.

The World Deaf Sports Organisations must not think that Mr Sule Kalai
is our messiah as he claims but must know he is no better than an
armed robber. his corrupt activities has been revealed to every
members of the federation because his evil deeds has almost paralysed
the federation and left several deaf sports to idle, jobless, lazy and
neglected.

We therefore appealing to well meaning World Deaf Sports Organisations
to be very careful and watchful with Mr. Sule Kalai and Mr John Yusuf.

Thank you so much and we look forward to getting a favourable response
from you soon.

Yours Faithfully

MEMBERS OF BSD
BROTHERHOOD SOCIETY OF THE DEAF
NIGERIA

-------------< EPILOG >

If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send in
news, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Your
support in this effort to move the disability community forward will
be greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursue
justice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it has
been doing since November 1996. We have chosen
that EDUCATION is the best way to accomplish this objective.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based
organization that puts people with disabilities first in their
advocacy for equal opportunities in safety, health, and productive living.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in
navigating the social services maze. Every day people go without
proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a
variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness,
age, domestic violence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to
hard times, disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the
generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of these
families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but
to work toward a brighter future with programs in job training,
education, counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.

Feel free to forward this email message to anyone and any of your
personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far
and wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

DISCLAIMER: The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of
interest to people with disabilities, their friends, associates, and
relatives and promote advocacy in the disability community.
Information circulated does not necessarily express the views of The
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. The OCDAC Newsletter is
non-partisan. OCDAC Newsletter does not sell advertising space.
To subscribe to this newsletter go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdacnewsletter/ or send a blank email
to [email protected]