Beyond Hearing Aids Job Accommodations for Individuals Who

Beyond Hearing Aids Job Accommodations for Individuals Who Are Hard of Hearing and Deaf Sheila R. Hitchen, M. A. State of Oregon DHS Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Cheryl D. Davis, Ph. D. WROCC Outreach Site at Western Oregon University 1 6/30/02

PEPNet Regional Centers http: //www. pepnet. org 2

Agenda • Demographics • Sound, hearing loss & amplification • Accommodations • Self advocacy • Resources 3

How Prevalent Is Hearing Loss? 28 million Americans have a significant hearing loss 10% of the population More than half of these people are YOUNGER than 65 years of age 4

Demographics • Only 23% of those who could benefit actually use hearing aids • 18 - 44 years old: 54/1000 • 45 - 64 years old: 136/1000 • 65 and older: 296/1000 5

How Does Hearing Loss Affect Employment? • Labor force participation (US Census Bureau 1997) • non-disabled adults: 84. 4% • people with difficulty hearing: 61. 9% • severe hearing problems: 46. 5% • About 23% of the HOH population is unemployed due to factors related to their disability • The rate is essentially constant regardless of whether the loss is in one or both ears 6

Impact on Employment • Hearing women stay in labor force 9 years longer than hard of hearing women • 17% more hard of hearing female workers aged 45 -54 exit the labor force • People leave jobs because of: – Inability to continue to carry out duties – Social difficulties and isolation 7

Speech Sounds: Frequency & Loudness Normal Mild 40 d. B 21 - Moderate 41 -60 d. B Severe 61 -80 d. B Profound 81 or more 8

Hearing Aids • • Do not create ‘ 20/20 hearing’ Tailor amplification to loss Amplify all noises at those frequencies Work best in 1: 1, quiet situations – intake interview – job interview • Sensorineural – I can hear you but I can’t understand you 9

The Limits of Hearing Aids Characteristics of Sound Waves – Distance – SNR – Reverberation How do ALDs help? 10

Transmitter & Receiver Systems • • Hardwired systems FM Infrared Induction loop 11

nterpreters • • • Sign, oral, tactile, cued speech Code of ethics Confidential Cannot participate Seek out certified interpreters Speak directly to the deaf person 12

Print: The Written Word • Captioning • Transcription – Realtime transcription – Remote transcription services • Summary – C-Print – Typewell • Notetaking – NCR paper – Computer-assisted notetaking 13

Regarding Formal Testing • Communication issues – Interpreters/ALDs – Evaluation setting – Lipreading and Residual Hearing • Client’s reading level – Non-verbal tests – Additional time • www. gri. gallaudet. edu/Test. Equity 14

Telephones • How to get • Hearing the ring information (e. g, • Hearing with one names and phone ear numbers) • Feedback or squeal • Portable/cellular/car • Hearing phones • No visual cues • Voice mail & • How identify caller answering machines • Voice menus 15

TTYs • TTYs & TDDs – With and without printer – TTYs and computers • Direct connect • TTY white & yellow pages • Credit card calls 16

Relay Options • Relay Service – Confidential – No limit on number, length • 1 line Voice Carry Over • Pocket VCO • 2 line VCO • Hearing Carry Over 17

Using Internet-based Tools • Email • Instant Messaging – MSN Messenger • IP Relay www. ip-relay. com www. sprintrelayonline. com • Video Relay www. csdvrs. org/VRSIndex. asp 18

Getting Wired In • Pagers – Two-way – Alpha/numeric • Cellular text messaging • Caption Decoders • Palm Pilots/PDAs • Videoconferencing – MSN Net. Meeting 19

Alerting Devices • Automobiles – Emergency Vehicle Alert – Mobility Reimbursement Programs – Conversation • Around the Home or Office – Alarms – Phones – Doorbell 20

Going to the (Hearing) Dogs Arf, Arf! • Service animals • Often are rescued from animal shelter • Extensive training • Legal rights • Alert to sounds • Orange vest /collar/lead www. dogsforthedeaf. org www. assistance-dogs-intl. org 21

A Word to the Consumer: Advocating for Yourself • • • Know situations you handle well. Know difficult hearing situations. Coping skills: What do you do when… Know your preferred accommodations. Be able to state why one accommodation is preferred over another. • Be aware of applicable laws. 22

Employers Want to Know. . . • • Why the accommodation is needed Accommodation options The cost Technical info – how will it be implemented – where they can purchase them – resources: JAN, TAP, references • How will accommodation improve job performance & benefit company 23

How to Request Reasonable Accommodation: 1. ID self as person with disability who meets state/federal guidelines 2. Refer to medical documentation 3. Explain how you are otherwise qualified 4. State you are requesting RA for specific job barriers 5. ID specific problematic job tasks 6. ID accommodation ideas 7. Request interactive process with employer to share ideas 8. Ask for response within reasonable amount of time 24

Keys to Success • Allow time to become comfortable using the equipment • Show everyone how to use the equipment properly • Use the right equipment for the job • Arrange the environment 25

Keys to Success • Be prepared – Test equipment in advance – Seating, lighting • Communicate needs – Because of my hearing loss, I need… – Say what you did hear – Study speech reading • Interact with others about coping – – SHHH ALDA CIAI Beyond-Hearing & Say. What. Club listservs 26

Resources • • WROCC at WOU: www. wou. edu/wrocc PEPNet: www. pepnet. org ALDA: www. alda. org SHHH: www. shhh. org E-mail discussion groups Equipment catalogs Job Accommodations Network – 1 -800 -JAN-7234 www. jan. wvu. edu • ADA Hotline – 1 -800 -514 -0301(v) 514 -0383 (tty) 27

Developed by: Cheryl D. Davis, Ph. D. Coordinator WROCC at WOU 503 -838 -8642 (v/tty) 503 -838 -8228 (fax) davisc@wou. edu http: //www. wou. edu/wrocc Sheila R. Hitchen, M. A. VRC Specialist: D/HOH Svcs State of Oregon OVR 503 -280 -6940 (v/tty) 503 -280 -6960 (fax) Sheila. r. hitchen@state. or. us 28