family therapist working on hours during grade school, then as a MFT intern. I worked in substance abuse, chemical dependency, with non-violent offenders, adults, and teenagers and their families. Later I worked at Alameda Family services for 4 months when suddenly in 2011 Sept. my right CI stopped working. A month later my left CI stopped working. I had to stop being a chemical dependency counselor as I could no longer use what is called an FM system. Using an FM system allowed me to get through all my college with my first CI.
[FM Listening Systems let teachers talk into a hand-held microphone, which transmits the sound of the teacher's voice directly to a deaf or hard of hearing child's hearing aid.]
Can you tell me more about your experience as an intern?
I was braille instructor intern at HKNC for 3 months. I learned strategies and different approaches to teaching braille. As with everything, people learning braille have different styles. I used mostly tactile sign language with most my students. I had 2 students that wore hearing aids and could understand my voice. One person used sign language to communicate with me. The other person used print on palm. So he wrote in my palm. This got slightly frustrating as he would not always use bloc letters and would not write as clearly as he had been. I worked 28 hours a week. For pay that is. I went to team meetings, wrote lesson plans, reports etc. One of the biggest advantage to doing the internship is Started having hope again that I can actually get back into the workforce. Maybe even get my hours as a MFT. I have been applying to some possible jobs. Teaching braille was a bit fulfilling especially seeing my students improve in their reading and writing abilities in braille. However, it does not "light my fire" the way being a therapist did.
What do you think the world should know about Deaf-Blind people?
I think the biggest thing they would needs to know is that deafblind people are all unique and different. By this I mean we all have varying levels of either blindness, low vision and/or deafness/hearing impairment. A deaf blind person can be born deaf and be culturally deaf and later lose their vision. Or be visually impaired and born hearing and later lose more vision and become either hearing impaired or deaf. We come from all walks of life, different educational levels, religions and ethnicities. We want to be treated like humans and be respected as well. If you ever see a deafblind person tap their shoulder or elbow. See how they communicate it can be as basic as using your finger to write in block letters on their palm to talk to them. Some deafblind people like myself can use our own voices and do not sound deaf.
What are your thoughts about the technology/devices used nowadays to help deaf-blind people communicate and interact?
In many ways technology has advanced tremendously. A deafblind person can use a refreshable braille display and have it connected either with a USB cable or blue tooth to a computer or iPhone. We can use text, e-mail, skype, and VP, Video Relay calls that use an interpreter for the deaf person to communicate with another person. The deaf person needs enough vision to be able to read the sign language of the ASL interpreter. Or there are refreshable braille displays that can be connected via wireless or blue tooth keyboards in which a sighted and hearing person can type on a keyboard and the deafblind person reads the braille on the refreshable braille display.
How does refreshable Braille work?
There are different brands of braille displays. They all have a single row of braille, with as few as 14 cells of braille, all the way up to 80 cells. As you either braille yourself, meaning the blind person or use a keyboard like I do, the braille appears on the display. The braille pops up with retractable pins that appear in the cell. As you work on a computer, iPhone via Bluetooth or use a braille note taker the braille moves and one can scroll back, forward, etc. Hope that is clear. Maybe we can meet some time and can show you.
Being deaf-blind, what is your communication preference?
This depends on the situation and who I am communicating with. Nowadays, I prefer to use tactile sign language, this is when I feel someone’s hands as they use ASL sign language to communicate with me. IF I’m communicating with a sighted and hearing person I will have the person type on my keyboard and read the braille. If I need someone to contact me I prefer text or e-mail.
Can you tell me a little about your learning style and how it was for you growing up?
Interesting questions. I was in regular public schools until 3rd grade in which was transferred to Hayward school district, they had a program for hard of hearing kids. Was mainstreamed for half of my classes and in Special Ed for half. I was transferred due to falling behind in half my classes. For me, I believe I have a visual learning style. I struggle learning when things are strictly audible. However I believe I may also be kinesthetic learner. It is interesting since I thought I was stupid, I did not apply myself due to my struggles learning. For example, I did not understand algebra until went to community college when I was 26 years old and started out with basic math and worked my way up to statistics. As my vision decreased I had to rely on my hearing to learn, which was a hard transition. I would read some things in braille for college but took too much time so I had to depend on my hearing. Thank goodness I finished my math prior to having no useful vision.
born deaf and be culturally deaf and later lose their vision. Or be visually impaired and born hearing and later lose more vision and become either hearing impaired or deaf. We come from all walks of life, different educational levels, religions and ethnicities. We want to be treated like humans and be respected as well. If you ever see a deafblind person tap their shoulder or elbow. See how they communicate it can be as basic as using your finger to write in block letters on their palm to talk to them. Some deafblind people like myself can use our own voices and do not sound deaf.
What are your thoughts about the technology/devices used nowadays to help deaf-blind people communicate and interact?
In many ways technology has advanced tremendously. A deafblind person can use a refreshable braille display and have it connected either with a USB cable or blue tooth to a computer or iPhone. We can use text, e-mail, skype, and VP, Video Relay calls that use an interpreter for the deaf person to communicate with another person. The deaf person needs enough vision to be able to read the sign language of the ASL interpreter. Or there are refreshable braille displays that can be connected via wireless or blue tooth keyboards in which a sighted and hearing person can type on a keyboard and the deafblind person reads the braille on the refreshable braille display.
How does refreshable Braille work?
There are different brands of braille displays. They all have a single row of braille, with as few as 14 cells of braille, all the way up to 80 cells. As you either braille yourself, meaning the blind person or use a keyboard like I do, the braille appears on the display. The braille pops up with retractable pins that appear in the cell. As you work on a computer, iPhone via Bluetooth or use a braille note taker the braille moves and one can scroll back, forward, etc. Hope that is clear. Maybe we can meet some time and can show you.
Being deaf-blind, what is your communication preference?
This depends on the situation and who I am communicating with. Nowadays, I prefer to use tactile sign language, this is when I feel someone’s hands as they use ASL sign language to communicate with me. IF I’m communicating with a sighted and hearing person I will have the person type on my keyboard and read the braille. If I need someone to contact me I prefer text or e-mail.
Can you tell me a little about your learning style and how it was for you growing up?
Interesting questions. I was in regular public schools until 3rd grade in which was transferred to Hayward school district, they had a program for hard of hearing kids. Was mainstreamed for half of my classes and in Special Ed for half. I was transferred due to falling behind in half my classes. For me, I believe I have a visual learning style. I struggle learning when things are strictly audible. However I believe I may also be kinesthetic learner. It is interesting since I thought I was stupid, I did not apply myself due to my struggles learning. For example, I did not understand algebra until went to community college when I was 26 years old and started out with basic math and worked my way up to statistics. As my vision decreased I had to rely on my hearing to learn, which was a hard transition. I would read some things in braille for college but took too much time so I had to depend on my hearing. Thank goodness I finished my math prior to having no useful vision.
Laptop with a Bluetooth Refreshable Braille Display