What are you doing to raise awareness about communication concerns in children? The NCHAM website, www.infanthearing.org, has two resources posted now:

(1) Families who are concerned about their child’s hearing often don’t know where to turn for help. Doctors and family resource organizations can help by linking families to these Just in Time resources [PDF]. There is a Spanish version [PDF] as well.

(2) ASHA-certified audiologist Dr. Patti Martin talks about what to expect from a newborn hearing screening, why it is important, and how to identify the signs of hearing loss within the first year of a child’s life. (This podcast was posted with the permission of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.)

Check the NCHAM Facebook page often throughout the month of May to see resources, materials and information that can help both professionals and families.

Link: http://www.infanthearing.org

Join Randi Winston and Jackson Roush on May 14th as they discuss this important topic during the monthly “Move the Needle” webinar hosted by NCHAM. Registration information can be found at the link below.

Link: http://www.infanthearing.org/resources_home/events/outsourcing-nhs.html

On the second floor of the Bailey Education Complex, students in UT’s educational interpreting program make the most engaging conversations effortless with an array of facial expressions and body movements.

Amid a few unusually silent hallways, Maggie McLaughlin, junior in interpreting, spends her days with her interpreting peers practicing and perfecting an alphabet known as American Sign Language.

“Before I thought it was just English translated, but it’s really not,” McLaughlin said. “It’s a whole other language just like you would be translating Spanish or French.”

Link: http://utdailybeacon.com/news/2015/apr/14/interpreting-major-explores-deaf-culture-campus-an/

Recent advances in technology have the potential to improve the quality of life for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Here’s a look at four products at the link below.

Link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertszczerba/2015/04/21/4-game-changing-technologies-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing/

Since 2012, McBride, a professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at ASU, and former ASU professor Gail Belus have been taking students on trips to Malawi as part of their Hearing for Humanity program. McBride fell in love with Malawi after going on a similar trip to Africa in 2010.

Link: https://asunews.asu.edu/20150413-asu-audiology-students-malawi

Children who are D/HH benefit from great teachers. What are some of the qualities it takes to be a great teacher?

Link: http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/heart-teaching-what-it-means-be-great-teacher?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=community-heart-teaching-great-teacher-link

At the link below are some tips for parents of newly diagnosed children.

Does your school have an educational audiologist? Do you know the important services that they can offer?

Link: http://www.listeningandspokenlanguage.org/WhyEducationalAudiologistImportant/

Register now to attend the NCHAM webinar on April 23rd. The webinar topic is “EHDI System Self-Assessment using JCIH Early Intervention Recommendations: A Foundation for Continuous Improvement.”

Learn more and register at the link below.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued official written guidance announcing that states can unilaterally reimburse for telemedicine without the need for further approval by the CMS. This guidance is significant because now states can easily access federal education funds through a simple regulatory change at the level of their Medicaid department, making telemedicine services more accessible and affordable to students and schools in need.

Link: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/04/prweb12642682.htm