News & Events- 10/13/03

WROCC at WOU Coordinator Opening

John Freeburg, director of the Regional Resource Center on Deafness at Western Oregon University for 30 years, retired this year. I have moved into his position and am working furiously to fill his shoes. I am searching for a motivated, energetic person to fill my previous position as the Coordinator of the WROCC Outreach Site at WOU. Below is the position announcement, with links to the full description of the position, application instructions, and the WROCC at WOU website. Review of applications will begin October 24, 2003.

Full-time, 12-month, fixed term appointment. Master's in Special Education, Rehabilitation Counseling, or related field; conversational sign skill; regular travel required. Coordinator must be able to respond to technical assistance questions from the range of postsecondary service providers to assist them in accommodation and access issues that arise around serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students, clients, and employees. Review of applications will begin October 24, 2003. For complete position information and application procedures go to: http://www.wou.edu/jobs . For more information about WROCC at WOU, go to http://www.wou.edu/wrocc and http://wrocc.csun.edu. WOU is an AA/EEO Employer.

New! Health Sciences Programs Duo

DSS staff who have had little experience in working with faculty and administrators in health sciences (e.g., medical school, nursing programs, dental programs, veterinary school, allied health programs) are surprised to find out that they are quite different than most other undergraduate and graduate programs. Developed by Martha R. Smith, Project Coordinator and Jo-Ann Sowers, PhD, Project Director of the Health Sciences Faculty project at Oregon Health & Science University’s Center on Self Determination for the WROCC Outreach Site at Western Oregon University, this module was designed to provide DSS staff with information so that they can better understand some of the unique features of health sciences programs. http://www.wou.edu/nwoc/healthscience.htm or http://www.wou.edu/wrocc and click on 'Training Materials.'

Students with disabilities are finding their way into health sciences programs, including students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. As an interpreter, do you have what it takes to work in this arena? This module, writing by an interpreter who is currently interpreting for a Deaf medical student, provides information and tips to others who are considering working in this challenging setting. This module was prepared by Todd Agan, CI, CT for the WROCC Outreach Site at Western Oregon University. The project was co-sponsored by Oregon Health Sciences University Center on Self Determination. http://www.wou.edu/nwoc/medschoolinterpretingdraft.htm

WSRD Conference Proceedings Now Available

Presentations from the Western Symposium on Rehabilitation and Deafness April 9-11, 2003 in Seattle, Washington are now available at http://www.wou.edu/wrocc and click on WSRD Conference. The next WSRD Conference will be in San Diego, April 2005!

WOU Wins Training Grants

Western Oregon University is proud to announce it was recently awarded 2 grants that help to support student attendance in its training programs. The 4-week Rehabilitation Counseling with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults has gained 5 more years of support from Rehabilitation Services Administration within the US Department of Education. For the past 30 years, WOU’s Regional Resource Center on Deafness has provided this month-long inservice training for 30-40 State Rehabilitation personnel serving clients who are deaf or hard of hearing. The longevity of the program and the fact that the service providers come to WOU from all over the US and its territories make WOU a leader in personnel preparation in the field of Rehabilitation. http://www.wou.edu/rrcd

The BSI Program (Bachelors in American Sign Language/English Interpreting), the only degree-bearing interpreting program in the Northwestern US, also obtained student support funding from the US Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs for 5 additional years. The BSI program trains 20 interpreters per year, who are in high demand have excellent employment options immediately upon graduation. Mark your calendars for June, 2004...Plans are being made to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this 4-year degree program, as well as the 28th year of interpreter training at WOU! http://www.wou.edu/rrcd

PEPNet 2004 Conference, April 21-24, 2004

The 2004 PEPNet Conference, "Planning for Success: Initiatives for Positive Outcomes" will be held a the Sheraton Station Square in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania April 21-24. Watch the PEPNet website for registration information, available early 2004! http://www.pepnet.org

Technical Assistance Available from PEPNet

Remember, PEPNet is here to serve you! If you have questions about how to provide services to Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing students on your campus, new technology to provide access on the job, or need materials to assist instructors or employers in developing accommodations, contact the PEPNet Center nearest you! You can locate the Centers easily by clicking on the map at http://www.pepnet.org/centers.asp . Contact information is available at http://www.pepnet.org/directory.asp . And don't forget to check on the materials available through the PEPNet Resource Center at http://prc.csun.edu . NEW!! To make products easier to find, additional catalogs are available focusing on specific needs (e.g., faculty, technology, students, parents, notetakers). See http://prc.csun.edu/Content/Products.asp for more information.

Have you seen...

ICDR (Interagency Committee on Disability Research) recently held a Summit on Interference with Hearing Technologies by Digital Wireless Telephones. Watch for the proceedings at http://www.icdr.us .
Transition Website for Students http://www.ccdanet.org/ecp_index.html An informational website set up by the WNY Collegiate Consortium of Disability Advocates. Also see http://www.ncset.org/ National Center on Secondary Education and Transition.
Resources for Working with Individuals who are Deaf Blind http://www.theinterpretersfriend.com/db/rsorcs.html
Understanding the Importance of Microphone Placement http://www.hearingloss.org/hat/MicrophoneRecordings.html Created by Dana Mulvany of SHHH, this is a web page with links to sound recordings which illustrate the impact of microphone distance upon the sound quality. This is a critical element My hope is that this will make a significant impact upon people who may not fully understand why microphone placement is so important for an assistive listening system.
Web Access Tools: Bobby http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/index.jsp Bobby allows a page to be checked against either the Section 508 (of the federal Rehabilitation Act ) accessibility standards or the Web Content Accessibility Group (WCAG) 1.0. Guidelines. Generally, the WCAG guidelines demand a higher level of accessibility. Bobby identifies particular errors by line, and provides suggestions and links to information about how to meet the appropriate guidelines.
WAVE 3.0 Web Accessibility Tool http://www.wave.webaim.org/index.jsp : This free tool offers a number of unique features that make it a powerful and effective tool. Among its strengths are its visual presentation mechanism, which highlights both accessibility errors and accessibility features, and its ability to show the linear order in which tables would be read. (This helps the developer understand whether or not the logical order of the page will make sense to screen reader software.)
If you're looking to get smart with Section 508, check out the Section 508 Universe modules at http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=5 . This site includes a downloadable 508 Awareness CD.