Listening Technologies: Meeting Room Location- Delaney

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1 MED- EL Info: Listening Technologies: Meeting Room Location- Delaney MED- EL, a hearing implants company, has been setting the standard in performance, ease of use and reliability in cochlear implant technology since Features such as the revolutionary FineHearing sound processing technology, FDA APPROVAL of 1.5 Tesla MRI s without surgical removal of the magnet and the world s first cable- less audio processor, the RONDO, set MED- EL apart as the innovation leader in cochlear implant technology. Virgi Mills, M.E.D., a Florida certified Educator and a bilateral MED- EL user, taught Pre- K children with hearing loss using listening and spoken language in auditory- oral programs in the Alachua County Public Schools, Gainesville, FL and in the Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, FL. Currently, Virgi is an Outreach Manager for MED- EL, a hearing implants company, in the southeast region and supports families in the cochlear implant journey as well as educators, audiologists and speech and language pathologists. Phonak Info: About Phonak Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, has developed, produced and globally distributed state- of- the- art hearing systems and wireless devices for more than 60 years. Phonak offers a complete range of digital hearing instruments, along with complementary wireless communication systems. Phonak Wireless Communication Portfolio The Phonak Wireless Communication Portfolio ensures enhanced access to speech and language in challenging listening situations. The new Roger technology, bridges the understanding gap in noise and over distance. Roger offers a unique signal- to- noise ratio in these situations, surpassing traditional FM by 54%* and Dynamic FM by 35%*. Instructional Personnel Shannon W. Motsett, MA, CCC- A Shannon joined the Phonak Pediatric Team in April She is the Pediatric and FM Specialist for the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, West Tennessee, and South Carolina. She attended the University of Memphis, where she earned a Master of Arts in Audiology. Prior to joining Phonak, Shannon worked as a Pediatric Audiologist at Nemours Children s Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Oticon Info: Candace Matthews Depp, Au.D., CCC- A, F- AAA, joined Oticon in April 2012 and currently serves as a Pediatric Account Manager for the Southeastern US. Previous to this position Candace worked in a variety of audiological settings including private practice, school systems and most recently Duke University Medical Center. She received her Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Tennessee- Knoxville with a concentration in aural rehabilitation. Her interests include comprehensive diagnostics and amplification for the pediatric population. oticon/inside- oticon/about- oticon.aspx This is a link to the About Oticon section of our webpage. Advanced Bionics Info: Carolyn J. Brown Iwasiw, MS, CCC- A / SLP, LSLS Cert AVEd Retired Assistant Professor University of North Carolina School of Medicine

2 Carolyn J. Brown Iwasiw is certified in both Audiology and Speech/Language Pathology. She is a recognized authority in cochlear implant technology and the approaches to the development of spoken language in children with hearing loss. She was a member of the first cochlear implant team at the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, California and has had more than 30 years experience in the field. Until her retirement, Carolyn served in the UNC Department of Otolaryngology / Head & Neck Surgery as Program Director for the Pediatric Cochlear Implant Team and the Carolina Children s Communicative Disorders Program (CCCDP). In 2001, under her guidance, the CASTLE program was established at UNC- CH. CASTLE continues today with goals to provide auditory/verbal intervention opportunities for young deaf children and their families and to develop a statewide network of clinical and teaching professionals prepared to work with deaf children to develop spoken language through internships, workshops, and distance- coaching. During her career, Carolyn also lectured widely in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America on cochlear implants, speech acoustics, speech perception, and habilitation. Upon her retirement in 2008, CASTLE was re- named in her honor, as The Carolyn J. Brown Center for the Acquisition of Spoken language Through Enrichment. Currently, Carolyn consults with Advanced Bionics, the global leader in developing the most advanced cochlear implant systems. Acquired by Sonova and working with Phoank since 2009, AB develops cutting edge technology to deliver hearing to those with severe to profound hearing loss. Cochlear Americas Info: Brandy Harvey joined Cochlear Americas in October of 2006 as a Regional Volunteer Manager for the recipient volunteer program known as the Cochlear Awareness Network. Since then she was promoted to covering the Eastern United States and Canada, eventually becoming the National Program Manager in Denver, Colorado. After three years in the Marketing Department there, Brandy returned back to the field as the Area Manager for the North Florida Coastal Territory, supporting hospitals, physicians and audiologists with business resources and surgical support. Prior to working for Cochlear, she graduated from UCF and served as a police officer for a combined 12 years in both Orlando and Jacksonville. Because hearing loss impacted her family and both her son and daughter are successful cochlear implant users, Brandy has become an advocate for children and adults to learn about the benefits of Cochlear technology. Her children are now middle schoolers in mainstream education where her family resides in St. Johns County. Cochlear designs and manufactures Nucleus Cochlear Implants, Hybrid Implants and Bone Conduction Implants that have helped over 250,000 people hear that s more than all the other hearing implant companies combined. And we are justifiably proud of that. But no matter how many people we help, no matter how big that number gets, we still get choked up every time we see the priceless expression of someone being able to hear, either again or for the very first time. Dr. Graeme Clark knows that feeling more than anyone else on the planet. After watching his father struggle with deafness his whole life, Dr. Clark vowed to do what many in the scientific and medical communities said was impossible. And in 1978, after years of research, he proved all the so- called experts wrong when he gave Rod Saunders the world s first multi- channel cochlear hearing implant. And the miracle of hearing. Dr. Clark founded the Nucleus Company, which is now known as Cochlear Corporation today. That groundbreaking operation made history. But it also made it possible for thousands of recipients to hear their children, their friends and families. They can do anything anyone else can do. There are no limits. Today, Cochlear is in over 100 countries worldwide and leads the industry with innovation, research and product development, all to share the miracle of hearing.

3 Schools for the Deaf/HH: Meeting Room Location- Orange Clarke School Info: Name and Credentials: Alisa Demico, M.S., CCC- SLP, LSLS, Cert. AVT Title: Co- Director at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist, Auditory- Verbal Therapist, Speech- Language Pathologist Alisa Demico is a Speech Language Pathologist and Auditory Verbal Therapist at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. She received her Master s Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from West Virginia University in She moved to Jacksonville, FL 16 years ago to begin her career teaching deaf children to listen and talk. In July 2000, after 3 years of mentoring and specialized training, Alisa became a Certified Auditory Verbal Therapist. She is now a Co- Director at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech but continues to work as an Auditory Verbal Therapist with children and their families in the early intervention program, preschool and school- aged programs. She has mentored other professionals to become Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists and is dedicated to teaching and training professionals about Listening and Spoken Language options for children with hearing loss. Program Description Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech in Jacksonville, FL is an Auditory Oral Education Program for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Clarke teaches children from infancy through their early elementary years to learn to listen and talk with the latest technology that maximizes access to sound such as cochlear implants and digital hearing aids. Our Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists, teachers of the deaf and speech language pathologists have background, training and experience to prepare children academic and socially for mainstreaming alongside their hearing peers in their neighborhood schools. Debbie School Info: The University of Miami Debbie Institute (Debbie School) is a family centered early intervention educational and research facility for children who have developmental disabilities. The school has a three- fold purpose: research on the problems that impact children with special needs, training for university students, and service to children and their families. The educational services of the Debbie School are provided through the following programs: the Auditory- Oral Education Program for children with hearing loss ages birth to seven, the B- 2 Early Education Program for children with disabilities ages birth through three, and the Early Childhood Education Program for children who are typically developing ages birth through four. Our philosophy is that early identification and intervention improves outcomes for children with disabilities and prepares them to participate in inclusive environments with their peers who are typically developing. The Auditory- Oral Education Program provides early educational intervention services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Services include early and primary education. The program s mission is to provide an educational environment where children who are deaf or hard of hearing learn to communicate by listening and talking. The program s philosophy is based on the premise that early identification and educational intervention in a listening and spoken language environment improves outcomes for deaf or hard of hearing children and allows them to learn to communicate with their families, friends, and people in the wider world. Lynn W. Miskiel, M.A., CCC- SLP/A, LSLS Cert. AVEd, is an ASHA certified and Florida licensed speech-

4 language pathologist and audiologist. She received her Bachelor s Degree at the University of Colorado and her Master s Degree at the University of Illinois. She has worked in the field of aural rehabilitation since 1988 and currently works at the University of Miami Debbie Institute as the Director of the Auditory/Oral Education Program for children who are deaf and hard of hearing and as the Director for Ancillary Services. Ms. Miskiel is also an adjunct instructor at the University of South Florida Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Ms. Miskiel has presented nationally and internationally on auditory training, language and speech development techniques for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. She co- edited with Kathleen Vergara the Miami Cochlear Implant Auditory and Tactile Skills Curriculum. She is also active in local, state, and national professional organizations, serving in a variety of committee and leadership roles. Kathleen C. Vergara, M.A. CED Director, Debbie Institute University of Miami Kathleen C. Vergara, M.A. CED, Director of the University of Miami Debbie Institute, has been active in the field of deaf education for over 40 years. She received her Master s Degree from Columbia University. She helped found the University of Miami Debbie Institute s program for children with hearing loss in 1982, now known as the Auditory/Oral Education Program. Ms. Vergara has given numerous national and international presentations on auditory training, language and speech development techniques for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. She co- edited with Lynn Miskiel, M.A.,CCC- SLP/A, LSLS Cert. AVEd, the Miami Cochlear Implant Auditory and Tactile Skills Curriculum. Ms. Vergara has been an active member of Miami- Dade County Public Schools Superintendent s District Advisory Panel for Students with Disabilities and served as Chair for six years. In addition, she is a former chair and active member of the Young Children with Special Needs and Disabilities Council of Miami- Dade County and is currently serving on the Florida Interagency Community Council for Infants and Toddlers (FICCIT). Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind Info: Established in 1885, FSDB is a fully accredited state public school and outreach center available tuition- free to eligible Pre- K and K- 12 deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired students, including meals, boarding, transportation and other services. Comprehensive educational services at FSDB are individualized, specific to the unique communication and accessibility needs of each student to develop independence and lifelong success. Currently, FSDB serves about 600 students on campus in Pre- K and K- 12 academic programs, as well as about 400 infants and toddlers and their families across the state of Florida through Parent Service Programs. Families choose FSDB for the unique resources and opportunities that cannot be found elsewhere. Students choose FSDB for ease of direct learning, the variety of academic programs and campus life activities, and the effortless communication they have within the campus and community partners. The highly qualified teachers who have chosen to work at FSDB are the foundation of our educational programs with a core philosophy to meet each student s specific needs, abilities, and learning styles in order for them to acquire knowledge and skills, build confidence, and achieve independence. And the colleges and businesses who choose to partner with FSDB provide students with opportunities to develop valuable career knowledge, hands- on experience, and skill sets. Discretionary Projects: Meeting Room Location- Anderson Educational Interpreter Project (EIP) Info:

5 Melinda Andrew, Administrative Assistant/Financial Manager, Educational Interpreter Project. Melinda has been associated with the project for 1 year and has begun to learn sign language. Florida s Educational Interpreter Project strives to improve the skills of interpreters working with students (K- 12) who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf- blind. This discretionary project funded by the Florida Department of Education, Division of Public Schools, Bureau of Student Services and Exceptional Student Education, is housed at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. The Project s main goal is to increase the number of qualified, evaluated or nationally certified sign language interpreters and oral transliterates who are providing services to students in the state s K- 20 educational system. Below is a brief list of what the Project provides: Statewide Professional Development for interpreters/transliterates Technical assistance (face- to- face workshops) for individual districts as requested Skill development via Online Modules (online courses or mentorship provided thru video or teleconferencing) Financial assistance for testing and college courses Production of resources, such as vocabulary DVDs Networking of Lead/Liaison interpreters National Skill Testing EIPA RMTC/OSBD Info: Resource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Outreach Services for the Blind/Visually Impaired and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (RMTC/OSBD) The Resource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (RMTC) is a statewide, specialized FDLRS center located on the campus of FSDB. RMTC serves as the coordinating unit for accessible materials including captioned and signed DVDs, professional development books, and other reference materials. In addition, RMTC staff provides on- site training and technical assistance to all school districts, families, and discretionary projects. RMTC offers information and referrals, as well as collaboration with other State and Federal agencies, in order to meet the needs of students with sensory loss, their parents, and the professionals working with them. Outreach Services for the Blind/Visually Impaired and Deaf /Hard of Hearing (OSBD) provides assistance to school districts across the State of Florida with a focus on small, mid- sized, and rural districts. These services assist children who are Blind/Visually Impaired or Deaf /Hard of Hearing, and the district staff supporting them. OSBD also provides related parent support services to the districts and parent groups. Trainings and workshops are offered to staff and families on critical issues related to deafness and/or blindness including awareness, learning implications, classroom considerations, and parent issues. FAVI Info: Mission Statement The Florida & Virgin Islands Deaf- Blind Collaborative (FAVI) is committed to promoting educational practice that leads to the full participation of people who are deaf- blind as active members of the community. This is accomplished through person- centered approaches focused on building the capacity of local teams and fostering self- determination of the individual.

6 Michelle A. Pearson, MA Deaf Ed, Deaf- Blind Technical Assistance Specialist Michelle grew up in Arizona. She received an MA from Gallaudet University in Deaf Ed. After teaching in Deaf Ed for 10 years, and ASL for 3, she became a Deaf- Blind Specialist for the FL Outreach Project for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf- Blind. For the past 8 years, she has been working with school systems, families, audiologists, and various agencies who work with deaf- blind children (ages 0-22), as well as training interpreters on the different aspects of Deaf- Blind interpreting and/or becoming an intervener. She has presented at the RID Region II conference, as well as a variety of meetings and conferences throughout the state of Florida. Michelle helped establish the FRID Deaf- Blind SIG in 2008 and is the former RID Region II Rep for the RID Deaf- Blind Member Section (DBMS). Emily Taylor- Snell, M.Ed., Project Coordinator Emily Taylor- Snell is Project Coordinator for the Florida Outreach Project. She fulfills multiple essential roles, providing technical assistance to families, groups and in the schools, and leading FOP s interagency collaborations. Emily has also extended the resources of the Florida Outreach Project into the Virgin Islands. Emily is helping to assess the needs of individuals and families in the islands who are affected by deafblindness. Also, Emily is helping educators and service providers determine the models of support that will best meet the needs of children and families in St.Croix, St.Thomas, and St. John. Emily joined the FOP after holding the Project Coordinator position for a federally funded deaf- blind project serving Ohio and Wisconsin for 11 years. In Ohio, she provided staff development for a county board on mental retardation and developmental disabilities and taught Advanced Behavior Management for Students with Multiple Handicaps at the University of Dayton. She also served on numerous committees for brain injury, vision and hearing, early intervention and transition. She is also a state trainer for SKI*HI, INSITE and VIISA early intervention curriculum models. In her native California, she worked for the State Department of Education conducting educational assessments. She also has 10 years of teaching experience with students who have mild to severe disabilities with a school district in San Diego. She received both her Bachelor and Master degrees from the University of San Diego. Technology and Learning Connections (TLC- MTSS) Info: The Technology & Learning Connections (TLC) Team is a part of Florida s Multi- Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) through the Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Project at the University of South Florida. Our services support the local development of highly effective classrooms for all students based on the Florida Standards in a multi- tiered system of supports. The TLC Team provides guidelines and resources to support the implementation of: The Florida Standards Assistive & Instructional Technology Accessible Instructional Materials Universal Design for Learning Our staff includes 5 Regional Technology Coordinators and 5 Regional Technology Specialists housed at Regional Assistive Technology & Universal Design for Learning Centers. The Team also supports the Regional Local Assistive Technology Specialists and their activities. Technology Education Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (DeafTEC) DeafTEC provides teachers with skills and strategies that improve access for students who are deaf and hard- of- hearing. The resources and strategies are developed using the Universal Design for

7 Learning approach that benefits ALL students in the classroom. DeafTEC workshops can be customized to meet local needs and are focused on transition- aged students. Project Access workshops are designed to help teachers adapt their teaching style to foster better learning for students who are deaf and hard- of- hearing, as well as other students. This workshop helps inclusion (mainstream) teachers learn: Awareness of needs Visual techniques Use of support services personnel ClassAct Online Resources- ClassAct was developed to support instructors who have students who are deaf and hard- of- hearing in mainstreamed classes. The core of the website focuses on teaching strategies, the classroom environment and the support of accommodations, student support services, and communication needs. There are informational videos, handouts, tools, and a library of Survival Signs. The following areas have materials: English Resources Math Resources STEM Careers DHH IT Professionals Employer Resources