Library Project

HLA-RI had formed a  Library Committee ( James Litvack, Anne McDonald, Betsy Beach and Tina Thompson) to explore an option of collaborating with the Cranston Library to increase its section of books and DVDs relating to hearing loss. For some of you, you may recall that Paul Holliday who was a long time member of HLA-RI passed away a year ago. Paul had been employed by the Cranston Library for many years.

We are pleased to announce a 5 year program where HLA-RI will donate $100.00 each year with a recommended selection of titles for the library to purchase. The Director Ed Garcia, Assistant Director , Ann Osbon and the Adult/Information Services Coordinator, Beth Johnson were thrilled with this proposal particularly as it would be known as a memorial to Paul Holliday. The library will place  a placard inside of each book the following : " Donated by Hearing Loss Association of Rhode Island in Memory of Paul Holliday".

Below is the press release submitted by the Cranston library to the local and library media:

CONTACT: Edward Garcia, Library Director

401-943-9080 ext. 103

edgarcia@cranstonlibrary.org

RE: Cranston Public Library partners with Hearing Loss Association of Rhode Island to promote awareness of hearing loss

(CRANSTON, RI) The Cranston Public Library is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Hearing Loss Association of Rhode Island (HLA-RI) to promote awareness of hearing loss.  This collaboration is in honor of the late Paul Holliday who was a long time and valued employee of the Cranston Public Library and formerly an active member of HLA-RI.

Paul Holliday was a Librarian at the Cranston Public Library, working at the library for 22 years. He passed away in June 2011 after a long illness.

The intent of this collaboration is for HLA-RI to make a financial donation for the next five years for the Cranston Public Library to purchase books and DVDs for the Paul Holliday Memorial Collection on Hearing Loss to increase access on information relating to this very important topic. The Hearing Loss Association of RI has already provided an initial donation of books towards the collection.

HLA-RI is under the umbrella of Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) which is the nation’s leading organization representing people with hearing loss. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 36 million Americans which are 17 percent of the population have some degree of hearing loss making it a public health issue third in line after heart disease and arthritis. HLAA is involved with communication access, public policy, research, public awareness and service delivery related to hearing loss.

HLA-RI is a consumer group that offers educational presentations, and peer support to its members.  The chapter also provides public awareness to educate people on the importance of prevention, treatment and regular hearing screenings.  This new collaboration with the Cranston Public Library will help to support the need for increasing awareness and knowledge of hearing loss for all citizens in Rhode Island.

From the FCC: Captioning of Internet Video Programming

From the FCC: Captioning of Internet Video Programming : A simple explanation of the changes in internet video programming that went into effect last month and the format for filing complaints.

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/captioning-internet-video-programming

Captions on Netflix Streaming - Major Update!

Netflix and the National Association of the Deaf Reach Historic Agreement to
Provide 100% Closed Captions in On-Demand Streaming Content Within Two Years

Netflix Inc. and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), a non-profit
organization, have submitted a joint Consent Decree to a federal court in
Springfield, Mass., ensuring closed captions in 100% of Netflix streaming
content within two years.

NAD, along with the Western Massachusetts Association of the Deaf and
Hearing-Impaired (WMAD/HI) and Lee Nettles, a deaf Massachusetts resident,
brought suit against Netflix seeking that commitment in 2010.
..........

Read on: http://tinyurl.com/9xpefg6

November Meeting

Next Meeting: Saturday November 10, 2012 10:00 Am-12:00 PM

Where: Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN)

              1210 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920

Topic:  Med-El’s Presentation on Cochlear Implant

Join us with Jeanne Fredriksen, M.Ed, CED, from MED-EL, who will speak at the November 10 meeting about the most current generation of implantable hearing devices. She’ll discuss who qualifies, and how these devices can help. She will also touch on the rehabilitation process. There will be a Med-El user there as well

Jeanne Fredriksen M.Ed., CED, is a Senior Consumer Outreach Manager from MED-EL Corporation. Jeanne is a retired Special Ed. Director and Principal of an Oral School for the Deaf. She has over 35 years working in the field of hearing loss. In her role with MED-EL, she travels the Northeast region helping others to learn about new technology and rehabilitation materials that are available for those with all levels of hearing loss.

So bring your questions as this will be an interactive discussion .

There will be CART

Public Lecture on Breast Cancer

Bonnie Abols  has arranged for a lecture on Breast Cancer for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing  as there will be interpreters and CART available. The lecture will be given by Gabriela Masko, MD who is a radiation oncologist and Breast Cancer specialist. The lecture will be held at the Warwick Public Library on Saturday November 10th from 10:00 am to 12 noon in the large meeting room

This lecture is open to all Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals and their family members and friends.

This is a great opportunity to attend an accessible lecture on a very important health care issue

Please see attached flyer

Our recent boating event!

For our fall event, we booked a cruise on the Blackstone river. They provided us with printed materials and allowed us to try hooking up an FM system to the PA system. There was an ASL interpreter for those who use ASL. Everyone reported having a great day. Many thanks to Oticon for sponsoring the event.

Trinity Press release regarding Captioned performances

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  October 2, 2012
CONTACT: Rebecca Noon, Marketing and Social Media Manager
(401) 521-1100 ext. 268   rnoon@trinityrep.com

TRINITY REP ANNOUNCES OPEN CAPTIONING,

ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE DATES

PROVIDENCE, RI: Trinity Repertory Company is pleased to announce our 12-13 season offering of open captioned and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances. The state-of-the-art technology will allow Trinity Rep to continue in its mission of providing theater access to a wider community by making performances accessible to patrons with hearing loss. Open captioning and ASL seats are available for $22 for adults and children, and a 3-play open captioning subscription is also available for $66. To purchase tickets, call (401) 351-4242 (TTY RI Relay 1-800-745-5555) or visit the Trinity Rep box office at 201 Washington St. in Providence.

“We are delighted that our generous partners are continuing to make Open Captioning possible for another season,” says Trinity Rep’s Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Curt Columbus.  “The incomparable experience of live theater should be available to everyone, and by finding these partnerships and utilizing available technologies, it can be.”

The schedule for open captioned performances in the 2012-2013 Season is as follows: 
A Christmas Carol, Sunday, December 2 at 12:00PM, Chace Theater;House, Sunday June 16 at 2pm, Dowling Theater; and Garden, Sunday June 30 at 2pm, Chace Theater. There will also be an ASL-interpreted performance of A Christmas Carol on Sunday November 25, 2012 at 12:00PM in the Chace Theater.

Open Captioning is a general term used to describe text displayed simultaneous to live speech, dialogue or performance.  As opposed to closed captioning, open captions do not require the user to have any special equipment for viewing the text and are always "open" to anyone.

Trinity Rep’s open captioning is provided by c2, the pioneer of Live Performance Captioning for hard of hearing and deaf patrons at live theatrical and cultural events. c2 is internationally recognized as the leading authority in the field. Their mission is to expand services throughout the United States.  c2 boasts an impressive roster of prestigious venues now offering this vital access program.

Trinity Rep is fully handicapped accessible, with elevator service to the Chace Theater. State-of-the-art infra-red Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are available for all performances in the Chace and Dowling Theaters. Support for Trinity Rep’s accessibility programs comes from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, with additional support from the Ida Ballou Littlefield Memorial Trust and Vigneron Memorial Fund, Bank of America N.A., Trustee.

TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANYSince its founding in 1963, Trinity Repertory Company has been one of the most respected regional theaters in the country. Featuring the last permanent resident acting company in America, Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works for an estimated annual audience of approximately 120,000. In its 49-year history, the theater has produced 61 world premieres, mounted national and international tours, and, through its MFA program, trained hundreds of new actors and directors. This season marks the 46th year of Project Discovery, Trinity Rep's pioneering educational outreach program. Each year, Trinity Rep’s educational programs reach nearly 15,000 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut students through matinees as well as in-school residencies and workshops. Brown University/Trinity Rep offers professional training for actors and directors in a three-year MFA program. Trinity Rep's 49^th Season is presenting six subscription productions alongside the annual holiday production of A Christmas Carol. The 2012-2013 Season opened with a co-production with Dallas Theater Center of King Lear by William Shakespeare; The How and the Why by Sarah Treem; Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, adapted by Curt Columbus and Marilyn Campbell; Social Creatures by Jackie Sibblies Drury and House & Garden, an epic duo of interconnected plays by Alan Ayckbourn performed simultaneously in our upstairs and downstairs theaters. For more information, call the box office at (401) 351-4242 or visit Trinity Rep's website at www.trinityrep.com.

Rebecca Noon

Marketing and Social Media Manager

Trinity Repertory Company

Providence, RI 02903

401-521-1100 x268

www.trinityrep.com

Amazon starts to caption streaming movies.

TechCrunch.com - October 3, 2012
-----------
Amazon Quietly Begins The Long Road To Closed Captioning Its Streaming Video
Library

By INGRID LUNDEN

Amazon has quietly started to add closed captioning services to its Instant
Video library, following a September 30 deadline from the Federal
Communications Commission that required online media companies to begin
incorporating these subtitles for the hard of hearing into their video
content.

This regulation - an implementation of the 21st Century Communications and
Video Accessibility Act of 2011 - has been long in the making, with
companies like Amazon and YouTube but also Apple arguing that they will need
extensions to fully comply, and those arguing on behalf of people with
hearing disabilities saying that digital content needs to be just as
accessible as what people can see in analog. The September 30 deadline is
the first in a series for closed caption compliance.
...........
Complete article: http://tinyurl.com/93gkrh9