Blog
Summer Camp 2012 Recap
By: Cina Silvey The 2012 Michigan A.G. Bell summer camp at the YMCA Storer Camp was a huge hit! Fifteen children received scholarships and were able to enjoy a wonderful summer camp experience in a natural mainstream setting. Each camper was able to sign up for certain tracks in which they could participate. Some of the tracks included horse-lessons, glee, nature, team sports, arts and crafts, swimming, boating, archery and adventure. Many campers signed up for the boating and adventure tracks. The adventure tracks included a 50ft....
read moreSummer Splash 2012 Recap
The second annual MI A.G. Bell Summer Splash was held on July 15, 2012 at Kensington Metro Park. It was a beautiful day for a picnic! Aside from some unforeseen construction on 96, the event was perfect. Over 80 board members, families, professionals, and friends of MI A.G. Bell were in attendance. The event kicked off with a fun ice breaker activity; the first person held a ball of yarn, gave a brief introduction, and explained how hearing loss had touched their life. They then held onto a piece of the yarn and threw the ball of yarn to...
read moreHow Does the IEP Under IDEA 2004 Compare to a Section 504 PLAN?
By Sid Kraizman, an attorney and former special education hearing officer DEA 2004 Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004, students with disabilities are entitled to receive special education and related services that they need to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The individualized educational plan (IEP) is developed at the IEP Team meeting where the parent participates as an equal member. In Michigan, school districts must comply not only with the federal regulations under IDEA 2004, but also with...
read moreDoes My Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child Need an IEP or a 504 Plan?
By Teresa Sundberg, Teacher Consultant for the Hearing Impaired / Parent of a Hearing Impaired Child / Hard of Hearing Adult In the previous article, “How Does the IEP under IDEA 2004 Compare to a Section 504 Plan?” two types of educational plans for students with disabilities were addressed to show what schools may provide. But how does each of these plans differ in meeting the needs of children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (D/HOH)? The majority of students who have hearing loss are being educated in the general education classroom in...
read moreResponse to Intervention (RtI): Not a Pre-referral for HI Certification
By. Teresa Sundberg You don’t need to be in the field of education to notice that your local school districts are reacting to the state and federal budget cuts to education. Many school districts have had to lay off existing teachers, support and related service staff caseloads are becoming larger, and class sizes are growing. Currently, approximately 10% of federal education funds are allocated to the States for use in Special Education and with less money for local educational agencies (LEA), filling in the gaps of meeting the needs of...
read moreMatrix for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
By: Nancy Mosher WHY MIGHT WE USE A DHH MATRIX? Effective communication, academic success, social competence, and independence are the goals for each of our students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH). Since each student is unique and has different needs, the IEP team uses DATA to define the necessary programs, supplementary aids, supplementary services, accommodations or modifications which will support independence and school success. The Matrix for Students who are Deaf/ Hard of Hearing is a TOOL for use with students who spend most of...
read moreMI Department of Education – Proposed Rule Changes
MI AG Bell DOE Public Comments from March 7, 2011 Click here to read the full text from the proceedings.
read moreTestimony submitted following Public Comment to the Administration on Developmental Disabilities “Envisioning the Future Summit”
Hello, I’m Shon Halacka, President of the Michigan Chapter of the AG Bell Assoc for the Deaf. I also serve as a Governor Appointed Disability Advocate for the Michigan Rehabilitation Council. I am a parent who raised three children all of whom have hearing loss ranging from severe to profound, and are now successful, self-sufficient, contributing members of society. Hearing loss affects 12,000 children born each year in the US. Over 90% of these children are born to parents who have normal hearing and have no knowledge about hearing...
read moreAdministration on Developmental Disabilities Envisioning the Future Summit
Michigan AG Bell represented children with hearing loss before this government agency.
read moreCongress Passes 21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act of 2010
The AG Bell Association worked very closely with the Hearing Loss Association of America and the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) to help get this important legislation passed. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the “21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act of 2010″ by a voice vote September 28 at 9:28 pm. Among other provisions, the legislation requires telecom equipment used to make calls over the Internet to be compatible with hearing aids, provides for captioning on new TV...
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