This Issue… • Letter from PEPNet Director • News from Regional Centers • Photos of PEPNet Conference • Feature Article: “Effective” for Whom? By Jane Jarrow ... PEPNet Perspectives Postsecondary Education Programs Network PEPNet Director’s Corner Marcia Kolvitz Postsecondary Education Consortium: Spring/Summer 2006 … continued on page 2 Summertime and the living is easy… Well, maybe it used to be that way, but I hear many people comment about how busy summers tend to be lately. We used to relax, switch to “summer hours,” and spend time in our offices catching up on the things that we put aside during the school year. Maybe there’s still time to update the staff handbook or put together faculty materials for the fall semester, but it’s likely that the busy days of the spring semester haven’t really stopped. Many schools report an increasing number of summer students – some are students who are continuing their enrollment while others are students who are picking up a few classes to transfer to another institution. Add on new student orientation programs and staggered staff vacations, and the weeks just fly by. What ever happened to those relaxed summer days? I hope during the upcoming months that you’ll have a chance to participate in some professional development activities that might help recharge your batteries and refresh your perspective. Various groups like to take advantage of the summer to host workshops and training. There are numerous national and regional conferences that might fit your needs, including the Hearing Loss Association of America (formerly SHHH) conference, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) conference, the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) conference, regional RID conferences, and many others. Many of you may have an early start on this if you were able to join us in Louisville for the fifth PEPNet biennial conference. I think my head is still spinning from it! I’m very pleased to report that we had over 400 people participate this year. Despite the tornado warning (which created yet another networking opportunity!), the location met our needs quite well. What do I remember as the high points? The content shared this year was very relevant. We had plenary session presenters who challenged us to reconsider what we “know” about working with individuals who are deaf or hard or hearing. They also made us laugh a bit, and sometimes we laughed at ourselves! During every PEPNet conference, we always offer quite an array of concurrent sessions presented by people who have day-to-day contact with the student or consumer population. The complaint is usually how difficult it is to choose among the sessions. One of our goals was to arrange them so people could follow topical threads throughout the conference, if desired; these included speech-to-text services, academic issues, student development, transition, technology use, etc. I always take a few minutes each day to look at the group and watch the interactions. PEPNet conferences are a time for many colleagues to see each other again, but they’re also an opportunity to forge new friendships. www.pepnet.org … Continued From Page 1 The Fourth Biennial PEPNet Conference Three Pre-Conference Sessions 15 poster sessions 66 breakout sessions 4 plenary sessions Over 125 Speakers, Presenters and Panelists Hope to See YOU for The Fifth Biennial PEPNet Conference In 2008! PEPNet Director’s Corner So many service providers are isolated on their own campuses: their colleagues just don’t understand The issues or concerns they raise. The PEPNet conference is one place where people get it. I also see people saying, “Why don’t we do…?” or “What if we tried….?” after leaving sessions. This is exactly the point of the workshops – the strategies presented are just starting points for participants to take home and apply to their own settings. The most memorable part of the conference for me was the student panel on Saturday afternoon. They were honest and forthright, and told us their experiences without hesitation. They were complimentary, but they also let us know how things could be better. I watched them and thought, “This is why we do what we do.” I can’t think of a better way to close the conference. I hope you all have a productive summer! Marcia Kolvitz, Director Postsecondary Education Consortium PEPNet 2006 Conference: Roots & Wings A HUGE success! 2 PEPNet Perspectives The four PEPNet Directors take a break Pat Graves busy captioning a plenary session All sessions were provided with speech-to-text, interpreters and transliterators Attendees from PEPNet Japan (above) Networking, making new friends and enjoying colleagues. (Vicki Brashear - left and Peggy Brooks - right) Jane Jarrow, Ph.D. President Disability Access Information & Support (DAIS) An expert in disability services, Jane Jarrow has been providing technical assistance and training to service providers on access and support services for persons with disabilities in higher education and has co-authored or authored numerous books and articles in the field of disabilities in higher education over the past 20 years. "EFFECTIVE" FOR WHOM? by Jane Jarrow - Disability, Access, Information & Support 3 PEPNet Perspectives Title II of the ADA states, in part: "A public entity shall take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with applicants, participants and members of the public with disabilities are as effective as communications with others... In determining what type of auxiliary aid and service is necessary, a public entity shall give primary consideration to the requests of the individual with disabilities" [28 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) 35.160].” What does that mean when it comes to deciding which services are to be provided to a student who is deaf/hard of hearing at the college level? While Title II applies directly to public institutions, for a variety of reasons having to do with jurisdiction and the miscellaneous provisions of the ADA, it is appropriate to consider this statement applicable guidance to both public and private institutions of higher education. The US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, has repeatedly held that the term "communication" means the transfer of information, and it includes the right of the person with a disability to equally access the verbal presentation of a lecturer, or the printed text of a book, as well as the resources of the internet. In order to understand the institution's obligation under this tenet, it is important to recognize the significance of the word "effective" in the regulations. In this context, the emphasis on effective communication makes it clear that providing access is not enough, if that access is not readily usable by the individual in question. If we were talking about architectural barriers, this would be the difference between providing an elevator and an open entry way for someone who is quadriplegic to enter a science lab, but not providing a lab station that is lowered so that the individual can be fully involved in the learning process. In the case of deaf/HOH students, this means that in assigning services there must be consideration of whether the mode of access you are providing is usable to the student in question. We recognize that it would be inappropriate to provide a sign language interpreter to a late-deafened adult who does not know sign language, or that simply providing an assistive listening device to someone who is culturally deaf, immediately following a cochlear implant, may not be enough to satisfy this requirement. But who decides what constitutes "effective" communication? Shouldn't "effective" have to do with the accuracy of the information conveyed and its appropriateness in the academic setting? What if the mode of communication access jeopardizes the academic integrity of the curriculum being conveyed? This discussion arose recently on a regional listserv. At issue was the use of ASL interpretation for deaf individuals in postsecondary settings. While everyone agreed that native users of ASL often had difficulty in reading/understanding written standard English because textbooks are not written in ASL, the question was raised as to the impact of the use of ASL in learning. After all, ran the argument, if we recognize ASL as a legitimate language in its own right, and we often treat native ASL users in the same way we do those for whom English is a second language (ESL), then perhaps we should rethink the idea of allowing the interpretation of academic classes in ASL. We don't translate classes into Spanish, or Vietnamese, or Singhalese for those who are native users of those languages. Why, then, is it appropriate to allow the standard English presentation of the classroom to be interpreted into the native language of the ASL user? There are lots of answers to that question, but the most immediate comes from the provisions of the ADA regulations quoted above. The deaf person relies on ASL as a direct result of their disability. That automatically makes the deaf person an "individual … continued on page 4 … Continued From Page 3 We know the most important question on the minds of you PEPNet 2006 conference attendees is… “What are the answers to the Wheel of PEPNet quiz?” … “EFFECTIVE” FOR WHOM with a disability" and entitles them to protection from discrimination under the law. The fact that someone else thinks that ASL may not be the best way for a deaf person to be integrated into a hearing society (or a hearing college/ university!) is immaterial. Because he/ she is an individual with a disability, the deaf person is legally entitled to effective communication – something that works for THEM. The fact that others question the usefulness of ASL for the individual because it may impact on their ability to understand the written word does not make it any less effective in understanding the spoken word. What about the phrase, "primary consideration" in this context? Does that mean that whatever the individual asks for must be provided, no questions asked? Not quite. It means that if the institution is not going to provide the auxiliary aids and services requested by the deaf individual, it had better be able to prove that the aids and services it does provide are equally effective for THIS individual. Sometimes, in an effort to contain costs, an institution will decide to provide a service in a specific way to all students who are similarly situated (for example, providing ASL interpreters to all deaf students, rather than Signed English interpreters for a Signed English user, or providing CART services for all deaf students in order to justify the hiring of a CART stenographer and to eliminate the need for sign language interpreters). In the final analysis, such one-size-fits-all thinking will almost always fail in the context of the case-by-case analysis demanded by 504/ADA, and in light of the admonishment to give primary consideration to preferences of the user. At times an institution can refuse to provide something requested. For example, in most cases, the provision of a sign language interpreter and CART simultaneously during a class is unnecessary as the two are meant to provide the same thing – immediate access to what is being said – and thus would be competing services. In such cases, the refusal is based on the nature of the services requested, not on a subjective assessment of the effectiveness of the accommodation. Remember, that isn't your call! PEPNet History Revealed in Wheel of PEPNet Quiz ... 4 PEPNet Perspectives The first spin of the wheel looks lands on 1996—the year PEPNet was founded (with support from U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), and OSEP) to assist postsecondary institutions across the nation to attract and effectively serve individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. Among those working with PEPNet to achieve those goals are two and four year colleges, vocational training and rehabilitation programs, adult education programs, private/public community service agencies, deaf/hard of hearing individuals, consumer and professional organizations, state and national organizations and clearinghouses. For most of PEPNet’s 10-year, twofunding- cycle history our Project Officer has been Ramon Rodriguez. We thank him for his leadership. Let’s give the wheel another whirl - and it lands on four - the number of regional centers PEPNet established to effectively serve the United States and its territories. The centers and their original/current directors are: PEPNet Midwest (MCPO); Ray Olson/Dave Buchkoski; PEPNet Northeast (NETAC); Alan Hurwitz/Dianne Brooks; (NETAC produced the Tipsheets and is located at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, the world's first and largest technological college for deaf students; PEPNet Southeast (PEC); Bill Woodrick/ Marcia Kolvitz; PEPNet West (WROCC); Herb Larson/Cathy McLeod. … continued on page 6 PEPNet Northeast - Northeast Technical Assistance Center National Technical Institute for the Deaf A college of Rochester Institute of Technology 52 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623-5604 585.475.6433 voice/tty 585.475.7660 fax netac@rit.edu www.pepnetnortheast.rit.edu Serving - Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Maine Maryland Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island Vermont U.S. Virgin Islands PEPNet Northeast/NETAC Northeast Technical Assistance Center - Notes - 5 PEPNet Perspectives New Hampshire and Vermont - CAREER DAY, held February 2006, was a fun-filled and educational day for deaf and hard of hearing students. Vermont and New Hampshire NETAC sites provided a day of learning at the office of Northeast Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (NDHHS) in Concord, New Hampshire. Planners included NETAC, NDHHS and Manchester Deaf Program. Workshop sessions included a Jeopardy game, lead by Vermont’s David Krueger, where two teams had to answer questions related to life after high school. Teams were competitive and stretched to thinking about life after high school with questions on types of work, appropriate attitudes, behavior, or independent living issues such as getting an apartment and budgeting. A high school group, led by Cynthia Sternfeld from New Jersey’s Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf focused on how to self-advocate for services needed in educational or workplace settings. Students also participated in a “role reversal” activity led by Tom Downes, Counselor for the Manchester Deaf Program, with assistance from NH/ VT professionals attending the conference. Students had to assist a “student” - played by an adult - in achieving the goals that he/she set for work or education after high school. This “hands on” activity helped students gain understanding about the resources available to assist them in achieving their goals post graduation. The Middle School workshop, led by Cindi Sternfeld, provided an overview of accommodations that students may request to be successful. CAREER DAY included a panel of deaf adults who reviewed their current jobs and shared issues that they dealt with in their work environments. The day ended with a panel of deaf and hard of hearing high school students on their own work experience for the benefit of middle school students. Pennsylvania - hosted a successful transition event in May at Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network–Pittsburgh where students participated in role-plays of IEP meetings and scenarios for students who are college-bound, employmentbound or undecided. New Jersey - The number of deaf teens and young adults with cochlear implants is growing in high schools and colleges. To effectively serve these students it is important to understand how cochlear implant technology works and its potential impact on postsecondary education. This year, over 170 students at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) have cochlear implants. On June 8th, Catherine Clark and Mary Karol Marchett, both from NTID, presented an update on cochlear implants and a description of key educational and clinical support services requested by cochlear implant users pursuing academic and employment opportunities. The event was hosted at the College of New Jersey. The District of Columbia and Maryland - joined forces this June to cosponsor Sharon Downs’ presentation on Project Adept (Assessment of Distance Education Pedagogy and Technology) for the Nation's Capital Area Disability Support Services (NCADSS) Coalition Conference. Sharon is the PEPNet Southern Region’s State Outreach and Technical Assistance Coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Maryland - On April 24th the award winning Achieving Goals project was presented by Regina Kiperman-Kiselgof, NETAC Project Assistant, at Community Services for the Deaf in Frederick, Maryland. Achieving Goals is a series of videotapes which tell career stories of individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. A companion website contains video clips and stories from hundreds of other individuals along with words of wisdom to inspire! A panel of individuals from Maryland also shared stories, insight, and experiences. The collaborative effort was co-sponsored by NETAC- MD, the Family Support and Resource Center and Community Services for the Deaf. Visit www.pepnetnortheast.rit.edu/goals PEPNet West - Western Region Outreach Center & Consortia National Center on Deafness California State University Northridge 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge, CA 91330-8267 818.677.2099 voice/tty 818.677.6270 fax toll free: 888.684.4695 voice/tty wrocc@csun.edu http://wrocc.csun.edu Serving - Alaska American Samoa Arizona California Colorado Guam Hawaii Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Northern Marianas Islands Oregon Utah Washington Wyoming PEPNet West/WROCC Western Region Outreach Center & Consortia - Updates - As the summer approaches we have an opportunity to reflect on the academic year and what we’ve accomplished. As our colleagues around the country also can attest, we have been busy! Since February, PEPNet West has provided more than 50 trainings in 10 states. The most commonly requested are about assistive and adaptive technology. At the end of February, Idaho held their second annual Tools for Life: Secondary Transition and Technology conference. More than 250 high school students with disabilities attended. PEPNet West was in attendance and led several concurrent sessions. This summer the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Globe, Arizona hosted the 11th Annual Intertribal Deaf Conference (IDC). The purpose of the conference is to bring together deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing Natives to celebrate and share information. The IDC promotes traditions and rituals as a way to show that all tribes' cultures are cherished with dignity. For information about the conference visit the IDC website at - http://www.deafnative.com/index.htm In conjunction with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Region V Conference, in Anchorage, Alaska, Outreach Coordinator Annette Leonard provided more than 30 hours of training in Anchorage and Fairbanks to social service providers, educators, and vocational rehabilitation counselors. In addition to our technical assistance and training, we are anticipating the release of two new PEPNet products: The first product is a DVD focusing on the lives and experiences of several deaf individuals who have faced significant challenges and obstacles due to language delays, multiple disabling conditions and/or learning disabilities. A collaboration between PEPNet West and Region 4 Educational Service Center in Houston, Texas, the DVD is aimed at service providers, mental health professionals, educators, and transition specialists and is expected to be released by December 2006. The second product is a technology manual for working with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. This handbook, geared for employers, VR counselors and disability service providers, will explain the use of assistive listening devices, alerting and signaling devices, telephone accommodations and other technological adaptations for use in the classroom and workplace. Watch for the release of this publication later this summer. It will be printed in limited quantity and will be downloadable on the web. To stay connected with the most recent products visit the PEPNet Resource Center at http://prc.csun.edu Wheel of PEPNet Quiz ...continued from page 4 6 PEPNet Perspectives Four, by an amazing coincidence, is also the number of PEPNet conferences held prior to the one in 2006 (1996, Kansas City; 1998, Orlando; 2000, Denver; 2004, Pittsburg). A final spin—Holy cow that number is so huge I can’t even say it. (I can type it, though—it’s 28707.) It must refer to the incredible volume of useful materials disseminated by the PEPNet Resource Center (founded 1997) and its guru, Tony Ivankovic including the everpopular #1185 Guide to Working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students. For more information on the PRC and a listing of its fantastic products, visit http://prc.csun.edu Hey, what is that sparkly thing Gary Sanderson is waving? Probably a signal to “tie” this show up. Folks, you’ve been a great audience, and just to make sure everyone goes home a winner, we have a great collection of information, resources—and more—waiting for each and every one of you on our web site, www.pepnet.org Thanks for playing “Wheel of PEPNet”! PEPNet South - Postsecondary Education Consortium University of Tennessee A 239 Claxton Complex Knoxville, TN 37996-3442 865.974.0607 voice/tty 865.974.3522 fax pec@utk.edu http://sunsite.utk.edu/cod/pec Serving - Alabama Arkansas Georgia Florida Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina Oklahoma South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia West Virginia PEPNet South/PEC Postsecondary Education Consortium - News - 7 PEPNet Perspectives Alabama: Jacksonville State University (JSU), Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, and Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services have joined forces to offer a combined college preparatory experience at JSU. In the past, each organization has offered their own college prep experience. This endeavor takes the best of each to offer a higher level experience for students who are deaf or hard of hearing enrolling this fall. Linda Turner, Transition Specialist in Deafness, and Dan Miller, Director of Disability Support Services at JSU, have made great strides in working with the State Department of Education (SDE) in Alabama and have been invited to present at SDE’s MEGA Conference in July. They will focus on the concerns of the regular education classroom teacher who have students with a hearing loss. A special ‘reality’ tool box has been developed to assist teachers to provide better education access. SDE’s MEGA Conference is held in cooperation with the Montgomery County Board of Education, Auburn University at Montgomery and the Southeast Regional Resource Center. Louisiana: On Tuesday, March 21st the Louisiana State Outreach and Technical Assistance Center (SOTAC) along with Louisiana State University's Office of Disability Services hosted the annual state-wide SERVICE (Supporting Educational Resources Vital in College Environments) workshop. Over 100 professionals attended this informationpacked day. Access many presentations from the 2005 and 2006 SERVICE workshops online by visiting the Louisiana SOTAC website at www.lasotac.org Texas: The PEC Texas SOTAC hosted John Evans at North Harris College’s “Synergy” event entitled “Survivors: Inquiry into How Adversity Fosters Growth”. John presented “Americans with disAbility” and “Serving Community College Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing” to rave reviews! Texas has a new bill going into effect on September 1, 2006 (HB 2819) which will require state agencies, including statefunded institutions of higher education, to make all electronic and information technology accessible. Like Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act upon which it is based, the Texas bill provides clear requirements for accessibility. Unlike Section 508, the law specifically includes all state-funded higher education institutions. The PEC Texas SOTAC is working to assist Texas postsecondary institutions meet their responsibilities under this new law. North Carolina: The 2007 Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD) conference will be held in Charlotte, NC. , July 17-21, chaired by Alice Hugi, Disability Counselor at Central Piedmont Community College - Charlotte, the North Carolina SOTAC. AHEAD headquarters will be moving to Cornelius, North Carolina following the 2006 AHEAD conference in San Diego. For more on AHEAD, visit www.ahead.org. Georgia: The 2005 National State Leaders Summit in Atlanta was the first time that state leaders from various state agencies, schools and programs for the deaf and hard of hearing, and parents gathered to work on improving outcomes for children and youth. The second State Leaders Summit occurred in Riverside, California in May 2006, and further reinforced the recognition that we must collaborate to find solutions which assure that every child has the opportunity for full access to an appropriate educational program based on his/her communication needs, is expected and supported to achieve the same as his/her hearing peers, has the opportunity for authentic peer interactions and relationships, and is expected to be a contributing member of his/her community in adult life. For more information on the summit and on the National Agenda, go to the National Deaf Education Project web page at www.ndepnow.org PEPNet Midwest - Midwest Center For Postsecondary Outreach Saint Paul Technical College A Community & Technical College 235 Marshall Avenue St. Paul, MN 55102-1807 651.846.1337 voice 651.846.1537 tty 651.221.1339 fax sue@mcpo.org www.mcpo.org Serving - Iowa Illinois Indiana Kansas Minnesota Michigan Missouri Nebraska North Dakota Ohio South Dakota Wisconsin PEPNet Midwest/MCPO Midwest Center for Postsecondary Outreach - Products - On Line - Communication Accommodations The online resource, Communication Accommodations, is a collaborative effort between Dr. Greg Long of Northern Illinois University and PEPNet Midwest (Midwest Center for Postsecondary Outreach). The website provides information about accommodations frequently used by students who are deaf or hard of hearing in postsecondary settings. Although designed with Disabled Student Services (DSS) Coordinators in mind, students, families, and faculty, too, will find the information useful. The site also provides in-depth information on hearing loss, legal mandates, accommodations, and communicative environments. A popular feature of the website directs visitors to content based on their objectives: - Identifying potential accommodations available for postsecondary students who are deaf or hard of hearing. - Reviewing a recommended approach for determining appropriate accommodations. - Developing an individualized student communication profile. - Matching “typical” student communication profiles with suggested accommodation plans. Visit Communication Accommodations online at www.mcpo.org/greg A Guide to Speech-to-Text Services in the Postsecondary Environment A Guide to Speech-to-Text Services in the Postsecondary Environment was developed to offer administrators, parents, students, and potential service providers an overview of the various speech-to-text service options available in postsecondary environments to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The Guide provides comprehensive and detailed information about Speech-to- Text Services (STS) and the different options that are available with each. Information includes requirements for providing each type of STS and their delivery. For those looking to provide STS on campus, A Guide to Speech-to-Text Services in the Postsecondary Environment provides information on important matters to consider when researching/choosing a provider. The Guide is full of valuable information on setting up STS and developing policies and procedures. Read the full guide at: www.mcpo.org/sts_contents.asp In Print - Link by Link: A Guide to the Development & Implementation of Services for Persons who are Deafblind and Live in Rural Areas culminated a five-year project conducted by MCPO outreach site, Center for Sight & Hearing. The project’s purpose was to provide and improve services for persons who are deafblind and live in rural areas and to produce a manual or blueprint for agencies to develop services in their local areas. Link by Link can be used, replicated and disseminated to expand the availability of services for the growing population of persons who are deafblind. Link by Link is available via the PEPNet Resource Center and is online at www.mcpo.org/products.asp On DVD Video - Designing, Implementing and Managing Successful English Programs: Language and Literacy Programs for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Educational Settings is a recording of the second of a twopart PEPNet teleconference on literacy. The October 20, 2005 broadcast provided English teachers, sign language interpreters, direct service providers, and administrators with proven practices in designing, implementing, and managing successful English programs for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Panelists from around the country shared their creative and experimental work experiences on maintaining a successful English literacy program. Available via the PEPNet Resource Center at http://prc.csun.edu 8 PEPNet Perspectives PEPNet Perspectives is produced at PEPNet Northeast - the Northeast Technical Assistance Center. All articles are subject to editing. Comments and suggestions are always welcome at netac@rit.edu 9 PEPNet Perspectives This publication was developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and produced through a cooperative agreement between RIT and OSERS (H324A010002-05). The contents herein do not necessarily represent the Department of Education’s policy nor endorsement by the Federal Government. Rochester Institute of Technology National Technical Institute for the Deaf Northeast Technical Assistance Center 52 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623-5604 Change Service Requested FIRST CLASS U.S. Postage PAID Permit 626 Rochester, NY PEPNet Postsecondary Education Programs Network Enhancing Services for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing by Supporting: - Technical Assistance Training - - Biennial Conferences - - Distance Learning - - Publications - - Faculty/Staff Development - - E-Learning Opportunities - - A Centralized Resource Center - - A National Listserv - www.pepnet.org