As part of Deaf Awareness Week, on the 7th May UKCoD and The Ear Foundation worked together to organise The Latest Technologies Conference.
Susan Archbold from The Ear Foundation opened the day by explaining how the world had changed because of changing technologies, affecting hearing aids, cochlear implants and communications services.
To celebrate Deaf Awareness Week, BID Services would like to invite you to their Corporate Morning, being held at our offices in The Deaf Cultural Centre, Ladywood, Birmingham, B16 8SZ, on Thursday, 9th May, 2013
Free for Schools in Leicestershire and Derbyshire
Recently, Action Deafness (AD) won a grant from Awards for All to deliver a new and exciting community-based project. The main purpose of the project is to raise deaf awareness in schools through fun and interactive workshops that aim to explore the question: “Do we hear with our ears?”. In these sessions, we aim to discover how multi-sensory music is and how it can break down barriers between the deaf and hearing worlds.
Music has often been seen as an experience for hearing people only. However, an increasingly amount of research suggests that music is not exclusive: it can be felt and appreciated by everyone on some level. Studies by Dr. Dean Shibata in the USA have shown that when people who are profoundly deaf feel the vibrations of music, areas in the brain that are usually responsible for hearing show activity and can stimulate emotion. Not only can music be felt, it can also been seen in the form of movement, dance and signed lyrics. Music is inclusive.
Since music is so accessible, AD believes that it is a powerful way of encouraging deaf awareness and equality in schools. The success of the bid is well-timed after the 2012 Olympics has brought “music and deafness” to the attention of a worldwide audience. In its opening ceremony, Evelyn Glennie (a profoundly deaf percussionist) and The Kaos Choir for deaf and hearing children showed an audience of millions that music does not discriminate.
In our workshops, we want to encourage the children to explore music as they may not have experienced it before: through the ears of someone who is deaf. We hope to work alongside deaf volunteers and communication support workers give children the opportunity to learn some basic sign language, feel the vibrations of African drums and become more aware of their own senses. Most of all we want to get across a message of a society which does not instil barriers, but provides opportunities for everyone.
Initially, this exciting new project is aimed at mainstream primary schools in Leicester. However, we want to encourage all schools in Leicestershire and Derbyshire with a mix of hearing and deaf children to book a session with us too. Each workshop can be between 1 to 2 hours long (depending on the school’s availability) for a maximum of 30 pupils per session. Additionally, we can work with smaller SEN groups too.
To find out more information or to book a workshop in the near future please contact the Sessional Worker, Eleanor Bilton.
Email: Eleanor.bilton@actiondeafness.org.uk Tel: 0116 2533205
Sense is carrying out some research into how decisions about eligibility are made.
They need people who carry out assessments and decide what FACS band people fall into to complete their questionnaire. The results will be fed into the Department of Health work on a new eligibility framework.
They will also publish the findings for use by any social services team who would find them helpful. All responses will be totally anonymous – no individual or local authority will be named.
The survey can be completed on line at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sensefacs
Lorem
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